rascal

Agreed TBone, there is so much good to be found here on so many different fronts and levels....

....

AMEN!!!

Yeah but there are jobs like that in Huntsville which is an hour away...

I think middle tennesssee is mighty special. People here are salt of the earth. They take care of one another. I have lived all over the country and never run across an area as uniquely special as this. The weather is mild, the scenery gorgeous and the wildlife abundant. There are lakes and rivers in abundance. There is very low crime rate, gang activity is virtually non existent. (The country boys around here know how to take care of themselves..lol) Kids for the most part are still respectfull. We are within an hour commute of three major cities. Even after living here for 14 years my heart gives a little jump of pleasure every time I turn into our valley and descend into our little slice of paradise.

I put weds evening ...but sunday afternoons are great too.......please :)

I am sorry about Nico. Gosh, I never heard about Dog/people camp. What a marvelous idea. Since it is already paid for....can you go hang around the lodge and just take it easy? The only up side to this is something that she can recover from. There isn`t anything that I wouldn`t give for just one more day with my dog.

No fear hear either. Just preparation as best I can to handle any situation that comes my way. A gun isn`t my first line of defense even. Far from being afraid of us....it`s the folks that know how to take care of themselves that you want standing by your side in an emergency...lol

Welcome Mrs. B!

Well, personally I`d have to say that my prayer life has changed dramatically since leaving. When in twi, and for years after leaving it was mechanical and contrived....a list . I don`t sit any more, I like talking direct...it feels more personal. I don`t ask for stuff because God seems to anticipate my needs...blessing me with not only things that I would like or need....but the very finest...things that have no practical value whatsoever, but bring great joy to me.....it is amazing. Mostly my prayers are along the lines of being gratefull and thankfull for what he gives....If I have a specific need....I ask others to pray with/for the situation....... Mostly I don`t need to ask any more. It is like the companionship with an old dear friend...you know the kind you can sit with and be comfortable not having to say anything at all?

Lindy, I have seen several situation where a gun would have been needed. My husband was in a situation once when returning from a business trip where a gang of people in multiple cars kept trying to run him off the road...threatening him with a gun.... My friend just last year was driving on a road here locally when a car slowed down in front of her...when she blew her horn...the passenger came up out of his window...laid himself along the top of the car and pointed a gun at her.... I was once in a situation where my husband to be and his buddy were brutally beaten to bloody pulps by a gang of hoodlums. It was a terrible thing to see and a terrible feeling to know exactly how helpless I was. If somebody hadn`t come along when they did...I don`t know when it would have stopped or if they would have hurt me too....I wish that I HAD had a gun then. If they did this to us...no doubt they would do it to others. I have studied martial arts for over 5 years, as do my children. That along with carrying a fire arm are nothing more than tools in our chest to protect ourselves. MOST responsible gun owners, are like us....responsible law abiding people who hope that they will NEVER have to draw and fire, but are prepared to defend themselves if they need to. I say law abiding because we have to pass a criminal back ground check..... I say responsible because....... MOST gun owners are aware that if they draw and fire their weapon WITHOUT being in eminent danger of death....they will be prosecuted? IF you draw your weapon when in danger of eminent harm or death and you miss ...striking a bystander...you will be prosecuted.... IF you draw your weapon when in eminent danger of harm and you inadvertantly cause property damage, you will be liable for damages? and finally.... IF you draw your weapon and fire when in eminent danger of harm...you will STILL incur up to 100,000 dollars in legal and defense fees???? Moral issues aside....most people who have gone through the arduous process required to aquire a gun and carry permit ...knows that to fire it, under ANY circumstances is going to cost them dearly. I know that there are nut jobs out there who will aquire weapons one way or another, and some people that have no business having guns....but to penalize the responsible law abiding citizens is not right.

Johnnie.... when I moved to Tenn years ago, they had just changed all of their criteria for getting a permit. I asked the sherriffs dept how to full fill the requirements...you had to have a state aproved course (there weren`t any yet) and at the time some type of insurance....anyway it was all so new that the law enforcement didn`t even know how to fullfill the requirements. Finally the deputy just told me....*Ma`am, if I were you.....I`d rather take the chance of getting caught with a gun, then to get caught without it and need it* I guess the penalties I would pay would be worth the risk.

Wow that stinks oldies. I am suprised that they were allowed to hassel you like that. Did you have an attorney? I only need one, but I fail to see why you should be penalised if you enjoy collecting them. Geemany... The deputy sheriff that I talked to while getting my finger prints, told me that it was a damned good idea and that he wished more responsible people would do it as well. This guy is law enforcement for goodness sakes.

It isn`t being enamored with guns. It is about not being helpless. I have applied for a carry permit because I never want to stand by helplessly while someone I care about is being attacked...been there done that ...it is terrifying. Evil people don`t care if it is your spouse, your child, your life they are relieving you of. We live in a society that has people in it that want to hurt us....I have the option of protecting myself and my children from these people. It is a long drawn out expensive process, (I have been at it for over 6 months) but I feel would be irresponsible NOT to take every precaution available to me. Most people that own guns are like me...simply trying to stay safe.....I resent that being labled as *enamored* or as somehow unsavory.

Oh that was awfull...the waiting for the other shoe to drop. I thought the kids would die....I waited for my spouse to die...When he quit tithing I hated him for not protecting our family... When my horse and foal died in a horrible way.....for though I attended fellowship faithfully.....I blamed husband for not writing the loyalty oath so that we could remain in good standing with twi/God. It took years and much time at greasespot to start understanding the falicy of these doctrines.

That poor little girl...me me me...I I I ..you are a thoughtless little pig.... My God the world should stop revolving because Mr. Baldwin has picked up a phone.... That poor little girl, I wonder if she had to face him alone after that.

I don`t believe a child could POSSIBLY do something to merit this kind of treatment. It is up to the adult in the situation to suck it up and figure out the best way to address his kiddos issues. As it is, he is just an over indulgant spoiled brat frustrated because he doesn`t have the control or power.

I dunno...lets ask Jim Jones congregation...or David Koresche...OOPS we can`t! I`d say quite definately the leaders personal havior affects the spiritual healthiness of the doctrine. There are reasons why we were warned about false prophets.

*spiritual anger* was a nice term to excuse somebody indulging in hystrionics. These guys behaved like over emotional two year olds....

Well done highway!

It is also in the *my story* section told by hcw uninterupted...

PRECISELY Dave :) My husband has begun attending the church that I dragged the kiddoes to for years after leaving twi. He rarely attended before, but when he did....we would go sit ramrod straight WAITING to be offended by the doctrine...determined to pick apart every inaccuracy. Well I finally gave up trying to handle 7 small kids in church by myself....and quit as well... The two youngest this year started begging their Daddy to attend...they drag him there each sunday....we have come to realise.......that there is so much there to enjoy when we quit being insufferable, arrogant know it alls Mark could not attend last sunday and asked me to take the little girls...the youngest wanted to be sung happy birthday to. Well I went...it has been probably 4 or 5 years since I attended. Well it came time for the *joys and concerns* to be presented ... and someone made mention that *Cathy* was here...like they do to acknowledge and greet a visitor... Well the guy at the front of the church running the meeting looked up spotting me and said *aw Cathy??? why she`s family* and waved his hand in a dismissing guesture. I have to tell you, that was one of the nicest things anybody has ever said to me. Here these people...that I had been so arrogant with, so stifly dissaproving of during our early post cult days...so vital in our healing.....people whom I was uncomfortable around remembering how harsh and judgemental I was as we were determined to bring these fools around to OUR way of thinking years ago.....in spite of or rudeness and our idiosyncracies...our incomprehensible behavior and wierd beliefs....and only having attended sporadically for years now....They STILL considered me family...and MEANT it!!! I cannot explain how moved I was. Only that I want to go back and sit with my *church family* sing together, pray together, share joys and concerns together and read the scripture together.

jr, I am sorry that the topic offends you. That doesn`t mean that it is not of merit to discuss. This is simply what it takes for some of us to come to grips with the error in our understanding. My spouse STILL believes some of this stuff...it can affect his/our lives to this day. It is in analysing these doctrines, seeing the wild stretches, coming to grips with the realization that these were beliefs that evil men saw and taught...it takes understanding this evil to finally be able to realize that our *truth* is not truth at all sometimes. It takes facing up to the depths of perversion and why these guys taught it to realise that maybe OTHER things that we were taught are as outragiously wrong also. Some of us are still imprisoned in the false teachings and it takes this kind of slap in the face to wake up. ' I understand that it is offensive to you, but please do not discount the need to understand nor denigrate the people trying to come to grips with being betrayed. Talking about it, being outraged about it, being depressed about it...they are all healthy stages of healing. Jr, Can you understand in telling people to sit down and shut up that you might be interfering with someone elses healing? That for some one else this might be the key to being released from rhe tears of imprisonment?

Spot, I edited my post above while you were typing...I hope that you saw my sorrow for that poor woman. My outrage for the callous treatment of you guys in what I see as a life threatening situation. I agree with your sentence...*twi HURT* period. It is stunning to know those who we trusted to be Godly and who promised to have our best interests at heart were so cruel and calloused.

Spot...there were so many. I am so sorry about what happened to that poor woman who lost her spouse. That lc should have had his arse kicked. I cannot imagine not sending out help. That is pretty rotten even for twi standards. I have no time to go into detail right now...but a few off the top of my head... Obedience to leadership = obedience to God lack of obedience to leadership= stiff necked and hard heartedness to God=destruction 5 senses are at emnity with God means ignore all instincts and good sense. God only works through your husband means you lose your spiritual connection when you get married. Wife submit to your husband means put up with whatever bad behavior he choses to inflict on his family. Endure stoically with a smile and prayer. Women all belong to the king means the mog`s screw like bunnies. All things are lawfull to them which are in christ means do anything you please to whomever you please ..legally or otherwise as long as you don`t get caught Life begins with first breath means abortion is an acceptible form of birth control Family is worldly, they are convenient conduits for satan to trick us off the word Sickness is from satan...means that if you are sick, you have blosn it somewhere or are posessed. Bad things happen because you left a door open spiritually... All of these teachings have had unpleasant consequences in my life. Each a sad story in and of themselves.