Witnessed to by an Innie

[potato]

RumRunner, I really like it.

[waysider]

OK, let's do the math here. There are ,what, about 47 or 48 of them left? What are the chances of one of them finding you grabbing a Biggy Burger at the Burger Biggy and striking up a conversation at the condiment table? Man, if that happens to me, I'm going to buy a Lotto ticket ASAP while the odds are still in my favor.( Hey, how much are you supposed to ABS on gambling profits?)

[doojable]

I would have said,

"A bad day in H E L L is better than a "good" day in TWI!"

Edited January 11, 2007 by doojable

[potato]

dude, if you run into one of them I'd say the odds are not in your favor and you should not buy a lottery ticket.

[T-Bone]

Okay, RumRunner – yah got me thinking – I ran the benefits on the Green Card through a tweaking machine and maybe we could use them on a handout card for GSC:

Grease Spot Café

Lets you establish and maintain your own point of view

Develops more harmony with yourself

Makes the Internet meaningful

Overcomes worry and fear of how to kill time

Explains walking Bible contradictions [a.k.a. BOT]

Enables you to separate the fog years, the Patriarch years, the Rosie years

Disciplines TWIts for leaving their brains behind

Teaches how to get paid effectually [work at a job like normal folks]

Promotes prosperity and health [by an affordable menu with fresh ingredients]

Edited January 11, 2007 by T-Bone

[RumRunner]

Well done T-Bone...can't wait to hear what Ron_g, Bowtwi and Belle chime in with......it'll be either caustic, funny, or both

Edited January 11, 2007 by RumRunner

[Rocky]

I've also heard the "things are better now" line... a couple of years ago, I took my daughter to a local Payless Shoe Source store to buy her some shoes. I knew the guy who manages it had been formerly in twi and I knew that he and his wife went back into it. Now, he's a nice guy overall... and he only talked to me because I went to his store, but he had the same lines.

Also, just a couple of weeks ago, I saw a car with a newfangled twi bummer (er, bumper) sticker... the gal was pulling into a gas station near my home. It didn't take me but a nanosecond to decide it wasn't worth my time to follow her to that station... "what would be the profit?" hehehe...

BUT...WB, isn't it possible that your response was "inspired?" I mean, I think it sounds like the perfect comeback in that situation. :)

[polar bear]

Changed? What have they changed, I'd ask. I have a guy working for me who is still in twi and he tells me nothing has changed.

They still have the scripted boring SNS teachings they have to sit through every month.

Way Productions plays the same boring songs over and over.

They still sing the same hymns over and over.

Rosalie won't let anyone teach anything that hasn't already been taught. Same stuff over and over.

Personally my answer would be-

I'd rather sit here at the north pole and watch the ice melt.

Edited January 11, 2007 by polar bear

[WordWolf]

Okay, RumRunner – yah got me thinking – I ran the benefits on the Green Card through a tweaking machine and maybe we could use them on a handout card for GSC:

Grease Spot Café

Lets you establish and maintain your own point of view

Develops more harmony with yourself

Makes the Internet meaningful

Overcomes worry and fear of how to kill time

Explains walking Bible contradictions [a.k.a. BOT]

Enables you to separate the fog years, the Patriarch years, the Rosie years

Disciplines TWIts for leaving their brains behind

Teaches how to get paid effectually [work at a job like normal folks]

Promotes prosperity and health [by an affordable menu with fresh ingredients]

I really like the idea of the other-coloured cards with "benefits" on one side.

[Sushi]

I've never had the 'pleasure' of running into one of those people (well, not by myself anyways). Had I been alone at the time, I probably would have said something to the effect of, "I'm sorry, but the government takes enough of my money to not spit in my direction".

[HCW]

I'll try to remember to get a shot of the grass thing.

I'm actually in their neighborhood on occasion.

It was really freaky to me when I went to HQ to install a dish system in one of the units.

I hadn't been in the OSC since the day I walked out when they fired me in Aug. '88.

The most clear differences to me were all in the category of deteriation.

We've all experienced urban deteriation. You go to HQ, the first thing you notice is the clear rhetoric on the signs on Wierwille road that have their yearly theme and the titles of the current Sunday "teaching."

Then as you go down the road the trees aound the fountain are gone.

The fountain looks "old."

Then there's the overgrown grass. Overgrown grass is one of the BIGGEST cultural "no, No's" in the local area. Only undesireables let their grass grow long. People will cut their grass w/ scissors before they let it grow long.

The blacktop where the ROA bigtop once stood every year is sunbleached and cracked w/weeds growing in some of the cracks

The Auditorium looks "old & faded."

Then the murals on the walls @ the OSC are gone, painted over w/whitewash.

The entrance to the woods and the grass over there is a shiny and pristine as ever.

Inside the OSC lobby, its the same only the building as less "buzz" of activity - clearly there are less people there.

Then when they talk to you - - one at a time - - they all say the SAME things to you - - in the SAME order.

"Where'd you come in from?"

I had done HUNDREDS of installs before that day and not ONE customer asked me where I came in from - - Wierd.

Then they start asking you questions that would "open the door" for them to witness to you.

I kept my "door closed." Mostly because I was more than a little taken aback at how clearly deteriorated the place was when all I'd heard was how much "things were better."

Then I picked up the latest version of the Way Mag. It was the exact same design, logos, graphics, and style that I had created somewhere around 1987. Only the names had changed. The titles of the writers reflect their current thinking.

The scope of the ministry as reflected by the news in the magazine in a fraction of what it once was.

In my mind the 18 years since I'd been there was like yesterday and the contrast smacked me right in the face.

The fact that they were all "so happy & blessed to be there" was really erie. It was interesting being incognito there, I let them give me directions to where I was going, stuff like that.

It was SOO clear that they were NOT witnessing to me I almost screamed. "Go ahead, get it over with! I know you're DYING to...!"

They just sickened me w/ how friendly & helpful they were trying so hard to be.

They had to have their engineers oversee what I was doing - wierd.

FInally when I was finishing up thinking I just wanted to get outts dodge, I heard a "Hi Howard!" from behind me.

It was one of my WC11 sisters who had been a really good friend. She just kept walking by.

Wierd.

Hardly what you'd expect from an old friend you hadn't seen in years.

Thing is, they REALLY don't see themselves as wierd.

They see US as lost and in need of their help & salvation.

[doojable]

I HAD TO DO THIS!

"Stairway To TWI’s Heaven"

There's a min’stry who's sure all that glitters is gold

And they’re buying the stairway to heaven.

When they gets there they know, if the stores are all closed

With a word they can get what they came for.

Ooh, ooh, and they’re buying the stairway to heaven.

There's a card on the wall but they want to be sure

'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.

In a tree by the corn, there's a greencard they bring,

Sometimes all of our thoughts need renewing.

Ooh, it makes me wonder,

Ooh, it makes me wonder.

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,

And my spirit is dying to leave them.

In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,

And the voices of those who stand looking.

Ooh, it makes me wonder,

Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

And it's whispered that soon if we all lead the tune

Then the MOG will lead us to reason.

And a new day will dawn for those who stand strong

And the cornfields will echo with laughter.

(DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER LAUGHTER? mwahahhahahahaha)

If there's a bustle in your cornfield, don't be alarmed now,

It's just a spring clean for the Gay queen.

Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run

There's still time to change the road you're on.

And it makes me wonder.

Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,

The rev’rend’s calling you to join him,

Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know

You need to lay down beside him.

And as we wind on down the road

Their shadows taller than our soul.

There walks a man that we all know

Who craves white light and wants to show

How everything still turns to gold.

And if you listen very hard

The tune will come to you at last.

When all are one and one is all

And they tell you, “Take the class.”

And they’re buying the stairway to heaven.

Annnnnnndddddddd... if you play it backwards it says - Worship Veepee and he will give you 666. :evilshades:

Edited January 11, 2007 by doojable

[Ham]

The entrance to the woods and the grass over there is a shiny and pristine as ever.

Yeah, makes sense, considering who probably STILL lives there..

[RumRunner]

Well done Dooj....I got plenty of good laughs over that version. Better than the original maybe for an ex TWIt.

[oenophile]

WB,

You know that you and I have had our "Oh really? That's funny. Me too!" moments. It seems we have yet another one. I was "witnessed" to by a innie at a Barnes & Noble in Raleigh about six years ago. I was wearing my ECU t shirt and this girl approaches me and starts asking me about ECU and do I know certain people who went there (all TWIts). I answered that I did know those and that I know that they were all TWI people. "Oh, what do you know about TWI?", she asked. I said something like "too much." She asked if I were fellowshipping in the area or would be interested in fellowshipping. "Absolutely NOT!", I replied. Then this goon comes around the corner and sweeps her away.

[mstar1]

I had an odd occurence today--.

-I got witnessed to, or 'unwitnessed to' by a guy who has been out for over thirty years...

In the midst of a long and involved conversation about alot of disparate things with someone i only casually know from town, he started talking about the worst spiritual group he had ever encountered. As he went on and described them, it starting sounding vaguely familiar, then within a minute or so when he started talking about classes and things were jsut too familiar--- I asked him if it perchance was The Way International.

He looked stunned "You've heard of them?"

ahh... Yeah

We had a fun little go round for about 20 minutes "separating truth from error"

It was therapeutic to hear him unload....

Edited January 12, 2007 by mstar1

[potato]

that's really awesome!

[1 john 3:1]

Actually I have had several encounters and I find the best answer "I have joined a new group, it's the Body of Christ and Christ is the Head and now I can operate the ministry of reconciliation with all 9 working in me all the time".

I like that.............simple as God would have it.

:D

[richnchrispy]

They call us copouts. Wow! Not sure what to say to that. If it makes them feel "better" about staying - well I guess it has some benefit.

Sorta like staying in prison when the warden has unlocked the door and told you that you can leave.

I told my wife in 1986 that her nice notes to Craig would go unheeded - and guess who was right?

TWI is a pimple on the foot of the body of Christ, no more, no less. Squeeze it every coupla years and more puss will come out. But it never completely heals.

[T-Bone]

Grease Spot Café

Lets you establish and maintain your own point of view

Develops more harmony with yourself

Makes the Internet meaningful

Overcomes worry and fear of how to kill time

Explains walking Bible contradictions [a.k.a. BOT]

Enables you to separate the fog years, the Patriarch years, the Rosie years

Disciplines TWIts for leaving their brains behind

Teaches how to get paid effectually [work at a job like normal folks]

Promotes prosperity and health [by an affordable menu with fresh ingredients]

I want to revise the "Disciplines…" benefit to read "Disciplines the TWIt-minded by encouraging them to think."…I know, I know- I like to edit myself to death…Which brings up an opportunity for doctrinal research on Are the Dead Alive Now?...Sometime in the future – after I've passed away – what if below the clumsily altered prose on my tombstone were the words "Edited posthumously by me."

edited by me - to stay true to form

Edited January 12, 2007 by T-Bone

[potato]

Sometime in the future – after I've passed away – what if below the clumsily altered prose on my tombstone were the words "Edited posthumously by me."

T-bone, you should make sure to allow for that in your burial contract so that you don't get arrested for vandalism.

[doojable]

Maybe instead of a tombstone T-Bone can get one of those marquis signs that keep changing the message.

[T-Bone]

Well, Potato – I've been mulling over the penalty for vandalism...the death sentence? Way too harsh a punishment for vandalism, they wouldn't do that – and besides…seeing how I'll already be dead that's a non-issue…Incarceration? Well, anywhere other than a hole in the ground might be an improvement…A fine? Yikes! Considering the fact that I won't have a viable source of income [What's the yearly salary of a compost heap anyway?] – I had better work out the tombstone editing details with the cemetery! I do like Dooj's idea of the changing marquee. Thank you both for your help – sometimes I get so bogged down with thinking through the really important things of life…and death.

Oh and Dooj I really liked your "Stairway To TWI’s Heaven"!

edited by me...just because I could...

Edited January 13, 2007 by T-Bone

[skyrider]

edited by me...just because I could...

Or.......you MIGHT say

edited my post humorously

[doojable]

Oh and Dooj I really liked your "Stairway To TWI’s Heaven"!

edited by me...just because I could...

Thank you T-Bone! I think there aren't many folks here that remember the original song......