Are you still searching for "the truth"?

[waterbuffalo]

Happily, I'm no longer...searching for the truth...

How 'bout you?

[waysider]

Happily, I'm no longer...searching for the truth...

How 'bout you?

Might as well be searching for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

I'm much happier enjoying the rainbow.

[waterbuffalo]

Might as well be searching for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

I'm much happier enjoying the rainbow.

:)

[Ham]

I can't say it does not exist.. I just don't try to define it in my terms any more..

if it cares to come up and bite me in the a**.. well, that would be ok..

other than that, I'm not going out of my way beating through the shrubs and bushes trying to find it..

[bowtwi]

I don't know that I'm looking for "the truth" but I found myself missing the "fellowship" with other believers I enjoyed in the cult.

I found a church here where I live now that provides that camaraderie, that sense of belonging and a place to worship with other Christians without the pressure and condemnation so prevalent in the way.

My 13-year-old daughter is a trinitarian and I'm not. I may change my mind someday and maybe she'll change hers. That doesn't matter to us. We love each other and encourage each other regardless of what the other believes. I'm not worried that she'll go to hell if she isn't 100% likeminded with me on every subject under the sun.

Life's so much more fun this way! She and I were asked to read some scripture and light the unity candle for advent this morning and lead a prayer. She wore her choir robe as she's a member of the choir and when the lighter didn't work nobody chewed my butt cause the church's lighter died at that moment. It was taken in stride.

Freedom is a beautiful thing.

Edited November 29, 2009 by bowtwi

[Oakspear]

I'm not.

I think that there are true things, but no one single system of belief and/or practice that can even be called the truth.

I seek every day to become a better person.

[George Aar]

Nah. I no longer search for lots of stuff:

Bigfoot

The "other" shooter at the Kennedy assassination

E.T.

The perfect combination of "natural" foods that will make me healthy

The stinky "brand new" Corvette for $75. (with the "dead man" smell in it)

The perfect "work from home" MLM to make my fortune with

True love

Such is the cost of growing up, I guess...

[Ham]

E.T.

I've left the welcome mat out, and the light on.. hasn't come, yet.

Maybe I'm intergalacticly known as a bad host..

maybe I ought to hang out a "free beer" sign or something..

Edited November 29, 2009 by Ham

[cheranne]

I found Jesus (He was behind the couch the whole time! In my heart at Home) :blush:

Edited November 29, 2009 by cheranne

[Jim]

Searching for the truth??? I'm lucky if I can find my glasses...

[mstar1]

Searching for the truth??? I'm lucky if I can find my glasses...

..................................

I dont exactly know what you mean by "truth". Its defined a lot different for me now than when I was in the cult. I no longer think that "truth" is some simplistic belief system that you can tie a nice little bow around and pretend that you own it.

There are alot of true things that have been posted here over the years that were covered and hidden when I was in TWI.

Looking back I was never really searching for truth in TWI, although I really thought I was, it was more like I was really hiding from it.

I dont pretend to have any specific special deep understanding of anything cosmic if thats what you mean but I do feel like I have a much better bearing on whats real and whats half cocked bullsh!t.

Does that count?

[Bramble]

I no longer think it is possible for a human being to have more than a glimpse of spiritual truth.The best we do is find symbols, beliefs of what we think might be, what settles in each person's heart as truth or understanding. What makes sense.

[leafytwiglet]

Hmmm no not anymore.. Truth is not a solid thing like I used to think when I was young .. IT has many colors and shapes and is much more complicated than a simple saying or two some one throws out there.

IT wears many coats and I doubt we ever really come to a full understanding of it.. just a little glimpse of it through the trees of life once in a while.

[T-Bone]

Happily, I'm no longer...searching for the truth...

How 'bout you?

Nope - nowadays I'm just looking for the remote.. . and better not catch one of my dogs chewing on it.. .again.

[waysider]

Wow!

I went looking for Truth and found out it's been on youtube this whole time!

[soul searcher]

I am, and probably always will be.

Speaking of which...maybe somebody here can save me some time and tell me if I'm likely to find any truth in teachings by John Schoenheit, Wayne Clapp, John Schroyer or anyone from the from CFFM/STF/CES combine?

I'm currently plodding though some classes that an ex-TWIer (I was never one) friend recommended and I'm quickly becoming disenchanted with much of it.

[newlife]

I think it's been a journey of sorting out what is truth and what is not. And I think it will continue to be that.

I also think, for me, it's seeking God....seeking a closer fellowship with Him every day. No one knows the ALL truth, except God.....but I can know a bit here and a bit there.....

In TWI, I never searched anything out for myself.....I just took in what was taught to me as truth and adopted those beliefs....Bad decision on my part. BUT, I will say, one thing that was good that happened is that I actually got into the bible, which I had never been before. I attended church....but wasn't into the bible.....

I have found that God always works things out for my good...the good and the bad. I'm not so concerned about having THE TRUTH on every verse and chapter like I was. I think it was the "rightly dividing" the word that got me to be such an avid searcher for the Truth. I have relaxed about it all and know that God will reveal it to me, which He has done.

I guess it would be a better description to say, I have a great desire to know God and the Bible.....

[Ham]

I am, and probably always will be.

Speaking of which...maybe somebody here can save me some time and tell me if I'm likely to find any truth in teachings by John Schoenheit, Wayne Clapp, John Schroyer or anyone from the from CFFM/STF/CES combine?

I'm currently plodding though some classes that an ex-TWIer (I was never one) friend recommended and I'm quickly becoming disenchanted with much of it.

I think once you've had one class, you've really had them all.. same kind of analysis of the bible, same doctrines.. if you were disenchanted by one, you may find you will be disenchanted by them all..

I think CFF is at least currently fairly beneign. Can't say the same for Schoenheit, STFFI/CES et al..

[OldSkool]

"What is truth?"....

[soul searcher]

I think CFF is at least currently fairly beneign. Can't say the same for Schoenheit, STFFI/CES et al..

Thank you. You're implication seems to be that STF is harmful or virulent. Can you please elaborate, or point me to a topic where this is discussed? I don't know that much about STF other than it is a TWI splinter group.

Incidentally, I found the CES/STF class "New Life in Christ" to be very interesting. I don't agree with everything that was taught but I learned some things just the same.

[Tzaia]

Thank you. You're implication seems to be that STF is harmful or virulent. Can you please elaborate, or point me to a topic where this is discussed? I don't know that much about STF other than it is a TWI splinter group.

Incidentally, I found the CES/STF class "New Life in Christ" to be very interesting. I don't agree with everything that was taught but I learned some things just the same.

I thought it was boring. Now that I've actually done college-level coursework in religion and biblical studies, I find the "class" clearly lacking in background. I was involved fairly heavily with STF from its inception until 2005. I used to think that what was taught was fairly accurate - it meshed with many of my beliefs (considering that many of my beliefs found their way into their books as I spoke with the head guys often), but as they will be quick to point out, relationships will suffer if there's a deviation from what they believe. I started pulling away from what I used to believe and found they could be incredibly harsh and judgmental - in the name of "speaking the truth in love". I have been accused of being possessed and from what I understand, there were some not-so-flattering prophecies spoken about me. It's just something I think we can all do without.

[Ham]

Thank you. You're implication seems to be that STF is harmful or virulent. Can you please elaborate, or point me to a topic where this is discussed? I don't know that much about STF other than it is a TWI splinter group.

Incidentally, I found the CES/STF class "New Life in Christ" to be very interesting. I don't agree with everything that was taught but I learned some things just the same.

Here's a few documents.. their organization has been one "psychodrama" after another..

warring prophecies.. absolute nuttiness..

http://www.greasespotcafe.com/main2/the-off-shoots/christian-educational-services/

here is the section on Greasespot forums, dedicated just for STFFI..

http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/forum/68-cesstfi/

its been decades of nuttiness..

a circus, that continues as long as people are willing to pay the entrance fee..

Edited December 1, 2009 by Ham

[Ham]

now.. as far as "are you still searching for the truth"..

I found it once. No, not in way days..

stone, cold sober, I looked it in the face for about .95 seconds.. and it nearly burned my skin off.. funny, it didn't really hurt..

what if you found EVERYTHING you believed to be totally WRONG..

that's nice an all.. but what do I do now, with the few years left..

[chockfull]

I have been accused of being possessed and from what I understand, there were some not-so-flattering prophecies spoken about me. It's just something I think we can all do without.

I'm sure the trauma of all that was very tangible. The practical side of me however finds some comedy in it a lot like 4th grade insults, disguised with spiritual authority. "I saw you as a doo doo head." "No I saw you as a 3 legged dog." "No ....." "Waaaah I saw her as being very mean".

FWIW I see them as a bunch of 'tards making up stories to garner more power to themselves. With people that stupid, why should anyone allow themselves to be placed under that spiritual authority?

As far as truth, it reminds me of a few lines from "Stand on Zanzibar" - Art? He was a guy I knew back in Des Moines in '86. Nice guy, little dull. There's all these people running around taking his name in vain.

[soul searcher]

I thought it was boring. Now that I've actually done college-level coursework in religion and biblical studies, I find the "class" clearly lacking in background.

Well, it was interesting to a noob like me, anyway.

I guess one of the concepts that intrigued me the most was that the "dead are dead." They cite several verses that seem to support that belief and it goes completely against what I and most other Christians were taught.