Twinky

Ah, but Juff, he did donate the FAMILY FARM to TWI. Whatever that was worth. But then he continued to live in it and enjoy it for the rest of his life. Like having your cake and eating it. Having your crop and it continuing to grow indefinitely. More reliable than farming, with the vagaries of weather and blight. Wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of scheme whereby the farm (belonging to a charity) paid lower or no taxes on the land, than it did privately owned. Maybe the accountants among us can comment on that? Would he also get some sort of tax relief on personal taxes paid, if he gave away something of large value to a charity?

At the moment it's just an idea, Tom! There are flights direct into Bristol (nearest airport, 14 miles, decent bus/train transport). Or visitors can do the gruesome thing, fly into Heathrow or other London airport, battle for hours getting from the airport, and still sit 3 hours on a coach/train.

Yeah, I thought the "freely received, freely given [away]" bit, too. Though I realize Bibles are not given away except by the Gideons, and I accept that study books also need to be paid for. But not at a huge mark-up! On the other hand: how much is the cost of the following? TLB recites: TLB also says: I posted above that the Alpha course that I did a few sessions of invited donations (and they were donations, non-obligatory) towards the cost of a meal. If you couldn't or didn't want to contribute that was fine. I do think that if TWI had provided free meals and babysitting services, that also would have been a point of argument for some people here. They would say it was like those free meals that Moonies invited people to. So in that respect TWI was criticized if it did and criticized if it didn't. (Come to think about it, as my PFAL was all day Sat (2 sessions) and all day Sun (2 sessions) they DID provide the meals and I can't recall being asked for a financial contribution.)

Yes, I always hated that. Couldn't see why I had to pay. No church I'd ever heard of made one pay. I took ages to come up with the money. I was really hesitant. It was only because the person who had witnessed to me and eventually got me to sign up was coming under huge pressure from others (probably interim Corps) to stop hanging around with me. He was on his WoW year and just nobody was signing up. At the time I said, if it's a donation why do I have to pay? If it's a charge, call it so. I was told the £25 (I think; varied between £25 and £50) was to cover the cost of books and materials. When I got the books, I thought, these couldn't possibly cost £25 to produce, how much mark-up is there on these? Ha ha. Welcome to the world of obligation and double-speak. Had I known what was to come, I would have departed right after PFAL. The Alpha course starts with a group meal, then a talk, then a discussion time. Anyone can talk about any thing. No charge for the evening. People are invited to contribute towards the cost of the group meal but it's not obligatory and no-one keeps a record. This thread's made me think: what they were looking for was the "fleeceable" ones - who they could get putting their hands in their pockets right from the get-go. And I ahve a suspicion that even at that stage, those who would not pay up were subject to some minor condemnation - not wanting to enjoy the greatness of God's Word. Of course, right after (if not during) PFAL there was the "encouragement" to buy the Blue Book then the rest of the collaterals... and the subscriptions to the Way Mag etc

You mean something like, fist of iron in a creamy glove? (LOL)

Thought Cafe patrons may be interested in the following: http://www.packhorseinn.com/ Called in for a visit yesterday after a country walk. Just had to sample the guest cider. And play with the open log fire. And have another pint... When I get a new job (note I say when, not if) my friend who has been so kind to me will permit me to take him out for a meal to celebrate. We are going to the Packhorse. The menu on the web page looks rather out of date and the website could do with a bit of updating (for spelling) but the whole sort of adds to the rustic feel of the place. Check out the bit about the pub itself.

Interesting, WD. They made me close my account, too. Sent a check and insisted I present it. I wanted to transfer the funds to my spiritual partner who was in rez in teh WC but they wouldn't allow that. They wrote to me several times to get me to present the check. They even extended the use-by date as more than six months had elapsed. Afterwards I learned that my SP had left in rez (voluntarily, I think) but did they tell me that? Ha ha.

Misread this to start with. Thought you said, "This sediment comes from one of my mom's favorite coffee mugs....." But I guess there's no butts in your coffee. Went to give blood last Friday (true story). Medics wouldn't take it. My iron level isn't high enough. They took a blood sample. The blood sample will be tested back at the Blood lab. They will be checking my level of ferritin. The medic just didn't get it when I said there were no ferrets in my blood.

Ah! Now I know why you always manage to post your replies in about 4 or 5 consecutive posts! You were running up to make a record of some sort!! A record...a musical squirrel, perhaps? Carry on, buddy!

Oh I just picked up on this thread. Toad in the hole is sausage links surrounded by batter and baked in an open pan. The sausages brown nicely and the batter is often slightly soft and mushy in the middle. Delicious. (Sausage links are usually 1/2" to 1" in diameter - not big fat things that you crumble into "biscuits and gravy" which is an entirely different dish.) The batter for Yorkshire puddings can be rather delicious and there are lots of variations. Basically it's a thinnish batter (made of eggs, milk, plain/all purpose flour and a pinch of salt) that is cooked fast at high temp in the oven. Usually in little patty tins, not one big one. Some recipes add a little beer. Often recommended is to keep a little of last week's batter to add into this week's batter (assumes a Yorkshire pud every week!). If made fresh, best to let it stand for half an hour or so before cooking. Yes, traditionally cooked with a teaspoon meat dripping, to grease the patty tin.

Here's a memory from overseas. I was on a street corner in the next village. The Brownies were having a "clean-up" and and we were going round the neighbourhood picking up rubbish and putting into sacks (no fears about "needle stick" in those days!). Think there must have been a radio on in a shop on the street corner where we were all meeting. Heard the news and adults tending our little group must have been discussing. It didn't mean much to me but I knew it was something important.

And again, Paw. Have a great time. Ron - if Paw is on a liquid diet, he must be having floating candles (LOL).

Could somebody please tell me why the address is given as being in Phoenix, AZ? What's that got to do with being in Ohio? Does this statement also account for assets held at Gunnison and Indiana?

Thanks for the replies on this. WW, yes, I wondered about the zero Corps. Not much known about them. Or what became of them after they left. Ham - no doubt any Spotter wouldn't be welcome at the Way - though clearly some returnees are. As I live so far away, opportunities for strolling round the grounds again are somewhat less likely than my opportunities for visiting Antarctica. Waysider - where would you meet the "tripped out" believers? You make it sound as if they were in the vicinity - at your local meeting, for example - which wouldn't make them completely M&A'd. The bit about avoiding your "old man" friends is a different policy. (I'm sorry to hear about your friend with MH problems. You might have been able to offer genuine help, if only just a listening ear.) The earlier practices don't seem to have been quite so vicious, but perhaps I am mistaken. At a guess, after PoP, LCM upped it to another level in his attempt to regain control and impose his will. Wouldn't want anybody going after the leaders (in particular) who had chosen not to give the pledge of allegiance to him. Some of those people went and hung out with CGeer. I remember some pretty nasty things being said about "cop outs" in the late 80s. I think it ratchetted to another level again in the early to mid-90s, when the pressure from the lawsuits was falling upon him more, though we didn't know about it at the time. (This bit, I know from personal experience, was spite and viciousness unadulterated.) Does that sound about right? No doubt LCM as WC2 would have heard one way or another about the zero Corps and it would have been drummed into him how bad they were. It was his elder Corps, after all, and he wouldn't want to follow their example.

Just popped in for a quick look at this thread. Doesn't that tune go with some other words as well? Though the words are very vague in my mind. Includes "pray without ceasing" ?? (But then, that might be, name that hymn tune (LOL) )

I just saw an interview clip that Cheranne posted - it's a woman who escaped from the JWs and - guess what - has written a book about her experiences in a cult. She left when she was 18 and has been shunned by her family ever since - 35 years. This has been a practice of many religious organizations over the centuries - but what I'm wondering is - when did it start in TWI? Given that VPW plagiarized the bulk of his material in The Orange Book (PFAL) and The White Book (RHST), did he learn this from JE Stiles and whoever else he cribbed from? Or did he bring it with him from the church where he had been ordained? Or did he look at how other churches exercized control and see how it kept their congregations quiet? Or do you think he selectively read the sections in Corinthians and Titus and decided to throw "new light" on them (=take them to a new extreme)? Maybe anyone who was around in the very early years could comment. Then again, LCM took the practice to new heights in his purges during his reign of terror - but LCM learned it from somewhere - from his "father in the Word." I don't want this to be a discussion about this abusive practice, of which there are many other threads. Just wondering when it started in TWI.

George, the English just invent jet engines instead...hard to imagine the world without jet engined planes, nowadays. Japanese cars have been more popular in the UK as well. You always got more for your money. The bells and whistles that you pay extra for on other cars come as standard on Jap cars. Fuel economy is MUCH better. Fuel economy on most US cars makes non-Americans roll their eyes in shock and horror. Can you buy hybrids, or electric cars, in the USA? My car...is a Vauxhall Astra 1994, good mileage. And I'm thankful; was a gift to me after another car got written off by another vehicle. Previously had a F ix O r R epair D aily and it really did need that sort of attention.

There seem to be one or two people posting at the Cafe who are in the UK and there are others round about. Just a thought, with all the gatherings in the US for barbecues and roasts and clam bakes - would be it of any interest to any UK residents to get together to have our own thing here? July, August sort of time? If so, I'd want it to be a positive thing: how we've moved on. The Texas BBQ that I went to was great fun and lots of laughs. I know a number of ex-Wayfers living in this area, and have encountered via other websites other ex-Wayfers who could be invited; also some from other countries. Ex10, if you are visiting - of course you can come too!

No allotment, just a garden that used to be a lawn. It measures about 10ft wide by 14 ft long and everything is crammed together. Just removed 4 leylandii from the shrub border adjacent to the vege garden. They were mature trees with big root balls. I have filled the area they came from with hoss muck and garden compost and am letting it over-winter while I decide what to do with it. The shrub border (and hence the leylandii) provided a screen/eye distraction from the road, which is higher than my kitchen, so I feel a bit "obvious" now. But the extra space would be nice for a few additional veges next year. Might put up a bit of trellis and train a clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle or similar up it. They don't take up much room and grow readily. You can put all your garden prunings at this time of year, autumn tidy-up, into the compost bin. YOu may also wish to put a handful of lime in, from time to time; helps break down the compost. Remember to shovel some ordinary garden soil in, several inches of compostable material and a couple of inches of soil. The bacteria break the compostable material down. If I am gardening and find a lot of worms, I drop them in the compost bin too. The leaves from the crocosmias will go in the bin, as will the rose and fuschia prunings. Your stunted veges, too. You can sign up for a weekly email from Gardeners' World and that contains a list of "to do" recommendations for the current week. Useful website. You could try covering the daffs with a "blanket" of some sort to keep the frost off. A bit of carpet, an old sheepskin rug, scrunched up newspaper, a cardboard box. Must get my own daffs and tulips in pretty soon.

Hey Dooj, still looking forward to your recipes! I know they'll be both excellent and simple! :)

Regret to say one of the things I learned from TWI was how to swear. Interesting F-words ... in "sermons." JC used some culturally strong language - to confront the Pharisees. He never used such language to address his congregation or flock. Generally speaking nowadays, I only use such strong language (and then not much) when I hear or think about abuses carried out in God's name. If mere me gets riled up, what must God do?

Hi Ham, yes I have considered that, but as my downstairs room is all one big room comprising kitchen, diner and lounge-let, I don't really want a stinky litter tray which they might use for solid matter in the same room. The bathroom is on the next house level up and THEY chose it for the location of their litter tray (by using the bath, regardless of whether a tray was there or not). They both still use the bathroom tray (they prefer to use the same one though I usually provide two). It wouldn't be easy to secretly migrate a tray from one level of the house to another. I put my white rug in the shed last night (oh, the things one does at midnight, besides turn into a grease spot!) and it was so pleasant to come downstairs this morning and it didn't have that slight whiff of wee. I will put up a small artificial tree in a week or so's time. Hmm, yes, thanks for the warning. I can see lightly swinging baubles might be a serious temptation. Maybe I will give them one, a little shatterproof one. But they are quite good with wires and don't usually chew electric cables.

QUOTE (WordWolf @ Nov 21 2008, 12:40 AM) • destroy or take your personal property or sentimental items? Cunningly, they got US to destroy our personal property! Told us to get rid of things that held us back - that harbored devil spirits - we should forget those things that are behind. What they really wanted to destroy was our individuality. But the part of the body of Christ that I am does not need me to be an "ear" or a "hand" or an "eye" - it needs me to be ME. I seem to recall something from PFAL that said that God gave us holy spirit and it was unique to each one of us as individuals - you couldn't take the holy spirit from one person and try to fit it into another person because it wasn't so made. It just wouldn't work out. (No doubt someone can supply a reference.) Seems to me that (a) God recognizes us as individuals; (b) TWI doesn't and tries to fit a one-size "holy spirit" into each one of us.

Plan B - or is it C - or Z... The lounge part of my kitchen/lounge/diner is rather whiffy. So tonight I have fetched out all of the furniture, scrubbed the floor with various concotions, removed the white rug, and replaced all my furniture in new locations. I dislike the new layout but it'll do. Idea is to make it difficult for Tuxy to access the corner that is her secret place to wee. It now has a cabinet over it, and a couch. The white carpet is in my shed. I don't know if it can be cleaned. And if so, how successful that will be. It's a nice rug and would have been expensive when new (got it via Freecycle, from a very upmarket home). Tuxy hid under the table on a chair whilst all the moving about was taking place. Crypto hid in the darkest place she could find, under the stairs. But when I sat down with a cuppa to survey the scheme, it was Crypto who adventured out to see what was going on. Who explored thoroughly the new layout. She seems to approve. Tuxy was only enticed out by rattling the food box. She seems very hesitant. Doesn't seem to like it. Crypto is very sweet. She has a nice nature. I had wondered about calling her "Serena" which seems to suit her. She is calm natured, good at amusing herself, playful, gentle. Wary, but not jumpy like Tuxy. She will happily feed from a hand, taking titbits of meat or whatever. A friend visited tonight, and she was eating handfuls of Go-Cat from his hand. She makes delightful little croo-ing sounds. Not bad for a cat too scared to show herself for months, when I first got her. Tuxy has begun to be a little more friendly with me. She has avoided me for the last couple of weeks (since I last picked her up) and only in the last day or two has let me touch her again. So we're kind of back to basics. Anyway she is friendly again. As long as she isn't up to mischief in the corner! She has got a new trick. Friend bought me some flowers, and she nibbled on the leaves which made her sick. I've moved the flowers into my study but she likes them (to eat) and has learned to climb up the bookcase to get at them - caught her at that tonight; explains how she managed to eat the leaves yesterday and make herself sick. If I just open the door, let her out, then close it firmly, do you think she'll take the hint?

Yet the letter seems to have been quite well received on the Way Corps site. Hasn't provoked the comment that has been made at the Cafe. More congratulatory.