Leaderboard

So among the current leadership of the Way lies the vast majority that have lived most of their lives or a significant portion of their lives in the small city ecosystem that exists around the Way International Headquarters at the Wierwille farm in New Knoxville Ohio. Far removed from the realities of life that most experience, such as a commute, a mortgage, a family (RFR), these leaders have developed in a vacuum environment. Like cultivating mushrooms, great care must be taken to keep foreign spores from invading your mushroom patch. This is the perfect environment for breeding a leader with zero empathy and compassion. Altruistic goals like "It Is Written" can still be portrayed loftily on walls around communes and on little geometrical carved pieces on clergies desks keeping them in tow while being functionally replaced with "It Is Position" being paramount. Chapter and verse can little by little be replaced with pithy quotes like published in "Lifelines" from leaders with lofty titles and puny hearts. Quotes can go on like "I remember meeting Rosalie once, and she told me this.....". The Research department can be replaced with a whited sepulchre Timothy statue and a re-worked BG Leonard class 3 times removed. And because snow on gaspumps - "we already have the truth we don't need more research". At any rate, not to shift gears too drastically in concept, recently I was listening to an old B-52's song called "My Own Private Idaho". It just struck me about some parallel lines of concept. So I thought I would post up the YouTube link and the lyrics and start up a discussion with y'alls. Peace. What do you think? Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo You're living in your own Private Idaho Living in your own Private Idaho Underground like a wild potato Don't go on the patio Beware of the pool Blue bottomless pool It leads you straight, right throught the gate That opens on the pool You're living in your own Private Idaho You're living in your own Private Idaho Keep off the path, beware of the gate Watch out for signs that say "hidden driveways" Don't let the chlorine in your eyes Blind you to the awful surprise That's been waitin' for you at The bottom of the bottomless blue, blue, blue pool You're livin' in your own Private Idaho, Idaho You're out of control, the rivers that roll You fell into the water and down to Idaho Get out of that state Get out of the state you're in You better beware You're living in your own Private Idaho You're living in your own Private Idaho Keep off the patio (your own private Idaho) Keep off the path (your own private Idaho) The lawn may be green but you better not be seen Walkin' through a gate that leads you down Down to a pool fraught with danger It's a pool full of strangers Hey, you're living in your own Private Idaho Where do I go from here to a better state than this? Well Don't be blind to the big surprise Swimming round and round like the deadly hand Of a radium clock At the bottom Of the pool I-I-I-daho I-I-I-daho Woah-oh, woah-oh, woah-oh, oh Ah, ah, ah, ah Ah, ah, ah, ah Get out of that state Get out of that state You're living in your own Private Idaho Livin' in your own Private Idaho Songwriters: CINDY WILSON, FRED SCHNEIDER, KATE PIERSON, KEITH STRICKLAND, RICKY WILSON © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

I see you point but I don't think terrorists are driven by irony. I think they simply seize on opportunity as it presents itself. OK... Back To discussing Billy Graham

Excellent point.

Modcat5, I apologize for using this method to contact you. I would have sent you a PM, but my PM function hasn't worked since I returned. First off, allow me to apologize to the mods for my part in this. I can see where I was wrong and will endevour to do better in the future. Second, if you would like to delete the Ruffles paragraph, feel free to do so. If you would like to delete this post, as its not on topic, feel free to do so. Thanks to all the mods for their patience.

That is something intriguing to think about, TLC ! Just a quick review of Ephesians 1: 19-22 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. and Philippians 2: 5-11 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Indicates some changes definitely took place…physically, of course but also his exaltation to the place of authority… commenting on Philippians 2, in The Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary Volume 2: New Testament, on page 797 it says …the participle "being" in the sense of existing is in the present tense and states Christ’s continuing condition and says “one’s essential nature can remain unchanged, though the manner in which that nature is expressed can vary greatly through changing times and circumstances.” For me, while in TWI and following the mindset that was encouraged there - I never would have considered that there was a duality in the nature of Jesus Christ – that he was both human and divine…as John 1:18 says he was one-of-a-kind, or a unique hybrid, if you will… in the Greek – monogenes…keeping in mind what the commentary said – I venture to say Jesus Christ’s essential nature remained the same – human and divine – the Word became flesh... though the manner in which this was expressed…displayed or brought out has now been modified by a unique event in history…Jesus who was crucified is now resurrected…the humbled servant is now exalted Lord…his fragile form in the grave is now transformed into a glorious immortal body. this is a big deal in Christology which is primarily concerned with the philosophical study of the nature of Jesus’ existence and his personhood in the New Testament.

They've picked up the worst traits of their father - pandering to power.

It's a valid point. People have their own "personal Jesus". It could turn them into a hypocrite rejecting their human Muslim brother who lives a more virtuous and moral life than they do and that God will reward justly at the Great White Throne judgment. Too many elitist Christians in this world looking down their nose at others, rejecting others, and living 100% selfishness. And like the Way, teaching doctrines of devils like "the household" taking the behavior of Christians back two millennium on progress towards being actual human beings with compassion towards their neighbors.

Great posts, Skyrider and ChockFull ! I know it’s been said – and my common sense would agree – no one ever knowingly joins a cult… I got involved in ’74, and like you said it was a sweet time of a simple Christian lifestyle for me… what might be a good metaphor for my 12 years of involvement with TWI is the boiling frog fable ...Early on I was not aware of the growing threat behind the Christian mask…but as time went on – the cult’s subtle powers of manipulation and exploitation extended... or should I say intruded further and further into my life…and it wasn’t until I started questioning things in ’86 that I began to suspect there might be a mask - - that something was covering the real problem or problems. I am so thankful there’s a place like Grease Spot - where unmasking a cult is a group effort !

Reminds me of THIS.