waysider

Ok, but look at the bright side----- At least all that sacrifice made it possible for "Dr." Wierwille to buy a whole fleet of really cool motorcycles. Heck, some believers even got "real blessed" when they accompanied him on a week long road trip. Now really, doesn't knowing that just make it all worthwhile? I'm just sayin'------

Candy----For the ladies

Outfield I wanted to add that many times people confuse "feeling sad" with depression. Although it can be one of the symptoms, it is much larger in scope than that. In children, especially, it may manifest itself in ways that are not associated with "feeling sad". (such as anger or extreme introversion) There is a very good book(IMO) about depression in boys. The book is Real Boys by Wm. Pollack, PhD. There is another about girls called Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher, PhD. TWI was never interested in considering anything that was contrary to their narrow minded definitions.

Outfield Please refer to my post on CMan's thread(a god that was made). I think it straddles the line between the two threads. The friend that I referred to in my post was a schizophrenic who was being treated by mental health care professionals.

"Just reach up in Daddy's cookie jar." Next to "The Law of Believing", this might just be one of the most damaging doctrines taught in TWI. When God speaks to you, by direct revelation, He is the one that initiates the conversation, not you.(in my opinion) And it's not always a "small, still voice" nor does it appear at your beck and call, which is really what your doing the reaching amounts to. People were many times confusing intuition or common sense or even psychological responses to previous experiences as "a small still voice". The latter of the three can be a downright dangerous one to treat as "revelation" because it can have negative under-pinnings, like when someone would say "Oh, I knew by discerning of spirits" that Joe Blow had this spirit or that spirit or that he was a seed boy simply because their mind was reacting to a previous experience that had affected a deep part of their psyche. Try telling a person who is already suicidal that they are born again of the devil and that you know it's true because you "reached up in Daddy's cookie jar" and he told you. Go ahead and tell them there is no hope they can ever be born-again of God's spirit even though they have a genuine desire to know God. Tell them you know because you "reached up in Daddy's cookie". You had better be DAMN sure you are absolutely correct because your mind wont be able to think of anything else as you share the burden of carrying their casket to the grave. That's what someone in TWI did to one of my best friends except that they didn't feel the weight of the coffin, I did! You can't just "reach up in daddy's cookie jar" whenever you think you would like a cookie. If He has a "cookie" to give you, you will get it when He is good and ready to give it to you!

Hi, excie Whatta ya mean, "slashing"? Looked like a "clean hit" to me! Regarding the penalty box: Will there be majors and minors?

Get Behind The Mule-----by Hope Waits (no relation to Tom Waites, who wrote it.) Killer voice/Powerful delivery

Here's a wild stab in the dark (and dreary night): All You Zombies----- The Hooters---?

Hey!! This "needs and wants" thing is starting to make sense. See, Dr. W. must have "needed" that fleet of classic cars and motorcycles that he bought with our money as much as he "wanted" them. Yeah, yeah. That's it. He needed them. And his "believing" sure must have been big 'cause he sure had some nice ones and plenty of them stashed away where the local "abs"ers wouldn't have to look at them and be distracted from moving The Word. Yup. It's all starting to come together now.

Afterglow is not a new word. It's been around a long time. The first time I remember hearing it used in a sexual manner was in the book, Joy of Sex. You may also recall that Crosby, Stills and Nash used it in a sexual manner in the song, Lady of the Island. Interestingly, though, here is how The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines it: "a glow remaining where a light has disappeared."

I was in the 8th grade when they hit the scene. There was a record store about 3 miles away that had those little booths where you could listen to music before you bought it. Three or four of us make the trek there, on foot, in the snow, one evening to hear this new sensation. When we got there, the store was already closed. They had a big promotional display in the front window, complete with "Beatle Boots". They actually revolutionized the music industry in two distinct ways. First, they wrote their own music(after they became established) which was not typical at that time. Second, they released entire LP's rather than 45's(Though they also released 45's as well.) Those two things had a very profound influence on how the industry developed. Ed Sullivan began to feature up and coming artists on his Sunday night show. The Dave Clarke Five were their biggest "rivals". When The Stones played The Sullivan Show, they had to change the words to Let's Spend The Night Together to Let's Spend Some Time Together. HaHaHaHa! The Doors were told they had to rework lyrics, also. Morrison told Sullivan to "stick it". They refused to perform. It didn't hurt them in the least. Best Fab 4 album?----- Rubber Soul---hands down!! IMO

I wasn't sure so I "gurgled" it. Now I'm looking for an emoticon that kicks itself in the butt. Guess this will have to do:

Since when did squirrels start quoting Tweetie Bird? :)

Sorry, excie, honest. I didn't mean it that way. Peace???

When the Way Corps was first "pitched" to me in the early 1970s, it was presented as a way to study directly under the Man of God, "at his feet", as I was told was the custom in O.T. times. (Frankly, my O.T. knowledge stinks so I can't give any scriptural examples.) It was supposed to be a "walk with, talk with, eat with, drink with" kind of deal. Sorta like the Master and Little Grasshopper thing from the Kung Foo show. Ya know, like a guru and his followers. Well, I never went into the Corps. Instead, I opted for Fellow Laborers. It was supposed to be based on this concept also, though the particular session I signed on for was supposed to focus on The Book Of Acts, both academically and in practical application. The academic aspect was a dismal disappointment. The practical application was really just living in a commune. Did they live in communes in the first century? Just asking. We saw the MOG at supper a couple times a week and again at FL night on Wednesdays. Sometimes he would briefly visit our work details. Basically, it was not at all an "at his feet" experience. My questions are: How much "at his feet" training was actually given in the Way Corps? Was this an expectation of participants? Comments or observations?

Hey!! If all these guys leave, Jonny L. and I are liable to turn it into "Harmonica Talk" Boy!! If that doesn't scare you, what WILL? Plus-- If Tom S. gets wind of it, he may force his hand in turning it into "Bongo Talk". I'm just sayin'----------

Ya know------- I was gonna invest in some OMEGA 3, but then it occurred to me---- As soon as I do, they'll probably come out with OMEGA 4. I'm holding out for the updated version.

Gee Maybe I'm slippin' in my old age or somethin'. When I read his post I just took it to mean he was gonna be real busy for a couple of months. I thought he was suggesting e-mail instead of PM because he will see it quicker. Did I miss something?

WG If I recall correctly, we were allowed to go back to the complex to sleep and shower, etc.( Maybe a 4 or 5 hour stretch?) but were forbidden to discuss it amongst ourselves. So, yes, technically, one could have simply driven off into the night and never returned if they were in a car alone.(How often did that happen?) We all car pooled because none of us had any freakin' money to pay for gas!!

If that doesn't sum it up, what will?

OK I know the "inner sanctum" initiation at the AC was really a joke, but did you ever stop to think that maybe it was meant as a smokescreen to obscure the fact that there really was an inner sanctum? I don't mean that in a spiritual sense. I mean that in the "lock/box" kind of sense. OOPS! Did I spill the beans on the secret initiation rite I vowed under oath to never reveal? I just don't know what came over me. Mum's the word. You never heard it from me. Shhhhhhh!

sorry---- double post

Hey there, DW-- I was "in" under both administrations.(I was a FLO4 and FLO5) The experiences described were under jm.(as far as I recall) Heck, it was 30+ years ago and not something I've tried to preserve in my memory I'm going to refer to them simply as experiences rather than tortures if that's O.K. I think(oops, I did it again!) that the "middle of the night" incident probably had the greatest impact on me. That's the incident where we were rousted out of bed in the middle of the night and ordered to report to limb HQ in some unreasonable amount of time. None of us were on time. It was physically impossible. We sat in total silence and darkness until the MOG(jm) appeared and told us we had all failed the test(because we were late) and we were the reason The Word was not moving in Ohio and the future looked pretty gloomy for the entire ministry because of our shortcomings. Then we were told the program was canceled. It was like a bolt of lightning zapped us. They let us leave and return to the commune in a state of total failure even though they knew full well the program would be reinstated when the sun came up.(Provided we agreed to do exactly as they ordered from that point on.) That was just an exercise in mental abuse and cruelty. In a sense, I believe it had an effect that was opposite to that which was intended. Some people, including myself, adapted an attitude of secretly going through the motions in order to at least make it to graduation. That way, you could at least feel like you hadn't "tripped out". Yeah, I know, it's self delusion but sometimes "ya do what ya gotta do". One guy went back home after graduation and started spilling the beans. He had goons banging on his door telling him to cease and desist IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS within a very short time frame. After I had already graduated, I found myself in a situation that required I go back for one more year. No details at this time. It was a result of a choice I had made. My heart was definitely not in it that year but, once again, I made it through to completion. It's easy to look back and realize what I should have done but it was not at all that clear cut as it was unfolding. I have no animosity toward either hy or jm.(Well, ok, maybe I did have some for jm.) They were probably just stuck in the middle like we were. The whole experience changed my life in ways that are hard to talk about openly. Sorry--- Didn't mean to talk your ear off in response to a simple question.

Thanks, WG You really hit the nail on the head regarding the feeling of isolation. Where would you go? What would you do? Your days with the ministry would essentially come to a screeching halt by your own choice if you left. I don't remember anyone leaving of their own choosing. There were some who were "tossed out" in the middle of the night. I lived in two different "houses" where this happened. They were ordered to be completely out of the state within a matter of hours.(a day at the most) Why? Because they did not follow some inane order to a tee! Yeah, it was expected you would do exactly as told without question or debate. There was no "reasoning from The Word". And all the time this is happening, you find yourself thinking, "Gee, maybe I'm the one who is wrong here." Who wanted to defy the mighty MOG who might be acting in accordance with some great revelation?(cough) I suppose that's why some of us would make "junk runs" to the truck stop and try to sort through our confusion in secret as we make the trek.

You Can Never Go Home Anymore.