The corps program was NOT about an education or curriculum with test scores or grades.
This was one of my biggest disappointments with the FellowLaborers program, as well. It was pitched as a way to gain in-depth training and insight. Turns out it was just a stinking commune with a Biblical facade.
Elite Corps program? Nothing elite about it. You got the money together, you did a few precursor classes (unexamined, no grades) and as long as you weren't a complete jerk, you got in.
5 hours ago, skyrider said:
Even when corps were sent out Light-Bearers........we were told that we NEEDED to get a pfal class together or else. Or else what ?? That we'd be kicked out of the corps program? Yeah.....that is what was implied and what a lot of us thought. But when we arrived back on campus without achieving that stated objective......a major butt-chewing and shaming ensued to the majority of us who didn't sign up 7 people. But I don't remember anyone who was thrown out for failing this "test."
My Corps went out one year and no team of all of us got a class together. We came back to a major inquisition about what went wrong and where we had spiritually missed it, and threats to kick us all out. Then a month or so later we were sent out again with strict instructions to get a class together. That might have had an "or else" attached; can't remember, too long ago. Anyway, we all achieved a class.
I find myself wondering what happened to those who did take Lightbearers classes. We were all in towns where there were believers (we stayed with them!) but as to how many continued after the class... and whether they stuck around for a few months afterwards... or even years afterwards...
Lightbearers was quite fun, though. A relief from the goldfish bowl existence of living at HQ where you could get reamed for the slightest infraction.
Elite Corps program? Nothing elite about it. You got the money together, you did a few precursor classes (unexamined, no grades) and as long as you weren't a complete jerk, you got in.
My Corps went out one year and no team of all of us got a class together. We came back to a major inquisition about what went wrong and where we had spiritually missed it, and threats to kick us all out. Then a month or so later we were sent out again with strict instructions to get a class together. That might have had an "or else" attached; can't remember, too long ago. Anyway, we all achieved a class.
I find myself wondering what happened to those who did take Lightbearers classes. We were all in towns where there were believers (we stayed with them!) but as to how many continued after the class... and whether they stuck around for a few months afterwards... or even years afterwards...
Lightbearers was quite fun, though. A relief from the goldfish bowl existence of living at HQ where you could get reamed for the slightest infraction.
Yes there was. The corpse members got to wear the elite status nametags. IOW, "Look at ME! I'm elite!!"
Yes there was. The corpse members got to wear the elite status nametags. IOW, "Look at ME! I'm elite!!"
Yes..........and corps became leaders (cough, cough) over branches, areas, limbs, regions and departments at hq. All of the Milf0rd Bowens, J. Fred Wils0ns, and long-standing staffers at hq were phased out and replaced with corps grads. That's why even people that didn't want to go into the corps......went into the corps. It was status gaming of the system that wierwille set in motion.
It was a two-tiered system.........if you weren't CORPS, you weren't in the top tier. Wierwille stated it plainly in his corps meetings for all to hear. Corps were instructed to MARRY corps......else, they were NOT equally-yoked. Got it?
The corps nametag was "membership" to the only club that mattered in the cult.
No guarantee that you finished knowing anything, either. When I first started attending locally, a corpse guy was sent to run the Branch for his interim year. He never fit in, and people just sorta nodded when he said stuff, then went off and did things the way we were supposed to. (He was more decorative than actually LEADING anything.) We were glad when his year was up and he went back to wherever. His replacement was better, but he could hardly have been worse. :)
Yes there was. The corpse members got to wear the elite status nametags. IOW, "Look at ME! I'm elite!!"
Oh, well, yes, but we are talking of different things. I'm saying, selection wasn't elite. You are saying, after graduation one became part of an elite. Both are true.
And of course, there was the "elite elite" - the ones who had contacts/money/other stuff that They were interested in. The ones who were treated with kid gloves and never seemed to get into trouble. And these people were apparent, even in the in-rez training. Nicer jobs. Not in trouble. Were twig leaders. And often didn't have much empathy for everyone else there.
Oh, well, yes, but we are talking of different things. I'm saying, selection wasn't elite. You are saying, after graduation one became part of an elite. Both are true.
And of course, there was the "elite elite" - the ones who had contacts/money/other stuff that They were interested in. The ones who were treated with kid gloves and never seemed to get into trouble. And these people were apparent, even in the in-rez training. Nicer jobs. Not in trouble. Were twig leaders. And often didn't have much empathy for everyone else there.
Oh, well, yes, but we are talking of different things.
.......
And, so were they...........on every level imaginable.
Was the Emporia Campus a place of higher learning.......or just an indoctrination camp?
Why dangle an Associates of Theology Degree......when it was a worthless piece of paper in academic circles?
Dozens in the 7th corps (my elder corps) were sent to Gunnison and/or Tinnie, NM for plumbing, carpentry, etc.
And, when they missed whole blocks of classes.......it didn't matter. Only their loyalty to Trustees' requests mattered.
No grades, no tests......why take notes? Maybe just feign attention to keep up with appearances for future assignments.
Why did wierwille think that Emporia Campus needed a Dean?....... Maybe that's why Dean Don felt betrayed?
The whole gambit wreaked of *playing the system to one's advantage.*
Seemingly, the concept was......if you wanted to move up the ladder, you've got to go corps. Even those who'd been leaders on the field for years, had to go thru the corps training to establish street cred [cult cred].......ie Chris Geer [7th corps], John Lynn [9th corps]. Heck, even Don and Howard were publically presented with Honorary Corps Diplomas...... why? LOL
With corps in-residency, there was no basis for academic achievement.........no questioning, no open discussions, no tests, no voicing dissent was allowed. Even those adept in research skills and languages were confined to the parameters of wierwille's "research."
The whole deception was, and still is, that the corps program involved education......whereas indoctrination was its core.
I'm from a blue collar family. I wasn't sure what genuine gold was supposed to look like. In addition, it placated a lot of concerned, skeptical parents. Now, there are those who may say it was my fault because I'm the one who made the choice. They are right, to a degree. But, If someone sells you fool's gold under the premise that it's genuine, knowing that it's fake, they must share in the culpability, as well.
And, so were they...........on every level imaginable.
Was the Emporia Campus a place of higher learning.......or just an indoctrination camp?
Why dangle an Associates of Theology Degree......when it was a worthless piece of paper in academic circles?
Dozens in the 7th corps (my elder corps) were sent to Gunnison and/or Tinnie, NM for plumbing, carpentry, etc.
And, when they missed whole blocks of classes.......it didn't matter. Only their loyalty to Trustees' requests mattered.
No grades, no tests......why take notes? Maybe just feign attention to keep up with appearances for future assignments.
Why did wierwille think that Emporia Campus needed a Dean?....... Maybe that's why Dean Don felt betrayed?
The whole gambit wreaked of *playing the system to one's advantage.*
Seemingly, the concept was......if you wanted to move up the ladder, you've got to go corps. Even those who'd been leaders on the field for years, had to go thru the corps training to establish street cred [cult cred].......ie Chris Geer [7th corps], John Lynn [9th corps]. Heck, even Don and Howard were publically presented with Honorary Corps Diplomas...... why? LOL
With corps in-residency, there was no basis for academic achievement.........no questioning, no open discussions, no tests, no voicing dissent was allowed. Even those adept in research skills and languages were confined to the parameters of wierwille's "research."
The whole deception was, and still is, that the corps program involved education......whereas indoctrination was its core.
Sky, wow!! From reading your posts, it seems to me, the corps program might have been a scam. I thought it was a big money maker for TWI; but perhaps others feel differently. Personally, Sky I am ever so thankful that I never entered the program.
Sky, wow!! From reading your posts, it seems to me, the corps program might have been a scam. I thought it was a big money maker for TWI; but perhaps others feel differently. Personally, Sky I am ever so thankful that I never entered the program.
The big money was from thousands upon thousands faithfully tithing/abs [15%] to twi of their hard-earned money. So yeah, when these "trained" followers went forth to run classes, get others involved, more tithing.....it was a multiplier of coercion and deception for sure.
And, so were they...........on every level imaginable.
Was the Emporia Campus a place of higher learning.......or just an indoctrination camp?
Why dangle an Associates of Theology Degree......when it was a worthless piece of paper in academic circles?
Dozens in the 7th corps (my elder corps) were sent to Gunnison and/or Tinnie, NM for plumbing, carpentry, etc.
And, when they missed whole blocks of classes.......it didn't matter. Only their loyalty to Trustees' requests mattered.
In October/November 1978.........was when Camp Gunnison and L.E.A.D. were going thru major construction phases. I was in my first few months of in-residence and I couldn't help but see these guys......electricians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers and flooring workers being sent out on working assignments. Announcements of their being shipped out were made at lunch or supper time.....and off they went.
For me, having two years of college under my belt before I dropped out to go WOW/Corps........I knew full-well the rigors of classes, studying and cramming for tests, grade point average (gpa) and working toward a Business Administration degree. I'm not quite sure what I expected to find when going to The Way College of Emporia Kansas........but THIS was certainly not it! The academic "curriculum" at Emporia was an absolute joke. Elder corps were faculty teachers in most cases......and work assignments were PRIORITY over the classes where trustees gave consent.
And, when wierwille came to Emporia......every aspect on campus changed to accommodate the mogfot. To spiff up the place, 12 people with push brooms cleaned the circle drive before his arrival. Good Grief.....anybody ever hear of a leaf blower? What an absolute waste and exploitation of manpower.
When martindale boasted about meticulous lawn mowing.........I couldn't help but think of growing up on a wheat farm and driving tractors at age ten, while the corps director lectured us on straight lines and attention to detail.
This work/study corps program.........was a dismal failure on all fronts. I nearly left before Christmas 1978 several times. I had a car parked in the back lot and about $6,000 in my bank account at the time. What a different life I would have seen........had I left when I saw all of those red flags.
And, so were they...........on every level imaginable.
Was the Emporia Campus a place of higher learning.......or just an indoctrination camp?
Why dangle an Associates of Theology Degree......when it was a worthless piece of paper in academic circles?
Dozens in the 7th corps (my elder corps) were sent to Gunnison and/or Tinnie, NM for plumbing, carpentry, etc.
And, when they missed whole blocks of classes.......it didn't matter. Only their loyalty to Trustees' requests mattered.
No grades, no tests......why take notes? Maybe just feign attention to keep up with appearances for future assignments.
Why did wierwille think that Emporia Campus needed a Dean?....... Maybe that's why Dean Don felt betrayed?
The whole gambit wreaked of *playing the system to one's advantage.*
Seemingly, the concept was......if you wanted to move up the ladder, you've got to go corps. Even those who'd been leaders on the field for years, had to go thru the corps training to establish street cred [cult cred].......ie Chris Geer [7th corps], John Lynn [9th corps]. Heck, even Don and Howard were publically presented with Honorary Corps Diplomas...... why? LOL
With corps in-residency, there was no basis for academic achievement.........no questioning, no open discussions, no tests, no voicing dissent was allowed. Even those adept in research skills and languages were confined to the parameters of wierwille's "research."
The whole deception was, and still is, that the corps program involved education......whereas indoctrination was its core.
And more recently, when there were no 1st Corps around anymore, the Powers That Be announced that the old time hangers-on that weren't Corps were now the 1st Corps.
Sky, wow!! From reading your posts, it seems to me, the corps program might have been a scam. I thought it was a big money maker for TWI; but perhaps others feel differently. Personally, Sky I am ever so thankful that I never entered the program.
The Corps program ran at a profit, since more tuition was paid than expenses were incurred, per student.
The Corps program was ESPECIALLY profitable because the students who paid their tuition were required to perform manual labor, for which they were paid $0 per hour salary. They not only worked for free, they paid to be there. So, the more workers, the more money twi made. No wonder there were corps later who had a lot of "make-work" like cleaning things that were already clean when they arrived.
The big money was from thousands upon thousands faithfully tithing/abs [15%] to twi of their hard-earned money. So yeah, when these "trained" followers went forth to run classes, get others involved, more tithing.....it was a multiplier of coercion and deception for sure.
Yes. The Corps was a financial gold-mine. The students paid money to be there, so just having them there, and spending so little on them, meant the program worked at a profit. Then they worked manual labor for free, so twi didn't have to pay laborers for their free work, which is quite profitable. Any slave-owner could tell you that paying your workers zero is very profitable for you the slave-owner. Then, when they finished, they were expected to pay you money regularly- tithes, "abundant sharings", and, if you could convince them, "plurality giving", -handing over all money not directly earmarked for an expense like food, rent or clothes. On top of that, they were trained as a SALES FORCE- the only professional training they had was NOT in counseling or anything like that, it was plagiarized Dale Carnegie SALES courses. So, they were told to run classes- which ran at a profit for twi- and get more people- who were expected to tithe/ ABS.
At every level, twi was organized to run with the least possible expenditures, with locals carrying all expenses, and all activities designed to run at a net financial profit for twi. It's blatantly UNgodly, but profitable if you care about money and NOT about God.
In October/November 1978.........was when Camp Gunnison and L.E.A.D. were going thru major construction phases. I was in my first few months of in-residence and I couldn't help but see these guys......electricians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers and flooring workers being sent out on working assignments. Announcements of their being shipped out were made at lunch or supper time.....and off they went.
For me, having two years of college under my belt before I dropped out to go WOW/Corps........I knew full-well the rigors of classes, studying and cramming for tests, grade point average (gpa) and working toward a Business Administration degree. I'm not quite sure what I expected to find when going to The Way College of Emporia Kansas........but THIS was certainly not it! The academic "curriculum" at Emporia was an absolute joke. Elder corps were faculty teachers in most cases......and work assignments were PRIORITY over the classes where trustees gave consent.
And, when wierwille came to Emporia......every aspect on campus changed to accommodate the mogfot. To spiff up the place, 12 people with push brooms cleaned the circle drive before his arrival. Good Grief.....anybody ever hear of a leaf blower? What an absolute waste and exploitation of manpower.
When martindale boasted about meticulous lawn mowing.........I couldn't help but think of growing up on a wheat farm and driving tractors at age ten, while the corps director lectured us on straight lines and attention to detail.
This work/study corps program.........was a dismal failure on all fronts. I nearly left before Christmas 1978 several times. I had a car parked in the back lot and about $6,000 in my bank account at the time. What a different life I would have seen........had I left when I saw all of those red flags.
Sigh.
Leaf blowers cost money! You students were expendable.
You can tell how meaningless the classes were based on how casually twi arranged for people to skip them. It was more important to pull the students- who paid tuition- and get them to do manual labor- for which they were unpaid. I just can't get over how shameless that was.
The big money was from thousands upon thousands faithfully tithing/abs [15%] to twi of their hard-earned money. So yeah, when these "trained" followers went forth to run classes, get others involved, more tithing.....it was a multiplier of coercion and deception for sure.
This was the key to it all, right here. Sure, they made money on classes, advances, WC labor etc. There was usually a minimal operational cost involved. But, this was absolutely 100% free money. And, it was consistently flowing in, month after month and year after year. We paid for the "privilege" of being an uncompensated sales force. No salary, no commissions, no bonuses. Just a sharp smack of the ruler to the back of the hand if you failed to meet quota. Some weren't even that lucky. That's a whole other subject.
The Corps program ran at a profit, since more tuition was paid than expenses were incurred, per student.
The Corps program was ESPECIALLY profitable because the students who paid their tuition were required to perform manual labor, for which they were paid $0 per hour salary. They not only worked for free, they paid to be there. So, the more workers, the more money twi made. No wonder there were corps later who had a lot of "make-work" like cleaning things that were already clean when they arrived.
WW, gee I thought Lincoln had abolished slavery. From what I have read here at the he GSC, people in the Corps were treated like dirt, with a few exceptions. I know I have posted this before, but I think I was treated better in Boot Camp, than many people in the Corps. At least in Boot Camp, you have a few rights; da-n few, but a few. And yet, I felt an enormous pressure was placed on people to go Corps. Now I know why; because it was a BIG money-maker for TWI.
Oh, well, yes, but we are talking of different things. I'm saying, selection wasn't elite. You are saying, after graduation one became part of an elite. Both are true.
And of course, there was the "elite elite" - the ones who had contacts/money/other stuff that They were interested in. The ones who were treated with kid gloves and never seemed to get into trouble. And these people were apparent, even in the in-rez training. Nicer jobs. Not in trouble. Were twig leaders. And often didn't have much empathy for everyone else there.
Twinky, personally I think having empathy is essential for living a Godly life. I know, boy do I know, I make a lot of mistakes. Yet God forgives me; thus I can forgive others. I can't imagine trying to live a Godly life without practicing empathy for others.
In October/November 1978.........was when Camp Gunnison and L.E.A.D. were going thru major construction phases. I was in my first few months of in-residence and I couldn't help but see these guys......electricians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers and flooring workers being sent out on working assignments. Announcements of their being shipped out were made at lunch or supper time.....and off they went.
For me, having two years of college under my belt before I dropped out to go WOW/Corps........I knew full-well the rigors of classes, studying and cramming for tests, grade point average (gpa) and working toward a Business Administration degree. I'm not quite sure what I expected to find when going to The Way College of Emporia Kansas........but THIS was certainly not it! The academic "curriculum" at Emporia was an absolute joke. Elder corps were faculty teachers in most cases......and work assignments were PRIORITY over the classes where trustees gave consent.
And, when wierwille came to Emporia......every aspect on campus changed to accommodate the mogfot. To spiff up the place, 12 people with push brooms cleaned the circle drive before his arrival. Good Grief.....anybody ever hear of a leaf blower? What an absolute waste and exploitation of manpower.
When martindale boasted about meticulous lawn mowing.........I couldn't help but think of growing up on a wheat farm and driving tractors at age ten, while the corps director lectured us on straight lines and attention to detail.
This work/study corps program.........was a dismal failure on all fronts. I nearly left before Christmas 1978 several times. I had a car parked in the back lot and about $6,000 in my bank account at the time. What a different life I would have seen........had I left when I saw all of those red flags.
Sigh.
Sky, I remember November, and December of 1978; I was a Wow stuggling to support myself. I also saw a lot of Red Flags in TWI, especially on the field. However, as much as I hated my WOW year, I am so glad I stuck it out. Years later when I joined the Navy, I knew I could endure a lot of Bullsh--, because I had as a WOW. My WOW year was horrible, but it did prepare me for the Bullsh-- I had to deal with in the Navy. God does work miracles when we allow him too.
Leaf blowers cost money! You students were expendable.
You can tell how meaningless the classes were based on how casually twi arranged for people to skip them. It was more important to pull the students- who paid tuition- and get them to do manual labor- for which they were unpaid. I just can't get over how shameless that was
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waysider
This was one of my biggest disappointments with the FellowLaborers program, as well. It was pitched as a way to gain in-depth training and insight. Turns out it was just a stinking commune with a Biblical facade.
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Twinky
Elite Corps program? Nothing elite about it. You got the money together, you did a few precursor classes (unexamined, no grades) and as long as you weren't a complete jerk, you got in.
My Corps went out one year and no team of all of us got a class together. We came back to a major inquisition about what went wrong and where we had spiritually missed it, and threats to kick us all out. Then a month or so later we were sent out again with strict instructions to get a class together. That might have had an "or else" attached; can't remember, too long ago. Anyway, we all achieved a class.
I find myself wondering what happened to those who did take Lightbearers classes. We were all in towns where there were believers (we stayed with them!) but as to how many continued after the class... and whether they stuck around for a few months afterwards... or even years afterwards...
Lightbearers was quite fun, though. A relief from the goldfish bowl existence of living at HQ where you could get reamed for the slightest infraction.
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Rocky
Yes there was. The corpse members got to wear the elite status nametags. IOW, "Look at ME! I'm elite!!"
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skyrider
Yes..........and corps became leaders (cough, cough) over branches, areas, limbs, regions and departments at hq. All of the Milf0rd Bowens, J. Fred Wils0ns, and long-standing staffers at hq were phased out and replaced with corps grads. That's why even people that didn't want to go into the corps......went into the corps. It was status gaming of the system that wierwille set in motion.
It was a two-tiered system.........if you weren't CORPS, you weren't in the top tier. Wierwille stated it plainly in his corps meetings for all to hear. Corps were instructed to MARRY corps......else, they were NOT equally-yoked. Got it?
The corps nametag was "membership" to the only club that mattered in the cult.
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WordWolf
No guarantee that you finished knowing anything, either. When I first started attending locally, a corpse guy was sent to run the Branch for his interim year. He never fit in, and people just sorta nodded when he said stuff, then went off and did things the way we were supposed to. (He was more decorative than actually LEADING anything.) We were glad when his year was up and he went back to wherever. His replacement was better, but he could hardly have been worse. :)
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penguin2
We saw the "or else" in action during my time in the corpse. People kicked out for poor performance during LEAD and all types of other craziness.
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Twinky
Oh, well, yes, but we are talking of different things. I'm saying, selection wasn't elite. You are saying, after graduation one became part of an elite. Both are true.
And of course, there was the "elite elite" - the ones who had contacts/money/other stuff that They were interested in. The ones who were treated with kid gloves and never seemed to get into trouble. And these people were apparent, even in the in-rez training. Nicer jobs. Not in trouble. Were twig leaders. And often didn't have much empathy for everyone else there.
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Rocky
I get your point.
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skyrider
And, so were they...........on every level imaginable.
The whole gambit wreaked of *playing the system to one's advantage.*
Seemingly, the concept was......if you wanted to move up the ladder, you've got to go corps. Even those who'd been leaders on the field for years, had to go thru the corps training to establish street cred [cult cred].......ie Chris Geer [7th corps], John Lynn [9th corps]. Heck, even Don and Howard were publically presented with Honorary Corps Diplomas...... why? LOL
With corps in-residency, there was no basis for academic achievement.........no questioning, no open discussions, no tests, no voicing dissent was allowed. Even those adept in research skills and languages were confined to the parameters of wierwille's "research."
The whole deception was, and still is, that the corps program involved education......whereas indoctrination was its core.
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waysider
It was fool's gold.
I'm from a blue collar family. I wasn't sure what genuine gold was supposed to look like. In addition, it placated a lot of concerned, skeptical parents. Now, there are those who may say it was my fault because I'm the one who made the choice. They are right, to a degree. But, If someone sells you fool's gold under the premise that it's genuine, knowing that it's fake, they must share in the culpability, as well.
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Grace Valerie Claire
Sky, wow!! From reading your posts, it seems to me, the corps program might have been a scam. I thought it was a big money maker for TWI; but perhaps others feel differently. Personally, Sky I am ever so thankful that I never entered the program.
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skyrider
The big money was from thousands upon thousands faithfully tithing/abs [15%] to twi of their hard-earned money. So yeah, when these "trained" followers went forth to run classes, get others involved, more tithing.....it was a multiplier of coercion and deception for sure.
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skyrider
In October/November 1978.........was when Camp Gunnison and L.E.A.D. were going thru major construction phases. I was in my first few months of in-residence and I couldn't help but see these guys......electricians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers and flooring workers being sent out on working assignments. Announcements of their being shipped out were made at lunch or supper time.....and off they went.
For me, having two years of college under my belt before I dropped out to go WOW/Corps........I knew full-well the rigors of classes, studying and cramming for tests, grade point average (gpa) and working toward a Business Administration degree. I'm not quite sure what I expected to find when going to The Way College of Emporia Kansas........but THIS was certainly not it! The academic "curriculum" at Emporia was an absolute joke. Elder corps were faculty teachers in most cases......and work assignments were PRIORITY over the classes where trustees gave consent.
And, when wierwille came to Emporia......every aspect on campus changed to accommodate the mogfot. To spiff up the place, 12 people with push brooms cleaned the circle drive before his arrival. Good Grief.....anybody ever hear of a leaf blower? What an absolute waste and exploitation of manpower.
When martindale boasted about meticulous lawn mowing.........I couldn't help but think of growing up on a wheat farm and driving tractors at age ten, while the corps director lectured us on straight lines and attention to detail.
This work/study corps program.........was a dismal failure on all fronts. I nearly left before Christmas 1978 several times. I had a car parked in the back lot and about $6,000 in my bank account at the time. What a different life I would have seen........had I left when I saw all of those red flags.
Sigh.
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WordWolf
And more recently, when there were no 1st Corps around anymore, the Powers That Be announced that the old time hangers-on that weren't Corps were now the 1st Corps.
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WordWolf
The Corps program ran at a profit, since more tuition was paid than expenses were incurred, per student.
The Corps program was ESPECIALLY profitable because the students who paid their tuition were required to perform manual labor, for which they were paid $0 per hour salary. They not only worked for free, they paid to be there. So, the more workers, the more money twi made. No wonder there were corps later who had a lot of "make-work" like cleaning things that were already clean when they arrived.
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WordWolf
Yes. The Corps was a financial gold-mine. The students paid money to be there, so just having them there, and spending so little on them, meant the program worked at a profit. Then they worked manual labor for free, so twi didn't have to pay laborers for their free work, which is quite profitable. Any slave-owner could tell you that paying your workers zero is very profitable for you the slave-owner. Then, when they finished, they were expected to pay you money regularly- tithes, "abundant sharings", and, if you could convince them, "plurality giving", -handing over all money not directly earmarked for an expense like food, rent or clothes. On top of that, they were trained as a SALES FORCE- the only professional training they had was NOT in counseling or anything like that, it was plagiarized Dale Carnegie SALES courses. So, they were told to run classes- which ran at a profit for twi- and get more people- who were expected to tithe/ ABS.
At every level, twi was organized to run with the least possible expenditures, with locals carrying all expenses, and all activities designed to run at a net financial profit for twi. It's blatantly UNgodly, but profitable if you care about money and NOT about God.
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WordWolf
Leaf blowers cost money! You students were expendable.
You can tell how meaningless the classes were based on how casually twi arranged for people to skip them. It was more important to pull the students- who paid tuition- and get them to do manual labor- for which they were unpaid. I just can't get over how shameless that was.
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waysider
This was the key to it all, right here. Sure, they made money on classes, advances, WC labor etc. There was usually a minimal operational cost involved. But, this was absolutely 100% free money. And, it was consistently flowing in, month after month and year after year. We paid for the "privilege" of being an uncompensated sales force. No salary, no commissions, no bonuses. Just a sharp smack of the ruler to the back of the hand if you failed to meet quota. Some weren't even that lucky. That's a whole other subject.
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skyrider
How twi made a bundle of money........let us count the ways:
Others can probably add much more to this list......but this is a good start.
And, lest we forget.......twi is a non-profit organization. Why are they hoarding ALL THIS MONEY???
Where is the charitable giving to help those in need, impoverished and burdened?
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Grace Valerie Claire
WW, gee I thought Lincoln had abolished slavery. From what I have read here at the he GSC, people in the Corps were treated like dirt, with a few exceptions. I know I have posted this before, but I think I was treated better in Boot Camp, than many people in the Corps. At least in Boot Camp, you have a few rights; da-n few, but a few. And yet, I felt an enormous pressure was placed on people to go Corps. Now I know why; because it was a BIG money-maker for TWI.
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Grace Valerie Claire
Pen, perhaps that was a blessing in hindsight!
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Grace Valerie Claire
Twinky, personally I think having empathy is essential for living a Godly life. I know, boy do I know, I make a lot of mistakes. Yet God forgives me; thus I can forgive others. I can't imagine trying to live a Godly life without practicing empathy for others.
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Grace Valerie Claire
Sky, I remember November, and December of 1978; I was a Wow stuggling to support myself. I also saw a lot of Red Flags in TWI, especially on the field. However, as much as I hated my WOW year, I am so glad I stuck it out. Years later when I joined the Navy, I knew I could endure a lot of Bullsh--, because I had as a WOW. My WOW year was horrible, but it did prepare me for the Bullsh-- I had to deal with in the Navy. God does work miracles when we allow him too.
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Grace Valerie Claire
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