You cannot ignore your problems and confess them away.
Yes! My machine gunning rapid fire retemories did nothing to address the real roots of things I was dealing with. We were taught to stay in denial and pretend everything was fine. Still working out my wholeness and salvation here too. So glad God is faithful and never misleads me.
I know from experience what it's like to deal with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. The recommended treatment for me has been the use of both medication and therapy although an either/or option can work as well for others. It's all very individualized. Medication is for chemical imbalances in the brain and therapy deals with the thoughts and feelings in the mind. I find having knowledge of how our brains work is helpful as well. A lot of progress has been made in the area of neuroplasticity which is the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks. Terms that help to define it are having a "growth mindset" and "rewiring the brain" so habitual behaviors can be changed. This is a website that explains it in more detail. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886
Then there's the spiritual side of healing which is the most powerful of all but only if you have sound doctrine. Unsound doctrine can make matters worse because on top of everything you're already going through, you can't understand why you're not really getting better even though you're doing everything twi tells you to like doing retemories and applying the law of believing (as mentioned above) and I'll add having a "renewed mind." I found that my symptoms "improved" but eventually came to realize that spiritually I was merely standing on sand instead of a rock (you know what happens when the wind and rain beat on each) . So like OldSkool and penguin2, I too am working out my salvation because doing so can improve mental health.
My main issue is learning how to stop trusting in my own works to bring about deliverance but to instead trust God to do the healing because of His faithfulness in keeping His promises. My goal is have a greater understanding of the verses below which speak of God, Christ, spirit, the mind, power, strength and trust. Knowing how all these work together would be life changing (Bravo God! ).
Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray that the eyes of your heart(mind)may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe(trust).
Ephesians 3:16-17 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being (mind), 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Looking forward to learning more from this thread (thanks OldSkool for starting it)!
Yes! My machine gunning rapid fire retemories did nothing to address the real roots of things I was dealing with. We were taught to stay in denial and pretend everything was fine. Still working out my wholeness and salvation here too. So glad God is faithful and never misleads me.
No doubt!! I had so many retemories memorized. At one point I literally had memorized all of the ones from the fnc, int, and adv classes, DTA, and my way corps retemories. None of that did a dang thing to actually address my various and sundry issues. Example: With my alcoholism, it will never work very long for an alcoholic to just not drink and not address the underlying issues that caused the drinking in the first place. Yet, thats exactly what TWI taught me to do. Oh,,,you have a drinking problem? Just stop drinking and take some classes. See...your delivered because alcoholism is a spirit....yah...that garbage led me right back into some rather fine distilled spirits.
The way internatinal also openly condemned alcoholics anonymous. While, I dont goto AA meetings I do draw heavily on their methodology and I have an uncle who is helping me who has 35 years in AA, actively sponsering people. So I have a really good support system in place to keep me honest and on track. Im actively making amends to my family and others I hurt and wronged when I was drunk. Im also dealing with the underlying emotional issues that led me to the bottle in the first place. The way international taught me none of these things and simply put an alcoholic who was already in denial into a closed societ that fostered a deeper level of denial and then blames the victim when they eventually short circuit.
Yes! My machine gunning rapid fire retemories did nothing to address the real roots of things I was dealing with. We were taught to stay in denial and pretend everything was fine. Still working out my wholeness and salvation here too. So glad God is faithful and never misleads me.
Yes. I’ve had to address what is at the root of my issues rather than a Pollyanna make believe type of approach with “retemories”.
Like, for instance, depression. I can run scriptures through the mind thousands of times a day about joy in the Lord and the rewards for the faithful. However, until I removed myself from the heavy handed authoritarian rule of TWI the scriptures were of limited help in that situation. When you have no control over your future and all of it is dictated by angry Pharisees, there really is no time to be down. Giving up just leads to suicide. So fighting back and reclaiming my life from those who had an undue amount of control in it was first necessary so that my subconscious mind feels that there is a future. Then after the root cause is dealt with I can do other things to deal with personal triggers for sad emotions.
I will just say that surrendering your freedom of will for a sense of comfort extends the problem rather than solves it.
The Pharisees who will dictate your behavior have zero power or help in ANY situation. No miracles. No healing. No solid practical advice. Just keep on complying and God will reward you. NO. Exactly wrong. Stop complying first. Second remove the false authority to harm you. Third implement recovery measures.
I'm older now yet I still find myself doing . In fact, I'm doing it a lot more now that I over 60. Can you share more about what you mean?
My meaning was I was a kid and when I questioned matters I was told I'd understand when I became an adult. By being a kid I didn't have the ability to understand.
My meaning was I was a kid and when I questioned matters I was told I'd understand when I became an adult. By being a kid I didn't have the ability to understand.
I've since come to realize that you can't take mental issues, substance abuse, alcoholism and the like and "confess them all away." No amount of positive thinking will do the trick.
Truth!
Compassion helps. Compassion which, from Wierwille and Loy Martindale were grossly lacking.
Which MIGHT be true, but when given as response to genuine request for explanation means the person giving it probably hasn't obtained said understanding yet, and therefore can't provide a meaningful answer.
Like, for instance, depression. I can run scriptures through the mind thousands of times a day about joy in the Lord and the rewards for the faithful. However, until I removed myself from the heavy handed authoritarian rule of TWI the scriptures were of limited help in that situation.
My meaning was I was a kid and when I questioned matters I was told I'd understand when I became an adult. By being a kid I didn't have the ability to understand.
Which MIGHT be true, but when given as response to genuine request for explanation means the person giving it probably hasn't obtained said understanding yet, and therefore can't provide a meaningful answer.
By turning to Christ I have slowly but surely been working out my own salvation with respect and awe! Im still a work in progress, but for the longest time in my life to date I am completely sober and have a really good life. The Lord has restored what the locust ate and then some. For anyone considering the way international as a solution to your problems....RUN! Run straight to God and Christ. Or just run to get the heck out of the way before real damage is done. My problems festered under a fake smile and 3 piece suit with multiple nametags. You cannot ignore your problems and confess them away. That's magickal thinking and it nearly cost me my life.
By the way, God's Word has never returned void in my life. God had his hand on my life the entire time and eventually led me to safety and deliverance and complete peace. The way international gets NO credit. But God never left my side and my life is in the Lord's hands...quite literally.
Instead of overcoming worry and fear which the pfal class was promised to do for us, Twi used a lot of fear and humiliation to keep people from leaving or disagreeing with them. From what I've read, many leaders became like stalkers - always keeping their 'i's" on other leaders lower on the totem pole which caused them to keep having to look over their shoulders. When people do leave, many take their waybrain with them so it takes a long to very long time to become free of it. That's the cult's definition of leadership.
Christ is the opposite of every cultish thing about twi so turning to him is a whole different experience that can bring wholeness. He is always with us, but in a loving way. He knows instantly when we are having mental health issues because he dwells in our hearts/minds. He has empathy for us because he understands what we're going through since he was tempted in all ways like we are. He works in us so we can overcome whatever our struggles are (unlike twi's way of just telling people to "renew your mind" or "you're not believing").
We are in the right place to overcome worry and fear when we turn to Christ.
Instead of overcoming worry and fear which the pfal class was promised to do for us, Twi used a lot of fear and humiliation to keep people from leaving or disagreeing with them. From what I've read, many leaders became like stalkers - always keeping their 'i's" on other leaders lower on the totem pole which caused them to keep having to look over their shoulders. When people do leave, many THEY take their waybrain with them so it takes a long to very long time to become free of it. That's the cult's definition of leadership.
Keen insight. The practice often did not match the promise. TWI has been totally devoid of emotional intelligence. Ultimately, it's POSSIBLE for twi to become just another run of the mill fundamentalist Christian SECT, as opposed to cult. IF it intends to ever make that transition, it occurs to me doing so will require recognition/realization of the gap between promise and practice. Leadership toward that aspiration will look and act completely different from how wierwille, martindale and rivenback conducted themselves over the last 50 plus years.
Rather than brainstorming how youth responded in the 1970s (and attempting to revive the Rock of Ages vibe) it will take leaders (NOT singular) willing to break the mold (and sort of like the preamble to the US Constitution declaring INTENT and aspiration to perfect the union). Willing to plumb the depths of emotional intelligence and vulnerability (see Brené Brown's writings and lectures/videos).
What Wierwille got wrong was largely: using people rather than loving them.
If you'd like to explore the concept of vulnerability, pro and con, these two talks be Brené Brown can bring tremendous insight. And it won't cost you hundreds of dollars (i.e. you won't have to sign up for a lifetime of useless classes based on empty promises).
Rather than brainstorming how youth responded in the 1970s (and attempting to revive the Rock of Ages vibe) it will take leaders (NOT singular) willing to break the mold (and sort of like the preamble to the US Constitution declaring INTENT and aspiration to perfect the union). Willing to plumb the depths of emotional intelligence and vulnerability (see Brené Brown's writings and lectures/videos).
Kind of topic where Im taking this for a second, but worth noting.
I have never in my life been involved with a group that has vetted it's leaders with a four year "training program" and supposedly given them the greatest spititual education on the planet and those same leaders are completely clueless on what it means to actually lead. What your sayin here Rocky, and the points are VALID, would require actual leadership. When I was at HQ the prevailing mantra amongst staffers (AC grads and corps alike) was "what did we do last year". Im quoting that statement as an example of the complete lack of leadership. Heck, the directors are just as clueless. I mean they did re-engage a marginal number of former, shunned grads, or grads who left, or whatever with a nostalgia based effort, but that effort is still leading by virtue of a rear view mirror. But it's a vicous cycle because only the way corps are allowed to lead and they cripple the way corps during our training with extreme followship that's called leadership. There is very little actual leadership in the way: HQ is flush with administrators, as Don Wierille called himself. But not leaders and it would take leadership to push aside institutional memory and plumb the depths of emotional intelligence and vulnerability. They would have to look past PFLAP and the collaterals and all things wierwille, which they cant because the lifesize bronze statue of wierwille in the auditorium says so.
I have never in my life been involved with a group that has vetted it's leaders with a four year "training program" and supposedly given them the greatest spititual education on the planet and those same leaders are completely clueless on what it means to actually lead.
I don’t believe TWI’s “vetting process” was even close to standard practices found in such fields as in education, politics, business - conducting a thorough investigation to make a well-informed decision…way corpsleadership training program? Nope! It’s how to become the ideal follower.
A cult's harmful and controlling leadership training program = A cult's harmful and controlling indoctrination program.
Think you have what it takes to be way corps?
All you need is money. If your money runs out, you’ll get run out.
Program coordinators will come up with some bull-$hit reason to put the fear of The Way International’s puny demigod (wierwille) in the hearts of those remaining.
~ ~ ~ ~
Note of interest:
Vetting is the process of performing a background check on someone before offering them employment, conferring an award, or doing fact-checking prior to making any decision. In addition, in intelligence gathering, assets are vetted to determine their usefulness.
Etymology
To vet was originally a horse-racing term, referring to the requirement that a horse be checked for health and soundness by a veterinarian before being allowed to race. Thus, it has taken the general meaning "to check".
It is a figurative contraction of veterinarian, which originated in the mid-17th century. The colloquial abbreviation dates to the 1860s; the verb form of the word, meaning "to treat an animal," came a few decades later—according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest known usage is 1891—and was applied primarily in a horse-racing context ("He vetted the stallion before the race," "You should vet that horse before he races", etc.).
By the early 1900s, vet had begun to be used as a synonym for evaluate, especially in the context of searching for flaws.
A lot of progress has been made in the area of neuroplasticity which is the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks. Terms that help to define it are having a "growth mindset" and "rewiring the brain" so habitual behaviors can be changed. This is a website that explains it in more detail. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886
Then there's the spiritual side of healing which is the most powerful of all but only if you have sound doctrine. Unsound doctrine can make matters worse because on top of everything you're already going through, you can't understand why you're not really getting better even though you're doing everything twi tells you to like doing retemories and applying the law of believing (as mentioned above) and I'll add having a "renewed mind." I found that my symptoms "improved" but eventually came to realize that spiritually I was merely standing on sand instead of a rock (you know what happens when the wind and rain beat on each) . So like OldSkool and penguin2, I too am working out my salvation because doing so can improve mental health.
Charity, great post, and great link!
How the way corps program views plasticity = turn up the heat to make one easily shaped or molded.
The goal of way corps program is to instill a cult mindset rather than a growth mindset.
Figuratively speaking, you get the living $hit kicked out of you…people suffer intellectual, emotional and for some physical and sexual abuse to within an inch of the life of one’s authentic self.
Human beings are resilient – even under the worst conditions…out of necessity the adaptive self comes to the 'rescue' so you can survive in such a harsh and artificial environment. So, you stuck it out in the way corps program and hopefully (I now speak as a dishonest to god cult-leader ) you always check with upper leadership before making any major decisions. In TWI good followers make the best leaders.
I don’t believe TWI’s “vetting process” was even close to standard practices found in such fields as in education, politics, business - conducting a thorough investigation to make a well-informed decision…way corpsleadership training program? Nope! It’s how to become the ideal follower.
A cult's harmful and controlling leadership training program = A cult's harmful and controlling indoctrination program.
Think you have what it takes to be way corps?
All you need is money. If your money runs out, you’ll get run out.
Program coordinators will come up with some bull-$hit reason to put the fear of The Way International’s puny demigod (wierwille) in the hearts of those remaining.
~ ~ ~ ~
Note of interest:
Vetting is the process of performing a background check on someone before offering them employment, conferring an award, or doing fact-checking prior to making any decision. In addition, in intelligence gathering, assets are vetted to determine their usefulness.
Etymology
To vet was originally a horse-racing term, referring to the requirement that a horse be checked for health and soundness by a veterinarian before being allowed to race. Thus, it has taken the general meaning "to check".
It is a figurative contraction of veterinarian, which originated in the mid-17th century. The colloquial abbreviation dates to the 1860s; the verb form of the word, meaning "to treat an animal," came a few decades later—according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest known usage is 1891—and was applied primarily in a horse-racing context ("He vetted the stallion before the race," "You should vet that horse before he races", etc.).
By the early 1900s, vet had begun to be used as a synonym for evaluate, especially in the context of searching for flaws.
It's interesting to consider, they told us in advance what we were getting into with statements like the "greatest leaders are the greatest followers". While it's true that leadership typically function in a chain of command where following the next higher up is needed, however, never never is the greatest leader the greatest follower because all I've seen the greatest followers do is look for direction that's safe and comfortable. True leadership can run against the grain at times not always offer safety and comfort to the egotistical follower.
It's interesting to consider, they told us in advance what we were getting into with statements like the "greatest leaders are the greatest followers". While it's true that leadership typically function in a chain of command where following the next higher up is needed, however, never never is the greatest leader the greatest follower because all I've seen the greatest followers do is look for direction that's safe and comfortable. True leadership can run against the grain at times not always offer safety and comfort to the egotistical follower.
Yeah I’m with you on depicting true leadership…I’m trying to cut down on my typical post length - and that may mean I don’t define all terms.
Good leadership principles are important in any context - to provide direction, take risks, challenge the status quo, inspire others…my previous posts are from another angle - maybe runs parallel to the absent Christ thread - the frustration I felt in TWI. It was an inarticulate frustration - that took me many years after leaving TWI to figure out.
I’m of the opinion whatever your physical role might be you can lead by example. I think of verses like I Thessalonians 1:6 you became followers of us and of the Lord…I Peter 5 reminds those who selflessly shepherd God’s flock will receive recognition from the Chief Shepherd. The leadership training program of Jesus Christ is learning to follow His example of service to others, in compassion, sacrifice, etc…If I could do a quantum leap back to my time in TWI with how I feel now - I’d probably get kicked out because I’d challenge the status quo of a cult’s groupthink, and then I’d flex more” leadership muscle “ by directing others to flee TWI and take risks in self-determination.
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penguin2
Yes! My machine gunning rapid fire retemories did nothing to address the real roots of things I was dealing with. We were taught to stay in denial and pretend everything was fine. Still working out my wholeness and salvation here too. So glad God is faithful and never misleads me.
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Charity
I know from experience what it's like to deal with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. The recommended treatment for me has been the use of both medication and therapy although an either/or option can work as well for others. It's all very individualized. Medication is for chemical imbalances in the brain and therapy deals with the thoughts and feelings in the mind. I find having knowledge of how our brains work is helpful as well. A lot of progress has been made in the area of neuroplasticity which is the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks. Terms that help to define it are having a "growth mindset" and "rewiring the brain" so habitual behaviors can be changed. This is a website that explains it in more detail. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886
Then there's the spiritual side of healing which is the most powerful of all but only if you have sound doctrine. Unsound doctrine can make matters worse because on top of everything you're already going through, you can't understand why you're not really getting better even though you're doing everything twi tells you to like doing retemories and applying the law of believing (as mentioned above) and I'll add having a "renewed mind." I found that my symptoms "improved" but eventually came to realize that spiritually I was merely standing on sand instead of a rock (you know what happens when the wind and rain beat on each) . So like OldSkool and penguin2, I too am working out my salvation because doing so can improve mental health.
My main issue is learning how to stop trusting in my own works to bring about deliverance but to instead trust God to do the healing because of His faithfulness in keeping His promises. My goal is have a greater understanding of the verses below which speak of God, Christ, spirit, the mind, power, strength and trust. Knowing how all these work together would be life changing (Bravo God!
).
Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray that the eyes of your heart (mind) may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe (trust).
Ephesians 3:16-17 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being (mind), 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Looking forward to learning more from this thread (thanks OldSkool for starting it)!
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OldSkool
No doubt!! I had so many retemories memorized. At one point I literally had memorized all of the ones from the fnc, int, and adv classes, DTA, and my way corps retemories. None of that did a dang thing to actually address my various and sundry issues. Example: With my alcoholism, it will never work very long for an alcoholic to just not drink and not address the underlying issues that caused the drinking in the first place. Yet, thats exactly what TWI taught me to do. Oh,,,you have a drinking problem? Just stop drinking and take some classes. See...your delivered because alcoholism is a spirit....yah...that garbage led me right back into some rather fine distilled spirits.
The way internatinal also openly condemned alcoholics anonymous. While, I dont goto AA meetings I do draw heavily on their methodology and I have an uncle who is helping me who has 35 years in AA, actively sponsering people. So I have a really good support system in place to keep me honest and on track. Im actively making amends to my family and others I hurt and wronged when I was drunk. Im also dealing with the underlying emotional issues that led me to the bottle in the first place. The way international taught me none of these things and simply put an alcoholic who was already in denial into a closed societ that fostered a deeper level of denial and then blames the victim when they eventually short circuit.
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OldSkool
YW, and great post and link! Thanks!
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Bolshevik
Promises?
. . . you'll understand when you're older
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waysider
RETEMORIES
I equate memorizing retemories to memorizing vocabulary lists in a target language.
I learned the names of all the colors in Spanish. Presto! I now speak Spanish.
Knowledge is good, but it's useless if you can't apply it in real time, especially as it pertains to human interaction..
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chockfull
Yes. I’ve had to address what is at the root of my issues rather than a Pollyanna make believe type of approach with “retemories”.
Like, for instance, depression. I can run scriptures through the mind thousands of times a day about joy in the Lord and the rewards for the faithful. However, until I removed myself from the heavy handed authoritarian rule of TWI the scriptures were of limited help in that situation. When you have no control over your future and all of it is dictated by angry Pharisees, there really is no time to be down. Giving up just leads to suicide. So fighting back and reclaiming my life from those who had an undue amount of control in it was first necessary so that my subconscious mind feels that there is a future. Then after the root cause is dealt with I can do other things to deal with personal triggers for sad emotions.
I will just say that surrendering your freedom of will for a sense of comfort extends the problem rather than solves it.
The Pharisees who will dictate your behavior have zero power or help in ANY situation. No miracles. No healing. No solid practical advice. Just keep on complying and God will reward you. NO. Exactly wrong. Stop complying first. Second remove the false authority to harm you. Third implement recovery measures.
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Charity
I'm older now yet I still find myself doing
. In fact, I'm doing it a lot more now that I'm over 60. Can you share more about what you mean?
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Bolshevik
My meaning was I was a kid and when I questioned matters I was told I'd understand when I became an adult. By being a kid I didn't have the ability to understand.
I guess it's a type of future faking.
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Charity
That can send you a few subliminal and not so subliminal messages your way.
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Nathan_Jr
Narcissism everywhere with this cult.
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Rocky
So do I.
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Rocky
Truth!
Compassion helps. Compassion which, from Wierwille and Loy Martindale were grossly lacking.
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Rocky
Which MIGHT be true, but when given as response to genuine request for explanation means the person giving it probably hasn't obtained said understanding yet, and therefore can't provide a meaningful answer.
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Rocky
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Rocky
Which MIGHT be true, but when given as response to genuine request for explanation means the person giving it probably hasn't obtained said understanding yet, and therefore can't provide a meaningful answer.
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Charity
Instead of overcoming worry and fear which the pfal class was promised to do for us, Twi used a lot of fear and humiliation to keep people from leaving or disagreeing with them. From what I've read, many leaders became like stalkers - always keeping their 'i's" on other leaders lower on the totem pole which caused them to keep having to look over their shoulders. When people do leave, many take their waybrain with them so it takes a long to very long time to become free of it. That's the cult's definition of leadership.
Christ is the opposite of every cultish thing about twi so turning to him is a whole different experience that can bring wholeness. He is always with us, but in a loving way. He knows instantly when we are having mental health issues because he dwells in our hearts/minds. He has empathy for us because he understands what we're going through since he was tempted in all ways like we are. He works in us so we can overcome whatever our struggles are (unlike twi's way of just telling people to "renew your mind" or "you're not believing").
We are in the right place to overcome worry and fear when we turn to Christ.
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Rocky
Keen insight. The practice often did not match the promise. TWI has been totally devoid of emotional intelligence. Ultimately, it's POSSIBLE for twi to become just another run of the mill fundamentalist Christian SECT, as opposed to cult. IF it intends to ever make that transition, it occurs to me doing so will require recognition/realization of the gap between promise and practice. Leadership toward that aspiration will look and act completely different from how wierwille, martindale and rivenback conducted themselves over the last 50 plus years.
Rather than brainstorming how youth responded in the 1970s (and attempting to revive the Rock of Ages vibe) it will take leaders (NOT singular) willing to break the mold (and sort of like the preamble to the US Constitution declaring INTENT and aspiration to perfect the union). Willing to plumb the depths of emotional intelligence and vulnerability (see Brené Brown's writings and lectures/videos).
What Wierwille got wrong was largely: using people rather than loving them.
What Martindale got wrong was largely: trying to project an alpha male persona. He didn't/doesn't understand the meaning of alpha male. Vulnerability is strength. "Good vulnerability is fundamentally generous." It takes the first step in disclosure so as to render it safe for others to disclose.
If you'd like to explore the concept of vulnerability, pro and con, these two talks be Brené Brown can bring tremendous insight. And it won't cost you hundreds of dollars (i.e. you won't have to sign up for a lifetime of useless classes based on empty promises).
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OldSkool
aww...but I want my free books that strangely cost right about the same as the class fee....mmm....
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OldSkool
Kind of topic where Im taking this for a second, but worth noting.
I have never in my life been involved with a group that has vetted it's leaders with a four year "training program" and supposedly given them the greatest spititual education on the planet and those same leaders are completely clueless on what it means to actually lead. What your sayin here Rocky, and the points are VALID, would require actual leadership. When I was at HQ the prevailing mantra amongst staffers (AC grads and corps alike) was "what did we do last year". Im quoting that statement as an example of the complete lack of leadership. Heck, the directors are just as clueless. I mean they did re-engage a marginal number of former, shunned grads, or grads who left, or whatever with a nostalgia based effort, but that effort is still leading by virtue of a rear view mirror. But it's a vicous cycle because only the way corps are allowed to lead and they cripple the way corps during our training with extreme followship that's called leadership. There is very little actual leadership in the way: HQ is flush with administrators, as Don Wierille called himself. But not leaders and it would take leadership to push aside institutional memory and plumb the depths of emotional intelligence and vulnerability. They would have to look past PFLAP and the collaterals and all things wierwille, which they cant because the lifesize bronze statue of wierwille in the auditorium says so.
They are sheep without a shephard.
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T-Bone
I don’t believe TWI’s “vetting process” was even close to standard practices found in such fields as in education, politics, business - conducting a thorough investigation to make a well-informed decision…way corps leadership training program?
Nope! It’s how to become the ideal follower. 
A cult's harmful and controlling leadership training program = A cult's harmful and controlling indoctrination program.
Think you have what it takes to be way corps?
All you need is money. If your money runs out, you’ll get run out.
Program coordinators will come up with some bull-$hit reason to put the fear of The Way International’s puny demigod (wierwille) in the hearts of those remaining.
~ ~ ~ ~
Note of interest:
Vetting is the process of performing a background check on someone before offering them employment, conferring an award, or doing fact-checking prior to making any decision. In addition, in intelligence gathering, assets are vetted to determine their usefulness.
Etymology
To vet was originally a horse-racing term, referring to the requirement that a horse be checked for health and soundness by a veterinarian before being allowed to race. Thus, it has taken the general meaning "to check".
It is a figurative contraction of veterinarian, which originated in the mid-17th century. The colloquial abbreviation dates to the 1860s; the verb form of the word, meaning "to treat an animal," came a few decades later—according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest known usage is 1891—and was applied primarily in a horse-racing context ("He vetted the stallion before the race," "You should vet that horse before he races", etc.).
By the early 1900s, vet had begun to be used as a synonym for evaluate, especially in the context of searching for flaws.
Vetting - Wikipedia
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T-Bone
Charity, great post, and great link!
How the way corps program views plasticity = turn up the heat to make one easily shaped or molded.
The goal of way corps program is to instill a cult mindset rather than a growth mindset.
Figuratively speaking, you get the living $hit kicked out of you…people suffer intellectual, emotional and for some physical and sexual abuse to within an inch of the life of one’s authentic self.
Human beings are resilient – even under the worst conditions…out of necessity the adaptive self comes to the 'rescue' so you can survive in such a harsh and artificial environment. So, you stuck it out in the way corps program and hopefully (I now speak as a dishonest to god cult-leader
) you always check with upper leadership before making any major decisions. In TWI good followers make the best leaders. 
Edited by T-BoneClarity
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OldSkool
It's interesting to consider, they told us in advance what we were getting into with statements like the "greatest leaders are the greatest followers". While it's true that leadership typically function in a chain of command where following the next higher up is needed, however, never never is the greatest leader the greatest follower because all I've seen the greatest followers do is look for direction that's safe and comfortable. True leadership can run against the grain at times not always offer safety and comfort to the egotistical follower.
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T-Bone
Yeah I’m with you on depicting true leadership…I’m trying to cut down on my typical post length - and that may mean I don’t define all terms.
Good leadership principles are important in any context - to provide direction, take risks, challenge the status quo, inspire others…my previous posts are from another angle - maybe runs parallel to the absent Christ thread - the frustration I felt in TWI. It was an inarticulate frustration - that took me many years after leaving TWI to figure out.
I’m of the opinion whatever your physical role might be you can lead by example. I think of verses like I Thessalonians 1:6 you became followers of us and of the Lord…I Peter 5 reminds those who selflessly shepherd God’s flock will receive recognition from the Chief Shepherd. The leadership training program of Jesus Christ is learning to follow His example of service to others, in compassion, sacrifice, etc…If I could do a quantum leap back to my time in TWI with how I feel now - I’d probably get kicked out because I’d challenge the status quo of a cult’s groupthink, and then I’d flex more” leadership muscle “
by directing others to flee TWI and take risks in self-determination.
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