Twinky

Cheranne, have you used any of these little booklets? If so, what have you learned or seen that's helped you? Other Cafe patrons: If you've used this type of booklet but no longer do so, is that because:- It "let you down"? It was not helpful? Or is it just that you are on some other sort of study program/regime/timetable? Or do you prefer to just "do your own thing" when it comes to reading the Bible rather than follow a loosely-structured booklet? A link to the online version for the day, for those who may be interested. One further click will give you the continuing content of the Bible section; click on Main Point for the thought they'd like you to consider for your own life. http://www.scriptureunion.org.uk/2981.id

Secretive, huh? Absolutely no idea of who it is or where they are based. Whoever it is - learned well. And at least they are open in their beliefs and idol-worship of VPW. Now, the integrity of the Word might be at stake, but the integrity of their website is lacking. From the Statement of Beliefs: Two sentences, three errors. Suggesting to me: sloppy workmanship.

Some of you may recall from PFAL that VPW said that these daily bible reading booklets "would always leave you short" or "would let you down just when you really needed help". We weren't told not to read them, but they (along with mainstream churches) were looked down on, and we were discouraged from having anything to do with them. It's easy to see why: it might distract from what was taught in PFAL, and it would give us a source of reference outside TWI so that TWI's control over us could not become a stranglehold. Over several recent months, I have been given the up-to-date bible study booklet - mine's called Daily Bread (from Scripture Union), but there are lots of others. The current readings (for two weeks) are a study of Nehemiah, and the integrity of the life of a leader. Other studies for this quarter include: Journeying with God; Looking back to get ahead; Judgment and mercy. In my bible I have a page that I tore out from the reading for 9 August last looking at Luke 13:10-17 which really hit me in the heart. I wonder if any of you read from these little booklets, and if you find them helpful? They may take you to bible passages that you wouldn't otherwise think to read. They may develop a line of thinking that is new for you. If so, is there anything you would particularly care to share? And before this thread is derailed right from the start, can I just say, it's not not not not NOT about the actual words used by VPW but it's about whether the booklets have helped you see something new, different, or helpful to you.

Mike, I have to say that I admire your dogged persistence on this thread. Can't say I admire your dogged head-in-the-s*** thinking, but you certainly are convinced that you know that you know that you know.

DO NOT POST THESE VIDEOS WITHOUT A HEALTH WARNING!!!!! Just when I thought I had got that danged song out of my head, there Cheranne goes, reminding me to renew my mind. Grrrr, girl!

Hey, I just found this ancient thread. Which is strange because I was just posting on some other thread about RFR owning property. Here is a fresh link to the website mentioned above - the link indicated doesn't work. http://gismaps.cravencounty.com/maps/map_c...04%20%20%20-002 So it's 288 acres valued then at just under £100K of forest but seems to have no building improvements. And it's jointly owned (in a previous name for RFR) with Virginia Fox - a sister?? Our poster is not a happy person about RFR...

Sorry, RR, musta missed that. Got lost under a drift of copyright complaints.

I wonder how much they give away, to help the people in their fellowship/area/branch or whatever these things are called now? I wonder how much they put, financially, into their own community? I wonder... They might be good guys. But the article reads like a commercial. And not for their"secular" businesses.

Well someone might idolize LCM, as you put it, but the individual auditors concerned would still have professional standards that they would have to adhere to. And a large firm of auditors, even if only well-known in Ohio, would still want to protect its reputation.

She might like a link to the Cafe so's she can check some of the stories/info herself. Especially about the lawsuits - documented on the front page. Very verifiable information.

Wow, I just looked in on this thread after washing my hands of it; felt like I needed some humor. No change here, since my last look. The same old plagiarism arguments... Arguments about copyrights... Hey, nobody mentioned a BIBLIOGRAPHY, which reputable works of research almost always include in addition to the footnotes/copyright info. (Just giving this merry-go-round another twiddle...) Lest we forget- this thread is about what we now believe about VPW's snowstorm story. As far as I know, snowflakes are neither copyrightable nor patentable.

1. She had it built, specially for her? With the use of TWI staff/WC? This results in the outreach of God's Word - how, exactly? 2. She has "land" in SC? As well as a house in NK? Hmm, so she has abundance, that she doesn't use? Examples from the 1st century church: Joses, a Levite had land and put it at the feet of the apostles (NOT so that they could build themselves houses); "as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." (Acts 4:34-37). TWI so emphasized the "lands" (plural) part. 3. Good for her, obviously doesn't feel the need to share her surplus. Money not where her mouth is. 4. Ditto. 5. Not applicable. 6. Examples speak louder than words. Do as I say, not as I do. Ah wait, it was the immediate two predecessors who said it. Dunno what Rosie says. Have things changed so much?

Great cat pix, Leafy. The big stripey ones might be a bit of a handful

Rosie has a house??? That raises a few questions in my mind: 1. How long has she lived there? 2. What's wrong with her living in TWI-owned accommodation? - eg, the trailers in the grounds (many families had to); in Founders Hall (must be plenty of space there now) or in one of the other properties? Even in The Chalet? (Even LCM and family lived in TWI-owned property, the Chalet). 3. How come she has the money to buy a house? 4. If it's from what she's paid with TWI, wow, she must get paid a lot. More than just on a "need" basis. 5. If they gave her a loan to purchase it - she must have been in debt! 6. If it's from previous savings/former marriage or other private income, how come she wasn't pressured to surrender it or a significant amount of it to TWI - as have many others? (Maybe she did surrender surplus funds after the purchase of the house she now lives in - no idea.) If true, it seems seriously inequitable to me that she owns a house and yet compelled so many (especially WC) to sell their homes and move into rented accommodation, possibly paying more than they were in mortgage repayments. If she lives in her own purchased home, speaks volumes to me that she doesn't trust the b*s at TWI! And she runs the joint! Socks, any info??

I wanted to be a missionary and go to Africa. Instead, I ended up going WoW in a different continent. Still plenty of unaccomplished dreams but there's still time, until they give me the wooden overcoat. Dooj...a nun...

WTF? Investigated your finances? You mean, rummaged through your bank accounts somehow? Or just asked you questions (based on your previous shocking health bills, how date you? (tongue in cheek))? I don't detect any sympathy in the article for those who don't have the opportunity for "secular degrees" and to pursue higher paying work.

From the newspaper article: Scholarship from whom? I'm wondering if they aren't such "faithful ministers" of TWI that they in fact paid for it - to tie him in even more to them.But then - it took him 5 weeks to get a job. Clearly had never been WoW, where one was required to have a job within 2 weeks (as well as a home and whatever was needed in the home). What was he doing for the other three weeks? Italicized bit: Work, then get blessed? Isn't that a bit like earning a blessing? Surely just to get the job is itself a blessing? After that come further blessings, advancement, promotion, more finances? Where exactly does believing God fit with this self-help outlook? Bold bit: Actually this is precisely what TWI did teach. Instant results to prayer. Not the sustained prayer of a faithful man, sometimes over months and years. Concurrently they did teach (and fair enough) that we didn't need to buy things that cost a lot of money, like houses and cars, but there was merit in saving up. TWI was never into teaching that a better budget might mean outlay on a deposit then time payments, which could result in lower outgoings (like a car purchased over time might do a better job than one purchased a repair at a time - an old junker) but it was "one size fits all needs."

*28. Give us your money.

I love this about the church I now attend. Every January, the treasurer goes through the whole church accounts, the sort of thing you would find on a company balance sheet, showing everything in and everything out, the funds pledged, the tax back on money pledged, contributions to/from the diocese, the budgeting for forthcoming projects, gross salaries ... And it is presented so kindly and lovingly. Yes, I recall TWI saying that anyone who ... can't remember the qualifier, might have been "Adv Class grad" or might have been "faithfully tithed" or might have been something else - anyway, they could inspect the books. Can't remember when or where I heard this; SNS? I did think about asking when I went in rez. I never did ask. They were nice enough in the Finance Office but always seemed so busy; but somehow the atmosphere wasn't conducive to enquiring. And frankly there is enough to do in residence without chasing the bank accounts and balance sheet of this secretive organization. We were never presented with balance sheets TWI-wide. It would have been easy enough to publish an abridged sort of version in The Way Mag, which after all is not the kind of thing the general public actually does buy. And so what, if ordinary public did have sight of the documents? They are technically documents of public record anyway. Like everything else, it's hard finding out real specifics about anything connected with TWI.

Women, you could have been helpful here. Quite a good way to get rid of head lice is to smother one's hair in conditioner and leave it in overnight (a bathcap might make this less messy on the pillow). Smothers the critters. Rinse the hair in the morning and you have nice hair, too. Little cost because you'd already got the necessary in your toiletry bag. Can't have been very nice for you all, though.

Well, good for them. And being able to use their "secular degrees" as well. Congratulations. How the times are a-changing. But they have degrees, and decent jobs. How many others were dissuaded from continuing in secular education, discontinuing degrees, professional careers, etc, but were driven into McDonalds/ waitressing/ cleaning/ other low paid jobs, and thereby unable to build up a 6 month nest-egg? (What is this couple doing contributing to 401Ks and not giving all that surplus money to TWI?) Maybe they have had this article written about them (well, they wrote it themselves, basically) - it's still only half the total article so if TWI forwards it to all fellowships, it'd be honest if they forwarded the whole article.

I grew up in a brewing town. Hate the smell of the stuff. But here's an ad for some beer (not brewed in my home town or even home country!): http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1o9R6T4d4GU This product's adverts have attained near-icon status...good fun. PS I can't speak for the quality of the beer but that's probably not much to write home about

Great post, Steve, especially your final paragraph. There are many witnesses to deviant behavior of the higher-ups at TWI. Yet some others who post here simply do not accept that witness. They prefer to accept the perpetrator's version of events.

People who still had two brain cells to rub together.

I honestly don't believe this. So many have posted negative comments. Yet those who were ready to see, could see God at work during their WoW year. Some people chose to go out several times. Please don't be always looking for the worst. It's fashionable on this site to knock TWI - and there is a lot to knock! - but there was also some good stuff. Musta been, else we wouldn't have stuck around. There must have been more people who had enjoyable or at least interesting experiences during their WoW years than have posted on this thread. Hey - some of you have posted on other threads about things that happened in your WoW year. And some of you went out several times. Never mind the success (or otherwise) for TWI. What about your personal successes? Oh, and yes, the video clips are before my time but nonetheless scary - aargh! Save the nation - huh, where d'ya get that, Cheranne (barf!).