waysider

Ladies and gentlemen, we wait anxiously to see what mysteries of the firmament have been unlocked by....

Sorry about your experience, hiway29. I guess we all let them jerk us around far too much. (I know I did.)

There are still several cultures in the world where prearranged marriages are common. In fact, I have known several people who married in this manner and had successful marriages. The thing is, though....The Way isn't/wasn't part of those cultures nor does it share the cultural values that make such arrangements work. The whole idea that "Any two believers can make a marriage work." (VPW in the CF&S class) is a load of bovine excrement.

I probably would have done that, too, but, in FellowLaborers, they knew what you were doing every minute of the day...from 5 AM until midnight.

Ever go to one of those "pick your own" apple places? There're a million apples there. Choose the ones that suit you. Now...Go to the corner carry-out. "We've got 3 left...which one ya want?" Yeah...It's kinda like that.

There was definitely a class system when it came to this subject. For example, if a Corps grad wanted to marry a FellowLaborer grad, the assumption was that the FellowLaborer grad would have to upgrade his/her status to Corps grad, either by going into the Corps or by both going in as a couple. Exceptions were made of course, for those already in leadership positions. (the elite)

I know you like to use PFAL as a center of reference so that's what I'll use. In the PFAL foundational class, Wierwille stated that Heaven (or "the heavens") is Biblically defined as anything above the Earth's surface. In a later installment of the PFAL series of classes, (It might have been the Advanced Class...I'm not certain.) We were taught that there is a solid dome-like structure/membrane (firmament), beyond what we call Space, that holds back massive amounts of water. According to this teaching, the power struggle between God and Lucifer was so cataclysmic, it caused a temporary break in this structure, allowing huge quantities of water to leak through the barrier. This concept was used to explain The Great Flood, as well as explaining why comets are composed of ice crystals. Based on this, you could technically say that the firmament is a PART of "the heavens". Of course, scientific study (world wisdom) is responsibly for our knowledge of comet composition. Can we trust it to be true?

So, then, your basis is because VPW said so in PFAL? That doesn't sound like a very strong argument, in my opinion.

Re-posted to edit grammar.

There was an unwritten rule in The Way that you weren't supposed to date anyone who was not a Way believer. And, it follows suit that you obviously wouldn't marry anyone who you never dated. Ergo, you have to marry a Way Believer. And, not just any believer, but, one who is at the same "growth" level. (Corps marry Corps, etc.) Were we nuts to buy into this insanity?? Let the horror stories begin.

The same thing applied for guys, too. If you were an unbeliever you could ask out anybody you wanted to but, if you were a believer you had "these 5" to pick from. :( (That might be too far off-topic. Maybe I should start another thread.)

Yeah, retemory cards.... Got a problem opportunity? Just throw a scripture at it and SIT. Everything will be just peachy. SIGH

What was the big deal with definitions? It seemed like everything had to have some big, convoluted definition. (I think it was just a way to make things seem more important and relevant than they really were.)

We were taught that TIP and Prophesy all always forth telling and never fore telling of future events. What is the basis for that idea? It seems to me like that is merely a handy way to obviate a potential objection, rationalize an obvious flaw before it becomes an issue of contention..

"Just write The Teacher at P.O. Box........"

It's astounding how so much of the Way doctrine we based our lives on depended on this stuff being genuine. It's like finding out, on your 29th birthday, that you were really adopted.

Raf never said that.

World wisdom is anything that is not in alignment with the "teachings" of VPW.

OK, so, let's bring it back on topic, then. If "scripture is the basis for all things spiritually energized", how do you explain revelation? (or, at least revelation as defined by VPW in the Advanced Class) Wierwille maintained that word of knowledge involved that which is impossible to know by the five senses, which, of course, is the avenue by which we know scripture.

Why?

Thanks for pointing that out. I'll edit it. Can you explain what you mean by this and why, if true, that would make it a bad thing? Or, if you prefer, you could explain why you've once again assumed it's your duty to drive this thread off topic again.

One's ability to engage in critical thinking is unrelated to one's opinion of VPW. Willingness, on the other hand, is another kettle of fish.

John This is somewhat peripheral to the central discussion but I think it needs to be examined in order to gain more insight into the main topic. Scripture is known by the 5 senses. (seeing, hearing, touch, in the case of Braille) Wierwille said, in the AC, that revelation involves something that is IMPOSSIBLE to know by the five senses. Do you consider revelation to be be spiritually energized? If you do, it disproves your statement.

Your "argument" is totally disconnected from the point at hand. Simply try to answer the question without resorting to unrelated rhetoric. Am I asking you you do something unreasonable? This is the statement you made: "... scripture is the basis for all things spiritually energized." So, the onus is on you to illustrate how that statement applies to the examples you listed.

My condolences on your recent loss.