OldSkool

Thanks, Socks!

Well, at least try to remember for folks like me that have recently left the way, a dead horse to you is a prancing young stallion to me. I have no doubt that most all of what I post has been covered before. But I am not posting for the good of the group, I am posting to sort out the spaghetti noodles in my head and a lot of the perspectives and experiences on GSC has really helped me move on and start a new life. Hopefully, soon I will be able to move on past GSC as well. Well just have to see how that comes along.

Egads, I had no idea Dylan wrote that. After a little googling I have to agree that Hendricks did way better than Dylan. It doesn't hardly sound like the same song. What he said. If we build it they will come....uhhhh.....

Watchtower is one of the best Hendricks ever did.

I just thought I could land a new gig writing for them since my life seems to be littered with experiences that could be incorporated into the series. At least for an episode or two.

I wonder if they need authors.

On another note, during my way disciple tenures, a new student was booted from the very first session because he was a minute or so late due to traffic. The person was obviously frantic to make it and was just a little late. Never mind that the class schedule made it difficult for him to make it because of his work schedule. Never mind that we worked him over to sign up in spite of the obvious difficulties facing him due his schedule. The poor kid was out a hundred bucks just like that with no grace, mercy, long-suffering etc. In retrospect I think the class coordinator got his rocks off booting the poor guy. Something real spurrrtul musta came up. (read: strip poker in the WW home basement )

I dunno - mainstream vs, fringe, JW vs. RC, acceptable vs. unacceptable...one man's floor is another man's ceiling.... I was raised Southern Baptist and bolted when I was a teenager. Then in my early 20s I was witnessed to by what (I believed to be) an adherent of the true religion - the way international - complete with Martindale yelling and condemning everyone from here to Timbuktu. Now I have left the supposed "true religion" and have been witnessed to rather vigorously by an adherent of one of the other "true religions!" So, I am somewhat taken aback seeing a mirror of my former self come at me like I went at so many others. Karma? Perhaps. Otherwise, there is nothing earth shattering here. Just personal observations / experiences I thought I would share to see what fell out of the tree. Maybe some of you are JW now? If so, I offer the same sentiment to you as my friend who cared enough to endeavor to "save me" from my impending doom. Thanks, but no thanks.

Case in point.

nope, SSDC (same $41t different cult) Personally, I have no axe to grind with JW. I have just been shocked to see how similar TWI is to them in some respects. My conclusion at this point is that Wierwille at least ripped off some of their doctrine. Perhaps more. However, after being in the way international for many years and then having a good friend endeavor to convert me to JW I have the overwhelming desire to run like hell when I hear what they have to say.

Great point! The cult leaders, ala the way international's own brand, are more like the ones Paul warned against in Philippians (and other places). The dogs that bite and devour, seek their own, spy out liberties, have confidence in the flesh, etc.

Thanks! Good point. And it seems that the way international cloaks it's rituals by saying they have no rituals. Yet they are loaded with them. I think both of these groups (TWI / JW) engender a very rote, ritualistic lifestyle in their adherents. All of this is coming up for me because I have made a friend who is J/W. I feel like I am hanging around with a mirror of my old way brained self. Oh, and there is no reasoning when it comes to Jehovah's Witness doctrine. To my friend it is above question and they are the true religion.

It occurred to me after leaving the way international, and clearing my head from being way corps, that one of the main functions of the way corps is law enforcement. I literally have lost count of the times, as way corps, I was told to enforce policy / law against the followers of the way international. I also lost count of the times that I altered the instructions given me so as not to be abusive to those I was sent after. I acted as a buffer so many times between the directors and the rank n' file! Anyways. As way corps we were also lectured that we needed to be the watchmen on the walls who keep the household clean. Now, that watchman job basically means spying out the believers to make sure they are all following the letter of the way international's twisted laws. And like any totalitarian regime when someone is breaking the laws then it reflects on the local leader because God would have told them there was a problem, etc.... Anyone else thought about this?

Also, it seems at a cursory glance the perhaps Wierwille ripped off some doctrine from them as well. Jesus not being God (Witnesses say he was Michael in the OT appearing as the son of man, still similar though) Dead being unconscience until resurrected Followers of each of these organizations are taught they are to be a separate people Both groups feel they are the worlds true religion etc..

Bump. Witnesses from Wikipedia

I have been a personal target as well. The woman has fangs! Given the opportunity she would eat her young.

:anim-smile:

I apologized to the people I felt I could have done better for.

Ya, seems they scurried off! Probably to let their fellowship buddies know how he had fought wild beasts on GSC or how the light of gawd's werd he heralded forth on GSC backed down the sprrrts....or perhaps it got those sprrrts all riled up?....anyway...

I have never heard of them asking forgiveness from anyone. Perhaps as individuals, in private? (never to me - publicly or otherwise.)

She has done all these things and the end result is the boring, wonder bread teachings that crank out week from week. It's all her doing and her and her cheerleaders consider it the "best" and "timeless."

We could just consider his functions as a dancer as fulfilling the function of an uncomely part! And it has proven needful, if nothing else for comic relief.

As if saying "no" wouldn't have been met with some scripture twisting confrontation!

For all we know they were sent there to "clean house."

Yes! I just love posting it over and over again...it does something to me.... :blink: