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It was one story with 20 something hippy children. However, as people like you say started getting married and popping out little ones who needed them to have a steady job, they started dropping off like flies. Wierwille wanted his free love 60s exploitive Jesus movement to continue well beyond the boundaries of logic, marriage, family, employment, and community. Well beyond the ability of his own even aging body to respond to it. That's the foundation of your Way ministry right there, new people. That's what is behind the "Timothy" statue in the auditorium lobby and the foundational class you are sitting through right now. Even though there has been time and a lot of whitewash applied.

GreaseSpot Café is a place that should never close. People are still ESCAPING the twit-cult and its splinter groups. So many of the next generation were raised in this cult........this closed-society, "North Korean Cheerleading Squad"..... that they've never seen life outside its boundaries. They are victims.......and desperately need help. Melody Ann's letter is a vivid example of the struggle to break free from cult indoctrination...... Year after year........cult indoctrination is bondage. Seeing things that were not right......yet, still obeyed. More policies came out.......to keep the manipulation going. Policies changed..........so far off-track you can't find the highway. Top leaders were corrupt with own agenda.......light bulb clicks on. Double standards at hq........hypocrisy is thy name. Follow debt-doctrine or be purged from leadership role......control. Who does that make sense to?.........QUESTION EVERYTHING. I was indoctrinated with this.........yes, you were. I apologize to those I may have hurt........stepping forward. I finally saw the light........come to GSC and REALLY see the light of this insidious indoctrination.

I knew this woman, but not well. Like most of us, she was idealistic, kind, and good intentioned. So why did she stay so long? IMO, time spent in the cult is relative to a person's needs. What strikes me is how a person misses or denies or misinterprets warning signs. I suppose part of it has to do with survival. Like her, I did that for years, too, especially the misinterpreting or rationalizing of warning signs. Psychologists tell us it's because there's a need in a person to cling to the status quo ... a variety of reasons are clear, i.e. fear of loss of community, loss of certainty, loss of feeling secure about "knowing the truth." I think we all can relate. It's a need so great that admitting what we're doing or believing or giving our loyalty to is bad, or a fraud, or a con, is just too much. We'd crack. Don't we all remember when we "woke up" and how hard that was to admit we had been duped or abused or stolen from? For some of us we nearly did crack up. Some I know have spent time in mental health hospitals, or are in serious therapy, or on heavy medication, or have lost themselves to alcohol or drugs. Or suicide. Breaking up is hard to do. Some people had a casual involvement in TWI. Others were encased in it like in an airtight plastic bag. Breaking free is HARD. I think it's a miracle any of us are here and able to compose a complete sentence. Maybe I should speak for myself, but truly, for those of us who were sold out for so long and gave so much, creating another life post-TWI has been VERY hard work and if it weren't for many good people (many are here on GSC), healing love, education, and time, I can't imagine what would have become of me... So If you ever read this, Melanie, STAY STRONG and breathe deep. It's possible to heal a little every day with love, education, and time. And I ditto what Skyrider said, that Offshoot groups formed by former WAY leaders are not a good option because in general they repeat the patterns from TWI. Besides, bottom line is that the Bible is always open to interpretation by man. The notion of "the accuracy of The Word" is just that, just a notion. No one has it. It can't be had. But that doesn't mean you cannot find valuable things in the Bible. Just question what people tell you it "means." Cheers, Penworks a.k.a. Charlene Lamy (Bishop) Edge I can be reached at http://charleneedge.com/Contact