I remember Loy's accusations in the beginning of the purge and knew it was bs at the time, I am glad and relieved to hear you are living well.
You seem very very normal, that is quite a feat after what you have been though.
Living well, you are right, so right. Loy will someday grieve for what he did to you and you are kind to not want to see it.
I got in in 77, wanted to get married to a *believer*, FINALLY met one in 93 (which was an answer to prayer, that's another story) that pursued me in 94, recent pfal grad and all that--
A month after I bought my wedding dress and a week after I booked the catering hall in Feb. 1998 he was M & A'd. I was told my my bc to not only call off the wedding if I wanted to stay in twi but that I also had to M & A him for the next 6 months. I was supposed to tell him to go screw himself.
That ultimatim was a blessing in disguise because it got me OUT.
All my best wishes for a wonderful life for you and your son, and welcome to G.S. I am looking forward to your future posts.
Due to its powerful impact, I took the liberty of moving this thread from Open to About the Way as well as copying it to My Story in hopes that even more people will read it.
Where were you in Wisconsin? I have been looking for people who might have been here between 1975 to about 1982. I have posted my story, (abbreviated) on another forum, (the general one, I think) because I didn't look down the list of places to post!
I saw major irregularities in leadership in Northern Wisconsin in 1983-84 and simply left after a letter from Dr. W when he just blew me off. Got a phone call from leadership when he died and I knew TWI was going down the pipes then.
Used to see lots of Way bumper stickers here in WI but haven't seen any lately. I found the Cortwritght web page and looked for some people from WI but I don't know any of the names listed there.
It is no surprise that things have gone down, when I learned that Martindale had been fired and that there were lawsuits aplenty.
I am having a crisis of faith, as I am no longer sure what is true and what isn't. Kay
There is too much information here for me to reply briefly,but...
My deepest feelings go out to you for what you have endured. I too have read to tears in the post and posts on this thread. My prayers and support go out to you and believe God for healing and deliverance.
I had begun to teach PFAL on my own and was practicing on a new person who was interested in the bible. We will call her S*****.
I was only about a year faithfully going to a fellowship which had separated themselves from TWI.
I was met with unwarranted opposition when it was found out that the person I was teaching the Class to was lesbian.
Nieve' I guess, I expected to see help and support and gather together as a family eager to contribute, but to my astonishment, it was the opposite.
I struggled through the best I could until Rev. P**** made a live version of the class available. S***** took the class and flew through with flying colors, manifested early.
Not too much time after that I quit going to that fellowship.
Among a few other personal issues, I had a very difficult time recovering the desire to teach again.
************************
Peoples lives are at stake. That's why I teach God's Word to people today.
I do not teach PFAL anymore, but I do teach my own version of how the bible interprets itself, with a view that ppl can read and understand it for themselves, w/o someone telling them to believe a certain way.
People lives and hearts are on the line and we as God's people need to be aware of this.
God never told us to stand against anyone in particular, but we are told to "... resist the adversery..."
Our ministry was given to us for all to benefit, not all except.
Dear BOW-TWI - Wow, your story sounds so heartbreaking - I pray for your psychological and physical healing. You sound like a kind, wise, strong, committed and stable Christian woman. In SO MANY of these posts - "leaders" sound worse than just being someone who is off-the-wall, making a mistake, not walking right, being a little harsh, etc. They sound like PHARISEES!! They are jealous and threatened by good believers like you, just like the Pharisees in the days of old were threatened by JC and good believers in those times. You and everyone else is TOO GOOD for those PHARISEES!! I left in 86, things weren't so bad, I thought some leaders were "off", I was tired of it, and I was tired of "hanging in there" so I let go. But in so many of these posts...the leaders look REALLY evil. Yes, they were tender, enthousiastic and committed people who tried the best they could once upon a time but now they sound as bad as the Pharisees.
[This message was edited by imablvr? on March 27, 2003 at 16:21.]
I've heard from so many GSers since posting my story - this is an amazing and wonderful collection of people that contribute to these forums!
I've learned that when the family corps coordinator told those in res. about my son and me being m&a that he said that when he held my hand he could FEEL MY evil! Oh, how extra spiritual he had to be, ya know?
This was the man that after he asked me if I would sell my car to pay a debt, put his arm around my shoulder in a very comforting manner as he told me I didn't have to sell it - that he asked only to see my committment level to the corps program. He smiled as he tenderly looked into my eyes and assured me that I would need my car in order for my son and other corps kids to attend extracuricular activities at the high school.
He did this knowing that it was a scam - he let me unpack our stuff and settle into the campus and TWO DAYS later - verbally assaulted me and kicked us off of "their campus."
There's more, but this incident really makes my point, so I won't go on and on.
Bowtwi Jr. and I are living well and I really do believe that the only revenge worth having is living well. I thank God for the peace that's in both of our hearts.
I don't believe that lcm and his "gang" have peace in theirs.
All I can say is oh my. I am glad to hear that you have been able to get on with your life. I hope that others read your story and awakened to what does go on out there. nknative
I only found this site yesterday and am very impressed! It is three years since I did a search for stuff about the Way on the Internet and then there was hardly anything apart from The Way Out (which does not seem to have been produced since then. Shortly I will do my story for anyone who want to read it.
But I just had to comment on this thread! I did not realise how much damage Loy (never knew that was his first name before!) had done. I knew about the split and had read Death of a Patriarch but I was shocked to hear all how LCM's paranoid hatred of homosexuals had gone to such extremes. I ultimately left TWI because I was gay, through my own choice, not because I was "discerned" or "suspected" by the leadership. I knew both VPW and LCM and was never, considering how "super spiritual" they were both supposed to be, discovered or suspected by either. My being gay did not prevent me from going WOW and I was appalled that the program should have been closed down on that pretext.
"A text taken out of context becomes a pretext" as Dr Wierwille used to say. I know that the Word on this issue was never rightly-divided by the Way leadership and shall cover this further at another time. I can empathise with people who were treated and accused by the leadership as if they were gay when they were not especially when it is clear they were not very good at getting it right - who was gay and who was not!
I appear to be the first Brit to have made a contribution - wonder if there are any more European or Brit ex Way folk out there?
Trefor - welcome to the GS - I'm delighted you're here. I'm so glad twi never hurt you over you being gay - it seemed to me that our goal was to be Christlike, and I just don't picture him falsely accusing people or cheating on his wife...
I'm looking forward to reading your story - it seems to help to hear each other's experiences on this healing journey.
There's a whole lot of good going on in the world and I for one am very glad to be able to participate.
One more thing I'd like to say to you - Happy Easter!!!
Thanks for the kind welcome! It it is wonderful to find Ex Wayfarers after such a long period of time! :)-->
Thanks for the news on Liz Ex Cathedra - I remember Liz well - she was Liz Slater in the old days but may of course have got married since then! Agape were a fantastic group, one of them was WOW in Bristol with a guy who was a friend of mine. I still love the music done by them and also by Joyful Noise!
Amd bowtwi, Happy Easter to you too! Not a phrase maybe used much in the Way! lol. The bulk of my story is written, just need to fine tune it a little, and it should be up in the next couple of days. For all I know it is the first from a non-US point of view and as I left in 1983 ish, I only know the early days of LCM's presidency before Dr Wierwille died. So it has been quite an experience for me ploughing through news of what has happened since!
What I have read has certainly convinced me that I was right (and lucky) to leave when I did. The organisation and the evil things that happened apart, you cannot help missing some of the people and there are good memories and times mixed in with the bad.
I look forward to learning and sharing in these pages! :)-->
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Hopefull
Bowtwi,
I remember Loy's accusations in the beginning of the purge and knew it was bs at the time, I am glad and relieved to hear you are living well.
You seem very very normal, that is quite a feat after what you have been though.
Living well, you are right, so right. Loy will someday grieve for what he did to you and you are kind to not want to see it.
I got in in 77, wanted to get married to a *believer*, FINALLY met one in 93 (which was an answer to prayer, that's another story) that pursued me in 94, recent pfal grad and all that--
A month after I bought my wedding dress and a week after I booked the catering hall in Feb. 1998 he was M & A'd. I was told my my bc to not only call off the wedding if I wanted to stay in twi but that I also had to M & A him for the next 6 months. I was supposed to tell him to go screw himself.
That ultimatim was a blessing in disguise because it got me OUT.
All my best wishes for a wonderful life for you and your son, and welcome to G.S. I am looking forward to your future posts.
Hopefull
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Modaustin
Due to its powerful impact, I took the liberty of moving this thread from Open to About the Way as well as copying it to My Story in hopes that even more people will read it.
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Kay1952
Hey?
Where were you in Wisconsin? I have been looking for people who might have been here between 1975 to about 1982. I have posted my story, (abbreviated) on another forum, (the general one, I think) because I didn't look down the list of places to post!
I saw major irregularities in leadership in Northern Wisconsin in 1983-84 and simply left after a letter from Dr. W when he just blew me off. Got a phone call from leadership when he died and I knew TWI was going down the pipes then.
Used to see lots of Way bumper stickers here in WI but haven't seen any lately. I found the Cortwritght web page and looked for some people from WI but I don't know any of the names listed there.
It is no surprise that things have gone down, when I learned that Martindale had been fired and that there were lawsuits aplenty.
I am having a crisis of faith, as I am no longer sure what is true and what isn't. Kay
Kay1952
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anothen
There is too much information here for me to reply briefly,but...
My deepest feelings go out to you for what you have endured. I too have read to tears in the post and posts on this thread. My prayers and support go out to you and believe God for healing and deliverance.
*delayed reaction*
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anothen
War Story:
========================================
91 or 92 I was involved in an offshoot in CA.
I had begun to teach PFAL on my own and was practicing on a new person who was interested in the bible. We will call her S*****.
I was only about a year faithfully going to a fellowship which had separated themselves from TWI.
I was met with unwarranted opposition when it was found out that the person I was teaching the Class to was lesbian.
Nieve' I guess, I expected to see help and support and gather together as a family eager to contribute, but to my astonishment, it was the opposite.
I struggled through the best I could until Rev. P**** made a live version of the class available. S***** took the class and flew through with flying colors, manifested early.
Not too much time after that I quit going to that fellowship.
Among a few other personal issues, I had a very difficult time recovering the desire to teach again.
************************
Peoples lives are at stake. That's why I teach God's Word to people today.
I do not teach PFAL anymore, but I do teach my own version of how the bible interprets itself, with a view that ppl can read and understand it for themselves, w/o someone telling them to believe a certain way.
People lives and hearts are on the line and we as God's people need to be aware of this.
God never told us to stand against anyone in particular, but we are told to "... resist the adversery..."
Our ministry was given to us for all to benefit, not all except.
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CircleGame
Dear BOW-TWI - Wow, your story sounds so heartbreaking - I pray for your psychological and physical healing. You sound like a kind, wise, strong, committed and stable Christian woman. In SO MANY of these posts - "leaders" sound worse than just being someone who is off-the-wall, making a mistake, not walking right, being a little harsh, etc. They sound like PHARISEES!! They are jealous and threatened by good believers like you, just like the Pharisees in the days of old were threatened by JC and good believers in those times. You and everyone else is TOO GOOD for those PHARISEES!! I left in 86, things weren't so bad, I thought some leaders were "off", I was tired of it, and I was tired of "hanging in there" so I let go. But in so many of these posts...the leaders look REALLY evil. Yes, they were tender, enthousiastic and committed people who tried the best they could once upon a time but now they sound as bad as the Pharisees.
[This message was edited by imablvr? on March 27, 2003 at 16:21.]
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bowtwi
I've heard from so many GSers since posting my story - this is an amazing and wonderful collection of people that contribute to these forums!
I've learned that when the family corps coordinator told those in res. about my son and me being m&a that he said that when he held my hand he could FEEL MY evil! Oh, how extra spiritual he had to be, ya know?
This was the man that after he asked me if I would sell my car to pay a debt, put his arm around my shoulder in a very comforting manner as he told me I didn't have to sell it - that he asked only to see my committment level to the corps program. He smiled as he tenderly looked into my eyes and assured me that I would need my car in order for my son and other corps kids to attend extracuricular activities at the high school.
He did this knowing that it was a scam - he let me unpack our stuff and settle into the campus and TWO DAYS later - verbally assaulted me and kicked us off of "their campus."
There's more, but this incident really makes my point, so I won't go on and on.
Bowtwi Jr. and I are living well and I really do believe that the only revenge worth having is living well. I thank God for the peace that's in both of our hearts.
I don't believe that lcm and his "gang" have peace in theirs.
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nknative
All I can say is oh my. I am glad to hear that you have been able to get on with your life. I hope that others read your story and awakened to what does go on out there. nknative
loving life and trying to help others love it too
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Trefor Heywood
I only found this site yesterday and am very impressed! It is three years since I did a search for stuff about the Way on the Internet and then there was hardly anything apart from The Way Out (which does not seem to have been produced since then. Shortly I will do my story for anyone who want to read it.
But I just had to comment on this thread! I did not realise how much damage Loy (never knew that was his first name before!) had done. I knew about the split and had read Death of a Patriarch but I was shocked to hear all how LCM's paranoid hatred of homosexuals had gone to such extremes. I ultimately left TWI because I was gay, through my own choice, not because I was "discerned" or "suspected" by the leadership. I knew both VPW and LCM and was never, considering how "super spiritual" they were both supposed to be, discovered or suspected by either. My being gay did not prevent me from going WOW and I was appalled that the program should have been closed down on that pretext.
"A text taken out of context becomes a pretext" as Dr Wierwille used to say. I know that the Word on this issue was never rightly-divided by the Way leadership and shall cover this further at another time. I can empathise with people who were treated and accused by the leadership as if they were gay when they were not especially when it is clear they were not very good at getting it right - who was gay and who was not!
I appear to be the first Brit to have made a contribution - wonder if there are any more European or Brit ex Way folk out there?
Trefor Heywood
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excathedra
welcome tref !
liz (can't remember last name) from music group agape from england used to post here (i think she now lives near philadelphia in USA)
trying to think who else
i look forward to your posts
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bowtwi
Trefor - welcome to the GS - I'm delighted you're here. I'm so glad twi never hurt you over you being gay - it seemed to me that our goal was to be Christlike, and I just don't picture him falsely accusing people or cheating on his wife...
I'm looking forward to reading your story - it seems to help to hear each other's experiences on this healing journey.
There's a whole lot of good going on in the world and I for one am very glad to be able to participate.
One more thing I'd like to say to you - Happy Easter!!!
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Trefor Heywood
Thanks for the kind welcome! It it is wonderful to find Ex Wayfarers after such a long period of time!
:)-->
Thanks for the news on Liz Ex Cathedra - I remember Liz well - she was Liz Slater in the old days but may of course have got married since then! Agape were a fantastic group, one of them was WOW in Bristol with a guy who was a friend of mine. I still love the music done by them and also by Joyful Noise!
Amd bowtwi, Happy Easter to you too! Not a phrase maybe used much in the Way! lol. The bulk of my story is written, just need to fine tune it a little, and it should be up in the next couple of days. For all I know it is the first from a non-US point of view and as I left in 1983 ish, I only know the early days of LCM's presidency before Dr Wierwille died. So it has been quite an experience for me ploughing through news of what has happened since!
What I have read has certainly convinced me that I was right (and lucky) to leave when I did. The organisation and the evil things that happened apart, you cannot help missing some of the people and there are good memories and times mixed in with the bad.
I look forward to learning and sharing in these pages!
:)-->
Trefor Heywood
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Captain Spiritural
Brave very brave woman
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Dot Matrix
Bow ! Boy has your life changed!
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