A VPW Historical Timeline

[WordWolf]

This is a timeline of vpw and his time in twi, from his birth to the year he died.

As compiled on the thread, "the Way: Living in Wonderland."

Edition 5.6 of my timeline.

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This timeline is mostly from publications OF TWI.

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Let's see.

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

According to locals, Ernst, his father, was an alcoholic with negligible

education, with a bad temper who acted as a bully.This was true in his dealings

with locals AND with his own family.Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish for hours into the woods nearby.

(It has been noted that this running off may have been as much to avoid

an abusive father as it was to avoid doing any work. Or it may be unrelated.)

He claimed that when he was young, he once told a minister that he wanted to be

a man of God like him. Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being a man of God- but in being

the man the whole community turned out to see, to have their respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

(He seems to have been taught this at home.)He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on thefamily farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this, and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke- everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages" or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

Victor was married July 2, 1937(Mr was 20, Mrs was 21). According to vpw, he and Mrs W married

secretly while he was still in college. No reason for this was ever given.

Victor suggested he played on his college's basketball team, and that after college

he played on the professional team "the Sheboygan Redskins." His claim of each was

phrased ambiguously ("I played basketball all through college" "I was involved in the

Sheboygan Redskins") and the purpose seems to have been so that he was believed

to have said he did both without actually making the claims. Later, he began

making claims that he also "invented the hook shot" at this time.

He graduated with a BA from Lakeland College in 1937. Donald was born in 1940.

Victor graduated Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941, with a Masters in Practical Theology.

He did his "trial sermons" in 1941 in Payne, Ohio for the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

According to his memorial in 1985, he started his first pastorate July 1941,

and was ordained July 29, 1941.

(According to his account in TW:LIL, his first pastorate began in 1944 in Van Wert, Ohio,

and continued until 1957.)

Victor entered his first pastorate and wasted little time becoming a bully and a

control freak AGAIN. He himself claimed he started his job by immediately

doing whatever the elders told him not to do- even though it hampered his ability to do his job

properly. According to him, they confronted him on this, he mouthed off at them, and they just

let him go about his business, and the local church prospered as a direct result of him.

He was known for building a fairly interesting sermon, and getting people involved,

including the youths. (This was STILL before the time when he claimed he believed

the Bible was the Word of God.)

He said the following year, (1942) he slowly became discouraged and was searching.

He was still the man he had been, which is to say he was prideful, arrogant, boastful,

liked attention, and viewed the clergy as a PROFESSION and not a holy calling.

(He could have been just as "called" as an accountant or actuary, say.)

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister.

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he met Rosal1nd R1nker. She was a former

missionary to China and Korea. She's remembered as the anonymous person

who asks vpw

"Why don't you search for the greatest of all things in life

which would teach Christians the HOW of a really victorious life?"

This woman fixed a great deal of attention on him, and had a forceful personality.

She spent some time with him alone. It was of this time that he later claimed

he asked forgiveness of God. He also credits her with DOGGING HIM

"on the Bible being the Word of God",

and she "got me STARTED on the right track".

which, until this time, he hadn't believed, not even in all his years of school.

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister in August AND September.

One month later (September 1942), an event happened that he later showed a habit of re-writing.

As Victor told God he was getting ready to quit (again), He claimed that God spoke to him and said

He (God) would teach him (Victor) His Word (God's Word)

like it had not been known since the 1st century,

if he (Victor) would teach it to others.

(This is the famous 1942 promise.)

vpw did not discuss this event with anyone until he told the early corps-according to Mrs W.

Thus, the earliest possible origin-point of this story is 1969,

when the "zero corps" was begun.

Victor of course lacked the education in church history to contextualize this claim-

since it was inaccurate as stated. This implies that this was a made-up story,

or it came from a god lacking knowledge in history.

Victor later added a second part to his story- a snowstorm.

He said that he required PROOF of God, and asked God to let him see it snow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and he saw a veritable blizzard out his window.

The later addition to this story suggest that he felt it needed more support

after using the initial story. Victor showed no marked improvement, neither in

character, nor in behaviour, thru the rest of the 1940s (nearly the entire decade after this

supposed promise), which strongly supports the rather direct assertion that he lied thru his teeth.

vpw referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

October 3, 1942, vpw did his first radio broadcast. He continued to do a radio show

under one name or another for several years- Vesper Chimes, aka Chimes Hour Youth

Caravan. Its name changes to Chimes Hour Youth Caravan in 1947.

Rhoda joined its staff in 1947.

(Supposedly, the name "the Way" was in the documentation for this group since 1942.)

In 1948, vpw was issued a "Doctorate" from Pikes Peak Seminary, an organization lacking

accreditation and formal classes (among other things.)

At some point, vpw began claiming that he took EVERY class

Moody Bible School's Correspondence program issued.

According to official records at Moody, vpw never turned in a single class of

their correspondence school. This may mean he took classes and never

finished ANY (which indicates laziness), or that he was lying about taking

any of their classes.

At one point, Rufus Moseley attempted to minister Holy Spirit to vpw, but vpw demonstrated

an inability to receive it. In 1951, he visited missionaries in Honduras.

In 1951, vpw made another claim he was ready to give up on the ministry

(even after, supposedly a direct promise of God about really important stuff

which promptly failed to materialize.)

In November, 1951, vpw attended the Full Gospel Rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma

(a big Evangelical conference.) He made several claims of this conference.

People at the conference OTHER than vpw supposedly had no difficulty beginning

speaking in tongues. He claimed he faked speaking in tongues in a clever

way, and others were unable to tell. He was further disillusioned about working for God.

He then claimed a miraculous snowstorm blocked him into the city entirely, and

ALL the evidence there NO blizzard whatsoever (and there was a WEALTH of evidence

-at the airports, Amtrak and bus depot, the hotel staff, the attendees,

etc) was concealed by angels. vpw also, apparently, never approached a window,

or they made an illusion at the window.

vpw has referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

(Many people currently feel that vpw completely made up the story that God spoke

to him in 1942, and that his dependence upon this event plus the event at the

Full Gospel Rally to establish his authority were both dressed up with made-up

snowstorms to make them sound more spectacular. The specifics of both

appear to support this position-especially since vpw was fond of increasing

the magnitude of his claims in things as time went on.)

Supposedly, a woman came up to him and told him that she knew a man who can help him-

JE Stiles. He claims God told Stiles to attend the conference with the sole purpose

of ministering the Spirit to vpw. vpw met with Stiles, and made a few chauvinistic

observations to himself, before going off with Stiles.

Stiles worked with him for a few hours nonstop, hammering across to vpw what

the Bible says on speaking in tongues, and working over his doubts one by one.

Finally, vpw was able to speak in tongues.

It was during the 1950s that vpw's behaviour was noted to finally improve,

although he still did not stop including inappropriate words or concepts in his sermons.

In March, 1953, vpw found out about BG Leonard, and pushed his way into BG Leonard's

CTC Gifts of the Spirit class, which Leonard told him was closed, but permitted him

to enter after vpw arrived. vpw took this class twice, bringing several people with him

the second time. (That second time was July 1953.)

vpw then went off for a few months by himself, then told Leonard that he'd like to run

Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit class locally for his congregation on a one-time basis.

Seeing the benefit to other Christians, Leonard agrees.

vpw then ran the first of "his" Receiving the Holy Spirit Today classes, (October 1953)

and took a photograph of that class. He told the students that this is "his" class

called RtHST, with NO mention of Leonard's class from which 100% of the content

had been directly lifted. The students had no reason to think he's lying. vpw sent

the photograph to Leonard and told Leonard that this is a photo of the class that took

Leonard's class on a one-time basis that was run locally. Leonard took vpw at his word,

and had no idea that vpw continued to run Leonard's class with vpw's name on it,

defrauding both Leonard AND the students. That the classes were interchangeable

in terms of material was the opinion of vpw himself- anyone who had graduated

Leonard's "Gifts of the Spirit" class was considered to be-by vpw- a graduate of

"vpw's" RtHST class.

To this day, many students STILL think this was was vpw's class, even when

evidence is introduced to the contrary. Later, vpw added the contents of JE Stiles' work

on "Gifts of the Spirit" and Bullinger's work on the Holy Spirit as well as

"How to Enjoy the Bible", and expanded the class into a class that was the

sum of the 3 men's work-Stiles, Bullinger and Leonard-rather than just Leonard.

He also renamed the class "Power For Abundant Living", rather than

"Receiving the Holy Spirit Today".

vpw later made a few offhand comments here and there that the material in the class

is not original, but its compilation was.

(However, as it was constructed, vpw could have been sued by copyright holders for

Bullinger, Stiles, and Leonard. Leonard found out but chose not to prosecute.)

It is often noted that the supposed 1942 promise claimed vpw would be taught-by God-

things unknown since the First Century Christians, if vpw would teach others-

yet ALL the material vpw taught was all taken from Leonard/Stiles/Bullinger/Kenyon

and a few others, and thus, it was all KNOWN. Therefore, if a god gave vpw revelation

in 1942, it was a god that lied, since vpw's source for everything was

MAN and NEVER represented information lost since the First Century AD-not even once.

In 1953, vpw also took JE Stiles' "Gifts of the Spirit" book, changed a few words,

and self-published it as the 1st Edition of "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today."

That it was the same year is no coincidence-it was the "original" textbook for

the "original" class. ("Original" in the sense that they were the 1.0 version of

his class, not that they originated at that time.)

Later editions would include incorporation of material from Leonard and Bullinger,

and would include more cosmetic changes in the order of the words and the

specific words used in an attempt to make it look less like Stiles' book.

Among the changes was the deletion of a reference to an anonymous Christian

who "put it together" for vpw (that was Stiles), who was missing by the 4th

edition book, where vpw put it all together himself.

vpw ran "his" PFAL classes continually from 1953 onward, with some success.

Dr E.E. Higgins was one of the students in the October 1953 class. She's known as

the anonymous person who would call vpw at night and ask what God

showed him that day. In 1954, Dr Higgins first introduced vpw to EW

Bullinger's books, and gave him his first copies of the Companion Bible, and

"How to Enjoy the Bible." The contents of both these books later became integral

parts of "vpw's" class.

According to his published memorial, Bishop KC Pillai took PFAL in 1954,

and began teaching a class on"Orientalisms of the Bible".

(Pillai also wrote 3 small books: "Light Through an Eastern Window"

and Volumes I and II of "Orientalisms of the Bible.")

According to the memorial in 1985, 1955 was the year they officially chartered

"the Way".

In 1955, JP was born. 2 months later, VPW left JP with family for the next

year or so, and took his wife and eldest son on a tour of the mission fields in India,

on the Evangelical and Reformed Church's dime.(1955-1957) (Per TW:LIL)

He was irritated that he's reminded he is not officially designated as a spokesman

or investigator of theirs. According to his account in TW:LIL,

he there met Bishop KC Pillai, whom he later invited to teach.

According to the memorial, this tour of the mission fields ran from 1955-1956,

and included stops in Great Britain, Europe, India, and "the Bible lands."

According to the memorial, 1956 was when he wrote

"the Dilemma of Foreign Missions in India."(According to TW:LIL)

In 1957, vpw returned to Van Wert. He cut his ties with the Evangelical and Reformed

Church, and took "his" PFAL class with him.In 1957, he and Harry bought out

their brothers and bought the family farm outright. Rather than take ownership

themselves, they declared it the propertyof "the Way", a church organization

(thus tax-exempt.)(Per TW:LIL, Harry said this was the time they chose the name

"the Way".) Work began on fixing up the farm.

In 1959, he ran a Wisconsin Summer Camp. In 1960, he ran an Indiana Summer Camp.

In 1961, he moved to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient for the move). Bishop Pillai

arrived and taught at the summer school. (Per TW:LIL.)

In 1961, he ran a Miamisburg, Ohio Summer Camp.

In 1962, he moved the summer school to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient

to hold classes there in the new BRC.)

In 1962, Lamsa taught at the summer school.(Lamsa is another unconventional teacher

who claimed special knowledge of the Bible and special status as a man of God.)

In 1963, vpw went to Lima, Ohio and filmed the sessions called "the Teacher".

(Despite this, success STILL had not taken off as vpw wished.)

According to the memorial, 1967 was when "Are the Dead Alive Now?"

(which is adapted from some of Bullinger's books) was published, and PFAL was filmed.

This was the edition of PFAL that incorporated Bullinger's books

(the contents, but not the books themselves) into the curriculum.

In Fall of 1967, vpw first filmed the PFAL class. This was done in a setting

with bright studio lights. (Bright studio lights do not cause cancer.)

vpw claimed that a doctor told him that filming a second day would mean

permanent eye damage, and that he was staring into 8000 watts.

He filmed for 3 complete days, getting sore eyes from the bright lights

(which do not cause cancer.) The figure of 2000 watts seems to be a more

realistic figure for the light level of the filmed class (which is still VERY bright.)

According to TW:LIL, In 1967, vpw read about the Christians at the House of

Acts. vpw went there, impressed them, and convinced them he has extensive,

EXCLUSIVE knowledge they lack. He then turned those he could from unorganized

Christians into a recruitment arm for his class and organization. They agreed

to handle things on the East and West coasts, and many young Christians were

impressed with THEM and join. It's been suggested that one of the reasons he

went there was because he'd heard of the "free-love" movement and wanted to

connect with Christians who would have sex outside of marriage. Thus claim might

sound ridiculous if his accounts of them didn't include little comments about their

displays of affection-and especially since he'd asked one of them-back then and

there-to give him DETAILS on what an orgy was like. He followed up by claiming

that God PERMITTED orgies-but considered monogamy BETTER.

It's also believed that San Francisco is where vpw bought the pornographic materials

he showed the corps, some Advanced Classes and CFS classes-like the movie

of the two women with the dog. (He MENTIONED that video to many Advanced

classes and CFS classes where it was not SHOWN.)

According to the memorial, his trip to Haight-Ashbury/House of Acts was in 1968.

As of 1969, sizeable numbers of young people had flocked to twi from both coasts

as a result.

Once there was sizeable membership in both coasts, vpw pushed out the Christians

from the House of Acts and insisted authority would come FROM hq and tithes

would go TO hq. No exceptions. At that point (1969), vpw made his first attempt

at a Way Corps, which resulted in the famous "Zero Corps".

At some point-presumably early in the way corps history, and possibly as early as 1969,

vpw (according to Mrs W's account) first begins to tell his "snow on the pumps" account

to people, starting with the way corps.

At another point-before the early 1970s-vpw began adding to the "special revelation"

that produced the books and classes (which were really compilations of the work

of other Christians with their names removed) and began speaking of special

revelation about current events. He began to expound on some conspiracy

theories to the corps, and about attempts to take over the United States.

vpw was getting this material from the John Birch Society and the Liberty Lobby.

A few people on-grounds were aware of information coming in from them,

but almost nobody knew those were the direct sources of his supposed

"revelation". As he had done often before, he just claimed to mysteriously

know things and never cited a source-leaving the listeners to guess that there

WAS no conventional source, making this ANOTHER thing God just told him.

These conspiracy theorist organizations and their personal biases fill in the blanks

in some of his odder statements. Their anti-Semitism helps explain his claims

that the current Jews were not descended from the historic Jews (which has been

disproven genetically since), and his recommendations of books like

"the Thirteenth Tribe." Their condemnation of rock and roll and musician/celebrities

explain his claims of all musicians being possessed, and his recommendation of

"the Marxist Minstrels" to the corps (which claimed rock and roll was a communist

plot to take over the United States.) vpw even had David Noebel, who wrote

"the Marxist Minstrels" come and lecture the corps.

In 1971, vpw began his WOW Ambassador program. This program underwent some

changes, but primarily was a one-year committment to get sent out,

support yourself, find housing, and run PFAL classes.

According to his memorial, 1971 was when the Orange Book, "Power for

Abundant Living" was first self-published. It contained mostly material from Leonard's

class and from Bullinger's book "How to Enjoy the Bible".

A number of pamphlets called "Studies in Abundant Living" accompanied the

PFAL class from fairly early on (the filmed class names "Studies in Human

Suffering", later renamed "Job:Victim to Victor".)

In 1971, the first 3 volumes of "Studies in Abundant Living" are published,

compiling the pamphlets into 3 small hardbound books.

In 1974, Emporia College in Emporia, Kansas was bought. It was renamed

"the Way College of Emporia". Despite an absence of accreditation, licensed professors,

and a school "library" composed ENTIRELY of used textbooks donated by way members,

it was put forth as if it is a normal, accredited college.

In 1975, "Jesus Christ is Not God" was published. This was the last book-

not counting Vol 4 of Studies in Abundant Living- that was actually put together by vpw.

In 1976, campuses were purchased in Rome City, Indiana ("the College of Biblical Research")

and Gunnison, Colorado ("the Way Family Ranch-Camp Gunnison").

In 1977, the PFAL '77 was done live at Ball State University. According to the memorial,

in 1977, Howard Allen and Donald Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees (replacing "Uncle" Harry Wierwille and Ermal Owens.)

In 1977, Volume 4 of Studies in Abundant Living was published.

In 1978, the land for the LEAD Outdoor Academy was purchased in Tinnie, New Mexico.

In 1979, Advanced Class '79 ran (live, I imagine.)

In 1980, "Jesus Christ Our Passover" was published. This was the first book written by

competent staff and researchers. According to the book itself, it was written

"by Victor Paul Wierwille", with no mention of anyone else. It was a higher-caliber book

than twi normally self-publishes.

In 1982, twi celebrates its "Fortieth Anniversary" since the radio shows that

weren't called "the Way". In 1982, vpw installed LCM as the new president of twi

and vpw becomes "president emeritus".

In 1982, "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" was published. It also was written by staff,

and said "by Victor Paul Wierwille" on the cover.

It relied largely on the calculations of another writer as well. This book also saw the

breakthrough of proper crediting, since it actually named the other writer

(Martin) and his book.

In 1984, a live PFAL class was taught at Camp Gunnison, and a manor house was

purchased in Gartmore, Scotland. It was named the Way College of Biblical Research.

(aka Gartmore House, or "the big house" to the villagers of Gartmore.)

vpw spent his life drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking cigarettes and cigars-

tobacco products. Although he usually did it "off-camera", many people knew some

of this. Everyone knew he at least smoked, but he seemed to chain-smoke when

"no one was watching." Furthermore, he had a "coffee cup" next to him for morning

meetings and so on-and often, the contents had nothing to do with coffee. Those who

ever commented on it (who were few enough among those who noticed) were

treated to his comments about us not being "under condemnation" and thus it wasn't

sinful, and therefore had no consequences.

However, there WERE consequences....

By 1984, the long-term exposure to alcohol-which damages internal organs, including

those that act as the body's filtration system and also damages the brain-

and long-term exposure to tobacco-which is a known cancer-causing agent

(unlike studio lights)- resulted in some permanent damage to vpw' body.

He acquired cancer of the eye and liver, and suffered a stroke.

vpw quite vocally-and often- announced that the eye damage was the result

of getting cancer from the studio lights used when filming PFAL- thus saying it was

the result of virtuous activity, and used to give the students a guilty conscience.

Once, when addressing the corps, he was speaking on personal committment to

God. He said "I gave my EYE-what are YOU willing to give?"

Further, in private, vpw was MOST disturbed that he had ANY physical problems,

especially this one. He claimed he'd never been sick or needed an aspirin EVER-

not ONE DAY in his life-before this. Not even in PRIVATE did he ever seem to admit

he'd exposed his body to carcinogens for DECADES. He had surgery that

removed the cancer-stricken eye.

The details of the stroke were COMPLETELY hidden-although there were witnesses-

and the existence of any cancer produced a problem. According to vpw's DOCTRINE,

any Christian should be able to believe sufficiently to burn out a cancer from their

body. vpw had slowly manipulated his personal image to the point that he was

frequently seen as some sort of super-Christian-which is what he wanted. However,

this meant he should have EASILY believed away his cancer.

WORSE, he'd taught in the Advanced class that, since a cancer has a life of its own

(like algae), it must be the result of devil activity. Since vpw was supposedly a

super-Christian, he should have been able to deflect such an assault easily.

However, rather than adjust his image, or correct his doctrine-which had already

hurt many other Christians-he simply hid the cause of his descent into death.

In 1985 the "Word over the World Auditorium" opened at the organizations hq on the farm.

vpw died May 20, 1985 at age 68. According to his death certificate, the cause was

cancer of the liver and of the eye. According to most people in twi at the time,

the cause was UNKNOWN. The most commonly-stated reason was

"he got tired of fighting."

In the last few months of his life, vpw visited Gartmore and spoke privately

with Chr1s Ge*r. He (CG) later claimed that his own paper which he wrote

afterwards-"the Passing of the Patriarch"-was based entirely on private

conversations with vpw. (Some people believe him, some do not.)

That paper-among other things-also claims that vpw would have been

able to "believe himself healthy" if he'd wanted to.

Volume 5 of Studies in Abundant Living was published

posthumously. Its contents were from vpw, it was edited by Chr1$ Ge*r.

=========

[Bolshevik]

HA! I forgot about the lights frying his eyeball claim.

. . .

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he met Rosal1nd R1nker. She was a former

missionary to China and Korea. She's remembered as the anonymous person

who asks vpw

"Why don't you search for the greatest of all things in life

which would teach Christians the HOW of a really victorious life?"

. . .

This Rosal1nd R1nker? HERE

[T-Bone]

WordWolf, as always a great job ! Thanks !

oh yeah - i wanted to add this to my post after Bolshevik's comment on the eyeball claim - maybe it was a corps night or some night of a function or class in the chapel of Rome City campus - anyway - VP passed his prosthetic eyeball around - i think he had someone in front row pick it up to start off - not sure on that...each person could handle it, look at it and then pass it to the next person...i guess you could say this was one of the last times he and i saw eye to eye on anything..

(edited to add memory of eyeball "inspection")

Edited April 4, 2016 by T-Bone

[DontWorryBeHappy]

LOL T-bone!

When I was given access to dictor's personal research library (which was in large wall safe in his office) by Donna Randall during my 2 years in-rez,

One of the many things I found were 2 pamphlets written by Rosalind Rinker with her picture in B&W on the covers. One was entitled "Power For Abundant Living", and the other, "The Word of God Is the Will of God". Sound familiar???

The "forgiveness" dictor had to beg for was because of his sexual affair with Rinker, which is why she left Dodge. But, the year after she left, dictor hired another pianist to play for the Youth Chimes Caravan and be its Sectetary. Her name was Rhoda Becker. So, of course dictor was busy bangin' her before he had the UCC hire her as HIS fulltime Church Sectetary. Before they moved back to the family farm, he married little Rhoda the Mennonite off to his own brother, Reuben. Both were on twit staff until they died. They had one son, Bob Ed Weiwille who was "Assistant General Manager of The Way" under Howard Allen. Bob Ed married Gene and Donna Randall's daughter, Vicki.

At the first Corpse Placement/Leadership meeting after his surgery in winter, 1982, dictor passed the old "stink-eye" around the tables for us all to worship. He said the reason he waited until after the 40th Anniversary coronation and installation of da forehead as prez, was because in the Aaronic Priesthood, open only to direct blood descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi, men with physical deformities were prohibited from the Priesthood. Vic believed that the removal of his cancerous eye (ocular melanoma) was a physical deformity which would have disqualified him from installing the Okie doofus and passing him the Meshuggene mantle. So, he did not want to "disgrace" gawd and da forehead with a physical deformity, and therefore waited until December to let Fritz and his team take out the eye. However, the eye was removed AFTER metastatic disease had slowly spread to lungs, brain, and liver. The official cause of death was, "Occular melanoma with metastatic liver disease". That's what's on the death certificate.

Edited April 5, 2016 by DontWorryBeHappy

[TLC]

[clipped]

He said the reason he waited until after the 40th Anniversary coronation and installation of da forehead as prez, was because in the Aaronic Priesthood, open only to direct blood descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi, men with physical deformities were prohibited from the Priesthood. Vic believed that the removal of his cancerous eye (ocular melanoma) was a physical deformity which would have disqualified him from installing the Okie doofus and passing him the Meshuggene mantle. So, he did not want to "disgrace" gawd and da forehead with a physical deformity, and therefore waited until December to let Fritz and his team take out the eye.

First I've heard that, but it doesn't surprise me one little bit. It fits entirely with his character and twi's failure (IMO) to differentiate Paul's gospel from the gospel of the kingdom. Comparisons to the Aaronic Priesthood? What's that to do with the high priest after the order of Melchisedec? Is there any wonder why the WC training, namebadges, and ordinations were all such an egotistical trainwreck waiting to happen?

Edited April 5, 2016 by TLC

[WordWolf]

(snip)

The "forgiveness" dictor had to beg for was because of his sexual affair with Rinker, which is why she left Dodge. But, the year after she left, dictor hired another pianist to play for the Youth Chimes Caravan and be its Sectetary. Her name was Rhoda Becker. So, of course dictor was busy bangin' her before he had the UCC hire her as HIS fulltime Church Sectetary. Before they moved back to the family farm, he married little Rhoda the Mennonite off to his own brother, Reuben. Both were on twit staff until they died. They had one son, Bob Ed Weiwille who was "Assistant General Manager of The Way" under Howard Allen. Bob Ed married Gene and Donna Randall's daughter, Vicki.

(snip)

HA!

When we were doing our analysis of that book in the thread,

"the Way:Living in Wonderland",

we deduced he probably did something with RR and that's what he asked forgiveness for,

all based on his own phrasing of things.

[shortfuse]

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

According to locals, Ernst, his father, was an alcoholic with negligible

education, with a bad temper who acted as a bully.This was true in his dealings

with locals AND with his own family.Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish for hours into the woods nearby.

(It has been noted that this running off may have been as much to avoid

an abusive father as it was to avoid doing any work. Or it may be unrelated.)

He claimed that when he was young, he once told a minister that he wanted to be

a man of God like him. Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being a man of God- but in being

the man the whole community turned out to see, to have their respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

(He seems to have been taught this at home.)He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on thefamily farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this, and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke- everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages" or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

What are the sources for these early Wierwille family accounts and community impression of the family and of Vic? Just curious.

[Bolshevik]

. . .

At the first Corpse Placement/Leadership meeting after his surgery in winter, 1982, dictor passed the old "stink-eye" around the tables for us all to worship. He said the reason he waited until after the 40th Anniversary coronation and installation of da forehead as prez, was because in the Aaronic Priesthood, open only to direct blood descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi, men with physical deformities were prohibited from the Priesthood. Vic believed that the removal of his cancerous eye (ocular melanoma) was a physical deformity which would have disqualified him from installing the Okie doofus and passing him the Meshuggene mantle. So, he did not want to "disgrace" gawd and da forehead with a physical deformity, and therefore waited until December to let Fritz and his team take out the eye. However, the eye was removed AFTER metastatic disease had slowly spread to lungs, brain, and liver. The official cause of death was, "Occular melanoma with metastatic liver disease". That's what's on the death certificate.

Is the suggestion here, that VPW could have survived past 1985 had he got the surgery sooner? He was so committed to his delusional belief system HE created that he died for it?

[waysider]

Is the suggestion here, that VPW could have survived past 1985 had he got the surgery sooner? He was so committed to his delusional belief system HE created that he died for it?

Whether he would have lived any longer, I don't know. I think the reasoning behind his declaration, though, is a load of crap, always trying to make himself look like some great one. He said "he did not want to 'disgrace' gawd." Really? I think that ship had sailed long before his eye problems afflicted him.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

(He never overcame his deficiency in study in Bible languages, church history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

I suppose that I really wouldn't have expected this to have changed between 1985 and 2004. In fact, I suspect it's still the case. ;)

George

[T-Bone]

I suppose that I really wouldn't have expected this to have changed between 1985 and 2004. In fact, I suspect it's still the case.

George

yup - - he daid.....dats riiiiiiiiight.

[WordWolf]

What are the sources for these early Wierwille family accounts and community impression of the family and of Vic? Just curious.

You quoted most of the first post, but for some reason left out this part.

This is a timeline of vpw and his time in twi, from his birth to the year he died.

As compiled on the thread, "the Way: Living in Wonderland."

Edition 5.6 of my timeline.

====

This timeline is mostly from publications OF TWI.

The documentation for all of this is on that thread.

I linked the thread.

First we discussed the book, then we discussed twi and vpw history.

So, I began making a timeline based on that.

Then I included information from other threads, usually linking the

threads if not just naming them. And then I added the information

to the next timeline.

So, go to that thread and look around.

[WordWolf]

Is the suggestion here, that VPW could have survived past 1985 had he got the surgery sooner? He was so committed to his delusional belief system HE created that he died for it?

I think the truth of it was that he waited until the attention was not fully on him to get the surgery.

He was so narcissistic that he was worried this would destroy people's opinions of him,

especially because his supposed "law" of believing is disproved by his need for surgery.

I suppose that I really wouldn't have expected this to have changed between 1985 and 2004. In fact, I suspect it's still the case. ;)/>

George

I meant that informed laymen, as of the time I wrote that,

were far more informed on those subjects than a man who supposedly went to school to study them-

and kept claiming the people he studied under were top men in their fields.

[shortfuse]

You quoted most of the first post, but for some reason left out this part.

The documentation for all of this is on that thread.

I linked the thread.

First we discussed the book, then we discussed twi and vpw history.

So, I began making a timeline based on that.

Then I included information from other threads, usually linking the

threads if not just naming them. And then I added the information

to the next timeline.

So, go to that thread and look around.

Gotcha. Thanks.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

I wish that New Knoxville School, his college, and Princeton would publickly release their grade transcripts relating to Wierwille instead of Freedom of Information act filed or a state or Federal court subpena

I also suspect VPW lifted material from Tozer, Albert Benjamin Simpson, Ruben Archer Torrey, Theodore Austin Sparks, and Watchman Nee.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Thomas Loy Bumgarner

[waysider]

I wish that New Knoxville School, his college, and Princeton would publickly release their grade transcripts relating to Wierwille instead of Freedom of Information act filed or a state or Federal court subpena

My personal experience in trying to get VPW related transcripts leads me to believe that institutions purposely distance themselves from any appearance of being associated with VPW in order to avoid unwanted controversy.

I can't say that I blame them.

Edited April 28, 2016 by waysider

[Jim]

I couldn't find the part where he got drafted during WWII. I bet there's an interesting story.

[DontWorryBeHappy]

Dictor never got drafted by the USA. He was part of Lindberg's America First movement which supported the Nazis by keeping the USA out of the war in Europe. Dictor was a Nazi sympathizer at user during WWII, and after, throughout his life. John S. Lynn, the father of the lowlife jalvis, introduced dictor to the John Birch Society and all it's publications and propaganda. His son jalvis, incorporates JBS ideology into his TLTF group, and Professor john von schoenheit does the same. BOTH are right-wing Christian nutjob groups of LGBTQ haters, anti-Semites, racist haters of black folk, and rabid farther than right-wing Teapartyers. If Hitler was around, they'd be his loyal and trusted SS, and Geheimstatpolizei.....Gestapo. There is absolutely no social, interpersonal, or spiritual value to rivenbark's TWIt, exactly like there was none under dictor Paul or Ignacius LOYola Martinfail. They are empty frauds. They are anti-Christ in doctrine and practice. They do absolutely NOTHING that Jesus Christ commanded in terms of feeding the poor, housing the sick, and contributing to community advancement. They are all greedy, self-serving pigs and sodomites. They exist only to promote themselves and their insane perversion of the Bible. They are of all, the most lying and hypocritical of any so-called "Christian ministries" out there. They glorify da Debbil and the power of his Debbil spurts above the power of the Resurrected Christ. They DO NIT ALLOW FELLOWSHIP WITH OR PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST! They teach that there are numerous Debbil spurts roaming the planet "seeking whom they may devour". They spend more time describing, defining, and hunting for Satan while Jesus Christ is ABSENT from their ministry according to their own teaching, is absurdly paranoid. The fear of Satan runs their sham outfit, not the love of Christ. Their leadership is a gross abomination before God and mankind. In the words of The Soup TV show: "The way, this is God. Please stop!". Amen to that.

[outandabout]

That thing on The Soup was funny. Pathetic but funny. I almost feel sorry for them for being so pathetically funny.

[Rocky]

That thing on The Soup was funny. Pathetic but funny. I almost feel sorry for them for being so pathetically funny.

Key word: almost.

[Grace Valerie Claire]

On June 23, 2016 at 7:25 PM, DontWorryBeHappy said:

incorporates

 

On June 23, 2016 at 7:25 PM, DontWorryBeHappy said:

incorporates

Again, everyone thank you for this information.  To this day, I still can not understand how VPW escaped involvement in the US Military during WWIi.  I can not believe that I found out after he died, what a slime ball, VPW really was.  If I had known what he was really like, I would never gotten involved with TWI.

[Grace Valerie Claire]

What a sleaze VPW was!!

[WordWolf]

On 7/6/2016 at 9:03 PM, Jim said:

I couldn't find the part where he got drafted during WWII. I bet there's an interesting story.

Ministers and divinity students were exempt from the draft during World War 2.  What a remarkable coincidence that he had entered Princeton Theological Seminary just as US involvement in WW 2 was looking like a reality, wouldn't you say?  Almost like he went in specifically to avoid the draft.

[TLC]

According to your timeline, he graduated PTS before the Japs bombed PH...  which doesn't give much credibility to your speculation on motives.
(But motives can often be tough to flush out. Especially when it comes to certain relatively disciplined and/or "driven" personalities.) 

[chockfull]

On 4/5/2016 at 3:32 AM, DontWorryBeHappy said:

At the first Corpse Placement/Leadership meeting after his surgery in winter, 1982, dictor passed the old "stink-eye" around the tables for us all to worship. He said the reason he waited until after the 40th Anniversary coronation and installation of da forehead as prez, was because in the Aaronic Priesthood, open only to direct blood descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi, men with physical deformities were prohibited from the Priesthood. Vic believed that the removal of his cancerous eye (ocular melanoma) was a physical deformity which would have disqualified him from installing the Okie doofus and passing him the Meshuggene mantle. So, he did not want to "disgrace" gawd and da forehead with a physical deformity, and therefore waited until December to let Fritz and his team take out the eye. However, the eye was removed AFTER metastatic disease had slowly spread to lungs, brain, and liver. The official cause of death was, "Occular melanoma with metastatic liver disease". That's what's on the death certificate.

Interesting details.  

So from a pragmatic perspective, vp died because of a superstitious religious reason to ignore readily available medical treatment in a timely fashion for ocular cancer.  and years of cigarettes of course probably are behind the lung cancer.  and years of boozing behind the liver cancer.  and the ocular cancer spread to the brain.  

From a biblical perspective, it's just weird.  vp taught all this stuff about administrations, but then behaved like all that priesthood stuff applied to him?  or that's what he more identified with over grace in making life decisions?  

It is kind of funny.  People read a passage in the Bible, and they identify with it, and they think "that is me".  When it comes to doing that to better yourself, that's usually a good thing.  However, when people do that with a perspective of how that relates to them from a historical fulfillment of destiny type of view, it jacks with their identity and injects a very strong delusional basis that is usually followed by delusional detrimental action.  Maybe that's my over-complicated way of saying people thinking they are Jesus get martyr complexes.  

My grace way of looking at things is grace is the freedom to break free from ANY conformity the past imposes upon me and moving forward with the perfect thing for writing my story with God.  So in the future if I'm faced with a decision like this, I will first get the surgery and then install the doofus.  Figuratively speaking.  Aaron's f#@$%ing dead.  He doesn't care.  And doofuses can always wait.  They aren't f!@#$%ing doing anything anyway.  :)