I had a similar experience. The wife of da bigwig here came in the local coffee shop. She has some kind of degree.. works as some kind of social worker.. I think in charge of some program. So in comes her colleagues..
they sat at a table.. she sits with her back to me..
there are times I can read minds.. along with the look of panic in some individual's eyes..
"god, don't let him recognize me.."
even if one is *in* a fellowship at the way, it is a professional liability.. interesting, eh? Where is the "holy boldness" to confront those "outside of the household" in broad daylight?
I live in a dense urban area near a very large college. One of the cabinet's kids attend this college. Well, I was on the corner talking to a neighbor and - Bam - there they were riding their bike down the street. I used to know this kid for several years. They looked at me, did a triple take, and looked as though they had seen a ghost. They kept their eyes riveted on the street in front of them until they were out of sight.
Me and the Mrs. (she knew them as well) have been :biglaugh: ever since.
Anywho - nothing to report here, except a situation that is so sad you have to laugh it off.
I am really sorry. With all that life throws at us....a little wave, smile, and some milk of human kindness is not a great deal to ask. I bet the atheists you know.....are more than caring.
Being raised in that cesspool can't be easy though....it must be so confusing once these kids get out into the world and see that things are not so black and white. It was a shock to me and I wasn't raised in a cult....imagine all your formative years dominated by TWI. It must be difficult to reconcile what they see with what they have been taught to believe.
You are right though...if you don't laugh it would make you cry.
The same thing happened to me years ago (I left TWI on January 11, 1996). I ran into a woman and her daughter at Eckerd Drug and I was leaving as they were in line to check out. She was so freaked out when I said "Hi" to the girl that she left the line, did not check out, grabbed the girl's hand like the Devil himself had greeted her, and RAN out the door. Surprised me, but she was such a loon that it didn't really bother me. Interestingly, she left TWI about five years ago herself.
I taught elementary school at the time and had ALREADY requested from the principal that her daughter not be in my class. Not fair for the child or for me to have to deal with nutty parents. A month or so later, just before school rolls were posted for students to know whose room they were in, the woman came to talk to the principal about not having Alyssa in my room...he told her it was already taken care of.
Nope - no reason it should either. The way they treat people who no longer support TWI is simply a reflection on the fruit produced by their corrupt doctrines.
I've run into TWI minions over years since leaving. Most act like that - like they will immediately develop leprosy upon having a conversation with you. The funny part about that is that while in TWI some of these people I would have considered friends. The realization is that they never were. The few who would not be too scared to talk to me are those on a short list where I would rather punch them in the jaw rather than speaking anyway due to their pompous arrogance.
Ya, when there was a big named Rev. that left and still remained in New Knoxville. I saw him in the store and he didn't see me so I turned and left for another store. I remember feeling afraid he would strike up a conversation with me.
The funny part about that is that while in TWI some of these people I would have considered friends. The realization is that they never were.
I cam to the same realization before I left and figured if they abandon me then they never REALLY cared to begin with. Strange my friend and family that I had abandoned for "the ministry" were right there with open arms even after I had mostly deserted them for over a decade.
Strange my friend and family that I had abandoned for "the ministry" were right there with open arms even after I had mostly deserted them for over a decade.
Yep.
And then they put up with all your strangeness after TWI. Another decade of weirdness before they get back the family/friends that had walked away.
I came to the same realization before I left and figured if they abandon me then they never REALLY cared to begin with. Strange my friend and family that I had abandoned for "the ministry" were right there with open arms even after I had mostly deserted them for over a decade.
Yeah....corps and advanced class grads fell in lockstep conformity with orders from twi's hierarcy, yet some newbies and others didn't get that memo. It was SO obvious that the indoctrinated folks walked in fear of twi retribution. All that talk of walking by the holy spirit was fabricated fofo.
And yet, my family was kind, gracious, patient and ready to offer a helping hand.
How does that song go?........"You will know they are Christians, by their love, by their love,
One 'inside' person I knew made this statement regarding her 'earthly family', "I prefer not spending my time with THE LOST." How creepy and sad is that? Who do they think Jesus came FOR???
One 'inside' person I knew made this statement regarding her 'earthly family', "I prefer not spending my time with THE LOST." How creepy and sad is that? Who do they think Jesus came FOR???
What were the ques that you were being that way and what got out of being a pompous jerk?
i don't remember being like that. i remember feeling really bad about some great people who were into research getting the boot.... and others.... for different reasons. it made me really sad
but i wasn't around when marked and avoid was the going thing
but i was certainly around when people were ousted and treated like crap
quite a few leaders threatened me but i guess i came crawling back or something i don't know
ps. i NEVER EVER considered my own family lost or anything like that. they were always my family and they tried so hard to understand me -- even when they came to big azz events like "wake up america" and coudn't understand why people were nicer to people with tags on
--
i just remembered what i despised
coming back my last year in residence and hearing my dearest friends were put on LOA (leave of absence) what a bunch of......
I remember acting like that... Heck, I marked and avoided my own FAMILY.
It was really hard running into people like that - it caused major cognitive dissonance - to the point of mental pain. I was afraid of being contaminated (like spiritual cooties or something.) I felt like if they were still ok, they must be operating major devil spirits. I still cared about them, but I was afraid.... And if I did have to acknowledge them, what could I talk about? I mean, the Word and twi was my entire life, my entire universe... Without being able to talk about that, what could I say? And I had no answers if they asked why they were treated so badly.
I am so freacking GLAD I am no longer brainwashed. I was an a$$hole.
The wierwille doctrine fermented so many of these crazy scenarios.
Labeling someone who leaves twi as "possessed" is nothing less than a HIT JOB. Wierwille started this indoctrination in the mid-70s and everyone knows that the mog speaks for the Almighty, right? Loaded language to implicate. "Cop-out" was synonymous with running with the devil. And, martindale & geer & region guys continue in the wierwille doctrine.
Thus, you see twi's college kids who become aghast at seeing a "greasespotter." They turn white as sheets. Some alter their course and head in another direction. Some freeze up, or stutter and refrain from eye contact.
One 'inside' person I knew made this statement regarding her 'earthly family', "I prefer not spending my time with THE LOST." How creepy and sad is that? Who do they think Jesus came FOR???
Rejoice, great post!! Years ago, when I was in TWI, I kept in touch with my family. When I left TWI, my family was there for me. My family loves me, and to he-l with what TWI says about not spending time with your earthly family.
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excathedra
well, next time trip them and then minister to them
or say HALT IN THE NAME OF ROSALIE RIVENBARK :)
sorry it is kinda sad
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Ham
I had a similar experience. The wife of da bigwig here came in the local coffee shop. She has some kind of degree.. works as some kind of social worker.. I think in charge of some program. So in comes her colleagues..
they sat at a table.. she sits with her back to me..
there are times I can read minds.. along with the look of panic in some individual's eyes..
"god, don't let him recognize me.."
even if one is *in* a fellowship at the way, it is a professional liability.. interesting, eh? Where is the "holy boldness" to confront those "outside of the household" in broad daylight?
yeah.. its good for a laugh.
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excathedra
i don't really think any wayfers live around here
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waysider
Wayfers are like
(And, they share a similar success rate.)
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geisha779
I am really sorry. With all that life throws at us....a little wave, smile, and some milk of human kindness is not a great deal to ask. I bet the atheists you know.....are more than caring.
Being raised in that cesspool can't be easy though....it must be so confusing once these kids get out into the world and see that things are not so black and white. It was a shock to me and I wasn't raised in a cult....imagine all your formative years dominated by TWI. It must be difficult to reconcile what they see with what they have been taught to believe.
You are right though...if you don't laugh it would make you cry.
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OldSkool
Well, not to mention this person spent her pre-teen and teen years in the way corps program only for her family to graduate and be assigned to HQ.
They have no idea what kindness or love is. I am not mad at them either. It's on them, not me.
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DogLover
The same thing happened to me years ago (I left TWI on January 11, 1996). I ran into a woman and her daughter at Eckerd Drug and I was leaving as they were in line to check out. She was so freaked out when I said "Hi" to the girl that she left the line, did not check out, grabbed the girl's hand like the Devil himself had greeted her, and RAN out the door. Surprised me, but she was such a loon that it didn't really bother me. Interestingly, she left TWI about five years ago herself.
I taught elementary school at the time and had ALREADY requested from the principal that her daughter not be in my class. Not fair for the child or for me to have to deal with nutty parents. A month or so later, just before school rolls were posted for students to know whose room they were in, the woman came to talk to the principal about not having Alyssa in my room...he told her it was already taken care of.
Didn't hurt my feelings a bit.
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OldSkool
Nope - no reason it should either. The way they treat people who no longer support TWI is simply a reflection on the fruit produced by their corrupt doctrines.
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chockfull
I've run into TWI minions over years since leaving. Most act like that - like they will immediately develop leprosy upon having a conversation with you. The funny part about that is that while in TWI some of these people I would have considered friends. The realization is that they never were. The few who would not be too scared to talk to me are those on a short list where I would rather punch them in the jaw rather than speaking anyway due to their pompous arrogance.
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Naten00
Do any of you guys remember being that way?....
Is it apart of the brainwashing that goes on?
What were the ques that you were being that way and what got out of being a pompous jerk?
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OldSkool
Ya, when there was a big named Rev. that left and still remained in New Knoxville. I saw him in the store and he didn't see me so I turned and left for another store. I remember feeling afraid he would strike up a conversation with me.
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Twinky
Pathetic.
So sad.
Pitiful.
And completely "off the Word," if only they knew that.
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skyrider
Boo.
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OldSkool
I cam to the same realization before I left and figured if they abandon me then they never REALLY cared to begin with. Strange my friend and family that I had abandoned for "the ministry" were right there with open arms even after I had mostly deserted them for over a decade.
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Twinky
Yep.
And then they put up with all your strangeness after TWI. Another decade of weirdness before they get back the family/friends that had walked away.
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skyrider
Yeah....corps and advanced class grads fell in lockstep conformity with orders from twi's hierarcy, yet some newbies and others didn't get that memo. It was SO obvious that the indoctrinated folks walked in fear of twi retribution. All that talk of walking by the holy spirit was fabricated fofo.
And yet, my family was kind, gracious, patient and ready to offer a helping hand.
How does that song go?........"You will know they are Christians, by their love, by their love,
You will know they are Christians by their love."
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Rejoice
One 'inside' person I knew made this statement regarding her 'earthly family', "I prefer not spending my time with THE LOST." How creepy and sad is that? Who do they think Jesus came FOR???
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Naten00
One word... WOW... All I can say right now... WOW
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excathedra
i don't remember being like that. i remember feeling really bad about some great people who were into research getting the boot.... and others.... for different reasons. it made me really sad
but i wasn't around when marked and avoid was the going thing
but i was certainly around when people were ousted and treated like crap
quite a few leaders threatened me but i guess i came crawling back or something i don't know
ps. i NEVER EVER considered my own family lost or anything like that. they were always my family and they tried so hard to understand me -- even when they came to big azz events like "wake up america" and coudn't understand why people were nicer to people with tags on
--
i just remembered what i despised
coming back my last year in residence and hearing my dearest friends were put on LOA (leave of absence) what a bunch of......
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Ham
I never considered my family "lost" either..
HOWEVER.
they got caught up in the cult vs. cult (spy vs. spy) trap.. I waited for a long time before they invited me to much of anything..
my cousin was a way "poster child" at one rock of ages..
ended up writing some kind of emergency message with butter in an airplane or something.. got rescued from the rescuers.. or something like that..
I figured if they wanted to "deprogram" my cousin because of some stupid belief of hers, or theirs, or something.. I wasn't exactly welcome..
dumbass beliefs really get in the way of what's really spiritually true of sorts..
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JavaJane
I remember acting like that... Heck, I marked and avoided my own FAMILY.
It was really hard running into people like that - it caused major cognitive dissonance - to the point of mental pain. I was afraid of being contaminated (like spiritual cooties or something.) I felt like if they were still ok, they must be operating major devil spirits. I still cared about them, but I was afraid.... And if I did have to acknowledge them, what could I talk about? I mean, the Word and twi was my entire life, my entire universe... Without being able to talk about that, what could I say? And I had no answers if they asked why they were treated so badly.
I am so freacking GLAD I am no longer brainwashed. I was an a$$hole.
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skyrider
The wierwille doctrine fermented so many of these crazy scenarios.
Labeling someone who leaves twi as "possessed" is nothing less than a HIT JOB. Wierwille started this indoctrination in the mid-70s and everyone knows that the mog speaks for the Almighty, right? Loaded language to implicate. "Cop-out" was synonymous with running with the devil. And, martindale & geer & region guys continue in the wierwille doctrine.
Thus, you see twi's college kids who become aghast at seeing a "greasespotter." They turn white as sheets. Some alter their course and head in another direction. Some freeze up, or stutter and refrain from eye contact.
Again, it speaks more of THEM and twi's doctrine.
If it walks like a cult, quacks like a cult....
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OldSkool
And to think I was going to say .... of all things evil .... of all the fiery darts ... I was going to say .... "Hi."
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Grace Valerie Claire
Rejoice, great post!! Years ago, when I was in TWI, I kept in touch with my family. When I left TWI, my family was there for me. My family loves me, and to he-l with what TWI says about not spending time with your earthly family.
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