Ham

Yeah, that too.. :)

I pretty much stayed away from newspapers as well.. they were pretty much held up for ridicule in the first session of the class, being so "negative".. as far as 1977 to 1980, life was pretty "calm".. only dealt with a few insane "leadership". For the most part, they left us alone..

thank God.. they will never see a dime from my kids.. ever.

and you'll be in another one in another six years..

Happy Birthday! Glad you're here with us for another one.. I was going to ask you how old you are.. but I see 61. You're just in another one of your primes!

I thought it was a Brit barbecue..

I always wondered about that.. it seemed to be like the question, which came first, the chicken or the egg? And what did he consider to be "practical error", just being NICE to people? apparently to loy it wasn't the sex..

In a lot of ways, I think headquarters wasn't entirely unlike those who rule in Beijing.. I remember the images of Tianenmen square.. the government slaughtering it's own people to keep "order".. wasn't that what those at hq did to "it's own" people, spiritually?

so.. who is benefiting from a class with a fifty dollar price tag.. or 100, or 200.. I remember the 200 dollar rationale.. it'll "commit" them to it.. It is still too "cheap". In today's dollars.. I'm looking at something like 150 a credit for a legitimate university class. so.. if it was "da verd like it hasn't been known since the first century".. isn't 200 too cheap? it's the price of a one credit university class. Was it actually worth it? I'd vote no.

My cats (as if one could own them) and I thank you..

or live in some kind of fantasy world where it was "the most significant christian movement" since the earth cooled.. look at the other sites warm reception of jl's letter.. and I'd imagine more than one of them endured mental and emotional scourging at his hand, or those "like him".. I understand vic could gut strip a lowly "follower" in fifty seconds flat.. and loy.. but they seem to reminisce the good times..

To do so they'd have to admit they did at least at one time. But they are *mog* ya know.. I think it is the same mentality as the nazi's after wwII.. just want to pretend it all didn't really happen..

Yeah.. vic put the "chill" on the seed of the serpent stuff. loy said something like "he only had to tell me ONCE.." at least from what I remember. what's interesting in this thread.. here we have someone kinda new to the forums.. and they find a remarkable similarity between "god breathed truth" and "commercial endeavor".. maybe it would be nice to see the connection rediscovered.. we have a whole different "mix" of folks.. like Penworks around.. maybe a few others.. I find it interesting that we have a few "smart folks" if you will accept the role.. :) on the "other side of the aisle"..

before I comment.. It's another cliche.. but what in the hell does "going to hell in a handbasket" mean? :)

Interesting.. what's missing from that list is "physical" "emotional" or "monetary". just the omission is rather striking..

I didn't think it was exactly legal for them to summarily close someone's account either..

Happy Birthday!

isn't it interesting that we likely know far more about twi's financial comings and goings than any regular "follower".. it's far more than I EVER saw You'd think they'd play nice and just hand out a financial statement.. but no. you have to get "possessed" on the "evil internet" to get the information..

besides.. who needs a whole loaf, when a few crumbs are more than enough.. sounds kinda "needs and wants not parallel" to me.. isn't the loaf concept "greedy"?

I was in school.. first grade. I didn't entirely understood the ramifications of that happened..

BF Skinner proposed something rather radical in the sixties.. that man essentially doesn't have freedom of will.. just conditioned and wired in response.. or something like that. having "needs" such as wanting love, belonging.. it has been shown that it is mostly learned behavior formed early in childhood. some people who lost the stability offered by belonging to a functional family like myself, both parents dead by the time I was in high school, were an easy target.

I think mark and avoid has always been a tool in their crib, despite uncle howie's mouthing about how "yall's welcome at da way.." and for a long time that was the system.. til the loyster passed out that little paper with "scriptures to adhere to".. then it was "official". I understand they now claim it never happened.. all I can say is, try a little stroll on way property as a "former follower" who just wants to see what they've done with the dump.. and see how non-mark and avoid they are.. or just "show up" to a sns.. If one could get in, that would suggest at least a drastic change in unwritten policy..

I currently drive a used Kia Sephia. Four cylinder.. fairly decent on the gas.. I trolled the lots for something used, good, small, and American first.. but all there were were rather large SUV's and Vans.. whole lots full of them.. and that was five years ago. I would own a modern, energy efficient american auto if I could..

have you considered.. just put a kittie box (at least temporarily) at this secret spot? just a thought.. I just wonder what would come of it.. like slowly "migrate" the secret spot to where it really belongs.. well.. just another nutsy idea.. I'm sure you've tried almost everything.. your kitties doppelgangers have taken a "liking" to a small christmas tree in the house.. it is about a meter or so tall.. sometimes when we are not looking.. it ends up on it's side, and the little ornaments are scattered all over the house. The solid black female will play with the ornaments for hours on end.. so I've designated the small tree the cat's tree.

I think that can be helpful.. and at the same time, perhaps it helps to actually know what one is forgiving FOR. I've been given a blanket "love ya brother, I forgive you.." and next week, I'm the devil again.. some rather TRIVIAL statement I made fifteen years ago.. who knows, maybe it really DID hurt someone. But if we are going to forgive, let's at least be specific about what we're forgiving for.. something like.. "I forgive you for being a cowardly, blood sucking, defaming, abusive, womanizing scoundrel of a son of a leach.." then we're getting somewhere at least.. that might be the LAST thing the perpetrator wants to hear.. a pretty honest description of his or her character.. but I think it does a little more.. I don't think people can really let go without counting the cost.. "I forgive you for offering me a short cut to success that turned out to be yet another spiritual, mental and physical dead end in life.." then I went back to school..