Leaderboard

I don't know what it is, but lately, it seems that I am more emotional than I used to be. Before, when I would hear of someone or child getting hurt, I would just turn my sholder and go on about my business. Now it seems I can hardly hold it together. When the news hit about the woman who drowned her 7 lovely children, I lost it, literally. I am glad I was not in public. And just today, hearing of the little 5 year old's end of life, I had to pull over off the road to recompose. Is it all the years of ignoring my feelings finally being able to be let out? Or is it something else? These are not even my children, but it feels as if they are/were. Where is my Kleenex? Got to go...

Yes, indeed. We are on the same page. Teaching by LIVING righteousness and love and freedom. Yes, great point. Some people only behave well when people are watching. They want to project an image of righteousness. Image over substance. I was pointing to victor's response to Loy in the AC Q&A about behavior behind closed doors - behavior unseen by those one is trying to lead. Do the right thing, even when no one is watching. There's a more eloquent phrasing of this, but I can't remember the attribution.

Well, except the children one has the sacred responsibility to raise.

Even if no one is watching.

As far as a parent leading a child in the way s/he should go, it now occurs to me that may reasonably really mean by setting a powerful example of what it is and what it takes to love one another. Authoritarian domination of children is evil... hopefully a child so subjected can grow into being a person who loves God and others genuinely.

It has occurred to me this is child abuse. As a parent, I can't unsee the horror of this.

"As parents, it is our responsibility to teach, or rub in by repetition." This is NOT what it means to teach. This is NOT how (H-O-W) to teach. This error is so obvious, depraved and sinister, it is vomitous. And they aren't even trying to hide it. This is NOT teaching. This is brainwashing, programming. This is darkness.

I also think, since we stifled so much of the working of the spirit in us, I think many times the compassion, anger and other things we feel, the feelings of empathy for total strangers are also Christ's feelings working in us. Since we're out of the bondage of TWI, he can work in us to feel what he feels for people.

i don't think so, oenofil, i sure hope not my prayer for that little girl and others has always been that somehow God numbed their sweet little mind (brain) and they didn't know what was happening i see thru a very very dark glass

Thank you all for your thoughts and validation. I used to clean window for 12 years and got frustrated when a little one put hand prints on the door glass that I just cleaned. I recently picked up a couple of accounts just for a little extra spending money, and today I saw little hand prints on the glass. This time my thought was "Thank God that child is still alive!" In one respect, I think that TWI was correct concerning corporal punishment. I hope that man is found and taken completely out of society. No more bother to anyone. Sometimes I regress into wondering where God was when those children were crying out in pain for help? The child most likely would not had an accurate concept of God (who can really be sure if anyone does?), but with that urgent, immediate plea, why not help them? It makes me wonder if there really is a God. At times like this, I am not sure. In TWI, it would have been so easy to say, "Well, that child was never going to believe in the future so there were no guardian angels to protect them." How sick can you be?

one answer i was looking for when i took THE CLASS (hold it 'til the end please) was why God caused so much suffering then i learned he doesn't cause it, he just lets it happen

MStar, Before I ever got to your post twi mantra was already running through my mind trying to remember what they used to say and all I got was...."feelings come and go but..." Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that! Yes, very sad about the 5 year old little girl. It just breaks your heart, but shows you that evil does exist in this world. My oldest turns 16 today and as a parent you can't even imagine what her parents must be going through today. I am praying for them as I know you are. Feels good to feel things and guess what, it's normal! corrydj

Twi held Spock from Star Trek in high regard. No emotions (did Lcm get that tape?) and no feeligs. Seems like all they cared about was themselves. I remember one speaker talking about the way purposefully did not reach out to people with problems (alcohol) but was focused on the word. Let other ministries take care of those people was the thought. So I grew calloused toward causes, thinking only twi deserved my money. Now I find it hard to give to my church. But I cry for the children.

looks like you're already cracking it my dear hugs and more hugs

Last night, after a tough day at work, topped off by a lousey job interview for a position I REALLY wanted, I went home feeling like a wreck myself, to hubby who had an emotional need. He poured his heart out to me about something very, very important to him and I just couldn't respond. The tank was on "E" - empty - I had nothing to give. This wasn't the first time I couldn't reach within myself for something to give. It happens pretty frequently, to be honest. Maybe it's because of my time in TWI? Maybe it's my stoic New England upbringing? Maybe I'm just a cold fish? I don't remember being that way as a child, though. I remember crying with my childhood friends when they cried. Somedays I wonder if I underwent an emotion-ectomy when I was in TWI -- it was all I knew for my adult life, up until the past couple of years. I have a hard time really caring for others, expression love and seem more concerned about "doing the right thing", even to this day. Sometimes, I hurt so bad inside I think there should be blood to show for it, but since there isn't any, then something must be "wrong" and so I dismiss it. To let it out or let my feelings show would be weakness to me... How to begin to crack the shell?

In the Way I had actually forced myself to believe that emotions were evil...they only got in the way of "believing the Word" I just recently realized that emotions are our God-given means to engage the world around us - that glassy eyed stare was real because we willingly turned off our emotions, thus disengaging from external stimuli. Caught part of "Pleasantvill" on TV the other night...seemed to speak to this issue.

"Is it all the years of ignoring my feelings finally being able to be let out? Or is it something else?" socketcreep, it's because you're a wonderful person

The Way Internationnal was an emotions denying machine...i.e .."Feelings come and go but the Wordagod liveth and abideth forever". feelings and emotions were hardly if ever validated in the way, everything had to be filtered through logic, reason and of course 'The Word' to see if it was OK. People bottled and denied their feelings and inner selves to their great detriment and harm. "being past feeling they have given themselves over to lasciviousness"(??-the work of the ?ministry(?)!!) IMO it was incredibly destructive to people and I am glad you have found your way out to humanness. Emotions are complex, worth sorting through and striving to understand after youve been delivered from the jaws of those who would control you

Crying is good for the soul, and the brain. My therapist said that there are amino acids released when we cry that have a cleansing effect on the brain, losening up junk that was getting sticky so-to-speak. I like to cry, but I don't go out of my way, and like everyother anal problem I had from TWI letting myself go is very hard, but it happens sometimes and usually there's people around. (which sucks sometimes) So much for becoming my childhood hero, Star Trek's Mr. Spock. He did cry a few times, but they were all during mind-melds with emotional beings. Naa-Noo, Naa-Noo, This is Mork calling Orson, come in Orson... Seth "Why you be here four hour? You go NOW!"

Rascal, I agree with you 100%. When I was younger, I did not value human life like I do now. I have a daughter and when I heard about that little girl, I cried. Such a pretty, sweet, bubbly child taken away and so violently. I can't imagine a more human reaction, than crying over that kind of loss to anyone and what that little girl went through. TWI taught us not to have any emotions. Now we are allowing ourselves to have these very human emotions. It might seem strange at first, but I am glad that I can cry, hate, love (really love), get angry, etc.

Great topic, and definitely Way related. I mean, weren't we trained to be cold about certain things...anything outside the "household"? Callous about giving to good causes, callous about the handicapped (ever hear LCM rant about Jerry's kids?). I had a real disconnect because of childhood trauma. I've turned into a weepy compassionate old fart & I love it.

I dunno socket creep, but I can TOTALLY realate. It is the same for me as well. My husband had a very strong reaction to the poor 5 year olds death this morning as well......and he is really an unemotional person. I wonder if it isn`t something to do with just us being older, and growing more mature. The term *calloused youth* comes to mind. I think it is because now that I have children, I am able for the first time to realise how horrible the death of ANY one of these sweet, blameless little souls is.......whether it be mine or someone elses....