Belle

I'd LOVE an authentic - genuine lobstah and clam bake! I've only had one in my whole lifetime and that was just one short year or so ago. It was YUMMILICIOUS! THAT'S BEAUTIFUL!!! What a loverly place for a weenie roast that's really a clam bake! Hey, the Texas weenie roast was a BBQ - It's the gathering of greasespots that makes the event.

:eusa_clap: Beautiful, Roy! I think of, "Out of the mouth of babes...." You're no babe, but you sure are pure as one. :) Thank you for all you share and bring to the Cafe.

I've never been to Maine. :)

God cares for our hearts, ex - and we care for one another's hearts here, too - that includes yours and Rascal's. Nothing is too big or too small for God, nor us here. What's that other verse? "When one hurts, we all hurt"? Something like that. :) We're hurting with you. Keep budbud and minmin on the lookout with you, they have eagle eyes and just may spot rascal, or bark loud enough for rascal to hear them and find the way home. In the meantime, I think bugaboo sounds like a wonderful addition and playmate in waiting for rascal.

I see your point, Sir, and agree. The people who are the most adamant against what someone else believes, frequently has the least amount of knowledge regarding what that belief really consists of. They tend to argue from a point of ignorance and intolerance. It's fruitless to discuss, much less debate with people of that mindset. I try not to bother, but have my "hot buttons" just like anyone else. There's no way on God's green earth we could possibly read, study and learn all there is to know out there - hence, seeing through the glass darkly. BUT, if I've never studied or looked into Reiki, say, how the heck can I honestly condemn the practice and what Reiki healers believe? I can't. Not honestly and intelligently, anyway. It's just like my ex got all up in arms when we first started hearing about El Nino and El Nina on the weather forecasts. He's yelling and screaming that the friggin' weathermen are turning into idolators and teaching it to the masses. I tried to tell him that they were referring to weather patterns and not attributing the weather to some friggin' god, but he wouldn't listen to me - cause what the he11 did I know? A year later, he comes to me explaining where the terms come from. HELLOOOOO?!?! I tried to tell him that A YEAR AGO!! Now, because he's actually learned a little bit about the terms, the history of them and what they really mean, he's changed his tune. I think a lot more folks, like my ex, should either refrain from the discussion, ask questions and/or learn what they're talking about before they start spouting off like they are some experts or something. Furthermore, if one is going to study something from the point of proving it wrong, they aren't going to really understand it well enough to participate in a decent discussion either.

Exactly, Bliss. I was raised Southern Baptist and I hated it when they started spewing the anti-trinitarian crap and talking about what trinitarians believed because they were sooooo wrong! I wasn't taught one dadgum thing they said trinitarians believed.... and being a "good" Southern Baptist, I was at the church every time the doors were opened. Farggin' liars! That reason alone, imo, is a good reason for a person to really look into what folks truly believe about the trinity and to consider the merits of the belief, even if one THEN comes to the conclusion that they don't believe it. At least they'll then know what they believe or don't believe.

There's one family who spent time in jail for not paying taxes because of advice from TWI leadership. There's lots of women who had abortions because of suggestions (and some commands) from TWI leadership. My ex also cut all contact with his family because of a suggestion from TWI leadership (Moynihan). He wanted me to cut ties with my family, but knew better than to push that issue. My ex divorced me because I left TWI. Lots of people gave up college and promising careers because of suggestions from TWI leadership. Lots of people gave up solid investments (not just houses) because of suggestions from TWI leadership. I believe my ex would have killed (himself or others) if there was a suggestion from TWI leadership. I think, most likely, he still would to this day. I believe that, if someone initiated some kind of attack on us because of our affiliation with TWI, that I would have killed them, but how much of that would have been self-defense and how much because of TWI expectations.... I can't say. I would like to think I would not have been a hit man for hire, but I can't honestly say for sure. I would not have killed myself, but, like so many people in Jonestown, IF TWI had come to that, it would have been too late, would it not? I mean, I was involved so deeply and so loyally that most likely I would not have recognized all the alarms and red flags in time to get myself out before the kool-aid was served. If they had told everyone we needed to come to HQ immediately for a "spiritual emergency", how many of us would have gone? My ex and I would have moved heaven and earth to get there for the "spiritually important event of the year" and by then, it would have been too late. I think TWI leadership knows just how far they can push people and it's only their knowing where "that line" is that keeps them from crossing it.

Good questions, Roy. :) I agree with you. "We see through a glass darkly" and I think nobody has all the answers - I certainly know I don't, therefore it behooves me to listen to what others "think" the answers to some of life's questions are.... after all, I might just learn a thing or two. I don't debate so much anymore. Mostly because I do believe we don't and can't know as much as some of us would like to think we do. I keep what fits and works in my life realizing that the same things don't necessarily fit or work in the lives of everyone else. Who am I to judge? I've learned more about beliefs, the way people think, theology and the history of religion in the past two years than I did during the entire 10+ years I was involved with TWI. It's a lot more peaceful and freeing to realize that I don't have all the answers and that it's perfectly okay. Life is so much more free and peaceful when there isn't that pressure to know all the answers nor to have to defend what I happen to think is right.

:eusa_clap: LOVERLY - JUST LOVERLY!!! I love this place and I love these folks! I'm so happy for you and the youngest Dooj! And, thank you to the anonymous friend for your generosity to the Dooj family.

Yippee!!!! Then it WAS you!! I LOVED reading ALL your stories! I'd love to read any of them you wish to share. That one was especially poignant and timely for me given all the horrible things about the cross that TWI pounded into our heads. It was really healing to me at the time and I've never forgotten how I felt reading it. The first thing I did when I left TWI was look for a cross necklace. I still haven't found one I just "had to have", but haven't quit looking either. :) So there ya go. One person you touched deeply and permanently who never told you how much your words meant to them. Glad to have the opportunity to tell you now.

Or is it a "geek thing"? *duck* I panicked when I saw the headline.... "OH NO!!!" Then laughed my F1 off.

If you plan it - they will come. :)

Excellent question, +odd! I used to shun anything regarding angels, but have recently discovered Doreen Virtue and, while she's not my favorite author in the world, she and Sylvia Browne have taught me a lot. I don't agree with everything, but it's a different perspective and gives me pause to think about angels in a much different light than I ever felt safe and free to before. I've loved watching "What the Bleep" and "The Secret" Reading: "Why People Believe Weird Things" by the guy who founded Skeptic Magazine, "Celestine Prophecy", the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Gnostic Gospels, "The Tao of Pooh", etc..... I now subscribe to "Science of Mind" I'm more receptive to other beliefs, how people came to believe what they do.... so much.... it's really helped me overcome waybrain; find "my path" and respect the path of others. I know that's pretty generic, but I haven't the time right now to contribute more.

My ex is one of those people, I'm afraid. And I'm even more afraid to tell you that he's working security at HQ, last I heard. :unsure: Nandon, I'm really sorry. It had to be especially rough to come to the realization that all was not what it was cracked up to be regarding TWI and what we gave our whole lives for.

Bought into it for years, MStar, bought into it for years..... :( Unfortunately for you, I'm not that stupid anymore. ^_^

If it was all that simple, we wouldn't have these kinds of discussions, would we? There would be nothing to debate because we'd all read the scriptures with the same interpretations and outcomes.

Picture - of the choices, I choose Nebraska, but I like Mississippi's best regarding artwork. (Yes, I am biased) Lazy - Wyoming - hands down - why couldn't they put an outline of the state at least on there, too, but that's not an option -- I think all those are lazy, but those designs are really close to being their state logo, if you will - so I can sort of see how/why they chose those particular designs. Besides that, I'm afraid to vote for Texas on that one. I wonder if they had state contests, or if some "committee" just chose to use "what they always use". History - I'd say California or Florida - but I'm biased toward Florida. State Info - Wisconsin My Paw Paw is collecting these and he has the map of the US with the cutouts to insert the quarters. The ladies at the bank know he is collecting them, so they save him a handful each time a new quarter comes out. God love people who take care of my Paw Paw.

I'm still voting for da Bears and hoping for a new video. Superbowl Shuffle

Bears!! And I want another SuperBowl Video like they did in the 80's. Superbowl Shuffle

I have a jack but I'm not going to help you. Oh, sorry, wrong place. If I had the book, I'd gladly part with it, but if it's to make paper airplanes I want free folding lessons in return.... I never could get mine to fly very far. :unsure:

Beautiful! Thank you, Not Matilda. Did you write a story back in the WayDale days about a cross? It was beautiful and I saved it to a Word Doc, but in my paranoia from my husband put a password protection on it and promptly forgot the password. If it was you and if you still have it, I'd love to read it again. :)

All the women at my orthodontist's office used it when they first came out and you really couldn't tell they were wearing them. They loved the results they were getting. Of course, they paid (or didn't have to pay) nearly as much as the average joe would. I should get braces, but I'm just so darned used to seeing my crooked teeth I don't much care anymore..... that, and there's this natural wood looking tile floor I'd rather have.......

Rub it in, why doncha? Welcome back!

I wonder how many people they had to ask to get the answers that they were obviously looking for.

Thank you! I already subscribe to that one, Socks! I must have good taste, eh? It's just that my podcasts are full of just NPR and some place called Greasespot Radio.... I wanted to expand my horizons a bit.