Twinky

Just to bring this back on track, here's the starter post:

Yet another thread that has become all about Mike. For those who don't know, Mike is on the autistic spectrum. Nowadays, sometimes called "neuro-divergent." (I think there may be some other posters here who are also neuro-divergent.) That means Mike doesn't think like "neuro-typicals" and no amount of presenting alternative facts will dislodge his current views. What you say will only entrench his own views even more. No amount of logic or browbeating will cause him to backtrack on his beliefs. So stop wasting your time trying! Being autistic isn't a "bad" thing, or an insult. It's how people were formed in the womb. High-end autistics are said to have Asperger's syndrome, and there are many famous "Aspies." These include Elon Musk, and Bill Gates, for two. Others excel as musicians, architects, artists, etc, with great focus, and an attention to detail that can lead to ground-breaking advances. Where they excel in ability and focus is, unfortunately for neurotypicals, also where they lack in interpersonal skills and empathy.

I also meant to add, consider also some wider reading, though my response was specifically aimed at the suggestion of re-studying those PFAL books. Go to the source there; remove the corruptions inserted by a corrupt plagiariser. Good post, T-Bone, about three ways of distinguishing fundamentalism. There is a lot of positive inspiration to be gained by looking at one's troubled past in the right way, and I do think Mike recognises that. We can, if we look, see what a mess we were, and how knowing God has rescued us from that. And we can so very definitely use our own troubled pasts to empathise with those who are still living their "troubled pasts," and to show them there is a way out. Perhaps we don't want to look at those who offended us (though there is learning there: why did they offend us? What was so offensive? Why was it offensive? Am I doing any of those same things, and thus offending others?) and there is a huge amount to be gained by looking at those whom oneself offended (why did I do that? Was it conscious or unconscious on my part? How can I avoid offending others - and thereby perhaps driving them away irreparably - and show empathy towards them?) Anybody that's interested could consider looking at the "12 Steps" that Alcoholics Anon uses to help alcoholics make sense of their lives. There's a Christian version of this and several books on the subject. We had a teaching series in church over several weeks, based on this. It was excellent. Anyway, here's a quick link for anyone who's interested. Celebrate Recovery's 12 Steps

I think if I were that interested, I'd try to source my review reading from the original books. Those that were plagiarised and repackaged as "PFAL" and "RHST." The precursors of VPW's poor copies. Original (source) material would include JE Stiles - The Gift of the Holy Spirit EW Bullinger - The Companion Bible - for a lot of materials and comments, even "expanded usages." Where's PFAL from? I can no longer remember what was plagiarised for that. As to the "collaterals" (which is not what Mike includes), they're mostly pinched from other available sources. Have a look at this, from John Juedes: www.empirenet.com/~messiah7/tw_documents.htm

God bless and prosper this young woman. She's turned a despairing situation into a really positive, empathetic way to live her life, helping others from the depth of her own experience of abuse.

I thought this might strike a chord for some people here, especially if they were born into, or raised in, TWI. It's 6 minutes long. From Being Trafficked as a Toddler to Claiming Victory and Joy in Life | CBN.com

Thank God, my year escaped that indignity. But I (now) know I'd disclosed too much previously, done in complete trust, and which I now know could be, and possibly was, used to manipulate me.

Some good news. I have been carefully nurturing Tuxedo and loving her up lots. I have found something she will "eat" and that helps. She likes Felix "Soups for Cats" - only 50g packets of mostly jelly with a few strips/fillets of meat (?) within. Comes in various fish, or meat, flavours. She loves that jelly!!! but leaves all the meatier bits. I also give her "cat milk," which is soya-based, no lactose, and is fortified with various minerals and taurine and other feline needs. She's ravenously hungry most of the time, but only takes liquid stuff, no solids. Today we visited the vet again. She is now 3kg, has put a little weight on. The vet had a feel around her middle and says that the hard inflamed bit now seems reduced and less firm (this is good). She's had another jab of something that should soothe her inflamed digestive tract, for a longer period this time. I got her home and she ate two packets of the Soup and some of the fillets. I have some B12 vitamin powder which she is to have - 1 capsule alternate days, or 1/2 capsule every day, for a week. She is now yelling at me for more food. I'm so pleased by this (an answer to prayer), and hope that she will continue to put some weight on and be able to live quite some time yet. I don't think we will get her up to her previous 4-4.5kg, but I am hopeful after today's visit and jab that she will continue to eat more and may take some solids, or at least the pate type foods. Now to give her some more Soup, and then we will have a cuddle on the couch for a couple of hours. The downside to this (I don't exactly see it as such) is that her littermate Crypto wonders why Tuxy is getting all this lush soft food and keeps trying to muscle in and nosh it herself. When Tuxy's made it clear she doesn't want the fillets, I let Crypto have them. She is not a very tactile cat, won't be picked up, but likes me to fondle her by her walking under my dangling hand. I wonder sometimes what she knows or understands about Tuxy not being well. Can she smell something's not right?

You're right, was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1984 after many years study. I also re-qualified in another country, where I am Called to the Bar and enrolled on the Bar List (= I'm a barrister and a solicitor there). I've done some work in most of the major areas of law. I also worked at HQ in a quasi-legal capacity in relation to some matters following Chris Geer's meltdown.

Take a look at this. You'll see time in the US is ... well, a tiny paragraph, mentioning no place by name. 60 Years of Ministry — Peter Wade, Bible teacher All on peterwade.com. Here's some of his books: Amazon.com: Peter John Wade: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle Here's a YouTube link: Peter Wade - YouTube Here's something else: Getting To Know Peter Wade [PeterWade.com Newsletter #362] (campaign-archive.com) Not that this thread is about Peter Wade. You'll see from the items referenced above that he has a long church background, from way before he ever got involved in TWI. VPW would want him alongside to give credibility to VPW himself. No doubt he got fed up with VPW's braggadocio and began to get uncomfortable with what he was hearing taught.

Woke my computer up this morning to find it had more than its usual grumps. It's decided to offer me Windows 11. Quicker for games! More, new, games! (yeah, but I don't play games on mine). I don't see any advantage to me for Win11 but wondered what others thought (if they've tried it). All I could do with is a quicker, less jerky, use of Facebook, which causes lots of slow and jerky scrolling. And the New Tab thing can be slow to kick into action. Thoughts, anyone?

Interesting! Where do you think those "attitudes" came from? Who was in charge when you were working at HQ? (Hint: initials are VPW.)

I'd say EI (what you call EQ) is a part of wisdom, part of the empathy and understanding that are required to be wise. In fact, it's probably essential.

LOL, I might find out more about being wise on 24 Dec, when I play a "wise man" in the church's nativity story.

I wouldn't say it's a trait, which implies something innate. It seems to me that wisdom is the accumulated wealth of understanding, experience, learning, study, observation, depth and breadth of living. As such, it's available to anyone who cares to pay attention to what's going on around them, and taking other people's PoV into account. To be sure, some people seem to have a head start on this, being innately more compassionate or empathetic - but some of that, too, is learned at an early stage from parents and other significant elders.

Interesting. Not to be confused with competence. One can be competent in many areas, yet naive or even foolhardy in others. Can one also be wise in many aspects of life, yet naive or foolhardy in others?

Dave Allen is truly hilarious. And he's right, most "religious" practices are laughable. "Into the hole he goes" hahahahahaha.

Hello, Mike. Long time no see. JohnJ: LOL, the "gory days."

Thank you, Penguin2. Tuxedo is still blessing my life and getting up to mischief. She is, though, appallingly thin. She hardly eats anything, but she does enjoy the jelly from tinned cat food (has always refused to eat the solids), occasionally has a teaspoonful of some ultra-expensive pate-type food from the vet, and still has a bit of kibble. I have a small tin of tuna in spring water for her tonight; maybe she will enjoy some of that. It's quite likely that my carpet will enjoy some of that, too, a few hours later. Late evening, we have a cuddle on the couch. We have a nap for a couple of hours. She likes the cuddle, but I wonder if she likes the warmth too. I have got her a little heat pad, which emits very gentle warmth, and that's wrapped in a soft fleece blanket in her current choice of sleeping location. She seems to like that and spends most of her time there (can't say I blame her in that; it's been very cold outside!). Her littermate Crypto, who always seemed a smaller skinny cat, now looks large and fat by comparison. She has also become more affectionate and touchable. I wonder what she knows, with her superior sense of smell. The two cats don't have much to do with each other, and seem more to tolerate than enjoy each other's presence. But who knows? Do cats mourn, in some way? Some do, I think.

Is the Way of/in Oz (as incorporated by TWI) still going? It will depend on how it's constituted, but if not, then it may be possible to apply for it to be wound up and its assets distributed to other institutions with similar aims. Is "The Way in Australia" (which looks active) the original (seems to be, from the guff that's in the About section on Facebook), or is it some unaffiliated offshoot?

Ah yes, WordWolf. El Camino. Of course. But maybe The Truck gives a better idea of just how it runs away with and over those who come into contact with it.

It's likely nothing suspicious. TWI sets up companies in each of its overseas countries under country names, eg, The Way in Great Britain, (and later, The Way of the UK - or maybe these two were the other way round - before and after the split when Europe fell deeply under CGeer's sway), The Way of Australia/of New Zealand, The Way Ministry of Canada. The Spanish-speaking countries are usually El Camion... and the French-speaking countries are La Voie de... The company directors are invariably the trustees of TWI together with the country coordinator and maybe one other local to the country. The money in each country belongs to that country's company, not to TWI itself. Though the country-company may well directly contribute to TWI, and with TWI directors as the directors of the country-company, TWI can exercise significant control.

Thank you, Rocky.

I for one would be glad of a more "tuned" vaccine to the new Omicron variant, should it be necessary; for that and other variants. No point in using last year's model. Just like you don't clean your teeth with last year's ratty old past-its-sell-by-date toothbrush. It should go without saying, but (ahem, Allan) one cannot formulate a vaccine against a variant that has not yet occurred. That's why the annual flu vaccine is a slightly different mix every year (apparently). Because the "normal" flu mutates and throws up new variants all the time.

I bumped my other thread for anyone who's interested. But you can start here. I have these two cats, must be, 15 years old now. Still skittish! Still shy of being touched! Crypto is still lairy about being touched and will come for a fondle by passing her body under my dangled hand. Don't try to pick her up unless you want a nasty bite; don't think about touching her flanks. Not cuddlesome, but she does like my company and discreetly follows me about and sits nearby if I am sitting in the garden. I like her, but don't feel a great affinity to her. Tuxedo, however, loves a cuddle, after going through a performance of running away a few times. She likes to sit on my lap, and we curl up on the couch together. She's purry and seems content. I have invested a lot in taming this cat and am very attached to her. But as well as Tuxy's normal behaviours, she has long time had a habit of throwing up. And now, losing weight: down from about 4.5kg at one point, to 2.7kg last week. And it comes to this: she has IBD, Inflammatory bowel disease, like IBS in human beings, but worse. In cats, it cannot be cured, only given treatment to alleviate the symptoms. This IBD had led to her getting a lymphoma, which was diagnosed one week ago. The vet suggested it would be --- the vet wanted to end her life there and then. I was in such a state of shock that I couldn't really take in all that the vet said. Tuxy had a steroid injection to see if that would help her, and it did, but now she seems to be back to being the same sicky cat as previously. The vet says that if she responded well to that, Tuxy could have a longer-acting injection. Will that be necessary? Tuxedo has gone right off her food. Her favourite treats are something to be sniffed, a mouthful or two taken, and then she wanders away. She is hungry and goes to eat her kibble sometimes. I know she's badly unwell, but if she doesn't eat, the end isn't far away. I don't think she's in pain, but she does keep putting herself away in hiding places. "It's only a cat." Yeah, but it's my "baby," having raised her up from being a terrified scaredy-cat, to wanting to be cuddled and loved. My heart is breaking.