Tzaia

In both cases their kids are grown. JS's wife's daughter might be in college, but even that is not likely.

I know about the NT translation. That was well underway in 2004.

Books - stuff that costs money to produce is one thing, but I told them ages ago that charging for stuff that is freely available elsewhere is a good reason to go elsewhere.

Pond, Was JAL fired or did he leave? Either way, if he's gone and is starting his own thing, then there had to be some sort of philosophical parting of the ways. One can only hope that he's had some sort of epiphany about what TWI taught, but I doubt it since he's targeting ex-way people.

I don't want to generate ill feelings. I want to expose things for what they are. The problem is that 99% of the partners and others who financially support these people have NO idea what actually goes on. You fire the guy who started the org and say nothing about it for months? Who does that kind of thing? Usually people who have something to hide.

pond - it's probably me, but I really can't make sense of what you are talking about.

...can't or won't or feel uncomfortable when you are in a "normal" conversation with people.

Just to set the record straight - Hassan has a master's in education and is a licensed mental health counselor. There is no doctorate listed anywhere in his credentials.

Any group in particular? Or did he pull from his old list?

When raw sugar is seen as an appropriate compliment to non-dairy creamer, but sweet-n-low is not.

the "best" is used coffee in dirty cups.

I knew a girl who had a bit of a strange English accent. I asked where she was from. She was local - Midwestern. Fascinating...

you are told that God made your kid sick because you were not "abundantly sharing".

Stewardship isn't just about money - it's about time. You know that things are screwed up when TP is more valuable than time.

This isn't about people pleasing. I gave up on that a long time ago. It's about getting all riled up over stuff that I have come to believe is inconsequential. I used to think that God would give me a few "atta boys" for arguing well. I don't think that anymore. All things equal, I certainly wouldn't drop a relationship over something like religion. Or forge one on the basis of religion. Geish, I've heard all the arguments for and against and I don't really care anymore. That was such a relief the day I realized it didn't matter to me.

Is anniversary weekend scheduled around the moon cycles? Looks like a full moon.

There is nothing objectionable about being wrong. I'm wrong on occasion. I've even said I was wrong when I didn't believe I was. I've raised my standards on what I will stand up against. It has to be something that will matter in 10 years.

Twinky - I agree, and that's what I started doing in my own life - just focusing on the commonality.

I don't believe that anyone who doesn't think STF holds the truth is a "them". STF does and I believe encourages its followers to think that way. Yes I think classifying people as "them" is a bad thing. I think you are missing the point, or at least choosing to miss the point.

I don't believe that satan is the cause of the arguing over doctrine. It is arrogance. Anytime you turn someone into a "them" it is a bad thing (IMO). STF continues to mimic TWI's methods by turning anyone who doesn't agree into a "them". Anyway, STF's teachings sound good until you line them up with the simple stuff like loving one another. Then it is obvious that they regress into the TWI model of loving by "loving" with the "truth of the word," which is, in reality, a qualifier.

There were only slight changes to my lifestyle and only in the presence of others in TWI. I didn't drink bad coffee except at TWI gatherings and I certainly didn't lower the protein in my diet or become sleep deprived. There appeared to be more of what the person was describing at the WoW and corp level. It was worse when we were closer to the limb, but when we were further away we didn't seem to have so much (attempted) direct influence on our daily lives.

I think truth has a high place in relationships. I just don't think that it's imperative that we be in agreement regarding that truth. If non-trinitarians had proved themselves less dastardly due to their "truth," then I might not think that. However, I've found that agreement has led to exploitation of relationships; that somehow someone deserves a free pass because we're in agreement on a few things, when they were reluctant to reciprocate. I have little problem with the overall doctrine taught by STF, other than the "we have the truth" part, my problem is with the character of the higher ups in the organization.

My emoticon doesn't explain anything. Take from it what you want. <== freely offered. My issue with STF is that no one knows them well enough to understand where all this "wisdom" is coming from. They say they place a high value on character, but pay no attention to their own character issues. They say they place a high value on truth, yet they often don't tell the truth. They say they place a high value on relationships, yet there is a trail of broken relationships, some happening in a very public manner. Now I have to say that this last Sower was more honest about where they believe relationships should be on the value scale. Now we know relationships are somewhere underneath "truth". Truth is what they define it to be.

People stay because they get lazy, they are afraid, or they see no viable alternative. Why expend all that energy making decisions when there is someone else ready and willing to do that for you and pretty much harasses you if you don't? One doesn't have to worry about how to spend one's time, money, or what to think, because that's already been taken care of.

Don't get me started on pauline theology :wacko: