Sunesis

OK, I'll have at it. First, I disagree with your premise of sin, as people making human errors. God does forgive people their mistakes. The original sin, I believe, is something far different. It has nothing to do with our errors, foibles and mistakes. Sin is separation from God. Mankind is separated from God. For some background to explain myself - bear with me. Imagine, a darkened theater. All of a sudden out of total blackness, the lights come up. There on the stage are the most beautiful angelic beings ever created, they shine like jewels in ways we cannot imagine. The head of them, and their mediator, between the creator who created them (God) and the head of these magnificent creatures is the angel of light, Lucifer. Earth is their home as is the universe, but earth was Lucifer's domain and was given him to steward, as we know that all of the sons of God (angels) rejoiced when the earth was made. At this time, there is one perfect will (God's), all creation runs in perfect joy and harmony. The worship and love between Creator, creature and created knows no bounds, and the mediator between this flow between Spirit (God) and physical creation is Lucifer. Time passes, Lucifer thinks, maybe, since I'm so beautiful and the head and God's right hand man, helper, and mediator, just maybe, some of the worship should come my way too, maybe I should be ruler, in fact, I will ascend to the most high, in fact, there's no reason why I can't rule, in fact, I should be above God. Claiming God's glory as his own (after all, he deserves it), his hubris becomes his downfall. Now, there are two opposing wills in conflict. Result? We read about this in Gen. 1:1. Lucifer's fall was catastrophic. When ever there is a flood (this first one and Noah's), or total destruction (sodom & Gomorrah - because of strange flesh, angels), or the one to come by fire, it is always in response to something horrendous Satan or his spirits have caused that is abhorrent. It is so abhorrent, in ways we cannot understand, that is must be destroyed - because it has been totally contaminated and corrupted. Anyway, the earth becomes without form - there is total darkness in the universe. Waters totally cover the earth. In front of the whole universe of creation and angels, Lucifer cannot put it back together again. He cannot give light, he cannot cause the waters to recede. His powerlessness is made known to all of creation. He after all, was still just a creature, not the Creator. Finally, God puts it back together again (Let there be light, etc.). Now God creates a new creature - man. Was Adam the first man? I don't know, I don't think so. I believe he was inserted into human history, as Christ was. But - Adam was created. There are only 3 beings that God specifically says he created: Angels, Adam and Christ. All others were made. Adam was not just a man as we think of men. He was created to head up this newly put back together earth. Earth was now man's home. Adam was the mediator between God and man. He now takes Lucifer's place on earth and has dominion over the earth. Lucifer in his fallen state, now watches helplessly as this puny clay being, rules over what was his creation. How dare God do this to him? How dare God gives this little clay being the authority and mediation that Lucifer once had? He is enraged. Adam took Lucifer's place and was the new mediator. He was God's new creation. Lucifer must now get man to give his allegiance to him. Then all will be his again. God freely gave Adam access into him. As God gives freely, man gives freely. Its a dance. Then he falls. He eats of the tree of knowledge. Instead of allowing God to give to Adam, Adam takes from God (the knowledge). Instead of freely fellowshipping with God, Adam believes the glorious being, Lucifer in the Garden. I imagine Lucifer showed himself and his angels in all their glory to Eve and to Adam. Lucifer makes a bargain with Adam. In return for this glory, power and knowledge (hey, how come God's holding back from me? I want to be like them!) Lucifer possesses - he will give it freely to Adam, so he can become as a "god." In return Adam will give Lucifer the dominion he has over the earth. Adam says - deal. Adam falls via his free will - he made a choice. This is catastrophic. Earth now becomes, once more, Lucifer's dominion - to ruin once again. Lucifer thinks he will now have man's allegiance. He's won! He's beaten God - He's got his dominion back. But, guess what? God throws Lucifer a curve ball. God gave man free will - he's not a robot. God puts enmity between man and Satan. Now, instead of two wills, today you have almost 7 billion individual free wills running around. Satan does not have man's allegiance and can't possibly control millions and billions of creatures who have their own free will. He was foiled again. Now, there is need of a Savior for mankind. You're right, God could have blown off man and said, let him live in hell on earth without me (imagine a world without God - that is hell - think, Auschwitz) - with no light, no love, no kindness, etc. Adam's fall was not about making a human mistake, it was the fall of a created, noble creature, who willingly chose to worship and live under the dominion of another creature, whom he thought was greater than God. He sought to become a god, he sought this knowlege from satan - if he did as Satan said he would know knowledge. He chose not to worship God and to worship the creature instead. Mankind then needed a redeemer. Mankind and creation needed redemption and to be freed from this evil dominion (the whole world lies in wickedness - i.e., the world lies, like a baby, in a cradle of wickedness - it cannot escape). You know the rest of the story. God's goal is to bring the universe, earth, and all creation into that perfect harmony it once had before Gen. 1:1. Into perfect holiness, joy and love - only the ONE perfect will of God can bring this about. Man's will can never bring this about. Man can never, by any work, ever make himself holy enough to enter into God. That is why Christ is our perfection - he cleanses - or, ends our separation from God, makes us holy and brings us into the presence of God - while here on earth, and in the new heaven and earth to come. God, in his love can never overstep man's free will. Man chooses who to love. Our soul's journey here on earth has one purpose: to decide who we will spend our time with on earth, and our eternity with. We can choose to be with God or not to be with God. God is not the God of the dead but of the living. God cannot, and will not "kill" a man's soul. It will always live, the question is, where and with whom? God doesn't "send" people to hell. Forced love for a person or God is not real love, it is submission. God will never force us to love him. If a man chooses and desires not to be with God, in the end, God must grant him that desire - it would be possession to force someone to want to be with him. There are many who hate God, mock him, spit on Christ's sacrifice - God will give them their desire to live without him. That is the only loving thing God can do. There is a place where God is not. Where a soul may live without God. Its not punishment, its simply being given your desire. Be very careful what you wish for. Christ is holy. He is the entrance into God for us. He was necessary. Any man, who so desires may come. Christ was necessary. Make any sense?

In the beginning of Hitler's conquests, he had special SS troops follow behind the regular infantry and every town they went into, they rounded up the Jews and shot them. It took a large toll on the men who did this, but eventually, they got used to it and started sending home "trophy" pictures. As time went on, there is one infamous incident, where the neighbors decided they wanted to join in and the Nazi's showed them how to shoot, to use just one bullet, if mother was carrying a child, shoot the child, the bullet would go through and kill the mother - on only just one bullet. There is that horrendous picture of the SS man, with rifle about 3 feet away from a mother holding her baby as he shoots at almost point blank range. Much has been written about things like this. Why do men do evil? Simply, because they can. There was no law, no restraint. There's the famous incident of Himmler (the architect of this), going a long one day with these troops, watching an execution and getting blood and brains on his coat, he nearly passed out he was so thorougly grossed out. This is when he decided, because of low ammo, the toll on the men, etc., that there had to be a better, more "efficient" way to exterminate the Jews. This led to the infamous Wanasee convention. You must read this - this is the single turning point, the point of "official" government sanction and approval on the holocaust to come. This was a meeting for only the "top" Gestapo and SS men involved in the exterminations. It was at this meeting that they officially set out the plans for the death camps, Zyklon B, the gas chambers and crematoria. It was ruthless and efficient and could kill millions more without pesky blood and brains ruining the nice uniforms. Hitler's goal, as he told his doctor, was not just a "pure" aryan race, it was, as Genesis 6 talks about, when angels (superbeings) mated with man and produced a "super race" (the giants). Hitler believed the German, aryan race, were the descendants of these supermen (the cross between angel and human). Hitler told his Doctor, that his goal was to make the Germans pure enough again, that the beings would mate with them and produce the super race that would conquer the world. Hitler would wake up at night in a cold sweat and converse with the "angel" that would appear in his room - this "angel" scared the heck out of him and his Dr. would give him a sedative to sleep, all the while Hitler mumbling, can't you see him? He's right here! I believe there was a "spiritual" element in his designs.

Revvel, I'm really enjoying your writings, keep it up. From various readings I've been doing, especially a great book called "The Invisible War" by Donald Barnhouse - which is one of the best I've ever read on an overview of creation through our times now, I have come to the conclusion, we must be taken out of the way. I believed firmly for a long time that we would be saved right before the "wrath," but undergo the tribulation - I guess I was a mid-tribber. Also, I've come to a great understanding of how important each individual soul is. I mention this because we touched on the lake of fire earlier. I read an incredible book about a man's near death experience - it was profound. What he experienced was right out of Ezekiel 32. He died, and was shown a place where God is not (described in Ezekiel 32). He knew, that by his thoughts and life, he had made the choice to be there. It is a place where God is not. It is where those who choose to live without God on earth and for eternity await the last resurrection and judgment. Their souls are quite alive. We know, God says of himself, he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. A fleshly body may die, but God cannot, and will not, kill a soul. The essence of it is: God is love. If someone chooses to hate God, does not want to be with him, has no desire to know him, etc., well, God cannot force an individual soul to do so. Thus, for one who hates God, dislikes him, or is indifferent, the loving thing for God to do is to allow those souls to live without him - this is what they want. Thus, God is not unfair, does not "send people to hell" - its all the individual's choice. God is giving that soul, its deepest desire. This is, I think, is what we would consider "hell." The essence of his story, and book is, be very, very, careful what you wish for, you just may get it. This man had been born again as a child, and had rejected, and even hated God the rest of his life and had always tried to talk his friends out of believing in Christ. I have read several other, very similar experiences. I won't go into detail, but if you want to know the name of the book I'll let you know. This also explained to my why the psalmist David and others prayed their souls would be delivered out of the pit. There is a place, people back then understood, of which the understanding of has been lost today, but I believe God is revealing it once again. But, I see that the one main purpose of our journey here on earth is for each individual to decide one thing, and one thing only: Do I want to live with God now and for eternity, or without him, now and for eternity? That is the choice, I believe all people - whether they believe in Christ or not, make. Our sojourn on this planet is but a short stop, on our way to eternity either with God, or to a place where God is not. To me, the burning lake of fire, is symbolic - it is a place, dimension, or whatever, where God is not. A place where corruption can never again be allowed to corrupt God's holy creation. When you really consider the implications of what life would be like without God - no love, light - no "true" life - this is worse than any fire, or an awful nightmare one cannot wake up from. God uses this symbolism to get across the point, that this place is a place no one would want to go. My 2 cents - sorry for the long post - the lake of fire just sparked some thoughts.

I guess Sprawled out, having spent my youth and adulthood in TWI, corps grad, staffer for 5 yrs., I know, when anyone was an annoyance, or not toeing the TWI party line, or if something bad happened to them, they were told to "get over it," "move on," "renew your mind," etc. And of course, if they didn't "get over it" according to TWI's timeline, there was a gentle kick, and if that didn't work, they were out - very quickly. So, to me, get over it, kick in the butt, etc., is someone's way of avoiding dealing with someone or something and is the antithesis of the love of Christ. Yes, there are situations where tough love is needed, but to me, that would be only after exhausting all other options. Nothing against you Sprawl. Its great to see new people on here :)

Sprawled Out, your advice of giving someone a kick in the butt is pathetic and insipid, why should you be offended? Its true. That was your advice. That advice sounds like someone who's still in. I disagree with your advice. Its too pat, and uncaring. My point is, that the advice to give people a kick in the butt, is unloving and uncaring. If you feel the way to help people is to give them a "kick in the butt" - more power to you. But don't be upset when you get called on it and others think your advice is a little callous. Sounds like I gave you a little "kick in the butt" and you don't like the taste of your own medicine.

Great advice Sprawled, so loving and full of wisdom! How old are you? 13? 19? young and in college? You're obviously still in TWI. Maybe you should have a few laps around the track of life before you give out this insipid, pathetic "insight" (a "useful kick in the butt") to other people's lives and problems.

Thinking about earlier posts, I think the cross is extremely important and that TWI negated it and never saw the greatness of it. I'll give some background, but here's why I think so. I think sin is simply separation from God. All of mankind was separated from God when Adam willingly gave up his dominion, rulership, and position as the mediator between God and man. Adam and mankind became separated from God. I think people often think of "bad" things as stealing, murder, lying, etc. as sin, yet, that is not the sin I believe God speaks of. The bad actions men do is a natural result of sin, which is, separation from God in one's heart. When one is separated from God in his heart, he cannot enter into God's heart, try as he may. His will is not in harmony with God's will, nor can it be. Mankind, each individual with their own free will, and with over a billion free wills in the world today, will never bring peace, agreement with each other, etc. Free will is also a gift from God. Each individual gets to choose - shall I allow God in my heart, or no? Shall I spend eternity - either in the presence of God, or without God? Our short sojourn on earth is a stepping stone on the way to our destination, and our greatest, most important thing we will ever do, is to make this decision. God in his love gave us free will - where do we want to go? Many people hate, rage, and curse God in their hearts. God, as love cannot control or posses men, thus, as a God of love, he must give all men the true desire of their hearts and free will - and some choose a life apart from God. It is each man's decision. To choose to live here on earth, without God, and in eternity, in an eternal place where God is not - to live for an eternity a kind of copy, or facsimile of true life, a place where something is terribly wrong and twisted - a counterfiet of life with the absence of love, light, or to have God in your heart now and to enter into him for eternity - the choice is up to each man. No human being can ever be "holy" enough to enter into God. God is total perfection, perfect holiness, with absolutely no corruption in him, and beyond our comprehension. Corruption cannot live with God. That is why it is such grace, that we, through what Christ did on the cross, can enter into his presence, now, and in eternity. As the children of Israel who had the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their doors were spared the angel of death in Egypt, so, Christ's blood spares us from the wrath to come - which is the cleansing of the world of sin (separation)and corruption, and a restoration back to the perfect harmony in which the earth and mankind were originally created. To pay the price and regain mankind's ability to enter into God and commune with him, to bring him back to God, a payment had to be made. Mankind had to be "bought back" from him to whom dominion was given by Adam. The cross is very important because Deuteronomy and other places say, cursed in anyone who hangs on a cross. Why the cross, and why is that particular form of death a curse, and causes one to become cursed - I don't know, but God says anyone who hangs on a cross is cursed. Christ had to become sin, and take upon him God's full wrath, that deserved to be applied to mankind. Christ had to hang on a cross to show to Israel, and the world, he was truly "cursed." The perfect sacrifice on the cross. Any other way of being put to death would not have fulfilled the prophecies and requirement of God. Thus, I think the cross is very important - there is a reason he was hung on a cross. Just my 2 cents.

Freud, interesting posts. I know when he was made president of TWI, his and his wife's parents were against it, they thought it was too much power and money for such a young man. People who weren't in TWI really don't realize how much power this man had over people's lives. In public he was a dynamic speaker and teacher. But, the verse from Timothy comes to mind - "not a novice, lest being lifted up, he fall into condemnation of the devil." I think this is as close to what happened to him as I can gather. In the beginning, he was a genuinely nice guy, but when he found TWI, he did latch onto and basically worship VPW and set about parroting and imitating everything VP did or said. LCM's father even had a confrontation with VP saying, he stole his son. LCM was used to having the authority from VP and being the "boss" for years. He oversaw the Way corps - that was hundreds, and even thousands of "top leadership" he ruled over, plus all the people of the ministry. It was over the years he went more and more off the deep end. When the pressure would be on, as during the "fog years" and after the POP was read, he would get suicidal and be medicated, maybe this is what you are seeing now. But, if he liked you, and for some reason he did me, even after I refused to sleep with him twice, he could be the greatest guy. Once you spent time with him offstage, so to speak, when he didn't have to be "on" we'd talk about different things, joke around - he was just great to be with. I'd almost say we were friends. TWI taught that if you renewed your mind enough, you can walk like Christ in this day and age. And, if you were spiritually heavy enough, basically nothing was a sin if you could "handle it." Power, adulation, money, never working a day in his life, having all of his needs taken care of - take a look at pictures of TWI Headquarters - he truly had it made. I believe his fall was caused by pride and hubris. I remember when he had a heart. Now, he needs true repentance and to humbly ask people's foregiveness. Yes, I can imagine he's in a daze, still kind of wondering "what happened?" But, if he truly wants to know God and Christ, I would think, after being out for awhile, he would start coming to his senses. It sounds as if he's wallowing in self-pity - not sorry for what he's done, but that he's lost his kingdom.

I went to see it in the auditorium at a corps week. Two things struck me. First, the devil spirit humping. It was at the forefront of the production. I thought, this is just the tip of the iceberg as to what's probably happening backstage and away from the set. It was perverted. The second thing, more than this, was the implication, that it was alright to murder someone, you think, is a "seed" person. I saw murder being condoned in the name of religion and the minister. I knew, that had we lived in a different age, this would have literally happened. It was revolting. Instead of, say Paul, who was buffeted by a messenger of Satan, and who prayed to God, LCM's answer was to murder the bad person. It said, hey, if someone's seed, you can destroy them. I came out thoroughly disgusted and seriously having doubts about our leadership and LCM. Of course, everyone was saying how great it was, but I had a serious conversation with a few folks who saw the same one, we kind of huddled in hushed voices and discussed how sick it was, and what was wrong with the corps thinking this was some "great" production. I wonder if this production, in some small part, opened the door for our exodus after POP.

No marvel, for Satans ministers are transformed into angels of light... Where do you think, in this day and age, Satan's ministers are teaching? They are teaching in the churches, they are your pastors, Revs., Fathers, Ph.D., or whatever title you want to call them. (Note, I did not say all). They are there, to lead you away from Christ and fellowship with God by use of the scripture. Why, after looking at the fruits of TWI and VP's doctrine, and TWI's barreness, and dryness today, would anyone, with any kind of spiritual and discernment and eyes to see, how could they not see the VP was a wolf? Or, as some other who defend him seem to think, an angel of light?

Sprawled Out, I know what you're saying. For me, after leaving TWI after spending over 1/2 of my life in, even though I loved God in my heart, I pretty much didn't read the Bible, I just put it down for awhile and starting living life - I felt like I had been freed from a heavy burden and bondage. Over time I started reading again, but to check out things I had been thinking about or musing on. I believe God works in us and leads us to what we need to learn. So, I see everyone's point. I think what it boils down to, is do what's best for you. If that means go to church, or don't, read the Word or don't, come chat with us here, or don't - whatever you feel you need to do for yourself at that time. Those who do put things down for awhile, don't feel guilty. I believe God leads us each individually as to what is best for us to do. Over time, we see our "true" selves returning, our interests, etc. Sometimes I feel like the title of that movie - Girl Interrupted. My life was interrupted for a long time and I have reclaimed it.

Revel, I find your article very enlightening and food for thought, as I have been going back and forth between no rapture, its wrong doctrine and there is only one return of Christ for all; to ok, maybe the "rapture" is correct. Please continue... :)

I knew many wonderful fine clergy over the years, including Jonny Lingo, Socks, My3cents, there were some great people. From my perspective, it seemed almost all in corps 1-4 were pretty much automatically ordained. These people were usually a bit older than me, and had been in the forefront and beginning of TWI in the late '60s, early '70s - they had run many classes before going corps. They were basically the young, youthful leadership who had made TWI's growth happen. I'll also include some 5th in here (Donnie Fugit), they were the last small group that had been with VP their first year at H.Q. and always longed to go back, they hated being in Emporia their last year, us 7th corps were a large sometimes crazy group and the 5th could be very stodgy. I think they thought we were going to hell in a handbasket - we drove them nuts. They were on average about 10 years older - all late '20s, compared to us late teen, early 20 folk. From about the 6th corps onward, it seemed to me, the rules changed as to who got ordained. It became much more to do with how many classes someone ran, and it got worse as time went on. I know many men who came right out and told me, they would graduate, run classes and get ordained. They were on the ministry "fast track." Ordination, to the later corps men, became a huge carrot - the ultimate "reward" for many of the men. If you were a natural salesman and schmoozer with strangers and could run 4-5 classes or so a year, you were pretty much guaranteed to be ordained. Also, if a man married a woman who was already ordained, it was pretty much a given he would be ordained also. The last women ordained were two in the 7th corps. Then word came down women would not be ordained anymore. I had a friend in the Bronx, a 10th corps grad, who was an amazing woman, ran the Bronx with love and ran class after class after class - more than anyone else probably in the country, for a couple of years. I do believe she had a minstry of an evangelist. She had been told and promised she would be ordained. I remember at corps corps week when they announced ordinations and she wasn't on the list. She was devastated. She had been told that since the men had risen up, there was no need for women to be ordained anymore. I saw the change, from fine early corps clergy, men and women who were quite humbled to be ordained, to corruption and pride of some of them (not all -some are still wonderful today) as the years went by, to the later ones who were only in it for the glory of man and status. Also, note, none of the TWI clergy were considered apostles - they could be all other four ministries, but not apostle - that was reserved alone for VPW.

Sir Lance, I like your list very much - as I look on my own life of faith in Christ, I kind of see those stages. I am not a poetic writer and thinker as you are, but I do enjoy this. I think it is no coincidence that the number 7 in the Bible has always implied perfection. I would like to know how you would list Paul's listings, as you alluded to before.

I was very good friends with the Safety Dept. on staff at H.Q., and since I loved to shoot, and would go to the local town range almost every weekend with my .45 or .38, I got to know quite well the group who were armed at H.Q. It was a small club, and since I loved to shoot and was gung-ho about it, I was accepted in. I spent a lot of time with MF, CQ and others. For your info, VP's drivers were always armed - it was a requirement. One of the newer drivers, who didn't last long (BW) ended up with my used Colt .45 - I had traded it in to the local New Knoxville gun dealer for a 9mm pistol. BW came up to me and said, hey, I have your .45! and we talked about it. DMc who "assisted" the trustees was also always armed. Safety Dept. was always armed, you just didn't know it, plus they always had their "backups" tucked into the inside of their boots. Also, all of the guys who were armed, whether safety, or those responsible for driving or protecting VP and the trustees went to survival camps in the southwest, run by "militia" groups - where they learned gun play. These camps could be found in the back of Soldier of Fortune magazine which one of the top clergy suggested I start reading. But even the TWI people were too weird for one of these camps, as they weren't allowed back and had to go to another one. I remember the corps week at which the POP was read and the corps was in shock. There were two "bodyguards" standing in front of CG constantly scanning the audience in the big top. As I looked around and I also noted all of the safety dept. guys had encircled the big top and were armed. This is when I thought, why is he so paranoid? Who does CG think is going to jump out of the crowd and kill him? I also realized, is this what we've come to? The corps is not trusted and is under armed guard, even though they don't know it? It was a sick situation. Guns were always there at H.Q. and around VP, the Trustees, LCM, etc. It just wasn't a public thing.

Yes Goey - its great hearing from you again. I hope all is well.

CK, you go ahead and defend CG all you want. I've known him since high school, he was my limb leader and I went through the corps with him. He is a venomous hissing snake - yes - I've actually seen him hiss at someone. His nastiness, his sadism - its been discussed by many eyewitnesses, you may want to do a search here on your beloved CG. He's a paranoid nutcase, selling classes and making money off them to the suckers dumb enough to buy them. He's more legalistic than the taliban. I have a feeling you're a young, idealistic person, just like we were once, who couldn't believe TWI's "men of God" would do something so wrong. At your age, I really don't expect you to understand, you'll find out for yourself - eventually. Life is not all black and white. Get back to us when you've experienced life a bit and hit 30. Why did he have so much power? He was truly VP's best friend - birds of a feather - no one else, even HA I think, came close to being on the same wavelength with VP as CG. Two nasty men who found each other.

Chas, you need to understand, GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) is a lifelong affliction. It is a disease, a syndrome - it will never, ever, go away. Oh sure, it can go into remission for a while, ever years - but - there's always a great instrument or amp somewhere down the road. You're just going to have to learn how to deal with it! :)

Stay patient Socks, on ebay, there's always another one right around the corner.

I am so glad I was out by then. LCM has the nerve to wonder how the corps got in debt over the years? Hmm... Let's see: minimum wage pay, either from HQ or on the field, being required to go to every event, every meeting, etc., then medical expenses, etc. - just things in life that TWI never covered. So, what do you do, borrow here, borrow there, to be the good corps person and do all you were expected to do and be at all the events, even if they're half way across the country. These letters show just how they are so totally out of touch with reality - mindblowing. Its so easy for LCM to sit back and spew when he has no rent, didn't have a real job, money given to him for clothing, college paid for courtesy of TWI for the kids, etc. Its just pathetic. I think every top leader of TWI, president's cabinet, or people who have been there more than 10years should be required to go "on the field," get housing, a job - what a shock to their system it would be. These letters are pathetic drivel from someone in total denial about what life is like in the "real world."

So... after 70 degrees out yesterday here in Columbus, what was with the small blizzard we had this morning on our morning commute to work??!! What a weird state.

I had a neighbor teach me travis style picking. I loved Doc Watson. I did manage to learn his song Deep River Blues the way he does it. If you like him, Rev. Gary Johnson (I think that's his name), I believe was also an incredible picker, as well as John Fahey.

Chas, I liked Steve Stevens alot, but since I was never really a fan of Billy Idol, I wasn't as into him as others were. Also, Vito Bratta of White Lion was an excellent player too. About SRV, he really appeals to an archtype - something deep in all men, something unconscious they relate to. There really is a worship of SRV - I've come to a conclusion its a guy thing. I like him a lot, but, I loved Albert King. Listen to Albert King, that's where SRV got almost every lick he ever played. He even copped Albert's tone - the tone of a humbucker neck pickup - SRV got it on the strat. I have most of his albums, but think Albert is more the "real deal." In fact Albert himself felt that way. At one point he told SRV, if I had a nickel for every lick you took off of me, I'd be a rich man. Later, Albert asked SRV to lend him some money for something, like $500. SRV later mentioned it, and Albert said, I'm keeping it, that's my payment. The album they did together is excellent and I think Albert shows SRV how its done on several spots on that CD. Kenny Wayne, Johnny Lang, John Meyers, etc., it seems most blues people are now SRV clones. Now, an amazing player and with amazing tone is Robin Trower - he makes a strat sing. So does Jeff Beck, another incredible player. If you want great LP tones - Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule and some of Dicky Betts' solo albums are great. Jonny, it is amazing all WP put you through to sing a song isn't it? And long gowns for women all the time, and heaven help anyone if they didn't smile - constantly.

Socks, you saw Bloomfield doing live Supersession? Wow! He is also one of my all time favorites. The first blues tune I ever tried to learn doing lead was Green Onions on the Live album. I still listen to it today and make my bands play it! It still gives me chills - something about that particular solo. Too bad he was a junkie - he was just awesome -died way too young. And, he is why all your '59 Les Pauls are going for $250,000 today. No one cared about them until he used his on Supersession - all of a sudden everyone from Clapton and on had to have one. His tone is magnificent on that record. No, I was never really in Way Prod. I think a female lead player was a bit much for VPW. In residence I played (and coordinated my last year in-residence) the corps "dance band" at Emporia - we did rock, had some great musicians. On staff at Emporia I was in the staff "dance band" also with Rick Panyard (formerly of Good Seed) and some others - that also rocked. Then, my last year on staff at Emporia, DM had been after me for years because, of course, God had greater things in store for me, that I should quit music and sell my guitars. Like an idiot, I did. My friend at the local Emporia music store was so alarmed I was selling off my stuff! I brought my guitars in and told him I was selling them to get a motorcycle (he would of thought I was nuts if I told him the real reason). This guy, Mr. "Unbeliever" (who I'd hang out with, go to clubs with, and through him knew the local bands in town and had jammed with them and was asked to join one) was so alarmed, he even offered to loan me the money for the bike. It still po's me off today, some of those guitars are worth thousands now, fortunately, I have been able to acquire those back (not the ones I had, but the same year and models). Then, my last year on staff at hq, before I got fed up and left, I hadn't really played for a couple of years, they decided to do a country band and I was drafted - I was not blessed about this. I think Joyful noise and others were disbanded by this time. I pretty much hated country back then. Then, the bass player left and I had to play bass, which I had never played before, but I knew my scales for each chord, so it was really pretty easy. Several times I threatened to quit because I hated it. Then, they wanted me to wear a dress while playing and I said absolutely not. Finally, thank God, it was disbanded. I went on the field in NYC. It still took me a year or so to think maybe it was ok with God if I played again. One day, I just went and bought a guitar. I realized, all the years in TWI I had not kept up with what was current in lead playing. What was great for the '70s was now quaint. It was the '80s - hair metal baby!!! I spent about 6 months catching up and getting up to speed learning Van Halen, Randy Rhodes, George Lynch, the super "speed" players of metal at that time. After that, I was in hard-core "thrash" metal bands in NYC, then later formed my own, more rock oriented bands. I had a blast. So, no Way Prod. for me - which was a dissapointment because I had wanted to play with them since I saw them in High School. I used to drive up from Columbus and watch them rehearse. When I left H.Q. to go on the field, Cliff Adelman came up to me one day and said, you know, we were talking about who was the best rock guitarist in the ministry, it was between you and Danny Hoefer. I said, well thank you. He then looked at me and said, your problem is, you are ahead of your time. I know VP just really could not accept a female lead rocker. Oh well.

He started saying this all the time about a year before he died - at first I thought it was weird, but then I thought about it and realized, he wasn't saying this out of humility. HP even wrote a song about it - that probably made it worse for him. I never thought it had anything to do with any type of humility. I always had a feeling he had a terrible realization that he had royally and massively screwed up, and the end was near. I think he had a terrible pang of his conscious kicking in - maybe God even showed him. But I think he was scared. I think it was his way of hoping to God that he would have mercy on his soul and forgive him - VP felt sorry for himself a lot - no one else, just himself. Imagine, facing the realization that your life has been a sham, the destruction you've done to young women and others around you, the money you made off of God's Word to spend on yourself. Something went off in his brain. No wonder, from what I've heard, he had the tv and basketball on the whole time before he died - he wouldn't have to think about anything or anyone. And instead of going peacefully, he was angry and "raged against the dying of the light." Not wanted to go where he was going. I really think he was somehow, brought to see fully the reality of what he had done, and therefore, wished he could take back his life and do it over, thus, his wishing to be the man HE KNEW to be. He knew what he should have been, yet choose to eat, drink and be merry, while keeping his religious facade.