waysider

Their biggest mistake was in trusting Wierwille to be the person he claimed to be and his message to be genuine. Wierwille knew it was a scam. That's why he understood how to work the system without getting caught. (IMO)

It's kinda creepy when you think about it....ya know?

So, here's the thing. According to the CF&S class, you were supposed to think of all the women as you would think of your own sister. Soooo----When exactly were you supposed to start thinking of them as ..uhhh...something more than a sister?

BINGO!

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/genetic-adam-eve-traced-they-didnt-know-each-other-6C10822690

You know he wasn't really a "Dr.", don't you?

Not only 'preggies', your marital status was not allowed to change. (Applied to FellowLaborers, as well.)

Whenever you were in line for some sort of "promotion" (class instructor, twig leader, grand poo-bah of the refreshment crew or whatever), your ABS history was always a critical factor in the decision making process. They just used the tax write-off thing as a smoke screen. Most people who actually made enough money to write off their ABS were too consumed with their careers to give TWI the sort of commitment that was required to move up through the ranks.

Somehow, we've shifted from definitions to terminology, which is alright but, not really what I was thinking about when I started the thread. Everything in life has to have some sort of definition, for sure. In TWI, though, what were passed off as definitions were really someone's (mostly VPW's) opinion. "Well, Doctor'says word of knowledge is blah, blah, blah..."

Can I get an Amen, Brother Squirrel?

It was standard procedure in the early 70's, too, but, it was more discreet. In fact, your "abundant sharing" history was part of the criteria that was examined when you applied for entrance into the Advanced Class.

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