Ham

I think it depends on who is "sick". If it's someone else, who they have NO CLUE what they are going through, the causes or lack of causes, the physical and emotional ramifications and all, it's due to lack of God's protection.. unbelief in the life of the one whom is sick.. If it is THEM.. it's not a "sickness".. it's a "challenge".. being attacked by the hosts of hell, an "opportunity" to rise up and BELIEVE.. after all, *we* know *we* are right, don't we? I think it's a sickness or blindness, in the head. That's probably why it is so frustrating to deal with..

Frank, did he say who "they" were, or was it assumed "they" were disgruntled followers, or debils or something? what an "educated" response.. "they really got to you.." anyway.. isn't it interesting.. an internet search for "the rise and expansion of the christian church" yeilds little more than a few negative references to the old organization and loy boy's not even second rate work.. and a half a dozen used copies for sale, ranging mostly from $9.95 with shipping to maybe $25 which includes an "autographed" business card.. book supposedly in "pristine" condition.. good luck selling a copy for $25.00.. that's about what it originally sold for, did it not? Considering inflation and such, even that's a loss. how low has the "work" fallen.. you'd think the whole academic world "missed it" somewhere, wouldn't you..

I think the reason innies revere this *great* work is the same reason they think current vey productions are on the cutting edge of christian "entertainment"..

When I was in, I thought the book offered too much and too little.. I felt it was way too long.. whole paragraphs and painfully overexagerated detail which only gave what one might understand with a trivial reading of the book of Acts to begin with.. so lengthy.. it was like.. "I'll show you what kind of opinion you oughter have.." dry rambling.. page after page, paragraph after paragraph..

Yeah.. what's amazing.. it just delayed the rush by a couple of hours.. it's sick in every way I can think of.. God have mercy on the guy's family..

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..