Why Did You Leave TWI?

[excathedra]

you rock, tag !!!!

that was really funny about new knoxville

--

i don't do church and i never will again, but i agree with you about love and support -- not sure about the word stuff :)

--

oh, the temp to perm was hysterical

and i too am a "believer" although i really don't like that term, i'll have to think of what i like

ps. i think there's a political forum near the bottom where you can really rock ;)

[excathedra]

did i ever answer this thread

i finally got up the guts to leave because ohmygod i could not have psychogear or craigo be my new father ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haha hahah

thank you joe fair and ralph graham for yelling at me

i love you guys

[tagalong]

you rock, tag !!!!

that was really funny about new knoxville

--

i don't do church and i never will again, but i agree with you about love and support -- not sure about the word stuff :)

--

oh, the temp to perm was hysterical

and i too am a "believer" although i really don't like that term, i'll have to think of what i like

ps. i think there's a political forum near the bottom where you can really rock ;)

You seem really cool too excathedra. :)

[tagalong]

I guess I have trouble with this question because I never worked for twi or signed any contract to attend meetings for the rest of my life. I never took any oath of office or anything like that. I did enjoy the Rock of Ages 1976 as a Roman Catholic who was blown away by the experience. (Never saw or heard of "sex orgys" sorry to dissappoint some of you). Just the food,fun, fellowship was a great thrill to me. They were almost all strangers to me but it was like being with my high school class or something. (Maybe I'll think of a better way to say it later). I was thrilled to learn what I learned in PFAL ( I never made it to the "advontced closs"-like he said with that german accent or whatever accent it was). I was just a beginner. I was never a "wild eyed Way Corps: fanatic (using Martindale's words the best I can remember). I went to college in the early 80s and just stopped coming. It started to remind me more of football (I quit football) after a while but I never had any bad confrontation or any fights or anything like a lot of people here seem to have had.

With football you actually "joined" a team and were a member. I never "joined" the Way International.

I guess I have trouble with this question because I never worked for twi or signed any contract to attend meetings for the rest of my life. I never took any oath of office or anything like that. I did enjoy the Rock of Ages 1976 as a Roman Catholic who was blown away by the experience. (Never saw or heard of "sex orgys" sorry to dissappoint some of you). Just the food,fun, fellowship was a great thrill to me. They were almost all strangers to me but it was like being with my high school class or something. (Maybe I'll think of a better way to say it later). I was thrilled to learn what I learned in PFAL ( I never made it to the "advontced closs"-like he said with that german accent or whatever accent it was). I was just a beginner. I was never a "wild eyed Way Corps: fanatic (using Martindale's words the best I can remember). I went to college in the early 80s and just stopped coming. It started to remind me more of football (I quit football) after a while but I never had any bad confrontation or any fights or anything like a lot of people here seem to have had.

With football you actually "joined" a team and were a member. I never "joined" the Way International.

I do feel ripped off that they never told me about the sex orgys though

[cheranne]

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly.

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly.

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly.

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly.

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly.

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly.

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly.

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly!

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly!

I wasn't *yanked out*, but once I saw the hypocrisy of *do as I say*, I was on the way out.

After hearing multiple stories of something I never would have imagined possible, I began to see that twi was no more than a church in sheep's clothing. Woops -- did I say *church*?? I meant wolf. :unsure:

I didn't believe the first reports I heard (hey -- I am a long ways from hdqtrs), but when they kept coming up;

and coming up;

and coming up;

It got pretty hard to ignore the reports.

It got really hard to absolve guilt from all I heard;

AND THE GUILT STARTED FROM THE TOP!!!

I left the outfit because they had sunk to lower depths than those they had castigated in the past. They became the outfit that they always preached against -- the church.

Legalistic.

Demanding.

*Our way or the Highway*.

No question of Doctrine.

You follow -- We lead.

And on, and on, and on, and on.

Does anyone here believe in the law of gravity??????????

WHAT IS CORRUPT AT THE TOP, WILL FIND IT'S WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

David

To put it mildly!

[Eagle]

• Too much legalism and too little grace
  
• Required Tithing
  
• Invasion of Privacy and Running my Personal Live
  
• Spiritual Abuse or Physical Abuse
  
• Neglect by Leadership and Believers
  
• Elitism of the WC and the Trustees
  
• Abuse by the WC
  
• martindale
  
• Doctrine
  

Those are my reasons. I voted for the Legalism just because it seems to embody most of the other reasons, but I would have chosen "all of the above" if it had been an option.

That pretty much sums it up.

[Pax]

Doctrine.

Because just about 100% of what they taught is made up in someone's imagination.

They leave intellectual integrity after about... let's see,

"The Bible is an important book, worth becoming familiar with."

this was their logical second step (that they didn't take)

Religion, although very, very dangerous, can also be a positive thing.

They, instead, go the route of legislating truth for others, for profit (and other sick motives).

I left the Way because I saw a the possibility of a life based on something more substantial than one man's psychopathology.

I left the Way because I knew there were people out there who could honestly teach me the Bible, with intellectual integrity. There were, I did, and "That has made all the difference." Thank you , Lord.

True religion is a beautiful thing, it's free, it's humble, it's joyous, it's convicting, it's deep, it's spiritual, it's delightful, it's inclusive, it's unafraid of dispute and differences.

Try: "The Center For Progressive Christianity"

[dmiller]

Here's hoping "The Center For Progressive Christianity" doesn't tell you to "bend over, and assume the position".

[WordWolf]

From what I see, there's no "Christianity" in the so-called

"Center for Progressive Christianity."

There's no sin, no need for a "savior", thus there's no Messiah,

no specially Anointed One of God, no "The Son of God"

and no Redeemer.

Since it's all relative, there's also no "Truth", so there's no

"True Religion", which means claiming it has anything to do with a

concept it REJECTS is either ignorance, lies, or deliberate attempts

to deceive the other posters here.

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

If you're going to be a Unitarian Universalist, just go ahead and

be that and don't hide behind some label that conceals that.

Edited July 6, 2010 by WordWolf

[100% Free]

I can't believe I took the advice of people who were so egotistical.

[Pax]

Unitarian Universalism is to The Way International

as

Shakespeare is to Weird Al Yankovich

Victor Wierwille is to John Shelby Spong

as

Glen Beck is to the Dali Lama

[dmiller]

Unitarian Universalism is to The Way International

as

Shakespeare is to Weird Al Yankovich

Victor Wierwille is to John Shelby Spong

as

Glen Beck is to the Dali Lama

How long did it take for you to come up with that one?

Here's hoping you didn't lose any sleep over it!

[Broken Arrow]

I was getting fed up with the dictatorial attitude of top leadership who were so out of touch with what it was like living in the real world. Once we had a baby, it was very difficult to maintain my level of involvement (I was Corps) and still provide for my family. Then came Corps Week/ROA '86 and the reading of the poop paper.

While I found the contents therein shocking, that was not the reason I left. What I became very disillusioned by was the conduct of top leadership in the face of this crisis. LCM "knee-jerking" and letting the contents of the paper leak out so that people started getting upset. Geer feeding into the situation and reading the document publically and then offering no help. Then when some freaked, he criticized them and used that as evidence as to how much insanity existed in the The Way Corps in the U.S.

I saw a lot of top clergy turn into raving, yelling, lunatics. I was taught by TWI to always try to find a solution. Try to work together. Avoid name calling and don't react out of anger. But our top leadership, the ones who were supposed to be the cream of the crop basically acted like grade school children who weren't getting their way. When the trash can lid that was the dictatorial authority of TWI was lifted off the trash can, which was the rest of the ministry, people showed their true colors. Never in my life had I seen a group of adults act so immature. These were men I admired and looked up to, and wanted to be like. Not anymore. I looked around and said, "These guys are bunch of idiots!"

I stayed in an offshoot for awhile. That fellowship became very very stale, and it became more about the ego of the leader than anything else. It's still in operation today and it's still about the ego of the leader. The guy really needs to be somebody. You don't have to tell him how great he is, he'll tell you himself usually before you can get a word in edgewise. I left that group out of sheer boredom. I do other stuff now I find satisfying and fulfilling, but that's probably for another thread.

BTW, I would advise one and all to avoid offshoots. I don't like to make blanket statements, but in this case I think I'm correct in saying that any offshoot ascribes to the doctrine of TWI which is V.P. was taught The Word by God Himself. If they didn't believe that, they would not be an offshoot. In my experience, I have found that offshoots are typically even worse than TWI. Let me type that again...IN MY EXPERIENCE, I HAVE FOUND THAT OFFSHOOTS ARE TYPICALLY EVEN WORSE THAN TWI. From what I've seen, whoever has started the offshoot has a very inflated opinion of themselves and they want to be "the man" (I don't see any women starting offshoots...hmmm). There are even fewer checks and balances than there were in TWI and thus the tyranny is worse. That's all I have to say about it, but if someone wants to talk about it more, I would be more than happy to engage in a dialogue but it should be on another thread.

[Tzaia]

From what I see, there's no "Christianity" in the so-called

"Center for Progressive Christianity."

There's no sin, no need for a "savior", thus there's no Messiah,

no specially Anointed One of God, no "The Son of God"

and no Redeemer.

Since it's all relative, there's also no "Truth", so there's no

"True Religion", which means claiming it has anything to do with a

concept it REJECTS is either ignorance, lies, or deliberate attempts

to deceive the other posters here.

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

If you're going to be a Unitarian Universalist, just go ahead and

be that and don't hide behind some label that conceals that.

That's one way of looking at it. Or maybe they're just being honest.

[outandabout]

Speaking of babies, I was once in a morning meeting and the branch leader's wife said she didn't want to see a particular new mother not show up at things because of "that damn baby." Nice. Even in my Way Brain I knew something wasn't right.

[100% Free]

Speaking of babies, I was once in a morning meeting and the branch leader's wife said she didn't want to see a particular new mother not show up at things because of "that damn baby." Nice. Even in my Way Brain I knew something wasn't right.

Oh dear God. That's even scary when you think anout it. What an insane thing to say.

[Human without the bean]

They got rid of me. They asked me why I wanted to stay. I quoted them Eph. 3 17. They said it wasn't good enough.

My dog thinks of me that way.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Human without the bean

[teachmevp]

I left the wow field back in 83, was just thought of that blue pin too much, because of the wow's who bend over backwards to teach me the word, so I went home in Cheyenne Wy. One day I was driving down the road and I saw this van with that green way bumper sticker, and I heard, move in with them, so I stopped and went over there to that van, a few days later we were in a house; they found the house and I put up the dough, as far as I was concerned, they could have the house, I want to do some way thing living, and I was, I was doing good. No, but one of those people in that van was a bully, I found myself looking at the table being lifted up against the wall, and the leg being rip off, this big bully told me to get out of that house 1:00 at night, just because he was a con man. This guy worked leadership; but I got to meet Michail T. O'buck, it all worked out. People with heart, can get hurt bad, because of what the way has become.

[OnionEater]

Because it was available.

[teachmevp]

Available to con the con; good people get hurt?

[HappyGay]

About every reason that I found on Greasespotcafe.com. What a God send and I "thank you" all! More than anything else was their intense hatred towards homosexuals. I spent 25 in this ministry trying to repress myself and be a good follower. I just recently left and I feel absolutely "wonderful" about it.

Once I realized what a con V.P. Wierwille's doctrines were...I said, "no more!"

[JavaJane]

Welcome to the cafe', HG! Hope you enjoy your stay!! You will not find KoolAid anywhere on the menu here!

Have some coffee on me:

[Bolshevik]

Welcome to the cafe', HG! Hope you enjoy your stay!! You will not find KoolAid anywhere on the menu here!

Have some coffee on me:

JJ . . . the Kool-Aid man is hiding in the coffee . . . he's looking at us . . .

[JavaJane]

JJ . . . the Kool-Aid man is hiding in the coffee . . . he's looking at us . . .

Bolshie, did you spike your coffee with acid again? I don't see any MAN in the coffee (or behind the curtain).

[Bolshevik]

Bolshie, did you spike your coffee with acid again? I don't see any MAN in the coffee (or behind the curtain).

but I . . . I . . .

*shrugs nervously*