Leaderboard

WAP Class: Eve a Lesbian? Martindale broke new ground in the wap class when he taught on eve and the serpent in the garden. It was a classic WTF-question that slapped everyone in the face. What? There is probably stuff buried in the doctrinal basement here at GSC, if you care to go digging. But......there is this link Eve a lesbian? This one segment of the class drowned out everything else. It was so "out there"......I certainly had no desire to explain it, let alone endorse it. It just was. Martindale reiterated this "biblical depth" in Genesis on a couple of corps meetings afterwards but......I wasn't buying it. As these wap classes went forth.......the rippling effect of this "lesbian issue" caused a silent dissent. Anything further on this issue....will not be coming from me. I had no desire to explore it....then or now. More later........ .

Clock Out: Martindale set the policy from the start......Be in your office ready for the day at 8am sharp. Mothers of small children were granted leeway in this area.....to get their kids to the school bus or school. Even if you'd been out past midnight, traveling home after a branch meeting or something.......at your desk, 8am. And, don't be using this desk time for study time......doncha know, wierwille was up at 4 every morning and had put in three hours of study before breakfast. Phones, faxes, reports, meetings, study prep for teachings,......it all added up to a blur of activity. Every day. Not all corps were this busy.....but the Limb and Region guys were in high gear [.....and '96 and '97 were throttled higher]. Oftentimes, on the field.....Saturday and Sunday were slotted for branch activities, seminars, classes, etc. When do we "clock out" from work? No wonder staffers at hq stay at their cushy desk jobs for 30 years......they don't do branch witnessing nights, outreach reports, run classes on weekends, none of the "heavy-lifting"......they clock out and go home. My office WAS my home. So much was still such blurred boundaries that many were afraid to ask. What days off do we get for Christmas? No one asked. Other holidays? They would let us know. Could the corps leave town and go see their parents or relatives? Any questions like this might lead to major confrontation......and who wanted that? Why does the song Hotel California come to mind?

Ho Ho Horrendous: As the 1995 year wrapped up, the presents......er, presence of the board of trustees was encroaching into our very lives. That "needs-basis" doctrine instituted by wierwille gave the cult horrendous power and control over our lives, our children. The presents underneath the Christmas tree......were they really a need? Why did I have to justify in my mind what we had bought our kids? There might as well been coal in those stockings by the fireplace......the way I felt. Just like escorting Mrs. Wierwille the month before, we were tethered at the hip......with the trustees. Wherever they wanted to go, we were going. Prior to this, I had "my space".......probably a lot more space and freedom than most corps. But now.....this brooding over us, how I spent my time, my money,....was suffocating and distressful. I know, I know......it was THERE all along, but not for me. Not like this. Not sure where this would go in 1996, but..........Ho-Ho Holycrap.

Happy Cult Thanksgiving: There's nothing like spending 5 days with your "cult family" at Thanksgiving. Well, since twi can score budget pricing over an extended Thanksgiving Weekend (because EVERYONE ELSE is with their families).......it became an annual event. At this time, Dallas became the premier destination because of location and support (lots of corps in Texas). And, twi scheduled these Advanced Class Special in Dallas for '96, '97 and '98. Notice: The sales targeting towards "advanced class grads?" Twi desperately needed their strength of numbers......for abs and potential corps. Maybe it was just me.....but I swear, at these major events Craig, Don and Howard would give extra special concern and attention to advanced class grads and, without hesitation, turn to a corps grad and bark an order. Slave labor with a nametag. Since we were in Oklahoma......my wife and I was selected to attend (work). So.......I was Mrs. Wierwille's escort at the time. Whatever she wanted to do, wherever she wanted to go......I had to be ready. My alarm clock was set for 4:40am every day for those five days (Wednesday-Sunday). I was expected to be ready for the unexpected. From 6:30am-10:30pm.....I was "on duty." If she stopped to use the restroom, then I quickly went to the men's restroom, as well. I was NOT to inconvenience her AT ALL......or she'd show her displeasure. This escort assignment didn't just come out of the blue......I'd escorted Mrs. Owens to the HQ-Staff Christmas Party in 1982 and '83 and sat at the head table with Dr. and Mrs. Wierwille. Escorting Mrs. Owens was a pleasure. [Ermal had died in July 1981.] She was light-hearted and funny. After dinner, she wanted me to go dance with my wife. Her concern for my enjoyment warmed my heart. She was a delight. Escorting Mrs. Wierwille was more challenging than anything I was assigned at roa. And, yeah.......I had to be in suit and tie from 6am-11pm. Ugh. .

All Corps Full-time "Revelation" Was Conditional: Within weeks, martindale sent the region men to purge the corps ranks. Although they tried to inject an air of spirituality to these decisions.......in reality, it was MONEY. In my state, there were 12 corps who went full-time. If every couples' "need-basis" budget averaged around $26,000 - $30,000 (or whatever it was)......that sure takes a huge bite in the operation expenses of a non-profit organization. Plus, all of these corps grads were NOW not tithing or abundant sharing. It took a few weeks.....but I think that it finally dawned on martindale that a fiasco was afoot. Corps were told that they didn't measure up in commitment. What? I thought this was an "all active corps go full-time revelation"......but now conditions were imposed. The "revelation" was being tweaked. Sheeesh. That didn't take long. Now, corps who had quit their employment were forced to go and see if they could have their job back. Or, it was just so damn awkward......some looked for new employment. The corps were disposable. Everything in twi was tweaked.........even "revelation" from God. Link -- from January 2005

Future ROA's Cancelled: Good Riddance: At the first corps night in September, martindale announced that the 1995 roa was the last one. I hardly could myself from an emphatic hand thrust (like making a long putt)... YES!....but thankfully I quickly regrouped my glee. Didn't want to broadcast my "good riddance" to the corps seated around the table. But hey......thank the Lord for small blessings. Martindale spend the majority of the corps meeting going over corps responsibilities as full-time and more details forthcoming. As I stated before, ".....I believe that martindale had NO CLUE of the financial ramifications of putting all corps on full-time staff. That meant.....EVERYTHING that the corps were legitimately doing for twi was attached to financial decisions. Travel, gas, motel, food, snacks, cable tv, pets, etc. etc...... every aspect of the corps was NOW under a microscope. THAT is why, I believe, that the roa was cancelled.......imagine all the expense incurred by corps and family to travel across the usa and attend corps week and roa? THAT is why on the first corps night of 1995, martindale stated that NO CORPS should plan to attend the Dallas 'special' unless specifically invited (to work).......BECAUSE then, technically, if many came, they'd turn around and include all their expenses on a petty cash reimbursement form. After 1995 ROA......every corps person was slated for extreme scrutiny to see if they were "spiritually worthy" of being full-time. During that first month in September, my region coordinator was tasked by martindale and trunk office to ELIMINATE CORPS FROM PAYROLL. Yes, within a matter of weeks......8 corps in my limb were told that they didn't measure up and needed to go get a secular job. Double speak was everywhere. Soon......martindale came up with that term "corps alumni" to add another distinction to being faithful to twi, but not active (full-time) corps. Money, money, money.......the trunk office had to triple their staff to handle all the financial statements, reimbursements, faxes, updates, etc."

You make good points, even beside spelling out the historical events. For those of us who invested years of our adult lives in twi, it's tempting to be angry about lost time. The fact of the matter is that we are the sum total of our experiences. We can make the most, even of the regrettable experiences. Thanks for making those points.

Ten years ago, mr. martinfail began scheming another escalated attempt to rev-up the corps. With ongoing efforts to purge homos and home mortgages from twi's ranks, loy waybrained a plan that he said was revelation from God. In March of 1995, at the corps leadership meetings at hq, lcm presented this "revelation" and received endorsement from the board of trustees, the corps leadership, the region leaders, and emeritus trustees. Puffed with great pride, the full-time corps "revelation" was catapulted in August at corps week. Martinfail expected his plan to stoke the fires of his controlling power. His arrogance was cashing checks that God never wrote. In August, the lines of demarcation were quickly drawn in the sand. If corps had credit card debt, then they were not qualified to be on twi's payroll. If corps had a home mortgage, then the same applied. Twi's personnel director, Brad Thoxpe, was the front man to set a base salary under a needs-basis umbrella with a set of financial and spiritual guidelines. Within weeks, lcm's "revelation" was unraveling. The trunk office was totally scrambling to fill in all the holes. Frank Stalxy and wife were brought in to spearhead the financial avalanche of activities that were not detailed. Policies and job descriptions were in shambles. Behind closed doors, this whole "revelation" was a growing fiasco. Corps couples were quitting and returning back to their secular employment. When lcm launched this full-time corps "revelation" upon twi, it marked a new era in twi history. Now, twi's president and corps director had major control over his graduated-from-training corps. He set corps policies on salary cuts, traveling, communication, reporting, pets, pregnancy, vacations, and many other issues. It was unprecedented. Since lcm proclaimed that God had given this revelation, there was a growing anticipation of major rise and expansion. But when it DID NOT HAPPEN, lcm now said that the household needed to be cleaned out further.....before twi followers could cross the bridge into "the promised land of the prevailing word." More stress. More confrontation. More scrutiny over innie's finances and traveling and m/a relatives. More reporting back to leadership as demanded by the trunk office. No results. The ministry was going deeper in debt with such a swell of payroll expense. By March of 1997, the trunk office instructs the region men to sniff out "slothful corps" and get them OFF TWI'S PAYROLL. Fire their butts, but be sure to give a spiritual reason. The yes-men go into action to save face for lcm. More policies. More firings. By January of 1998, twi launches into an emergency cost-cutting mode!! Obviously, the twi accountants were whispering in martinfail's ear and FINALLY getting his attention. All kinds of reasons were given. Blame was shifted onto the "unbelieving" corps and other committed followers. And by June of 1998, "new revelation" was given to eliminate the full-time corps mode of operation. Martinfail kept boasting of God's prevailing word and all......but the damage was done. It was obvious that lcm was not tapped into God's divine revelations. He was exposed for all to see. Once again, pride goeth before the fall. :D--> skyrider

I like threads like this too....that's why I start them. For me, it helps to dismantle the twi-machinery and logically explain its component parts. In this manner, others can see how misjudgements, agendas, and adulterous leaders strayed further and further from scriptural basis and ended in a desolate wilderness. Wierwille died before his agendas were fully exposed. But martindale in trying to follow wierwille's mentoring, is a classic example of tarnished character, moral/spiritual depravity and self destruction by the age of 51. And since twi is a class-based organization, it isn't any small wonder why they still are scrambling to implement a new foundational class again.