OldSkool

Well, from what I can tell most are very young. Either post college or right out of high school. My experiences is that less and less older, more established people go. Perhaps the no debt policy discourages that? Usually, the older folks who go are there because they have to be there to get into the way corps. Either way, the vast majority of participants (when I was around) were either straight out of high school or right out of college. Usually the reasoning for the high school kids is to develop the growth and discipline for college. And for the newly graduated college kids? You guessed it: To develop the growth and discipline that only speaking the word for 6 months can bring. Goof balls sacrifice their young as free labor to that god awful cult.

Mmmmmm.....flax seeds!

Ya, sometimes my sarcasm is lost in cyberspace.

Interesting to note that the way international would be very quick to put us all on the "more commitment" hook for anything that did actually improve our lives while we were involved with them. Communal living has it's advantages. But with them we need to stay committed to the ministry that taught us da werd...

the hours in an offhand waay! I love Time.

The way international is loaded with cliches. In reflecting on my time in the way international I have lost count of the times I was told that I was on the front-lines in the spiritual competition. I will recount some of these times following: as an advanced class student and graduate - the adversary is gunning for those fully instructed ya know as a fellowship coordinator - the life of the way international is at the fellowship level as a way disciple - we really were told this often during the 6 month tenure as staff - In the staff handbook there is a line (paraphrasing here) "Staff of the way international compete at the highest level of the spiritual competition." The context of the statement was forcing the staff to hear the Sunday teaching service each week. as graduated way corps - Oh...we were the vanguard. Anyone else see the pattern here? If you are slaving away for the way international in some capacity then you are on the front lines in the spiritual competition. That reminds me of a song we all used to sing, slightly modified for the posts sake.. "There is sunshine up my a$$ today, more glorious and bright...." Did anyone else realize there were so many front lines in the spiritual competition? If the arena is the mind, then wouldn't it stand to reason that so many front-lines would seem to indicate schizophrenia?

Moving target is correct. So much about these idiots and the way the organization is managed is centered around the president. So it has all changed on the whim of the top cult leader at the time. Perhaps at one time, being in the way corps was a friendly experience where people supported one another. During Craig's reign of terror it seemed to morph into some semblance of a communist regime. Where today's informant becomes tomorrow's victim. Rosie has tried to polish up the corpse with an air of legitimacy based on it no longer being en-vogue to yell and DFAC (dropped form active corps) folks. Perhaps the ole' hag realizes there isn't hardly anyone left to drop? So somewhere in this shooting gallery of moving duckies law enforcement became one of the de facto functions of the corps. It would be interesting to see a time line. Of course there is always the possibility that the chief huckster, Victor Paul Wierwille, started to instill an executive branch function very early on in the game?

No but they can work entry level, menial jobs and live in a rental off of their shared resources...lol

I know! Thanks! Makes sense.

Whooopeee!

Ah, bingo! Military towns are prime as well. I lived in VA Beach sometime ago and there were always efforts afoot to witness to military. Not totally sure why?...maybe, having someone in the military mouth piece for the way international adds some of the credibility the way international so desperately wanst to establish? Yes! Really, I had never made the distinction before. You bring up a really good point. The "buzz" is usually in the branches where they will serve the next 6 months. The local way corps get everyone excited and of course throughout the tenure the way disciples will start "training" the local fellowships "how to" witness boldly. Eeeks. Flashbacks!

No, in fact, because two of the adversaries fronts are yourself, and other people we were always to watch ourselves and each other.

My experiences, being way D 2x, is the enthusiasm is quickly extinguished after a few weeks in the program. Once the extremely tight lifestyle restrictions are realized, and the fatigue, the only excitement left is looking forward to finishing the program.

Oh ya, Possessed as a new boot in hell!

Yep, it's the same reconstituted control structure that promises to produce the same tyrannical, abuses perpetrated by his grandfather's efforts. As much as they want to distance themselves from the way international in the end they are just another offshoot following the same failed recipe that Victor Paul Wierwille used. And, it's only a matter of time until someone comes along and disagrees with the mini-MOG or the mini-MOG just simply decides that someone needs to go for some "spiritual" reason and they will find themselves curbside in the middle of the night, heart broken and victimized by the mini-MOG. Uh-oh, I am

I'd tell em what I dealt with from their dear leaders.

He's a chip off the ole' block, no doubt. This little blurb is from the sowers website. I love the verbage....."charged with oversight"....who did the charging? Mcmullin and gang? God? ... who in their right mind gets their kicks on letting people know they can "dismiss" volunteers....mmmm....fire volunteers, eh? Nice....anywho.

that explains it!

Ya, they can scrape ends together by working at McDonalds or someplace entry level and part time. Then brag about their stellar believing....good lord am I glad I am out of there. But, they really hype the "spiritual" impact they will have. The "training" sessions are loaded with the record where Jesus sent out people and how their impact was so great even the devil himself became involved. Then they draw the parallels with them and the groups Jesus sent out. Then they talk about all the spiritual impact that will happen: crime will fall, spirit strongholds will be broken, and they will find those people the devil has hidden within his kingdom that are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Heck, in group 5 as we were driving towards our assigned city the team coordinator (an apprentice way corps gal) started hypothesizing about how our vehicles must appear to the spirits as we were getting closer. Her theory was we were energized from the weekend's training session and to the watching spirits we would appear as approaching lights. And oh how bright we were....pun intended. As one 18 year old participant sat there starry eyed and went "ohhhhh" I sat in the backseat wondering wtf kinda garbage I was being exposed to. No wonder I became a grease spot. Uhhh.....no.

Why, it's ravalllayshun! Ya infadel!

Looks like the advanced class and way disciple is for the ministry kids now.

There were a couple hundered when I went in group 5. Then around 80 or so when I went in Group 7. 20 is hysterical. And they persist with that rate of attrition without changing their stupid ways. Good work guys! Keep it up. I need some pop corn for this...lol

1st century church in the 21st?....delusions of grandeur... Records of the first century church would win several thousand souls in at a time...That's likely more people than can currently be counted on the way international's dismal attendance rolls....

Let's put this in perspective..... The map is numbered according to Bliss's list. 1) Boise, Idaho 2) AnnArbor, Michigan 3) Columbus, Georgia 4) Austin, Texas 5) Pensacola, Florida 6) London, Ontario, Canada

ROFL@ 5 cities. That means they have an exceptionally dismal turnout. 5 cities. I am not counting the one in London, Ontario because those are typically manned with followers in that local area. Perhaps they are moving some Canadians around but I seriously doubt they are sending folks from the USA there. I remember in the late 90s there would be many locations all across the USA, now they can barely muster 5, with some I/O support in Canada. Pssst....hey Rosalie - that no debt policy sure is help your efforts! Keep up the good work....pfff....a$$.