JustThinking

mj, I spent some time within the past few months with some folks who are still in and they seemed pretty low-key about TWI. Nothing like what I saw in the 80s in terms of excitement. "It's nice." Best they could do. Seemed like the proverbial "she has a nice personality" line.

Dot, Because of people like you, I sleep better at night. When I decided to direct my daughter away from going in the corps, I knew it was the right thing but I couldn't shake my self-questioning. "Am I sinning, being tricked?" Because of accounts like yours and others here, I have evidence to back up what I knew God was telling me. On scheduling, our area had to give detailed schedules of daily activity AND had to submit budgets. We just blew it off and ignored the whole process but weren't bugged about it. My best guess is that our bc was a twit and feared anyone who could think faster than he could. (That was a lot of people, btw) When he would call for it, I would have questions for him he couldn't answer. He was too embarrassed to keep calling our lc with questions and just "forgot" about us, I suppose. :-) I once did write up a generic weekly schedule for him but left the date blank. He just filled the date and probably felt very spiritual. LOL! I only knew of one person who had to submit to home inspections. It was a lady who (gasp!) hadn't emptied her trash before twig. The bc (same twit above) saw it and jumped on her for "living in filth." When I found about it after twig one day, I asked if we could come to his house afterwards to show her an example of how she should keep her place. He freaked! He was scared because I had seen his house. It was actually less organized than hers. :-) Home inspections stopped. :-} I think the thing that upset me the most about the whole home inspection thing was that this was a single mom who was just too sweet to tell this bonehead off. He didn't bother anyone else because we would have told him to shove it. Sort of fits the pattern of prey on the weak and timid.

Wacky, Wow, that's pretty scary. To have that kind of documentation at your fingertips means it was probably planned for some time. Unless they just wrote it down from memory. When I was a TC, I do remember being asked to recount situations that happened with people in my twig in as much detail as possible. Now I think I know why. :-( We had one lady, for example, that had a son who was a teen and a bit rowdy. Good kid, really, just 14 and hormonal. Good student, polite, never got into trouble just had long hair and played in a rock band. God forbid! Anyhoo...the local LC eventually drove them away while trying to get this "boy to shape up." The last time I saw the poor woman was in my house crying that she tried to do everything to please this jerk but gave up. Never saw her again. I wasn't there for any of her "counseling" sessions with the LC but I bet I had a hand in helping to drive her out. It's hard not to be ashamed by not figuring out what was going on. I really though they just wanted to help her. It wasn't until I saw the pain in her face that night that it became clear she was just broken by the experience.

Catcup, I can vouch for Oak's comments. (Not that I was asked) GSC was probably in a "more inane" cycle when I first signed on but I have learned a LOT here. Whether or not I have a full view of events is difficult to say. However, for me, it's been enough. You have a great point though about forgetting. If I had more firsthand knowledge, it would go into a book. Alas, there is not, to my knowledge, one place with a comprehensive view of all the bad stuff that happened. You have to dig a bit here.

Hmm...if there was one on me, I didn't see it. Sounds a bit like the files spy groups keep on their citizens. Um...for only good reasons, of course. ;-) Was it just one with the highlights or did they keep details?

Is it me or does this sound like the Clinton years? Completely self-indulgent president who can't keep it in his pants propped up by manish woman rumored to be a lesbian. Court case brings him down after evidence provided by abused/tricked employee. Wife goes on with life while appearing "above the fray." Wife returns to power while President is still adored by some and scorned by others. Now if LCM could get a book deal. Oh yeah, that's where the story splits. One of these guys is a Rhodes scholar.

UR, I once extended that metaphor to death by saying "Christ's kidneys behind our kidneys", etc. Local leadership wasn't amused. :-) If you keep going with other body parts, it gets kind of creepy.

After reading Ex10's post, I have changed my opinion. Her point is too important, in my mind, to ignore. I vote with her. JT

"This forum is for discussion about the Way International and its leadership " That is the description of this forum. Whether someone thinks the secret to eternal life, happiness, clear skin and bliss is reading old VPW books is up to them. It doesn't seem to fit this description though. Editorial on my part: It does say "discussion." Some responses I've received here go over the line of discussion and are just plain ignorant. Name calling, etc. Would mind seeing them banished either.

Shaz, Nope, wasn't the one. It wasn't long after that though. Maybe it was one of current the hot ideas that leadership had come up with to "move the Word?" ;-)

PJ, Two points on the comparison you did with VPW and BG Leonard: In LCM's class, the "born again" session was moved to 7 versus 12. It doesn't change your point though. The "hands on" training was done at my advanced class in the 80s which was still the one done by VPW. I couldn't say if that has continued or even done again. However, I haven't studied any of Brother Leonard's material so I am not in a position to compare. JT

Oldies, I got in just at the end of TWI-1 and it seemed very entrenched at that point. Can't speak for times before that. My impression is classes have always been TWI's main revenue stream. With very few people in TWI-2 holding high-income jobs and numbers dwindling, it would seem that would be even more true.

Hey Shaz, Could be coincidence but I was involved in something VERY similar. Maybe we know each other? I had coworkers too and it was very embarrassing. JT

Golfie, I'm supposed to honor my father and mother too. I wouldn't put them on the same level as God or pray to them.

Pj, I agree it is a very effective method. It may be going to far to say that striving for precision because YOU choose to is harmful. Having that be the end goal is pretty suspect though. Especially when it's precise mastery of what someone else said. It seems one could err the other way too though. Living life based on pure emotion. "Just love, man" sounds nice but it's pretty vague. I've seen comments along those lines on this site and they seem more fortune-cookie logic to me than a plan for life.

Using the term Way "College" when it was no such thing.

Using the day you got the idea to do something else as the anniversary for when you started your outfit.

GS (Great Scam) #256498734.... Passing off tapes of old saint Vic as real radio broadcasts. (Real Story: They were "available for broadcast) High Country Caravan, same thing. I saw them described as television segments when they were just "available for use on tv." Did anyone ever get them on the air?

I can't think of a more one-way deal than running a TWI home group. You incur ALL of the expense and do ALL of the work and they collect all of the money. When I asked why I had to buy coffee the answer was "it's part of your abundant sharing." I should have suggested that they pay for limb functions out of their pocket and consider it part of their "abundant sharing."

TL, Oh, I remember those. Ugh. I also remember asking what they were doing for retirement and getting a blank stare. Just a wayfer smile with a wayfer glaze over their eyes. Sad, truly sad. Ok, here are a few of my favorites: 1. Being expected to pay more for things at a twig yard sale than "unbelievers" because "we don't want to take advantage of the household." (I passed on the item) 2. Endless fake events that were really just sign 'em up for the class functions. Maybe that's why they "have no friends when it comes to the Word." When you use people, they tend to not like you. 3. Telling me I could take a class for free any time after the first one. Unless of course you change it then, well, it's a new class isn't it? Had to pay for LCM's rehash of PFAL all over again. 4. "You're not an advanced class grad anymore if you haven't had the new one." 5. This goes with #4: "You have to have the new class to stay up with the present truth." Hate that phrase now. 6. The worst though is the most sad. Corps people working 40 hours per week for TWI and having to also hold down a real job to support their family. It must be horrible when those children find out their is no money for college and their parents are nearing retirement and have saved NOTHING. Although I think that's when TWI finds a reason to M&A them to avoid any dead wood. (Their term, not mine)

Isn't this a violation of client/attorney privilege? Please don't flame me about what she did before. It's just a legal question about posting protected communication.

I remember the little "VPs" and little "LMCs" running around. When LCM grew a mustache, all the little LCMs grew one too. Too funny if it weren't so sad. Oh wait, better one! My 26 year old TC calling people in his twig "kids." Half were older than him! LOL! What made it not so funny was when you pointed out how ridiculous they were behaving. THEN the other side came out...

Rascal, I'll second Oak's opinion. JT

Rascal, I hadn't thought of it that way. Even if you live in a shoe. :-) Georgio, Maybe you should do something, if you have a case. Rascal's right in that it's hard to continue such behavior when it keeps landing you in court.

Georgio, I loved my parents and they did something similar. For my life, I just let it go. [This message was edited by JustThinking on February 22, 2004 at 9:44.]