Twinky

Hi Ex member. Glad you escaped, sounds like "more of the same." This sounds like some group you are well away from (I know nothing of it personally). Do feel free to read and post here about any issues you've encountered, or any hurt that you may have. We've all "been there" (in the parent cult). We understand...sadly.

Some interesting ideas, there, Raf. Good cause to exercise critical thinking skills.

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That's cool, Charity. There's a fair few St Andrews churches around. That's about 100 miles away. The rapture? I dunno. I have known people who are really rapturous about it. Thesssalonians talks about a gathering together in the sky (I think that's "the rapture"). I think some of that could be figurative language. I live in hope and expectation of the return of Jesus, which could be in my lifetime or some time after that. As a new young (adult) Christian, I was so excited and hoped that every day would be The Day. It's a bit more of a deep, slower burn now. But as it is beyond me to affect when any "gathering together" may (or may not) occur, in the meantime, I'm getting on with loving God and loving my fellow humans as best I can. Some days I'm better at that than others. Theologian-types can get really hung up on minutiae. And there are all sorts of fancy names for religious theories, rituals, bells, smells, garments, items used in church services. I care for absolutely none of that. I keep things as simple as I can. Live decently.

Are you on the right church's website, Charity? This is StACC/Holy Trinity Combe Down (HTCD) (two of the four churches in the benefice). St Andrew's Community Church, Foxhill | HTCD

I'm so glad that if I ever heard this cr@p [resurrection/rising], I've forgotten it. But likely, I never heard of it. TWI had found some other atom to try splitting, with nonsensical purpose. If there's a resurrection/rising, or rapture, or whatever, then it's beyond my puny capabilities to affect it. Therefore, I will expend my energies on something more useful in the here and now... ... helping the disadvantaged, the homeless, those with little in this life. Those with too much trouble in this life. Those with no hope and nothing to look forward to.

Nobody I know would agree with you, Allan. Starmer isn't very popular, Badenoch (other main party leader) even less so, Farage (fancies himself as orangeman's best buddy) is an extremist far right fool and not at all well thought of - but the orangeman is nationally hated.

You could try reading some of the articles on their website. That's if you can stomach the jargon.

UK maps have Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America). If there's no good reason to change a name of centuries, why bother? Ah, says an orangeman, there is good reason. My ego! TBH if it were called Gulf of THE Americas, that would be understandable and maybe acceptable. The area is bounded by the continent of North America and the isthmus of Central America; and South America forms a southern boundary though arguably not exactly on the gult. The lengths of the Mexican border and the north American border appear to be about the same. But no. The orangeman thinks America means the whole of the continent of North America (sorry, Canadians). And sharing with other parts of "America" (ie, Central and South) just isn't in the playbook. It's likely the rest of the world with stick with Gulf of Mexico and the name will revert back in a few years' time.

Probably most of the old head honchos have died or permanently dropped out of sight. RFR is shortly going to be 85. Bill Greene is still around, and on the board of directors. Donna and Craig a bit younger. Others have departed completely and either set up their own show or gone to CFFM or R&R. Vern I remember as being a really sweet man - but that was 35-40 years ago and who knows what has happened since? The younger folk, such as Oldies references above, may know absolutely nothing about the history as we know it. How would they? TWI isn't going to say anything! It's not so much what they teach - it's what they do. And how they do it.

Greasespot Cafe always used to come up first!! Looks like the cafe isn't so popular now. Just the old-timers left. If TWI is still going, there are still going to be people who need what the Cafe has to offer. Need to boost our profile a bit. How?

Was in church on Sunday. Our sermon series is about our identity as Christians. The curate, Ben, gave a talk was about being salt and light. Little bit different idea of "salt" but completely acceptable. Then he turned to a discussion of "light" and hiding candlesticks under bowls, cities on hills, etc - y'all know the passage. And then he said: "You are all lightbearers. Bearers of the light!" Lightbearers!!! Not a word commonly used by people. Never encountered it in ordinary conversation. Maybe the Olympics talks about that, but the expression is usually "torch bearer." I quite enjoyed Lightbearers apart from the hitchhiking. A nice, enjoyable, two week release from the stifling prison and rigid discipline of being at HQ. Stayed with, met, hung out with, some really nice people. Witnessed to some nice people - and some less nice ones. Overall, no regrets. I could even say, I have happy memories. Got back after one such expedition to have the whole group of us bollocksed for not being good enough. We deserved being kicked out, etc, etc due to our lack of believing. (Nothing about HQ's own lack of preparation or knowledge of the area!!) Our punishment: to be sent out again a month or so later, with the admonition that those who didn't get a class together needn't bother coming back as they would be thrown out anyway. No pressure, then. (All teams succeeded this time, in a different city.) Lightbearers! Ben, if you knew what you'd evoked, brought back, you'd've found a different word! But I'm willing to reclaim it and use it so that the ugly connotations get expunged.

LA fires - terrible. If it were God's punishment on the Hollywood industry - wouldn't the fires have overtaken the film industry buildings? Or only the homes of those involved in the film industry? Very many homes of ordinary people were razed in these fires. This is just greed, man's inhumanity to man, and general lack of foresight. At the same time, though, there is much to be praised. Selfless fire workers, not just from California but from other States and countries. Decent human beings setting up donation points for food, clothing, other household necessities. Others offering temporary accommodation or shelter in their own homes. And yes, financial assistance, from many individuals, and from those same Hollywood stars whose homes weren't burned down as "God's punishment." Not a thank-offering to God, but a genuine desire to put help where needed.

Aha! Not just me that couldn't get into the Cafe, then. Been being repainted, or some such.

Happy new year, people. As Dave Allen (an Irish comedian and satirist) would say - "May your God go with you."