shazdancer

No, sudo, really, you can stop there. Scroll-down torture Shazzy

Exactly, Raf, and that is the point. People only get to know this guy on the surface. And that's how he wants it. He knows he gets into trouble when he lets his cruelty show. So he knows how to fake it, with politeness, gentleness, even largesse at times. And it works. Good neighbors are polite, they don't make a mess or a racket. So the antisocial is seen as a good person, because he is a good neighbor. The antisocial person prides himself in pulling the wool over the eyes of such imbeciles as those around him. He does not know how to really care deeply about others. He rationalizes that others don't know, either, that they are all hiding their scams beneath a cloak of politeness, too. Regards, Shaz

Nice, Oak! Geo, I absolutely agree with what you said. I think that's what's wrong with any kind of "geographic cure" to a problem. You always take you with you. So yeah, dumping the guy/gal doesn't always make for a happy, fulfilled life. There's got to be a lot more inventory-taking of who YOU want to be. Regards, Shaz

Amen, rascal. If only WE worked harder.... I think many of the women are reaching the age where they are looking back at their lives, and realizing that the remaining time is short. Regards, Shaz

We were so caught up in knowing how to "rightly divide" I Corinthiams 12 and 14, that we forgot to dedicate our lives to chapter 13. The greatest of these... Regards, Shaz

The most recent DSM-IV term for it is antisocial personality disorder. Wierwille has some of those traits, but he also fits the profile of narcissistic personality disorder. Regards, Shaz

You nailed it, JL, TWI came to follow a guy who said he wished he could stone homosexuals. And no one had enough backbone (or nether regions) to stand up to that kind of statement. Yup, you can rationalize anything in the face of the Great Goal: getting the Word Over the World (or now, getting it to prevail over our cult). Get outa my way, I have a High and Lofty goal! The dilemma is, what are they getting the Word to prevail for? Oh yeah, to make $$$, I forgot. Regards, Shaz

I dunno, Belle, with the heat wave up here, I have been smelling a bit rank these days.***Checks pits -- phew!*** I just think it points it up clear for everyone to see that TWI doesn't want to get the "Word" out -- they want to make cold, hard $$$. Gotta protect those copyrights to their plagiarized material.... Regards, Shaz

My ex went back in. Perhaps I drove him to it. :D--> While we were separated, but he was still refusing to leave the family home, I noticed some Sunday Night teaching tapes on his bureau. I later learned from Waydale that people trying to get back in were required in those days to subscribe to the tapes for a year. Many of them were unopened. I was able to confirm that he had indeed returned to TWI at a court hearing over unpaid child support. He had listed "charitable contributions" under his weekly expenses. I cannot tell you how satisfying it was to interrogate him before a judge (I was acting pro se) and have him admit that he was giving money to TWI. My last question was, "So, you consider giving money to The Way International to be more important than paying to support your minor child?" Heheheh. And yeah, I won that day. Regards, Shaz

Whoa, all those regions! No wonder there is so much micro-management. They all have to do something, and justify their job to an overseer, and there just aren't enough members to do much with! And I never could figure out what a "region" had to do with a tree.... So much for ol' Victor's "vision" of the tree organization! ;)--> Regards, Shaz

Awesome post, Andrea! You really saved up for a good 'un, didn't you! Hi, HCW, Like you, I have spent more of my time post-TWI actually trying to live the Book instead of reading it, or rather reading TWI interpretations into it. I also liked it when you said I thought this when I was was in, and when I was Corps. It's true of anyone in a position of power -- boss, politician, celebrity, husband. It should be a red flag for abuse.Regards, Shaz

Oh, and WayGB, since I have your attention... Perhaps you'd like to go after the deadbeat dad in your midst. You know, you could teach the Bible on the subject, really confront people in love with The Word, really do some good for God in the world. Teach him that "if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith (pistis), and is worse than an infidel (apistos, unbeliever -- nice little figure of speech there)" And of course, he is now in DEBT to his ex, and we can't have any of that now, can we? Shaz

How long was that website up? Mike had disappeared from here for a bit, and had posted over there, so perhaps he can tell us when it first went up. Hey, we told him to get his own site.... But then we had to go and spoil it by announcing its existence, tipping off the WayGB. Hey, at least we know that TWI is still listening in here. Hi, guys! --> Shaz

I remember the "Winchell Mahoney Time" TV series, which I watched as a kid. Paul Winchell had the ability to see the silly side of life, and put it into his characters. He could be in-your-face loud, but harmless at the same time. The quintessential punster. To quote Shel Silverstein, he "put something silly in the world that ain't been there before." Shaz

Yeah, Garth, my mouth dropped open when he said that! I was thinkin,' Who died and left you in charge? Then I remembered the Scientology connection, and knew that we were in the presence of a True Believer. Praise your name, thanks for setting us all straight, especially us women... ;)-->I also thought that he better have his investments in order, because he made his living as a heartthrob, but just alienated himself from women everywhere. I know my yuk factor just went way up. Regards, Shaz

Dear Catcup, It's been 15 years, but here goes... I did it from memory, then looked it up. I only missed the phrase "to have and to hold." Hubby #1 decided he'd rather pledge himself to a bottle. Hubby #2 decided he's rather remake me in his own TWI-ish, narcissistic image, and do nothing himself. Abigail cracks me up, because my current "significant other" is a pretty unobservant Jew. I respect his views. Heck, Abi, if we swapped guys would we look more respectable? Well, too bad, I ain't a gonna! One of the best lessons I learned from marriage #1 was that I didn't have to be attached at the hip to be a partner. Rock on, Catcup! Regards, Shaz

I've thought since about mid-trial that this trial would end up not guilty, because the prosecution was not proving that MJ did this beyond a reasonable doubt to this particular boy. However, I think this case has a good chance in civil court, where it can be proven by the preponderence of the evidence. MJ will probably settle out of court, again. But perhaps the prosecution got part of what they wanted, and that was to try MJ in the court of public opinion. The "eww" factor has been so strong, I don' think MJ has much chance of ever selling a big hit, ever again. Regards, Shaz

Wierwille had a marvelous scam going. He could live the lifestyle of a rich man, without having to pay the taxes. Live in the family home tax-free. Fine gifts, vacations, servants, privileges. Just put everything in a tax-exempt organization's name. Just one drawback: when Wierwille died, he wouldn't be able to will any of those possessions to his wife or children. It didn't seem to stop him. Regards, Shaz

Very sad. No room for individuality. I was one of the few with enough music background that I could conduct a song as if I knew what I was doing. There was absolutely no reason to insist on that way as the only way to run a song ("our way is the only way, none other can you recall"). I think the fun and the music was part of the draw, certainly for me. If they had insisted on religiosity early on, I never woulda joined up in the first place. They coulda saved me a lot of abs.... Oak, the song is "We're Standing on the W-O-R-D," written by C***y B*rn*rd*n*, head of Children's Fellowship at the time. She composed it. There were no "other" versions. Sheesh, whadda maroon! Regards, Shaz

Hellooo, Grand Canyon State! I am looking for current information on the name, address, and/or phone number of the Limb coordinator for the state of Arizona. Please email me or private message me with that info. Thanks, Shaz

Makes me think that perhaps many people were starting to ask TWI that question, and that this was an attempt to quash them all, in one shot. It also bolsters my statement to the new Gspotter, signals, that people did try to question Wierwille, on many levels. His response was to label them "copped out" or possessed, or, as in this case, defeated by the adversary. Let me intimidate you by telling everyone you're intimidated -- sheesh! Regards, Shaz

HI signals, The trouble was, a lot of people did try to stand up against Wierwille, when they found out about the injustices or were propositioned for sexual favors. Many of them were simply kicked out, and the innies were told that those people were to be "left alone," as they were copped out or possessed. I think of how many people now belong in offshoot groups that want to preserve the "good old days" of Wierwille. So yes, I think that if Wierwille had not died, the organization would have remained a lot stronger. Wierwille was just better at hiding his perversions and placating the people than Martindale was. That said, I still think TWI would have shrunk, though not as much as it has. The two contributing factors to this would be the Internet, allowing "cop outs" from all over the world to tell their stories without censure; plus the mere fact that we all grew up, and have become less gullible. And I agree with Jim (not that he cares ;)--> ) that Wierwille would have loved the Internet, his thing was technology: radio, then film, then videotape and television programs, finally a "world class" theatre. He loved this stuff. The betamax v VHS thing was discussed for a long time, as TWI tried to guess which medium would come out on top. Oopsie, no hevvy revvy! Regards, Shaz

But, ya gotta wonder... ... if you have to go through so much to hide your Internet use from TWI, what kind of organization are you involved in? Regards, Shaz

Congrats, Outofthefog! This weekend will be the second time I get to warm a college commencement chair. Second kid, the chem major, graduates with somekinda honors (she hasn't told me what yet), and then goes to grad school. She worked her own way through, and will be a grad assistant next year. Mom is very proud! Regards, Mom

The "Today" show is going to run a segment on expelling preschoolers this morning. FYI, Shaz