TheHighWay

Rascal, Your account is so similar to mine, its scary. I got involved with twi at a young and vulnerable age when I was looking for answers and looking for a purpose, but over the next 20 years I gave up everything I liked and enjoyed and felt good doing. I sacrificed my own personal "wants" in order to do what I thought was "a greater good". I derailed my career plans, sacrificed my family loyalties, spent a good-sized inheritance on twi-demanded activities and programs, and gave up my personal freedom of choice on who I would spend time with, what social activities I engaged in, what music I listened to, what food I ate, what pets I could own, what house I would live in and how I would decorate and clean it, what jobs I would take, what medical decisions I made, how to treat my husband and how to raise my own child. Like you, I am amazed and appalled at the control I let them have over me. I deeply regret the loss of years of my life. And nothing they "gave me" (ie knowledge of the bible) comes close to replacing what they took from me. When I got out a few years back, I found myself (as Ex stated) exactly right back at the beginning, and having to begin the life at 40, that I should have been beginning at 20. Buying my first home, trying to find a way to go back to college so I can someday be making a decent salary, figuring out what hobbies I like and remembering that it's okay to like them, learning to do something for "me" and not feel guilty, learning how to be patient and kind to strangers with no strings attached, and hardest of all: trying to trust again. I'm truly happy for anyone who benefitted from the way international. I really am. But, I know a lot more people who are just like us -- displaced in our own lives -- than people who walked away without harm. Hang in there, Rascal. I keep reminding myself that the best revenge is a life well-lived. And I, for one, plan to live for a lot more years still...

Eagle... are you saying Craiggers lifted material from Geer's class???? OMG When did CG put his class together, and when did WAP get put together? Is it possible they just both read the same reference book and added it to their classes?

Okay, I finally went to see it myself... loved it. Don't expect it to be like the book... there are LOTS of changes. But somehow, it IS just like the book because the storyline moves along as it should. Raf... I totally agree... the scene where Harry returns from the graveyard is awesome. My only (trivial) complaints: Dumbledore was a bit too aggressive at times... I always think of him as supreme power under tight control. I thought they could have drawn the graveyard scene out a bit longer. I can't wait to see it again.

I have done AP/AR, Payroll, Taxes, budget projections, etc. with a few different kinds of software, and for several very different kinds of companies (food, construction, rentals, non-profit), and my general take is that I absolutely agree with the last three comments (Jim, Kit, and Jet)... so I will repeat them here: Quickbooks is the definately the simplest to get started with and the easiest to do a small, basic bookkeeping type business with. However, they have gotten more complicated and more expensive as time has gone on, and their forms are not well suited for all types of businesses. And I find their insistance in tying in their "online assistance" at every turn quite annoying. Peachtree is very similar in content to Quickbooks but a little less user-friendly to start with (only a little). It seems to have more flexibility and depth in terms of what it can do for you. It's DEFINATELY a key factor to know what your accountant uses. It's SO nice to just hand them a compatible company file at the end of the year!!!!

Psalmie... families will always be a pain in both the rear-end and the heart... for good and bad reasons. I'm like you... a pleaser. I find great satisfaction in making sure other peoples' needs are taken care of, and that they are having a good time. That's fine, until you get teamed up with a taker. Because these people take advantage of your good and giving nature. You have to realize that what would make YOU happy and comfortable is just as important as what they want, and stick up for yourself, no matter who gets annoyed about it. [Like you did at the cabin... you go girl!!] You don't have to be obnoxious or a bully about it, just don't settle for less than what you want. My family has several ways of taking advantage of me. I have spoken to them about it on a few different occasions and frankly, not much changed. But, it felt very good to say the words and not keep them bottled up inside. It was good for me. And I started changing the way I responded to them. Sometimes I cater to them and sometimes I don't, based on what is best for me at the time. Switch it up. Don't be predictible. Only you can decide how much of their actions are selfish manipulations, stupid thoughtlessness, or just fear of your past. But if they want to stay at a hotel and leave on Friday, maybe you should invite yourself to breakfast that morning and see them off. If they are afraid of attending your "fellowship", maybe you should call it off that evening and ask them if they want to go see a movie or hang out and play games, or maybe you should just say, sorry you'll miss it and go without them. The bottom line is, it's YOUR CALL, And finally, you just have to realize that they will probably never change. So, you can either give 'til it hurts for the rest of your life, or draw boundary lines and defend them. Trust me, the second choice is better. Takers don't appreciate or respect you for your sacrifices, mainly because they don't even recognize them AS sacrifices. They often don't think about you at all. They only see themselves as receiving their just due. It's very hard to change that kind of attitude. So change yours. Don't take their selfish, thoughtless behavior so personally. It isn't about you. They aren't thinking about you, so YOU have to think about you. It makes it so much easier to love your family for the flawed, ridiculous human beings they are (just like the rest of us): laugh about them, cry about them, and try to let the rest roll off your back.

I've read a lot of reviews and, like always, they are all over the place: the special effects were great, the special effects were stupid; the acting was great, the acting was over the top, the acting was inconsequential; the movie does a good job of following the book, the movie goes on its own path too much; the movie is jumpy and too hard to follow, the movie is fast-paced but nuanced and well put together. I won't be seeing it for a few days but a reliable source saw it last night and told me, "The reason it feels jumpy is because people who read and loved the book know what's been left out, and people who haven't read the book don't know all the details." Either way, apparently the movie does sorta cut from one thing to another in a quick manner, and doesn't always provide what some of us might consider key details. (which was my biggest gripe with the third movie) Frankly, I've finally come to terms with all the different ways the directors envision the Potter world... because that's what JK Rowling wants most: for people to get their own personal experiences out of her books. She has stated that she never wanted people to read the books and have everyone picture the same Hogwarts, or Dumbledoor, or even Harry. She wants to encourage imagination and a love of reading in people. So, to that end, I celebrate the differences in the movies, and enjoy them as an extension of her stories. The books are still the very best way to experience the world of Harry Potter.

FRIDAY!! FRIDAY!! FRIDAY!! FRIDAY!!

Congratulations, you two!! I've watched EarthDog trials on TV. Quite impressive, what a dog will do to get its rat. Keep up the good work! And keep us posted. --THW

By the time I got involved (early 80s) I think it was already becoming "ill defined"... on purpose. I vaguely remember hearing the specifics about what "word over the world" would mean, but much, much more often I heard it defined as "the truth of the word --- of course being taught via twi --- would be AVAILABLE to every man, woman, and child on the planet". By that definition, you can see how Martindale stretched his little brain to come up with the concept that it WAS over the world, because the classes had been available in most of the major world languages, and into many countries, for a few years at that point. His reasoning was that, if God wanted them to hear the word, it was reachable in a nearby country and God would open the doors for them to find it. People didn't have to come all the way to America to get it. Now, I'm not in any way defending his rationale. It doesn't even come close to "a twig on every block", which I do distinctly remember being taught... (was it during that Vic class on what a Twig was?... wonder if I still have those old class notes?) Sorry, I digress...

Originally, they did loan money to members... when did that change?

Wow, Oaks... THAT's the structure for going way corps? I was still in, in 1995, but somehow I ignored that little tidbit of info... YUCK. Is it still like that?

Thomas... Yes, there was a sheet-music version of "sing along the way" published, and I think I still have a copy in my files somewhere. It was 8½ x 11 sheets punched for a 3-ring binder, so it's kinda thick. On the flip side... I would love to get my hands on a copy of the 1978 Lutheran Hymnal... I grew up Lutheran and loved the song service, until sometime in the 80's when they "modernized"... eeeewww. The melodies of the songs were all over the place. It didn't sound like church anymore. ((sigh)) Wanna trade? THW

Stayed Too Long... Your comment about tuition would apply if twi was just an educational facility, who's very infrastructure was in place simply to provide instruction and learning to its students. However, 99% of twi's structure would (and still is) in place whether the corps was there or not... And the items that were specific to the corps training, dorms, food, cleaning, training staff... were clearly either paid for by ABS, or were very much offset by the workforce the corps represented. Example... you needed staff to oversee the corps who did groundskeeping. BUT... the corps trimmed the trees, planted the flowers, mowed the grass, cleaned the woods of groundfall, and chopped wood that the leaders used in their fireplaces. Quite an offset, there. Five minimally paid staff --- thirty free laborers. Even in the dorms, which were obviously built for the purpose of housing corps... they were cleaned, decorated, painted, and wall-papered by free way corps labor. Tell me what university doesn't have to pay for those services, which is then charged back to the community and the students...

Mr. Rogers visits The Way International... Milieu Control: members are pressured to conform to the group’s ways can you say, "believers" and "unbelievers"? can you say, “the household of the way”? can you say, "mark and avoid"? Cult of Confession: leaders draw you into admissions which are then used against you can you say, “VP and Me”? can you say, “check up from the neck up”? can you say, “spiritual suspicion”? can you say, “purging the household”? Sacred Science: if the methods don’t work for you, YOU are the problem can you say, "believing equals receiving"? can you say, "renew your mind"? can you say, "God honors conditions, not people”? can you say, “take your foot off the hose”? can you say, “out of fellowship”? can you say, “broken principle”? Language Loading: jargon is used to change your world view to that of the group can you say, “Word over the World”? can you say, “WOW, the Rock, Headquarters”? can you say, “HoHoReLo”? can you say, “present truth”? Doctrine over Person: only your experience within the group gains you status and benefits can you say, “you gotta go to grow”? can you say, “Adv. Class grad, twig coordinator, way corps, clergy”? can you say, “nametags”? can you say, “a man’s gifts make room for him”? Salvation: the group places itself on a level higher than any other group can you say, “The Word is the Ministry, and the Ministry is the Word”? can you say, “the Word like it hasn’t been taught since the first century”? can you say, “research, teaching and fellowship ministry”? can you say, “the man of god for our day and time”? Love-Bombing: new people are treated specially in order to entice them into the group can you say, “God Bless, you are the BEST!”? can you say, “greet them with a holy kiss”? Cognitive dissonance: there is a contradiction between what is said and what is done, but you are conditioned to stop questioning or even noticing this difference can you say, “hold it in abeyance”? can you say, “renew your mind”? can you say, “fear is the sand in the machinery of life”? Charismatic Leadership: the leadership is revered and is to be obeyed without question can you say, “Victor Paul Wierwille”? can you say, “Loy Craig Martindale”? can you say, “the Loyalty letter”? can you say, “A leader’s suggestion is tantamount to a command”? Deception in Recruiting: once you are in the group, you realize some of the promises they made were bogus can you say, “ten years growth in one year”? can you say, “in-depth spiritual perception and awareness”? can you say, “more harmony in the home”? Exploitation: people work for next to nothing, to the benefit of the leadership; and associations with outside family and friends are discouraged can you say, “way corps work program”? can you say, “God first, others second, self last”? can you say, “paid on a need-basis”? can you say, “plurality living”? can you say, “I have no friends when it comes to the Word”? Non-Critical Thinking: questions about the doctrines or actions of the group are answered with the implication that the questioner simply doesn’t “understand”, and all outside sources of information are ridiculed or banned can you say, “foundational, intermediate, and advanced classes”? can you say, “spiritually mature”? can you say, “stay off the internet”? can you say, “teaching schedules”? can you say, “receive, retain, release”? can you say, “the truth needs no defense”? Loss of independent Judgment: members must get leadership approval for all decisions great and small; and disobeying or leaving the group is discouraged by predicting disastrous consequences can you say, “plan the adversary out of your life”? can you say, “weekly schedules and vacation itineraries”? can you say, “there’s wisdom in a multitude of counselors”? can you say, “go two-by-two”? can you say, “grease-spot by midnight”? Sleep Deprivation: members are deprived of sleep to make them more compliant can you say, “bless patrol”? can you say, “set up crew”? can you say, “way corps training”? Sure.... I knew you could.

OKAY... I just figured out that if you type: p-e-s-h-i-t-t-a in normal type, the "dirty word catcher" automatically changes it to peupsetta or "pe--upset--ta"... so this guy's simply talking about an Aramaic interlinear text.

Are you guys posting these pictures of Marvin in all his travels? Maybe Brother Speed would take him for awhile... Brother Speed, are you allowed to have visitors?

If you have a variety (wow, college division, corps, staff, advanced class, advances, etc.) maybe you could break them into small pieces and make a mozaic design.

Belle, Your description is EXACTLY what I remember.... eeeewwwww. We'd have "game night" parties, where we were supposed to witness to people and get them to come over for a night of fun. The poor souls that actually attended were "blessed" to death with fake smiles, fake chit-chat that was completely flat, and an agenda so obvious, it's amazing to me that the guests didn't just run, screaming, from the house. One more example of twi trying to repeat what originally attracted many of us to twi, but only obtaining the "form" and none of the "substance" -- ie: heart. In the early days, people just LIVED, and had such joy doing it, that others were naturally attracted. Now, they put on events and staged activities, and there is no joy or fun because everyone is afraid to just be themselves. God forbid you say something off-hand and offend the leadership. God forbid you make a joke about something and get nailed for confessing a negative. God forbid, in a moment of candor, you let slip that all is not perfect in your life... and open yourself up for a complete rectal exam by the leadership... I repeat: eeeeewwwwwwww.

They are STILL telling people what to teach each week?????? I thought they had stopped that nonsense. Do they at least let you choose your own verses from the Bible now? Or do you still have to regurgitate the Sunday service verbatim? "the softer side of twi" --no thanks

Okay, okay... in defense of Way Corps Training... we never sat in class being taught to twist peoples' words, manipulate circumstances to our own advantage, kiss leadership's butt, etc. C'mon. Geez. We were never taught that kind of crap.... We WERE taught that if the regular time for a weekly rehearsal was 10am, and they decide to make it an hour earlier for a special event without telling you, and you show up at the regular time, you weren't listening to God, and have earned yourself a spittle-laden screaching from lcm. We WERE taught that if Craig talks about someone behind their back at a meeting, that's instructional. But if you know the person that's being talked about and you let them know what was said about them, that's gossip. Worse yet, it's spitting in the face of God because it's leaking what leadership told you was lockbox. We WERE taught that if you reason out a decision, and lay it out before your leadership and they approve, that's godly. But if the next level up of leadership doesn't like the idea because they had a different plan in mind, your decision was ungodly all along and you and your leadership just missed it. We WERE taught that the corps lifestlye was a selfless one... and we learned this by giving up reasonable living quarters, reasonable incomes, and putting ourselves out there 24-7, while sharing bathrooms, dining rooms, even cars with each other. But we also learned that a leader was worthy of his hire, so it was okay that Craig and the BOT were served a special foods at the head table, had help in their homes, and took trips to the Bahamas. We WERE taught that stringing chairs and lining up table numbers and potted plants was godly. But that comforting a child when they were crying during children's fellowship was not. ............. I think you get my point.

Templelady... I have several siblings and amazingly, we are all relatively normal... no drugs or alcohol problems, all working, most happily married. We were all raised together in the same house that the folks still live in. That is not to say we haven't had our family squabbles. We are all opinionated and stubborn. And we are all capable of exhibiting quite a fiery temper. We've had open rifts that have lasted several months, and we've had simmering rifts that just bubble beneath the surface for years, waiting for someone to say the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person and then boy, just watch the explosions! So, what the heck do you do when sister A is furious with brother B and both think they are right, and both think they've been wronged, etc. The best advice posted here is "stay neutral". It's really hard to do when one sibling is pushing at you to be on their side, (been there, done that!) but for your own sanity you simply HAVE to stick up for yourself. Tell your half-sister you care about her and you understand her point of view, but that frankly you ALSO understand your brother's point of view and she needs to respect that. And if she is "clingy" right now, don't you feel guilty for setting your own boundaries!! If she emails you every day, just take your time in replying. If she calls you every day, let the answering machine pick it up, and call her back when YOU feel like it. If she complains just calmly explain to her that you are happy with a certain level of communication, and you are very sorry if it is different than hers. I realize that this involves a certain amount of adjustment on your side: perhaps you hate letting the answering machine pick up your calls. But, hey, welcome to the land of being in a family. Where it goes from there is entirely up to her. She will either calm down and realize that she's not the only person on the planet, or she won't. And you can't control that. If she continues to push, you may need to continue to back off... even to the end of changing your phone number or email address if need be... I know that sounds drastic, but the bottom line is: you are just as important as they are. So don't let them push you around. Just because they are family doesn't mean they own you, or you owe them anything but love. And you can love them very much and still not allow them to suck you into their issues. Hope this helps. THW

How do you convert cassette tapes to CDs? I don't know if there is a better way to do this, but this is my way: You connect the earphone jack on your cassette tape player to the microphone jack on your computer. (I just use the connector cord that came with my camcorder and ignore the video plug, but I'm sure Radio Shack or some such place could get you the right connector.) I have software (which you can get free on the internet... its called Goldwave) which will record the audio as a WAV or MP3 file. It will also let me "clean up" the track -- a little -- if there are pops and hisses on it. I then use Roxio CD burner software, which came with my computer (I'm sure you could also find freeware of this type on the internet) to burn it back to a music CD. The whole process is a bit time-consuming but very easy.

The following is a list of old Way Production cassette tapes I still have. (I "never" listen to them so I don't know what kind of condition they are in any more, but I'm going to go ahead and convert them over to CDs just to preserve them.) Some of them are just copies, so I don't have the date of production, etc. I also don't know the history of some of these groups... who was in them. Where did they form? How long did they play together? Were they way-made or home-grown? I would really appreciate it if any of you could tell me about these tapes and groups. (like, does anyone know what kids they used for the Kid's Sing-Along the Way tape?) Thanks in advance. THW Star of the Show --- PDSTRO --- 1979 Love Letters --- VP Wierwille --- 1979 Music from Love Letters --- ???? - 1979 Inaugural Music --- The Way Int. Orchestra --- 1981 Building a Bridge --- The Victors --- 1982 New Horizons --- New Horizons --- 1982 Branded --- Branded --- 1982 Rock and Roll --- Take It --- 1983 We’ve Got the Power --- Sam Pruyn --- 1983 Acts 29 --- Bob Stanley --- 1983 10th Anniversary --- Joyful Noise (Tapes 1 & 2) --- 1984 High Country Caravan Humor --- Randy Anderson --- 1984 Ready for Anything --- Acts 29 --- 1984 Athletes of the Spirit --- The Way Int. Orchestra --- 1985 It’s Hot --- Acts 29 --- 1985 Thank You, Dorothy Thank You, Rhoda (Vol. I & II) --- 1985 Delighted in God --- Harmony --- 1985 Branded: A Lifetime --- Branded --- 1986 So Much More --- Tim Stiles --- 1987 Sing Along Favorites --- 16th & 18th WC at HQ --- 1988 The Way of Abundance and Power --- Singing Ladies of the Way --- 1996 We Are Committed --- ???? --- ???? High Country --- ???? --- ???? In This Thing Together --- Called Out --- ???? Love Always --- New York Way Prod --- ???? Spark in the Dark --- Billy Falcon --- ???? ???? --- Breakthrough --- ???? God First --- Acts 29 --- ???? ???? --- Kids Sing Along the Way Songs --- ???

Catcup... I had the exact same thing happen with my way-bound-employer when I left the group... one day my work was "the best they'd ever seen" and "really made a big difference in the office" and the very next day it was "I'm sorry we won't be needing your services anymore". And when I asked for the letter of recommendation I had already been promised (pre-departure) I was met with total and utter silence. They wouldn't take my phone calls, and wouldn't respond to my letters. So much for not causing offense... But, I've never tried getting my transcripts from HQ... I wonder how many peoples' checks they've "lost" over the years. THW

Well, at least this year's poster is a bit more pleasing to the eye. (still pretty stodgy, but I like the colors) I thought the big announcement was going to be their new pfal class going out to the masses...