Belle

Roller Derby!! I was 11 years old when that came out and must have watched it 20 times!

What a great idea, Chas! Let me put my thinking cap on.....

Now if I could just get rid of that smell.....

My ex tells a story about vee pee getting really mean and upset with a girl who put five instead of three ice cubes in his glass. Totally reamed her a new one. When I said that was a bit extreme and uncalled for, he said that vee pee was right to correct the gal for not paying attention to details and following directions clearly set for her. --> When we hosted phone hook-ups or had Moneyhands over to our house someone would always call ahead to make sure we knew to have Diet Coke on hand, that Bob didn't like to walk around with an empty glass, not too much ice and to watch and make sure someone didn't manipulate all his time. (Like Bob can't refill his own glass and control his own conversations???) There were some other rules about their visits, but I can't remember them off the top of my head. I know that whenever they were getting to move from one rental house to the other that Bob refused to eat on paper plates, so the whole house would eat on paper plates and Bob, at the head of the table, had his china. It isn't just that they have their @sses kissed, it's to what degree people go to in order to get their noses as far up their @sses as possible. Sadly, I was one of those people for a time....

I was shocked to see some of the dancing, especially the "sensual and alurring" group. Didn't seem to be appropriate for a "Christian group" I can only imagine how I would have felt having to watch the porno and dog scenes in the family class.

She's not going to give up her power. The five year term will be conveniently forgotten and swept under the carpet. Should anyone question it, they will be reproved for bringing up "old wineskins" in this "new" administration. It's SSDD in TWIt-ville

I might try that too.....the Mormon missionaries in my neighborhood are pretty darn cute.... ;)-->

Every time someone moved it was an open invitation to go door to door witnessing. I absolutely hated it! Especially when it was in my apartment complex or neighborhood. I hate people knocking on my door to witness to me, I sure as heck don't want to peeve my neighbors by doing the same thing to them. When we first moved into our neighborhood we were going to, oh joy, do the door to door witnessing thing, but it was presented to us as just meeting our neighbors and introducting ourselves. I could deal with that. The girl I was with was a fun person. We met several neighbors and one lady actually invited us in for tea. We had a very nice conversation and it was refreshing to just be chatting with no ulterior motive of having to get around to selling her on TWI right away. My ex and his partner did the same thing. When we got back to our house for a "recap" we were all reproved for not actually witnessing! Funny how 90 percent of us all had the same impression of what the goal for the day was --- to introduce ourselves. This is the one time my ex stood up for us, but ended up apologizing that there muyst have been a mis-communication somewhere. -->

Doesn't she have two sons? One was in jail? We never hear about her sons. She's divorced and got tons of prime real estate when she divorced. Didn't want her picture on the internet. Went on private vacations with just her and Donna. Spent week-end getaways with Donna at Indiana's campus. Never teaches, just reads....and mostly just lists of verses at that. Moneyhands doesn't like her but kisses her butt. Has been caught in numerous lies. Got to keep cats when everyone else was forced to give up their pets. Has a swimming pool while most people rent with much lesser amenities, if any. ABS has paid for a boat and lessons for her while most people are convinced to skip most little league and other things for their kids. Does she like onions? Are they still contraband at hq?

Sharon, I mostly come online from work and don't always have time to reply. In fact, I was enjoying perusing the link that you posted and was looking for things to contribute, but by the time I got back to your thread it was gone. :(--> People have lives here and we sometimes want to get back to a post, but run out of time. Sometimes we don't have anything to contribute. Sometimes people look at the same thread many times in a day reading the responses to the thread. So even views on a thread aren't really accurate if you're counting those as a new person reading the thread every time. Also, some times during the day are busier than at other times. If you post something in the morning it may very well be 4 or 5 in the afternoon before someone responds, it's nothing personal....If it sits for 3 or 4 days without a response - it's still nothing personal. Look at how many places there are on this website to go to. Look at how many new posts there are a day. There's no possible way someone could respond to every post. I post anyway. :)--> In fact, I've killed many a thread. It's okay. I post here for me and for those who are lurking who are where I have been. I know they're there because I've heard from a few of them. I pretend there are a lot more of them out there who aren't contacting me. :D--> We all feel left out sometimes, but that's how we're interpreting thingss, not necessarily how things really are. Is there something else going on outside GSpot that's making you feel inadequate or ignored? Other things going on in your life that are causing you to see conspiracy theories about people ignoring you? Nobody loves me Everybody hates me I think I'll just go eat worms Don't pick up your toys and go home, Sharon. You just don't always see the impact your words have on people all the time. Sometimes you'll NEVER know how much you've helped someone. Someone else posted about this a while back. I'll bring it to the top for you if I can find it. ;)-->

Taking this test made me realize all the beliefs I've either put on hold or am still trying to figure out. I've decided that there's a lot I don't know and a lot more to learn out there that I wasn't privy to while in TWI and I feel light years behind the spiritual knowledge and development that's been going on in the world. 1. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (100%) 2. Unitarian Universalism (96%) 3. Bah�'� Faith (93%) 4. Liberal Quakers (92%) 5. Reform Judaism (91%) I look pretty schizo based on these results.....mainline Christianity to Unitarian Universalism and Bahai??? Not much in common with these guys, is there? My therapist is Unitarian, his parents founded the Unitarian church in my town. He'll be tickled with these results. :D--> I don't know much about Bahai, but my understanding was that it is also a cult with very stringent rules and doctrines. Looks to me like it's a good thing I'm in therapy!

mell, welcome to the cafe! The Advanced Class does spend most of the time talking about and looking at scriptures related to specific devil spirits. It's not priviledged information because of needing to be "spiritually mature" enough to handle it, but rather priviledged information because they want you to pay for it. If I get some time today I'll type up the gist of the information so as to not violate any copyright laws,but if you'd like to see the syllabus, I'll be happy to mail it to you or fax you the specific pages that talk about the devil spirits. Just contact me through private topics or at scarlettbelle at earthlink dot net (spelled out to keep spammers from picking up my address). Johniam, I don't question why people who come here want to know things. (Maybe you didn't mean that to be condescending, but it comes across that way to me.) I'm here to provide information for anyone regardless of whether they want to share why they want to know. I'm happy to help you in any way I can mell. I'll also see if I can find the post by CoolWaters for you. My searching ability isn't so great, so someone may be able to beat me to it. It's from 2002 - about devil spirits - by CoolWaters? Can you remember anything else about it that would make it easier to search on?

I'm not insulted, Galen. :)--> I truly don't have any opinions about what was taught in the class as I have never taken it. Granted, I think the porno stuff and some of the comments I've heard said in the class were atrocious and completely inappropriate, but as far as the class having any merit or any good in it, I honestly don't know. That's why I asked. Just like the other classes in TWI, there was good and bad in the classes because otherwise there would be no controversy and the counterfiet would have no value. ;)--> I don't doubt that this class is any different. I wish you and I were closer. I'd be interested in seeing the class with my own two eyes, if for no other reason than morbid curiosity. :D-->

herbiejuan, I also remember them saying that at one time it was veepee's goal for everyone in America to be able to walk to a twig near their home. Funny how it was a much more realistic goal when veepee was alive than after craiggers said that the word was over the world. --> I also remember hearing about how we should be leaders in the arts because art was to inspire thoughts of God and his word. I think I heard that in a stick, though, not after getting involved with the real TWI.

I'm speechless. Thank you all for sharing. I do believe that supernatural things like this take place. I think that we don't really know what "the formula" is for them happening. TWI likes to purport that they do, but they don't otherwise there would be a much higher incidence of these things happening. I remember craig bragging that we had someone cured of AIDS in TWI, but it was only mentioned a couple of times and when we asked for more details we were put off with bland, vague answers. Seems no one could verify it.... I know that I had a terrible migraine once before fellowship (remember when they would say you would be better off coming to fellowship instead of staying home and taking care of your health?). My HFC prayed for me and within minutes the unbearable pain was completely gone. This HFC prayed for my ex about a few things and he was healed. He was the first person we went to when there was a health problem because he did get results consistently when he prayed for someone's health. I miss him and his wife. :(--> But they will be in TWI till the very end even though they know a lot of the wrong that goes on and despite all the hurt TWI has caused in their lives.

--> Hi Mick! Let it all out! That's why we're here. Hope to hear more from you. :)--> -->

I can't recall, but I seriously do think that craiggers, at least, referred to himself as the man of God. I will go through some of my stuff and see if/what I can find. If he didn't, he sure did draw enough parallels and insinuations to be just short of calling himself that. All the references to him being Joshua, Paul, Elisha (or was it Elijah?) .... whichever was #2. Remember all the teachings about the #2, the second "Man of God" and "establishing" what the first "Man of God" started. HECK, EVEN MONEYHANDS REFERRED TO HIMSELF AS A MAN OF GOD. One of the guys in our branch wrote a song about "The Man of God" and lyrics include "of his ministry he's making full proof" and about the fruit in his life. Bob stood proudly while this guy sang this song to/for him on a few occasions. (The song was beautiful, by the way.....just inaccurate as there's nothing "Godly" about Bob Moneyhands.

I dunno about that Groucho. I would venture to say there are a lot of braindead TWIts, but there are also those who are younger and harbor fantasies about changing the things they know are wrong. There are also those who, like I was, are trying to hold their families together and are either compromising on their involvement with TWI or trying to "wake up" the brain dead members of their family. A couple of people I talk to are in abusive relationships, but have been battered for so long that they are just trying to work up the courage to stand up for themselves. Change is scary and change from an abusive situation (spiritually, mentally, emotionally) to something that's completely unknown without much support is terrifying for some. That's why I do my best to help the people who contact me. I've even offered my house and financial assistance to some of the people who have contacted me privately. Sorry if I sound prudish or defensive, but I was in their shoes less than a year ago and it took me over five years to get up the nerve to actually do anything about it and, ironically, it was my ex who asked for the divorce, not me. I just know how hard it is, even with a loving, supportive family like I have. My parents would have given me a million dollars if I needed it to get out from under the TWIts, but I didn't want to ask for it and I was still scared of what life would be like outside TWIt-ville regardless of the support.

Ahhhh, thanks WW. Bernita was one of the first faithful long-standing TWI workers kicked to the curb when she started needing more assistance and money due to old age, isn't she? I loved reading her "Manners and Customs" articles. Even when I left they were running re-prints of her articles in the magazine.

They did go back to seasons of prayer shortly before I left, but people never really prayed for anything of substance or real needs because, well..... do I really need to say it? .....real needs are a sign of weakness and/or lead to questions about your obedience to TWI which leads to probation and micro-management of your life which eventually leads to M&A. Strange thing is we just blindly followed along trying to stay out of trouble.... why? Why did I live with that kind of fear for so long without realizing it?

We used to have "seasons of prayer" where anyone and everyone could pray for anything that was on their heart. Then you were told that if someone already prayed for something, you were NOT to pray for that same thing again and got in serious trouble if you did. Then you were told what you could pray for. Then there were no more "seasons of prayer" and only a few peopple at a time were called on and told exactly what to pray for and it was one of seven things craiggers TOLD us to be praying for. I can't remember all seven things, maybe someone else can, but none of it included your own family, your own health or anything personal it was all political and political TWI related. Then we were told that if the fellowship was all intermediate class grads that we were not to call on anyone to SIT and interpret but we were to only have prophecy. My ex got reamed on a couple of occasions for calling on people to SIT when the fellowship should have only had prophecy. Then good ole Moneyhands, who had enforced the edict, was at our fellowship a couple of times and called on people to SIT and interpret when it was all advanced class grads at the meeting. --> When we questioned if the rules had changed we were rebuffed. Afterall, Moneyhands was a man of god and how dare we question his actions. Maybe he KNEW someone there needed to hear SIT. D@mned if you do and dqmned if you don't. Can't win for losing in TWIt-ville.

Signals, I've always been sort of a rebel (comes with the red neck, I think). Anyway, when they told me that people said they were a cult I was PROUD to be part of that group. I remember saying that it must mean that we were onto something and on the right track for the debbil to be so upset with us. Pity it didn't recognize that it wasn't the devil upset with the group, but God. My ex was shown those books when he first got involved. They laughed about it, but the peopple who showed him those books are now no longer laughing because they have since realized that those books were right and that the group is destructive. Sadly, my ex is crying and still can't think straight enough to realize why.

And when you begin to think for yourself, ask questions and stir the pot you are promptly shown the door. At least that's been my experience. Thinking is not welcome in the way.

If you don't feed the monster he will go elsewhere (hopefully). Just ignore him. Eventually it will get old talking to only him. HCW, thank you, though, for setting straight any mis-interpretation people might have had about where you and the monster agree. :)--> Jardinaro, thank you for taking the time to post all that information! When people share their experiences and what they know and observed it really helps, especially for those of us who weren't there. I never had the class, but, Galen, I'm wondering what value you find in the class given what I've learned about it from on here. Do you think TWI quit showing it just because veepee was in it or do you think that it was too blatant in their position on sex, marriage and what's "normal"?

Thanks, outandabout. :)--> I have been contacted by several innies in a few different states (one contacted me today actually) and they all agree that they do not think that their leader.... receives revelation. One of the innies was around a lot of top leaders recently and had some concerns about getting caught lurking on here but not one person mentioned anything, acted differently or suspicious.....just SSDD. BTW, the innies I am in contact with are still involved for the same reasons I stayed around for so long after wanting out.....family and marriage commitment being primary reasons.