Belle

Okay, I give up! Where's Trefor? Sounds like something he would know the answer to!

Buckaroo Bonzai?

I thought he said they were investing in Pork BELLIES - not feet! THAT'S what the crutches were for! I hope no one gnaws on that pickled foot before you wake up, Psalmie!

OM, I posted all the quotes I had time for at the time including my notes on aspects of the teaching as craig was talking. I stand behind my post and ask how many times you took WAP and the subsequent classes. I answered your questions in my post #19 above - Post 19 I also reiterate that craig did NOT teach exactly the same things vee pee taught at all times. There are many things he taught that vee pee did not and many things he took to even further extremes than vee pee did - one example is his teachings in the WAP class on "epiluo". I furthermore reiterate "JUST BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT TAUGHT DOESN'T MEAN IT WASN'T TAUGHT" You were in another TWI than most of us and you certainly didn't experience the things that many of us experienced. We accept YOUR experiences and recollections; why, oh, why can't you give us the same respect?

(((((((RASCAL))))))))))) That's a very wonderful summation and account of what TWI did to so many of us. :( Pity so many of us relate all too well to your experiences. I consider myself lucky in that I had already finished college and started on a promising career path before falling for TWI's tricks. I, did, however give up any and all hobbies because there just wasn't time for them. I gave up my chance to have kids because my ex-husband believed that if we couldn't afford for me to stay home with the kids, then we shouldn't have any (thanks to TWI's "suggestions). I, too, strained the relationships with my family and friends. For all intents and purposes, I lost all my friends and I'm having to start from scratch, which is hard to do when you're nearly 40 and have "trust issues". :blink: Thankfully, as someone wisely posted earlier, the spirit is resilient and we do have each other here. All of us experienced different things because of where we were, who our leaders were and when we were involved. Also, some of the "stronger" individuals who didn't just roll over on their backs were picked on more and in more psychological ways if the local leadership was threatened or afraid of them. Some people, too, value different things than we might and don't consider any sacrifices they may have made as being such a big deal. That's fine for them, but it doesn't change our experience, pain and/or losses - nor should it minimize them. You're one tough cookie, Rascal - a tough cookie with a heart of gold! You have a precious family and your life is certainly the living well of revenge! You have a life they can only DREAM of having! Besides that, IF I ever get to have a little girl, she's gonna be named after your little-est one. What MORE could you ask for? :D

Great ideas, Mark! I'm not all that crafty, but I did buy some blank cards once in hopes of being able to figurer out how to make some nice homemade ones. I also found a site that will convert a photo into a cross-stitch pattern for you for only $5. I can cross-stitch. :P Hmmmmmm......thinking........... ^_^

"Office Space"?

Just to clarify - the only reason I mentioned the trips Dottie and Linda took were to point out that the WC frequently travelled and went on very nice get-aways that the average TWIt could only dream about. I never had the impression that they were anything more than very good friends. REAL FRIENDS which is something you very seldom saw in TWI. I actually liked Linda a lot and always enjoyed it when she was in town and I got to spend time with her. I understand that she already had a lot of money on her own and so whatever she did was because she actually had the means to and it didn't come from taking advantage of the TWIt payroll. Bob & Dottie, on the other hand....

It's okay, Moony, I heard that Sudo will also give Ted lessons on how pole dance. ;) BOWTWI, those are great ideas, but a little out of the price range. :( I only have about $50-$60 to spend on Dear Ole Dad. I'm still looking. I found a killer website ( Customized Gift Search and have had fun tinkering around on it today. I do think I found the best present for Tom Strange, though: Tom's Gift Sudo, Here's the traditional take on the 20th Anniversary: Congratulations!

I became MORE superstitious in TWI than I ever thought of being pre-TWIt brain. I also learned a lot more superstitions while in TWI, too! There's actually a beautiful cemetary behind my neighborhood. My favorite cemetaries are the really old ones that have interesting headstones.

Thanks, HCW. I always appreciate your taking the time to type all these things out, especially since I was not around during those times. UNREAL!! UN-FRIGGIN-BELIEVEABLE!! The BOT (LCM, HA and Don) admittedto attempting murder?? *shaking head* People knew of this and STAYED WITH TWI?? :huh: I never knew of or heard of CG until coming to WayDale and Gspot, but from your account above it sounds like the guy did us all a favor by calling the BOT on the carpet and publicly at that. I'm in shock.... I don't know what to think..... I'd LIKE to think that if I had known something like that went down prior to my involvement with TWI that I would have run toward the door, but looking at all I put up with for the past ten years, I can't honsetly say that I would have. It would have been easier for my parents to try to convince me to leave, though. :blink: I'm just floored....totally speechless....

Once again, I'm stumped. Daddy is the kind of guy who has everything and if he wants it, he just goes and gets it. It's very hard to find something for him that really makes him laugh or surprises him. He is the kind of guy who just asks for tennis balls, golf balls or socks for Christmas. Not because he really needs them, but because he doesn't really "want" anything - not anything any of us can afford, anyway. ;) He's big into nostaliga and trivia. Last year I bought him a book about famous movie scenes and it came with a DVD hosted by Dustin Hoffman. He plays it alot and really enjoys things along those lines. He's also a big music lover and has quite the library of music trivia in his brain. On family vacations he would tell us stories about a lot of the songs as they came on the radio. He says his generation is into enjoying "experiences" and memories as opposed to collecting "things". I have absolutely no clue what to get him. I was thinking of something from Flick Back Nostaliga Store - Like the Life Magazine from the week he was born or the 1947 "What a Year it Was" book.... I also considered getting him one share of stock from One Share - He's a banker, so I thought about a share of Dow Jones or Callaway Golf or Pixar. Any suggestions? Ideas?

SAVED!!! Thank you, Ron!!! That's gonna come in awfully handy!

:P I hope you're whooping it up.

Breaks my heart WN! I wonder if they know that most AKC Breed Clubs also have Rescue Organizations and they will take in and relocate their breed. The Border Terrier Club of America even takes in identified Border Terrier Mix dogs. I imagine other breed clubs do as well. I'll bookmark the page and make a donation after I see how much is left in my Christmas Present Budget. :)

It was NOT ACCEPTABLE to NOT speak in tongues in TWI. That alone should speak loudly. We had a woman in my first fellowship who came all the time - hardly ever missed a meeting. She always volunteered for things and gave generously in every way possible. Sweet, personable, tender, encouraging and just oozed love. This woman had taken the foundational class (vee pee's) but never spoke in tongues. She "was allowed" to continue coming to TWIt functions until after I had been there about a year - so this was around 1993 - 1994. She was called into a meeting and told that if she did not speak in tonuges she was not able to prove that she was saved and unwelcome to come to any more fellowships because she was just taking and not giving. I knew it was total b.s. and the HFCs did too, but they did what they were told to do. I can't remember if it was J0hn Shr0yer or Moneyhands who was the LC/RC at the time, but it was one of them. So, I understand what you in TWI 1 say that you were taught and I understand that not all things were written down - especially some of the more illogical things from craiggers reign of terror, however, SIT was considered a non-negotiable area of spirituality in TWI II. If someone did not SIT, they were no better than an animal and certainly not considered to be born again.

:wub: HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, PAW!!!! YOU'RE SOMETHING SPECIAL!! :wub:

Normally Black Friday was spent at home with Daddy and other male friends watching football. I've ALWAYS avoided getting out at all on that day. This year, however, I did get up at the crack of dawn and go to Target before the sun was up. The reason? A $30 pre-lit fake Christmas tree. Every year we've always had a real live tree and I carried that on in my home once I left my parents. My ex never cared, so it was my job to go get the tree, set it up and decorate it. Last year I did nothing because of depression. The price of live trees has become prohibitive for me. :( This was the most affordable way for me to be able to continue having a tree each year. I bought a few new ornaments to "celebrate" my new life as they were at really good prices, too. Having acquired my new tree, I came home and went back to bed. :) That's my first and, hopefully, last foray into the wild, dangerous terrain of Black Friday. Both sides of my family keep things really simple and we just really look forward to seeing each other. Presents are left to the immediate families to take care of mostly. This year my ticket to fly home is the biggest part of my present from my grandparents and parents. I wouldn't have it any other way. :wub:

You got it!

PERZACKLY!!! Remember that craiggers took everything to an extreme; got rid of as much of vee pee's influences as he could and taught some pretty off the wall things.... For example: Page 27 - Segment 5 of craiggers class.... How may books are in the Bible? 56 - according to craiggers - This way he can utilize his "spirituality of numbers" Page 29 - Segmet 6 More fuel for worshipping the Bible: "God's Word is as much God as God is God." The Word of God is our ONLY standard of believing and action. With other denominations - it's leaders and then tradition and then maybe the Word of God. RC religion has been around longer than the Word of God. The 2nd part are quotes from my notes during the class. Segment 10 - page 48 "The focal point of creation - makind. The focal point of man's allegiance was to be loving and fellowshipping with that great God, our heavely Father, the Creator of the heavens and earth. You can not fellowship with that great God if you don't speak in tongues. last sentence from my notes page 98 - Segment 18 Regarding 1 Corinthians 2:14 and "natural man" - "It can also apply to people that are born again that don't obey, don't hear, don't do anything with the Word." According to craiggers - if you aren't deemed "worthy" according to TWI then you are considered "natural man" - no better than an animal - just body & soul. Page 110 - Segment 20 Regarding Eph 2:18,19 "We're in the family when we get born again. We're in the household when we live according to the stadards of the house." Page 112 - Segment 20 "To make Jesus lord in your life starts with obeying the Word. And the Word says that speaking in tongues is how we build up ourselves, which is how we keep ourselves i the love of God and keep ourselves from falling." Page 113 "Speaking in tongues is the proof that you're born again." "It bears witness that you're a son of God, a joint heir; it gurarantees that you're born again, you have eternal life." Page 112, 114, 115, 116 No man can TRULY say he is born again - no man can TRULY say Jesus is Lord except by speaking in tongues. Page 116 "Speaking in tongues is a necessity if you want to please God." "If you want to walk in the household, if you wat to keep yourself in the love of God and keep yourself from falling, you need to be strengthened spiritually - your body, mind and spirit have to be built up to walk in alignment and harmony." Page 117 One purpose of speaking in tongues is to declare Jesus is lord in your life - 1 Cor 12:3 And don't even get me started on the Eve - Lesbian teaching..... Craig didn't always teach the same things vee pee taught - and furthermore - he didn't always write it down. Because we had to listen to the STS teachings over and over, teach on them in fellowship and read about them in the way rag - these lessons were pounded into our brains. There were also those famous "read between the lines" teachings and admonitions that we received. Perhaps we should clarify in our discussions whether we are referring to TWIt 1 or TWIt II or TWIt III teachings.

Maybe in YOUR TWI, OM, but not in mine! IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!!! Ask Allan. ;) Even my ex said that we couldn't know for sure that my parents were born again because they didn't speak in tongues. He didn't learn that from the RC church!

Is TWI a Cult? Web Page I have Google alerts set for certain special phrases and words. This popped up in my mailbox today so it must be a new page, a newly edited page or something for it to have been triggered. Anyway, thought I'd share. :)

I think this verse is the more appropriate one for the answer to your question: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1Cr 13:12

Thanks, Act2! You'll have to tell me how the crock pot recipe comes out. I LOVE crocking it! Anything that doesn't require much of my time is a winner in my book! I love allrecipes.com - I also frequent cookinglight.com and weightwatchers.com I should really spend more time on the weightwatchers site, though! :P I WISH I was going to be in your neck of the woods 'cause it's beautiful country, but I will be in Jackson, MS this year. I'm happy to be going to see the family and that we'll all be together, but pretty much everyone else lives in Jackson, Madison or Canton, so we're heading to them this year. I'll definitely let you know if I'm gonna be near you sometime, though. Ron, I actually did that last year! It didn't turn out as nice as that one, but everyone loved it! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Why does there HAVE to be a "man of God for our day and time"? Chapter and verse on that one, please. What happened to the One Body? What happened to no part being more important than any other part of the body? :huh: