waysider

I hollered----"DON'T LOOK, ETHEL!!"

It's pathetic, really. In The Way Tree class (1974), a twig was defined as "a fellowship of 3 or more members in a specific local area which meets nightly or not less than once a week." A branch was defined as " a fellowship of all twigs in a local community area which meets monthly or not less than every 3 months." A limb was defined as " a fellowship of all branches in a statewide area which meets every 6 months or not less than once a year." In the early 1970's, in Cleveland, we had branch meetings every Sunday that attracted 60, 70, 80+ attendees. Today, I would be surprised to see anything even close to that number for entire states. In fact, there are probably some states that couldn't honestly muster up a faithful twig. So, the point I'm making is that the term "branch leader" is meaningless unless it is actually seen in light of how many members exist and what sort of classes and functions are being presented. I can remember when branches would run 2 classes of 10 or 12 students simultaneously and then turn around and do it again. Today, you'd be hard pressed to find 10 or 12 people in an entire state involved as students in a foundational class. (And that's GOOD news--IMO.)

Well, we all have our "pluses and minuses" now, don't we? :P

I'll Be There---MJ

Bernadette-----Four Tops Free Post!!!

Didn't Red Buttons used to say something very similar in one of his comedy routines?

Is that story about Wierwille claiming cancer was a sign on the devil true? And that he died of cancer? Yes. In my 1971 syllabus, it is hand notated. In other words, it was not on the printed pages (pg. 20 & 21) but was introduced verbally during the live teaching of those pages in 1973. Not only did Wierwille say cancer is caused by a devil spirit,(ie: possession) he also said that such things as phobias, jealousy, alcoholism, homosexuality, murder, suicide, etc., etc. are caused by devil spirits. Wierwille, himself, was a hardcore alcoholic, documented sexual predator and ultimate victim of terminal cancer. Wierwille's official death certificate is here on GSC and clearly displays the cause of death as cancer. http://www.greasespotcafe.com/main2/waydale/waydale-editorials/v.p.-wierwilles-cancer-and-the-doctrinal-dilemma-that-his-illness-presented.....html http://www.empirenet.com/~messiah7/vp_DEATH.htm

I really did like some of the music. :o

Should I put an end to this one and offer a free post?

Are you on well water there? Those willows will seek out groundwater and draw down the immediate area of the aquafer. That might have a direct effect on the functionality of your well and related equipment. Cottonwoods and alfalfa grass will do the same. Alfalfa will send roots down 100's of feet in search of water. That's good news if you are trying to dry out a wet area and bad news if you are not.

Maybe it's not truly "circular" Perhaps it's really more of a "parabolic trajectory" that eventually reaches "escape velocity". Parabolic trajectory

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The Way really has no genuine answers to life's perplexing questions. It was all just a multi-level marketing scheme, devised to sate the desires of its demented founder. "Stuff" happens because that's how life is. This discussion reminds me of the words to a song by the late Paul deLay---"Life is just a mystery, and nothing ever goes like you planned."

I'll tell the world you belong to me, I'll tell the world, you're the soul of me, I'll tell the world you're a part of me.

I guess everybody is different. Here I am, almost 20 years after leaving and I am just now starting to really feel like I am over it. I carried a lot of guilt for a lot of years over my decision to leave because I didn't know what had really happened. I don't think I really "left" until I came here and got my eyes opened. So, yeah, I think "rewiring" is a valid analogy in my case.

I also looked at the Susan Blackmore presentation. It gives additional credence to the rewiring theory.

This thread is starting to remind me of "The Splendid Table". It's not a show for people who love to cook, it's a show for people who love to eat. HERE

It reminds me of myself, recalling my life as a Fellow Laborer.

In you I have what other men long for. All men need someone to worship and adore, That's why I treasure you and place you high above, For the only joy in life is to be loved.

I never had any warnings. The only people who knew anything about TWI were the twig-goers. So all I heard were good things.

Tell it again 'Til someone hears it Tell it---again Come on!---Sing with me!!

I was never in "your rotten army". I guess as a FLO, I was kinda like a reservist. LOL When VPW saw that our franchise operation was draining revenue from his company store operation, he wasted no time in distancing himself from our operation (IMO)

Pond You can't beat yourself up because you allowed yourself to be talked out of what you knew was right. That sort of thing was standard M.O. for anything that might "bring blame to the ministry". If it's any consolation, I, too, experienced something quite similar in the very early days of my Way involvement and yet I stuck around for years afterward.