shortfuse

Speaking of ripping off the works of others, another ironic phenomenon would occur when I found the teachings of similar to TWI. It would seem like they were ripping off PFAL and VPW. As if either of these were unique to or originated from TWI. I remember several years ago when I first saw Joel Osteen (mega-church pastor out of Houston), this guy definitely must have had "the class". LOL. You know what we'd say next, right? "The value of the counterfeit is in its likeness to the genuine." The closer they sound to TWI teachings the more counterfeit they must be!

Maybe someone else will remember, but I think the spin was that Dr. Wierwille had discovered all this stuff through his own research, and then found validation in the works of Bullinger who had seen the same things in the Word a generation or two earlier. Funny, it was like validation for us too: "see not only VPW figured out 'four crucified' - here's this guy Bullinger who came to the same conclusion - it must be true!" It never occurred to me to look at that stuff and say, "Dang, VPW sure ripped off the writings of this Bullinger guy!" Since connecting the dots, it has amazed me that How to Enjoy the Bible is still sold in the Way International Bookstore. Why not include J.E. Stiles book as well?

My wife would say so.

I understand where you're coming from completely. Nobody wants to be told to "get over it" especially when they're angry, and when the person giving that advice would be better served by apologizing. Still, I think "getting over it" is precisely what we all have to do at some point. I want to believe we have the power to.

If only I could get my emotional and gastrointestinal outbursts to coincide. Then it would be very effective indeed.

Yes, there's a certain irony to my GSC name. Those here that know me are aware that I am rather opposite from that name. It takes quite a lot to get me angry, and even more to act from anger. I have a "long fuse". (Yes, ladies, the double entendre is intended. ) There are other people in my life that have me pondering this question. Some of you included, I suppose, but I learned sometime ago not to suggest "getting over it" in this forum. (I don't mean that as a dig, I'm just sayin'...) Bottom line, people behave the way the do, maintain the habits they do, cling to the emotional states they do because of what they get out of it (or so my "self-help" education has taught me). Yes, I believe people are guided by their own self interest. If someone is chronically angry, they truely are "short fused", there is something they get out of it whether they have taken the time to articulate it or not. This is where I was coming from in the original post. I imagine change comes not when they finally realize the shouldn't be angry, but when they realize there is more benefit to controlling the temper and being more peaceful,. for example. Thus the premise of my original post. If the "pay off" to my sustained anger is self righteousness, then identifying another source of affirmation might help me wean myself off the old behavior. Again, thinking out loud here. Thanks for listening.

I hear you Vegan, I'm still sorting out that subject of choice. If I was stabbed in the abdomen, it would hurt. I could not choose for it not to hurt, the nervous system is there to insure that it will. I'm not sure if emotions work the same way or not.

Thanks for the tip!

Ditto. (and not just when I hear country music).

Apparently you just have have to use the right declension. Let's try it! .... ....es ....ed ....eth ....y ....ing Hey, how come it worked for you?

Have been thinking about anger lately, and how hard it can be to let go of. Sometimes we speak of "righteous anger" and "righteous indignation", as if we believed any other type existed. Think about it. If you are angry right now, or have been in the past, you feel justified about it don't you? Even if you reason some place in your thoughts that anger is destructive, don't you feel like your case is exceptional? I believe anger serves a purpose, and is a type of self defense mechanism. I am not about to tell any Gspotters you shouldn't be angry or that you don't have the right or good reason to feel so. (So please don't derail as if I was suggesting this, I'm not.) But lets face it, we do have a choice on whether or not to become angry and if we are angry how long to stay that way. Here's where I'm going with this... Do you think that sometimes we stay angry because somehow it helps us feel better about ourselves? Perhaps our righteous anger helps us feel more righteous in someway? Is part of letting loose of anger finding other ways to feel good about ourselves? Just thinking aloud here... any thoughts?

Linder was never a part of the BOT/BOD. He's just an insider, that some have suggested is a key player behind the scenes. Is this factual? I find that surprising.

I don't know if has been stated in this thread as such, but part of the concept of loaded language has to do with how subjects, questions, arguements and so on are framed. The language is "loaded" because of how it slants the arguement and casts the opposition in a particular light. A few examples I've heard: People leave the ministry because they get bitter. or they choose to hang on to their anger.. or they are unforgiving, tired of the fight, etc. Loaded language casts the opposition in an unfavorable light using a narrow, unfair description of their position. At least that's the best definition I can muster. Many good examples have been given. It's an attempt to trap someone in their own words and ideas and that's why it gets associated with cults. It's not unique though. Politics is rife with it. Read any newspaper for examples o' plenty.

See also, "Reckless believing action" I guess "fearlessness" doesn't go far enough to condone abandoning inhibition and common sense. I missed the "finger in the ear" thing, care to elaborate?

Boy the hits just keep comin'. Do tell us,John, that sounds hilarious.

Posters I miss... I miss that poster from last year, it was so much better than this year's poster. Oh, not that kind of poster? I miss Oldiesman. Remember those other weird guys at the rock of ages who dressed like an 80's hair-metal band, always wearing spandex pants with neon/animal print patterns? Same two or three guys for like 4 years in the late 80's strutting at the Gazebo. It's funny how I looked forward to that. "Dang, the spandex brothers are here AGAIN!"

Alright, for the sake of argument, suppose it is a self published book. What makes that an act of vanity and not an act of entrepreneurship? I think she used a pen name to avoid harassment from some of you as much as anything. Get it out of your system gspotters, Jacque Horney, former Way Corps coordinator, has published a book of juvenile fiction. How sinister. :ph34r: It's a book for middle schoolers. Maybe you should all read it.

It is unlikely the publisher would be promoting and selling a self-published work.

Please do elaborate Connerron. Reading your posts I wonder if you are not a compulsive liar.

I got thinking about this in the recent thread about the POP and what the board of trustees was actually accused of. I was struck by the admissions of guilt on the last page signed by Craig, Don, and Howard - Howard saying he had helped to kill VPW. It seems to me that they actually bought into the notion that their own unbelief and unrenewed mind (or whatever else they felt guilty about) was capable of killing Dr. Wierwille. This is just as nuts as the notion that his own "believing" could have prolonged his life. I know these men manipulated and hurt many folks, and probably did so knowingly in many cases. But on the other had it seems like they really bought into the stuff they taught, and they deceived themselves in the same way they deceived others. I don't think the presence of sincerity exonerates anyone, but even to this day the board of directors seem to "drink their own kool-aid". What do you think?

THW, Now that I think about it, you just described "expanded literal according to biblical usage" to a tee.

That verse in Timothy about "seducing spirits" leading people away. The implication was if you disagreed with the way or its leadership, you were being seduced and buying into doctrines of devils. That used to scare the ....e out of me, and straighten me right up. Thanks for the nod to my corny joke. Also, thanks for the tip on your retard dance trigger. Duely noted.

Lindy, where were you on the assist? Why Wednesday?

What's the story on the "Snorky" nickname?

I think he would have preferred to make everyday Wednesday.