Belle

outandabout It seems like they just sat around thinking up different things they didn’t like about us and how they could use that for another reproof session.

rascal All those teachings about them “standing in the gap” for us, “watching over our souls”, “suggestion from leadership tantamount to a command” – they WANTED us to see them as GOD. God’s spokesmen, but given the logic they taught – they thought they WERE GOD to us and we didn’t tell them any different in how we reacted to them. :(--> Thank goodness we got that out of our system! :)-->

ex70'shouston – you must have had a great upbringing and had your self-esteem planted in concrete. Kudos to you! You also got out early, didn’t you? People who stood against correction were kicked out or picked on until they were submissive or left on their own.

satori001 Very introspective statements. They were really good at breaking down our self-esteem to the point that we trusted their word more than our own. AMEN! My little brother would tell my mom not to worry. He said they would tell me one too many times what to do and I would rebel. He was partly right, the other part was that I was tired of feeling like crap and letting others determine my self worth.

It was very serious business, Mr H. As was keeping the new theme for the year completely secret until the proper unveiling during the longest service each year. I got in trouble for laughing at the extraordinary measures some "helpers" were going through trying to frame the d@mn poster without looking at it. I asked if we were going to "lose crowns" if we saw the poster before the service and they growled at me. Said we wouldn't lose crowns, but that we SHOULD want to obey our leadership and respect their commands. -->

So, when are you going to fellowship, OM? ;)-->

LOL! Socks! I agree wholeheartedly with your metaphors. I remember craig teaching in one of the millions of classes I was subjected to that lies of omission are okay because the midwives lied about the Judean women giving birth before they could kill the sons. He also said that it was "okay" to call TWI a "church" because that was the label they had to use for tax purposes but that we knew the truth and that we weren't a religion or church. Oak, I always rounded numbers off - I'd say the power bill was "about $25" and if I rounded the wrong way I was lying or exaggerating. --> If I have mis-represented anything craig taught, then I humbly apologize. It is the way I remember it being taught and not an intentional lie. :D-->

James Caan Mickey Blue Eyes Hugh Grant

My mom used to put honey on my little brother's pacifier when he was a baby. I was playing house and put some on it and gave it to him. Then I thought I'd try the hot sauce.....

MStar1, ROFLMAO!! Our neighbor's dalmation had so many tics we would pull them off and squish them on the sidewalk into red splotch patterns.

That's a GROANER, Paw! I'll be sure to give you credit when I pass it around the office. :D-->

Ahhhh, gotcha! I'm a little slow today. (just like every other day) :)--> Stripes Harold Ramis Ghostbusters

sorry. I got a little too excited. You really can't use dead people? That limits it doesn't it? How about? Foul Play Chevy Chase Caddyshack

That fall hurt my bum, Tonto! :D--> Congrats on the quick thinker and fingers!

Chevy Chase Foul Play Goldie Hawn

dadgummit! I was proud of myself. Looks like Tonto got the post in first.

Julie Andrews Victor/Victoria Robert Preston

Bring someone else new everytime you come to fellowship. Get them to sign up for the class and start forking over their money. Always volunteer to have classes and meetings at your house. Tell the leaders every little detail about someone's life that you find out about. Never give abs as cash. If they have to buy a money order for your abs it makes them mad. Tell them every time you increase your abundant sharing by 1 percent. (Increase your abundant sharing every 3 months until you're giving over 50% of your income to them)

Definitely take a book. If you're a social person, take a deck of cards to start a game with someone. I always DID want to serve but never got picked. 1 time was a white person vs. black person crime and since I had a thick southern accent in a very non-southern town, I was immediately dismissed. 1 time I was released because I worked for the newspaper. Even though I wasn't a reporter, they didn't want me on the jury. 1 time I was released because the case involved a profession I was intimately familiar with being related to someone in that profession. If you listen to the questions they ask, you can figure out what they're looking for and try to prove yourself NOT what they want. The lawyers get so man "strikes" from the jury pool and if you're convincingly extreme toward one side of the case you could be dismissed quickly. BUT, you could also be kept on the jury because that side thinks you'd be good to have on the jury. The jury selection process is totally based on stereotyping. It's really all they have to go on. *shrug* Maybe look inattentive, avoid eye contact with anyone when they start questioning, slump down in your chair, squirm a lot, all the body language things that are annoying. Good luck!

No good deed goes unpunished. --> That lady must be a very bitter and angry at life person to not appreciate a little graciousness. Maybe the girls should stick to rolling houses like I did at their age. :D-->

peahead, I sent you a private topic.

HCW, I have copied this entire thread into a Word document. I have also compiled a document of only those posts of yours regarding the actual topic of this thread. I'm leaving you my e-mail address in a private topic so that I can send them to you. If you'd like to re-post your story you can use the document, break it into separate posts and edit it as you wish. Hopefully no one will post on that one in a derailment, but only support and nice memories about Rochelle, you and L.E.A.D. 104 Grrrrr...

What's that saying? "There's a sucker born every minute"? I'm trying to not be the sucker anymore.

Nope. Would be like a dog returning to its vomit. Go, though, Oldies. I think you really need to. You need to see for yourself what it's like. If you like it stay, drink the kool-aid and live happily ever after. I'm serious. I think you and Mike would be much happier in TWI than you are out of it.

No carbs, either! Hey......he might be onto something! :D-->