oldiesman

Yes, true. Regarding doctrine, dogma etc... being 'never wrong' or not wrong was/is common but not exclusive to twi, as it's common among churches, and the result are all the denominations. But if the offshoots are of the same primary mindset and beliefs i.e. belief of the basic doctrines yet schisms remain doesn't it make more sense to come together and leave the lesser disputes to the trash can? Remember from PFAL, VPW said something like there were over 4000 Christian denominations? Last time I googled there were many more today, and that can't be God's desire to get more divisions can it? Products of man's egos?

I remember many years ago there was a thread that allowed someone to write a phrase from a film and someone guessed what the film's name was. Can that be done here?

Yes saw that thx.. but was there any information other than "sexual abuse" only?

Agree with 99% what you wrote -- there appears to be no direct reference so it's a TWI assumption based on scripture building. One observation using PFAL: God was speaking to the serpent when He said "thy seed" and there were no chapters or verses in the original.

First time hearing... what was the allegation?

Agree... putting "God in a Box" is what I refer to it today. But it's not exclusive to TWI, or RC; I think it's what many churches do but the reality is God is everywhere present and can be found elsewhere than one's box if one allows themself to look for it.

I think it's even simpler than that... I think it's natural knowledge vs. spiritual knowledge. Carnal vs. spiritual. And there's reason in both of them.

Agree... GSC IS free from censorship and thereby empowering. I wonder if today's TWI leaders actually read what's written here and try to use that knowledge to make TWI a better place? Regarding the offshoots... my feeling is they would do better to all go back to TWI and try to make it a better place. If it's all the same doctrine and has value... then continue to believe and act the principles taught from PFAL and WALK IN LOVE with a group that can use it.

What did those "good old days" mean to me? In a few words: God answering prayers for the desperate help that I needed and prayed for at the time, including being born again; and greater understanding and appreciation for the scriptures.

No debate really, only mentioning the vibrant scriptures that come from the church's true gift ministries. When they're in operation. They are still around today.

That's a good one... I also think that the folks who continue to preach that these are the last days, may be off as well... the preterists certainly would dispute that belief...

I think it was from PFAL and subsequent Scripture Buildup including (1) scripture from Genesis on the seed of the serpent; (2) scripture from the gospels on blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; (3) scripture from the epistles on the sin unto death.

Agree...

Jesus Himself, will be personally deciding everyone's eternal location.

What's left unwritten in welcoming us back is the obvious: one must understand that coming home means one must return to all the beliefs, all the customs, and all rules and regulations. Sort of like this wonderful sequence from "Inherit the Wind": "But all you have to do is to knock on any door and say "if you let me in I'll live the way you want me to live and I'll think the way you want me to think", and all the blinds will go up and all the doors will open and you'll never be lonely ever again."

It's unclear to me if they sent M&A people these cards; be good to find out. I got one but was never labeled as M&A.

What it says to me is that TWI had its own unique cult brand of VPW-only beliefs (which we all got a full dose of) while simultaneously excluding what VPW believed was error. I have no doubt that if VPW actually believed the earth was flat, we would have had corps teachings in TWI promoting that from Bullinger! LOL.

As the Holy Apostle Paul warned the church For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Found this piece a couple of weeks ago, revealing an ancient and very powerful evil spirit that people have worshipped then and appears to be gaining worship today. Ancient Mesopotamian Transgender and Non-Binary Identities - by Morg Daniels (academuseducation.co.uk)

As it turned out my experience was completely opposite, i.e., my Mom was attending twig a full year before the rest of the family followed her lead. A fitting word for Mom today, on Mothers Day. Happy Mothers Day to all!

He's also on YouTube. Here is one of his postings:

I believe the consent to abortion was rationalized by TWI teaching us that it was ok unless the baby was able to live outside of the mother's womb by itself; if it could, then it was considered killing a human being. (Still erroneous but at least they had SOME awareness that at some point in the pregnancy, tearing another human being limb from limb was sinfully wrong.) It took me several years away from TWI and about a year with the Catholic Church to truly repent from that belief. As to the remnant, and people leaving in droves and others being M&A, I thought at the time it had to be done that way because many were thinking evil and constantly bad-mouthing, being suspicious of the Trustees and thus had to be expelled. Not condoning it, but I believe any religious group would have done the same thing. Of course it would have been much better had the rape and adultery been admitted to and publicly addressed as completely sinful but that likely would have bankrupted them.

I don't remember if I suggested something like this incident in the past at GS in defense of VPW's snow story as possibly being true, but it's an experience where a small but strange snowstorm could actually happen without being part of a written record. I thought VPW's story was possible and still do; but being we are here at GS, I may also assume it was bs. No way of knowing really. As Craig might say "ask God to help you understand it." He said that once to me on a different topic.

Listened to the entire teaching at high speed. Brought a smile to my face... typical Craig, speaking and teaching with boldness the PFAL class and collaterals. In some ways I think he's a better teacher now than in TWI. (Paraphrasing: "if you're tithing out of fear keep your money.") Ha! Would have loved to hear someone from TWI way back when encouraging us to keep our money! Of course his teaching isn't without its critique. He still seems to think that Roman Catholics are some mindless zombies with no soul or respect to worship God the Father Almighty. One will hardly ever know what's in the hearts and minds of churchgoers by reading books or following hearsay alone; you've got to invest time and energy investigating and researching firsthand, then make an informed determination. He would do well to spend a year or two attending church and talking with Roman Catholics; then he'd be in a better position to make an informed comment.

Agree

Here's my take: most of not all of us were and are "unwilling" to accept some or all spiritual truths. Only when we become "willing" to accept some or all of them, does God gift us with the ability; and that ability is a gift of God in and of itself.