Belle

Moony, I can't believe they made you go into work!! Here in Orlando the winds started at 3:45am pretty fierce considering how far away we are. They say the winds are sustained at 40mph right now with gusts up to 60mph. We were told to call in at 10am and I suspect that they will tell us to stay at home and call back at noon to find out which departments they want to come in. Thankfully we still have power and my neighbor's wi-fi is still up and running. :D Yes, I'm a freeloader! (with permission, of course) The rain is freezing cold! They say it's 75 degrees outside, but it feels much cooler than that! The trees are being whipped around like whisks beating eggs in a bowl. There's been many tornados spawned around here, especially in Brevard County, which has just continually taken a beating in almost all the hurricanes and still trying to recover from last year. I hope y'all in in the southern peninsula are hunkered down and staying safe!!

LOL! Mstar1, you were only an hour away from my birthplace! B) Likeaeagle, I think you saw the one Kit mentioned. It's awesome, isn't it? Is that the one where they talked about him keeping his band up till the wee hours of the morning in Vegas singing gospel music? His gospel music is my all time favorite music of his - hands down. The only one I don't really like is "How Great Thou Art". That song requires a deep, heavy bass voice, imo. But, I'm biased and think my Daddy sings it better than anyone in the whole world. :) My Elvis favorite gospel songs are the ones that I grew up with, the negro gospels, those are the ones most people aren't quite so familiar with, but they're comfort songs to me.

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO YOU, DAVID!!

Mo, my heart sank when I read the title of your thread. Don't do that to me! I haven't had my coffee yet!! I also thought Allan had pushed you too far and was fixin' to be really unlady-like. :o :lol: We'll miss you while you're gone and make lots of jello for one whopper of a food fight when you get back!

Can't wait to read and watch, Catcup! Thanks a bunch!

No, but I have a braided leather one and one that has a right nice huge belt buckle from a rodeo on it, does that count? Yes, but I prefer an RC Cola and a Moon Pie. I used to have quite the assortment of 'em, but I don't have any right now - not easy to find down here in FL. Can't wear sweats in FL unless you're absolutely nuts. I do wear my rubber boots on the outside if'n I'm so inclined to need to wear 'em. I sometimes een have my gardening gloves sticking out of my back pocket. Nope. Like Gretchen Wilson's song says, "I can buy the same damn thing on a Wal-Mart shelf half price." All my men (all my SOUTHERN MEN) have worn Carhartt, though. ;) I thought it was "bush hawg" - leastways that's what we always called 'em. ;) And, while I've ridden on quite a few, I'm not akin to operating them much myself. Do I pass? ^_^

OM, you ARE kidding, aren't you? ;) I'll bet you're laughing your @$$ off thinking of how we've all been shaking our heads thinking you're serious. :huh: :mellow: :blink: Kinda like Mike and the Stress thread....you just like pushing buttons, don't you. Come on, you can fess up! :P

Y'all are making my sides hurt!! :lol: :lol: :P :lol: :lol:

JK Boehme's quote from WordWolf's excellent evaluation and observations of TWLIL by EW.

How exciting, Eagle! I hope you get your new little girl soon! I've heard of DES and the problems that children have had as a result of their mom's taking it. I'm sorry about that. Those poor mom's thought they were doing the right thing and unfortunately sometimes we don't know about the long term side effects till there's already lots of victims. One of my dog training buddies, for her fortieth birthday, adopted a child from China. She's seven years old now and absolutely adorable and sooooo intelligent. Just a delightful child to be around. My friend figured she hadn't met "Mr. Right" and would maybe never get married, so this was the best way for her to have the child that she had always wanted. I figure if I'm not married by then, I will probably adopt also. I'm still hoping to find Mr. Right and have his babies, though. :P

((((Second James))))) I hope you're not holding your breath. ^_^

:D :P :D ;)

JKBoehme, Excellent post! I hope you don't mind, but I broke it out into paragraphs so that more people will read it (some of us are pretty particular about things being easy to read :) ) I also bolded some of your points that I'd like to comment on later: So, how do you really feel? :ph34r: It's also all too true that TWI does continue to exploit, manipulate and abuse the rank and file. What's sad is that so many have been in for so long that one would hope they would eventually recognize it, but they are most likely so beat down that they can't see their way out or recognize what "normal" is anymore. That is THE BEST description of TWI's "christ" that I think I've ever seen! Many leaders also become so accustomed to their god-like status and easy money that they quickly forget about their original motivations. They begin to focus on what they have to do to keep the lifestyle they've grown to expect. True. There are young people today I know who have gone through the WC program with dreams of redirecting the ship. They are already so oppressed and debased that it's only a matter of time until they sink into the depths of the current pathetic leadership or jump ship because of the futility of their goals. This is the organization that vee pee built, created and promoted. It's operating exactly the same way he intended. He certainly recognized the qualities he didn't have, but the qualities that were attracting people. He took advantage of the honest and true to exploit them and to expand his base of people to exploit. The quotes here prove that. And who started that? Where did they learn this selfishness? VPW with all his laziness and greed. Evil communications definitely corrupt good morals and those who couldn't be corrupted wisely left because they recognized the futility of trying to fight it.

Awwwww, pshaw, excie! You can be yourself where ever you are and with whomever you are. You are a dear, charming, warm, loving, kind and witty person. Everyone, cult experiences or not, appreciates that about you. I have awesome internet friends (some I've never even met, others I e-mail every day, but only see about once every few years). Some from here and some from other boards. I talk about cult stuff with the people here and about common interests with the other folks that are non-cult related. We talk about a lot of non-cult stuff here, too. :) I also have friends I see face to face and many of them I don't even have e-mail addresses for. B) I try to spend time with everyone, but sometimes my time is more slanted one way than the other. It's all good! Finding the balance is an ongoing thing. It depends on where my personal needs and/or interests are at the time. Sometimes I really need healing or to vent about my ex, TWI and related issues. Other times I need a hug and a friend to watch a tear jerker of a chick flick with.... You'll find that balance and know that you can be yourself with whomever you're around. You'll be a big huge ray of sunshine in their lives like you are in ours. :wub: :wub: :wub:

outofdafog, I mean to reply to you about kitty! I know that terror and fear when kitties disappear. I'm so glad he was found!! My parents moved to the other side of town and sometime during the move Boots got out. Boots is extremely spoiled and they couldn't find her anywhere. She finally showed up at the old house two weeks later and a lot thinner (not such a bad thing :P ). The new owners called and Mama came and got her, but it was a very sad two weeks for all of us. Sudo, Jock is adorable!! I'm sure Laddie and he will be wearing each other out for the next few days and a tired pupy is a good puppy! I have to finish cleaning house for a party tomorrow, but will send directions on how to post pictures tomorrow. :) I think that's a great idea Excie!

That letter is from 2001. I was looking for something else when I came across it. I saved a bunch of things from WayDale and GSpot that I related to. This was one of those things. Looks like TWI is still playing the same games. New ministry? Hardly! I hope Fowl Play and all involved got out of TWI safely and with families in tact.

From 2001 - Fowl Play, anyone?? Has TWI changed since then? To the BOT from some innies This was sent to me with a request to post it here under the name "Fowl Play" with a private email address to go with it. I have read it and mostly agree so I am doing it. I am also "in" but do not take this as support for this or any other anti Way site. It is just a wake up call. Dear BOT: We have been quiet until now waiting for answers to questions we all have about the directions our ministry has been taking since LCM left. This is notice that some of us faithful disciples of the Way are getting tired of waiting. We came to this ministry to learn the Word of God as it hasn’t been taught since the first century and that is what the Way used to be. Not to have doctrines of one man forced on us only to see that man finally leave and continue his devilish policies in a (quote) kinder, gentler way. We know that many good people that we disciples are supposed to call cop outs and grease spots have been kicked out or forced to make the decision to leave because of these unbearable policies. We have been waiting for the open door to tell these people that things have changed and the ministry has corrected the wrong doctrine and practice that drove them out. We want to rebuild. You have responded only by leaving the door they left through open to follow them. We know that many in the North West went through the door prematurely. Are they ALL possessed or spirit influenced? Is the North Atlantic next and will we be labelled the same if we follow? Do people in the rest of this country feel the same or is this only the coasts? What do disciples in Iowa or Alabama think? You know the answer even if no one has the courage to say it. We are glad that the tree analogy is only an analogy. Because we know that we have four or five branch's here with loving leaders who teach the word. Our LC’s are the same. Our HFC’s also but some are growing impatient. It is the root that is diseased but thank God the branches can live without it. There are many areas the ministry needs to correct but I believe debt is the issue that is the most dangerous to it’s welfare and has caused the most damage and needs addressed NOW. This is the issue that drove hundreds if not thousands of our best people away and took many of our best leaders out. All because one man took four words out of context in Romans and built a legalistic doctrine out of it while a whole ministry either ate that junk as LCM would say or walked away. Now we are *blessed* with a Way Magazine with an article devoted to trying to prop up this devilish doctrine. We have read it and worked it like good disciples and see that it is private interpretation and excuses to keep the status quo, NOT the Word. Are we simply to go ahead with this and the other devilish doctrines so the Way as a religious organization can keep egg off it’s face? Are we propping up this evil enslaving private interpretation so we don’t have to admit our ministry has made mistakes and ruined lives and families of thousands of saints? We quote David when it comes to Uriah but only if it fits our program? You should know by now that many people are looking at buying houses and going back to college and buying cars and boats, and God bless them for doing what is right for them and blesses there lives instead of blindly following an adulterer’s raving. If they (~we~) have their advanced class status taken away from them, they will not care any more and may just leave on their own if you don’t make them go. The household grows smaller each day because you wanted it to be LCM's definition of clean. The disciples of the Way want to return to the Word as their standard and will do it with or without you. We will not see our families torn apart any more and will not think we are less than God’s best just because you won’t admit your mistakes. Why not have another of the emergency grad meetings to tell us what we already know so we can trust the ministry again? We have admitted our mistakes in the past, even about our debt and marriages which should have been kept private. Why not you, when it should NOT be kept private? I speak for many in four or five branches and other people around the country we have talked to when I say that if the ministry as an organization doesn’t come clean about the wrong doctrine and false revelations of LCM soon, this once great ministry will some day be reduced to three BOT’s and a handful of brainwashed servants. May God bring it back to the calling he has called us to. We will continue to stand for the time being because we still believe this is where God’s household is. But we have doubts as to whether TWI even represents the household any more. Are we alone? You will see that in contrast to the internet crowd, we do not care as a group about LCM's flings. Flings plural ~ we're not stupid, we just don't think that is our business. We only care that the ministry moves forward and returns to the word as its only rule of faith and practice and stops making excuses. Egos and ministry tradition and past doctrine be damned. If it's wrong, burn it. I believe that you will do the right thing. That is why we picked the name Fowl Play – we are using the Grease Spot Cafe chicken method of hiding our identities because individuals can be shouted down and ignored and when they speak up they are marked and avoided. We are coming here not because we support the whining and crying and rumors that goes on here, but because it seems like individual believers have no clout even when we speak the rightly divided Word. This is where thousands of disciples still in will see that they are not alone if they distrust the leaders agenda at the ~top~. It is sad that cop outs tell us more than our own leaders do, but we have to weed it out when we get it from them. Why not the unvarnished truth for a change? From the people we are supposed to trust? The local leaders here and elsewhere are dynamic spirit-led people but there hands are tied today to teach the rightly divided word. They have to toe the party line or be denied there rights to be ministers as God has called them. I believe this will be our last message here. If it isn’t the last it will be because our *ministry* has abandoned the Word and the internet backbiters were partly right. If the ministry does not come clean to it's disciples ~ some of us have 20 and 30 year recoginitions and hate what has become of our ministry in the last 5 or 6 years but how can you leave after investing so much ~ this will be followed by many more with our real names so you know the individuals you have betrayed. If this happens it will not be because we turned our back on God. It will be because you did. Consider this a petition and notice of probation. Don't count your chickens because they are flying the coop

I'm still looking for craig's letter, but this is hilarious!!!! Posted on WayDale in 2001 by Fresh, whom I miss terribly. As a part of my "functioning one body," my right index finger is a valuable asset in my daily tasks. I really don't know what I'd do without it.........but since it has been malfunctioning this past month, I had to put it on "probation." I couldn't just allow my right index finger to stay intact with the "functioning one body".........so I had it surgically removed and put in cold storage until I welcome it back. In this manner, I've made a statement to the other members of my body........and they'd better take notice, or else? And, no.......I'm not going to tell the others when I'll be bringing my finger back. None are privy to this information.....not the other fingers, not my wrists, or elbows, or shoulders. Even my nerve endings are having a hard time with this "missing" finger. If I find out more illicit behavior that my right index finger did in the past few years........then, I might just mark and avoid it altogether. Now, my "ring" finger and little finger on my right hand are asking LOTS of questions...........I couldn't allow such an uprising, so I m&a them! Yep, chopped 'em off and discarded them to the gnashing of rats in the alley. The left hand has no idea what my right hand is doing........that's a relief. I just cannot allow mutiny to persist, else no member of my body will have need for any other member. The eye will surely say to my hand that I have no need of thee......and that left hand might just rip out an eye or something?!?! Oh well, at least I still have my middle finger in tact........and it can hold its own in pure silence by taking A STAND!

That's AWESOME, LG! I got goosebumps watching it. I hope someone can help you get a copy of it. If you can't find someone let me know and one of my co-workers might be able to help, but I'm clueless. :blink:

I'm also looking for the other letter that craiggers sent, but going through my archives I found this and thought it interesting to post. Good food for thought for those considering leaving TWI. Look at what it's costing you to STAY in TWI: Posted by Fresh: WW, quote:I don't know anyone who wants to recruit anyone for TWI. Fresh, you're right, people are more worried about how far behind they are on their finances, college tuitions, retirement, homes, and other personal things they've neglected over the years.... What is the average cost of twi commitment to an innie family of four in the 250 mile radius of HQ? By looking at a few "ballpark figures" it certainly adds up!!! Expenses ---------Category $ 4,600.00 .......ABS from annual income of husband/wife $ 600.00 ......gas money for twi activities $ 1,200.00 ......Adv Cl special in Dallas (travel/hotel/etc) $ 3,000.00 .....loss in wages/overtime $ 300.00 .....magazine/tapes/bookstore $ 150.00 .....wear/tear/utilities/supplies for hhf $ 80.00 .....refreshments/cards/extras $ 70.00 .....coffee tab (instead of witnessing Smile ) __________________ "Annual Ballpark Totals" = $10,000.00 I realize that the $3,000.00 in loss of wages/overtime wouldn't apply to every situation, but it DOES SHOW why so many of these innies are falling behind in the financial area. One step further......even if $6,000.00 of this total was put in savings, look how much FASTER one could advance into home ownership or get ahead financially. But hey......if they "believe" that this money is their spiritual duty and all.....then who am I to convince them otherwise. Big Grin Big Grin All in all, I think MANY of the 50s crowd are starting to wake up to the realities of their spending habits. Eek *********************** Posted by Steve!: And if you put a dollar value on those hours . . . What amount of money would it take to get you to work an extra 6 hours a day? (which is what 1568/245 is. 52 weeks times 5 workdays per week is 260, minus 10 vacation days and 5 holidays, equals 245 actual workdays). If you normally make, say, $15/hour, how much would it take for you to work an extra 6 hours a day? how much is your "free" time worth? would your boss have to pay you overtime? double time? Okay, let's say double time. $30/hour times 1568 hours equals $47,000. That's the value of the time that you are donating to TWIt. Oh, wait. Some of that time has value to you. Doesn't it? Oh, it's going to be valuable after the return, there's no real value added to your life right now by those 1568 hours, you say. So you are *actually* giving TWIt the equivalent of almost $60,000 per year. Have a nice day! *********************** Posted by Fresh: WOW, a huge chunk of change and time!! Then, compile all this information with such things as: 1) The Board of Directors DOESN'T EVER WITNESS. 2) The BOD wines and dines off YOUR abs. 3) The BOD travels around and uses their petty cash accounts generously. 4) The BOD wants its followers to give MORE....their plurality. 5) The hq staff rarely go witnessing. 6) Many of the hq staff plan to RETIRE off your abs. 7) Ad infinitum Is it any wonder why the BOD promotes renting homes and shuns home ownership?? With no home equity, no "roots" in the community, no family contacts, no stability or refuge.......twi BECOMES their home and refuge. Weekly tapes, magazine articles, reviews, meetings, outreach reports, follow-up with contacts, reporting back..........all this bombarding keeps the innies in a dizzying circle. It's hard to think clear when one is spun around and around and around and around.... Fresh PS Speaking of numbers, months ago a poster did a tallying of his interim corps year wages.....and he figured out that when all the hours were calculated twi paid him 30 cents an hour. ***********************

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO TWO WONDERFUL WOMEN!!!

Awwww, Sami, this was also posted earlier this week: LG & Sudo's stories You might enjoy the discussions that we had regarding your story and LG's which is also heartwarming.

ROFLMAO!! Well, some things never change! It IS nice to see some old names, though. ;)

Yes, and like I said, haven't you been reading posts on here for years?

If you end up at Disney, call me Raf! I'd love to meet you for a drink or two or ten. B)