Twinky

Well. My newly black-and-white cat is now nearly a black cat again. She has done an amazing job of chewing off all the white paint. It was thickly on her front legs and less thick on other parts, and she has chewed and torn nearly all of it off. Her front legs are nearly bald on the insides, from elbow to toes. Her belly - well, she tugs at bits of it for a while then leaves it and goes back to it later - I guess it gets tender. It looks like dreadlocks hanging off her tum. Her left flank is now clear of paint and the right side mostly clear. My carpets have been covered in fragments of paint-hardened hair from where she's pulled it off and spat it out. She does not seem to have been affected by her unusual diet - perhaps she didn't lick as much off as I'd feared. She was still eating her kibble the night it happened, and begging for her treat (fragments of ham) at treat-time at 11pm. She hasn't been sick, and doesn't seem at all bothered in any way. So, if you prayed for her, thanks, and it's a great result. I still wouldn't recommend emulsion paint as cat food, though. :wacko:/>

I now have two black and white cats. Crypto (the all-black one) has has an encounter with a can of white emulsion paint. It seems to have been knocked over and has spilled on the floor. She walked through it, and then squeezed her belly through/along the floor where the paint had been spilled. As far as I can tell, she has paint on both flanks, undoubtedly on her belly, and thickly on her front pads and on both front legs from the shoulders down. Her head, face, and back appear unaffected by paint. Top of tail still looks black. Can't see the underside. Don't know what the back legs are like, either. I was alerted by her retching under the dining table. I thought she'd been grazing on my lawn, not uncommon. Went to chase her to be sick outside but she ran off up the stairs. She has now run over all of my carpets including two flights of stairs, over the coconut matting, over my nice couch and other furniture, and other places besides. I know this because there are white pawprints everywhere. This is the cat that I cannot catch or pick up. She lets me stroke her a little, a very little, nowadays, but she won't be picked up. The thought of trying to catch her and clean her up is immensely problematical; my plan had been to catch her and take her to the vet to be sedated and then washed. I am very worried about this. The people at the vet's have been nice and assure me that she may feel ill as she tries to clean herself but emulsion paint is not poisonous and there should be no long-term effects on internal organs (like liver damage, or mouth or throat injury). At the moment she has fled to the garden and is hiding under a bush, from where she peers out at me very suspiciously. She doesn't look happy. I stand no chance of catching the cat. Better go and see if anything, anything at all, can be done for the carpets and furniture. I wonder if my house insurance company would consider buying me some new ones? Please pray that my pusska really is well and suffers no long-term ill-effects.

Don't think my neighbours believe in anything. I'm involved in various Christian activities locally. The trinity is something I simply never raise or discuss with any of them. Interestingly, my Mum has recently decided for various reasons to become an Adherent (=decided to join/become a member) in the Salvation Army. The joining form requires applicants to affirm their belief in the trinity. She declined to sign this and asked the membership sec to come and see her to discuss, and raise with his/her superiors. In between times, however, the form has changed and now requires wannabes to simply affirm they hold to SA beliefs, with none spelled out specifically. She doesn't mind signing this. I applied for a job recently (which I didn't get) with a Christian organisation. That application required a declaration that I agreed with their beliefs, first of which was the existence of the trinity. I pondered this and did sign the declaration, because I figured that the work done would exceed the lie (that they believe!) but I had and still have qualms about that. I've always thought that if the trinity doctrine was important to God and the Lord Jesus, they would have done something about this lie before, in the hundreds of years since it was first promulgated. As they haven't I conclude it can't be that worrying to them and there are bigger issues that they concern themselves with.

15 years? And in that time, a good many lives healed. Thanks for being here when I needed y'all. Even though some of the posters who were most help have now moved on.

Naw, suppose it were for real. I fancy a zip wire somewhere. Maybe in the woods across the road. Kids' archery, zip wire from target to target. (Naughtily, she thinks: zip wire and become the target.. oops). Paintballing, perhaps: that'd work with a zipwire.

"Work the Word" ... does anybody outside TWI use this expression? I'm sure if I used that expression in any of the Christian groups I'm associated with, other people would look at me strangely. "Read" the Word (or the Bible) - "study" the Word (or the Bible) - maybe, at a pinch, even "research" it. But ... "Work the Word"?? What does that mean, anyway? Wouldn't it mean "working out" what it meant/said and then doing it? Does it mean ... working signs, miracles and wonders? (But these don't necessarily come to order). I'm jolly sure Bible study means more than pretending to find out dubious meanings for ancient Greek or Hebrew words (especially when you don't know any Greek or Hebrew) and then building a philosophy upon those meanings. That seems more like "procrastinating the word" than "working" it.

I doubt it will be about TWI. But about cults in general, yeah. The directors fancy it'll be this: "a provocative take on a controversial, dangerous and thrilling world." Which tells me that whatever it is will be sensationalised, and will completely miss the slow erosion of "self" and personal boundaries, and their replacement by group norms. It's that word "thrilling" that sets my teeth. Scary...neurotic...isolationist...all of these. Even exciting, at times. But thrilling? :confused:/> The early followers of The Way were known for their generosity and openhandedness, and care for one another. That's not very "cultic" or dramatic. You could make good drama out of looking at the cult "experience." But drama is all it'll be.

If you think there is something of particular interest, why not post that section in Doctrinal and invite comments?Don't slam anyone who points out where it is apparently incorrect or inappropriate or doesn't keep some other principle in mind. You might even find some who find that your chosen passage is "new light." If you want to learn, to discuss, to make enquiry, then keep your own mind open to change. Most of us, however, have had enough of people who dissect the Bible and point out minutiae of supposed word meanings, without there being some resulting actions (ie, it's not enough to know a dozen words for being kind or compassionate, if ultimately there is no kindness or compassion in the way you treat people).

And Jeffsjo gets a starring role in the article you linked to, Hap. Good for Jeff.

There's good news!! :)

:offtopic:/> Mark, cats are doing fine, and one has now started to jump on my knee occasionally. Other has decided she likes being fondled, that is, I hold my hand at her head level and she rubs against it. Only 8 years old and finally discovering people don't always eat them, LOL. Back (just a little more) to the topic, I've "tamed" them by "holding on to the head," and when I can control their heads I can control their bodies. I figured that out from learning that I too need to hold on to The Head, and when I do that, it helps me settle and stay focused and not be overly concerned about what comes next. And all servants of whatever hierarchy definitely need to hold on to the head of their household and serve them well; otherwise, it's the exit door for them.

Presbuteros means basically an older person. Older, therefore (one hopes) wiser. Such people were often accorded seats on councils - because of their perceived wisdom. Not because of any ranking system (their degree in theology, ability to play the lute, collect more money, etc). This gives an explanation: BibleHub - Strongs Only later did it become a sort of title. As to episkopos, the same site gives this explanation: 1985 epískopos (a masculine noun, derived from 1909 /epí, "on/fitting contact," which intensifies 4649 /skopós, "look intently," like at an end-marker concluding a race) – properly, an overseer; a man called by God to literally "keep an eye on" His flock (the Church, the body of Christ), i.e. to provide personalized (first hand) care and protection (note the epi, "on"). "Though in some contexts 1985 (epískopos) has been regarded traditionally as a position of authority, in reality the focus is upon the responsibility for caring for others" (L & N, 1, 35.40). Easy to see how these became "titles" but it appears that this was neither the original meaning, nor the intent. If anything, I can see these as marks of respect. A bit like when you were a kid, you might have called your Mum and Dad's friends, or the neighbours of parental age, "auntie" or "uncle" even though there is no familial relationship. Perhaps "watchman" might have been a good name for an episkopos [often trans. overseer] and you can see a watchman quite easily as being a servant of a city, tasked with guarding and protecting the walls or city entrance and thus the inhabitants, the citizens.

The most I say to most people is that I was involved for too long with an abusive church. I never name it. I sometimes say that it was a very bad time and I still have the scars. Most people don't bother to enquire any further. Sometimes some will say they have had difficulties in other churches. These are more usually of personality clashes, or a difference with some person in leadership - but not abusive in the way TWI was. Basically only one person (from a church I attend, but just a friend there) has really taken the time to investigate and try to understand, and to understand the long-lasting effects. Non-believers simply take the view, well, why didn't you walk away? without seeing that it was much harder than that, to people involved.

I can completely understand what Allan's saying. The question was asked. From his perspective, Allan answered. Raf, your comments aren't needed on what Allan perceived. felt, or understood, at the time.

Steve, I always find what you write of interest. I'd like to read your paper if possible, please. Maybe you could attach it in a PM if you don't want to post it here? Cheers, Twinx

M didn't get that bad till he got "Rev"ed up; F seemed to disappear from view. And your bro-in-law - is under proper control now where any of those tendencies will quickly be dealt with. His best mate R has withdrawn from TWI I believe and will revert to what/whoever he was before, hopefully.

Looked at some of their songs from 2014 - what can I say? "Uninspiring" is the kindest thing to say.

Read the article. The only time the word Repent occurs is in a Bible verse. There is nothing in the article about seeking forgiveness, about wanting to repent and be forgiven; amending one's own behavior (I know this article is about forgiveness, not repentance, but they do go hand in hand, and maybe it was or will be covered in another article.) Which kinda absolves corporate TWI from apologising for the great hurt and harm they have caused and puts the onus back on others to "forgive" - ie, forgive TWI for what it has done. And what they say: <<When we love and forgive a fellow believer, he will not be “swallowed up with overmuch sorrow”>> is directly contrary to TWI practice, to the burden they put on others by not forgiving but "marking and avoiding." 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Acts 26:18 - To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. If they want to apologise - they can post a BIG, prominent, apology on their website. Post something at GreaseSpot Cafe. Post something on one or all of the many Facebook and other internet sites. Post a sincere apology and guaranteed it will be round the world in just a few hours. Whether it would be accepted or believed as an apology thus resulting in forgiveness is a moot point.

I thought some might find this article interesting for discussion: Toxic leader

I don't recall - others may - that it was "in recognition of God's goodness" - more that it was a requirement to give to God. And as one cannot give directly to God, then to his ministers, his representatives, those that really are doing God's will now. And 'cos somewhere in PFAL VPW convinced you that TWI was really the only place God was active today - "the first century church in the 20th" etc, and all churches are devil-ridden denominations.

You know, VPW would probably enjoy all the naysaying about him. I think he said something about it in PFAL. Something about the prophets not being easy to live with, and always being disrepected, despised, by the general populace. In his curious narcissistic way, he'd see all this badmouthing about him not as true exposure of that which he wished to hide, but of persecution because of his bold stand on the word and his making the truth known like it hasn't been known since ... since Year 1 in his school.

My oh my, what a lot of people have birthdays today. OCD #2 (36), THEWAYWEWERE (69), QamiQazi (65), MiniCorpsConscript (36), troubledwine (41), Bogey76 (115), jke (64), Tree Man (66), INDEBTSAYSWHO (115), Margie (65), smalltowncutie (48), satori001 (106), satori (14), Seth (115), nandon (45), Bee (104), dabobbada's wench (116), WOW92 (114), Naucelle girl (55), Donna Jo (55), bullfrog (114), TrustAndObey (55), David L. Smith (54), OldSkool (104) I suspect a little creative dating among these people, especially Bogey76, INDEBTSAYSWHO, Satori001 and Satori (the junior version), Seth, Bee, dabibbada's wench, WOW92, bullfrog, and OldSkool. Although as some of these don't post here anymore, maybe I am making false allegations. What say you, OldSkool, you still post here. Well, a "happy birthday" to you all. Best wishes for the future and a happy new year to you, too.

The women's stories have remarkable consistency to them. Against Cosby. And like the women's stories against VPW. Unlike VPW, Cosby is still alive and can answer the allegations in an appropriate place. Trial by media is not that place. Like VPW and later MoGs, Cosby has engaged expensive lawyers to threaten and continue to bully the women. Cosby's women need a Waydale! Any volunteers?

And to you too, Outie. Best wishes for a good year to all of you.

Maybe you need to look at the Hebrew word(s) for "priest"? Maybe it was some of the "judges" who were appointed at the end of Ex 18? Or maybe it was some people they brought out of Egypt with them? You make a fair point, Raf, but I do not think it conclusive of anything at all.