Jim

I sponsored that guy in the corps. What an investment

Do you still have to take the Advanced Class Test? Can I substitute the Genuine Bible Scholar Test instead?

86% and haven't opened a Bible in over 20 years.

The more I read this crap, the more certain I am. By the grace of God we didn't turn into a Jonestown.

I've always been amazed, reading these stories, at the difference in intelligence between VPW and his Golden Boy. VPW did some stupid and wicked things, but IMHO, was a very smart man. LCM, on the other hand, never struck me as being very smart to begin with and seemed to lose what intelligence he had in proportion to the power he acquired in TWI.

Non sequitur, in that the lives of church leadership *can* affect the way followers think even if it doesn't affect official doctrine. In traditional churches, the life of leadership has little to nothing to do with doctrine. In non-traditional churches, where one charismatic leader focuses the entire drive of the church, that individual becomes both the official and unofficial doctrine. For example, how many TWI believers tried Drambouie because it was VPW's drink of choice? Perhaps not a doctrine issue, but an example of how the flock was led by insignificant issues.

Sorry to interrupt a great story, but could someone give me clue as to who Rev. Fart really was?

I'll happily discuss any religion or social group as a disinterested 3rd person. Any attempts to recruit me will result in me running as fast and as far away as I can.

She went to jail for lying about cashing in $50k of stock. Big difference.

VPW's pride and ego did seem to dominate his character. The only times I can remember anything even close to an apology would be when he didn't think he was getting through to us with a teaching and would say something like "I wished I could teach this better". Legend has it that he also apologised to the first non-smoking corps. He had tried to quit himself and wasn't able too. Someone here must have been in that Corps meeting and can verify or deny it...

Don't let em grow up to be cowboys...

I think we're on to something... How about a bacteria in Tick's colon?

What Alfakat said.

Tick

Pure speculation on my part - I suspect that TWI's liability insurance carrier would not allow it.

He||, I think he's cabinet material. Give him 20-30 year and he could be the MOGFOT.

Starting to smell like a troll.

But you didn't define commitment. My wife and I lived together for 2 years before we got married. We're still together coming up on 22 years. Were we committed for the first 2 years? Yes. We were committed to determine whether or not we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. When we figured we were, we got married. Worked for us.

Kinda got off on the wrong foot, I'd say... You can expect anything you want. You'll get what the forum members choose to give you. I'm not sure why you feel that you can define your own terms of how you interact here. Perhaps it's your corps or leadership status at TWI. If so, rest assured that it means nothing to us.

Everyone knows how difficult it is to clean up the residue after ductape is gone. You better stay.

Who'da thought there was so much culture here at GS? I'm impressed. Most of my favorites have already been mentioned. I definitely second Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, a piece I much prefer to Water Music. As to JS Bach, the greatest composer that ever lived, another nice piece is the Concerto for Oboe and Violin. My all time favorite, however, is his Mass in B minor. Being a mass, it has movements themed to the worshop of God and life of Christ. So you have uplifting as well as reflective moods in the piece. If you get a copy, don't try to digest the whole thing at once. Start with the Laudamus te, a sweet soprano aria, Domine Deus, a gorgeous soprano-tenor duet that has the tenor singing praise to God while the soprano sings of Christ and his relationship with God. All interwolven in a stunningly beautiful fabric. Then try Et resurrexit, a celibration of the resurrection of Christ, probably my favorite movement. Another real favorite of mine is Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. It's a little bit manic, with alternate happy and sad movements, but I love the emotion wrapped up in it.

Separate bathrooms.

Yeah, it could have been a part of LEAD training...

Copenhagen, I think you're thinking too hard. I think that Rosie's only priorities are to stay under the IRS radar and to keep everyone else on staff fat, dumb and happy.

Now don't get the wrong idea. I do a lot of metalworking with aluminum and WD40 is a good and convenient cutting fluid. My wife has told me more than once after a long evening in the shop that I "smell like WD40".