JavaJane

In the past two years the fellowship we were attending went from 20 people to about 3 people who came all the time. The last "branch" meeting we attended was about 20 people total... and that included kids. Two years ago the branch was big enough to fill a large room at the anniversary - a year later it only had about two rows of chairs filled at the same meeting. It's dying. I know several people in the area who are still "on the list" as being part of the branch, but they haven't been coming for over a year.

Mr B!!! Congratulations!!!!! Whoopeee!!!

Thanks for your post, Ajern, and welcome... Glad to see you here!

Midlands... when I took the other one I ended up Midlands with a touch of West - which is just about right. This is neat! Now I can read everyone's posts with accent attached!!

Very cool, Roy! Very cool.

I once saw a guy get on a bus with his pants like that - they weren't on by the time he stepped onto the bus.

I have found out from this quiz that I am only minorly brainwashed. BRAINWASH QUIZ Glad to find out I'm coming out of it... But not sure how accurate it really is . Enjoy! (from the same website that brought you the accent quiz in the open forum)

eating them right now! yummy!

Indian Techno (?) Specifically, Panjabi MC Click HERE It'n neat and fun. I guess I'm kinda in an international music mood... Cafe Tacuba is one of my favorites, as well.

I think I can add to what WordWolf has said as far as what happened after LCM was expelled... From this point, things on the surface appeared to become more laid back, less controlling, and more "loving" a lot of us at that point held on to the hope that things would be changing for the better. But in the long run, all of this was just done as damage control to keep as many people in as possible - and it was only on the surface. Soon, everything as far as the teachings that were allowed became parroting of vp's teachings. Anything taught by lcm was treated as if it never existed. And no one ever really addressed what had happened during the lawsuit. STS became the most boring events I have ever attended... and it was obvious that everything was being read. There was to be no spontanaity involved, and everything had to be checked by the BOD. I know of one STS where the audience in the auditorium heard one thing, but it was considered to be "too negative" because it was teaching about the adversary - and it was not on the approved script - so part of the tape was edited out. Teachings in fellowships had to be on the "weekly theme" or from a Way Mag - so much for self governing. It started to seem like leadership was the most effected by the new form of micromanagement - so many forms and checking and rechecking with their leadership... One BC I know had to check with the LC before he could have fellowship in another town adjoining the city where it was normally held. From what I understand, the micromanagement of the Staff and WC still continued, although it seemed like it was getting better for the average Joe-blow in fellowship... that is if the average guy wanted to teach from the Way Mag, because (at least in the fellowship I attended) only the FC was alllowed to teach on the weekly theme. Titles are still a huge deal in twi - so huge, in fact, you can be doing all the same jobs as WC, or a FC, but you are not allowed to be called a "coordinator" unless you meet many requirements - mostly that you are out of debt... but there are a few more. Instead, they call you a "contact." I'm sure Bolshevik can probably add more to this than I can... I just got sick of being treated like an infant.

I realize now, looking back on things, that I never had it as bad in my area as most people did. We had a little of the ridiculous petty tyranny, but nothing like what you all have dealt with! Holy poop on a pogo stick! You all had it bad. I feel I have absolutely no room to bitch anymore... W2s... paystubs... french tips... All we got into was worrying about which cleaning product was the most godly... And not leaking oil on the LC's driveway. It all pales in comparison.

I would have to agree with Sunesis... sometimes there is just something there and you know it. How it was taught in twi was too... scientific? is that the right way to say it? I don't know. Spirit is more like art than science. twi was too into control to really get things in this category right. They tried to make it so that if you took a certain series of steps you would always get the same result. But it doesn't work that way. I truly believe in discerning of spirits, simply because of my own experiences. Spirit is everywhere and in everything. And not all are evil. (But some definately are.) My experiences in the field are different from a lot of people, though. I had seen things as a child in this category before I even knew it was talked about in the Bible. Some people may think I'm crazy. Maybe I am. But I have learned to listen to when something inside tells me to stay away from someone... most of the time I'm right.

HAHAhahaha!!! SNORT! HAHAHA!!!

Didn't mean to imply you were like that, Dooj. I can tell from your posts that you're not. In recent years at twi, it's about the only thing the WC do... I've just seen so much of it. People so caught up with little microscopic details that they completely go bezerk when something is slightly wrong. They miss too much of real life. They can't even teach anymore because the BOD are so OCD that everything is micromanaged to death. No spontanaity. They wouldn't know what to do if something spiritual not planned actually happened. Don't think that would describe you well at all, Dooj!

Anybody else see the Star Wars specials on the History Channel? Awesome stuff.

What do you call someone with obsessive compulsive disorder wearing a nametag and holding a Bible? Way Corps.

5 (a)When someone else gets revelation, tell them they're wrong and make them clean something instead.

Sometimes I serve them with perogies, saurkraut, and some sauteed onions. MMmmmmMMmmmmm Darn it, now I'm hungry!

When asked to pray for the BOD and the ministry leadership, pray "God, please show the leadership in the ministry the way they should be and keep them from being complete and utter pricks. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Some one at HQ once showed me that because they had polished the furniture so much they had actually made the furniture sticky and damaged teh finish. I think there might be a lesson there.

Wear a cross around your neck and make the sign of the cross at inappropriate moments. Make sure your t-shirt says something offensive on it. Burp loudly during manifestations. Make sure when you manifest it's REALLY specific and then claim that it's because you're a prophet.

That is soooo sweet! Thanks for sharing, Dooj!

You can get the original at Barnes and Noble. We just bought it two days ago ourselves (we are Star Wars geeks in this house.) Husband confirms the accuracy of it being original. He is a Jedi, so he knows. Click HERE. May the Force be with you. Also: probably be a good idea to actually pick this one up in the store and make sure you get the right one.

I remember that one, waysider - it even happened at the last meeting I attended... There we were - we had arrived late and with friends... we sat down in the back to not bother anyone and were informed by the BC (who got up and walked in front of everyone) so he could tell us that there were two seats in two different sections more towards the front. Give me a break... I mean, come on. They didn't want us friends all sitting together, and they didn't want any chairs in the front empty. Good greif.

I think this is the best advice you can give. You can't take back what has happened. It happened. What you can do is show your children that you believe they can make right choices in their lives. twi didn't teach that anyone could make right choices. Encourage them to be independant people and build them up. That's the best thing for them.