waysider

This organization that calls itself The Way has no intrinsic value. It's not a grand effort to please God or work for the betterment of mankind or however else you want to spin it so it sounds noble. It's simply a religious cult, like thousands and thousands of similar organizations. We like to THINK it's special because it helps us to rationalize all the wasted time, effort and resources we devoted to it. But, in the grand scheme of things, it matters very little who takes over the reigns if the horse is already dead. For that matter, there probably was never any horse to begin with.

So much wrong, I'm not sure where to start.

I don't think there is any one, single answer. Everyone has their own reason for becoming involved. And, what might have been a big draw for us old folks who got involved in the 1970's, might not be an attraction at all today. Some of the more common reasons for joining are: 1. A sense of belonging 2. A sense of being part of something bigger than themselves. 3. The idea of doing something noble and important. 4. A desire to know more about the Bible and spiritual matters in general. 5. The list goes on. Personally, I was brought into the organization by a process we have come to call "date and switch". It's just as it sounds. A TWI member feigns personal interest in a new recruit to get them to attend functions, sign up for classes. Once the new recruit is hooked, the recruiter moves on to another prospect. There are a lot of people who have posted here who have had this experience. Now, as to why people go WOW or Way Corps: Again, there are multiple, personal reasons that could be cited. However, peer pressure, in my opinion, is a major driving force. If (seemingly) everyone in your local area is moving on to more "advanced" Way endeavors, such as WOW, Way Corps, etc., those who are left behind feel somewhat less successful than their peers. This is something that is not exclusive to The Way. It's similar to the feeling people get when all their friends have definitive college and career plans but they have no idea what their next move will be.

Don't be sorry. Updates are always welcome here.

Something worthy of note: The Way Specifically taught us, in very detailed fashion, that we should reject and resist consideration of anything that contradicts their version of "the word". In session 7 of Power For Abundant Living we are instructed to regard the 5 steps that Satan used to trick Eve, ultimately leading to her downfall. The very first step is "questioning the integrity of the word". That may sound innocuous on the surface but, remember, the parameters of what defines "the word" are determined by Way theology and dogma. Later, in our series of studies, we find 2 classes that are designed to solidify our resolve to adhering to this practice. They are The Renewed Mind and Dealing With The Adversary. The primary purpose of both these classes is to refine our skills in resisting materials that do not conform to Way standards. It's no coincidence that Way followers appear to be stubbornly loyal to their belief system.

"You just get 'em in the class. That's all the help they'll ever need.".........paraphrased from V.P.W.

Two, three, even four decades after the fact, people still have trouble letting go of the (false) idea they were part of some sort of noble cause. You can see it time and again on a certain social media site, where people list their Way involvement as the highlight of their personal history.

I was heavily involved at the local level for about 3 years before I entered a commune type training program called FellowLaborers. You start out in The Way as a student. Next thing you know, you're helping to set up chairs for classes and helping with refreshments. Then, you find yourself coordinating a home fellowship. It continues to ramp up gradually. And, that's not necessarily so bad because, at the local level, people seem to care for each other. I met a lot of wonderful people while I was still involved at that level. Here's the thing, though. At its core, The Way runs like a multi-level-marketing organization. There will be more and more pressure to take on added responsibilities and less freedom for simply enjoying life. There is always a push to move on to the next level. The Way makes money on classes and book sales and various motivational events. That's not the end product, however. The main focus is on getting someone committed enough to give the organization a portion of each paycheck, month after month and year after year. It's called "abundant sharing". It's essentially a tithe plus an additional 5 or 10% tacked on. That's where the real money comes from. Last I heard, they were sitting on about 53 million dollars. Let me be clear about one thing. The money only flows in one direction, toward the organization's headquarters. Now and then, a token gesture is made to give the appearance of being a charitable organization but, for the most part, the money never comes back to the local level. Past leadership has used the coffers to fund lavish vacations, purchase a private airplane, motor coaches, expensive motorcycles and several classic automobiles. It reminds me of a well known MLM organization that claims to specialize in cleaning products. Everyone is so busy selling dealerships, they forget about the soap. With The Way, everyone is so busy selling 'the abundant life", no one seems to notice very few are living it. So, to answer your question, It's possible to remain a casual attendee at a local level but, not condoned. to say the least.

I was involved with The Way for several years and I've been out for several years now. Looking back, I think that discussions regarding doctrinal differences between Way beliefs and mainstream beliefs did more to strengthen my resolve than dissuade me. But, everyone's experience is unique so there's no absolute method I know of. I, too, was in a program that involved living with other Way people who had a similar level of commitment. Our main focus was to live a Way-prescribed lifestyle, recruit new members and support our efforts by working at secular jobs. In essence, it was what most people would call a commune. It was a religious commune,not the hippie, drug centered kind that's been portrayed by Hollywood movies and such. One of the key methods that was used was isolation/insulation from outside influences, including family and non-Way friends. This was much easier to do back in the 1970's when I was involved. Other than time spent at our secular jobs, we had very limited contact with outside sources. We had no T.V.s, no phones, no newspapers. To be honest, there was not much free, personal time that could have been given to such things anyway. (Our sleep allowances were limited to about 5 hours a night.) The world has changed dramatically since then. People on the other side of the globe know instantly when you put mustard on your hot dog instead of ketchup. Well, maybe not that extreme but, the internet has certainly made it much, much harder to keep followers in darkness. As others have said, keep the lines of communication open, let them know you care, and be patient. Everyone leaves when they're ready to leave, sometimes even sooner if they toss you out on your ear in the middle of the night. I hope we can answer any questions you may have. We will certainly try. edit: spelling

I'm not understanding the problem. Are you saying the toilet overflows or, that a pipe supplying water to the toilet (or the seal between the tank and bowl) is leaking? If you don't see evidence of any of these, it may be that the toilet is leaking at the wax seal where the bottom of the toilet connects to the drain pipe. Outside of that, you could have a cracked toilet. That is highly unlikely, though.

But, did people who were alive when Psalm 49:15 was written attach the same meaning to salvation as is attached to it today?

Welcome to FellowLaborers. Will you be staying for dinner?

Did you do that on purpose? You just reiterated what was implied by Way leadership.

I was trying to read your mind. All I could make out was "something, something, Donald Duck Dunn".

Mmmmmm! Looks delicious. If you're not going to drink that, I'll take it off your hands. Oh, and welcome aboard.

I was taught specifically that believers can not read minds. However, it was strongly implied, though not taught, that leaders could get revelation to tell them what you were thinking. So, in essence, they could know what you were thinking but not by way of mind reading. This would have been in the early 1970's, (maybe '73, '74) It's rather embarrassing now to think I bought into this nonsense.

There is no need to purposely stir up a hornet's nest.

My comment is purely anecdotal. I have known people who have tried, unsuccessfully, to use is it for weight loss. The results are extremely short lived. It requires constant, costly re-fortification sessions. In my opinion, this is to insure that a state of self delusion endures, albeit, temporarily. If you really, really want it to work, of course, it may work. Not because of the method but, rather, because of self-determination. I have never personally tried it, however, my observation of other peoples' experiences leads me to believe it is yet another scam, designed to bring financial gain to the purveyor. And, no, I don't think there is anything "spiritual" about it.

Now I'm devastated, devastated, I tell you. How awful to discover my hero and champion of spiritual insight was enamored of Weltweisheit.

I'm waiting for the Biblical parallels to begin. (ie: "Jesus didn't have a degree.") :B)

"Hey, gang! We have a new class and it's D.O.A.!" Heh. How much more appropriate can it get?

People get cancer sometimes through no fault of their own. You don't have to do something "bad" to get cancer. Cancer is a genetic malfunction. It is a result of cell replication gone amok. It's not caused by some evil spiritual entity. There is a lot of evidence showing how it physiologically takes place.

VP was a walking poster child for a multitude of the Advanced Class definitions of devil spirits. Either we were following a guy who was bursting with devil spirits or the whole thing was a bunch of nonsense. Either way, it doesn't look too good. Kinda funny that no one seemed to get revelation regarding the matter. But, back to cancer. Cancer is a natural process that takes place when cells that are repairing and replacing themselves go haywire.Who knows how many thousands of times a day the average person gets (potential) "cancer"? Fortunately, most healthy bodies are able to counteract the process before it turns into full-fledged cancer.

I thought I smelled familia.