Twinky

Well, I don't know where you got that from, mstar, but looking at the salaries, I'm not entirely sure that it would be representative. $100K+? And I also think that 39% having gone to grad school is excessively high. Where'd these stats come from? Not entirely sure that that quantcast organization, whatever it is, has it right on this one. Probably a best guess based on declared ages - not on declared circumstances.

Staff sneaking off grounds to go to a CFF fellowship nearby...

Well I quite liked: and the rest of it's pretty good too except that "Jesus Christ" needs replacement too ...we are talking about the Weirwille home, no? ...as the "unctuous outhouse"?

God bless your great big wonderful hearts. You're the best! You're tremendous!! (Sorry it adds two other popular Way expressions, but it adds to the fun.)

To those still in... when did you last see Rosalie wash someone's feet - anyone's, not even a lowly twiggie, what about a Trustee? When has she helped you with your work tasks (eg hauling in the fishing net - for work, not pleasure). Doe she even know how to work the dishwasher or the lawnmower? Or even... When has she stayed up all night to pray with you? When has she worked or walked alongside you, expounding the scriptures? Did your heart burn within you? When has she visited you when you were not feeling too good, blessed you, and prayed for your healing? Ever to your knowledge prayed for you as an individual? How about the other HQ hotshots? Any of them help? My Corps Coords would come alongside; I know they got stuck in and did things with the in rez Corps. And Rev Al@n Brown was a ready volunteer for extra work, as well, in RoA set-up. Other Revs weren't, never saw 'em. Probably spending time mowing their office carpets or putting their paperclips in decent order, or some such.

Soooo...turning it back on VPW.... Who slept with Dottie? Who slept with Wierville's daughters? Before or after he left his church in Van Wert? I don't think so, somehow. The man would soon have had something to say about that. He just took advantage of the times, when he got started on this abuse.

JJ, is she supposed to have mentioned Grease Spot Cafe by name? Wow, a cult leader advertising for us! Just wondering: for those innies that have computers (there weren't many about when I was in rez) - where do they plug them in? Oh, I guess they have to use those dongle things. No way has founder's hall been re-wired to give a plug-in socket in every room (or even some of them). Study hall? Ha!

Burn that chaff! Or in your case, trash that chaff! I had a copy of Athletes of the Spirit. For some odd reason I'd thought it inspiring when I first watched it - in tee Auditorium. Ten years later I found my own (required purchase) copy and started to watch it. My lord, it was excruciatingly bad. Where exactly was my head, all those years ago? AoS made it into the woodburning stove. The lake of fire, early. It went really well there!

Things harbor devil spirits, doncha know, JJ? Like old annotated bibles. You chase 'em out, girl! Consign them to the fiery pit right now! Seriously, though...it's a book. It's the contents that matter. You haven't the power to destroy those. The words themselves are easily reacquired, in our culture. Just go to the nearest bookstore and choose from scores of versions. It's often helpful to read a variety of bibles, including at least one quite modern translation, as an antidote and to stop your mind running over familiar phrases and TWI interpretations.

Not to mention those in South America, of which certainly there are / have been some. And there are lots of (ex?) Wayfers in South America. You also forgot Scandinavia, also a lot of (ex?) Wayfers there. Scandinavia isn't really "Europe," it has its own identity. There are also lots of (ex?) Wayfers in India.

Heh heh, funny.

Donna also taught that having a quick shower might perk you up better than a quick nap. See, you really don't need sleep at all, just SIT and shower a lot. Didn't they also teach that dreams often meant visions (= revelation), and you were fully conscious during them, watching like watching a movie? As opposed to dreams, where you have little or no conscious involvement? "Your sleep may be sweet" I always took to mean "sleep may be refreshing and undisturbed by nightmares" not undisturbed by dreams.

Why do you want to do a questionnaire, anyway, SS?

You might find these threads of interest: Who comes to the Café? Where are you from? Doesn’t specifically cover what people may believe now. There was a sort of mini-poll a while back that might have covered some aspects of that. Too wide a topic to categorize easily. You’d have to ask very narrow questions. One's in About the Way, the other in Open. I bumped 'em both for you, SS.

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A small step for cat, a giant step for cat relations. Girlies demanded I went downstairs to play tonight and as usual wandered off. Tuxy tried to get my attention, wouldn't play properly, so I lay on the couch reading a book. After a while, bored with my inattention to her - she jumped onto my chest - first time ever! Tried to jump off just as quick, but I caught her and she lay nicely, stretched out all along my torso - I didn't realise she was such a long cat! We had a very nice cuddle then she went off to chase some Go-Cat. So finally she is beginning to realise that this is what cats do (apart frm the usual, of which the least said, the better). Only 2-1/4 years to get this far... Now to get cuddling with Crypto...LOL. I have got them a covered outdoor litter tray. This is to go outside, but currently it's in the lounge. Sprinkled the inside with catnip (only) and they love getting inside and rolling in the catnip. Idea is that they get used to it, then I'll put it in their usual litter tray location next week, then out in the garden the week after that. See how it goes. They love to explore outside in the garden, but refuse to relieve themselves out there and rush in to use the litter tray. It would be funny if it weren't so pungent.

It was a weapon to make us turn off our caring ability. Our empathy for other people. But GOD gave us emotions. He could have devised humankind as some emotionless creature that just did whatever it was programmed to do. Instead, he gave us emotions - presumably knowing that they could sometimes get the better of us. Sure we control our emotions, or at least our behavior flowing from our emotions: we might feel like hitting someone, but generally, we rarely do so. We might feel so happy that we want to hug everyone, but that wouldn't be good either. A certain level of detachment or objectivity is also good...but not to the point of stifling emotions completely. Did not Jesus also display his emotions - joy, happiness, wellbeing, compassion - and anger, sorrow, feeling dejected, feeling rejected? Controlling men can't cope with emotions. Can't cope with anything, really. JJ, glad you've made it out of that emotionless place and sounds like you're making a "normal" sort of life for yourself, complete with as many emotions as you like.

They gave you back your money?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o :wacko: :blink:

What's not hard and legalistic? Grease. Soft as grease. The cafe. Even though we fight sometimes. Gen-2, what a terrible response. A kind and compassionate word would've been nice. A word of comfort. Romans 12:15 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Sorry for your loss. From your posts, your dad was a good man who cared a lot for you and taught you a lot.

Waysider, just saw your clip. Too funny! With that extra layer of meaning for ex-Wayfers, LOL. :biglaugh: :biglaugh:

You want to know God better. You want to find out something about Him. You want to make sense of what you already know, which may not be much. You wonder where the exuberance of the early Christian church (book of Acts) has gone. You don't see much that's different about church. You don't see much that's different about church-going Christians. You don't see much expectation that God is around and active. You do see a lot of formalized activities You do get conveyor-belted through a class. You do get pushed into "speaking in tongues." You do get encouraged to attend some other activity. You don't get the opportunity to ask questions or to explore what you're being given. You don't get encouraged to get involved in your community. You don't get the opportunity to meet others from different faith communities. You do get strong views about matters raised in the Bible. You don't get the mellowness of Grace relating to those same strong matters. If you don't learn the mellowness of Grace, you only learn the hardness of the Law. And then there isn't any place to go except some other place that is equally hard and legalistic.

What a very beautiful garden you have, Leafy. Where is it you live? Photos look quite like an English cottage garden, except that everything is further on - your snapdragons, for example.

Part of the problem is that churches very often don't teach much! I wandered in and out of various churches - nice people, but nothing of substance in the sermon, teachings or housegroups wishy washy ("well, I think it means...) and it's discouraging if you want to find out about the Bible, God, Jesus...but have no idea where to start. Then someone comes along, gives you a short (but fairly demanding class) that gives you more information than you've ever had before, apparently supported by chapter and verse, and you have a nice housegroup that seems supportive and caring (and many were, at that level). You read more of the Bible and the collaterals and most of it seems to make sense. And as you go along, you get more and more (self-)indoctrinated about others not knowing anything. You witness to people and although they say they go to church, they have some very strange ideas or beliefs...God sends disasters...God made me ill/gave me this disease...my dead relative is giving me information. You have also learned to view with some suspicion those who do actually know something. And so, then, where else is there to go? Because everyone else seems to be saying, I think it means...or believing bad things about God. And if you've entered the WC program, you've probably already given up a lot of other things and people, cut a lot of links. But when you get out, you realize that you really do have a place to go, and that is straight into the arms of your friends and family, who welcome you back to normality with love and generosity of heart.

No, in case they should feel like beaming in on me again. (well actually they'd never get away with it a second time) Tell you what, I never felt so guilty/under condemnation as I did at that place - the more I tried to do what was required, the more oppression I got from on high. I must really have been in the center of ... somebody's will ... but not God's I don't think. Somebody's will to "doormatize" me. Or maybe, using TWI-speak ... center of which God's will ...?