Splinters and Groupthink

[skyrider]

Welcome to the new splinter group.

• We are excited to be "living the mystery."
• We read the words of the Apostle Paul and are more than conquerors.
• We delve into this "Philippians Project" that was started back in March of this year.
• We are excited today to look in the scriptures about the birds in God's creation.

Out of curiosity...... I have listened to several 5-10 minute snippets of these R&R teachings and a few from Rico's Oikeos group.  The corps that stayed ensconced in Rosalie's Micromanagement Administration FINALLY had their fill.......and are now given free rein to teach other things.  So...........what are those things that the spirit of the Lord is leading them to teach to others?  After years of the “absolute” power of the current self-appointed board" (their words in the confrontation letter before the splintering) OVER THEIR LIVES...... what do they do?

1. They augment their teachings with wierwille one-liners.
2. They highlight clichés like "living the mystery".....and other pfal fly-catchers.
3. The oikeos group heads to Montana....and searches the scripture on trees, birds, etc.
4. The R&R group does a monthly deep-dive into the book of Philippians -- keeping Paul front and center.
5. And, the deep chasm of dispensationalism keeps them from the deeper truths of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To me, I see...............SPLINTER ISLANDS.

And, then....................GROUPTHINK.

These corps have landed on Splinter Island.......and power-struggles will ensue as it all devolves into Lord of the Flies.  Like many thought-provoking books,.... themes from this book include the tension between groupthink and individuality, between rational and emotional reactions, and between morality and immorality.

IMO......the tension between groupthink and individuality was front and center the minute I went into the corps program.  Having come from a rural, farming background and two years of college.......the corps indoctrination program was like a slap in the face to my upbringing and authentic self.  I bristled for weeks to its conformity, but rationalized that it was simply a small part of the "training" (boot camp?)  We did nearly EVERYTHING in groups......corps twig groups, prayer vigils, eating, sleeping (18 men to a room in Owens Hall), work projects, dorm room procedures, night owls, afterglow meetings, etc.  At least, we had a small privacy partition in the shower stalls (ppffftt).  When we changed dorm assignments the first week of February......we did it in a Kansas blizzard.  And, we did it as a "twig-group assignment."  Some of those corps in my corps-twig hadn't even packed.....and we were not done until everyone in our twig was moved to their new dorm.  Freakin' crazy.......ugh.

In groups, there always seems to be someone whose ego is bigger than his hat.  Mostly, guys with big mouths have this problem.......whereas the moderate ones are far better equipped to assess situations and lead others.  But hey, that's just my experience in all these years of "groups." 

I came to twi as an individual........why should I leave with a group?

Some here at GSC.....were involved in a splinter group (12-15 years?).....LONGER that they were involved in twi (8-10 years?)......before finally leaving the splinter group too.  And, some have been known to move from splinter to splinter.....still trying to fit in.  Egads!  But it seems, hands-down, the worst splinter to come down the pike.......was the one spearheaded by the sexual predator, Victor Barnard, 14th corps.  Fled to Brazil.....and finally, thrown in prison.

"Lord of the Flies".........the idolatrous end of splintered power struggles wherein a pig's head on a spike is covered with flies.

Ye shall know them by their fruit.....flies.

 

 

 

.

Edited December 22, 2019 by skyrider

[skyrider]

When you leave twi or splinter groups.........you find out who your real friends are.

 

Twi and splinters .......... group followship masquerading as Christian fellowship.

[skyrider]

Merry Christmas!

 

...........the days of twi's buzzology are over.

...........no longer twi's Happy Household Holidays. 

...........since being dropped from their Household list. 

...........clearly no Ho-Ho Re-Lo. 

...........now that you're dropped from corps list.  

...........or singing Twi-cult Carols.

[skyrider]

Speaking of splinter groups...........Mrs. Wierwille documents twi's independent beginning:  December 19, 1957

Read this link.

NOW is the time to stop the merry-go-round.  Read some of the history from Mrs. Wierwille's perspective.

If you have this book Born Again to Serve.........read it without those rose-covered glasses for the first time!

• Having left the denominational church in August 1957, the wierwilles START their new group a few months later....in December 1957. 
• This new splinter struggled for 10 years.......as wierwille traveled from city to city running classes.
• The first mass exodus from wierwille's group was...........1960.

 

 

[skyrider]

2020 is here..............  and the choice is yours.

1. Do you start restructuring your life, family and livelihood as top priorities rather than submitting to twi/splinter group influence and exploitation?  The decision you make will have an incalculable impact for decades, and generations, to come.
2. Or........ do you succumb to the "groupthink path" from R&R teachings and get enticed to sign up for their Groupthink Gathering and fall into the same rut as before?  C'mon man, it's gonna be fun and relaxing........and cunningly subtle.  Spearheaded by Ed Horney.

The writing is on the wall.......... the Horneys are the de facto (soon-to-be) leaders of this "Revival and Restoration" splinter. 

Brick-by-brick, the building is underway.  It may not look like much, but it is FAR MORE than what wierwille had after two years.  In fact, wierwille made the calculation to venture back to B.G. Leonard's Missionary Conference in Canada.......to help bolster Wierwille's 1958 Fledgling Splinter Group.  With subtle stealth, wierwille was keeping tabs on some of Leonard's rising "leaders" and keeping his options open from several avenues.  Mrs. Wierwille's book is a wealth of intrigue (when you take off those rose-colored glasses).

IMO......the Horneys have their sights set years down the road to be the R&R Splinter Leaders.  The Moynihans are content to stand in the wings of the stage and allow the Horneys the spotlight.  After all, the window of opportunity for any Moynihan full-spotlight leadership is in the rearview mirror.  And, the Forts......well, it takes both husband and wife to be FULLY ON-BOARD to tackle such a challenge.....and Cindy is not.  Plus, add to the fact that Cindy's dad, Howard Allen, is sitting over there at twi's headquarters in Ohio.   Imagine the contention and strife behind the scenes.  Add to the mix, Howard's age and all.  And then, grandchildren.....and memories of that relationship.

Interestingly....... John Lynn had twi-clergy and corps in his group for YEARS until it, too, imploded.

And...................... Geer had clergy and corps under his franchise umbrella for YEARS.....but slowly, one by one many/most faded away.

And...................... John Shroyer and CFF offered a softer/gentler approach.  But then..... slow downs, pink slips, deaths and more splintering ensued.

2020 is here.         And the choice is yours and yours only.

 

.

Edited January 3, 2020 by skyrider
typo

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

Cults are hazardrous to your spiritual health. Return to mainstream Christianity

[T-Bone]

Choose freedom aplenty in 2020. 

Edited January 5, 2020 by T-Bone
Revision

[Grace Valerie Claire]

On 1/3/2020 at 10:10 AM, skyrider said:

2020 is here..............  and the choice is yours.

1. Do you start restructuring your life, family and livelihood as top priorities rather than submitting to twi/splinter group influence and exploitation?  The decision you make will have an incalculable impact for decades, and generations, to come.
2. Or........ do you succumb to the "groupthink path" from R&R teachings and get enticed to sign up for their Groupthink Gathering and fall into the same rut as before?  C'mon man, it's gonna be fun and relaxing........and cunningly subtle.  Spearheaded by Ed Horney.

The writing is on the wall.......... the Horneys are the de facto (soon-to-be) leaders of this "Revival and Restoration" splinter. 

Brick-by-brick, the building is underway.  It may not look like much, but it is FAR MORE than what wierwille had after two years.  In fact, wierwille made the calculation to venture back to B.G. Leonard's Missionary Conference in Canada.......to help bolster Wierwille's 1958 Fledgling Splinter Group.  With subtle stealth, wierwille was keeping tabs on some of Leonard's rising "leaders" and keeping his options open from several avenues.  Mrs. Wierwille's book is a wealth of intrigue (when you take off those rose-colored glasses).

IMO......the Horneys have their sights set years down the road to be the R&R Splinter Leaders.  The Moynihans are content to stand in the wings of the stage and allow the Horneys the spotlight.  After all, the window of opportunity for any Moynihan full-spotlight leadership is in the rearview mirror.  And, the Forts......well, it takes both husband and wife to be FULLY ON-BOARD to tackle such a challenge.....and Cindy is not.  Plus, add to the fact that Cindy's dad, Howard Allen, is sitting over there at twi's headquarters in Ohio.   Imagine the contention and strife behind the scenes.  Add to the mix, Howard's age and all.  And then, grandchildren.....and memories of that relationship.

Interestingly....... John Lynn had twi-clergy and corps in his group for YEARS until it, too, imploded.

And...................... Geer had clergy and corps under his franchise umbrella for YEARS.....but slowly, one by one many/most faded away.

And...................... John Shroyer and CFF offered a softer/gentler approach.  But then..... slow downs, pink slips, deaths and more splintering ensued.

2020 is here.         And the choice is yours and yours only.

 

.

Sky, how wonderful to hear from you again!!  For me, 2020 has been a good year; I have lost a lot of weight, and started collecting SS.  But many others have had a horrible year, the pandemic, layoffs, ect.  I think the country will start getting better in January of 2021.