Hitchhikers experience

[excathedra]

i can relate to a lot of this and have no problem at all

i was a hitchhiker and a happy one of my own choice back in the day

but to be "made to hitch" in the way and have such catostrophic results

and to keep it going i don't get it

the good folks -- DIED AND RAPED -- would they be hitching if they weren't made to do it?

how messed up is that

[Ham]

my favorite hitching times.

my destination was Bluefield WV. from some place near to Princeton.

It was a rather long route.

I'm standing on route.. whatever it was.

Tht school van/bus passed.

then I got ride about seven or so miles..

I am standing at the road. The bus passes again.. no problem for the bus. It goes on its way..

so I get a ride for about 7 miles or so.

then.. the bus. and I converge at the third spot..

the driver.. is awe-stricken.

"are you Jesus?"

[mstar1]

but to be "made to hitch" in the way and have such catostrophic results

and to keep it going i don't get it

the good folks -- DIED AND RAPED -- would they be hitching if they weren't made to do it?

I agree that it was incredibly irresponsible of TWI to REQUIRE people to do it...some people are built and wired for it, some people simply are not...

I was, I had pretty good instincts, knew how to survive and protect myself if necessary and enjoyed the adventure -- I enjoyed my hitching time but Id never force that type of thing on anyone else...it can be harsh at times and just is not suitable for a lot of people.

Its hard to believe after those horrible incidents that the whole program wasnt scrapped in a hurry

[teachmevp]

Trying to tell Ex Way believers that The Way should have been teaching this life Yahweh has within himself-John 5:26, but they would not hear it. Ex Way believers seem to be to caught up in that spirit teaching made up by man, VeePee took us on that spirit ride. It kinda sucks trying to tell Ex Way believers about this life Yahweh has within himself, because they are still caught up in the Way's spirit junk.

[socks]

I used to hitch all the time as a kid. The 50's and 60's. Never had a bad experience, other than the standing around waiting. I guess there were some hoots and hollers, nothing that you'd remember 45 years later.

Getting into a strangers car or truck is a dangerous proposition. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I did it, around town growing up and then later the TFI hitching experience, which again was not a bad experience for me.

But it's a strange thing to my mind, to head out on the road and hitch hike 'cross country alone or with one or two other people. Many many people have done it but today - no.

I get trusting God but I won't let anyone guilt me into being an old fart because this is how I see it now. Older is smarter, or should be. Why hitch if you can get there in a car of your own choosing? Put that energy and time into doing something besides proving to yourself that you can test God - and that's what it is, in essence. A game of tic-tac-doh!

Just get in the dammed car and get where you're going. Seems simple enough.

I think you do have to learn in life that you are up to it's challenges, but there are ways to do that without playing travel-roulette.

[OperaBuff]

As a boy my friends and I used to hitch all over town and into the adjacent towns, it was no big deal back then. My folks just said to not get in anybody's car if it made me feel weird. I'm thinking they taught me the revelation manifestations around age 10. It was a more socially acceptable thing back then, more than it is now.

[Twinky]

I've both hitched and given lifts to hitchers. It could be risky, but neither way have I felt in danger.

Poof! as to instructions given on how to stay safe. We were told not to get into open-back vehicles (utes). That's all. The reason for that was more that we might suffer hypothermia and freeze with the windchill. Or maybe it was because we wouldn't have the opportunity to "witness." I think we were supposed to believe God for the right ride to come along...nothing about not getting into cars if we felt uncomfortable (chance would have been a fine thing...my partner and I got seriously stranded, going out Lightbearers). We wre just to "believe God" - presumably ignoring "senses" that said such and such a ride might be a bad thing.

[Broken Arrow]

We didn't get robbed or raped, or anything like that, but during my first trip to LEAD, we had a close call.

It was about 3 am in a desolate part of Texas and a trucker picked us up and was going to take us all the way to Clovis! Woopee!! My partner went to sleep in the bunk, and I just couldn't keep my eyes open. Soon the trucker pulled off to a truck stop, I told him to just drop us off at the ramp and he said, "Ya wanna go to Clovis, don't you?" That got my attention. When he stopped he got a little "snappy" with me and said he was disappointed that I wasn't talking to him to keep him awake and that he needed a few minutes of shut-eye. He gave me a couple bucks and told me to go sit in the diner and come back in an hour and said, "You might as well just let her keep sleeping." So, I woke her up and took her into the diner with me. Oh, he got really maaaaaad! He just buried his face into the steering wheel like he was trying to control himself from "blowing his stack". When we came back an hour later he was gone, but he left us our stuff. Both I and my partner believed the guy "had plans" for her. Even though nothing came of it, it scared both of us that it was such a close call and I was even more miserable the rest of the trip. We were stuck on the road until about 7:00 am the next morning.

Prior to that, my partner and I were very cold and we decided to go back to the diner for awhile. My partner looked much younger than she actually was and some people at 4am thought I was kidnapping a minor. "Watcha doing with the kid, boy?" We were in Texas. "You takin' that little girl across state lines?" I said she wasn't a minor. "Suppose I get the sheriff over here and let him decide that?" I'm thinkin', "Oh crap, I'm going to be put in jail by Sheriff Buford P. Justice! Won't JAL just love that? I can hear the lunchtime announcements already!" Soon she came out of the restroom and convinced the guy she was an adult and that we were from a Bible College hitching across country to go mountain climbing. That confused him even more. The guy settled down, but I still don't think he believed her.

Then I said something about wanting to get a ride out and some other guy said, "You let people get one look at her and you'll get a ride!" Other men with missing teeth began to guffaw "har, har, yuk, yuk!"(I might have only imagined the "missing teeth" thing). Now I start thinking, "Oh no! NOW I'm going to get my (rhymes with) glass kicked!" We felt safer on the freezing freeway where it was pitch black and drivers who couldn't see us would zip by us in their cars doing 70, 80 miles an hour. When it got light, we got a ride.

Maybe the trucker didn't have an agenda and really was just mad that I didn't talk to him or didn't trust him alone with her, but I don't think so and I'm glad I didn't have the chance to find out.

As we were driving along we came across another LEAD couple and had our driver pull over. It turns out they were picked up by a trucker who also pulled into a truck stop and flat out asked the female for sexual favors. She refused and he kicked them out of his truck.

My partner and I were getting to be friends but on the return trip we got in a big fight about who was doing "all the believing". She thought she was, and thus my fragile male ego was insulted, poor baby. We were so mad at each other that when we started hitching again a car pulled over and neither of us noticed. Then the driver called back and said, "You guys comin' or what?" I yelled her name, she still didn't know a car had pulled over and she angrily turned around and said, "What?" I pointed at the car and her eyes got big and she ran to the car. That was one of the funniest things I ever saw in the Corps. The guy took us all the way to the promised land of Emporia. I didn't speak to her for another two years! On the other hand she got over the whole thing and saw some humor in it. I was still mad about it two years later. Talk about male ego! Pretty pathetic on my part really.

She was good kid. I hope she's doing well.

Edited April 22, 2011 by Broken Arrow

[excathedra]

like i said (or did i?) i would liked to have seen that bastud hitch

and BELIEVE god

[Broken Arrow]

like i said (or did i?) i would liked to have seen that bastud hitch

and BELIEVE god

The thing is Excie, he very well may have. Back in the 30's and 40's my parents, who were about his age give or take, tell me hitching was fairly common and fairly safe. People did it all the time during the depression and the war. A totally different culture than what we were living in.

[So_crates]

Maybe some of you who have been through LEAD can help me understand.

I fail to see a connection between hitchhiking and believing.

Trust me, I spent many a cold winter night hitchhiking 12 miles back to my house after twig. It didn't affect me believing one bit.

So how are the two supposed to connect?

SoCrates

[excathedra]

well he should have "shared" that broken arrow since a leader will never ask people to do something they are not willing to do or whatever

socrates you only had so many given hours to get to LEAD

that is where your believing came in

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no time off for getting raped or run over

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where the heck is that thread -- about toppie and her hitching partner

[waysider]

Plus there was the element of "believing" for safe rides, opportunities to witness, coming back without having spent any money, etc.

[So_crates]

Thanks, waysider, ex.

But since we know believing is magical thinking, wasn't the LEAD program flawed from jump or should I say poking up the thumb?

SoCrates

Edited April 23, 2011 by So_crates

[waysider]

Exactly, and yet, they just pretend they can sprinkle some magic dust and everything will be ok.

[waysider]

[hampshire73]

my favorite hitching times.

my destination was Bluefield WV. from some place near to Princeton.

It was a rather long route.

I'm standing on route.. whatever it was.

Tht school van/bus passed.

then I got ride about seven or so miles..

I am standing at the road. The bus passes again.. no problem for the bus. It goes on its way..

so I get a ride for about 7 miles or so.

then.. the bus. and I converge at the third spot..

the driver.. is awe-stricken.

"are you Jesus?"

LOL, Ham!

What really caught my eye was your mention of Bluefield and Princeton. I was in both just a couple of weeks ago, for the funeral of the last relative I had in that area. Small world!

[Ham]

so far in the poll.. fifty percent had a negative experience hitching.

how can they still justify, in a "christian" group".. hitch-hiking? As a requirement in the "program"?

some may question.. you're damned right.

subjecting followers to some definite chance of a negative experience.. in my opinion, is no less than tempting God himself..

"sure. you're such a great believer. go right ahead. "angels" will protect you. Or the "magic" of "believing""..

"sure.. you can BELIEVE to 'do it'.."

in whose mouth do these words belong?

If you believe the bible.. the only logical conclusion one might reasonably come up with is.. the *sowers* program, is run by the devil..

I'd like to think better. But they fashion themselves after gramps madness..

[Ham]

the devil resides in the pulpit..

maybe Bullinger was right..

it's a comfy chair, a comfy home..

[Ham]

who says devils don't have rest..

[excathedra]

there's a lady who basically can't even leave her house because of what she dealt with hitching to LEAD

and of course ken will never dig his way of the grave until the twinkling of an eye

yes these things happen to people all the time

but i will never ever understand how THE WAY just went on business as usual

and didn't truly give people a chance to grieve properly or offer condolences which would have been honest and easier to handle in a sense

[excathedra]

and while i'm at it being disgusted etc. i had a great time hitching to lead and lightbearer and other campuses

because i liked to hitch not because i believed god bigger or any such thing

same thing with people getting sponsorship and all that crapola

how to make people feel like useless worthless slimy wormy sheet without even trying

[frank123lol]

They are easier to control when you make them feel bad.....

Twi was masters of that...

Cept for the top leaders,It was always someones elses lack of

"believing".

[Ham]

so far, 9 out of 16 had a bad experience. Or a negative one (non-positive)

I mean, that is over fifty percent..

we could get more statistically precise here. What was your experience, the first hitch, the second, etc..

but generally, it seems hitchhiking is not a safe place to be.

why put *your* people in harms way?

I mean.. I suppose sometimes, in a war, somebody has to assume that role..

but a church camp? And you want your "flock(?)" to walk into the mouth of the enemy.. at CHURCH? Yeah, it seems they will do it..

haven't they already done that, all year long? You know. Praising your name, da greatness of da word..

isn't this supposed to be the time for rest, reflection, re-fueling.. improvement?

Gramps had more morals than you. And they were few.. we had a few moments of rest .. well, at least some of us, not all.. one week in August in Ohio.

[Ham]

it must be.. the war mentality..

why are you at war, with those of your own kind, to begin with?

"because gramps told me so"?

don't even think of bringing the bible into this here.. you are contaminating the holy, with the profane..