waysider

Maybe he rued his choice of sources, wishing he had chosen more obscure, untraceable works.

(See how the color thing works? Just click the little paint brush, Johnny.)

Maybe they don't owe you anything because they're bankrupt. (aside from their $53 million nest egg.)

You should have sent him a bill for career counseling. Your advise was spot on.

"Most things I will not change my stance on but Im not ready to listen and answer questions." Gee, now I'm not sure. That part really DOES sound like him!

A lot of people have disagreed with Mazlow's theory, calling it biased and flawed. Whether it is or isn't, though, is not all that important (IMO) within the context of this discussion. I think we can still use the concepts involved in the individual tiers as a broad means of definition. The fact is, The Way built quite a following, early on, by offering a product that closely resembles the love/belonging tier. Through abuse of the safety and esteem tiers, they stripped people of their self actualization and coerced them into a state that resembled the physiological state. This put people in a state of fear and dependency. We have seen the results. It's not a healthy process no matter whose theory is being modeled.

I agree 100%.

Remember this?...."Justified = Just as if I'd never sinned" Instead of emphasizing the past tense nature of the statement, they placed it on a time continuum that essentially changed the meaning to.... "I can sin because I'm justified."

This kinda reminds me of the little boy whose mother said, "Johnnie, stop pulling the cat's tail." Little Johnnie responded with, "I'm just holding on; the cat's doing all the pulling." They used that hedge of protection/spiritual bubble thing to hide behind a third party. "If you ever leave, you'll be sealing your own fate." See? They controlled you without letting you see it was they who were controlling the situation, not you.

Buy Nothing For April Fool's Day

So, then, what's your point in being involved in discussion other than to push your private agenda? edit: Are you still having trouble figuring out the quote function?

(My opinion) The bless patrol: It was a way of indoctrinating particpants with conspiracy phobia. "They're out to get us, kids!" Now, Wierwille, on the other hand, had just cause to fear retaliation from irate husbands, fathers and the like but, he had his own private "bless patrol" to keep an eye on those matters. The sleep deprivation: Been there, done that, got the tee shirt. It was a way to keep our minds from noticing what was really going on, in the "big picture" sense. What's all that got to do with earning an academic degree? Nothing.... That's my point.

Aye, that's the rub.

Yes, you have a good point. Man is constantly conflicted with choosing good over evil. But, choose he must.

Wierwille on his deathbed: "Pour me one more before last call."

No, it doesn't say He created Satan as His antithesis. But, isn't that what he became? For thousands and thousands of years, man has struggled with the concept of good versus evil. That displays the essence of antitheses. (I'm not sure where you got the robotic reference.)

Ham said: "Maslow's hierarchy of needs might explain that.."

Questions like this demonstrate why it might be more beneficial to accept it as a myth and learn what we can from the symbolism rather than try to make it "literally" fit like a hand in a glove.

How does committing original sin (whatever it was) transfer ownership of the Earth to Satan? This was covered in a collateral called "Jesus Christ The Last Adam" by Patricia T. Talley. It has to do with Adam having dominion over the earth, the threefold nature of man and Adam relinquishing his connection to God. The collateral was, at one time, part of the set of little pamphlets that came with the class and was also sold in the bookstore. If I can find my copy, I'll try to post some of it. Tied into that is: then is eating from the tree of life a physical act too? This one was covered in the Christian Family and Sex class. The long and short of the answer to this, according to Wierwille, was "yes". I think the class I took must have been one of the very early versions because I have yet to encounter anyone else who remembers the rather graphic explanation that Wierwille gave. He said the "tree" reference was figurative (phallic) and the "eating" reference was literal. Perhaps that part was quickly edited out for future classes. When he presented this, Wierwille said, "I can't show it to you from the scriptures. You'll just have to trust me on this one." That should have thrown up a giant size red flag for me but I was too wayfer brained to see it. For a guy who claimed to abhor private interpretation, VPW sure seemed to spout an abundance of it himself.

Change a couple words, omit a certain name, and that could be me, describing my FLO experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukbbPJirTaE

Well, my boss would frown on my showing up hung over, which I would surely be if I played that game.