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"On July 5, 1948, our family of five began a trip in our new 1948 Chevrolet,”... on July 28, awarded the PhD... wow, that is one hell of a program. I think I once read he did a couple of hours on a radio program while there too. Yup he did the work necessary to get his degree from a TOTALLY WORTHLESS program. Even the Baptists finally figured this out. It was all for show and tell. Considering travel time in a 1948 Chevy he had around 2 weeks of in residence study, advising and defending his dissertation. It was not worth the paper it was written on, let alone the gas to get there. My son is wrapping up 2 1/2 years of coursework next semester for his Econ PhD after about the same time needed for his Masters. That averages 60 hours a week, 48 weeks a year of study, writing, advising and also testing hard data. The difference? Yeah, his will actually mean something. I wonder if ‘God breathes’ peer reviewed studies he could have copied and gotten done quicker. Wierwille and PFAL were a scam and hoax. The only god-breathing involved came out Dictor’s ass.

This is incorrect. Wierwille got his masters from Princeton Theological Seminary, which is not connected to the more well known Princeton University.

(runs off screaming)

Another way to state this would be "The greatest secret in the world today is that the finished PFAL writings are the revealed, written Word of God.". So, then, by your own admission, you actually DO believe the written PFAL materials are the Word of God. Interesting. On what evidence do you base this opinion?

Do you only want to hear responses from people who believe the original scriptures were God-breathed? Because I don't.

Hi all! I was brought into TWI by my mother in 2nd grade (about 1992). I stopped attending fellowship as soon as I moved out to go to college in 2002 and haven’t looked back. I was part of fellowships in NC but we also spent one year in WV when I was in 5th grade. We were supposed to go out WOW the year that they canceled it and for whatever reason we (me, Mom, and sister) were placed with another couple of Way Corps people in WV for a year. In 6th/7th grade, I was sexually abused by the adult son of our fellowship coordinators. I told my mother. Rather than informing the authorities, we did what you do in TWI and handled it internally. That process means going to the fellowship leaders for counseling. Unfortunately for me, they were not unbiased. Nor did they have any kind of training to handle such a situation. In the end, it was decided that I was just as much to blame (at 12 years old) as this grown a$$ man. “We” agreed that it was wrong, would never happen again, and moved forward from there. That’s when I stopped believing in God and I’m pretty sure it’s when all of my self esteem and anxiety issues started. Throughout my teen years, I was forced to take the classes, pay for magazine subscriptions, go out “witnessing”, lead/teach fellowship, etc. I faked speaking in tongues because it was something I was supposed to know how to do. I was called out and humiliated for so many things during these crucial years, but was told that it was all done out of love. None of the other kids my age stayed with TWI, and my mom later told me that they refer to us as “the lost generation.” I guess they’ve since taken steps to ensure the younger folk stick around. I have some good memories of the ROA. Being raised by a single mom, we didn’t have many opportunities to go on vacation, so it was our one vacation per year. My parents are still very much involved with TWI and it saddens me. My mom first go involved with it back in the 70s/80s in Northern California and then sought it out again in NC when she was going through a particularly tough time in her life. I get that. I think the part that will take me the rest of my life to recover from is that my mother chose TWI over me and my well-being at the time in my life when I needed her the most. She recently turned me on to the A&E show about Scientology because she wanted me to see how ridiculous other religions are. It brought back sooo many memories about my own experiences and maddened me that she couldn’t see the parallels between Scientology and TWI. Anyway, that’s why I’m here. Sorry for the book! It’s nice to meet you all!

Thank you, Grace. Don't worry, I've been getting professional help for over twenty years. Terrible things, unfortunately, can be buried very deeply. Interestingly enough, I was looking through internet photos, trying to see what would ring a bell. There's a photo of VPW with a group of followers. Behind them is a line of other people. Most of the faces are blurred, but though the photo is grainy and his face is small, I'm almost positive my father is in that photo.

Wierwille got his "doctor of theology degree" from a BOGUS correspondence degree-mill. Even as early as 1963......the Baptist Program magazine noted the gimmicks and bargain-basement style of these places where non-denominational preachers went fishing for theology degrees. Wierwille did his meager correspondence work with Pikes Peak Seminary and Burton College in Manitou Springs, CO in 1948. And.........then, there's this 1963 Baptist Publication.......Listing U.S. Diploma Mills Pikes Peak Bible Seminary / Burton College...............same

See what I mean, Rocky? If left unanswered, he will go on for HUNDREDS of pages like this and there will always be some excuse as to why he never actually made his point.

Can confirm. Lots of excessive screaming and confrontation in the FellowLaborers of Ohio program in the mid 1970's.

I see I'm not the only person who made that point.

Some of it, yes. vpw did plenty of it in the 70s in-house. It didn't just begin with AOS. He taught lcm that the yelling was approved and recommended. What vpw did in private, lcm did in public. What was in the 70s was out of whack also.

If that's the case then he should afford us the same courtesy and leave us to the way we think.

If prior experience is any guide, he will do neither. Just pages and pages of him talking about there being proof, about his having proven it, about having proof that we don't deserve, and so on. Then, later, how he proved it before. All without actual attempts at proof.

Grace, I think the crux of his problem is a bit more fundimental then that. He thinks he's going to teach (or as he says, "(get us to) re-think some things" His primary failure is that he wants us to "re-think" things, but doesn't want to do so himself. One way streets seldom work out in life.

HaHaHaHaHaHa

Hmmmm...control-freak, likes to intimidate others, sullen look on her face all the time...yup, she’s Corps. Moderators, might want to think about moving this to open forum.

If there were a book on VPW would it really be that compelling? He got drunk a lot and lied to a bunch of kids. (or call it plagiarism) I think that story his been written a thousand times before. The book won't be written due to a lack of uniqueness.

Welcome Akhurnu! You are safe to share whatever you wish here at the GSC. The truth and facts will always "come out in the wash" here at the Spot. You'll have no problems with truthful and factual sharing of any kind. You WILL get answers. Guaranteed! You'll also get the support and encouragement to effectively and healthily deal with the answers you get. Whatever you experienced is VALUABLE to help others who may be experiencing their own dark holes of questions and confusion due to previous TWIt experiences. Take your time. Your comfort is just that.....YOUR'S. You are safe and free to honestly tell your truth here......or not. Whenever you're ready. Take your time and enjoy the ambience here for a while. Relax and soak up some of the peace-blend espresso with a good piece of fruit pie!

That’s like comparing apples to the orange book Big difference – Euclid was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the father of geometry – and from a set of axioms he developed a branch of mathematics concerned with questions of shape, size, relative position of figures, and the properties of space…that’s how engineers solve problems in the real world. Judging by the experience of thousands upon thousands of grads, PFAL failed to solve problems in the real world…matter of fact, it usually made things worse.

Thank you all for the welcome!

Hi, Maya, glad to have you aboard! I post rather sporadically nowadays. I was "in" from 1973 to 1996, when we were unceremoniously dumped. First, let me say the response of your leadership to your account of sexual abuse was horrible and wrong, but typically TWI. You were completely innocent and they had no business treating you that way. I hope you're doing well now and enjoying life. It's heartbreaking to me that so many "way kids" turned completely from a loving God because of their upbringing in this vicious little cult.

Hi Maya - I agree with Modgellan & Rocky !!!! welcome to Grease Spot ! ! ! I can sort of understand your frustration when dealing with the blindness of a mindset in others...reminds me of that old saying - none are so blind as those who refuse to see.

Hey Maya, I'll affirm all of what Modgellan said. Thanks for telling your story; we know enough to recognize that children aren't at fault for the actions of adults; and you have some very good insight on your experience. I hear you about the frustration with your mother not recognizing the parallels between twi and scientology. You've got plenty of supportive ears to share your frustrations here.