Hayes Gahagan

[pawtucket]

Hayes Gahagan contacted me and asked that I post this for him. The GSC website comes up when you do a search for him.

My involvement with The Way Ministry began in 1974 and ended quite abruptly in 1978, almost within hours after I had the privilege of running and losing a campaign as an Independent Conservative for the U.S. Senate.

No matter what anyone may say for better or worse about The Way Ministry or Hayes Gahagan, the fact is that our gracious Lord and Savior used a PFAL grad to reach out and touch a wretch like me with the Word of Salvation. For this, I shall be eternally grateful.

2. Request

For any of your visitors who may be interested, please refer them to hayesgahagan.wordpress.com for my testimony and other information about my life and family.

Sincerely

Hayes Gahagan

[mstar1]

He couldn't come here and post it himself?

[geisha779]

He Googled himself?

[So_crates]

[quote name='pawtucket' date='10 April 2011 - 09:43 AM' timestamp='1302443008' post='527243'.

My involvement with The Way Ministry began in 1974 and ended quite abruptly in 1978, almost within hours after I had the privilege of running and losing a campaign as an Independent Conservative for the U.S. Senate.

I find it interesting his affiliation with the ministry ended hours after he lost the elsction.

Didn't he have WAy people going dooor to door for his campaign.

I wonder who cut the ties. Saint Vic? Him?

SoCrates

[skyrider]

Hayes Gahagan contacted me and asked that I post this for him. The GSC website comes up when you do a search for him.

My involvement with The Way Ministry began in 1974 and ended quite abruptly in 1978, almost within hours after I had the privilege of running and losing a campaign as an Independent Conservative for the U.S. Senate.

No matter what anyone may say for better or worse about The Way Ministry or Hayes Gahagan, the fact is that our gracious Lord and Savior used a PFAL grad to reach out and touch a wretch like me with the Word of Salvation. For this, I shall be eternally grateful.

Translation: The simple, basic truths of Christianity are to be embraced. All other twi agendas, programs and propaganda I shunned as abruptly as possible. The Way Ministry used a pfal grad.....but I see no reason to discuss the abuse.

[So_crates]

Translation: The simple, basic truths of Christianity are to be embraced. All other twi agendas, programs and propaganda I shunned as abruptly as possible. The Way Ministry used a pfal grad.....but I see no reason to discuss the abuse.

Further translation: The Way served my purpose, I no longer need it, so I don't care about all the evil it done.

SoCrates

Edited April 10, 2011 by So_crates

[WordWolf]

He Googled himself?

You've never Googled your own name just to see what came up?

[WordWolf]

He couldn't come here and post it himself?

I think he wanted to make it crystal clear that he was not going to participate in discussions

here. He doesn't HAVE to, of course- there's no Constitution Right to the GSC, nor is there a

Constitutional Obligation to post here, either. He wishes to get on with his life post-twi.

It HAS been over 30 years, after a 4-year involvement. He's lived an entire lifetime since he left

twi.

I have to feel just a LITTLE sorry for him. We all made the same stupid mistake of thinking twi was

good and not harmful because we met some nice folks in twi. We left when we discovered twi was not good

and was harmful. We've all been free (mostly) to move on without our names forever connected to twi.

His name keeps getting connected with it, and probably will after his death. I don't see how his

involvement was fundamentally worse than the rest of us. We had convictions, we acted on them.

I haven't heard of him being in the twi circle of criminals or anything, vpw's circle of rapists

and molesters. vpw probably kept him well clear so he could think the group was squeaky-clean

and support it openly. (If I'm wrong, I'll wait until there's more than speculation to indicate

he was actually a partaker of evil deeds.)

[WordWolf]

I find it interesting his affiliation with the ministry ended hours after he lost the elsction.

Didn't he have WAy people going dooor to door for his campaign.

I wonder who cut the ties. Saint Vic? Him?

SoCrates

Playing armchair detective.

I would say that vpw would never have cut the ties. vpw would have considered him a man

of at least a little influence- and vpw had so few of those and courted those he met.

IIRC, twi got in trouble because vpw did exactly that and ASSIGNED people to work for

the election-which is a violation of the claimed separation of church and state.

So, it is unlikely vpw cut the ties.

On the other hand, look at it from the candidate's perspective. He's a "believer", and has

bought in to the entire pfal package, at least at the Foundational level. This means he's

a firm believer in the supposed "LAW" of Believing. So, he Believes to win the election,

and does all the pfal keys to appropriate the result of his Believing, and even has other

Believers who are doing the same. Then he loses the election- clearly indicating the

so-called "LAW" of Believing didn't work. The natural response to such a discovery is

backing off from the organization pushing it down your throat as "how things happen"-

because you can prove that is NOT how things happen.

So, purely as speculation, I would say HG left, and vpw wanted him to stay. It's pure

speculation, but I think it's pretty sound speculation, pending more information.

It at least matches what we know of the 2 parties.

Translation: The simple, basic truths of Christianity are to be embraced. All other twi agendas, programs and propaganda I shunned as abruptly as possible. The Way Ministry used a pfal grad.....but I see no reason to discuss the abuse.

[Well, it's not like he HAS to discuss the abuse. AFAIK, he was neither a participant, nor a victim,

nor an eyewitness, of the personal abuses of people, so he probably figures it's not his business and

he has his own life to deal with.

The internet already has US discussing the abuse. It's not like he's been "drafted" into discussing it, too.

He doesn't want to-so I think he shouldn't HAVE to. He can just move on.

[skyrider]

Well, it's not like he HAS to discuss the abuse. AFAIK, he was neither a participant, nor a victim, nor an eyewitness, of the personal abuses of people, so he probably figures it's not his business and he has his own life to deal with.

Exactly.....that's what I'm saying. Why should he?

Like other pfal grads that I've talked to who slipped away from twi very quickly.....most are thankful for their brush with the pfal class AND THANKFUL TO HAVE MOVED ON QUICKLY.

[geisha779]

You've never Googled your own name just to see what came up?

I have now :) ...and it was a little disconcerting to see an obituary with my same name on it.

[mstar1]

Too bad the pol forum is no more...that would be fun--especially after reading his link

[WordWolf]

Too bad the pol forum is no more...that would be fun--especially after reading his link

Then, for his own sake, it sounds like he picked the PERFECT time to say it.

I have now :) ...and it was a little disconcerting to see an obituary with my same name on it.

I didn't even know you were SICK!

:o

[chockfull]

Interesting. From Hayes "For the Record" page on his blog. Apparantly he is getting some negative publicity due to his name being associated in some ways with TWI. This appears to be what is behind his request here...

As a young father, it did not take long for me to realize that although I had an instruction manual for my car, my stereo and every appliance we owned, we had no instruction manual on how to raise a child. Linda was a graduate student at the University of Maine in Orono at the time. She had been brought up as a Christian Scientist; I had been brought up as a Republican and had little if any spiritual grounding.

We began visiting essentially all of the religious organizations on campus and in the local community, including Catholic, Protestant, and even something called the Urantia Foundation. What we eventually found was a student Bible-teaching fellowship right on campus. A young Republican friend of mine from Caribou, a student at UMO, invited us to attend. The fellowship was basically a group of young Christians who were actually excited and enthusiastic about reading and studying this Book they called the Word of God, the Bible. It did not take long for us to see the light; we had found our instruction manual for raising children – and for life. Linda and I became Christians.

What happened soon after our personal conversion to Christianity has become perhaps an interesting sentence in Maine political history. Without going into more detail at this time, it would be correct to say I found out first hand that politics and religion is a volatile mix and can be hazardous to your health. For any of you old enough to care to remember or any who may be tracking this kind of stuff on the Internet, I have not had any association with The Way Biblical Research and Teaching Ministry since 1978; this was an organization whose members supported my campaign and several others during that election cycle. This is very old news but it continues to pop up. As a former candidate, I can only suggest that some endorsements are better than others – although I doubt there would have been as much hoorah had I come out of the closet as a gay globally- warmed Darwinian Democrat instead of coming out as a straight-up, politically incorrect, God-fearing, traditional conservative Republican.

[mstar1]

He's getting to run for something and disavowing his cult background.

Who were the 'several other campaigns' that The Way supported in that election cycle?

Ive never heard any other names.

[Rocky]

This isn't the only website that links Hayes with TWI.

I've googled myself... not only do I find things about (and written by) me, but there are several other people with the same name in the US, including some interesting and accomplished people. It's an odd feeling to read one's own name associated with other people's exploits and accomplishments. Fortunately, all of what I've found about the others with my name is good stuff.

But that also goes to the question of how you can be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all. :)

[mstar1]

Im a writer of Catholic childrens books, a second unit director of Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets, a painter of Australian seascapes, as well as an accomplished Scottish Footballer on Google.

The footballer (is that soccer or rugby?) even has his own bobblehead.

I apparently really get around !

I should run for office just to totally confusticate those who oppose me

Edited April 11, 2011 by mstar1

[hiway29]

If his cult involvement keeps him from ever getting elected to anything, then I have to admit the Way accomplished something worthwhile after all.

[OperaBuff]

Without going into more detail at this time, it would be correct to say I found out first hand that politics and religion is a volatile mix and can be hazardous to your health.

That verse interprets itself right where it is written, kids. I'm thinking that in 1978, Hayes experienced his first (and last) face-melting experience.

[johniam]

I suspect that twi's recruitment of celebrities was OBVIOUS to the point it turned them off. Let's see...there was football player Tony Collins, baseball player Tony Phillips, hockey player Jim Schoenfeld, plus even Skip and Dave G. had pro experience on their resumes. I even heard that Ralph D. was undershepherding Eldridge Cleaver through the class. At some point it must become obvious that these celebrities were being used as props; not cared for as individuals. That had to factor into why HG left ABRUPTLY.

In the world, celebrities are recruited into causes, like scientology, the environment, gay rights, etc. I suspect that sitting senator Al Franken had a lot to do with getting the Grateful Dead to help promote Obama during his campaign in '08. Franken and his then comic partner Tom Davis appear on at least 2 Grateful Dead videos. TWI is probably still desperate for anything that will up their credibility.

[johniam]

whoops (double post)

Edited April 11, 2011 by johniam

[OldSkool]

Just goes to show you what being in TWI can do to a person's future.

[socks]

Celebrity recruitment is really a different topic - sort of I guess.

GS sort of mixes up references on that and I just want to clarify something you reminded me of johniam.

while "The Way Inc." may have wanted influence, the people themselves and what their Way involvement meant are two different things.

F'instance in Skip and Dave's case, they weren't recruited by "The Way Inc." or anything close. About '71 Cookin' Mama did a gig in Lake Tahoe with TOP - our sax player hooked up with Skip and several of us spent some time uh, talking. Dave too, and he and Skip connected with others from the SF Bay Area later. I'd first met Skip when I was 13, in bands we were in at that time. Some of us had played in and around each other for years.

There was no "recruitment" to "The Way Inc". There were some serious things some of us were dealing with at the time and opportunity for deliverance was a good thing, not a recruitment thing.

We were grads of PFAL but not recruiting for the Way, we were witinessing to Jesus Christ and sharing the Bible. The Way wasn't something to join, it was something to do, to enjoy, a point of contact and gathering for people. PFAL was something we enjoyed and shared with others.

The interest was very real and legitimate and involved the people, their lives and what they needed and how God provided.

Can't speak for a lot of the others "names" that have come and gone over the years but if theirs was a similar experience it was people helping people.

(I think this is common thread throughout my life - speaking for myself but not being a 'celebrity', others can speak for themselves. Whatever it was I did or shared it was because I thought it could help others in ways that God, Jesus Christ and knowing the Bible could help with. Being "in" The Way? That wasn't a bad thing for me and it was like lily white ice cream compared to some of what I'd been and been with before that. And when it became bad and it was time for change - that's what I did. It's not a perfectly walked path I've been on but the long view shows one that's been the right one. )

[Mike]

...

There was no "recruitment" to "The Way Inc". There were some serious things some of us were dealing with at the time and opportunity for deliverance was a good thing, not a recruitment thing.

We were grads of PFAL but not recruiting for the Way, we were witinessing to Jesus Christ and sharing the Bible. The Way wasn't something to join, it was something to do, to enjoy, a point of contact and gathering for people. PFAL was something we enjoyed and shared with others.

The interest was very real and legitimate and involved the people, their lives and what they needed and how God provided.

Can't speak for a lot of the others "names" that have come and gone over the years but if theirs was a similar experience it was people helping people.

Amen ! :)

Edited April 11, 2011 by Mike

[waysider]

Celebrity recuitment is really quite a different animal. I like to call it trophy mentality. It's when you recruit someone who has an established celebrity status because you think it will make an impression on potential clients. It's not unique to The Way. In fact, it's actually a tried and true sales technique that used to be popular with door-to-door salesmen......Here's a slight variation on the technique:..."You know, Mrs. Jones, your neighbor, Mrs. Smith, just bought one of these. She loves it and you know what a great housekeeper she is.."