outandabout

Was that during the big thunderstorm? I thought it was because the devil was so ....ed off at the caliber of the ordainees.

With all that rainbow stuff, these days it would be viewed as something pro-gay.

I heard a couple of times that when some people heard that teaching, they were afraid they had committed the unforgiveable sin and had become seed. So they discontinued it.

Too bad they don't cover TWI. But it's so inconsequential now that there's not much to cover. More Ex-TWIs than current "members". Can't say "members" can we. No members in the Way, only the BOD. But as a non-member you must commit your mind, your soul, your life. But you're not a member!

I like to listen to different Bible teachers on You-tube and read books about the Bible from different scholars. There are many many people who have studied the Bible for years and have a lot to share. It now amazes me that I accepted one class as the final say on God's Word. We were programmed that we were not to consider any teachings from any other source other than VP or PFAL or the higher-ups in TWI. Blows my mind now that I look back on it. We were led to think that we were so special and we had the Truth, unlike all the other schlubs in the body of Christ who didn't have the knowledge that WE had. Oh yes, we were SO special. And I would like to add that sometimes these Bible teachers don't agree. Does that mean I have to close myself off? The worst that can happen is I have to know I don't know about something.

I got to the point where I hated that phrase. It made me feel guilty that I was never doing enough to "Move the Word".

also reminds me of the servant ironing the newspaper for his master at Downton Abbey. Except, come to think of it, he got wages and a roof over his head.

Reminds me of the broken mints that had to be placed at the podium.

I was in MS with the "Lollys". They were always kicking people out, or threatening to. They even threatened to kick a guy out of town who was from there! And they got mad at him when he took back his furniture that he had left when he went WOW.

What??!! OMG!

Oh and by the way, I have been in therapy for years for a psychiatric condition I've had that needed treatment and medication that I did not think I needed while in TWI. (Renew your mind yada yada yada) So I went untreated and subjected to any episode that might come up, Now I go to sessions (only once every 6 months) and take my meds consistently. So now I'm stable and doing ok.

"The fog" was actually a time of great clarity for many TWI people. It was a time to wake up and realize they could leave.

Oh geeeze...

Regarding cognitive dissonance - while in the process of extricating myself from TWI in 1988, I experienced a strange process going on in my mind. I was starting to think original thoughts - thoughts that were contrary to my TWI programmed thoughts. Sometimes I would hear Craig yelling against my thoughts, yelling things I had heard at mealtimes in residence. So I did the thing with the line down the middle of the page. Left side - my thought, right side - TWI rebuttal. Back and forth, back and forth. Like having two brains. As time went by, my own thoughts predominated and the yelling rebuttals receded. Many years later, my brain belongs to me. And TWI is a distant far off strange thing I was in....... the farther back in time it gets, the stranger it seems.

I took the class in the Fall of 1973, and I left in March, 1988.

"spiritual problems" - that guy's possessed.

I'm sorry I did.

Learning what I have about VPW since leaving, I can't believe he would drive around alone with a female and not try something.

Well take you to the land of milk and honey, all we ask is all your time and money.

Yes, very good book. I too read it nonstop.

When my husband and I were engaged, he, not having been in TWI for long, saw Loy dancing around on a big screen at a branch meeting. He was perturbed that the president was dancing. I just thought he was "too young in the word" to understand.

It's really too bad it took her so long to get it. And what did they think would happen with that letter? Didn't they notice what happened to other people who questioned the status quo? I don't condemn her, I just feel bad for her.

As for the three weeks off- If you had to quit your job to go to Corps Week and The Rock, how were you supposed to get another job when you went home that gave you three weeks off? And then you'd have to quit THAT job the next year if they didn't give you 3 weeks and be right back in the same situation. And that would just make it harder and harder every year because your job history sucked after never spending a decent amount of time at a job as a loyal employee. People at the top and at HQ had no clue and they were the ones telling us what to do!

I remember one of his letters said "As for the do-nothing Way Corps, I guess God was just wasting his time". Talk about a guilt trip!