Tom Strange

What's the big problem? I really don't see it... Refiner came here as an ex-cultie and guess what? WE ARE EX-CULTIES! (well, most of us anyway) He started a topic stating his opinion, big farging deal! There will be posts opposing and posts supporting... how's that any different than any other thread? However, I don't buy Refiner's statement of "By the way. If I had known that this thread would generate the aggravation that it has generated I would never have posted it." The impression I've gotten of you Refiner is that you're pretty sharp. I'm thinking you knew that it would be somewhat 'contriversial'! Anyway, he's entitled to his opinion... I've never gotten the vibe that he has any secret agenda... I think this site works for ANYONE that's been in a cult, it's comforting (in a way) to me in a way that we weren't the only one's duped. There's Christians and non-Christians around here... I'm not feeling that the hostility towards him is really justified... he's just expressing his opinions and then defending himself against the attacks. I don't recall any place where he tried to force his beliefs on anyone. Sometimes different viewpoints can be healthy. They make you look at your perspective and either help you strengthen it or change.

myseestorEx... it's not too late! I know of a deprogrammer...

happening day to you dude!

You two better watch out! He's gonna come get you and tie you up with his goo...!

...someone rejected Spiderman???

Refiner... how are the asbestos drawers that Shellon loaned you holding up?

ah... ZMac... such mammories... I get all misty inside keeds... Brings back memories of the great lake adventure and picnic...

ShegotJohn, I fear they may have "jumped the shark"... I sure hope not, but I fear it... (and you know what they say about fear) Maybe "Entourage" will be interesting... when does "The Wire" come back?

From what I hear about them (the daughters) that would "boost" the morale of the troops somewhat!(I don't think that was your intention EWD, but couldn't resist!)

Just wait until you ask them some of those questions. Watch them carefully... you might notice perspiration, nervous ticks, heavy breathing...

UnkleHairy! LOshanta! You better go do your DWA retemories some more...

Welcome Belle. Just let me know whenever you want a snowcone! :D-->

tell me what you really think sister niKa! :D--> I think I'll see it tomorrow (gotta stay dry somehow)... I'll keep my eyes open... I don't agree with a lot of what this President has done... and I think he's had "his turn" and it's time for someone else... I also don't think that this President is the first to do a lot of the things that have been laid at his feet... I just think he's done and incredibly poor job of doing them...

So... let me see if I've got this straight... OurseestorEx is the Mother of Tonto? (as he said) "her fruit"??? And then she wants to keep the Tontmeister "on the side" for herself? I don't think so! (well unless she claims it, was she claiming it in that post?) Don't forget fellowship tonight, I'll bring all the junk to make S'mores... who is teaching? who is leading? Tonto, come early so you can be blessed by vacuuming and string the chairs.

Steve! I've still got it! I knew I could get someone to type "Europa is a moon of Jupiter"!!! :D--> :D--> :D--> :D--> :D--> :D--> (sorry, now I'm feeling guilty for having used you) :(--> :(--> :(--> :(--> :(--> :(--> :(-->

Refiner, don't know if you want to go into it this deep... but Sunesis' post made me think of this book: 'The House of Acts', here's what Amazon had... It's about some of the West Coast Jesus folks that veepee subsequently hijacked... just a thought...

Refiner and Girl From Oz live in Austrailia... not Austria... Austria is in the middle of Europa somewhere... isn't it where 'the Eagle's Nest' was?

Godwin! :D-->

James Garner and Gena Rowlands do a pretty good job... the young people (especially Ryan Gosling) can't act worth a lick (IMO). I managed to avoid 'A Walk to Remember' and 'Message in a Bottle' although my wife watches them constantly. I'm thinking this guy (Sparks) must have some "first love" psycological issues... oh... she's gonna pay for making me sit through that one... she's gonna pay!

...I keep hearing John Fogerty and CCR in my head singing "who'll stop the rain?"... ...someone... please make it stop...

RasCathy... the difference between your friend and you in that scenario is that your friend did it for personal gain and profit... you did it out of the love in your heart for God... there's a big difference... sure, both are sales jobs... but one is for the gain of self, one is for gain of other...

RasCathy... I'm thinking DotDotDot and I feel the same way on this... and I think it comes down to intent and heart... before you knew of the evil at the root of the ministry OR after you started discovering the evil... it's all steps along a path... folks got hurt... but YOU didn't do the hurting... you didn't 'set them up' to be used and abused, you tried to help them find a way to attain a more than abundant life... try to rest easy knowing that you did good... and still do...

Good list LU! Have you/Do you attend any games at "live" pro ballparks? My list is: Fenway, Astrodome, St Petersburg, Camden Yards, Atlanta Fulton County, Atlanta Ted, Metrodome, KC, Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington Stadium, The BoB, Kingdome, Candlestick, PacBell, Chavez Ravine, Big A, Veterans Stadium, SD County (or whatever the old cookie cutter one was called), Oakland Alemeda... ...but I did get to go to the greatest college basketball ever played (was it in 92?)... East Regional Final, triple OT, Duke and Kentucky...

That's the ticket DotDotDot...

yeah... what a lot of you said... :)--> I guess I was searching when I found TWI (or it found me)... I evidently had this big void inside that I was trying to fill with daily visits from the THC god and visits every now and then from the mind expanding gods... after the first twig, I didn't even feel the urge anymore, nobody told me not to, I just didn't honestly feel the need to anymore... there was a lot of love in that group of WOWs, there was a lot of truth and genuine caring there... IT WAS GENUINE (in that place, at that time) I feel that regardless of veepee's motives good was being done, people were being delivered... it wasn't perfect, but for me there was an honest and heartfelt transformation. It really freaked out my family (in a good way). It was real... where we were. It took about six or seven years before I saw where it was going so I left... I'm inclined to believe that TWI, for many of us, was 'steps along the path to enlightenment'... and I always remember that along with (or maybe in spite of) the evil that took place with veepee his personal assistants... there was a lot of genuine deliverance and good done by others... at least that was my experience...