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Speaking of Viktor Frankl ... I recently returned from paying my respects at Auschwitz and Birkenau, which is in Poland. All day we walked through the former physical location of hell on earth. Being there, I felt an even deeper shame that I ever considered Wierwille "the man of God." He not only denied the Holocaust but sold the book, The Myth of the Six Million. When I'm ready, I'll be writing about this on my own website. From the book's description on Amazon, "Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945 Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Frankl's theory-known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos ("meaning")-holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful."

I find it hard to believe that its been 20 years since I finished my final task............then............TOOK THE EXIT RAMP TO REALITY. Even though it was gut-wrenching to stay those last two months.......it was something that I felt I needed to do. In all good conscience, I just couldn't walk away and leave the whole state of Oklahoma in a mess. The advanced class grads had been preparing for these 4 weekends for nearly a year...........and were deeply committed to finishing the Way of Abundance and Power series by attending this final August weekend. [ I stayed for the advanced class grads of Oklahoma........no one else. ] As I have documented here at GSC the growing chasm of distrust and disdain for trustees, most especially beginning in August 1995 (when martindale assigned corps to be on twi's payroll full-time).........what a fast 3-year roller coaster ride! Once we signed on the line (full-time employees).......they treated us like slaves/property. I am not sure that I've ever adequately expressed the box and conundrum of those three years. Martindale claimed that he'd received prophesy from the Lord for all corps to be full-time......and that with this commitment, the spiritual growth in twi was going to be exponentially prevailing. Expect it. Believe it. We labored for 3 years like it was wheat harvesting time EVERY DAY.........14, 16, 18 hours a day. At the Limb level, it was totally crazy the amount of hours we spent each week to keep up with all the faxes and corps assignments from the trunk. Heck, we were crossing over the bridge into the "Promised Land of the Prevailing Word"......and everyone needed to be sanctified and pure from any scintilla of doubt, fear or evil. Not only were we to keep up with all the new information from the newly-embraced wap classes, but martindale would ramble on for 2 1/2 hours every corps meeting, each week. I doubt that I've ever been so busy in my life.....in getting nothing done. What a circus........with elephant man, bearded-lady, dancing bears, and six-legged goats. I have lived to tell my story.......and what a damn scam I found myself in. When I found Waydale two years later.......a new day dawned. Thank you Paul Allen and Pawtucket.........you two are saints !!

Make indoctrination great again ! Indoctrination tip of the week: If the cult-leader says it, that settles it. mmmmmm great Kool-Aid !!!

20 years is a lifetime ago...... But then, there were those who left the cult in the early 70s.......45 years ago. And, those who left in the mass exodus around 1987.......30 years ago. Yeah, of course.......I wish that I would have left years earlier. But then, I wouldn't have seen firsthand how decrepit and demented wierwille's organization/doctrine would falter. With martindale at the helm, we were oblivious of what would lie beyond the fog. Yet, even after all of this......rivenbark had NO ANSWERS either. The blind were (and are) leading the blind. And, STILL it got worse. The R&R group of corps exited LAST YEAR. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Greasespot Café stands as a living, breathing testament of personal stories withstanding, enduring and escaping cult indoctrination. How long will people keep coming forward to tell their stories? How long will there be a need for this site?

Great book!

Have any of you ever read Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl? I'm friends with a guy that was a young teacher in the high school I graduated from (46 years ago)... he's not so young anymore and neither am I. He assigned students in his English classes to read that book and write an essay about it. Yesterday, he posted on FB about that practice. It was a timely reminder of a classic. So, I got it from my local library today and started reading it. It occurs to me that the book may be a good filter/lens through which to evaluate our experience in twi and each our own lives in the ensuing decades. To me, it fits well with the subject of this thread.

Script for radio commercial Seasoned TWI follower: our teachings are the best thing for depression! New attendee to fellowship: really?!?! Seasoned TWI follower: yup – that’s where I got mine.

We’re making delusions fun again !

Why pay for insurance when you can pay for a class that will make you think you don’t need it.

We’re like Scientology... but without the celebrities