Leaderboard

An interesting thing about The Way International is its symbiotic arrangement - where you have two different lifestyles mingling and interacting by the members of the group: 1. There is the Christian lifestyle where one professes a belief in Jesus Christ and follows a religion based on His life and teachings. 2. A destructive cult (please refer to the subcategory of “destructive cult” on Wikipedia) follows a certain agenda to the benefit of the cult leaders and to the detriment of the followers. The destructive cult is also parasitic when paired with a religion. It uses and feeds off the life and energy of the religion...the religion is a means to an end and not the end itself. This symbiotic arrangement is invisible, of course - and often it depends on the individual as far as which one of the two lifestyles…eclipses…dominates…overrides the other. == == == == Folks are usually not attracted to a destructive cult. In my case with TWI, I was attracted to what they said I could learn about Jesus Christ and increasing the power of God in my life – so I enrolled in the PFAL class. If you stick around for a while and aspire to achieve any personal goals or some level of service – I believe you will come to many crossroads in your journey. These crossroads are like an intersection – where the Christian lifestyle and the destructive cult “meet” - where a crucial decision has to be made. Do you take the direction of a Christ-centered-faith or do you follow TWI’s direction which only furthers their agenda? == == == == There are always moral dilemmas in life – and I think the decisions we make and the actions we take reveals so much about our character…and keep in mind how this all plays out on an individual basis and in different ways. I could be torn between wanting to give $100 to someone I know who really needs it – or give that to The Way International who reminds me that is part of my abundant sharing and putting God first. I knew lots of good honest folks when I was in TWI. But I also came across some real a$$holes too. And I don’t mean folks with an irksome personality. I mean folks who were really into lording it over others, of using “for the sake of God’s ministry” as a cloak for excusing their dishonesty in business practices (I was burned a time or two) - where "doing the right thing" to resolve an offense or right a wrong really just amounts to sweeping it under the carpet so as not to give the ministry a bad name.. ...it's applying a fresh coat of white paint to the sepulcher of hypocrisy. == == == == You said “But I have read and heard accounts of others about how controlling and mentally devastating it can be. Just look at what many of you have shared here on GSC.” Yeah, I think that’s the voices of the good honest folks who left TWI. The type of so called Christians who rip others off, who are self-serving as in Matthew 18 and in II Peter 2 do NOT post at Grease Spot… I don’t think it’s a matter of “It takes learning. But if that learning isn't correct, and one has nothing to compare it to except even more incorrect doctrine” as you have stated – I believe it is simpler and deeper than that. It’s really about the type of person you are to begin with. Do you have the moral fiber to do what is right no matter the circumstances, or what your shrinking pocketbook or “evil overlord” is telling you to do? You said: “That was what my feeble attempt was of bringing up Paul. He actually believed he was doing the right thing.” I think Paul was an honest man – even before his conversion – he once said before a religious council he had lived his whole life in good conscience see Acts 23 though he was "before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" I Timothy 1:13 With religious zeal to spare Philippians 3:6 ...after his conversion he then made decisions based on his Christ-centered-faith. Paul of course did not have the New Testament documents to give him explicit directions on how to live the Christian life; but he did have the living Christ in his heart to first help him re-interpret the Old Testament documents in light of Jesus Christ being its fulfillment...and later inspiring him to write some of the New Testament documents as well. Perhaps if we go by a simple idea – that actions speak louder than words (even the words of the Bible, that some folks like to use to obfuscate the issues) – then what folks actually do reveals a whole lot more about their character – you said: “give them a chance to prove they have had a change of heart and mind” – they’ve had their chance for a long time now - I think the proof is in the pudding.

“Always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormented never the tormenter.” Ellie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor.

I think you may be comparing apples to oranges. Paul persecuted the church BEFORE his conversion. That’s totally different from the hypocrisy, spiritual abuse and exploitation perpetrated by supposedly Christian ministers - like in II Peter 2

Great post, Don’t Worry !!! I love the continuity and strength you’ve always provided to anyone wanting out of that supermassive black hole (i.e. wierwille and any iterations) – I will always be grateful I got to speak to you on the phone around the time Tonto and I were working on our TWI-xit - - and we’ll always cherish getting to meet you in person at the Texas BBQ a few years ago…you are the real deal ! Helping others see all the connections to the “dark side” (wierwille’s bull$hit) is a force to be reckoned with…you’re like the Luke Skywalker of Grease Spot only you weren't tempted to kill Ben Solo and you don’t die at the end of the movie - - oh gosh darn – I’m sorry I didn’t announce a spoiler alert first for all you dang Star Wars nerds . When it comes to offshoots, spinoffs, rip-offs, knock-offs, “runoffs” and jerk-0ffs, I think it’s rather evident that wierwille’s doctrine and practice never really goes away…his adoring fans merely dress it up in a different exoskeleton - hoping it will survive the “harsh conditions” of this strange world called reality.

Because they are a "gift" to the body of Christ, donchaknow. Which body of Christ? You may ask. Fair question. Was it the body of Christ that awarded them the title? (that body would not be an accredited body, by the way LOL) No, not that one. They split off from that one and started a new one. Would it be the new one? How would we know? The only "gifting" in evidence seems to be that panel of dullards that we evidenced on a video. If that was a gift, can I exchange it at K-Mart? Oh, that must be the meaning of which why we need to go to meetings where they teach and listen to teachings from them. N - to - the - hizzou. So hence this is the new meaning of outreach. All of those revivers and resurrectioners were in their little positions of holiness in the body of Christ. not the head, but up the neck, like. Then, we have a cutting off. You see the body of Christ apparently like in Terminator movies regenerates upon splintering, where a small droplet from the former body of Christ now forms a large puddle on the landscape and formulates a full integral little body of Christ. * Note the little "b" as opposed to the big "B" .... In this little body of Christ formulated from a puddle on the landscape, now we have the same members in particular as we did in the big "Body of Christ" big "B". Thus the same "Reverend" members in particular who were, up the neck like, in the Body of Christ (big "B") now are also up the neck in the replicant splinter, the body of Christ (small "b"). Rise and Replication. Like the Arrow Worm. So now we have established a spiritual and exegetical understanding of why the R&R leadership still retains their "Reverend" titles. OR .... How big "B"s became little "b"s.

Taxi, please do! Thanks!

As should our attention as they have currently absolutely nothing to offer. Except to each other in a private Facebook group and website. There within the confines of those walls, let the blind lead the blind with all sorts of made up titles.

I can do that, if you like.

Easy to say it's not the money (it's a good sales technique - and trust me, I know.) Doesn't mean that it isn't. Maybe try thinking about it another way. It's the power they're addicted to. And, money is a relatively tangible proof of power. ('cause money can gets chit done... lol.)

What “Word” did they use? There were no Gospels or Epistles yet. Which part of Genesis through Malachi did they use at the Council in Acts 15?? Smells like “private interpretation” to me. Or, perhaps more accurately, “private speculation”.

Twinky, great posts !!! I always like when you share about what’s happening in your neck of the woods…I mean by your shore of the pond…I think you are a truly sweet and kind person…and more power to all you street pastors! …I’m glad I got to meet you too at the Texas BBQ.