I don`t know about *content to stay* Most people that I knew were flat out afraid to leave the hedge of God`s protection that surrounded them as long as they were in twi. To leave meant to open the door to satan, to die.
Sickness, loss of children... loss of God`s blessing, loss of his protection, being in satans cross hairs with no protection...Having to face life without God to turn to was way worse to contemplate then to submit to the indignities of life in twi.
It was many years after leaving before the anxiety of waiting for that shoe to drop lessened.
sorry, loss of eternal rewards is the answer . . . .loss of eternal rewards. All of this life will be forgotten. for the joy set before us, we suffer, or something.
I don`t know about *content to stay* Most people that I knew were flat out afraid to leave the hedge of God`s protection that surrounded them as long as they were in twi. To leave meant to open the door to satan, to die.
It reminds me of all those polygamist cults with the women whose personality has been completely washed out. The thousand-mile stare, the concern for the "family" over any personal rights, the groupthink. The fear of the unknown.
Exactly chockfull. There were people that came to me to try to understand why the women would stay. I did the best I could to explain that in order to remain virtuous, in God`s favor, in order for your children to be protected, to grow up as God fearing men and women, you would suck it up and swallow any indignity, any unpleasantness, in the belief that this was what God insisted upon.
You renewed your mind to believe that God required these things of you for a greater good.
A good wafer/polygamist cult member/whatever is seriously discouraged from listening to the news, reading the paper, internet computer access, having contact with non believing family members, non standing friends.... in time, they have no reference points outside of their group.
The only input allowed is from people whom believe and think exactly the same as you do.
When the doubts nag at you, that is satan trying to deceive you. When you are miserable it is because you are focusing on the wrong thing. When circumstances become overwhelming, you are guilty of looking at the 5 senses.
So you suck it up...you believe that your misery is your fault...you believe that if you just dot all of your I`s and cross all of your T`s spiritually, all will be well.
A good wafer/polygamist cult member/whatever is seriously discouraged from listening to the news, reading the paper, internet computer access, having contact with non believing family members, non standing friends.... in time, they have no reference points outside of their group.
The only input allowed is from people whom believe and think exactly the same as you do.
When the doubts nag at you, that is satan trying to deceive you. When you are miserable it is because you are focusing on the wrong thing. When circumstances become overwhelming, you are guilty of looking at the 5 senses.
So you suck it up...you believe that your misery is your fault...you believe that if you just dot all of your I`s and cross all of your T`s spiritually, all will be well.
that was my experience. when I did leave, I was terrified. 2.5 years later, though, I understand that the fear was not founded in any kind of reality. it was waybrain. but it took 6 months to a year and a bunch of therapy before the terror started to subside.
A good wafer/polygamist cult member/whatever is seriously discouraged from listening to the news, reading the paper, internet computer access, having contact with non believing family members, non standing friends.... in time, they have no reference points outside of their group.
The only input allowed is from people whom (uhh Rascal - it is "who" not "whom" LOL - minor detail...but I write papers for a living) believe and think exactly the same as you do.
When the doubts nag at you, that is satan trying to deceive you. When you are miserable it is because you are focusing on the wrong thing. When circumstances become overwhelming, you are guilty of looking at the 5 senses.
So you suck it up...you believe that your misery is your fault...you believe that if you just dot all of your I`s and cross all of your T`s spiritually, all will be well.
I have a better solution for when you leave TWI - works every time. Forget all that crap about god and satan - get a good bottle of whiskey and a bag of herbal solutions. Drink whiskey in double shots while partaking of herbal remedies - not talking about golden seal kiddies. Put on some Jerry Garcia - you know that Grateful Dead - evil acid seed band from the 60's - 70's. When Jerry is done, the whiskey bottle empty, the bag spent - lift your right hand and offer the malignant one (Vic) your best one finger salute and then put on something mellow - like Robert Hunter - Laugh at Vic - laugh at yourself - enjoy the moment (and the nice head) - forget all of that indoctrination.
E-Z-Wider - the natural,safe, and herbal replacement for the Blue Book
sorry, loss of eternal rewards is the answer . . . .loss of eternal rewards. All of this life will be forgotten. for the joy set before us, we suffer, or something.
this post reminds me of something said by one of the way leaders
during a teaching one time
whenever IDOLOTRY occurs in christian circles
two symptoms occur
one is that the manifestations of holy spirit are ignored or mis-taught and misused
the other is that the HOPE of Christ's return is replaced with JUDGEMENT
throughout my time in TWI, that second one about the hope being replaced with judgement
kept getting more and more apparent as the years went by
but then see what happens to you if you even suggest that the cause of this legalistic judgement
I took "The Class" in '72 (or was it '71?--never can seem to remember). Anyhow, at that time, the focus was on how, if you left "the ministry", the devil would make your life a living hell because you knew "The Mystery". The excitement over eternal rewards (crowns) came somewhat later. I'm thinking it was in the late '70s or early '80s. The "manifestations" (as taught by TWI) were nothing but a sham and stage show. As for "The Hope", I don't think The Way had the vaguest idea what was being referenced in the scriptures where "The Hope" is mentioned. You have to eventually get to a point where you realize that by leaving The Way, you are simply leaving a cult. There is nothing mystical or spiritual about it.
I still, 14 years later, wonder sometimes if I'm going to he11 or outside of God's favor.
Meanwhile God is up in heaven giving you a standing ovation round of applause for your love for your husband and family and your tireless efforts to fight for them despite all odds. And your sense of community and involvement with other Christians who are the salt of the earth that we can find so easily in all our communities.
I applaud those of you who are still with TWI simply because your spouse or other person that you love is still there. I applaud your faithfulness and commitment to your marriage vows (something about staying together in sickness and in health?). And I trust you are making arrangements for the day your spouse realizes that s/he is part of some sick organization, and that TWI isn't really the place to be any more.
It doesn't say much for your spouse's reciprocal commitment and concern for you, that s/he doesn't realize how miserable you are and has not enquired why. (Yeah, sure, it's you who is "possessed" - gag.)
My family and I left with 18 others in AUGUST OF 2008 in the south florida area. the funny thing was from my so called fellowship cordinator was if I was goinging to keep sending in my ABS to headquarters. As of last week 6 more left the the area also. PRAISE THE LORD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, congratulations stayaway! Really good news that people are still finding their way out. Pretty funny, yet really really sad....they don`t care about you leaving so much as make damned sure they still get your dollars..
TWI takes that which is not theirs .... in God`s name.
I really don`t think God wants us enabling these people by giving our support financially,
My family and I left with 18 others in AUGUST OF 2008 in the south florida area. the funny thing was from my so called fellowship cordinator was if I was goinging to keep sending in my ABS to headquarters. As of last week 6 more left the the area also. PRAISE THE LORD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
congrats to everyone on your freedom! that thing from your FC is stunning, simply stunning. my head instantly made it into a cartoon.
Congrats, Stayaway!! Always glad to hear when someone has recaptured their life again. Go, you!!
Yeah... I don't know if we'll ever see another mass-exodus from twi... it's more like a leaky faucet: a steady drip-drip-dripping of people like Stayaway and friends. If you only look for a moment, it seems like nothing but boy, does it add up over time!
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Bolshevik
some are financially trapped or so they seem to think
many are content too
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rascal
I don`t know about *content to stay* Most people that I knew were flat out afraid to leave the hedge of God`s protection that surrounded them as long as they were in twi. To leave meant to open the door to satan, to die.
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Bolshevik
when you believe you have eternal life, what's to be afraid of?
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rascal
Sickness, loss of children... loss of God`s blessing, loss of his protection, being in satans cross hairs with no protection...Having to face life without God to turn to was way worse to contemplate then to submit to the indignities of life in twi.
It was many years after leaving before the anxiety of waiting for that shoe to drop lessened.
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Bolshevik
sorry, loss of eternal rewards is the answer . . . .loss of eternal rewards. All of this life will be forgotten. for the joy set before us, we suffer, or something.
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Watered Garden
I just find it really sad that people still think God only cares about those who are active in TWI. I do understand, though.
I still, 14 years later, wonder sometimes if I'm going to he11 or outside of God's favor.
Then I remember God is bigger than anything - even TWI.
WG
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chockfull
It reminds me of all those polygamist cults with the women whose personality has been completely washed out. The thousand-mile stare, the concern for the "family" over any personal rights, the groupthink. The fear of the unknown.
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rascal
Exactly chockfull. There were people that came to me to try to understand why the women would stay. I did the best I could to explain that in order to remain virtuous, in God`s favor, in order for your children to be protected, to grow up as God fearing men and women, you would suck it up and swallow any indignity, any unpleasantness, in the belief that this was what God insisted upon.
You renewed your mind to believe that God required these things of you for a greater good.
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rascal
A good wafer/polygamist cult member/whatever is seriously discouraged from listening to the news, reading the paper, internet computer access, having contact with non believing family members, non standing friends.... in time, they have no reference points outside of their group.
The only input allowed is from people whom believe and think exactly the same as you do.
When the doubts nag at you, that is satan trying to deceive you. When you are miserable it is because you are focusing on the wrong thing. When circumstances become overwhelming, you are guilty of looking at the 5 senses.
So you suck it up...you believe that your misery is your fault...you believe that if you just dot all of your I`s and cross all of your T`s spiritually, all will be well.
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GarthP2000
You mean there has been a *massive* exodus recently? ....
.... of all *3* people?? :blink:
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potato
that was my experience. when I did leave, I was terrified. 2.5 years later, though, I understand that the fear was not founded in any kind of reality. it was waybrain. but it took 6 months to a year and a bunch of therapy before the terror started to subside.
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skyrider
I heard that a long-standing couple in southern California left twi in the past two weeks.
:)
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RumRunner
I have a better solution for when you leave TWI - works every time. Forget all that crap about god and satan - get a good bottle of whiskey and a bag of herbal solutions. Drink whiskey in double shots while partaking of herbal remedies - not talking about golden seal kiddies. Put on some Jerry Garcia - you know that Grateful Dead - evil acid seed band from the 60's - 70's. When Jerry is done, the whiskey bottle empty, the bag spent - lift your right hand and offer the malignant one (Vic) your best one finger salute and then put on something mellow - like Robert Hunter - Laugh at Vic - laugh at yourself - enjoy the moment (and the nice head) - forget all of that indoctrination.
E-Z-Wider - the natural,safe, and herbal replacement for the Blue Book
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potato
good for them!
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ljn698
sorry, loss of eternal rewards is the answer . . . .loss of eternal rewards. All of this life will be forgotten. for the joy set before us, we suffer, or something.
this post reminds me of something said by one of the way leaders
during a teaching one time
whenever IDOLOTRY occurs in christian circles
two symptoms occur
one is that the manifestations of holy spirit are ignored or mis-taught and misused
the other is that the HOPE of Christ's return is replaced with JUDGEMENT
throughout my time in TWI, that second one about the hope being replaced with judgement
kept getting more and more apparent as the years went by
but then see what happens to you if you even suggest that the cause of this legalistic judgement
might be idolotry.
just an idea
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waysider
I took "The Class" in '72 (or was it '71?--never can seem to remember). Anyhow, at that time, the focus was on how, if you left "the ministry", the devil would make your life a living hell because you knew "The Mystery". The excitement over eternal rewards (crowns) came somewhat later. I'm thinking it was in the late '70s or early '80s. The "manifestations" (as taught by TWI) were nothing but a sham and stage show. As for "The Hope", I don't think The Way had the vaguest idea what was being referenced in the scriptures where "The Hope" is mentioned. You have to eventually get to a point where you realize that by leaving The Way, you are simply leaving a cult. There is nothing mystical or spiritual about it.
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chockfull
Meanwhile God is up in heaven giving you a standing ovation round of applause for your love for your husband and family and your tireless efforts to fight for them despite all odds. And your sense of community and involvement with other Christians who are the salt of the earth that we can find so easily in all our communities.
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Twinky
I applaud those of you who are still with TWI simply because your spouse or other person that you love is still there. I applaud your faithfulness and commitment to your marriage vows (something about staying together in sickness and in health?). And I trust you are making arrangements for the day your spouse realizes that s/he is part of some sick organization, and that TWI isn't really the place to be any more.
It doesn't say much for your spouse's reciprocal commitment and concern for you, that s/he doesn't realize how miserable you are and has not enquired why. (Yeah, sure, it's you who is "possessed" - gag.)
Keep talking.
One day you too will join the exodus.
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STAYAWAY
My family and I left with 18 others in AUGUST OF 2008 in the south florida area. the funny thing was from my so called fellowship cordinator was if I was goinging to keep sending in my ABS to headquarters. As of last week 6 more left the the area also. PRAISE THE LORD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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rascal
Wow, congratulations stayaway! Really good news that people are still finding their way out. Pretty funny, yet really really sad....they don`t care about you leaving so much as make damned sure they still get your dollars..
TWI takes that which is not theirs .... in God`s name.
I really don`t think God wants us enabling these people by giving our support financially,
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potato
congrats to everyone on your freedom! that thing from your FC is stunning, simply stunning. my head instantly made it into a cartoon.
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Twinky
When I left (or rather, was kicked out), they sent my ABS check from the previous week back!
But maybe they had more people then. They could afford to say goodbye to my funds. But it was a last kick in the teeth at the time.
But hey, I LOVE giving to worthy causes. People that are really out making a real, healthy, difference in the lives of others.
Yeah, a good cartoon. An octopus springs to mind.
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TheHighWay
Congrats, Stayaway!! Always glad to hear when someone has recaptured their life again. Go, you!!
Yeah... I don't know if we'll ever see another mass-exodus from twi... it's more like a leaky faucet: a steady drip-drip-dripping of people like Stayaway and friends. If you only look for a moment, it seems like nothing but boy, does it add up over time!
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leafytwiglet
Stayaway... Good for you and your family I am cheering for you!!!
I think now it is a lot like when my hubby and I left which was before the mass exodus just a steady drip drip drip of people walking away.
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