"the Way:Living in Wonderland"

[WordWolf]

I finally got curious enough to dust off my copy of "the Way:

Living in Love" by Whiteside and read it thru. There's some

interesting stuff in there. I find that many warning signs are

telegraphed there and so on.

========

For those of you who've never heard of it,

it's a book published in 1972. It was written BY a twi insider

about twi and life as an insider, at the beginning of the 1970s,

and published by twi. As such, any reasonable person would

consider it a lengthy commercial. No dissent from twi would have

been PERMITTED to have been published, and no dissent would have

been CONSIDERED by an innie. The perspective of the writer

reflects the thinking of insiders at the time-not a fair and

objective reporting of the facts. It includes many quotes from

people-especially vpw. For all intents and purposes, it should

be evident that the quotes from him IN the book are officially

endorsed BY him as accurate.

I'd like to post some of the quotes, and discuss where they

relate to each other, the facts as currently known, and other

comments made by vpw.

==============

Please feel free to post quotes directly FROM vpw from other

sources, as well as quotes from the Mrs W book.

[WordWolf]

"TW:LiL" gives an interesting quote on page 14 about some WOWs.

quote:

The eight here this morning were given a Headquarters

assignment where they do necessary work as well as study, learn and

grow spiritually strong. Their program is designed to build

discipline, knowledge of God's Word and commitment.

WOWs assigned to headquarters was not common when I was around.

Anyway, on to the next quote.

page 29, we get our first description of "the class".

quote:

"It's called Power for Abundant Living," Tim continues.

"It's the class that changed my life. It's a foundational class,

giving you the keys to understanding God's Word. Thirty-three hours

of straight teaching, but they do it over three weeks here, so you

go four evenings a week, for three hours each time. It's fantastic

because when you've had it, you'll be able to understand what God

wants us to know. I was looking for God everywhere and missing Him

everywhere, 'til I took that class. Nowhere else can you get this

knowledge of how to read and understand God's Word. And the thing

you just can't deny about it is that it works. Apply the principles

and you get the results in your life."

[WordWolf]

We hear denominations described on page 30.

quote:

"You see, denominations are man-made," Tim begins. "Here we learn

what God says and we do things according to His Word. This is the closest

thing you'll find to the first century Church anywhere in the world. The

Church in the Bible is the body of people who believe. It's not a building

or a denomination, but the people who believe and act on the Word of God.

In the first century these people met in private houses, and it was there

in those small fellowships of believers that the needs of people were

really met on a one-to-one basis. The Church was highly personal. They

broke bread together, they prayed together, they tithed their money and

everything they didn't need, and they praised God from house to house.

You can read all about it in the book of Acts. Each fellowship had an

elder, a leader, someone in charge. Now these elders in an area would get

together and believe God to choose one of them to be spiritually

responsible." Tim pauses momentarily to find the exact words.

"That's how we are organized. You see, we are not a denomination. There's

no membership because the life and growth of this ministry is in the twigs.

That's what we call these small fellowships in private homes: twig

fellowships. Any one who wants to learn or hear or share the Word of God

can come to a twig meeting. We gather around the Word of God. Wherever

two or three are gathered together, Jesus Christ said He would be in their

midst."

Same discussion, page-33.

quote:

"But there is no membership. It's all your free will. There's no

coercion. People come together because they love the Word and they love

to come together and share and learn and build up one another and

rejoice in what God has done for us.

page 34, same discussion, has something I especially thought was worth

noting.

quote:

"But what The Doctor teaches in that class in 33 hours I couldn't

teach you in 33 hours. He's been doing research and teaching for 30 years

now and he's a terrific teacher. That class will give you the foundation,

the keys to understanding God's Word. It'll really blow your mind. The

depth of that class is just tremendous.

[Dot Matrix]

quote:

"It's called Power for Abundant Living," Tim continues.

"It's the class that changed my life. It's a foundational class,

giving you the keys to understanding God's Word. Thirty-three hours

of straight teaching, but they do it over three weeks here, so you

go four evenings a week, for three hours each time. It's fantastic

because when you've had it, you'll be able to understand what God

wants us to know. I was looking for God everywhere and missing Him

everywhere, 'til I took that class. Nowhere else can you get this

knowledge of how to read and understand God's Word. And the thing

you just can't deny about it is that it works. Apply the principles

and you get the results in your life."

Here is the thing, although I know what I know now, that is exactly how I felt at the time. It was the closer look that exposed the monsters in the man to me. Taking the class -- well at the time, it was the best thing ever.

I took it in 1972.

What the "class" did for me and what the "man" did to me were very different. But then I contend that the class was a good thing put together by BG Leonard, then hijacked by VP, he could not improve on the class in his life because it wasn't "his life."

To me it was a way for him to start a ministry on another man's work... Be hailed as king, visited by poor girls he tried to convert into chamber maids, .... blaa blaa blaa.

And yes, I knew him personally. I think I had to, in order to break the spell, or I might still be a lemming.

[WordWolf]

Page 37, a guy tells a story about himself in the military.

quote:

One night, they had a raid on our barracks- lights, banging,

rifles in the middle of the night. The whole trip. They made us all get

out of bed, searched us and then searched all our private belongings.

They searched everything, and the funny thing was that they found drugs

on everyone, everyone, in that room, except on Mike and me.

We were clean."

Quite a coincidence.

pages 43-44, we get a description of the Way Corps.

quote:

"The Corps program is the best. To live here and have the Doctor

work with us is extraordinary. He allows us to see the ministry through

his eyes. He shares everything with us. And sometimes it's a bummer.

But he lays it out.

The idea of the Corps is to transmit the commitment and dedication of the

ministry to us so that we can teach others where he can't be himself.

It works by osmosis here. I can't quite express it in words, but I can

feel it and see it and know it. It's learning to be keen and sensitive to

the spirit of God anywhere and anytime. We are really privileged to be

able to do this here.

I'm not saying this is the only place it can be done. It's possible to

reach that point of knowledge and zeal anywhere if people work the Word

and renew their minds. But this, the Corps program, is the fastest way.

What we learn here in two years would take ten to fifteen years in the

outside world to learn."

page 59, someone speaks about the winter of 1967.

quote:

Steve O'Shea, that was his radio name, is really Steve Heefner,

the limb leader of the Way East now. He got involved in a Christian

house in Haight-Ashbury, and I started going there. I just cut classes

and spent time there. I couls see that something was really happening,

much more than in my church group or even in the Bible College.

I started sending people over there or asking Steve to come to my house

and then inviting young people over to meet him, and let him talk to them

himself.

That winter Dr. Wierwille came to see Steve. I guess either Steve or his

wife, Sandi, could tell you more about that. All I saw was that it made a

great impression on Steve. 'He said a lot of good things, ' Steve told

me. That was all, but it was very rare for Steve to say that about

anybody, there was so much inter-denominational fighting among the groups

he was involved in. But he was really searching for the true Word.

That summer Steve and Sandi came here to the farm.

One guy from the Print Shop offered this on page-62.

quote:

Two years ago we had one hard-cover book in print, but now we

have six out, and the printing volume has quadrupled in two years.

When I got here, this was a thimble-sized operation, but now it's a heavy

load for six-to-eight people. Things really began mushrooming when the

young people started flocking in after 1969.

[WordWolf]

"Uncle" Harry gave some interesting biographical details that help

fill in some of the blanks, especially about the youngest son in

the family, vp.

page 77

quote:

"I didn't see much of him when he was growing up. When I was

seventeen, I started to work, was away from home most of the time.

That's near about when he started school. We all walked a mile to the

same red schoolhouse. We all had chores to do: milking, feeding the

cows, horses, hogs and sheep."

quote:

"When VP was in high school, Dad wanted him to take over the

farm later. You see, that was the tradition-that the youngest son take

over the farm, just as he had done. But VP emphatically said no.

He'd always liked to study and said he wanted to study for the

ministry.

Our Dad said 'You haven't even learned to work well on the farm.

You'll never make a good preacher.'

But VP used to practice by preaching to the trees." Uncle Harry

chuckles at the recollection. "He'd go out to the woods for hours.

Dad thought he was loafing, but I knew what was going on. He was

preaching to the trees."

Really, Harry? You admitted you didn't SEE him most of the time.

Why wasn't he doing his chores in sight and preaching to the

animals on the farm, or, you know, the other kids, people who might

actually hear something of use? Maybe Dad was on to something.

David was a good shepherd FIRST, then a good man of God....

Later, we'll see what vpw has to say about kids and their work

ethic.

pg-78, Harry again.

quote:

"Our mother encouraged Dad to send the boy to seminary. He was

always full of pep and vinegar. But he never hurt a soul. He did a few

boy's tricks, though, I guess. He played basketball, was always very

energetic. That drive and desire for an education VP had is inherited.

It came from his grandmother on our father's side. Even three years

before he was ordained, he was preaching. In 1941, when he headed the

church in Payne, Ohio, Dad and I went to hear his trial sermons.

That was his first church- Payne, Ohio."

I thought he'd been preaching for years, Harry-to the trees.

Also, Lamarckianism has been thoroughly discredited. You can not

inherit an interest in learning. You can ENCOURAGE it, but not pass it

along from birth. Finally, Dad seems to think vpw lacked drive, but

you said he DID, at least about preaching. Hm.

Maybe he had drive for preaching, but neglected his chores.

Harry spoke about their father's will.

quote:

In the transaction of the legal settlement of the estate in

January, 1957, VP and I paid cash to Reuben and Charles for their

shares. The we, VP and I, bypassed ownership and put the deed directly

in the name of The Way, Incorporated. We took the name from the book of

Acts where people who believed were called followers of 'that way.'

pg-79.

quote:

"VP could tell you about his life. I don't know much, had

my own business, lots of work to do. I know one thing, though-

VP always likes things done right, done the way they should be done.

That's why at the Sunday night service everything is checked right up to

snuff. See? Perfect. But that's the way we were brought up years ago.

Our German people were not afraid of work. I guess that stays with you."

[CoolWaters]

At least now I know why this book was so attractive to me at 16yo...'loafing' became 'work'...for others.

I mean, it's right there plain and simple. VP wouldn't do his chores, but he wanted things done 'right and up to snuff' and was one of 'our German people' who 'were not afraid of work'.

Yeah...everybody else doing the work to vp's oh so high standards...

::shiver::

[WordWolf]

Uncle Harry, giving more history.

pg-79-80.

quote:

After Payne, Ohio, he moved to Van Wert in 1944. That's where he had the church until he resigned in 1957. He was a good

and active preacher, built a sermon well, got young people

interested. But the inner depths of what he teaches now, I didn't

know anything about it. If he was searching, I didn't know it. I

was proud to have a minister in the family. Our closeness began

back in Payne, and I always encouraged him to keep believing and

backed him up in every way.

You were close, but there was NO indication he was searching out

deeper truths and, especially, overjoyed at finding some. What he

taught then was completely different than what he taught later

Fascinating.

quote:

The in-depth teaching really got going in 1957 when he

resigned from the organized church. It wasn't a surprise, but then

really it was. To branch away on your own like that is quite an

undertaking. He had classes; he needed freedom, time to work the

Word. And he had a family of five children to support. It was a

real step of believing on his part.

Harry seems to keep track of the money on things.

He says he paid Rhoda as secretary out of his OWN pocket, and

criticizes the people in Troy because they wanted to hear vpw

teach, and have him over for meals, but not support his ministry

financially. His part of this book ends with the final quote

quote:

"It wouldn't surprise me if I got a check for a million

dollars today."

Dave gives a partial history of the A/V aspects.

pg-82

quote:

"I told the Doctor and he gave me some tapes. That's when

he told me about the old films he had too. 'Try these out', he

said. They were black and white clips from the TV program called

'The Teacher'

that he had made out of Lima in 1963.

I noticed that EVERYBODY except his brother calls him "The Doctor",

not VP. If it wasn't at his directive, instituted and encouraged

by him, I'll eat my keyboard.

I also noticed he was calling HIMSELF 'The Teacher' as early

as 1963.

quote:

I was all set up for a class. On the appointed day, out of

twenty people who vowed they were interested, four showed up. I

was furious. I was mad. I have never gotten teed off like that

since then. But I learned a lot from that. After that, I

never looked at numbers again.

God said He'd do the adding. We just hold forth the Word. If people

didn't come, they were the losers, not me. That was a real good

lesson for me.

And yet, Dave keeps mentioning numbers after this, which he must

have 'looked at'.

Dave seems to think he came up with the idea of vpw on film, and

sold vpw on it. Perhaps he is correct.

pg-83

quote:

The films were good because neither Bob nor I had the

authority to teach the Word with twenty-five years of research

behind us.

pg 85, he says how they priced the filming, then raised all the

money IN ADVANCE of filming, and how "Doctor raised the final

$11,000 himself."

(He must have raised it by growing it, apparently.)

page 85, we see the prices invented.

quote:

We did free classes here in Ohio, too, then in Florida. It

took us a while to learn we were just burning ourselves out for

nothing. We wanted to make it available.

The film had already been paid for.

But we've learned that people have to commit themselves, make an

investment, to get something out of it.

quote:

Now we charge $65 for the film class including all the

materials- a syllabus and four hard-bound books.

You have to have eight signed up for a tape class and at least

twenty for a film class. We don't like to have more than 44 in a

film class either.

We have all that on the authority of the man who never looked at

numbers again. How many people besides me see contradictions from

one page to the next, and in how such a high (for 1970) price for

those LITTLE books was set?

[WordWolf]

Rhoda weighs in.

pg-88, she says she studied music in Moody Bible Institute,

graduating in 1946.

She grew up in a Mennonite church, but were excommunicated for

violating church policy. Her father had been involved with a Bible

College, and she had been on the radio-which was forbidden at the

time. Harsh stuff. I wish I could confirm this story.

Anyway, it turned her off churches.

When she shopped her resume around, she got a letter from VP

saying he needed a musician with secretarial skills.

quote:

You know, I never would have come if that letter had been

written on church stationery. I already was turned off by

denominations. I saw how little they have to offer. But for some

reason, VP wrote that letter on Chimes Hour letterhead.

She signed on as his secretary September 28, 1947.

Chimes Hour Youth Caravan was the name of vpw's radio show.

It had TWO choirs.

pg-90.

quote:

I arranged all the music and worked with two choirs.

We had rehearsals every night of the week. During the day, I did

secretarial work.

Twenty or twenty-five young people worked on the program on a

volunteer basis. They sang, played and engineered. They donated

their time.

pg-91.

quote:

The growth among the young people began after

Dr. Wierwille made his trip to California the winter of 1967-68.

Then they began to come out here. First Steve and Sandi Heefner,

then more and more others.

Things really started speeding up after that. The young people were

mostly hippies-people with long hair. They really took to the

ministry because it made things fit for them.

[WordWolf]

We finally meet vpw on pg 124, and Mrs W on pg 125.

The contrast between them, as well as the spin on vpw's appearance,

are fascinating.

quote:

Dr. Wierwille regards me warmly. His face is rugged and ruddy.

Energy flows from his smile. His eyes sharp and blue as steel are set

off by a fan of smile-wrinkles at each temple. His expression is open,

exposed, yet completely unafraid and in no way defensive. His hair,

thick, brown-to-graying is partly covered by a charcoal felt hat.

Even in his worn denims and light blue workshirt today, his

appearance is striking, with his tall stature and athletic carriage.

I feel it's not complete without something like

"and when he stepped forward, the sun shone directly on him, even at

night."

Mrs W.

quote:

Unostentatious in appearance, Mrs. Wierwille, or Dotsie as

she is affectionately called, has a gentle manner which manifests

warmth and wisdom. Not one to compete for the spotlight, she stays

unnoticed in the background on many occasions when her husband is

teaching; and yet in her husband's absence she promptly steps into

many of his responsibilities with boldness and confidence. She shows a

quiet strength of character, yet without competitiveness. She speaks

up when something needs to be said and at other times is not

particularly talkative. Although not large in height or build, she

stands straight and dignified. Her dark hair, streaked with gray,

always looks well cared for and she dresses informallu with good

taste.

Hm. When she walks, she walks on the ground.

[WordWolf]

pg-138, Earl gives us some of his story:

quote:

I felt weird going in. Dr. Wierwille was teaching and Howard Allen was with him. That

was in March of 1969. Doctor taught on positive believing and negative believing. Or course, I'd seen that principle working in my life on the football team with the coach riding me and my

bad performance. Dr. Wierwille was so dynamic and confident. He had all the answers from the

Word. I was awed. I was amazed. He captured my attention and after that session I signed up

for the rest of the class.

Here, I take note of 2 things.

1) A coach 'riding' an athlete, and destroying his confidence isn't just bad coaching and

distraction, it's a 'confirmation of the law of believing.'

2) Again with the "Dr.". All the answers "he" had from the Word-which, of course, are all

the answers BG Leonard and the others had from The Word.

Moving on...

Charlene shares about her initial teachings and doctrinal exposure to twi-at a Way Home.

pg-144.

quote:

Patte and I went over. Were we surprised! It was beautiful-big, plush,

handsomely furnished. It kind of bothered me because I'd been taught a lot about Christians

living poorly. But they showed me from the Word were it says God wants us to prosper and lead

a more abundant life.

Then he taught us about the four crucified with Christ and we got into the Trinity. That was

very hard for me to see because I had been raised a Catholic. But I had to agree that it

just was not anywhere in the Word.

Two more things here.

1) FIRST off, they were taught about comfortable living-by misuse of John 10:10, which does

not refer to financial wealth. If it DID, Jesus wouldn't have said it was hard for a rich

man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

2) SECOND off, they jumped STRAIGHT into "4 crucified" and the Trinity.

For STARTING people. Nothing you'd think was needed to START with like "God loves you"

"God heals you", and so on-we jump straight into the "look how smart we are" stuff.

page-150, The Teacher prepares to speak.

quote:

His eyes squeezed shut, he seems to concentrate for a long time. Everyone waits in

anticipation, for when Doctor is relaxed and sharing after lunch or after supper, the

wonderful spirit and love of one big family is so thick and sweet that it can be touched and

felt. It's as though he just opens up his heart and lets us all walk right in, all of us.

He does not hold anything back, thereby putting each one of us in a privileged and special

position of being trusted, valued and loved. You see, he has lots of things to do,

decisions to make, letters to write, people to see; but he cares enough to take the time to

share with us. And that is a priceless honor.

Or, you know, he built anticipation by making the audience wait.

Standard speaker's tool number one. Even William Shatner's talked about it.

vpw tells a story about 2 men who supposedly lived in Van Wert, who did some remarkable things

yet nobody seemed to have ever heard of them, even after the fact. vpw even forgot their

names. Anyway, he says these guys just sat in an office together in silence for an hour

and MADE something happen by just thinking about it.

Here's some highlights.

pg-150.

quote:

"There were two men in Van Wert," he begins slowly. Now, they got together every

morning at 5am and believed together for an hour. Every morning. I don't know what they called

it. But they would set their minds on an agreed project. They never spoke; just got together

every morning and both concentrated on whatever it was, until it came to pass.

pg-151

quote:

Well, they just got together and put their minds on it every single morning for a

couple of weeks, and lo and behold, one day suddenly some guy who wanted to sell his

distillery just called them up, asked if they wanted to buy it. They'd never heard of the

guy with the distillery before. He found them.

Yep, they made millions, gambled, won. One man set up a foundation for children from

broken gomes, also built the YMCA, YWCA and a hospital. It was something.

quote:

I used to watch how they operated. I was a minister there in Van Wert. I had my church,

my congregation. But I studied them. That was before God showed me the law of believing in all

its accuracy. You see, here were the two meanest guys you could ever want to meet.

Nobody liked them because they were so successful and no one else could hold a candle to

them.

Ok, so these guys nobody ever heard of just sat in a room concentrating on a business,

and out of the blue, a guy calls them up to sell his.

They didn't go around and say "If someone's interested in selling, please give them this

phone# or anything"- he just dialed the numbers by extra-special perception or something.

They were "the two meanest guys you could ever want to meet"-but they spent a FORTUNE

setting up a foundation for broken homes

and a YMCA-or ALL YMCAs-the story isn't clear

and a YWCA-or ALL YWCAs-the story isn't clear

AND a hospital.

Pretty selfless for really mean guys.

Also, they did ALL these things, and nobody could STAND them because they were incredibly

jealous of these 2 guys who shared their money with everyone. Apparently, the part that

they GOT the money before spending it really chafed. Those Van Wert CHURCH people must be

the most SHALLOW people in the country.

Also, were they disliked because they were mean, or because they were rich?

The reason hops back and forth.

pg-152, the moral of this fable is given.

quote:

I used to look at their successes-one after another-and then I'd look at those

defeated Christians all around me. And I was just amazed. I just couldn'y understand it,

until I understood from the Word of God the law of believing, the greatest law in the world

today. The I could see just what was happening.

It says in Mark that whosoever-now what does whosoever mean? Whosoever means whosoever,

not just Christians, not just Catholics, not just Way believers, but 'Whosoever shall say

unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his

heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall

have whatsoever he saith.' There it is, spelled out, the greatest law there is.

Then he gives some general plans for classes and growth and stuff, then,

pg-153.

quote:

"And you're my kids. You're just the greatest." His voice breaks momentarily, his

forehead wrinkles, his eyes red with tears of tenderness, he holds back nothing from us. And

we-we are all moved, touched to the core by his sharing his emotion with us.

[skyrider]

Wordwolf,

Very insightful.....after all these years.

And some of those who were quoted in Elena's book have been LONG GONE FROM TWI for years and years........Stxve Hxfner (gone), Elena (gone), Tim B (gone), Charlene (gone), Earl B (gone), etc. etc.

:D--> :D--> :D-->

What a commentary of "The Way: Living in Love." ??????

[WordWolf]

Oh, and the fun's just starting.

A) It's about 300 pages, so I'm about 1/2 way thru.

Most of the remaining stuff is from vpw's mouth.

B) We haven't had fun comparing vpw's accounts of things with Harry's,

and we haven't compared them with the other book,

AND other things he's said publicly,

AND what we know to be true.

[moony3424]

Originally posted by WordWolf:

Harry spoke about their father's will.

quote:

Then we, VP and I, bypassed ownership and put the deed directly

in the name of The Way, Incorporated

And because of this act, VP forever took the farm away from the family.

[LG]

quote:

And because of this act, VP forever took the farm away from the family.

There are plenty of valid things for which to criticize Wierwille, but this isn't one of them. If four brothers were to sell a farm they inherited and one of them lost his share of the proceeds in a failed business venture, would you say that he "forever took the farm away from the family?"

[ckeer]

WW- I clicked on this topic because of the title.

When I was in all these stories were unquestionable proof of the greatness, godliness and divinely inspired nature of TWI. I think I was living in a place mentioned in a song by T Bone Burnett.- it was some where between Never Never Land and Wonderland, called Never Wonderland. :)-->

Thanks for the reminder that I have moved out of that God forsaken place.

[shazdancer]

Dear LongGone,

I see it differently. I see that Wierwille figured out a way to never have to pay taxes on his home, but still live in luxury in it for the rest of his life. Servants to tend to his every (every!) need, and workers to maintain every inch of the farm in better shape than it had ever been before. The only drawback was that his heirs would never get it when he was gone. And if his wife should survive him, her living there would be at the whim of the organization.

And that is exactly what happened. When Mrs. W became too much of a burden, they tossed her out.

Dear WW,

You said

quote:

I feel it's not complete without something like

"and when he stepped forward, the sun shone directly on him, even at

night."

Nah, you meant that the earth shook when he walked. And that he had an overabundance of brains and brawn.

:D-->

Shaz

[Stayed Too Long]

If it was only VPW who wanted to turn the family farm into TWI, it never would have happened. Harry was right beside him all the way. VPW and Harry bought Rueben's(sp) interest, so he did not care to pass his land onto his heirs.

[WordWolf]

quote:

Originally posted by shazdancer:

I see that Wierwille figured out a way to never have to pay taxes on his home, but still live in luxury in it for the rest of his life. Servants to tend to his every (every!) need, and workers to maintain every inch of the farm in better shape than it had ever been before. The only drawback was that his heirs would never get it when he was gone. And if his wife should survive him, her living there would be at the whim of the organization.

And that is exactly what happened. When Mrs. W became too much of a burden, they tossed her out.

I agree, furthermore,

having finished this book, I have the distinct impression that vpw

made so many inflated claims about himself that, eventually, he

bought into his own press releases, and considered it inconceivable

that his name wouldn't continue to cause people to cower in a

prostrate manner in perpetuity. If that was completely true, there

would be no worries about Mrs W.

As it was, it's still partially true-there are still vpw worshippers

around the world.

[WordWolf]

Ok, everyone playing the vpw drinking game,

take one drink whenever he says something is the best in the world.

Where did we leave off?

Oh, yeah, page 154. vpw was talking about people.

quote:

"I've been talking to these men in California lately. They earn

about $250,000 a year. They are tops in business, in advertising...

One of these men, he's got so much money, but he's going to be a dead

man within five years if he doesn't go with God. He's being eaten away

by fears and worries. All that money just can't buy peace in the heart.

If it were my choice, I'd go with God." He laughs deep inside, his

eyes filling with tears.

quote:

"Love or peace or joy or healing just never hurt anybody. Don't

let anybody ever touch the Word. Because it's truth, and that stands

whatever happens."

pg-155.

quote:

"You've got to be ready because you're all I've got. If

you aren't ready, who is going to run those classes, undershepherd those

people, teach others to stand and lead?" The question hangs over us in

mid-air. The answer is obvious. God is our strength. We are built-up,

encouraged, ready, for God is our strength.

Um, that didn't answer his question....

Anyone who can untangle this sentence of vpw from pg-170, please do so..

quote:

"But I never forget a scripture. I keep certain scriptures in my

mind until I have them worked out. Then I drop them out, too. I think of

the verses to which I don't have the answer. There's one on my desk now.

It's been there for the last six years. It's the problem of the two

possessing devils in Mark 8 and 9. But that'll fall into place too.

So he remembers it forever until he's done with it, then he forgets it.

page 171-172, vpw shares an early childhood memory.

quote:

"The next thing I recall vividly happened when I was eight or

nine years old. There was a Mission Festival in New Knoxville. I was

sitting with my mother. (The men and women sat separately in those

days.) There was a guest minister that day, a certain Dr Lohman, and

after the sermon-I don't remember much of what he said-we went up to

meet him. We shook hands, you know, and he asked me what I wanted to

be. I told him, "A man of God like you." That's what I said, but I

thought it was just kid's talk. You know how kids talk."

[WordWolf]

pg-173, more of vpw's life...

quote:

"I got my first motorcycle when I was a sophomore in high

school. My brother Reuben and I got it together. It was a one-cylinder

job-you had to run along beside it to get it started. We used to take

turns riding that thing.

And I used to play the guitar in those days. Two guys and I had a

group together. We'd play and sing at dances and parties. But do you

know something? I felt embarassed about it, or something. So one day

in high school, I just put that guitar in its case and I never took it

out again. I brought 'her' with me to college even. I loved that

guitar, but I just never played it again."

Yet another thing vpw supposedly excelled at, which we NEVER saw any

evidence of. We know he was obsessed with music-his ministries all

seemed to circle around it-until he got ahold of Leonard's work.

pg-174.

quote:

"I always knew I wanted to help people. First, I thought I wanted

to be a doctor, then a lawyer; but by my junior year in college, I had

my heart set on the ministry."

Harry thinks you were preaching to the trees when you went off for

hours and neglected your chores. Since you had no plans to go into the

ministry at the time, it's obvious you weren't preaching...

Being a medical doctor or a lawyer is a LOT of work, and has MUCH

professional oversight. Just a thought.

quote:

"I played basketball all through college and was even involved

in the pro-team, the Sheboygan Redskins. Dotsie and I were married the

summer of 1937. She had just finished her nursing degree. We kept the

marriage a secret for the next six months, so that I could still play

basketball. She came up to Sheboygan with me and worked as a nurse while

I finished up my studies.

The favorite men who taught me in Lakeland were Dr. Hessert, Dr. Beckman,

Dr. Ernst, Dr. Friedl, Dr. Bauer, the first philosopher I knew- he was a

favorite professor of mine, took a real interest in me. Dr. Ernst taught

me German. Most of these are no longer living. At the University of

Chicago Divinity School there were Dr. Riddle, Dr. Weiman, Dr William

Warren Sweet, Dr Garrison, and Dr. Caldwell. They were the best minds

in their fields-fine men.

I went to Princeton Theological Seminary in 1940. Donnie was born that

summer, and we moved to Princeton that September so I could get my

Master's Degree in Practical Theology. Dotsie worked as a nurse during

that time. I guess it was a typical grad-student situation. I don't

remember much now. The professors I had were the tops in their areas-

Dr. Blackwood, Dr. Loetcher, Dr Homrichhausen, the Niebuhr brothers,

Richard and Rhinehold. I heard them all, had the full seminary trip.

I did everything. I was always a prolific reader, and I read everything

I could get a hold of on theology and all that stuff. At Princeton I did

my dissertation on Peter as a young man of promise, Peter as

evangelist and pastor.

I don't remember much of the past. I'll have to renew my mind. Oh yes,

did I tell you I taught at Gordon Divinity School? Homiletics was my

specialty-that's preaching. I took everything I could take at the

Moody's Bible Institute, too, through their correspondence courses.

And in the years that followed, there were many men I learned from:

Glenn Clark, Karl Barth from Switzerland, E. Stanley Jones, Paul

Tillich, Starr Daily, Rufus Mosley, Dr. John Gaynor Banks, and there

were many, many others. I tried to get all I could learn from anybody.

For someone who can't remember the past, he sure could recall a lot

of names, almost as if he wants to name-drop.

Further, as someone found out, Moody has no record of vpw completing

ANY of its classes, which is the indicator someone completed a class.

Sounds like his claim of taking "all" their classes is just hot air.

We'll see more of his life soon. He's not very organized.

[WordWolf]

pg-176, vpw continues his tale:

quote:

"The people in my congregation in Payne were prosperous and very sensitive on

money. When I got there, the elders called me in and told me I had the run of the

pulpit, and that I could teach on anything

as long as I never mentioned money.

That first fall, for four Sundays in a row I taught on tithing,

but I didn't once mention money.

And they called me down, right in the basement of the church, and really sounded off

at me.

You see, it was that shallowness that so discouraged me.

Hm.

They told him he could do anything EXCEPT ONE,

and that was his immediate UNYIELDING focus,

and they had the nerve to be offended that he went 180 degrees from his instructions.

(ANY church where tithing is taught on for an ENTIRE MONTH looks like it's ONLY

in it for the money, and NOBODY will like it.)

"They said not to teach on money, so I didn't-I taught on tithing."

I'll bet he felt so clever, so pleased with himself for adhering-PARTLY-

to the letter while perverting the spirit of his instructions.

For those wondering if they were right to give him instructions,

they were the ELDERS-the experienced local leaders,

and he was the guy who JUST arrived and was young and lacking in experience.

Unless he had a compelling reason beyond tweaking their noses, he should have

considered their counsel wise and followed it.

quote:

"I remember Pearl Harbor. When was it? December of 1941? I debated that day what

to do as a minister. Where do I stand now that my country is at war? Do I enlist?

I decided I'd do a greater service to my country by staying home and serving as a

minister here.

Convenient coincidence that what served God just happened to be the easy path for him.

pg-177, he meets Rosalind Rinker in Indiana.

quote:

"After I met Rosalind Rinker in Indiana, I invited her to visit us in Payne, and

she came for a week that summer of 1942. Maybe it was August. I remember it was near

the end of summer, and she used to dog me on the Bible being the Word of God.

She talked to me about getting my own life in alignment and harmony with the Bible.

She was the one who had me make out lists of the good things I'd done, that was about

half a page, and all the bad things, that amounted to 10 or 12 pages. She was off on

that part, but the Bible as the Word of God, she really pushed that one. And I'd

never heard that in all my years of school-not believing it anyway.

quote:

The last night of her stay, she and I went into the church and knelt at the

pulpit chairs. I remember I asked God for forgiveness, understanding and love,

and I said if He really wanted me to serve Him, He would have to do something about

it for I was at the end of my rope.

Nothing cataclysmic happened then, except that I felt better mentally because I had

been making so many negative confessions, and that prayer was the first positive one.

It just washed out a lot of mental debris.

Then Rosalind left. It was the fall of the year. Kids were back in school already. It

must have been September. I was sitting in my office, an old dentist's office just

around the corner from the church where I prayed-I'll show you that too when we get

there. I bet you it's still there, though I haven't been back here since I left.

I was praying. And I told Father outright that He could have the whole thing, unless

there were real genuine answers that I wouldn't ever have to back up on.

And that's when He spoke to me audibly, just like I'm talking to you now. He said He

would teach me the Word as it had not been known since the first century if I would

teach it to others.

Well, I nearly flew off my chair. I couldn't believe that God would talk to me."

(page-178, since "Nothing cataclysmic...")

Watch this next quote from pg-179.

quote:

"The Word is buried today. If there's no one around to teach it, God has to

teach it Himself. You see, I am a product of my times. God knew me before the

foundations of the world, just like He knew you and everyone else. We were all in God's

foreknowledge from the beginnings.

God knew I would believe His Word. And every day I am more and more deeply convinced

of this ministry which teaches people the accuracy and integrity of God's Word.

Without this ministry the world would be in far greater spiritual darkness about His

Word. There would be less light in the world. Where else but in this ministry do you

find the Word of God so living and real? This is truly a time of terrific need."

Doctor nods his head abruptly, as if to punctuate his urgency.

"Well, I couldn't believe that God talked to me right then."

pg-180.

quote:

"Well, on the day God spoke to me, I couldn't believe it. But then I

came to the point by the next day where I said to myself-maybe it's true. So the next

day I talked to God again. I said, 'Lord, if it's really true what you said to me

yesterday, if that was really you talking to me, you've got to give me a sign so that

I can really know, so that I can believe.'

The sky was crystal blue and clear. Not a cloud in sight. It was a beautiful early

autumn day. I said 'If that was really you, and you meant what you said, give me a

sign. Let me see it snow.' My eyes were tightly shut as I prayed. And then I

opened them.

The sky was so white and thick with snow, I couldn't see the tanks at the filling

station on the corner not 75 feet away." Doctor relates this phenomenon in a joyous

voice.

quote:

The overcast sky turns restlessly over our heads and the sparse sprinkling of

snowflakes thickens on the windshield. Doctor laughs aloud.

"It reminds me of that day in 1942. It reminds me of that other time it snowed."

pg-181.

quote:

At the corner stands the Marathon Gas Station. Doctor shakes his head

from side to side. His face breaks into a ready smile. His eyes are blue, laughing or

crying. "It reminds me of the day..." he trails off. "That's where I was sitting when

I prayed to God to teach me the Word and show me how. And when I opened my eyes, it was

snowing so hard I couldn't see those gas pumps right there." He points to the pumps

a dozen yards or more from the window.

pg-185-186. vpw is continuing his tour.

quote:

"This kitchen is where the elders gave it to me for preaching on tithing. They

were hotter than fire crackers under the collar. They said, 'We told you-No money!'

Then I had to make a stand. I said 'You told me not to mention money, and I didn't

mention it once. I mentioned only tithing. Now you mind your business, and I'll mind

mine which is to take care of this church like I think God wants me to take care of it.'

That was it. After that, they didn't bother me anymore, and we had so much money come in,

it blew their minds."

[Belle]

quote:

For someone who can't remember the past, he sure could recall a lot

of names, almost as if he wants to name-drop.

Further, as someone found out, Moody has no record of vpw completing

ANY of its classes, which is the indicator someone completed a class.

Sounds like his claim of taking "all" their classes is just hot air.

Isn't one of the classic indications of a liar someone who embellishes and gives a lot more information than necessary to make a point?

[Ham]

quote:

And that's when He spoke to me audibly, just like I'm talking to you now. He said He

would teach me the Word as it had not been known since the first century if I would

teach it to others.

Well, I nearly flew off my chair. I couldn't believe that God would talk to me."

Notice how he anticipateds the reader's objections..

[templelady]

I read "uncle HArry" "The Way: LIving in Love" And I can remember thinking at the time that they were just glorified Ads for TWI.

Everyone has struggles--there are dark spots in everyone's lives that is true of orgaizations too.

It's those struggles that make us strong, that build character, that define policy, that create firm foundations.

But in Way World, the struggles are minor blimps, everything just comes together, all is light and harmony.

And yet the truth is so far removed from the fantasy.

but my favorite quote has always been

quote:

"You see, denominations are man-made," Tim begins. "Here we learn

what God says and we do things according to His Word. This is the closest

thing you'll find to the first century Church anywhere in the world. The

Church in the Bible is the body of people who believe. It's not a building

or a denomination, but the people who believe and act on the Word of God.

Denominations are "man made" And VPW was a ????

"We do things according to Gods Word"--As interpreted and expounded by VPW

"we do things as the first century church"--

actually if you get right down to it there is really nothing in the Bible about the actual day to day nuts and bolts of how the first century church operated. THere are glimpses of meeting in homes, sharing of resources, preaching, etc.

But no manual of the actual workings you know things like --

"today we met and passed a rule that members meeting in the west sector of Jerusalem needed to confine themselves to no more than 15 people as larger groups have caused complaints from the neighbors of disturbing the peace"

VPW took "meeting in homes" "all things in common" and ran with it, codifying and making decrees

"It's not a building

or a denomination, but the people who believe and act on the Word of God"

Lets see, we have the Way HQ , we have buildings, we have tax exempt status, we have security to keep people away that aren't up to our standards

(even in the LDS church-which practices excommunication-you aren't kept away from meetings --unless there are legal reasons-- since it is by coming to meetings and fellowship that you are able to straighten your life out), ABS, etc.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck....

TWI = denomination