Belle

Seems to me that having enough non-profit dollars to purchase a multi-million dollar compound means someone has been made merchandise of..... seems to be Janice's goal, too, especially since she's got pleas for donations or purchases of her book on every page of her website, yet no teachings or other information. <_< Heck, even on Dot's thread in the Open section one woman says Joyce is her "Mother in the word" - gag me! - There's plenty in the Bible that warns of people like this for those who want to see it. This is from only five days ago: Sounds to me like she's way beyond "non profit" status and can afford to pay taxes and should be paying taxes. Imagine how many government programs could benefit from the taxes on her business.

Sky, I agree with Bramble that the "Christian" attitude exhibited on this thread and the ilk like it that seems to be so prevalent in society today is an incredible turn off to all things "Christ" related. In my experience, the Wicca, Pagan, Unitarian and other belief systems are not so condemning, exclusionist and unloving. Yes, there are nutcases associated with anything, but in my personal experience Christianity seems to have more than its fair share of 'em. Part of it, I believe is due to the doctrinal belief and teachings about Hell and condemnation and judgments to come down on those who don't believe like they do. But, that's all the more reason why it should be a personal, private thing, no? It's when we look outside ourselves and expect others to guide us that we get into trouble. If, as the Bible says, holy spirit will guide you, then there's no need to submit, pay or depend on someone else for guidance. Other cultures and religions believe the same thing, they just use different words. And, no, I don't feel separated or lonely in that regard. I do think a lot of "spirituality", "beliefs", whatever one calls it, is personal, unique and individual even though there are similarities and connections to a whole. It's getting quiet with yourself, meditating, prayer, whatever so that you can know, experience and hear that still, small voice - getting to that peaceful place with yourself, personally. The "fellowship", if you will, is beneficial for learning and sharing and friendship - for personal enrichment and enjoyment. I don't need a whole congregation of hundreds of people for that. Just a few close friends and some acquaintances with whom I really enjoy spending time and sharing ideas and what we're learning. I started attending "classes" at a couple of the metaphysical bookstores here in town and met a few people that way - I also signed up for a couple of groups at www.meetup.com - I visited a few groups and picked the ones that that resonated with me and have made some friends that way. With both of those, I choose how involved I get, how often I do stuff and how much money I spend - most all of these are free or very cheap because the genuine heart behind it is to share knowledge and make friends. What a concept, eh?

Ummmm, Janice, where did you get ordained and what Bible are you using? Is it missing scriptures? :unsure: And why do none of your cohorts want to be associated with your website? Matthew 23 addresses this: v5 - But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, v6 - And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, v7 - And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. v8 - But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren. v.10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ.

I'm quoting this post in response to a rather nice post by Son of the Master over here because it serves as a perfect example of what this thread is about. Welcome to the Cafe, jerrymcsherry, may I suggest that you look around a bit and get to know us and the place before you start swinging that sword of judgmentalism at folks. Also, here are a couple of threads that are "must reads" for new folks, especially ones who stomp in here like a bull in a china shop: New Arrival Guide to the Cafe What is The Way? P.S. The "Greasespot Gems" thread you posted on is for recording excellent posts by others, not a place for you to put what you think is great about TWI. We have plenty of threads devoted to that already. Of course, if you had actually read the thread, or at least the first post in it, you would have known that.

It's conflicting because I know small business folk need to advertise and to do so as cheaply as possible. Val Pak is rather popular here in my area in addition to a "newsletter" called Everybody's Business or something like that. I like it better than Val Pak because it's in a "book" form whereas Val Pak is a bunch of little pieces of paper. Regardless, I am a "paper hater" and despise finding those fliers on my driveway, on my front porch, tied to my doorknob, etc. I like to keep my yard neat and I do not like for people to know I'm not home. I very rarely even glance at those things and can't recall a single time when I have actually called on one of them. If I need something done, I generally ask a neighbor for who they use. I'm extreme, though, I think. I have called all the credit card companies and told them not to send me a single piece of mail. I am totally paperless for all my bills that have that option. I locked access to my credit report so I don't get unsolicited credit card offers, insurance offers, and other junk mail generated through that method of 'market research'. I've also registered on the Do Not Mail list. All those things have worked. The only mail I get now is very, very sparse - "occupant", magazine subscriptions and the occasional personal letter/card are the only things in my mailbox. I can go for days without getting a single piece of mail and I like it that way. :)

LOL! Vickles, it sounds like everything is falling into place perfectly for you. Maybe that ID will show up yet. Very happy for you!

Y'all are missing the point. Love of money is the root of all evil - if you remain faithful to TWI (not God, but TWI, mind you) then you should be happy to be living in that sh1thole because we're not after the material world. We're the beloved remnant of God and he will shine his rainbow of love, blessings and protection down on us because WE have the present truth - the word like it hasn't been taught since the first century. Renew your mind and get excited about that rainbow God created just for you instead of focusing on what a sh1thole TWI is.

This IS fun! MStar, pretty neat stuff on your desk. I love the black Madonna! Is that a Green Man Watching on the shelf? DMiller, I'm not really surprised to see musical instruments on yours. :P In true geek style (or is it 'tree hugger' style?) I have absolutely NO PAPER on my desk save a small spiral notebook for taking notes in meetings. I have a couple of reference books for the software that I use and a mini flip book of information I need to reference on a fairly regular basis. My phone and quite a few framed pictures of Vixen and family are the only other things on my desk. The walls of the cube are decorated with hilarious greeting cards from friends, a mini-poster of Tony Stewart and a border terrier wall calendar. It's actually pretty darn clean, neat and sterile compared to most of the other cubes in the farm. Now.... my desk at home? Not so bad, but the outer edges have piles of paper I keep meaning to file or "do something" with. It's a roll top desk and the very top sports family photos, the desk portion is where the pile of paper are so if I start feeling guilty or annoyed about it, I just close the roll top. Only.... I can't visit the Cafe when I do that.

Yah, the bride's business is ministry - http://newcovenantchristianministries.org/ according to her profile. I wonder if she is the author of The Common, the Holy and the Despised.

I LOVE SPOTTED DICK!! ESPECIALLY with Custard on it! I used to work for a very international company and we would have the most interesting pot luck dinners. I learned a lot about international cuisine, including Indian, Turkish, Vietnamese, Jamaican, Australian, and, of course, spotted dick!

I made this last year This is something new I'm considering....

Yes, I think putting my innocence, faith and trust in a liar = me being blinded. Does my saying so here mean I haven't recognized my own willingness to put my faith so blindly in someone else? My own responsibility? I think this argument, which comes up alot here on the boards, is comparing apples to oranges. They are two different issues. I think most of us STARTED for good reasons. But I think most of us remained with twi (even through the 90's) because of a combination of our own good intentions and of the manipulative, fear-inducing tactics that had become standard in twi. They wove our own good intentions into their legalism, and used it against us. To walk away from their legalism (we were told) meant we also had to walk away from our good intentions (and God's blessings). Was that warped version of our original good intentions a "good reason"? Well, I'm sure we all thought so at the time, or we wouldn't have stayed.But what you read here at Greasespot are the thoughts of people who are looking back and realizing that all those "good reasons" we held so dear were, in reality, folly. Folly because they weren't based on truth. And admitting that to yourself and 'aloud' here on the boards is a big deal. You first have to admit a wrong was committed before you can recognize your own part in it. I think it is incorrect to condemn the majority of thoughts and posts here as negative, self-serving, or bashing. And I think there are plenty of threads and posts here that commend the "good folks" we all knew. If twi had been only evil all the time, none of us would have joined. It was the hope that the good folks would prevail that kept so many of us hanging in there for so long. I do think there are still people involved in twi who fit into this category. But I also think that they are few and far between. It is hard for me to see how anyone who was in twi through the Martindale lawsuits falls into this category. There were plenty of things that were questionable about how the ministry has handled all of it, even if you do believe that it was just a one-time consensual affair, as we were told. I don't personally know of a single person who went through those times who didn't have questions; serious question; lots of them. And those questions did NOT get answered. And they CHOSE to let it go and pretend it doesn't matter. I don't see how you can do that and still be "believing for the right reasons." Because at that point a choice is made not to stand up to the wrong, but to ignore it and go on, hoping it will resolve itself. At that point, in my book, you are no longer a victim, but at best an enabler, and at worst a victimizer. That being said, I don't think the posts here are meant to bash those people. I think they are meant to bash twi, the organizational structure; the leadership. I think most of us here feel badly for those who are still in, realizing that they are being used and decieved the way we were; trapped in a mix of hopeful good intentions and controlling legalism. What we express here is an anger that it happened to us, and an anger that it still continues to happen to others today. It is these very people who twi relies on to front their evil. It is how twi perpetuates itself. And that is frustrating. So, I appreciate your sentiment towards your own innocent upbringing and your parents good intentions and good deeds. I'm glad you've come to those realizations. I think you need to see both sides of the thing. But, at the same time, I don't think you should point fingers at the rest of us who still have things to work out and things that we think need to be said before we can say, "I'm just over it."

:eusa_clap: TheHighway, that is one awesome post!!! GSpot Gem-worthy, that post is!! :eusa_clap:

WG, with all due respect, that's the kind of statement that OM, Mike and WTF say about vee pee. :( The same thing people say about Benny Hinn and others..... I don't think she should live like a pauper, but I do think her life and lifestyle should be above reproach. Based on these articles and other stuff I've read about her.... it does raise some questions. Try to find some dirt on Billy Graham and you won't be able to. He lives what he preaches.... I just think Joyce should, too. I am happy that she is helping people, especially our beloved Dot, but I will not and do not condone her lifestyle, nor will I ignore the implications of it.

Alright, I had some of those for my dinner tonight. I used freshly diced onion to the spinach when I cooked it, then added some freshly minced garlic and cayenne pepper to the mixture and, holy ka-shmoly, they are incredible! I'll be taking the rest in to the office tomorrow to share. I'm sure I sound like a dork....or like someone with a highly addictive personality....or someone who really appreciates good food.... maybe a little of each.

I made this one year for Thanksgiving. Does that count?

(((((Nero))))) Your dad is your dad and always will be no matter what happens to his brain, personality or memory. I wonder sometimes where TWI gets the b.s. they teach. Compassion and Love are certainly two things greatly missing from their vast library of regurgitated teachings, especially the practical application of said teachings. Lord knows the examples provided by leadership do nothing to help folks see how to love and comfort someone. A friend of mine while I was in TWI had an abortion because the child would have been born with Down's Sydrome. It was a late term abortion so it was not only painful but extremely traumatic for the woman. Some of us had wanted to take some casseroles, cards and comfort to her but we were told not to contact her at all and that she wanted to be left alone until she was ready to contact folks. :( I later found out she was desperate for someone to cry and commiserate with. She had no idea that we were forbidden from seeing her and our absence and silence just added to her pain and confusion. I'm so sorry for what you and your family are going through. Everyone else has posted much wiser words than I could ever express, but I want you to know that you and your family are in my prayers. Continue to believe in your dad's recovery. The human body and God's providence are amazing.

Outfield, I think I'm addicted. :ph34r: I picked up the stuff to make another batch tonight. Woulda made 'em last night, but went to the Doc in the Box for some drugs to fight this sinus infection I seem to have come down with. My secretary wants to make these for her Christmas party and asked if they could be frozen two weeks ahead of time. I don't see why not, but wanted to ask your opinion. What do you think? Two weeks in the freezer? Thanks again! RG, I think I might make those mushrooms for my vegan friend's party. I normally buy the seafood stuffing at Publix to stuff mushrooms - it's soooo good and quick and easy, but the vegans and die-hard vegetarians don't eat seafood either, so that should please everyone. I'm also avoiding seafood right now that doesn't come from the US and that stuffing is not made domestically. They had a story on GMA this morning about how 60% of the seafood from other countries is rejected for poison, antibiotics and other horrendous, dangerous reasons. :o

Could someone give us a run down on those lined up alphabetically by height in the group shot? I know some of the good lookers, but not all of 'em.... and y'all are ALL good lookers! I am still in shock at how much DWBH looks like his avatar...

Naw, Ham, the guy is a loser who still lives at home with Mommy and doesn't do anything but play video games all day. He used to work on staff at HQ but was let go. Sounds to me like he's just mindlessly spouting the company lines. Since there's not much activity on the site, hq probably monitors it and keeps tabs on folks, just like they do here, but won't get involved unless it does start getting people asking seriously thought-provoking questions that might make 'em think.

Ham, I'm thinking that website is hardly visited. The one(s) the "young" crowd frequent is probably the one that is by subscription only. There probably just hasn't really been any traffic to the site. No, your posts were not mean at all and not the least bit offensive.

Neat-o, Socks! I spent my Saturday night at the College Park Jazz Festival. Where I heard this incredible Santana-ish band - Akangana . All kinds of percussion instruments, one guy up front played just about everything you can imagine from the congo and bongo drums to a guiro and agogo bells (?). They never broke between sets, though.... it was like one hour long song while they were on stage. Odd, never heard that before. The other two bands were really good, too.

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, SIMONZELOTES! I hope it's a classic!

Hey, Thankful, please forgive my rudeness. I only just realized you're new to the Cafe. First cup is always on the house! I'm glad you're here and I appreciate your posts. :)

This will come as no surprise to those who know me. Hey, I saw DWBH in the Toast song! I didn't knowed we had someone famous here at the cafe!!