rascal

Gosh that sounds like a great book smurfette, really appicable to what we experienced. I think it is very different for each person. What worked for me, may not work for you, if there is one thing I HAVE learned since leaving it is...one size does not fit all....that God is very personal and caring with us on an individual basis. My spouse read a lot of material from off shoots, I went to different churches....It seemed like God was always willing to work with me where I was, at in a manner I could accept...... I tried churches, fellowships, bible studies....but the real breakthrough for me personally, came when I realized that what I had been taught was NOT working, no matter how closely followed............ I finally told God that I didn`t even know if he was there any more because everything I had ever been taught about him had failed.... I cannot explain it other than to say that immediatly, in the midst of that emotional storm...(yeah I even gave God the finger and told him if he WAS there to leave me the hell alone cause I didn`t trust him any more) I became peacefull, and I knew...it was almost verbal....I had the thought...*well now that you don`t KNOW it all, we can start all over* it was time to build some real understanding ... Its like it took me coming to grips with and finally admitting I just didn`t know anything....(I think of it as dumping my arrogance) before God could work through all of the preconcieved notions, the formulas and principles being zelously followed, the scriptural retemories I was constantly running through my mind......instead, I needed to just be quiet and *hear* him for a change..

ABSOLUTELY! We learned so much ABOUT God, and yet I never really felt I *knew* him in twi. It was all formulas and principles... IF you do A+B+C = spiritual growth and being well pleasing to God. As I look back on it, it was definatly *works* so that God would be happy/like me.

Great points, we learned so much ABOUT God and scriptures and formulas, but yet I never really felt I *knew* him there. It was very hard after leaving because I assumed that if a group didn`t master the scriptures like twi did...they were not worth fellowshipping with.... It is amazing how many people out here KNOW God and they belong to every different group imaginable. I have to say that since leaving, it has been like rediscovering a long lost friend and rebuilding a relationship. I think that is one of the really twisted things twi did.... we were taught such disrespect and mistrust of ANYBODY outside of twi....we miss a good bit of blessings being so immature.

Dense? hmmm probably :-) Comprehend common courtesy? Apparently not :-) Offensive? No doubt :-) Will this stop me from posting my pov? Not likely :-)

((((Temple Lady)))) I am So sorry... I wish there was a way to post that pic on twi`s web sight so the iniies could be warned :-(

Glad you enjoyed your time there laleo, truly I wish all had been as fortunate. I think this is relevant however, whether it offends you or not..... It is my thought that equating what some went through as simply *lemons* that need just a little bit of sugar added to be platable as an analogy ...as being a bit oblivious to the harm that was caused....this offends me. It`s like saying... *oh I`M sorry that you were used your children hurt and your family destroyed....but HEY I learned keys to research.... if YOU could just be a little more positive*..... It isn`t ABOUT me trying to deny the good you recieved, I`m not........it`s about the implication that the bad wasn`t so bad because of the personal benefit some recieved. I just don`t see God working that way or placing his seal of approval upon twi since some obviously benefited. I just don`t think that this is a thing to be thanking God for.....your personal benefit and gain when your fellow christian was hurt grievously from the same source. I agree, if we put nuff sugar on the whole thing maybe we can ALL enjoy the drink. Simply my opinion, glad that I am allowed to voice it whether it meets with your personal aproval or not.

S` a real funny thing about greasespot dove, We are permitted to post our opinions, regardless of whether the author or the thread cares for our input or not doggone it! :-)

Lesseee lemonade mix... 1 cup lemon juice (plagerism of others works will do) 1 cup freshly squeazed lemons (doctrine allowing rampant adultery and fornication is an acceptable substitute) 1 cup lemon pulp (child abuse and molestation can be used when in season) 1 cup whole lemons (rampant abuse at leaderships hand, sanctified by scriptural back up) Mix together, add in a splash of forced abortions in service to God, a quart of water er extortion of personal finances and services add sugar (principles of research or knowledge of scriptures are acceptible) and serve CHILLED .... (the cold bodies of those destroyed by adherance to twi doctine works nicely)...and Voila! In my opinion ...there ain`t enough sugar on the planet to counter the bitterness of that drought :-( Like I said, it seems to me to minimalise what was endured, and make it somehow more acceptible by terming it *lemons* and that if we were at all nice, we TOO would just take these sour fruit and turn them into something nice.

Allan, I am not saying this in a mean or an angry tone, so I hope you will read it as a gentle response..... I feel that I simply do not have to qualify myself to you spiritually, (or any other way) in order for my posts to have merit. I do not want or need your opinion of me or my posts to change simply based on whatever new lable you decide to you apply to me. The pagans, wiccans, christians, agnostics, ALL have valid points of view here. It is not up to you to judge us or our merit because of the diverse paths we have been guided since leaving twi. As a matter of fact, in my opinion no other group, no matter how idolotrous you seem to view them Allan, could possibly be as capable of hurting people or as blasphemous against God ..... as what twi did in his name. Love God and love your neighbor, twi seems to have really blown th single most important commandments that Jesus said he came to bring.

Lessee, ONE poster out of 31 votes says they got born again in twi.... Could it be yet another twi myth?

I dunno, I have a REAL problem defining what was endured by some of us as simply *lemons* for somebody to add a little bit of sugar to make a nice refreshing beverage to serve up for everyone to enjoy. A little sugar coating I guess can make almost anything platable I guess.

Lorna, you are grieving needlessly. God continues to bless and care for us, whether we speak in tongues or not....apparently, according to the posters here, he has blessed and continued to guide us since leaving whether we chose to continue this or any other twi doctrinal practices or not.....and judging from the comments of the posters present, it would appear that he isn`t necessarilly any more pleased with those who are doing it than we who are not..... You enjoy it? Great continue to do so.....but it is silly to think that others are ripping anything to shreds ..... I suppose the fact that the most evil people that it has ever been my misfortune to associate with on this planet were the ones that advocted it the most strongly....I mean shoot sit sure didn`t seem to enhance THEIR spirituality or abate their willingness to indulge in evil destruction of folks..... Really, it taints any desire for me to participate in anything they recomend as a method of enhanceing my spirituality ....

That is great David, I do NOT begrudge you that privelege or pleasure....nor deny it`s value to you at all..... I am glad that we are now free to chose what we enjoy and works for us.

Great points you guys....I was STILL hoop jumping even 5 years after leaving twi....doing everything to the letter, because I was so afraid of suffering the promised consequences... Finally one day, I suffered a blow so grievous...I finally had taken all that I could stand and told God that I gave up, because nothing I had ever been taught about him worked or seemed to be true....I had done EVERYTHING required of me, was operating every single principle faithfully, and none of that protected me from the evil that befell. It was so wierd...all I can describe it as is finally being at peace....I could almost hear God saying....allRIGHT....now that you don`t think you *know* it all....we can start over.... I hadn`t thought about it as surrendering to him.....but that is EXACTLY what it was...and do you know that the connection that I had been missing seemed restored....that is when the blessings and answered prayers and things started making sense again. Words are so inadequate to describe the intimacy of that moment.

Mrs. W, I think had a very tough time...I remember when she came to witchita and spoke one year, I think pop had already been read.... Anyway, she mentioned that folks at hq had said things that hurt her terribly...she mentioned crying....can`t even remember what the point of her teaching was....I guess how she had handled the situation....I just remember wanting to rise up outta my seat and rip the throats outta whoever had dared to hurt her so deeply.... Life was not easy for her, but I think she did her very best to handle the shame and blows with dignity and grace.

I don`t know, I don`t sit much anymore, and I haven`t noticed any lack in my life.... Seems like most of my prayer life these days is with my understanding, by in large just thanking him for what has been provided....so many blessings to be humbly gratefull for.... It is just a different mindset for me.... My days of thinking that I can control the outcome of situations or make myself more spiritual by doing it non stop are finished... I have done both, I know what works and is comfortable for me....

It`s nobodies damn business what a persons spiritual belief system is Allan.... Nobody owes you an explanation or description in order to validate their thoughts expressed here in these forums. Whatever our personal beliefs are, they in NO way negate our experiences while involved in twi...OR...renders our opinons without value. You are flinging a lot of derogatory terms around to describe posters ..... ALL of whom incidently, have paid their dues to be here.... Your presuposition that a *christian* lable some how buys your opinion or pov more legitimacy is silly.

Bramble, you make a very very good point. It is a pity when christians themselves are the biggest detriment to a persons desire to practice....really kind of an embarrassment to the rest of us. I have a lot of respect for a persons spirituality no matter what brand of flavor... I have a lot more respect for what a person IS ...rather than the *lable* they wear.

ROFLMAO Lindy and Belle and Trefor! Vaccination against homo cooties roflmao....

Allan, to which we`d say *so WHAT*?? Learning to sit sure didn`t do much to protect us from the animals that taught it.

Evan, I agree with your assessment. There was something fundamentally wrong with the formulas......

The news said that the tiger merely licked the girls foot....she jumped and screamed..(NOT a smart thing to do...they still have predator drive) apparently that is what set the tiger off.... I cannot say that I blame the tiger......he was placed in an unatural situation.

Funny how the ministry laid such claims on our lives....

Amen Jewel, We ARE proof that life is good outside of the walls of twi:-)

Wow sky, that makes a lot of sense, and sure puts things in perspective. I told the minister at my kids bible school one year when that was taught.... That there was gonna be some mighty suprised folks when they find out at the great sorting that we aren`t the *tares* some folks had us tagged to be....lol