I cannot remember the last year I went to the ROA, it all seems like a prolonged bad dream. Please allow me to meander through some of the memories from various years.
The first year was around 1975. Some new recruits of the W.O.W. program had to sleep on cots in a barn with occasional rats running about. There were showers to use, but there was no hot water, very invigorating in the late fall weather. Dannon Yogurt was plentiful, I remember seeing the trucks there.
Another year, I remember when they were drumming up money to build the W.O.W. Auditorium. At first VP said he didn't want his name on it, but he later caved in and said OK to his name being on it. The Way was asking for volunteers to help build the auditorium. By this time in my involvement, I was rather cool to the idea. Also, the Fountain of Living Waters was being planned and they were asking for donations. I didn't give any money to that effort either. It did not make sense to me with all the needs people have, that we would donate to a fountain that I would only see if I went to New Knoxville, maybe once a year.
Does anyone remember when people chipped in to buy VP a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle? As he was cruising slowly through the crowd, a plethora of professional and amateur photographers were chasing him and taking pictures of him on the motor cycle. Sometimes, I wonder if they were hired to show up. The cameras looked very expensive. Also, there was a quartet that sang a cappella singing songs like "The sons of the Pioneers". I can't remember their name, but when they were on the stage performing, they were very good, but VP couldn't resist stealing the spotlight, so he shuffled up on stage doing his adorable grandpa dance. Of course the crowd just ate it up, because they adored him so. So, right before they got the chorus of the song, VP would shout "SING IT!" and the crowd would go wild. Remember?
Jumping back to 1976, does anyone remember someone teaching about a constitutional crisis, or something like that, where we were supposedly in danger of losing our democracy? A reverend said he prayed to God on a beach to save our country. Apparently, the danger had passed and America survived another day. What was one of the benefits of the PFAL class? Enable you to separate truth from error? Well we don't have to worry about that any more, they stopped the PFAL classes, from what I've heard. And no more Rock of Ages? Amazing. No more Camp Gunnison? No more Way College of Emporia? I guess some people came to their senses. At one point, I had considered joining the Way Corp. God must have told me not to do that. I am so glad I listened.
You know the old saying, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. Amen to that!
Edited by Modgellan Removed a couple of phrases related to current politics, which we avoid here at GSC.
What was one of the benefits of the PFAL class? Enable you to separate truth from error? Well we don't have to worry about that any more, they stopped the PFAL classes, from what I've heard. And no more Rock of Ages? Amazing. No more Camp Gunnison? No more Way College of Emporia? I guess some people came to their senses. At one point, I had considered joining the Way Corp. God must have told me not to do that. I am so glad I listened.
You know the old saying, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. Amen to that!
Yep.... lots of changes through the years. The pfal class was in need of replacement... it was so outdated in its presentation and features. I highly suspect, also, that twi wanted to clean up some of the claims and disinformation that wierwille offered up as biblical truths.
The Rock of Ages had outlived its use. The annual pilgrimage to western Ohio was becoming a grind.... except to hook-up with old friends. The daily schedule of the roa had lost its zeal as the "Family Tables" of music, sharings and skits ran dry. And, the way corps were tired and overworked, especially when wierwille mandated that all corps grads attend Corps Week AND the rock of ages. With drive time, that resulted in many corps away from their homes and jobs for three weeks! As twi moved into the '80's, the corps grads were NOW having babies and pushing strollers at corps week/roa. With wives and mothers taking care of babies, most of the work force was men. Wierwille became increasingly frustrated that his corps work force was dwindling. Many corps were started to slip away from the roa and head home early.
IMO.... wierwille was a narcissist. With his focus on "teaching the scriptures from the Big Top".... wierwille was a taskmaster with very little empathy for others. He didn't perceive the growing need for corps grads to take care of responsibilities at home. Therefore, as corps grads grew frustrated with this arrangement, they kept stepping away from twi each year with accelerating pace. The young, single corps were NOW parents with careers, families and growing responsibilities. The pop and flare of roa was fizzling away.
Along with the exodus of corps was the exodus of excitement and zeal. The corps were no longer promoting others to "go corps." The program was turning detrimental to having a productive life. Thus, there was no need for the Emporia Campus. Every program was scaling back. The Rome City campus still had a structure of support as it was housing, teaching and meetings all under one roof. And, closer to headquarters for commuting back and forth. Whereas Camp Gunnison was viable as an investment and summer "camps".... although interest in having one's life monitored while on vacation (at camp) is deemed undesirable by most. Who wants twi to be looking over your shoulder when you generally have one vacation per year?
For me, my memories of roa were only favorable for the first 3-4 years. After that, the "newness" had worn off and, as corps, it became another work week. Some of us were pulling a second shift of duty when others didn't show up for work at the breakfast tent or cold storage in the warehouse. Generally, the in-residence corps were assigned the lowly jobs of porta-pottie cleanup and/or trash detail.
I highly suspect, also, that twi wanted to clean up some of the claims and disinformation that wierwille offered up as biblical truths.
I can verify that this has been an ongoing effort for many, many years. My former wife worked in way publication for a good decade or so and she was front and center as they combed through all of their publications and classes ever so systematically removing all the hoopla that wierwille stated over the years. Snow on the gas pumps being at the top of the list. The books were also a disjointed mess that contradicted each other at times, they cleaned that up too. They also cleaned up their materials to stay lawsuit proof. Dont wanna have wayward claims that cause people problems ya know. But, I wanted to chime in and verify what you highly suspect as verifiable truth. Peace!
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little_rock
I cannot remember the last year I went to the ROA, it all seems like a prolonged bad dream. Please allow me to meander through some of the memories from various years.
The first year was around 1975. Some new recruits of the W.O.W. program had to sleep on cots in a barn with occasional rats running about. There were showers to use, but there was no hot water, very invigorating in the late fall weather. Dannon Yogurt was plentiful, I remember seeing the trucks there.
Another year, I remember when they were drumming up money to build the W.O.W. Auditorium. At first VP said he didn't want his name on it, but he later caved in and said OK to his name being on it. The Way was asking for volunteers to help build the auditorium. By this time in my involvement, I was rather cool to the idea. Also, the Fountain of Living Waters was being planned and they were asking for donations. I didn't give any money to that effort either. It did not make sense to me with all the needs people have, that we would donate to a fountain that I would only see if I went to New Knoxville, maybe once a year.
Does anyone remember when people chipped in to buy VP a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle? As he was cruising slowly through the crowd, a plethora of professional and amateur photographers were chasing him and taking pictures of him on the motor cycle. Sometimes, I wonder if they were hired to show up. The cameras looked very expensive. Also, there was a quartet that sang a cappella singing songs like "The sons of the Pioneers". I can't remember their name, but when they were on the stage performing, they were very good, but VP couldn't resist stealing the spotlight, so he shuffled up on stage doing his adorable grandpa dance. Of course the crowd just ate it up, because they adored him so. So, right before they got the chorus of the song, VP would shout "SING IT!" and the crowd would go wild. Remember?
Jumping back to 1976, does anyone remember someone teaching about a constitutional crisis, or something like that, where we were supposedly in danger of losing our democracy? A reverend said he prayed to God on a beach to save our country. Apparently, the danger had passed and America survived another day. What was one of the benefits of the PFAL class? Enable you to separate truth from error? Well we don't have to worry about that any more, they stopped the PFAL classes, from what I've heard. And no more Rock of Ages? Amazing. No more Camp Gunnison? No more Way College of Emporia? I guess some people came to their senses. At one point, I had considered joining the Way Corp. God must have told me not to do that. I am so glad I listened.
You know the old saying, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. Amen to that!
Edited by ModgellanRemoved a couple of phrases related to current politics, which we avoid here at GSC.
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skyrider
Yep.... lots of changes through the years. The pfal class was in need of replacement... it was so outdated in its presentation and features. I highly suspect, also, that twi wanted to clean up some of the claims and disinformation that wierwille offered up as biblical truths.
The Rock of Ages had outlived its use. The annual pilgrimage to western Ohio was becoming a grind.... except to hook-up with old friends. The daily schedule of the roa had lost its zeal as the "Family Tables" of music, sharings and skits ran dry. And, the way corps were tired and overworked, especially when wierwille mandated that all corps grads attend Corps Week AND the rock of ages. With drive time, that resulted in many corps away from their homes and jobs for three weeks! As twi moved into the '80's, the corps grads were NOW having babies and pushing strollers at corps week/roa. With wives and mothers taking care of babies, most of the work force was men. Wierwille became increasingly frustrated that his corps work force was dwindling. Many corps were started to slip away from the roa and head home early.
IMO.... wierwille was a narcissist. With his focus on "teaching the scriptures from the Big Top".... wierwille was a taskmaster with very little empathy for others. He didn't perceive the growing need for corps grads to take care of responsibilities at home. Therefore, as corps grads grew frustrated with this arrangement, they kept stepping away from twi each year with accelerating pace. The young, single corps were NOW parents with careers, families and growing responsibilities. The pop and flare of roa was fizzling away.
Along with the exodus of corps was the exodus of excitement and zeal. The corps were no longer promoting others to "go corps." The program was turning detrimental to having a productive life. Thus, there was no need for the Emporia Campus. Every program was scaling back. The Rome City campus still had a structure of support as it was housing, teaching and meetings all under one roof. And, closer to headquarters for commuting back and forth. Whereas Camp Gunnison was viable as an investment and summer "camps".... although interest in having one's life monitored while on vacation (at camp) is deemed undesirable by most. Who wants twi to be looking over your shoulder when you generally have one vacation per year?
For me, my memories of roa were only favorable for the first 3-4 years. After that, the "newness" had worn off and, as corps, it became another work week. Some of us were pulling a second shift of duty when others didn't show up for work at the breakfast tent or cold storage in the warehouse. Generally, the in-residence corps were assigned the lowly jobs of porta-pottie cleanup and/or trash detail.
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OldSkool
I can verify that this has been an ongoing effort for many, many years. My former wife worked in way publication for a good decade or so and she was front and center as they combed through all of their publications and classes ever so systematically removing all the hoopla that wierwille stated over the years. Snow on the gas pumps being at the top of the list. The books were also a disjointed mess that contradicted each other at times, they cleaned that up too. They also cleaned up their materials to stay lawsuit proof. Dont wanna have wayward claims that cause people problems ya know. But, I wanted to chime in and verify what you highly suspect as verifiable truth. Peace!
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