I bailed as fast as I could without being obvious after that. It rubbed me so wrong that I can't fully explain it.
I later heard before pulling the final rip-cord on the whole brush with TWI, that Miss Dream Girl and her husband had departed for HQ to begin their first year of Corps. My first instinctive thought was "I sure wish she wasn't wasting her life like that," and I knew it was time to walk away. I'd never fit in with them, no matter how nice some of them were. It just wouldn't work.
Fifty was the top end. Nice round number. If I was trying to make a very accurate count, I'd say it maxed out in the mid to high forties. To me it seemed small. Last time I was at a branch meeting (prior to this one) in 1987 it was several hundred people.
Yep, SF, that sounds like the TWI I left two years ago. ^_^
ROFLMAO!! What's so wild is that at one time, that was "normal" for me. Don't do anything without getting permission. And remember to "report back" once you've done what you got permission to do.
There were probably so many people there because it was announced that there would be a "new person" at the meeting. That means everyone was "strongly encouraged" (required) to be there.
I'm shocked that they put you to work for your first meeting. :ph34r: WTF is up with that??? :blink:
They innundate people; pester the crap out of 'em and apparently "use" them right off the bat. Imagine - at the next meeting you might get promoted to chair stringing duties.
Welcome to the Cafe!!! Folks aren't asked to do anything here except enjoy themselves and treat others nicely. (I put my gum under the counter, but they don't pay me for that. )
I'm shocked that they put you to work for your first meeting. :ph34r: WTF is up with that??? :blink:
...at the next meeting you might get promoted to chair stringing duties.
It was not the first meeting. I'd been to a few fellowships prior to that 1st branch meeting. And yes, I was setting up chairs. The laser like precision those rows of chairs needed to be in was stupifying. No fewer than 6 people inspected and re-inspected the chair rows and spent a lot of time having them re-adjusted.
I did recall one other detail of that day. As I re-adjusted chairs, I was singing softly to myself an old rock song with the words "God made love crazy so we wouldn't feel alone." :P
Are there any fellowships where they just string chairs? For some reason I think that's where the real answers are. Stringing chairs brings such clarity and focus to me ... you tell me what you think about stringing chairs and I'll tell you how far you'll go with God ... spiritually ...
I figured since Miss Dream Girl was in charge of arrangements, I'd tell her that pulling the table out 3 or 4 feet from the wall would allow people to go down both sides and get food. It would take 15 seconds, and all would be satisfied.
"That sounds like a good idea. I'll just go check with (insert Rev's name here) and see if it's ok." She said brightly.
"WTF WTF WTF?" Thought I.
Did it show on my face? She seemed to wait for me to awknowledge her before she turned away to do as she had said. I forced an easy smile to my face, (Military training at it's finest) and said "sure". She went off and got clearance to do this, we did it, and the line flowed faster.
Ya know -- this bugs me -- it really does. Just one more nail in the twi coffin - (that part doesn't bug me), but the fact that no one can act on their own to make things *easier for the family*, to do some simple task that will *bless the believers present*, something as simple as moving a table so that folks can get their dinner just a mite quicker -- has to be run through *leader-sh!t* first.
If anything -- (given this *testimony*), today's twi has its head up their butt, as always -- probably searching for *Present Truth*. Common sense isn't in their vocabulary. With their head *in the dark*, it takes *newbies* at their fellowships to offer suggestions that facilitate an even flow for the folks there.
SFSailor -- good job on seeing what they couldn't. You made the right decision -- bailing out. :)
The phone rang. I was dealing with off work time work issues. I was in no mood for the phone to ring, but I tried to be cool. It was a Reverand, branch coordinator. The call waiting went off while talking to the Rev. I took the call. It was the HFC.
??? Thought I.
The Rev talked strangely to me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but the conversation didn't flow like I would have expected. The Rev wasn't very good at this perhaps? Speaking to a total stranger didn't seem to be the Rev's strong point.
After I'm done getting fellowship time and place info and have hung up, the phone rings again not 5 minutes later. Yet a third person from TWI calling.
If 50 people in the branch was a "typical" meeting and not "everyone we were able to coerce
into going from the territory", then they wouldn't have been all over him like he was the
last chopper out of 'nam.
People lined up for the potluck after. The table was up against a wall and 50 people were in line to eat. It was a total Charlie Fox. The fix was obvious but I'm really just a guest here. Believe me, the "You're a Newb" feeling was in the air, so I wasn't going to be ungracious and start moving things around.
I figured since Miss Dream Girl was in charge of arrangments, I'd tell her that pulling the table out 3 or 4 feet from the wall would allow people to go down both sides and get food. It would take 15 seconds, and all would be satisfied.
"That sounds like a good idea. I'll just go check with (insert Rev's name here) and see if it's ok." She said brightly.
"WTF WTF WTF?" Thought I.
Did it show on my face? She seemed to wait for me to awknowledge her before she turned away to do as she had said. I forced an easy smile to my face, (Military training at it's finest) and said "sure". She went off and got clearance to do this, we did it, and the line flowed faster.
I bailed as fast as I could without being obvious after that. It rubbed me so wrong that I can't fully explain it.
You missed the entire 90s, when this was instituted.
Before that, the entire "can't think without orders" thing was in part of the corps
and part of the at-root-locale staff. In the 90s, it became an organization-wide thing.
You missed so much in the 90s, but now you might be less slow to blow
them off as preposterous, made-up stories.
Things like going 2 x 2 everywhere, even to go to the grocery to buy milk or something.
And writing out your week's schedule in advance, in 15 minute increments,
and being required to stick to the submitted schedule.
The "Every Once in a While Great Internet Search" finally yielded a result. An old friend of the family who we knew and fellowshipped with in the 80's. It didn't take long for this person to tell me how excited they were about the new class as re-done to incorperate material from the old PFAL.
"I know some people in your area..." our friend said.
"Why didn't I see that coming?" thought I?
But on the other hand, I'd never encountered the harsher things talked about here or on other Post-TWI sites. My last brush with TWI in 1987 was one moment of greatness and a lot of bad vibes otherwise. Who knows? Maybe things have changed...
...People lined up for the potluck after. The table was up against a wall and 50 people were in line to eat. It was a total Charlie Fox. The fix was obvious but I'm really just a guest here. Believe me, the "You're a Newb" feeling was in the air, so I wasn't going to be ungracious and start moving things around.
I figured since Miss Dream Girl was in charge of arrangments, I'd tell her that pulling the table out 3 or 4 feet from the wall would allow people to go down both sides and get food. It would take 15 seconds, and all would be satisfied.
"That sounds like a good idea. I'll just go check with (insert Rev's name here) and see if it's ok."She said brightly...
Ahoy, Sailor - glad you abandoned ship back in '87! That part about the Lunch Room Lady - Miss Dream Girl having to check with the next higher unit of the Borg collective is scary!!!! :blink: .....Anyway - welcome to Grease Spot !!!!!!!!!!!
Use a laser level??? Nah! It's works better by revelation. ;)
b-b-b-but they weren't allowed to use 'revelation'... they had to use string, unless it was a tile floor... so a laser would be quicker and easier I'd think (plus you could shine it around the room during the teaching)
I've often wondered if I could "anonymously" go to a twig around here just to see what it's like, at least without them figureing out who my sis and bro in law are... probably could, I think way to much of myself!
ps. did you tell anyone you were't coming back? Did anyone call to see where you were?
No, I didn't. My decision wasn't hard and fast like that. It was more like, on Wednesday night after a long work day, do I really want to make the drive? Deal with it? Sunday's were like, do I want to get up early and go? What do I really get out of it? More hints that I should start taking a class? More hints that I need to be involved with things?
I don't have the kinda time for that. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted to go. Nice people. A few dudes I could imagine having beers with and talking about things other than God.
No, no one contacted me, but a cell phone disaster and a new cell number would make that hard anyway. I do still get the group emails that get sent out. Nobody ever sent a personal email though. I think the off subject topics I discussed with them would have told them I'm not the guy they need to have around.
When I tell more of the story, it will become clear I think.
I do understand now why they called you at first like that.......what was I thinking??? It is all clear to me now.
You USED to be in TWI.
That changes how they respond to you.
"Sound all alarms, an ol wineskin is back, we need to check his sincerity!"
This happend to my fellowship many times.
That is why the "big wigs" called you.
They have to ''feel you out'', make sure you're not a SPY! Get revelation on you or something to make sure you don't have any ''debil spits'' to bring into the household!
I've often wondered if I could "anonymously" go to a twig around here just to see what it's like, at least without them figureing out who my sis and bro in law are... probably could, I think way to much of myself!
You'd have to already know where a fellowship was and then just show up. If they ask you how you knew about it, just tell them someone invited you but you don't know who the person was and that they said something about a home Bible fellowship. If you don't know where a fellowship is, you will have to go through the higher ranks to be able to go. For example, you would have to call HQ and say you were interested in going. They would transfer you to the Trunk (The Way of the USA) office. That office would in turn tell you they will get someone in touch with you. That would be either the Region or Limb coordinator. They would "feel" you out and then tell you someone would get in contact with you about where you could go. It's not easy anymore. They want to make sure you aren't going to contaminate their precious household.
If you just show up to one that you know, then you would have to make sure there weren't any who knew you or you would become suspect--maybe even told to leave until the higher ups OK'd you being there.
No, I didn't. My decision wasn't hard and fast like that. It was more like, on Wednesday night after a long work day, do I really want to make the drive? Deal with it? Sunday's were like, do I want to get up early and go? What do I really get out of it? More hints that I should start taking a class? More hints that I need to be involved with things?
I don't have the kinda time for that. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted to go. Nice people. A few dudes I could imagine having beers with and talking about things other than God.
No, no one contacted me, but a cell phone disaster and a new cell number would make that hard anyway. I do still get the group emails that get sent out. Nobody ever sent a personal email though. I think the off subject topics I discussed with them would have told them I'm not the guy they need to have around.
When I tell more of the story, it will become clear I think.
SFSailor
Yeah...........group emails, but no personal email. That's the ole groupthink mentality that permeated twi in the late 80s and continues to this day. By the late 90s, in many limbs and areas it was standard procedure to get clearance from your branch/limb guy if you wanted to have a backyard barbeque with others in your fellowship. And, of course.....the branch leader and wife were to be invited as well. All conversations were monitored and steered to wayspeak.
If they can't herd you in their direction.....they tend to mooooo..ve on.
SFS....I will wait for "the rest of the story." :)
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skyrider
SFS..........lol
Thanks....and a warm welcome to GS.
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George Aar
They had FIFTY people there?
Man, was anybody armed? I can't imagine how they got that many people to attend short of at the point of a gun or somesuch.
Glad you survived...
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excathedra
nice to meet you sailor
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moony3424
Welcome to the cafe SF!
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SFSailor
Fifty was the top end. Nice round number. If I was trying to make a very accurate count, I'd say it maxed out in the mid to high forties. To me it seemed small. Last time I was at a branch meeting (prior to this one) in 1987 it was several hundred people.
SFSailor
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Belle
Yep, SF, that sounds like the TWI I left two years ago. ^_^
ROFLMAO!! What's so wild is that at one time, that was "normal" for me. Don't do anything without getting permission. And remember to "report back" once you've done what you got permission to do.
There were probably so many people there because it was announced that there would be a "new person" at the meeting.
That means everyone was "strongly encouraged" (required) to be there.
I'm shocked that they put you to work for your first meeting. :ph34r: WTF is up with that??? :blink:
They innundate people; pester the crap out of 'em and apparently "use" them right off the bat. Imagine - at the next meeting you might get promoted to chair stringing duties.
Welcome to the Cafe!!! Folks aren't asked to do anything here except enjoy themselves and treat others nicely. (I put my gum under the counter, but they don't pay me for that.
)
Put your next meal on my tab.
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SFSailor
It was not the first meeting. I'd been to a few fellowships prior to that 1st branch meeting. And yes, I was setting up chairs. The laser like precision those rows of chairs needed to be in was stupifying. No fewer than 6 people inspected and re-inspected the chair rows and spent a lot of time having them re-adjusted.
I did recall one other detail of that day. As I re-adjusted chairs, I was singing softly to myself an old rock song with the words "God made love crazy so we wouldn't feel alone." :P
SFSailor
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rhino
Are there any fellowships where they just string chairs? For some reason I think that's where the real answers are. Stringing chairs brings such clarity and focus to me ... you tell me what you think about stringing chairs and I'll tell you how far you'll go with God ... spiritually ...
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dmiller
YO HO HO, AND A BOTTLE OF RUM!!
Welcome to GreaseSpot SFSailor. :)
(More *spirit* there in the bottle, than in the fellowship, eh???)
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Suda
Welcome to the Cafe, SFSailor!
Suda
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dmiller
Ya know -- this bugs me -- it really does. Just one more nail in the twi coffin - (that part doesn't bug me), but the fact that no one can act on their own to make things *easier for the family*, to do some simple task that will *bless the believers present*, something as simple as moving a table so that folks can get their dinner just a mite quicker -- has to be run through *leader-sh!t* first.
If anything -- (given this *testimony*), today's twi has its head up their butt, as always -- probably searching for *Present Truth*. Common sense isn't in their vocabulary. With their head *in the dark*, it takes *newbies* at their fellowships to offer suggestions that facilitate an even flow for the folks there.
SFSailor -- good job on seeing what they couldn't. You made the right decision -- bailing out. :)
You weren't one of these ---
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SafariVista
Welcome Sailor
'Dream Girl' sounds like the perfect Way Corps Candidate...
Ready for Programming :(
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WordWolf
If 50 people in the branch was a "typical" meeting and not "everyone we were able to coerce
into going from the territory", then they wouldn't have been all over him like he was the
last chopper out of 'nam.
You missed the entire 90s, when this was instituted.
Before that, the entire "can't think without orders" thing was in part of the corps
and part of the at-root-locale staff. In the 90s, it became an organization-wide thing.
You missed so much in the 90s, but now you might be less slow to blow
them off as preposterous, made-up stories.
Things like going 2 x 2 everywhere, even to go to the grocery to buy milk or something.
And writing out your week's schedule in advance, in 15 minute increments,
and being required to stick to the submitted schedule.
And worse stuff.
But you can catch up here.
Welcome.
My best advice to you is already here:
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.php?showtopic=7913
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Tom Strange
I wonder if they use those "laser level" type things instead of string now?
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Nottawayfer
Use a laser level??? Nah! It's works better by revelation. ;)
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dmiller
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bliss
Welcome Sailor,
I can't believe how many people called you!
Well, I guess I can.... Seems to me having a new person is "unusual" for them lately.
Yet another telltale sign of the incredible shrinking way!
Glad you are here.....................
ps. did you tell anyone you were't coming back? Did anyone call to see where you were?
(edited because bliss can't spell latelee:))
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Belle
Oh, I neglected to mention - it's NOT a "pot luck" it's a "pot bless". ;)
Laser technology?? In a group who took five years to change their phone system? Not likely. :huh:
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T-Bone
Ahoy, Sailor - glad you abandoned ship back in '87! That part about the Lunch Room Lady - Miss Dream Girl having to check with the next higher unit of the Borg collective is scary!!!! :blink: .....Anyway - welcome to Grease Spot !!!!!!!!!!!
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Tom Strange
b-b-b-but they weren't allowed to use 'revelation'... they had to use string, unless it was a tile floor... so a laser would be quicker and easier I'd think (plus you could shine it around the room during the teaching)
I've often wondered if I could "anonymously" go to a twig around here just to see what it's like, at least without them figureing out who my sis and bro in law are... probably could, I think way to much of myself!
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SFSailor
No, I didn't. My decision wasn't hard and fast like that. It was more like, on Wednesday night after a long work day, do I really want to make the drive? Deal with it? Sunday's were like, do I want to get up early and go? What do I really get out of it? More hints that I should start taking a class? More hints that I need to be involved with things?
I don't have the kinda time for that. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted to go. Nice people. A few dudes I could imagine having beers with and talking about things other than God.
No, no one contacted me, but a cell phone disaster and a new cell number would make that hard anyway. I do still get the group emails that get sent out. Nobody ever sent a personal email though. I think the off subject topics I discussed with them would have told them I'm not the guy they need to have around.
When I tell more of the story, it will become clear I think.
SFSailor
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bliss
I do understand now why they called you at first like that.......what was I thinking??? It is all clear to me now.
You USED to be in TWI.
That changes how they respond to you.
"Sound all alarms, an ol wineskin is back, we need to check his sincerity!"
This happend to my fellowship many times.
That is why the "big wigs" called you.
They have to ''feel you out'', make sure you're not a SPY! Get revelation on you or something to make sure you don't have any ''debil spits'' to bring into the household!
Ridiculous! Be glad you left again!
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Nottawayfer
You'd have to already know where a fellowship was and then just show up. If they ask you how you knew about it, just tell them someone invited you but you don't know who the person was and that they said something about a home Bible fellowship. If you don't know where a fellowship is, you will have to go through the higher ranks to be able to go. For example, you would have to call HQ and say you were interested in going. They would transfer you to the Trunk (The Way of the USA) office. That office would in turn tell you they will get someone in touch with you. That would be either the Region or Limb coordinator. They would "feel" you out and then tell you someone would get in contact with you about where you could go. It's not easy anymore. They want to make sure you aren't going to contaminate their precious household.
If you just show up to one that you know, then you would have to make sure there weren't any who knew you or you would become suspect--maybe even told to leave until the higher ups OK'd you being there.
Remember, you are no longer welcome at The Way.
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skyrider
Yeah...........group emails, but no personal email. That's the ole groupthink mentality that permeated twi in the late 80s and continues to this day. By the late 90s, in many limbs and areas it was standard procedure to get clearance from your branch/limb guy if you wanted to have a backyard barbeque with others in your fellowship. And, of course.....the branch leader and wife were to be invited as well. All conversations were monitored and steered to wayspeak.
If they can't herd you in their direction.....they tend to mooooo..ve on.
SFS....I will wait for "the rest of the story." :)
skyrider
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