chockfull

“The gestures imply a level of commitment that’s out of proportion to the length of time two people have known each other.” I think that sums up most of my relationships in the Way. Forced hierarchies with forced friends and sick expectations.

You are welcome. There at least were many humorous and interesting stories on Bullshido forums. http://www.bullshido.org/Ashida_Kim UPDATE: Its been a couple years and that website series at Bullshido has declined in quality.

Sorry Twinky I was just linking up the rules on another forum I read. I suppose it was after reading the mods reasonable rules they are posting about this thread. On the other website, reading through the rules and looking at squabbles that occur is interesting. That website centers around fraud in the martial arts and exposing it. If you think about a website like that, and combine it with the egos you find in martial arts areas, you get a mix of community that is highly volatile and argumentative. That community was the source that gave birth to those ridiculous rules above. That was what was needed to control that online community. I don't think we are that far gone here. But communities and rules kind of go together.

You are roughly the same generation as me. You got luckier and left earlier. I've never met anyone from here.

Mods here do a pretty good job of keeping conversations contained, and behavior civil. There are relatively few rules on this forum site, compared to others (Ex. I included the rules from one website I read for humor sake below comments in this post). Online engagement in a forum setting is a particular kind of interaction where you are missing 70% of the context of the conversation you would have normally. On that funny site I read people get so mad they do like fight challenges - they get made fun of calling them "death matches" after this one guy Frank Dux who faked being the victor of several of those underground. Anyways I thought everybody might have some fun reading the FAQ and Rules for bullshido.net. The main author of it Sam Browning is a lawyer with a sense of humor. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Newbie F.A.Q. READ OR DIE

Just wanted to say always good reading you too DWBH (and Twinky too). Our lives never intersected in the Way - I never actually read you all's long letter (or JS paper or POOP) until much later as we were all shielded from any of that and I had no connections to provide it to me. Any reference I heard of any of that was tainted with whitewash slant. I was kind of overlapping generations here coming in upon your exit. There are others that way with my timeline - coming in as I was exiting. It's like with the Way there are pockets of fantasyland that exist out there - all living in suspended animation in reality. On this site we all intersect in some fashion to tell an extended story that has been hidden as part of history to most Wayfers. Is that the Great Mystery Revealed? Or is that a great mystery revealed? Probably neither. Whatever it is, it's no longer a mystery to me like it was when I was on paint crew whitewashing LOL Best always. chockfull

So how does one deal with one's own Private Idaho? I literally had a really cool conversation with a friend of mine yesterday on this topic, yet indirectly. She was telling me that how she knows what to focus on when deciding what to work on regarding herself and self improvement is by monitoring what she accuses others of. She said she is aware of the truth that when you point a finger at others 4 are pointing back at you, so she actually uses that as a form of self-regulation. I thought to myself. Smack the forehead. GENIUS. I'm going to try that too starting this week. Now while this topic has some really nice personal relevance for me above - this is really what I like to gain out of conversations here, I also was pointing out the fact that the Way operates as its own Private Idaho, while masquerading as a worldwide ministry.

Cool perspectives you two. I will give both a try.

Cool to hear about the interaction with other groups and/or religions. Perspective added is valuable. Yeah for sure on the no literal burning mass of hydrogen. It certainly isn't a great stretch for me to see Jesus Christ as the "Great Light" capitalized, not, whatever, but in the essence that Jesus Christ is the light the world saw and sees through his words and ongoing developed spiritual relationship with. The closer I look at "the entirety of Scripture" - i.e. Canon, artifacts, critical textualism, the less I see from the lens of Wierwille's rules (i.e. prior definition setting a strict rule, where it's "used before", remote context, or similar terms the charlatan taught according to "How the Word Interprets Himself"). Most of that he lifted from Ethelbert Bullinger anyway, as opposed to developing the viewpoint thru his own study as his pattern was. Bullinger was so extremely dispensationalist - I mean so extreme he makes the Jehovah's Witnesses look normal. I like Revelation. Just reading it is cool. It has language in there and phrasing you can't find anywhere else. And there are details of spiritual warfare there not written anywhere else. It is captivating. Inspirational. How does it apply to my daily life? There's some application but it is generally more abstract. In that essence it contains more figurative language than other sections of scripture, so literal interpretation even statistically would be lower. As far as "mysterious" I guess that is one description but it is not an adjective I would use among the first 10 from my perspective of that book. I didn't mean to offend getting too casual with adverbial descriptions like "rolling the dice". All I really meant to convey was the statistical ideas of the previous paragraphs, not that any one person reading or working it has any deficiency in approach or method. The feel of it to me is ethereal and beautiful. Anyway thanks for posting and writing up the topic. Good conversation.

I see it. It comes to a point literally in the form of a Grecian Formula Faux-Hawk there for him. Such growth from the hair of younger years. LOL.

As the thread originator, I feel such power to take control of the discussion and steer it in the direction I want it to go. Idaho. Potatoes. B-52's. Yes. My Own Private Idaho - interpreted, means a personal place of my own making. This place is full of fear of outside influence, growing underground like a potato, leary of strangers. Growing up in my own private Idaho, I developed boundary issues. These boundary issues include confusion over when and how to connect with people. I don't call my friends when I should. I have a hard time setting polite boundaries without it triggering anger issues. Yesterday in the grocery store I was shopping in front of a cooler, and a lady came up and said "hey can I just reach in front of you for something". It triggered me. I didn't say anything to her, but made some angry comment to my kid. My kid corrected me. "That's not even that big of a deal". Dunna Dunna Dun Dunna Dunna Dun Dun Dun Dun Hoohoohooho hoo hoo hoohoo.

Or faith healers. I think I remember the Left Behind series with a literal visual depiction of light from the glory of GOD and I think Christ appeared as a lamb illuminated or something. The author there did a lot of literal interpretation in his fictional work LOL. Figurative analgram kind of construct with Sun-Moon and God-Lamb. This figure gives it a little rhythm kind of like the "Goodnight Moon" children's novel. Figuratively the LAMB is emphasized as this is New Jerusalem. This book deals in terms of Israel also - Revelation. Thus the figurative emphasis on the sacrificial lamb that redeemed the sins of Israel. What other figures?

And the city had no need of the SUN, neither of the MOON, to shine in it: for the glory of GOD did lighten it, and the LAMB is the light thereof." ~ Revelation 21:23 Is this figurative? Or literal? the word "LAMB" is figurative. Other than that are we 100% sure? This is I believe speaking of the "new Jerusalem" right? So it's in the future. The glory of God lights the city. Literally or figuratively? The LAMB is the light thereof. Literally or figuratively? The city "had no need of the SUN, neither of the MOON, to shine in it." Some commentaries have speculated this means the age of electricity we live in. I think the Left Behind series interprets this literally with God the light bulb or similar. Lots of people like to "roll the dice" with interpretations of Revelation. I'm more like "sounds cool I'm sure I'll fully understand when I see it".

My view on scriptures is that "given by inspiration of God" or theo pneustos in the Greek is simply an expression. Greek as a language has a different flavor than Hebrew, different culture - Western vs. Eastern. It's like German vs. French/Spanish/Italian. It's easier to describe geometry in Greek. Greek was the educated language of the day, the Latin of today. So an OCD attachment to grammatical minute details in a work that has been translated into different languages and miscopied, and original manuscripts are not much around and those that are introduce almost as many questions as answers is frankly illogical. It makes the Christian "strain at a gnat and swallow a camel" It makes the Christian exactly as the Greek language word for "scribe" appears - grammeteis - grammatician. The sister to a Pharisee is a scribe. How does God "reveal" things to me as I am a Christian have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior? Many different ways. The rays of sunshine at dawn. The weird unique phrasing a person uses I just met and am in conversation with. The sequence of things I see in a row. How does it not happen? Like the Joseph Smith story of Mormonism. An angel named Moroni appeared to me and had me automatic write a series of text down without conscious knowledge. Then because it bypassed my brain it is just like the 10 Commandments God inscribed and I must write it down and spread it out for all other Christians to read and buy my books I published about it and I must start my own cult. That is not the meaning of "God breathed". No that is not how "revelation" works to me in a normal relationship with my Lord and Savior and my God. So scriptures to me have to work the same. 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration. I love to get my inspiration from scriptures. I have read through the entire Bible a few times at least purposefully, maybe more. There is a lot of whitespace in the Bible, meaning word content that doesn't seem to convey much in the essence of moral guidance, meaning, etc. How many geneology chapters are there? Name after name after name. So to me Christianity is more about an ongoing relationship than it is about someone checking all the boxes on Levitical law for whatever reason.

Interesting thread. It brings to mind I recently had the opportunity to visit a Jesuit college. I recollect looking at statues depicting the intersection of science and faith. I met the head of the college who is a Jesuit himself and very dedicated to the Jesuit mission in education. The staff was strong, mission oriented, and united. They are strong in education for the medical related fields. A couple of the tenets I remember are "cura persona" meaning a medical approach to cure the whole person, not just a part, and also that purpose in life comes through service so they require community service hours in their education. Here's an interesting article related - http://theconversation.com/jesuits-as-science-missionaries-for-the-catholic-church-47829 Of course I need standard disclaimers here for those who might be highly offended at me using Catholic or Jesuit resources. No I haven't "gone back" to Catholic church or any of its doctrines (actually never was Catholic), no I don't believe in "The Trinity" (all caps emphasized for Persona sake), yes I read scriptures, yes I pray and live as a Christian and attend a local community Christian church that probably believes in the trinity (lack of all caps and persona emphasized) but I haven't heard a lot on it and no I don't believe in an extreme fundamentalism viewpoint. Now y'alls can label me and categorize me properly for your brain cells. I like to read. I don't like boundaries. Especially those that smack of religiosity or man-made commandments of the sort that brought me under bondage in the Way.

I was just reflecting back upon how many of those clowns in that picture row micro managed me for many years when I was OFF PAYROLL. Didn't care about me, my family. Didn't care about any long term goals for people's lives. Kept imposing more and more stupid rules. Kept making people move at their own expense, to increase their control over them and dependency upon them. Kept reducing the amount of even Bible teaching was available, and censored it to previously published works in an enclosed system. Kept increasing Pharisaical man-made rules every year. These rules made the burden lighter on those at the top and the burden greater on those downstream. Volunteers bear the brunt of the Pharisee's doctrine and practice. The head Pharisees use the standard of their own twisted, egotistical, and demented lives to impose restrictions on others. Jesus Christ as the cornerstone all measurements proceed from is notably absent.

Hey annio, Welcome to the 'Spot. I like your post. Sound logic always beats blindly following humans with good intentions. Have a cup o joe.

Wow. A women's conference with a Christian male stripper. Extra special. They couldn't do dolla-dolla bills so the gave the audience little flags to wave.

Hi Stillconfused. Welcome. Good for you bailing at 18. You spared yourself some heartache. Leary is an appropriate attitude towards these Pharisees. The R&R thing to me seems option B on a retirement plan when the first one didn't work out. I'm not surprised to hear Rico is "going a different direction" and "got revelation from God" to run a new ministry. The revelation he got from God to run the last one didn't work out so well for him, and now he's in need of a job. I think the great local church is a better option. And welcome to the spot.

I would avoid arguing, which makes beliefs attitudes and behaviors spin around like a hamster wheel. I do like talking about the identity of my Lord and Savior though. Jesus Christ. That's cool.

So back to Billy Graham, I agree with you Twinky. I remember growing up in a church - family attended a denomination for a period of time not always. Billy at that time would always be advertised as filling the stadiums and as an evangelist winning and converting people. That was common at the time. I didn't personally attend one of his stadium meetings, but others that were similar, like one I remember with Oral Roberts or a son or something. Billy's huge meetings were always about converting people - winning them to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Billy wasn't evangelizing any doctrinal platform, trinity, resurrection perspectives, nothing. He was from my personal remembrances focused on salvation and getting people to accept Jesus. That was the beginning and end of his message, and usually he was just there for one day anyway. He would tell people to get in touch with a local church. One of the criticisms of Billy is that he would leave "bastard children" around. Not in a literal or sexual deviant fashion. But in that people would be converted, and then alone with no support system. I haven't had any personal interaction with him or his son or whatever ministry he is running. What I read seems to indicate they have swayed to pandering to power, which is believable knowing Billy's history. But his roots and foundation were definitely only about winning people to Jesus Christ early on. As an evangelist figure, I mean compared to some I've met who had that title in the Way, I certainly think that godly fruit bears out. In the Way I met people with that title that acted egotistical and sent everyone else out witnessing while they sat around.

What experience with churches today exactly do you have? Aren't you one of the ones that isolated and studied PFAL collaterals for a decade plus not attending churches? In my experience the trinity is not really discussed, taught, or really dwelt on at all in churches today. Thus difficult to make it the biggest problem with churches today. Looking back from my experience, it looks more like VPW was looking for a bone to pick with mainstream Christianity because nobody was paying attention to his plagiarized material cobbled together class, or at best taking it and going back to their churches. VP had to do something to poison the well so they only could get water from him. Teachings on the trinity culminating in calling all the major heads of denominations "seed boys" or his personal slang for people sold out to the devil and living for the devil did the trick. Do the young hippies want to go back to church? No, not with seed men running the denominations.

I'm thinking maybe Quentin Tarantino needs to make another movie "Kill Bill 3: Truth vs. Trinity". Trinity is kind of a girl's name so Uma Thurman is going to have to play Trinity, sorry. But David Carradine is uh, no longer available. Who are we going to get to play Truth? The Black Panther?

Yeah and the road to Emmaus account too..... But what am I reading and what am i reading into? Case in point, recently I was entering my movie meeting my spouse who was engaged in conversation and did not recognize me for several minutes after I walked up. I was able to not only act like Jesus, but make faces at the fellow conversant while planting small objects in my spouse's hair. #wantstobejustlikejesus

Hey GoldStar, Yes despite what Jesus said about true and false disciples in Matthew 7, I do personally feel from the majority of Christians I have interacted with especially more modernly that they are not staunch Trinitarians prepared with pamphlets and theological arguments, but do practically and doctrinally gloss over the concept of the trinity in their faith. This conversation is really cool Alice and wonderland stuff. The Buffy came out of your "stake in the heart of the Trinity" statement though. I just had a funny mind picture and was running with it. I guess I was presenting humor at the extremity of that statement. Didn't mean to offend though. I was looking at Mark 9 didn't find that - but I looked around and I think Mark 16 the resurrection accounts summary there is what you are talking about. Literally during those appearances (Mary M, 2 Walking, 11 Eating rebuked) it does not say whether or not nail scars in the hands and feet are present. So can you really say "in another form" means something scientifically and precisely? And what would that be? Are we coming up on Easter already? The time for impregnated bunnies and cards and chocolate? Oh yes we do have pageants and plays and all. But nobody cares about Egypt and the plagues. I've had a couple bosses that make me gather my own straw though. I'll put a lamb on my smoker for Biblical times. And gloss it over with a mint glaze LOL. And try not to think of all the work VP stole in Jesus Christ Our Passover. LOL.