Erick Konkel

Zixar, Thanks for the post. I understand your analogy. But you nailed it in your first sentence. So for those in the Cafe that don't want any help or get angry at my posts, well, pass the danish, refill your coffee and carry on. Love all you guys, Erick Konkel

Mister P-Mosh, When I see your posts, I think of only one scripture. Luke 16:31 But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead'. You don't believe because you don't want to believe. So to even begin to address all of your 5-senses comments would be a total, utter and complete waste of breath. Still love ya though man. Erick Konkel

Ex10, I'm not here to point at, I'm here to point out and offer help. Am I willing to put my money where my mouth is? You damn right. What do you want? What do you want to know? What can I do to help? You want to get to know me? Do you want to talk on the phone? Do you want to email back and forth? You have no idea how ready and willing I am to offer anything I can to anybody who wants to get past this obstacle of betrayal in their lives. I'd talk to someone for months if they wanted. I would be very blessed to do anything I possibly could. If people really want to get past it and they just aren't looking for someone to debate with, I would more than glad to listen to what they are going through, to listen to what they are feeling and what obstacles are in their hearts that are preventing them from being set free. I'd be more than glad to share everything I did and what worked for me to help me bury my past and lay it to rest. Name the time and the place and I'm there...for any of my brothers and sisters, even for the ones who have called me a jerkoff. :-) Mark S., as far as you thinking I have little to offer the Body of Christ, well, opinions vary. Erick Konkel

Hope Rich, Concerning hostilities and anger at the past with the Way, I've been delivered from that. The speck isn't in my eye anymore. It's been removed. Should I not then now try to help my brothers? Erick Konkel

Rafael, I like your analogy. But it kind of proves the point of this thread doesn't it? Sure it's uncomfortable to pull the splinter out, but what's the alternative? How long will people limp because they have a splinter in their foot that they don't want to take out? If they leave the splinter in, when they know that deliverance is available, then it's like choosing to be in pain. God's got a mighty big pair of tweezers ya know? No splinter gets past him. If people want it pulled out, then have Him pull it out. If you don't, you better get used to the splinter because it will be there a long time. It isn't going to take care of itself. CatCup, I understand the source of your frustration. I feel regret to hear of yet another person who was used and abused by Way leadership. On the other hand, I think you take things to a little bit of an extreme. Do you mean to tell me that all of the good things people learned from being involved with the Way at some point is now moot becuase your sister was hurt? Of course not. Hey, half the crap that was going on in the Way, I never even knew about. So I couldn't be there to support your sister when she needed support. What do you want me to do about it Catcup? I would never make such a statement that it was "worth" your sister being hurt or anyone being hurt just so I could get what I wanted out of it. That is very unfair and I have never hinted to such an attitude. I hope you get over the hurt one day and I hope your sister does too. I hope one day she can go to God and say, "God, that was then, but this now and from this day on, I move ahead with no bitterness, no anger, and no discouragement. I know who I am because you gave me Christ in me!!" Erick Konkel

Rafael, I will admit to the reality that I'm sure there a lot of great people here at GS. I don't know all of their details nor all of their heart. All I have to go on is the posts that people leave. And ususally, the written word is a good indication of where people's hearts are. Some people's hearts here appear very genuine and godly, while still many others appear very vile and spiritually debased. When it's all said and done, my desire is for God's people to be over the past and be over the hurt. While GS may be of value for some in the healing process, I feel that it is not so good for others who may be looking for deliverance. There's too much animosity waiting to leap upon someone who says anything remotely positive about TWI and people who trash the Word of God and who don't believe. People who need deliverance don't need to be around where that kind of stuff dwells. We shouldn't try to heal hurt by replacing it with hatred and I feel that has happened to many who have come here to the Cafe. Erick Konkel

RottieGrrrl, Yes, I am sorry to hear about your father. I know everybody deals with pain in their own way. We're all individuals. I'm no stranger to pain and hurt, lonliness, or sorrow. The Way stole my mom and dad from me too for awhile. Thank God it didn't take us but about 6 months before we woke up and said "screw this". I can remember a time in my life when I was in such sorrow and pain, because of the Way and other things in life, that I honestly didn't know what to do. I was alone and had nobody to talk to because the Way had stolen away from me all of my family and friends because I was M&A for basically confronting LCM at the Advanced Class in '98. I remember balling like a little baby and for the first time in my life I remember going to God and pleading for my life and for Him to help me get out of this mess. Of course I had gone to God many times before. But for the first time I went to him feeling that my life and my future was in jeopardy. God immediatley responded with revelation. Go figure that. God spoke to me while I was M&A! Sure it wasn't easy to get back on my feet. It took a lot of renewed mind. But despite how great my pain was, God drowned it with His love by reassuring me, by teaching me more of the Word, by breaking down the wall between my parents and I that the Way had built between us. God helped me and was patient with me as I grew strong again. So I know firsthand what people have gone through. But I cried to the Lord and He heard me and delivered me. When people want to get out of the sorrow and the hurt and they seek the Lord, God provides deliverance mighty quickly....if you will do your part as well. And walking around cursing VPW, LCM, even other believers on this site who have never done anything to you, all because what happened years ago, is not a blessing to God and you're closing the door on what He has available for you. God is mighty big and he has a way to escape for all people who have suffered loss and ruin by the hands of the Way. I take comfort in knowing that those here at GS who genuinely want to be delivered, God will show you the way to wholeness. Erick Konkel

Rafael, Thank you for your post. I respect you and your posts. I have nothing negative to say about you. But I do not feel that you know where I'm coming from. If you did, you wouldn't have said what you said. Erick Konkel

To Everyone, I'll tell you what I really think. Hey, you know, what can you do? People see only what they want to see. Everyone rails on me saying that I am defending and justifying VPW's errors. Well, whatever. I for one, when leaving the Way told God how I didn't want to carry around evil in my heart. God was able to help me heal and get over my disappoinments. And it didn't take 6 years after being out to get over it either. If God will help me heal, then why hasn't He seemed to help others here at GS who claim to be so devastated? Well of course we know He would if people would come to Him. But they aren't coming to Him. They don't come to Him because they don't want to be healed. People talk about Buck, myself, and others as justifying error. That's very hypocritical of them because they do the very thing they accuse us of. They justify their bitterness, rage, and unforgiving hearts by putting emphasis on what they have experienced and not what the Word says to do. John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. This scripture comes to mind when I think of people at GS who carry such big axes to grind. Any logic and truth from the Word that is presented to them is immediately dismissed and sarcastic comments and personal criticisms and insults fly from their mouths. They don't want to listen to the light of God's Word concerning this type of situation because if they listened, they would know that God's Word would tell them to let it go, start fresh, and move on with your life. But that's just it, they don't want to hear that. They are all too content having fury grow like so many weeds and vines that suffocate and choke the life out of the beautiful garden of their hearts for God and for people. Instead of sprinting ahead in life with their new found liberty in Christ, they instead wish to remain spiritually oppressed and enslaved by bitterness. You know some people here talk about me being a "worshiper" of VPW. This is also very hypocritical to say because in fact it is many here at GS who claim to despise VPW, who indeed are the ones who worhsip him. They are consumed with him. The man has been dead for almost 20 years and yet people who have been out of the Way, some people for decades, are still obsessed with what is happening with the Way International. People basically eat, sleep, and drink here at GS. People are consumed with what VPW wrote, what VPW said and what VPW did. And people will spend all their free time checking up on what's going on with the Way or checking to see what someone has to say about the Way. I would love to see how many people come home from work, throw their keys on the table and the first thing that they do is walk over and fire up that computer because they gotta see what's happening in discussions about the Way. It's out of control. It's an obsession for many people here. No wonder you never get over the hurt. How can you ever move on and repair your heart when you bathe yourself in bitterness? You can't. And as a matter of fact, if that kind of thinking goes on long enough (which for many here, it has), spirits will come in and take up residence in your heart to try to insure that you never get over it. Yes, that's right folks, I am still one who believes that there are devil spirits and that they enter people's lives through weak, ungodly thoughts and habits of life. There are many weak and ungodly thoughts posted by people here at GS. And saying we should forgive one another is not one of them. Erick Konkel

Easy there Rafael!! You can never have enough of Star Trek! I am a big fan of TNG. But when it's all said and done, no matter how many future movies come out....Kirk, Spock, and Bones...they are the true rulers! Erick Konkel