The Diamond Club............. "In April 1960 Dr. Wierwille first instituted the Diamond Club. Dr. Wierwille was looking for seventy-five people who would stand with him, support the ministry, and move the Word as a team. He wrote, 'An inner circle of true believers could do so much more. I believe if I could have, by the grace of God, seventy-five individuals or families to join me for one year in THE DIAMOND CLUB, we could do what hundreds thus far just have promised and talked about. The Diamond Club will be made up of those who really believe in the ministry of The Way and pledge themselves for one year to pray each day for me and the ministry as well as share the first tenth (tithe) of their weekly or monthly checks with The Way for its continuation and growth.' The Diamond Club never had meetings and received no public attention." [p. 254]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As support fizzled away from "board of directors" ......limb & branch leaders...... vic was ready to institute another "pledge your money" program.
Only one paragraph and pledge in Mrs. W's book.......and that's it.
Sky, I have never heard of the Diamond Club. Thanks for the information.
Last pages of Mrs. W's book............Moving Day [pages 264-266]
"Moving day arrived. It was now Thursday, February 2, 1961, a very blustery, frigid winter day. The temperature reached ten degrees with blizzard conditions. Some of our lady workers arrived early at our remodeled home to get an idea of which rooms the boxes and furniture were to be delivered to as they arrived from Van Wert. The ladies lit the living room and basement fireplaces to help the furnace in heating the house."
"At 1:30 p.m. the Wierwille Upholstery Company trucks arrived with the first loads of our furniture and household goods. The easiest way to move the furniture and boxed things was through the four-foot sliding glass doors off the east porch. The brisk wind also forced through the house each time the door glided open. What a day!"
"That evening we had our first fellowship in the living room in that new home. There still was no carpet on the floor, and the chairs had not yet been delivered, so the next best thing to sit on were boxes, the stairs, and pillows on the floor. Those present were ladies and children: Rhoda, Miney Shroyer, Jan George and her children (Susan, Mark, Paul, Tim and David), Evelyn Jones, Mary Wierwille (Reuben's wife), and myself with J.P. and Sara. The men were still out with the moving trucks, which were hauling the last loads of furniture. They arrived at 10:00 and 10:30 p.m."
............."
#########################################
What is wrong with this?
Moving on a Thursday?
.......on a very blustery, frigid winter day?
.......blizzard conditions?
.......having a "first fellowship" sitting on boxes?
.......ladies and children only at the house?
.......moving trucks arrive at 10 and 10:30 PM?
##########################################
OMG.................Sounds like the same blunders Geer did at Gartmore, 20 years later !!!
Hmm. Going from Van Wert to New Knoxville is about an hour.
They delivered the first load at 1.30pm. Presumably unloaded the van and took some of the heavier stuff to locations such as sitting rooms, bedrooms, etc. Had a break for a meal, no doubt, then set off and loaded some more stuff. An hour to travel to VW, then load up and drive back (another hour), to arrive at 10.30pm.
Allowing for travel time, that leaves 7 hrs to unload, eat/rest, and repack in VW. I have shifted a lot of stuff in my time: my own and other people's stuff. A 3-bed house-load, van packed with stuff, can be unloaded by only two people in an hour; a little longer to load up. Less time, of course, with more people - which the implication is, in the excerpt.
So: how much stuff had they got? What happened to "travel light"? (Or maybe, "travel light" came about because of the huge amount of junk they'd accumulated that they didn't need? )
Or maybe, even more -ishly ... ... were the men were busy keeping out of the way of the fellowship? Heck, perhaps even then they realised how boring "fellowship" had become.
(I'd better go and play with my cats before I have any more naughty ideas, LOL)
Hmm. Going from Van Wert to New Knoxville is about an hour.
They delivered the first load at 1.30pm. Presumablyunloaded the van and took some of the heavier stuff to locations such as sitting rooms, bedrooms, etc. Had a break for a meal, no doubt, then set off and loaded some more stuff. An hour to travel to VW, then load up and drive back (another hour), to arrive at 10.30pm.
Allowing for travel time, that leaves 7 hrs to unload, eat/rest, and repack in VW. I have shifted a lot of stuff in my time: my own and other people's stuff. A 3-bed house-load, van packed with stuff, can be unloaded by only two people in an hour; a little longer to load up. Less time, of course, with more people - which the implication is, in the excerpt.
So: how much stuff had they got? What happened to "travel light"?.........
Well.....since mrs. w specifies two times, 10pm and 10:30pm, I would think that means two moving vans. In her book is a picture depicting one of Harry's Upholstery vans...... not a box truck, but more like a large panel van.
But still.........moving in a blizzard? moving vans arriving at 10pm & 10:30pm? Imagine the grueling work trudging thru snow carrying furniture? Where were the organizational skills to get this done? So, the last moving van arrives at 10:30pm and takes 45 minutes to unload........in a cold, blustery, winter night. And then........workers/helpers need to drive home and get to bed, and possibly get to work Friday morning?? That's USING people.........
This book came out in 1996..........and, in my opinion, drives a stake into the heart of twi's "man of god" doctrine and slick-vic's boastings and bloviating. Time and time again, in following "the bread crumbs leading one back out of the cult forest".......we see that wierwille plagiarized from every source he could find, then tweaked it to separate himself from the source.
I am pleasantly stunned that Craig, Don, Howard, Rosalie and Donna did NOT see how this book debunks the wierwille-mystique.
And then, there is not going to be a second book, a Part II of wierwille's life ...(1961-1985)... ???
Wierwille moves to the family homestead on a cold, blustery, blizzard night in February 1961......
Mrs. Wierwille has the last word......... Perfect.
Nice thread skyrider - I thought I'd contribute by attaching pictures of the inside flaps of the BATS book and the words. And commentary too.
Front flap:
"Born Again To Serve - Victor Paul Wierwille was called of God to be a teacher of His Word. But before he could teach, he, naturally, had to understand God's Word for himself. Beginning early in life, Dr. Wierwille had a deep hunger to study and learn and to teach as he learned. STUDY-TEACH was the pattern established for his entire teaching ministry and was Dr. Wierwille's way of serving. The title of the book captures his lifelong conviction, which he stated many times: 'Born to live; born again to serve'
Beginning with his family heritage, this volume spans Dr. Wierwille's childhood, the school years, his two pastorates, the radio broadcast ministry, his foreign teaching tour, his resigning from his church denomination, the launching of The Way Ministry, and his moving the Way Headquarters to his ancestral land near New Knoxville, Ohio.
Born Again to Serve is a multimedia biography. Besides the colorful and interesting narrative, the author has included numerous photographs, news clippings, letters, legal documents, and more to help build an accurate impression of who Dr. Wierwille was, what he did, and how he became a dynamic leader in expounding God's Word."
Seldom does a wife write a biography of her husband. But Mrs. Wierwille is a unique person...and acted courageously in undertaking the work of chronicling Dr. Wierwille's life. Because both of them were reared in the same rural, German-American community in western Ohio in the mid-1910 to 1930s, Mrs. Wierwille is inimately familiar with the times and culture of their lives from the very beginning.
The only years Victor and Dorothea experienced differently were the three years the future Mrs. Wierwille spent in nurses training in Cincinatti, Ohio and her future husband was in college near Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They married in July 1937, and as a team, they began their lifelong pursuit of learning and ministering God's Word to God's people.
Mrs. Wierwille, a multicapable person, brings to us the history of her husband's life from 1916 to 1961. She writes with accuracy, color, humor, and sensitivity. Born Again To Serve makes a special contribution to the faithful followers of The Way Ministry, showing the life of our Founding President and father in the Word, a man who clearly heard God's call and then followed it to serve."
I remember when this book came out, and I remember being around Mrs. W when it was being written. I distinctly got the impression this was the last thing this woman wanted to do is write this book. There was a great deal of pressure I remember, or "encouragement" from the then BOD - with Loy and Rozilla. I got the impression she was guilt tripped into writing it, and did so dragging her feet all the way.
The opening and closing flap material is all written by Rozilla. You can tell because it sounds like the queen of England mixed in with using complete dumb-@$$ words like "multicapable".
The reason this is a "multimedia" biography LOL is just that above. The more pictures, news clippings, service flyers, and other similar items you can insert, the less words (or 'colorful and interesting narrative') have to be written by an author who is how you say "reluctant". I'm sure as a form of rebellion of being forced into this, Mrs. W probably told more of the truth than they intended with less of a positive spin.
that's what makes this interesting with skyrider digging into some of the details and discrepancies in the book.
The book itself was cobbed together from her diaries and notes from historical. It was very heavily edited by way publications as well. Interesting that the bod are so deluded they never realized how damning her book is to the official storyline. BATS was on my way corps reading list and was required study material from time to time inrez. Just goes to show how mind numbing twi is when the truth is on plain sight but hardly anyone connects the dots.
I wish she had done this earlier and done a follow-up volume 2 going from the interaction with the Jesus People in late 60'sup to VPW going to Scotland to visit Geer(without Passing of the Patriarch crap)and I don't care if daughter Karen had tom publish this independently and privately instead of American Christian Press/TWI's involement.
1996, eh? IIRC, Dotsie was suffering from senile dementia, if not Altzheimer's, which was progressing rapidly at this time. I think chockful hit the nail on the head. Not only was she emotionally detached from any memories she may have maintained about dictor paul, but her mental status was dementia. She WROTE nothing. She was not capable. This book was a heavily edited transcript of nostalgic conversations between a rapidly progressing senile dementia patient and her loving daughters. Probably afternoon conversations in the living room of the "founder's home" over tea with a fire in the fireplace. That's my opinion, never having seen the book, but being acutely aware of the intense psychodynamic driving the wierwille family at this time.
Remember, EVERY PERSON in dictor's' nuclear family was a victim of his undiagnosed, untreated, severe psycho-emotional illnesses. None were spared. Dotsie herself became hopelessly co-dependent and a classic enabler. Donnie grew up idolizing his father until he became mature enough to recognize that his father was insane, and that dic wanted to live on vicariously through Donnie and keep TWIt forever in the control of the wierwille bloodline. Once, during a Yak Twig meeting, confronting da forehead on more sexual conquests of his, Okie brings up something about Don "never respecting" Da forehead because even though dictor wanted Don to be the 2nd prez, Don "couldn't cut it! You couldn't make the cut with your own father!". Don stands up (we were in the motorcycle shed), and wails, "Stop! Stop it! He's dead! He's dead! And he's still torturing me from his fucking grave!". Don then began sobbing, and I went over to hug him and try to console/calm him down. There was dead silence in the shed. Eventually, one-by-one, or two-by-two, the shed emptied out leaving Don and I sitting on lawn chairs in silence for a while. Then, we both went home.
i recount this to point out that, the intensity of the emotions, the psychological shock at what had transpired since POP's first attack in April of 1986, and the incredible hurt, pain, spiteful vengeance, and sadism Geer's dictor impersonation brought down upon the BOT, made these "twig meetings" incredible real-time, psychodramatic, soap-operas of human malevolent dysfunction. This dysfunction was NEVER confronted, or treated. It continued to fulminate in the broken souls of the BOT and the remnants of the wierwille family and the zombie "old-timers" walking around drooling and crying in a haze of guilt, shame, and self-loathing. This dysfunction is what drove the TWIt machine throughout the 90s. The hate, spiteful vengeance, hubris, avarice, and perverted promiscuity which ran dictor paul and da forehead, had now infected the entire "remnant" left behind the walls of Zion in the promised land of the prevailing word, and run it into the waterlogged grave of its founder.
Don allowed himself to devolve into a hateful character full of piss and venom. He had his mother committed to a skilled nursing facility in St.Mary's because he didn't want his demented mother nearby at HQ. He systematically banished his own brother and sisters from seeing their own mother "on grounds". He truly descended into the depths of vile human depravity, before he himself rotted from lung cancer. Seems dem cancer spurts really take a hankerin' to dem wierwille boyz.
Throw Ros-a-lie and BellaDonna in there, Howard, and the asslickers like Greene, Rupp, DeLiar, and, until recently, MoneyHands, Horneys, Forts, et al, and you have a witches brew of self-serving pathological puritans who literally do NOTHING of any human significance, importance, or social value on a daily basis for absolutely no comprehensible reason. I remember the old phrase, "do not confuse activity with accomplishment". TWIt has been hyperactive and hypermanic since the 60s, and yet they have accomplished nothing beyond adding to the death, destruction, suffering, and torment of religious herds on God's Good Earth. "Their answer my friend, is blowin'' in the wind. The answer is blowin' in the wind."................peace all.
Regarding Dorothea's mental health and condition.........I have no clinical expertise in this area, but I was around her and escorted her:
November 1995 in Dallas, TX at Adv Class Special...............6 days escorting her
November 1996 in Dallas, TX at Adv Class Special...............6 days escorting her
November 1997 in Dallas, TX at Adv Class Special...............6 days escorting her
In my opinion, Mrs. Wierwille was cognizant of things around her and outgoing in conversation......especially in 1995.
In November 1996, I detected her conversations and mood a little more aloof at times......but still, she sure had her wits about her.
In November 1997......that's when I noticed a steep decline in her mental and physical condition. Coramae Peters was assigned to be near her at all times....even though I was there to escort her to all meetings, meals and activities. At no time, did Mrs. Wierwille ever "go blank"......nor did she take naps. She was quite active and outgoing for a woman of her age.
When Dorothea went thru historical files and personal notes with her daughter, Karen............this must have been mid-1995 or so. The book was published in 1996. More than likely, Karen helped immeasurably with consolidating personal records and editing content. I have no idea who else gave input or edited this book.
But again...........I was around Mrs. Wierwille in November 1995 and she had her faculties about her, for sure.
Yes! Excellent input Skyrider! Thank you. I am sure Dotsie was more "with it" in 1995, 1996. I am also sure that she was quite kind to dictor in her edited recollections. I think the book was done for HER by her daughters, and I'm sure there were many, many, things left unsaid. The manuscript must have been under microscopic examination by Rosie and her Way pub Nazis. LOL! But, I know ALL those women had a tale to tell should they have chosen to. The BOT insured that would NEVER happen!
Dotsie felt quite comfortable around you. I'm sure, that as long as she had input, she demanded YOU be her escort. Cora Mae was her constant companion even back when I left in '86. The need to have her there with you in '97 demonstrates the growing discomfort that not only the BOT had re: her mental status, but also Dotsie's own discomfort. She was an RN after-all, though ancient by that time. Did you notice any other evidence of Dotsie's psychosocial decline before you left? I know you were in OK toward the last years of your TWIt time, however, you still have a most unique, firsthand insight into her mental status at that time that I do not. And, as I said, I have never seen nor read the book. So, my understanding of the wierwille family psychodynamic is only firsthand through December, 1986. Your input here is invaluable in putting this together! Thanks for posting Sky! Helps me put together several things I could not have without your input. Keep on ridin' bro!
Yes! Excellent input Skyrider! Thank you. I am sure Dotsie was more "with it" in 1995, 1996. I am also sure that she was quite kind to dictor in her edited recollections. I think the book was done for HER by her daughters, and I'm sure there were many, many, things left unsaid. The manuscript must have been under microscopic examination by Rosie and her Way pub Nazis. LOL! But, I know ALL those women had a tale to tell should they have chosen to. The BOT insured that would NEVER happen!
Dotsie felt quite comfortable around you. I'm sure, that as long as she had input, she demanded YOU be her escort. Cora Mae was her constant companion even back when I left in '86. The need to have her there with you in '97 demonstrates the growing discomfort that not only the BOT had re: her mental status, but also Dotsie's own discomfort. She was an RN after-all, though ancient by that time. Did you notice any other evidence of Dotsie's psychosocial decline before you left? I know you were in OK toward the last years of your TWIt time, however, you still have a most unique, firsthand insight into her mental status at that time that I do not. And, as I said, I have never seen nor read the book. So, my understanding of the wierwille family psychodynamic is only firsthand through December, 1986. Your input here is invaluable in putting this together! Thanks for posting Sky! Helps me put together several things I could not have without your input. Keep on ridin' bro!
DWBH........yes, mrs. wierwille requested me as her escort. I must say that much of those inroads were because of my wife. Mrs. Wierwille had a special warmth and fondness for my wife those early years 1971-1977. After my deprogramming experience, mrs. wierwille invited us to the wierwille home for dinner......just the four of us. The thing I remember about this dinner was the blood pudding. My fiancé only ate a couple of bites, but I ate all of mine......I didn't want dr. wierwille to confront me. (lol)
Then, when Ermal died in July 1981.......the following December Christmas Party, I was assigned as Mrs. Owens's escort and sat at the head table with dr. and mrs. and the trustees. Same deal in 1982. And......at corps week/roa 1989 & 1990, my wife and I were assigned housing at the wierwille home. So, yeah......I guess that thru the years I had a comfortable relationship with mrs. wierwille.
With regards to your question about Dotsie's psychosocial decline before I left..............
First, let me say...........with regards to dementia/Alzheimer's, my mother-in-law lived with us 10 years ago and she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's........so, I witnessed firsthand, for 18 months before we got her moved to an assisted-living facility, the short-term memory loss, the blank stares, the consistently asking the same question over and over again and other patterns of the disease.
In November 1995, Mrs. Wierwille was engaging and full of life. My wife and I arrived at the hotel around Tuesday noon [as requested].....and were to be there until Sunday around 4pm. On that first day, she presented me with a gift.....to thank me for being her escort. Each day, Wed-Sun, I was to promptly be at her door at 6:45am and escort her down to the breakfast meal. As I remember, this was her suite......and hers alone. She was ready to go.......ready to "advance the day".......greeting believers along the way......gracious and thoughtful. Each day basically ended around 10:15pm......and my escort duties for the day were done.
In November 1996, Mrs. Wierwille still had her own suite. She had slowed down a bit physically, but I didn't notice any characteristics that I would consider Alzheimer's. If I remember, a few times she'd finish a conversation with someone and as we walked on, she would turn to me and ask, "What was her name again?" But in terms of repeating the same questions, or disorientation of her room or whereabouts.......nope, none of that. She knew where the meeting room and dining room and restrooms were without hesitation. The thing I did notice was that her conversations were not as engaging as the year before, nor did she have the details of husband/wife/child(ren) as readily as last year.
In November 1997, Coramae Peters were her assigned room-mate and constant companion. When we stopped to use the restroom facilities, Coramae always went with her. And, at one time, when Coramae was absent....Mrs. Wierwille had a slight "wardrobe malfunction" when her skirt was not zipped properly. Thankfully, an attentive corps girl, Nancy Chap**** stepped over and assisted in the situation. I suppose when I think back on it......Mrs. Wierwille was more abrupt in temperament and people seemed to be more deferential in giving her space. It was at this Adv Class Special, as we were going thru the lunch buffet, that someone grabbed my elbow to ask me a question, and I got separated from Mrs. W by about 5 feet......and Don Wierwille coldly confronted me and finished it off with a stare down to make his point.
But to conclude..............having been around my mother-in-law with Alzheimer's......I didn't see this decline in Mrs. Wierwille, even in 1997. Definitely, she was not as engaging in conversation and such, but she still had a determined mind to meet the day head-on. And, on that final Sunday morning at the Advanced Class Special was when, after breakfast, that she wanted to go "greet Rev. Martindale and show her support for his Sunday morning teaching".........and when we got to his room around 8:15am, Craig Martindale was STILL asleep.
So, when it comes to Mrs. Wierwille's book and who edited it or how much it was sanitized..........all I know is that parts of it give us a peek into victor paul wierwille's controlling, narcissistic world that somehow rings true.........
What year did Dotsie die? Were you still in TWIt when that happened? Did you go to the funeral or memorial? Did Don die in 2000, or 2001? Did you have any conversations with Don or anyone else about Dotsie's mental status? Sorry for all the questions Skyrider. I'm not interrogating you, I'm just interested in getting an accurate timeline of events that seem to have occurred closely together. Thanks for your help!
Well.....for starters, my wife and I exited twi in August 1998.
Aug/Sep 2000.............Martindale ousted and headed to Toledo, OH
Sept 2000....................Don Wierwille died, age 60
2002 or 2003...............when Mrs. Wierwille died [ ?? not sure exactly, but Oldskool or Chockfull would probably know date.]
No, I chose not to go to Mrs. W's funeral. Just had so much rebuilding to do in my own life.......and we were mark/avoid. Our boys were in high school and our schedules were full of activities. In my mind, going to Ohio for that funeral was "a step backwards to the past".......and all my efforts were to keep moving forward.
Well.....for starters, my wife and I exited twi in August 1998.
Aug/Sep 2000.............Martindale ousted and headed to Toledo, OH
Sept 2000....................Don Wierwille died, age 60
2002 or 2003...............when Mrs. Wierwille died [ ?? not sure exactly, but Oldskool or Chockfull would probably know date.]
No, I chose not to go to Mrs. W's funeral. Just had so much rebuilding to do in my own life.......and we were mark/avoid. Our boys were in high school and our schedules were full of activities. In my mind, going to Ohio for that funeral was "a step backwards to the past".......and all my efforts were to keep moving forward.
Sky, for some reason, 2005 sticks in my mind as to the year Mrs. W died. Perhaps, I am wrong.
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skyrider
What were the "advantages" for slick-vic to LIE about his organization's beginnings? First and foremost, it put DISTANCE between him and B.G. Leonard's foundational class and class-based minist
skyrider
There's your............ ALL NINE ALL THE TIME
DontWorryBeHappy
Sheesh! So much motivation by guilt and the logical fallacy of false equivalence! "MY Ministry", eh? Thanks for posting Sky! Never saw this before. Saw the resignation letter and the back-and-forth be
skyrider
OMG.................Sounds like the same blunders when wierwille used intense lighting while filming pfal.
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skyrider
So.......there you have it Greasespotters.
Add......This thread and a few other around GSC.......
A recap of Mrs. Wierwille's book...........now, its going back into storage.
Done. Good Riddance.
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Grace Valerie Claire
Sky, I have never heard of the Diamond Club. Thanks for the information.
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Grace Valerie Claire
Sky, bingo!
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JayDee
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Twinky
Hmm. Going from Van Wert to New Knoxville is about an hour.
They delivered the first load at 1.30pm. Presumably unloaded the van and took some of the heavier stuff to locations such as sitting rooms, bedrooms, etc. Had a break for a meal, no doubt, then set off and loaded some more stuff. An hour to travel to VW, then load up and drive back (another hour), to arrive at 10.30pm.
Allowing for travel time, that leaves 7 hrs to unload, eat/rest, and repack in VW. I have shifted a lot of stuff in my time: my own and other people's stuff. A 3-bed house-load, van packed with stuff, can be unloaded by only two people in an hour; a little longer to load up. Less time, of course, with more people - which the implication is, in the excerpt.
So: how much stuff had they got? What happened to "travel light"? (Or maybe, "travel light" came about because of the huge amount of junk they'd accumulated that they didn't need? )
Or maybe, even more -ishly ... ... were the men were busy keeping out of the way of the fellowship? Heck, perhaps even then they realised how boring "fellowship" had become.
(I'd better go and play with my cats before I have any more naughty ideas, LOL)
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Thomas Loy Bumgarner
Who moves furniture, luggage, etc. in a blizzard? Why not wait until a nicer day? and why that day? Inquiring minds want to know
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skyrider
Well.....since mrs. w specifies two times, 10pm and 10:30pm, I would think that means two moving vans. In her book is a picture depicting one of Harry's Upholstery vans...... not a box truck, but more like a large panel van.
But still.........moving in a blizzard? moving vans arriving at 10pm & 10:30pm? Imagine the grueling work trudging thru snow carrying furniture? Where were the organizational skills to get this done? So, the last moving van arrives at 10:30pm and takes 45 minutes to unload........in a cold, blustery, winter night. And then........workers/helpers need to drive home and get to bed, and possibly get to work Friday morning?? That's USING people.........
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skyrider
This book came out in 1996..........and, in my opinion, drives a stake into the heart of twi's "man of god" doctrine and slick-vic's boastings and bloviating. Time and time again, in following "the bread crumbs leading one back out of the cult forest".......we see that wierwille plagiarized from every source he could find, then tweaked it to separate himself from the source.
I am pleasantly stunned that Craig, Don, Howard, Rosalie and Donna did NOT see how this book debunks the wierwille-mystique.
And then, there is not going to be a second book, a Part II of wierwille's life ...(1961-1985)... ???
Wierwille moves to the family homestead on a cold, blustery, blizzard night in February 1961......
Mrs. Wierwille has the last word......... Perfect.
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chockfull
Nice thread skyrider - I thought I'd contribute by attaching pictures of the inside flaps of the BATS book and the words. And commentary too.
Front flap:
"Born Again To Serve - Victor Paul Wierwille was called of God to be a teacher of His Word. But before he could teach, he, naturally, had to understand God's Word for himself. Beginning early in life, Dr. Wierwille had a deep hunger to study and learn and to teach as he learned. STUDY-TEACH was the pattern established for his entire teaching ministry and was Dr. Wierwille's way of serving. The title of the book captures his lifelong conviction, which he stated many times: 'Born to live; born again to serve'
Beginning with his family heritage, this volume spans Dr. Wierwille's childhood, the school years, his two pastorates, the radio broadcast ministry, his foreign teaching tour, his resigning from his church denomination, the launching of The Way Ministry, and his moving the Way Headquarters to his ancestral land near New Knoxville, Ohio.
Born Again to Serve is a multimedia biography. Besides the colorful and interesting narrative, the author has included numerous photographs, news clippings, letters, legal documents, and more to help build an accurate impression of who Dr. Wierwille was, what he did, and how he became a dynamic leader in expounding God's Word."
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chockfull
Back flap:
"Mrs. Victor Paul Wierwille
Seldom does a wife write a biography of her husband. But Mrs. Wierwille is a unique person...and acted courageously in undertaking the work of chronicling Dr. Wierwille's life. Because both of them were reared in the same rural, German-American community in western Ohio in the mid-1910 to 1930s, Mrs. Wierwille is inimately familiar with the times and culture of their lives from the very beginning.
The only years Victor and Dorothea experienced differently were the three years the future Mrs. Wierwille spent in nurses training in Cincinatti, Ohio and her future husband was in college near Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They married in July 1937, and as a team, they began their lifelong pursuit of learning and ministering God's Word to God's people.
Mrs. Wierwille, a multicapable person, brings to us the history of her husband's life from 1916 to 1961. She writes with accuracy, color, humor, and sensitivity. Born Again To Serve makes a special contribution to the faithful followers of The Way Ministry, showing the life of our Founding President and father in the Word, a man who clearly heard God's call and then followed it to serve."
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chockfull
My commentary:
I remember when this book came out, and I remember being around Mrs. W when it was being written. I distinctly got the impression this was the last thing this woman wanted to do is write this book. There was a great deal of pressure I remember, or "encouragement" from the then BOD - with Loy and Rozilla. I got the impression she was guilt tripped into writing it, and did so dragging her feet all the way.
The opening and closing flap material is all written by Rozilla. You can tell because it sounds like the queen of England mixed in with using complete dumb-@$$ words like "multicapable".
The reason this is a "multimedia" biography LOL is just that above. The more pictures, news clippings, service flyers, and other similar items you can insert, the less words (or 'colorful and interesting narrative') have to be written by an author who is how you say "reluctant". I'm sure as a form of rebellion of being forced into this, Mrs. W probably told more of the truth than they intended with less of a positive spin.
that's what makes this interesting with skyrider digging into some of the details and discrepancies in the book.
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OldSkool
The book itself was cobbed together from her diaries and notes from historical. It was very heavily edited by way publications as well. Interesting that the bod are so deluded they never realized how damning her book is to the official storyline. BATS was on my way corps reading list and was required study material from time to time inrez. Just goes to show how mind numbing twi is when the truth is on plain sight but hardly anyone connects the dots.
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Thomas Loy Bumgarner
I wish she had done this earlier and done a follow-up volume 2 going from the interaction with the Jesus People in late 60'sup to VPW going to Scotland to visit Geer(without Passing of the Patriarch crap)and I don't care if daughter Karen had tom publish this independently and privately instead of American Christian Press/TWI's involement.
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Thomas Loy Bumgarner
Again, what idiot moves on a dangerous wintry day of blizzard? And why that day? Did the lease on Washington Street run out? Details please
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DontWorryBeHappy
1996, eh? IIRC, Dotsie was suffering from senile dementia, if not Altzheimer's, which was progressing rapidly at this time. I think chockful hit the nail on the head. Not only was she emotionally detached from any memories she may have maintained about dictor paul, but her mental status was dementia. She WROTE nothing. She was not capable. This book was a heavily edited transcript of nostalgic conversations between a rapidly progressing senile dementia patient and her loving daughters. Probably afternoon conversations in the living room of the "founder's home" over tea with a fire in the fireplace. That's my opinion, never having seen the book, but being acutely aware of the intense psychodynamic driving the wierwille family at this time.
Remember, EVERY PERSON in dictor's' nuclear family was a victim of his undiagnosed, untreated, severe psycho-emotional illnesses. None were spared. Dotsie herself became hopelessly co-dependent and a classic enabler. Donnie grew up idolizing his father until he became mature enough to recognize that his father was insane, and that dic wanted to live on vicariously through Donnie and keep TWIt forever in the control of the wierwille bloodline. Once, during a Yak Twig meeting, confronting da forehead on more sexual conquests of his, Okie brings up something about Don "never respecting" Da forehead because even though dictor wanted Don to be the 2nd prez, Don "couldn't cut it! You couldn't make the cut with your own father!". Don stands up (we were in the motorcycle shed), and wails, "Stop! Stop it! He's dead! He's dead! And he's still torturing me from his fucking grave!". Don then began sobbing, and I went over to hug him and try to console/calm him down. There was dead silence in the shed. Eventually, one-by-one, or two-by-two, the shed emptied out leaving Don and I sitting on lawn chairs in silence for a while. Then, we both went home.
i recount this to point out that, the intensity of the emotions, the psychological shock at what had transpired since POP's first attack in April of 1986, and the incredible hurt, pain, spiteful vengeance, and sadism Geer's dictor impersonation brought down upon the BOT, made these "twig meetings" incredible real-time, psychodramatic, soap-operas of human malevolent dysfunction. This dysfunction was NEVER confronted, or treated. It continued to fulminate in the broken souls of the BOT and the remnants of the wierwille family and the zombie "old-timers" walking around drooling and crying in a haze of guilt, shame, and self-loathing. This dysfunction is what drove the TWIt machine throughout the 90s. The hate, spiteful vengeance, hubris, avarice, and perverted promiscuity which ran dictor paul and da forehead, had now infected the entire "remnant" left behind the walls of Zion in the promised land of the prevailing word, and run it into the waterlogged grave of its founder.
Don allowed himself to devolve into a hateful character full of piss and venom. He had his mother committed to a skilled nursing facility in St.Mary's because he didn't want his demented mother nearby at HQ. He systematically banished his own brother and sisters from seeing their own mother "on grounds". He truly descended into the depths of vile human depravity, before he himself rotted from lung cancer. Seems dem cancer spurts really take a hankerin' to dem wierwille boyz.
Throw Ros-a-lie and BellaDonna in there, Howard, and the asslickers like Greene, Rupp, DeLiar, and, until recently, MoneyHands, Horneys, Forts, et al, and you have a witches brew of self-serving pathological puritans who literally do NOTHING of any human significance, importance, or social value on a daily basis for absolutely no comprehensible reason. I remember the old phrase, "do not confuse activity with accomplishment". TWIt has been hyperactive and hypermanic since the 60s, and yet they have accomplished nothing beyond adding to the death, destruction, suffering, and torment of religious herds on God's Good Earth. "Their answer my friend, is blowin'' in the wind. The answer is blowin' in the wind."................peace all.
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Twinky
"BellaDonna" - heh heh, funny, DWBH.
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DontWorryBeHappy
LOL Twinky!
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skyrider
Regarding Dorothea's mental health and condition.........I have no clinical expertise in this area, but I was around her and escorted her:
In my opinion, Mrs. Wierwille was cognizant of things around her and outgoing in conversation......especially in 1995.
In November 1996, I detected her conversations and mood a little more aloof at times......but still, she sure had her wits about her.
In November 1997......that's when I noticed a steep decline in her mental and physical condition. Coramae Peters was assigned to be near her at all times....even though I was there to escort her to all meetings, meals and activities. At no time, did Mrs. Wierwille ever "go blank"......nor did she take naps. She was quite active and outgoing for a woman of her age.
When Dorothea went thru historical files and personal notes with her daughter, Karen............this must have been mid-1995 or so. The book was published in 1996. More than likely, Karen helped immeasurably with consolidating personal records and editing content. I have no idea who else gave input or edited this book.
But again...........I was around Mrs. Wierwille in November 1995 and she had her faculties about her, for sure.
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DontWorryBeHappy
Yes! Excellent input Skyrider! Thank you. I am sure Dotsie was more "with it" in 1995, 1996. I am also sure that she was quite kind to dictor in her edited recollections. I think the book was done for HER by her daughters, and I'm sure there were many, many, things left unsaid. The manuscript must have been under microscopic examination by Rosie and her Way pub Nazis. LOL! But, I know ALL those women had a tale to tell should they have chosen to. The BOT insured that would NEVER happen!
Dotsie felt quite comfortable around you. I'm sure, that as long as she had input, she demanded YOU be her escort. Cora Mae was her constant companion even back when I left in '86. The need to have her there with you in '97 demonstrates the growing discomfort that not only the BOT had re: her mental status, but also Dotsie's own discomfort. She was an RN after-all, though ancient by that time. Did you notice any other evidence of Dotsie's psychosocial decline before you left? I know you were in OK toward the last years of your TWIt time, however, you still have a most unique, firsthand insight into her mental status at that time that I do not. And, as I said, I have never seen nor read the book. So, my understanding of the wierwille family psychodynamic is only firsthand through December, 1986. Your input here is invaluable in putting this together! Thanks for posting Sky! Helps me put together several things I could not have without your input. Keep on ridin' bro!
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skyrider
DWBH........yes, mrs. wierwille requested me as her escort. I must say that much of those inroads were because of my wife. Mrs. Wierwille had a special warmth and fondness for my wife those early years 1971-1977. After my deprogramming experience, mrs. wierwille invited us to the wierwille home for dinner......just the four of us. The thing I remember about this dinner was the blood pudding. My fiancé only ate a couple of bites, but I ate all of mine......I didn't want dr. wierwille to confront me. (lol)
Then, when Ermal died in July 1981.......the following December Christmas Party, I was assigned as Mrs. Owens's escort and sat at the head table with dr. and mrs. and the trustees. Same deal in 1982. And......at corps week/roa 1989 & 1990, my wife and I were assigned housing at the wierwille home. So, yeah......I guess that thru the years I had a comfortable relationship with mrs. wierwille.
With regards to your question about Dotsie's psychosocial decline before I left..............
But to conclude..............having been around my mother-in-law with Alzheimer's......I didn't see this decline in Mrs. Wierwille, even in 1997. Definitely, she was not as engaging in conversation and such, but she still had a determined mind to meet the day head-on. And, on that final Sunday morning at the Advanced Class Special was when, after breakfast, that she wanted to go "greet Rev. Martindale and show her support for his Sunday morning teaching".........and when we got to his room around 8:15am, Craig Martindale was STILL asleep.
So, when it comes to Mrs. Wierwille's book and who edited it or how much it was sanitized..........all I know is that parts of it give us a peek into victor paul wierwille's controlling, narcissistic world that somehow rings true.........
.
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DontWorryBeHappy
What year did Dotsie die? Were you still in TWIt when that happened? Did you go to the funeral or memorial? Did Don die in 2000, or 2001? Did you have any conversations with Don or anyone else about Dotsie's mental status? Sorry for all the questions Skyrider. I'm not interrogating you, I'm just interested in getting an accurate timeline of events that seem to have occurred closely together. Thanks for your help!
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skyrider
Well.....for starters, my wife and I exited twi in August 1998.
Aug/Sep 2000.............Martindale ousted and headed to Toledo, OH
Sept 2000....................Don Wierwille died, age 60
2002 or 2003...............when Mrs. Wierwille died [ ?? not sure exactly, but Oldskool or Chockfull would probably know date.]
No, I chose not to go to Mrs. W's funeral. Just had so much rebuilding to do in my own life.......and we were mark/avoid. Our boys were in high school and our schedules were full of activities. In my mind, going to Ohio for that funeral was "a step backwards to the past".......and all my efforts were to keep moving forward.
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Grace Valerie Claire
Sky, for some reason, 2005 sticks in my mind as to the year Mrs. W died. Perhaps, I am wrong.
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