topoftheworld

Trial starts today. Be interesting to see how it comes out. What boils my blood is that these guys have already spent 38 million on their defense: when their employees lost their jobs, pensions, everything to these *****'s. To them, it's just a game. IMO

My vote's on "March of the Penquins"

She set an incredible example of dignity and grace. A true woman behind the man.

TWI 1 (parts 2) One drink for "and Father" One for "its the word" One for "kids" One for "we just wanna thank you" Two for "according to usage" Three for "and I credit so and so for this "revelation"" Three for anything nice said about the government.

Very cool pic, Galen! Reminds me of seeing the City of Corpus Christi shortly after she was commisioned. She came to Corpus Christi to be shown off (around 84, I think) and after a few days she took off through the harbor. Seeing her come out from under the Harbor Bridge was an antonishing sight. We always thought of the bridge as being huge, but the conning tower and antennas nearly scrapped the bottom. Then seeing her go past the breakers into the bay was amazing. I'll always regret not having taken any pictures, but I treasure my little momentoes from the tour. Submariners rock!

Welcome, Protint! Is that your profession?

Although I recognize that people who did not agree with TWI doctrine or leadership, or for some other imagined reason, were "shut out" of the "household" even in the seventies, when was the M & A policy publically announced as a practice? Was it Craig? And what was the biblical principle (if any) given for instituted the practice? Sorry for the partial derail-but I haven't found a older thread explaining when this vicious practice got started. Any help?

I've had the same struggles as Rascal in trying to comprehend why we were treated the way we were, why so-called Godly people behaved in oh so not Godly ways. By accepting Romans 10: 9,10 and manifesting our faith via speaking in tongues, we are changed from natural to spiritual. That being the case, being made new, should have a cause and effect in our understanding and treatment of ourselves and others. In seeking to become more spiritual, we looked to the Word and tried to absorb it, and to the leaders to emulate how they manifested spirituality. We believe that acceptance of Christ is a warm blanket we wear proudly, and everybody should see it, recognize it, and act accordingly. That's what makes the Old Testament believer different from the New. Faith-accepting things we cannot see, things without evidence as true-is the essence of being Christian. What does not change is free will. The magic switch that makes us behave in accordance with our faith is one, I think, we have control over. I decide how to speak, walk, dress, act. But someone had to teach me how to tie my shoes. How that person taught me is their responsibilty. Did they teach me how to tie my shoes acccording to an acceptable standard? Maybe not. But I accepted on faith that their way was the correct way, so that's how I tie my shoes to this day. So here we had some people, who, born again Christians as they claimed to be, decided to behave in with non-acceptable standard that they tried to pass of as standard. Many of us had moments when we felt the false notes of their behavior or teaching. For me, issues in the early years were simply with people who through their own weaknesses, caused me grief: I passed that off as simple the price of dealing with other humans. But as my connections grew higher into the ministry, more and more of this "human-ness" came to light. And I had an immediate conflict. If, as spiritual beings, these people were making decisons that were causing harm, how did that mesh with what we were being taught? I remember clearly one of my biggest shocks was the first time in the Corps that I visited Headquarters. I thought, cool, I'll be able to see how true spirtuality moves in God's children making decisions for God's people. Instead, I find a bunch of very human people and a atmosphere that was tense. These people were acting like anybody else in any company I've ever worked in: what's in it for them? The final straw for my was a "conversation" with a Corps Coordinator. I had been through a lot during my time in the Corp, and was looking forward to graduation. But something very minor occured that was blown it something way out of porportion. After the confrontation, I walked away wondering how this very spirtual leader could have come to such a wrong conclusion, and it made me re-evaluate a lot of other things. I left, however, feeling a total failure. I have finally come to accept the concept of free will, and how it is so easy for us to make conscious decisons which are contrary to the warm blanket idea. I, however, am not leading a whole ministry. I think Craig enjoyed his power: he was never so happy as when he could get all wound up and explode: it was his nature and he would not recognize or control it. If he was what the measure of a leader was, then others who had the same nature could excuse their own behaviour and act as he did. Same for VPW: whatever he set out to accomplish became perverted through his own weaknesses: power, control, attention, sex-whatever it was. I guess what I'm trying to say is that a free will decision is made by us all everyday, and we can choose to use that free will gift for good or evil. There may be diofferent definations of what "good" means, but there is little doubt about evil, or evil intentions. But they made a decision to follow their natures, and a lot of us have paid the price. IMHO.

Thanks, Galen. You and anyone else still moved to care for people in a home fellowship are to be admired. My flip response earlier in the thread was not an attempt to be disrespectfull of those efforts: just my knee-jerk reaction to the idea. Things that can start with the best of intentions end badly, in my own experience. I truly wish it wasn't like that for me, but it is what it is. Thumbs up to the rest of you.

Galen, are you doing that out of habit or because you are or anticipate having fellowships? I still have a tendency in every place I live to survey the room evaluating how chairs would be placed. I then deliberately make it comfortable just for ME!

It has taken Greasespot to deliver me. I was perturbed that, even after so many years, the words "you mean parallel" just flew so naturally out my mouth. I have the same reaction when the terms "available" and "receiving" are used in everyday work conversation. I held a position which included inventory control, and part of the task is "receiving". Its just weird. At least I knew how to spell it.

Happy Birthday, Temp! All blessings to you and yours today!

"Needs and wants parallel" I was in a meeting with the CEO and IT Department about some proposed software changes: after much discussion the CEO says "We have to get our needs and wants on a level playing field." On auto-pilot, I said, "You mean parallel?" He says, "Well, that's another way of putting it." I had several drinks that night.

My, my-if revelation were availible in this area, we would all be very rich, don't ya think? Try a coin toss: you may have a similiar result.

You've always got us. Love from a fellow beggar

That's me to a tee..can't function if I know there's no coffee in the building.

BBQ Ribs Dylan Poem Joni Mtchell Song Episode of 24 (or The Shield) Discussion of same CNN (just to check) Chant the "Cheer's" theme Jack Daniels (Black) I'm serious. That's my idea of a good fellowship. Sorry, Eagle. Galen started it. Rascal's right. What would you want to accomplish? Is it the desire to check in on everyone's well being and met their needs? Then a loose, warm, casual atmosphere is the way to go. Is it a genuine desire to have a Bible study? Same atmosphere, just a tad more structured. Most important, no matter what, is to make people feel safe, welcomed, and welcome to come back again if that's what they want. Good luck!

Although I had my differences with Richard, he was, if nothing else, more real in many other ways than some of the so-called MOGS out there. That's what he showed you, Jonny-the part that was human he wasn't afraid to show. After all, it was a mud fight. Craig could have learned a thing or two from that, don't you think? You did the right thing, for the right reasons-and lifted a lot of spirits (ha) in the process! Bravo! What a great memory to have.

That was my point. I don't have a problem with the choices people make: if you can find somebody to love, heh, go for it. But those those two in particular, if it's true, then yeah, I have a big problem for the reason I stated.

"Quote"If DM and R are a couple, I have no problem with that, people's orientation is their own business. I have to say that I have a problem with that. This organization accused people of homosexuallity on what at times was flimsy or no information, and threw people out based on those assumptions. IF these two ladies are more than just friends, then it makes those who were forced to leave everything that they loved and believed in behind that much more horrific. If they are not, then we are as bad as they are assuming things based on our willingness to believe the worst.

Priceless! Hey, wait a minute...I think that's my bike!

You know, its true. Even after everything, once I got on my feet, I actually looked at a calender every August, imagining when the Rock would that year, considering how I could get there. Everything Rascal described is the plus side of the experience, and it's not easy giving that up. Inevitably, of course, reality would set in, and I would content myself to listening to an old ROA album instead. Oh, well.

Thanks, Excie. By the way-I'm looking for another job, if anybody has in ideas....

The "Red Eye" comment comes from another thread that mentioned the TWI belief that devil spirits in animals are proved through "red eyes" in photographs: my point being that possibly not just animals are affected-ha ha. I thought LCM was still in farm country: Dayton, to be exact. 'Course, its hard to tell: other older threads had taked about Toledo: has he now relocated out of state? Just curious.

I bled green and white from age 17 to 27 in TWI, working any menial job I had to. I thought I had found a way of life, and money and professional aspirations weren't going to be needed. How stupid I was! I began to realize that excellance was a requirement of advancement in the TWI structure, and flipping hamburgers at McDonalds just doomed me to KP and Housekeeping duty in the Corps. After leaving TWI, and needing to earn a living, I had to start from the ground up in the white collar world while living in some roach invested apts while doing it. I survived and advanced on my own. The only thing I got out of the Corps-work wise-was a work ethic. I breathed the "do eight hours of work in four hours" mentality. So I suceeded to a degree without the educational background because of the desire I showed. What the Corps also did to breed into me a dangerous mentality: when I felt I didn't measure up, I began to look for ways to distance myself. I had a real fear of evaluations: required in the real world but devastating to me because of my Corps experience. Being called in for a meeting with the boss still causes me to sweat. Sitting through training sessions in the beginning were agonizing: flashbacks were common. On the up side: my later setups for training sessions I conducted were perfect: books, pens, chairs all lined up nice and neat-and yes, I taught my other co-trainers how to string a room.