Tithing and the New Way of Abundance & Power Class

[WhiteDove]

There's really no need for sarcasm.

You implied (made a claim by virtue of refutation) that documentation exists showing The Way bringing in outside speakers.

Can you provide that documentation or not?

Actually I did not make any claim I offered a bit of advice

You might wanna check some tape logs for the 70s before you stand by that statement.

[waysider]

Actually I did not make any claim I offered a bit of advice

You might wanna check some tape logs for the 70s before you stand by that statement.

The Way has a long history of excluding speakers and teachers from outside the fold in matters relating to Biblical accuracy.

Feel free to refute that claim with hard evidence or step aside so others can continue the discussion as it relates to the thread title.

[chockfull]

You might wanna check some tape logs for the 70s before you stand by that statement.

VPW, through the 70's from what I can put together, had KC Pillai and Lamsa teach some all the while extolling their support of him, had a guy he said was seed of the serpent teach the Corps, and once in a while would have some other source like Bud Morgan speak.

I don't recollect him ever exchanging teaching spots on the Sunday Service with other Christian denominations such as is common in mainstream Christianity. I'm sure if you have a comprehensive tape log list from all time you might find one or two exceptions to this, like Rufus Mosely teaching, or the like.

So I will concede this point to you on the 70's, and state that there was some of that going on in the 70's, which as others took on running the ministry in the 80's decreased more and more. By the time VPW was gone, there was absolutely zero outside collaboration on teachings, which has continued to today.

Congratulations, by sniping at one mostly correct sentence in the midst of paragraphs, you've managed to turn the attention of the thread from tithing and ABS and TWI practices on to yourself. I'm sure your motives are accuracy, but give it a rest and join the discussion.

Back to the main point. TWI set themselves up as the only source of Biblical teaching. They then taught that the Bible is our only rule of faith and practice. And VPW taught the commutative law in mathematics in his Foundational Class - things equal to the same thing are equal to each other. So without directly stating so, followers were led to believe that TWI is the only source of truth for faith and practice. Statements of pretended humility such as "I don't have all the answers", or "It's not the only truth it's just the best package" placed in strategic places are false displays of humility to further increase followers trust.

What is further irrefutable is what VPW believed about himself. He believed God talked to him telling him he would teach him the Word like it hadn't been known since the first century. He had a "phenomenon" experience including snow at gas pumps which are not corroborated by any outside source. He may have had a miraculous experience. But then again so may have Joseph Smith. VPW heard from God. Maybe so - the question is of course, "which god?"

If the true God was teaching him the Word in his ear like it hadn't been known since the first century, why the need to plagiarize?