I am serious about this cult stuff it is no joke to me ...
people need to understand for some it isnt going to be a time in life you got over and can now live happily ever ..
people im telling you some of us can not. the way impacted my life to the degree it did (not because of years involved) but because of the seriousness of the evil people I allowed to manipulate my life.
in the name of bible research and fellowship.
[This message was edited by mj412 on December 05, 2003 at 16:28.]
I'm waking up to a foot of snow...and decided to read the GS news...Good to see you :)--> How've you been?
I tell people I was in a bible group. Remember the 70's? I also tell them that it could have been worse...I could have gotten into drugs and alcohol, altho I tend to doubt that (I was meditating with TM at the time).
I had fun in the way. I was in a college area in western Mass., and we had heaps of fun...well, at least I did.
The tragedy was when all the **** hit the fan...and people were tossed aside like a squirrel hit by a car...kinda shot to the side of the road to die...or bleed to death in the middle of the road.
The days after my departure were brutal for years...I didn't understand the ways of the world AT ALL!!!!...talk about being tossed to and fro...
I akin the way to a drug. The bible was an addiction for me...and the way my fix...when I explain it to people that way, they seem to understand.
The way, was like, indeed was, my worst nightmare come true.
(The nightmare of thinking I was doing something good, and finding out it was years stolen!)
That's the way I describe twi.
Generally speaking I speak of that time as "Bible college" (corpse), "United States missionary work" (WOW), "had bible study fellowship in my home" (twig leader), "church I was involved with had in-home-bible-studies" (go to twig).
When I mention the way, which is almost never, I just say it was a religious group that I was in while I was in college.
Most people, including my wife, have never asked any questions about it and I don't volunteer anything. They probably just think it was something like Campus Crusade.
When people ask my spiritual background, I say, brought up in Episcopalian Church, went to other Churches, part of a born-again Christian group, also believe somewhat in New Age.
I don't say "cult" still......why, because I believe either everything is a cult or nothing. Some religious groups are more controllling and narrow than others.
I think I was fooled by the Way's seeming liberal stance of "good" and "best". Good meant good at first, then (shrug) okay, then (snort) counterfeit...and later (according to some) "everyone else is possessed" the more I heard things like that the more unblessed I became. Still I don't call TWI a "cult"
I think of it as part hippie, part army, part Amish (yes, with their standoffish attitude toward "unbelievers") and part Mickey MOuse sorcerer apprentice, and yes, part Godly. I learned a lot of Bible in TWI and learned how to use a concordance, and fellowshipped with others interested in the same.
The Way was driven by sales people. Make a product, find a market and sell, sell, sell. Convince the sales people they're on a holy mission. (Pay after death is MUCH cheaper than this life, after all) Then you grow your own sales people from the young and impressionable. Big companies still do it today. Recruit bright college grads, instill your corporate culture, make them feel special, use peer pressure to perform, etc. Hate to say it but it's a textbook approach.
Want a scary moment? Find a book on the Hitler Youth and you will see some eery parallels. Recruit young, make them feel special, holy mission, everyone else is evil, blah, blah, blah. I'm not putting them in the same category but the technique has been around for a while.
The way is like walking into Silent Hill only without the frightening monsters on the outside, but definitely on the inside. Oh what rotten souls.
I remembered watching the movie and I swear to gaaawd the head cult nut reminded me of an old fellowship coordinator of mine. I remember joking about it and my husband agreed with me. I think that's when I was first starting to get an inkling that the church thing my parents were bringing me to for years was actually a cult.
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mj412
Well that was a drama ..
sorry but it is the truth .
I am serious about this cult stuff it is no joke to me ...
people need to understand for some it isnt going to be a time in life you got over and can now live happily ever ..
people im telling you some of us can not. the way impacted my life to the degree it did (not because of years involved) but because of the seriousness of the evil people I allowed to manipulate my life.
in the name of bible research and fellowship.
[This message was edited by mj412 on December 05, 2003 at 16:28.]
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Galen
Chwester-
?Good post, Galen?
Skeptical Texan-
?I don't think that you could beat what you wrote for a succinct, objective description of TWI.?
Thank you gentlemen.
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Wacky Funster
Good Morning imagine
:)-->
I'm waking up to a foot of snow...and decided to read the GS news...Good to see you
:)--> How've you been?
I tell people I was in a bible group. Remember the 70's? I also tell them that it could have been worse...I could have gotten into drugs and alcohol, altho I tend to doubt that (I was meditating with TM at the time).
I had fun in the way. I was in a college area in western Mass., and we had heaps of fun...well, at least I did.
The tragedy was when all the **** hit the fan...and people were tossed aside like a squirrel hit by a car...kinda shot to the side of the road to die...or bleed to death in the middle of the road.
The days after my departure were brutal for years...I didn't understand the ways of the world AT ALL!!!!...talk about being tossed to and fro...
I akin the way to a drug. The bible was an addiction for me...and the way my fix...when I explain it to people that way, they seem to understand.
Peace
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excathedra
(((((mj)))))
?
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Kit Sober
The way, was like, indeed was, my worst nightmare come true.
(The nightmare of thinking I was doing something good, and finding out it was years stolen!)
That's the way I describe twi.
Generally speaking I speak of that time as "Bible college" (corpse), "United States missionary work" (WOW), "had bible study fellowship in my home" (twig leader), "church I was involved with had in-home-bible-studies" (go to twig).
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Pirate1974
When I mention the way, which is almost never, I just say it was a religious group that I was in while I was in college.
Most people, including my wife, have never asked any questions about it and I don't volunteer anything. They probably just think it was something like Campus Crusade.
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CircleGame
When people ask my spiritual background, I say, brought up in Episcopalian Church, went to other Churches, part of a born-again Christian group, also believe somewhat in New Age.
I don't say "cult" still......why, because I believe either everything is a cult or nothing. Some religious groups are more controllling and narrow than others.
I think I was fooled by the Way's seeming liberal stance of "good" and "best". Good meant good at first, then (shrug) okay, then (snort) counterfeit...and later (according to some) "everyone else is possessed" the more I heard things like that the more unblessed I became. Still I don't call TWI a "cult"
I think of it as part hippie, part army, part Amish (yes, with their standoffish attitude toward "unbelievers") and part Mickey MOuse sorcerer apprentice, and yes, part Godly. I learned a lot of Bible in TWI and learned how to use a concordance, and fellowshipped with others interested in the same.
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Golfie
The Way International is like...getting ....*d without a kiss.
The Way International is like...a day without Son light...dark.
The Way International is like the mushroom treatment. They keep you in the dark, feed you a bunch of $hit, and then can you.
Merry Christmas everyone. Happy Hou Ho Re Lo ;-)
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mstar1
The Way is like....watching the Wizard of Oz...except Dorothy and Toto die in the end
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JustThinking
IMO,
The Way was driven by sales people. Make a product, find a market and sell, sell, sell. Convince the sales people they're on a holy mission. (Pay after death is MUCH cheaper than this life, after all) Then you grow your own sales people from the young and impressionable. Big companies still do it today. Recruit bright college grads, instill your corporate culture, make them feel special, use peer pressure to perform, etc. Hate to say it but it's a textbook approach.
Want a scary moment? Find a book on the Hitler Youth and you will see some eery parallels. Recruit young, make them feel special, holy mission, everyone else is evil, blah, blah, blah. I'm not putting them in the same category but the technique has been around for a while.
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Nero
The way is like walking into Silent Hill only without the frightening monsters on the outside, but definitely on the inside. Oh what rotten souls.
I remembered watching the movie and I swear to gaaawd the head cult nut reminded me of an old fellowship coordinator of mine. I remember joking about it and my husband agreed with me. I think that's when I was first starting to get an inkling that the church thing my parents were bringing me to for years was actually a cult.
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Cynthia
The Way is toxic. Full of half truths and lies.
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Rocky
That is TRUTH!
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