satori001

Me too.

Now, now. Just because The Way International's "ministry leadership" has a sordid history of sexual abuse and promiscuity, beginning with the grotesque example of VP Wierwille's career philandering in God's name, through Martindale's public spectacle and humiliation, and the myriad accounts of Martindale suck-ups and wannabe's following his lead on the "field," and of course Rivenbark's campaign of concealment and cover-ups... - doesn't mean we have to punish ourselves with skeevy mind pictures like that one.

Good, but what is some of the phrasing they actually used, rther than putting it into different words? What did they say? (Excellent link, by the way.) I know that they wouldn't predict a car accident or an illness, but they WOULD and DID predict that the Adversary would hurt them somehow. It was what you might call "spiritual speculation," an educated guess. You would "open the door," etc.

Okay, you're a believer in good standing with The Way International and things are going well. You like your fellowship, you're excited about the bible, your life seems to be in alignment and harmony with the will of God... And then, something goes wrong. Maybe a family member adds a complication, or a girlfriend won't come to fellowship with you. Maybe you get new "leadership," and your life is suddenly under a microscope. Maybe things aren't as rosy as you once thought and you're skipping fellowships, missing meetings. One thing leads to another, and all you want to know about The Way is the way out. The Way may want you back, or they may show you the door. Either way, the devil plays into the equation. How? Well there's a "hedge of protection" you're about to lose. Protection from what? The devil of course. There's a chink in your armor, and fiery darts are rocketing toward you. They might remind you of someone who got sick or died. That person "blew it." Don't you do the same - or - the same thing will happen to you (hopefully). What did they say the devil had in store for you?

Help from the Sister.

I used to catch Sister Wendy from time to time. I was never a regular viewer, but she could keep my attention. I'd forgotten her name.

duplicate

So you're playing devil's advocate today, huh? I'll grant you that Linder is a blackhead on the buttocks of mankind, and Rosalie a boil, but the devil being vindictive and patient, I still suggest that The Way is the hottest comedy club in hell. For now.

Invisible Dan, your space/time constraints are probably not his.

Okay, I can understand why some of you might be uncomfortable with he-who-must-not-be-named. No, not Voldemort. Satan. And it may be a little uncomfortable to imagine Satan strolling the grounds at The Way International, winking at Rosalie (who winks back), pinching John Linder on the butt (who giggles like a school girl), and generally holding court at all of the meetings and teachings. How could it happen? Doesn't it matter that the "name" of God is invoked 54 million times a day by this cult of pseudo-Christian phonies? Hell yes, it matters! It's great cover for his Satanic Majesty, who knows TWI is of little practical use any more, but still enjoys toying with the pompous, powerless, oddly impious pontificating posers of Way World. It's just fun for him. How much can he steal, kill or destroy in the name of this fastidious bunch of jot'n'tiddle-olaters? Can you imagine the peels of side-splitting satanic laughter as they rationalize every hypocrisy and hurt as the "will of God." Her Exalted Indulgence, Rosalie Rivenbark, can ride, savior style, upon her own braying foot (the internal combustion variety) into the holy city of our day and our time (HQ,NK,OH,USA) each morning, palm fronds optional, and forget in the wink of an eye all the evil to which she is a principle party. She exists, and is permitted to exist, to be the unwitting life of that party. She keeps herself in the dark. There's a phrase in the bible about turning someone over to Satan. For decades, the folks most elite of TWI have been hell-bent to turn themselves over. And haven't they succeeded? John, haven't you succeeded?

They're in bed together, figuratively speaking. I mean, come on. They talk a good talk, but when we look at their fine track record, it leads straight to hell. Just read some of the articles and threads on Greasespot. The lies. The greed. The betrayals. The conniving. The sinister politics. So when I said Linder slept with the devil, I didn't mean he was the only one. Is Rosalie Rivenbark Satan's consort? He probably has better taste, but she damn well serves Satan, like Linder does. I realize, they probably don't like to read this. Then again, they've been pointing the lying and accusatory "devil-finger" at so many others, and in the strongest possible terms, (including us "cop outs") for decades, it's time to set the record straight. The whole miserable leader lot is in bed with Satan.

So where'd you move it? Doctrinal?

Pawtucket, that's about the funniest post I've read in a long time. By the way, it's rumored that someone sounding like John Linder (though kind of high-pitched, at the time) was overheard saying, "Get behind me Satan!" I hesitate to speculate, naturally, but I think the proper interpretation of this verse might be in its "present truth" context. I shudder to think if it's been used before - or how often.

http://www.sisterrandy.com/ The Art History series (animation) is where I would start. 102 is better than 101. Some are in poorer taste than others.

Just inquiring about the Founder & CEO of Waycorp's carnal knowledge extending to canines. Reverend Tick, bark twice if... Never mind.

It's a good thing you didn't break the holy Drambuie glass too. He probably spent more time looking through the bottom of that than through his glasses. If you were accused of breaking his glasses, you could have said, "I was framed." Get it? Framed. Sorry, it's the Drambuie talking.

Did Tick ever get ordained?

Okay, ya got me. I haven't read a Batman comic for 35 years, give or take.

It's a Catch-22. The day it becomes against the law to chase criminals, every criminal is going to step on the gas, and that may put even more people at risk. We need better means of catching them, and we need much stiffer penalties for those who attempt to run in a vehicle. Other than that, I don't know.

Possible spoilers below - proceed with caution... Christian Bale (whoever he is) was surprisingly good. The movie was a psychological study of Batman's genesis. I enjoyed the effects too. The cables gave him Spiderman like abilities. They were more mechanical than magical, and that made them more fun. Michael Caine wasn't bad as the loyal, flesh & blood, salt of the earth butler, Alfred. (From Alfie to Alfred - such a legacy.) Big spoiler here: Liam Neeson's character began with considerable power and ended up just another Hollywood super-villain. They blew the twist. His apocalyptic rationale for destroying Gotham was somewhat less convincing, as it should be, than God's reason for destroying Earth with a flood, a far bigger extermination of human life, but we can accept it somehow. Talk about a cult with too much time on its hands... Anyway, the idea that someone of Neeson's stature could think he was serving humanity is silly. Cartoonish, yeah, but the movie transcends the cartoon with elegance and intelligence in other ways. Didn't here. Rutger Hauer was under-utilized. He could be a world-class bad guy. Too bad he wasn't tied into something more diabolical than run of the mill greed. For a scheming CEO, not very imaginative. Katie Holmes - when Batman races through the streets to prevent a creeping poison from destroying her brain, all you can ask yourself is, "Why the rush? The poison has to find her brain first, and that could take a while." Anyway, the "dialogue" at the end of the movie between Bruce & Rachel (Katie) confirms that, despite Batman's best efforts, her brain didn't make it. There's a moment when they kiss where she actually turns into a grotesque, female version of Tom Cruise. Really, kinda sort of. You'll have to see it for yourself. Something about the profile of her cheeks. Gary Oldman plays the one honest and straight-laced cop left in Gotham. He too was under-utilized. Oldman is a true maniac, like Hauer, when he wants to be. I'd have enjoyed a scene between the two of them where they could cut loose a little. They were both mostly passionless. A waste of talent. Cillian Murphy plays the creepy Dr. Jonathan Crane. Cartoonish character development. Where'd he get the horse? If the drug is supposed to terrify him, why is he riding around terrifying everybody else? And why are all the crazies unaffected by the crazy gas? One of my favorite funny scenes, is where Batman breaks through a cell door in the asylum, and then breaks out through the cell's wall. After he's gone, the two cell mates momentarily look at one another. Classic. You can't help but like Morgan Freeman. His part was pure pandering, but he was good, small though his role was. I'd have preferred Freeman in Oldman's part, and vice versa. Oldman could have brought a little crazy (more Christopher Lloyd than Christopher Plummer) to his character's enforced isolation, and the older Freeman would have been more challenged by Batman's appearance. They could have created a little of the "Lethal Weapon" chemistry between Gibson and Glover, all their own. All in all, a really good flick.

I've read every one of those books, but I wait until I can buy them at 40% off at the local price club place. In other words, I'm a functional Potterholic. Not like some of you pathetic Potter fiends, reduced to creatures of the night, just to get your fix.

On Saturday? Was that kosher??

So one way or another, we're screwed?

I have an occasional problem, but Paypal and Ebay protections have been adequate. I buy insurance whenever it's offered. It's paid for itself. I'm currently dealing with a possible fraudulent seller. At most I'll lose $25, which ain't too bad. If it had been a more expensive purchase I'd be in worse shape, but I weigh cost & risk against the individual's feedback. One thing I've noticed more lately: seller accounts which have 100% feedback based on 20 or 30 purchases of items each less than $1.00. - No buyer feedback. Just cheapo-crappo seller feedback. There's a red flag fer ya. The item for sale is generally well over $100. Caveat emptor.

Hey, I'll drink to that!