skyrider

WAP -- Intermediate Class: All the corps needed the upgrade version......then, all the others. Same process, same rodeo. Throughout my twi tenure, I always thought that the intermediate class was an anomaly. Twi leadership made such a big deal about the foundational class AND the advanced class.....but the intermediate class was "no man's land." You left some place.....on your way to somewhere else, but no one cared about the transition, or journey (the intermediate class)...only the destination (adv class). Who ever wore their intermediate class nametag to the roa? Wasn't even a nametag, was there? So.....that which was, was again. No one really cared about this class. It was just to notch the belt.....and move on.

Four Funerals, Four Months: Not sure why funerals seem to come in spurts, but they did......for me anyways. Quite often, these funerals were a parent or relative of the believers who didn't have a home church or pastor. So, what's a twi-clergyman to do? Turn them down? Tell them you only do funerals for household believers? I had no idea what my region guy would have said......I never asked. If I can't walk in love and help others, then fire me and find some other guy.........I have one standard: love thy neighbor as thyself. And, funerals take a lot of love. I never minded doing funerals or weddings....like some in twi. To me, it was an open door to be intimately involved in peoples' lives. It grounded me in reality.....and kept, intact, my sanity from bizarre, blundering buffoons in Ohio. Yeah, that was my attitude.......and still is. For years, even before things got real crazy......I said that I never should have gone in the corps. And, by extension......I know that I didn't abide by the wierwille/martindale frame of clergy. But the clergymen I chose to model were Rev. Ross Tra-cy, Rev. Lonne1l J0hnson, and Rev. A.J. Berr3ta. And, they'd all left twi years before.

The Paper Blizzard: At the limb, the fax machine was vomiting onto the floor at 2 o'clock in the morning. Yeah, hq didn't give one whit of concern for my needs, my sleep.....greene, fort, rupp, staley, numbnuts.......were dead to me. Lost all kinds of respect for those guys. The paper blizzard stormed thru the limbs for nearly 18 months --- from Jan '97-July '98. All those reports, policies, procedures, updates, .....and then, the reporting back. I get a headache just thinking about it. And......what is there today? A text blizzard?

Double Standards, Double Speak: The bribery letter combined with the "gift policies to martindale" was both flagrant and flaunting.....nakedly parading for all the corps to see. Here, martindale was the recipient of hundreds of gifts (or thousands?) and he throws out accusations of bribery spirits? (or was it lust spirits?) OMG,.....the whole place stank of double-standards and double-speak. The confusion rippled down thru the branches for months to come. It got so anal that corps could NOT accept tomatoes from a believer's garden.....but they COULD ACCEPT tomatoes from a distant relative or non-believing neighbor down the street. Why?.....you ask. Because that non-believing neighbor down the street is not trying to bribe you with tomatoes to receive favoritism (ie..withholding of spiritual confrontation/judgment). But the believer in your twi is???....(trying to bribe you). Another step towards.......no patronizing with those you lead. This whole bribery "doctrine" or purge.....was insanity on steroids. Martindale could sit in his ivory corps chalet where gifts were heaped at his doorstep......but field corps couldn't accept an old computer by someone in the branch who was upgrading to a better computer/monitor. It caused confusion in the food/refreshment area too. Could you or could you NOT receive fresh muffins baked by someone in your fellowship? Lovely ministry there, ain't it? .

The Book I Will Never Write: My goal is to finish this thread with personal experiences and insights of this martindale era. For years on GSC, I've "talked about a book I should write"........well, this is it. Hopefully, I've still got some material that will be of interest to many......and, if Pawtucket keeps the doors open here, who knows how many will come to read this timeline. Charlene did such a masterful job of writing Undertow......it covers all the pertinent deception and underbelly of cult control in the way international. Lots of depth and exposure to the "biblical research" elements. I plan to finish posting this timeline, because I said I would..........or die trying.

The Social Element: The fabric of twi was/is interwoven by many threads.....social, psychological, ethical, financial, spiritual and more. Certainly, I am no expert on the social/psychological forces that motivate individuals to do what they do.....but, I think it's safe to say that "the social element" was a major portion of twi's "tapestry." Yeah, I know......people claimed that it was "the doctrine, the scriptures, the word" that drew them in, kept their zeal and why they didn't/don't leave.....but is that for real? From my experiences, I believe that the SOCIAL was "the red thread" that was interwoven, and pronounced, the most throughout the organization. The longer one stayed.......the more inter-connected the threads of relationships. And memories. People have a tendency to overlook lots of stuff.......as long as there is social value to that involvement. Whether its a club, association, church, fitness gym.......or GASP, twi. Whether doctrine or behavior.....who wants to mount a confrontation? Will it help? Will it backfire? Can you prove it? What if you're wrong in what you thought you saw? Will you be publically slandered like many other corps? The psychology elements are in direct correlation with the social elements in relationships and society, no? In other words........people stayed because they were interconnected to others. Whether it was friends, family members, husband/wife, children, co-workers, employer/employee, boyfriend/girlfriend, dating someone ("date&switch")......or 30 other types of relationships. Some stayed even though they wanted to exit BECAUSE they didn't want to "disconnect" from a loved one [scientology documentary just exposed this trauma in great detail]. Some stay because of fear.....fear of change, divorce, loss of job, start over, etc. etc. or the unknown. The GSC is a goldmine for reasons why people stayed or exited. Hundreds of threads tell the story. It wasn't just teachings of THE BIBLE.......or PFAL. ppffffftt .

No More Twi-Policy Additions: I will NOT be adding any more long-form "twi-policy positions" to this thread......links (maybe), but no more full-length documented forms and dissecting their component parts. All of that is just "too much in the weeds" and puts ugly policies in the spotlight. My purpose is to expose the personal, destructive nature of the beast......and spear it to death.

A friendly suggestion: Rocky.....please delete/edit that stupid policy letter from your post. I can't stand to see it twice in succession. LOL And......no, I will not be delving into any of that eve/lesbian issue. I actually detest even noting it.....but it adds significance to wap and timeline.

1997 Year: Several of the broad strokes, listed above, give you the trajectory of this year.....and how it escalated. I tend to like an overview of things, like stepping back and looking at something from a wide range.......then fill in details. Note: The "Vision and Direction" policies came in September 1997 ........TWO YEARS after corps went on payroll. http://www.greasespotcafe.com/waydale/html-docs/vision.htm TWO YEARS later...... Is THAT the way to run a railroad? LOL

The Bribery Letter in the document file pinpoints a sampling of martindale's fury to the corps......but, I suspect, that he was SEETHING FOR MONTHS as to why his new class, that "grand undertaking and deeply personal measure of outpouring of self," was literally dead in the water. Stop and think about that "bribery letter" and its accusations..........then...........compare it to a portion of this "Gift Policy to Rev. Martindale" below: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The spiritual "big dog" eats well.............the field corps eats the scraps on the floor.

The fury unleashed by martindale on these weekly corps meetings was staggering. Clearly, there was a tsunami of problems with the "full-time corps revelation" that was coming straight AT craig martindale........questions, policies, squabbling, opinions, finances, priorities, and more. Where was the CEO in this corporation? It's one thing to contain policies and directives in an isolated, cult-compound in rural Ohio, but FAR DIFFERENT to formulate, enact and strategically administer to a vast, flowing network of "managers/supervisors." Martindale did what he saw his mentor do......he unleashed his FURY at dissenting corps grads. Note: 1989-1992 Martindale railed on geer, lynn, cop-outs, splinter groups 1993----> Confrontations on a series of purges, most vehement on "homo purge" ('94/'95) 1997......NOW, he was spitting angry with field corps and lack of lockstep loyalty Obviously, the region men were embroiled with questions and problems....and reporting back to martindale. Not only were there blurred-boundaries of social, ethical, psychological and financial matters amongst corps grads attempting to oversee others...........there was that "Eve -- a lesbian?" segment in the wap-class that was disconcerting to a significant number of corps/adv class grads trying.....trying.....to promote martindale's new class. In my opinion, no one at hq or the region men told lcm the underlying truth of this malaise and discontent on the field. Outreach went dead.......and martindale never knew why. No one told him. Not the gut-level truth of it. Fury Unleashed. Overview: Key Points Link -- Document Files 1997 "Gift Policy for Corps" Letter from hq March 1997 "Dangers of Bribery" Letter from martindale March/April 1997 Taping of WAP-advanced class* September 1997 "Vision and Direction" Policy *Correction to timeline: WAP-intermediate class in Fall of 1996 (?).....and WAP-advanced class in March/April of 1997...because in March 1997 "bribery letter" martindale discusses the postponing of the second week of adv class taping. Letter details mounting problems. .

Part III 1997: Fury Unleashed Developing.......

Parenting, Children and School: All those years in twi.....and, rarely, was parenting, children and/or school a priority. As limb coordinators, this work load was gaining on us and crowding out areas of main concern......namely, 1) our children and 2) school. It seemed like the months of November and December brought these issues forward, front and center. Things like those parent-teacher conferences and holiday activities at school. Both our sons were good students.....establishing strong study habits (thanks mainly to my wife) and confidence by achievements. Clearly, I could understand why the majority of region couples had no kids.....or one. The workload and travel responsibilities were immense. While in Canada, I had vast responsibilities and was challenged with the metric system, different currency, another language (whenever I traveled into Montreal or Quebec City or New Brunswick), flying to Vancouver and Calgary......but our first son was a baby, then. Fast-forward another eleven years and parenting was constant involvement and interaction. Anyways......I'm rambling. You get the point. Going to Dallas each year during Thanksgiving (for six days) was not helping matters. Why was twi encroaching on EVERY holiday out there? And, more.....why were they instilling a cult-tweaked version of every one of them? No boundaries. It. Was. A. Cult. Every doctrine espoused by them needed to be embraced by us?? Screw that. I have my own family traditions that I want to pass on to my children. And....education. Twi feigned to show support for higher education, but it was little more than lip-service. How about our young adults with masters and doctorate degrees advancing into circles of influence, wealth and prestige? Or, business and professionals, computer techs, and web designers, and communication specialists? Dream big...why not? Or.....maybe have your kid go into the corps program, like I did? ppfffffttt. You know why this stuff wasn't discussed or taught? Because it was.......wait for it..........."worldly." LOL .

Dallas, Again: When this letter arrived in the mail, I knew what it said....even before opening it. Once again, I was "invited" to attend the Advanced Class Special in Dallas, November 1996. And, again......be Mrs. Wierwille's escort. Well, I guess that I must have done a fair job, because no one else was assigned to it. That spoke volumes. My wife would, once again, be working in the green room. Another Thanksgiving weekend with the "cult family." It had been 20 years since I'd been home for Thanksgiving.....around my parents' table, eating a good home-cooked meal. Growing up in a hunting family......one year at Thanksgiving with aunts and uncles, we had turkey, duck, goose and quail. Now, THAT was a wild game meal to behold. Most always, we'd head out the door around 7am and hunt pheasant for about three hours Thanksgiving morning. Then, we'd field-dress the birds and enjoy the fresh pheasant. Those days were long gone.......now I spent Thanksgiving dressed in a suit and my butt in a chair. I must have been insane.......

New Corps Assignment Kicked In: I would be remiss not to mention how some corps coming into the state, some corps leaving.....affected us. Sure, there are many corps who scoff at the idea of "corps friends" and such.....but when you're rubbing elbows side-by-side for years, it leaves a void when they head to another assignment. Maybe some corps didn't much care one way or the other, but I wasn't wired that way. Social camaraderie was a staple element....otherwise, what's the point? Craig's sister, Kerry and her husband (16th corps) had moved to Tulsa. Nothing quite like those strong-willed, energetic corps who've got an opinion about everything. LOL. And, another martindale to tangle with....er, attend to. With Kerry in the state, it increased my encounters with Rod and Jo....at ministry functions. By September, outreach was top priority. Now that twi had this NEW (bling, bling) class......people should be storming the doors to sign up. Get out there and witness. They're going to be coming in droves. Rise and Expansion of this prevailing word is knocking on the door. Witness, witness, witness...........

No 1996 ROA: Lament of its Passing By mid-July, nearly every pfal grad was "upgraded" with wap-grad status. Red syllabi....flash, flash. Some different verses were now in daily conversation. New clichés and stuff. But NO rock of ages in August 1996. Martindale heard the lamentations across the country as these annual roa's fell by the wayside....so, what's a leader to do? Schedule ANOTHER meeting......a limb meeting with an outdoors setting, maybe a campfire and sharings. Little did he know.......those of us in Oklahoma had already done this in '94 and '95. But we didn't style it around the roa-prototype, nope not at all. In Oklahoma, we water skied, played beach volleyball, grilled out, had fun......and I did a short 20-minute fellowship to commemorate our heart of thanks to God for just living life. Heck, I told the limb......don't bring your bible, the emphasis is on having a fun time. We had a few in our state who had been to EVERY roa since its inception......and held their attendance like a trophy. But as I stated earlier......I embellished this new "twist of freedom." Year after year....doing the same thing, just didn't seem that God had any part in it anyways. Religion is draped with old fabric, not true Christianity. You know, limb "meetings" and ski boats........good combination. LOL

Advanced Class Grads: Before moving on, I would like to give a shoutout to advanced class grads. I know that this timeline is focused on my limb coordinator experience and the full-time corps aspects......but really, I could give dozens and dozens of accounts of the many wonderful advanced class grads near and far. When we ran classes, none of it would have been possible, in depth and heart, without the support and giving of your talents and time. Branch meetings, special seminars, Pentecost weekends, limb events, weddings, etc..........advanced class grads provided the backbone of support. Thank you for all of it. You, too, gave time away from your families and kids to help serve. You, too, got less sleep or carried burdens that you probably got very little thanks in return. Some of my fondest memories were with you. Heck, there was a time when things were less crazy that we went snow skiing together (Whistler, British Columbia, Canada) or those times of basketball, waterskiing, golf outings, movies, barbeques, etc. Many of you advanced class grads sponsored us thru the corps program.....even when we didn't write letters of thanks all that often. Some of you had businesses and offered employment to us wandering corps. I am indebted to so many advanced class grads who helped carry me when I was weary of heart. Thanks....you helped me in so many ways and changed my life and my family. .

Alert: My repressed memory is awakening. Damn scary, almost.

WAP Class: Eve a Lesbian? Martindale broke new ground in the wap class when he taught on eve and the serpent in the garden. It was a classic WTF-question that slapped everyone in the face. What? There is probably stuff buried in the doctrinal basement here at GSC, if you care to go digging. But......there is this link Eve a lesbian? This one segment of the class drowned out everything else. It was so "out there"......I certainly had no desire to explain it, let alone endorse it. It just was. Martindale reiterated this "biblical depth" in Genesis on a couple of corps meetings afterwards but......I wasn't buying it. As these wap classes went forth.......the rippling effect of this "lesbian issue" caused a silent dissent. Anything further on this issue....will not be coming from me. I had no desire to explore it....then or now. More later........ .

Corps Night Became Day: Not that it matters in the whole scheme of this timeline, but thought any former corps grads out there might be interested.......when the field corps went full-time, then it made more sense to have those dial-a-corps-meetings moved to Wednesday morning. Obviously, now......the corps weren't in secular jobs, they were employed by twi. Plus, it opened up another night, Wednesday, to teach, witness or run classes. Back in the '70s, corps night was initially Tuesday night........then, moved to Wednesday night. Another point: Martindale required ALL corps to listen to the sunday teaching tapes before each weekly corps meeting. Therefore, they had contracted with DHL to fast-track all tape deliveries. Each Tuesday, when the DHL driver arrived with the tape, we had scheduled time to listen to the tape. Martindale mandated it. Then, the next day......it seemed like martindale spent 20 minutes of the corps meeting teaching us what he'd taught on sunday. Didn't he realize that we all got the tape? I don't mind some refried beans.......but this seemed like re-re-refried beans.

1996: Picking Up Speed: The train was out of the station and picking up speed. Martindale would be videotaping a new foundational class in Feb/March: The Way of Abundance and Power No audience, only select individuals in auditorium. Joe C0ulter and crew at a/v. During these 6 weeks (or 8?).....no sunday services at twi auditorium All corps branches on field will do sunday service.....top protocol, meeting room, ushers, bookstore set-up and dress code The field corps had plenty to do.....prep, teachings, witness to bring people in, class promotions, etc. After a couple of these branch "sunday teachings" (in a row)........the local support was wore out, no new people came Updates on the class-in-progress It was a blur.......and before we knew it, April had arrived. Now, all the corps systematically sat thru each session of the wap class. Then, in May/June.......the class registration was open to the faithful follower. Any new people were not invited until the "twi-remnant" was processed thru.

Praying In the New Cult Year: During my corps indoctrination......er, training we were instructed to be back at Emporia by 5pm December 30th. The reason was simple.....December 31st was dr. wierwille's birthday and homage was due. This gave us one day in preparation to gear up for the big night. So, the trained corps went forth to extend this homage throughout the land.......to adv class grads, and down to the newbie recruit. New Year's Eve was "How Great Thou Art, Dr. Wierwille Night".........and the cult prayed to their idol. Couldn't we just skip this one time......and head to the local bar for a Jack and Coke? More than likely, my disgust for the new year's eve ritual came from the corps coordinators........the adulation slobber-fest was surreal. And, those "lift lists?" Why was wierwille at the top? Was he first? The most important? If the way ministry was a tree and the trunk went down to the roots......wasn't wierwille down somewhere in the dirt? I mean, really, if we're going to stay true to "the way tree" symbolism, the leaves were at the top........wierwille should be buried in the dirt, no? But yeah.....if twi was a pyramid, then wierwille should be on top. For over two decades, I was indoctrinated with this adulation/idolatry. At the time, I didn't know about his plagiarism, drunkenness or sexual predation.....but now I know. And, yet........each year, at new year's eve, I still am trying to delete "that programming" in my head. Maybe, someday it'll happen....where my mind doesn't register one cognitive thought of the man, wierwille, on new year's eve. But not yet.........in three days, December 31st will mark the 100th year of his birth. I'm going to have a few drinks early that night.....and drown those memories in Jack and Coke. .

Clock Out: Martindale set the policy from the start......Be in your office ready for the day at 8am sharp. Mothers of small children were granted leeway in this area.....to get their kids to the school bus or school. Even if you'd been out past midnight, traveling home after a branch meeting or something.......at your desk, 8am. And, don't be using this desk time for study time......doncha know, wierwille was up at 4 every morning and had put in three hours of study before breakfast. Phones, faxes, reports, meetings, study prep for teachings,......it all added up to a blur of activity. Every day. Not all corps were this busy.....but the Limb and Region guys were in high gear [.....and '96 and '97 were throttled higher]. Oftentimes, on the field.....Saturday and Sunday were slotted for branch activities, seminars, classes, etc. When do we "clock out" from work? No wonder staffers at hq stay at their cushy desk jobs for 30 years......they don't do branch witnessing nights, outreach reports, run classes on weekends, none of the "heavy-lifting"......they clock out and go home. My office WAS my home. So much was still such blurred boundaries that many were afraid to ask. What days off do we get for Christmas? No one asked. Other holidays? They would let us know. Could the corps leave town and go see their parents or relatives? Any questions like this might lead to major confrontation......and who wanted that? Why does the song Hotel California come to mind?

Ho Ho Horrendous: As the 1995 year wrapped up, the presents......er, presence of the board of trustees was encroaching into our very lives. That "needs-basis" doctrine instituted by wierwille gave the cult horrendous power and control over our lives, our children. The presents underneath the Christmas tree......were they really a need? Why did I have to justify in my mind what we had bought our kids? There might as well been coal in those stockings by the fireplace......the way I felt. Just like escorting Mrs. Wierwille the month before, we were tethered at the hip......with the trustees. Wherever they wanted to go, we were going. Prior to this, I had "my space".......probably a lot more space and freedom than most corps. But now.....this brooding over us, how I spent my time, my money,....was suffocating and distressful. I know, I know......it was THERE all along, but not for me. Not like this. Not sure where this would go in 1996, but..........Ho-Ho Holycrap.

Happy Cult Thanksgiving: There's nothing like spending 5 days with your "cult family" at Thanksgiving. Well, since twi can score budget pricing over an extended Thanksgiving Weekend (because EVERYONE ELSE is with their families).......it became an annual event. At this time, Dallas became the premier destination because of location and support (lots of corps in Texas). And, twi scheduled these Advanced Class Special in Dallas for '96, '97 and '98. Notice: The sales targeting towards "advanced class grads?" Twi desperately needed their strength of numbers......for abs and potential corps. Maybe it was just me.....but I swear, at these major events Craig, Don and Howard would give extra special concern and attention to advanced class grads and, without hesitation, turn to a corps grad and bark an order. Slave labor with a nametag. Since we were in Oklahoma......my wife and I was selected to attend (work). So.......I was Mrs. Wierwille's escort at the time. Whatever she wanted to do, wherever she wanted to go......I had to be ready. My alarm clock was set for 4:40am every day for those five days (Wednesday-Sunday). I was expected to be ready for the unexpected. From 6:30am-10:30pm.....I was "on duty." If she stopped to use the restroom, then I quickly went to the men's restroom, as well. I was NOT to inconvenience her AT ALL......or she'd show her displeasure. This escort assignment didn't just come out of the blue......I'd escorted Mrs. Owens to the HQ-Staff Christmas Party in 1982 and '83 and sat at the head table with Dr. and Mrs. Wierwille. Escorting Mrs. Owens was a pleasure. [Ermal had died in July 1981.] She was light-hearted and funny. After dinner, she wanted me to go dance with my wife. Her concern for my enjoyment warmed my heart. She was a delight. Escorting Mrs. Wierwille was more challenging than anything I was assigned at roa. And, yeah.......I had to be in suit and tie from 6am-11pm. Ugh. .