I was bored tonight and just came back here after several years of absence.
People here seem to be talking about the same things as we were back then. At the risk of seeming judgmental, I need to ask: Are there still that many people trying to overcome Way years? Or is there still a steady stream of people who are leaving The Way and are looking for answers to what happened?
I was bored the other night and picked up a recent Way mag that I found somewhere. The articles there were the same boring drivel that they were when I was in TWI. Except they seemed even more vanilla. I'm sure the SNS teachings are the same, although I don't need to subject myself to that snoozefest. On a recent thread I read about the AC Special recently. Boring drivel on "likemindedness", at a 7th grade level straight out of the collaterals.
People in TWI seem to be mindlessly talking about the same things. Oh, and here's a clue. It's not "the Word". It's TWI corporate dumbed down drivel of their brand of "Christianity". It's not "It Is Written". It is "It Is Position".
As long as they persist, there will be a steady stream of people who need answers to why that kind of thing goes on and affects them.
Speaking of 7th grade, vanilla, drivel and boredom, have you seen the twi website lately? Its all cartoons and looks like it is geared toward children...........um......uh,oh.......
Speaking of 7th grade, vanilla, drivel and boredom, have you seen the twi website lately? Its all cartoons and looks like it is geared toward children...........um......uh,oh.......
Yeah, most of their recent artwork looks like the children's coloring book version of Planet of the Apes...
Actually, one interesting observation is that if you've observed any of the artwork on the literature that the Jehovah's Witnesses gives out - their Watchtower magaine, it looks eerily similar...
I was bored tonight and just came back here after several years of absence.
People here seem to be talking about the same things as we were back then. At the risk of seeming judgmental, I need to ask: Are there still that many people trying to overcome Way years? Or is there still a steady stream of people who are leaving The Way and are looking for answers to what happened?
Uh...after all tese response papertrained I feel it may need to be said that you are the only freakin one of us that can make your intentions and your perspective clear to us..... will we have to wait another several years for you to do so?
I was bored tonight and just came back here after several years of absence.
People here seem to be talking about the same things as we were back then. At the risk of seeming judgmental, I need to ask: Are there still that many people trying to overcome Way years? Or is there still a steady stream of people who are leaving The Way and are looking for answers to what happened?
Well, if you were here before, you'd know that the real name of the place is not Greasespot Cafe, but Hotel California.
Speaking of 7th grade, vanilla, drivel and boredom, have you seen the twi website lately? Its all cartoons and looks like it is geared toward children...........um......uh,oh.......
Two things:
1) 7th grad, vanilla, drivel..........a dumbing-down of twi followers
2) cartoons......or caricatures, that way if someone leaves....NO FACE TO THOSE WHO LEAVE TWI.
Goodness gracious it was a question. I did not think I would be lambasted, and insulted for asking it. The name papertrained refers to my use of paper in writing and artwork! And I get insulted, called a dog and pointed to a hydrant, and accused of different things and taunted!
I did not come back on here to see the responses to the post until now because I am a student, employed and someone who also has to care for a family. I got a few responses to my question. Thank you.
I do not even know why I came here out of boredom. I just did.
So Shellon's response in a nutshell is that it is somewhat like a family, there are relationships that have been kept over the years. It's kinda like what ya'll do for church...only its online. I get it. And the clearinghouse of info is still available for those who need it. I get that. But gee. Lighten up. It was a question.
I was bored tonight and just came back here after several years of absence.
People here seem to be talking about the same things as we were back then. At the risk of seeming judgmental, I need to ask: Are there still that many people trying to overcome Way years? Or is there still a steady stream of people who are leaving The Way and are looking for answers to what happened?
Hi Paper trained. I am one of those people who have been out for a long time and happened on Grease spot recently. I haven't been coming for very long. I rarely go into doctrine but spend a lot of my time trying to sort out why and how I got involved with TWI in the first place and trying to shake some of the teaching out of my head. I left early on so a lot of this happened after I left but the teaching ... the wrong teaching was in full force. I find it helpful and I am thankful the long time posters are here. They have answered all my questions even though they have been answered before over and over and when you ask things politely they don't usually growl at you. I see by your post you came here before and perhaps you got all your questions answered then. I am still sorting my way through it.
I am glad for you that you got healed and found some balance for your life. I hope you don't let this keep you away there are lots of fun posts in here besides all this
there is the gardening section and a cat section and a lot of others
I too am a student and well welcome back to grease spot hope you come around some more.
something useful I've noticed with GSC is that not only people who leave find a place to help process what they've been through, but people still get involved with innies and have questions. we've encountered a number of those in my short time here and I'd like to think they got the help they needed to understand the cult mindset that grips long-time followers of twi doctrine.
hm. I just noticed I've been hanging around nearly 3 years :) in fact, it was 3 years ago on labor day weekend that I realized I'd had enough and officially left twi for good. happy third anniversary to me!
Potato, Happy 3rd. Anniversary! Sweet sixteen for me this august (ROA).
something useful I've noticed with GSC is that not only people who leave find a place to help process what they've been through, but people still get involved with innies and have questions. we've encountered a number of those in my short time here and I'd like to think they got the help they needed to understand the cult mindset that grips long-time followers of twi doctrine.
hm. I just noticed I've been hanging around nearly 3 years :) in fact, it was 3 years ago on labor day weekend that I realized I'd had enough and officially left twi for good. happy third anniversary to me!
O. k. papertrained, I am busted. I thought you were trying to be a meanie. Like I have said before it is hard to understand someone's tone when not directly talking to them. At least for me, anyway.
Congrats on the 3 years, Potato! And I agree on how much Grease Spot's "collective conscious" helps folks process stuff. Don't think I'll ever stop coming here as long as there's a friendly environment that welcomes one to say whatever they think.
And to answer the question posed at the beginning of this thread "what are we doing here?" – Here's something [besides the therapeutic process mentioned above – which is the main draw for me]. I make it a point to warn others of TWI.
Funny.. . I've read this thread before but didn't have anything to post – and then reading something in a book today inspired me to chime in with my two cents. But it's not so much the thing I read in the book as it is to trace my steps in getting to the point where I wanted to post it here – cuz it highlights what I'm doing here – soaking up the therapeutic effects of an ex-cult community & alerting others of one very screwed up organization. I think it's interesting how they tie together.
Spectrum started a thread a little while back - in doctrinal on Ezekiel's vision. That got me reading the book of Ezekiel. I read it in a few different translations, then glanced at a few commentaries on key passages, then got into reading up on the Assyrian empire, checking out an Atlas of World History, checking out Old Testament surveys on Ezekiel – which brings me up to today, reading Ezekiel in my Life Application Study Bible: The New Living Translation, along with the Holman Bible Handbook chapter on Ezekiel.
Two things in these books made me think of myself in relation to Grease Spot and also reflect on my former TWI years. The introductory notes of my study Bible mentions Ezekiel's preaching to demonstrate God's truth and predicting the approaching siege & destruction of Jerusalem; Ezekiel shows people are responsible for their own moral status and the inevitability of God's judgment against idolatry, rebellion & indifference. I think I could swap out the city Jerusalem for New Knoxville, Ohio.
I like the point at the end of the chapter on Ezekiel in Holman Bible Handbook – under theological and ethical significance, page 447: "Christians can learn responsibility from Ezekiel. Like Ezekiel believers are to empathize with the hurt of those around them [3:15]. Like Ezekiel Christians are 'watchmen,' responsible for warning neighbors of sin's consequences [3:16-21]."
What hit me today from my study – isn't some profound revelation or deep insight of the Bible. It was a simple, nice warm feeling of "hey, I'm glad I'm out of that mess [TWI] and for helpful folks I've met since then [Grease Spotters]". That's all it was – and then came a desire to share that feeling – for some reason I recalled this thread - so here I am – don't know if it's way off base with this discussion – but don't care. Hey, it's my therapy!
Ok, so this is another one of my gosh-awful-long posts - but I just wanted to say that for me anyway, this healing process is so intricate and subtle and somehow tied together with what goes on at Grease Spot - even when I'm offline. Needless to say, you never know how much something someone says here will help you process. Everyone's got their own way of working things out – this is part of what helps me.. . well, anywho – that's what I'm doing here. Glad you asked. :)
Goodness gracious it was a question. I did not think I would be lambasted, and insulted for asking it. The name papertrained refers to my use of paper in writing and artwork! And I get insulted, called a dog and pointed to a hydrant, and accused of different things and taunted!
I did not come back on here to see the responses to the post until now because I am a student, employed and someone who also has to care for a family. I got a few responses to my question. Thank you.
I do not even know why I came here out of boredom. I just did.
So Shellon's response in a nutshell is that it is somewhat like a family, there are relationships that have been kept over the years. It's kinda like what ya'll do for church...only its online. I get it. And the clearinghouse of info is still available for those who need it. I get that. But gee. Lighten up. It was a question.
well, sowie..
I don't take it all that so serious anymore..
I don't expect people to somehow miraculously "walk by the spirit" and get the true intent of what I have to say here..
why am I here.. sometimes it's just because this is where the party is "happening" of sorts..
I don't think you were being lambasted. Maybe that's the effect of the response.. maybe its more like people here were trying to understand you..
your name.. papertrained.. there are MANY connotations..
my screen name is ham, mainly because I have a ham radio license.. I got involved in ham radio a few years before my departure from the way..
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chockfull
I was bored the other night and picked up a recent Way mag that I found somewhere. The articles there were the same boring drivel that they were when I was in TWI. Except they seemed even more vanilla. I'm sure the SNS teachings are the same, although I don't need to subject myself to that snoozefest. On a recent thread I read about the AC Special recently. Boring drivel on "likemindedness", at a 7th grade level straight out of the collaterals.
People in TWI seem to be mindlessly talking about the same things. Oh, and here's a clue. It's not "the Word". It's TWI corporate dumbed down drivel of their brand of "Christianity". It's not "It Is Written". It is "It Is Position".
As long as they persist, there will be a steady stream of people who need answers to why that kind of thing goes on and affects them.
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jrglade
Speaking of 7th grade, vanilla, drivel and boredom, have you seen the twi website lately? Its all cartoons and looks like it is geared toward children...........um......uh,oh.......
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chockfull
Yeah, most of their recent artwork looks like the children's coloring book version of Planet of the Apes...
Actually, one interesting observation is that if you've observed any of the artwork on the literature that the Jehovah's Witnesses gives out - their Watchtower magaine, it looks eerily similar...
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JeffSjo
Uh...after all tese response papertrained I feel it may need to be said that you are the only freakin one of us that can make your intentions and your perspective clear to us..... will we have to wait another several years for you to do so?
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markomalley
Well, if you were here before, you'd know that the real name of the place is not Greasespot Cafe, but Hotel California.
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skyrider
Two things:
1) 7th grad, vanilla, drivel..........a dumbing-down of twi followers
2) cartoons......or caricatures, that way if someone leaves....NO FACE TO THOSE WHO LEAVE TWI.
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papertrained
Goodness gracious it was a question. I did not think I would be lambasted, and insulted for asking it. The name papertrained refers to my use of paper in writing and artwork! And I get insulted, called a dog and pointed to a hydrant, and accused of different things and taunted!
I did not come back on here to see the responses to the post until now because I am a student, employed and someone who also has to care for a family. I got a few responses to my question. Thank you.
I do not even know why I came here out of boredom. I just did.
So Shellon's response in a nutshell is that it is somewhat like a family, there are relationships that have been kept over the years. It's kinda like what ya'll do for church...only its online. I get it. And the clearinghouse of info is still available for those who need it. I get that. But gee. Lighten up. It was a question.
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leafytwiglet
Hi Paper trained. I am one of those people who have been out for a long time and happened on Grease spot recently. I haven't been coming for very long. I rarely go into doctrine but spend a lot of my time trying to sort out why and how I got involved with TWI in the first place and trying to shake some of the teaching out of my head. I left early on so a lot of this happened after I left but the teaching ... the wrong teaching was in full force. I find it helpful and I am thankful the long time posters are here. They have answered all my questions even though they have been answered before over and over and when you ask things politely they don't usually growl at you. I see by your post you came here before and perhaps you got all your questions answered then. I am still sorting my way through it.
I am glad for you that you got healed and found some balance for your life. I hope you don't let this keep you away there are lots of fun posts in here besides all this
there is the gardening section and a cat section and a lot of others
I too am a student and well welcome back to grease spot hope you come around some more.
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Twinky
What are we doing here?
I'm asking myself the same question...it is 1.30 AM and way past my bedtime. How fascinating GSC is at times... :blink:
Chockfull - I noticed that about their line drawings too. Very Watchtower-ish. Heck, they're not plagiarizing the artwork now, are they?
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Shellon
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potato
something useful I've noticed with GSC is that not only people who leave find a place to help process what they've been through, but people still get involved with innies and have questions. we've encountered a number of those in my short time here and I'd like to think they got the help they needed to understand the cult mindset that grips long-time followers of twi doctrine.
hm. I just noticed I've been hanging around nearly 3 years :) in fact, it was 3 years ago on labor day weekend that I realized I'd had enough and officially left twi for good. happy third anniversary to me!
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taxicab
Potato, Happy 3rd. Anniversary! Sweet sixteen for me this august (ROA).
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kimberly
O. k. papertrained, I am busted. I thought you were trying to be a meanie. Like I have said before it is hard to understand someone's tone when not directly talking to them. At least for me, anyway.
Ask away.......
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cheranne
It's all good(some of us have trust level alerts on at all time :excl: (gee i wonder why?)could it be..what we have been through.(with twi) :o
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T-Bone
Congrats on the 3 years, Potato! And I agree on how much Grease Spot's "collective conscious" helps folks process stuff. Don't think I'll ever stop coming here as long as there's a friendly environment that welcomes one to say whatever they think.
And to answer the question posed at the beginning of this thread "what are we doing here?" – Here's something [besides the therapeutic process mentioned above – which is the main draw for me]. I make it a point to warn others of TWI.
Funny.. . I've read this thread before but didn't have anything to post – and then reading something in a book today inspired me to chime in with my two cents. But it's not so much the thing I read in the book as it is to trace my steps in getting to the point where I wanted to post it here – cuz it highlights what I'm doing here – soaking up the therapeutic effects of an ex-cult community & alerting others of one very screwed up organization. I think it's interesting how they tie together.
Spectrum started a thread a little while back - in doctrinal on Ezekiel's vision. That got me reading the book of Ezekiel. I read it in a few different translations, then glanced at a few commentaries on key passages, then got into reading up on the Assyrian empire, checking out an Atlas of World History, checking out Old Testament surveys on Ezekiel – which brings me up to today, reading Ezekiel in my Life Application Study Bible: The New Living Translation, along with the Holman Bible Handbook chapter on Ezekiel.
Two things in these books made me think of myself in relation to Grease Spot and also reflect on my former TWI years. The introductory notes of my study Bible mentions Ezekiel's preaching to demonstrate God's truth and predicting the approaching siege & destruction of Jerusalem; Ezekiel shows people are responsible for their own moral status and the inevitability of God's judgment against idolatry, rebellion & indifference. I think I could swap out the city Jerusalem for New Knoxville, Ohio.
I like the point at the end of the chapter on Ezekiel in Holman Bible Handbook – under theological and ethical significance, page 447: "Christians can learn responsibility from Ezekiel. Like Ezekiel believers are to empathize with the hurt of those around them [3:15]. Like Ezekiel Christians are 'watchmen,' responsible for warning neighbors of sin's consequences [3:16-21]."
What hit me today from my study – isn't some profound revelation or deep insight of the Bible. It was a simple, nice warm feeling of "hey, I'm glad I'm out of that mess [TWI] and for helpful folks I've met since then [Grease Spotters]". That's all it was – and then came a desire to share that feeling – for some reason I recalled this thread - so here I am – don't know if it's way off base with this discussion – but don't care. Hey, it's my therapy!
Ok, so this is another one of my gosh-awful-long posts - but I just wanted to say that for me anyway, this healing process is so intricate and subtle and somehow tied together with what goes on at Grease Spot - even when I'm offline. Needless to say, you never know how much something someone says here will help you process. Everyone's got their own way of working things out – this is part of what helps me.. . well, anywho – that's what I'm doing here. Glad you asked. :)
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Ham
well, sowie..
I don't take it all that so serious anymore..
I don't expect people to somehow miraculously "walk by the spirit" and get the true intent of what I have to say here..
why am I here.. sometimes it's just because this is where the party is "happening" of sorts..
I don't think you were being lambasted. Maybe that's the effect of the response.. maybe its more like people here were trying to understand you..
your name.. papertrained.. there are MANY connotations..
my screen name is ham, mainly because I have a ham radio license.. I got involved in ham radio a few years before my departure from the way..
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