Leaderboard

Thanks for that perspective, OS. I'll just add that one cannot be respectful while rewriting someone else's past to conform with one's own preconceptions. You don't get to tell people who spent 40 years caring about little more than getting God right, who spent their lives in prayer and pursuit of the things of God, that their faith was simply not genuine, and then write that off as a plainly stated opinion. And then accuse ME of arrogance when I hold a mirror up to YOUR actions? [Not you, OS]. Horse hit. You don't get to rewrite my history and call it your opinion.

TLC, this in no way is directed at you and I'm doing my best to stay out of the fray. I think one of the things I've learned to value the most since leaving TWI 13 years ago is people have the God given freedom to believe what they want to believe. Personally, I had several years where I simply was not an active Christian and spent most of my time in bars either working on getting drunk or maintaining my drunkeness. Honestly, I simply didn't care anylonger about anything related to the Bible, Jesus Christ, God, etc. Yes, I allowed TWI as an excuse in my life to go down that road, and not that they sent me there - that was my choice. Honestly, I used to hide who I was from people who didn't know me when I was way corps and all that jazz. I was ashamed of the fact that I got sold out to an abusive cult when frankly I should have known better. As time went on I totally quit drinking, I won't touch even a drop, and I went straight back into the Bible with a fresh perspective. I can honestly say that I have a great relationship with God and am learning what it means to follow Jesus Christ. Now. Heres my point. Not everyone is going to go my route, and hopefully not since I did spend several years on a self-destructive binge. Whether or not people believe what I do, or live the way I do, no longer matters to me. I simply respect the God given freedom that God gave us to choose what we believe and why, and I've learned to respect others boundaries and do my best to not cross them. Obviously I am excited to work and share scripture again or I never would have put the work into the article I posted. I really enjoyed doing the homework, and I'm just simply sharing what I am learning and living so I can hear other's perspectives and learn. So whether or not someone was a Christian and no longer is doesn't matter to me. It's simply not my place to judge. One thing I do know is that the Lord Jesus Christ draws people to God and what route folks take to get there isn't my business. My job is to simply love people and help them out in life the best I am able without regard for any potential gain on my part. Some of you may disagree with my point of view and I completely respect that, let's just be respectful and help each other out. Peace!

He called you out for being condescending. HE wasn't the one being mean or arrogant. Since there's something you can admit you don't understand, you can TRY to phrase a question-without an accompanying insult- to one of several posters here who actually can explain. Instead, you drew a conclusion. You also engaged in the "no true Irishman" logical fallacy. If you're interested in learning, you can ask questions. If it's a matter of being offended by being around people with whom you disagree, well, then we know why you stopped coming around here. BTW, nobody is even asking you to change your opinion to make it less offensive. When you post, however, you should make an effort not to be so transparently offensive. No, you didn't MEAN to be offensive- but you were, nonetheless- and that's coming from someone whose worldview may not look that different from yours.

Good points. A) vpw was put forth- by himself and others- as some sort of super-believer. lcm was convinced he was some sort of super-believer once he was twi president. It would be obvious who needs to set the good example and super-believe to blow the rain out of the area for the next few days. Done from the main stage, it would have allowed them to be fully theatrical AND settle the issue of just HOW bad@$$ they were- as much as they claimed to be, if they could alter weather patterns on command and in a minute. Yet, they never tried. That vpw CLAIMED he could do such things but he never TRIED to do something like that from the main stage just shows that vpw was secretly well aware just how POWERLESS he was in comparison to his claims. I once walked some kids home in Summer, Once I got them to their block (a partially-protected block), I agreed they were safe enough to walk the last few steps by themselves (they were young teenagers walking less than a block.) I asked them to promise that- as soon as they got home- they would stop and pray for the coming rain to hold off until I got home. They agreed. I saw them off, and marched home with all reasonable speed, hoping to get home before the rain because I didn't pack an umbrella. As it turned out, they did exactly as requested, calling their family to the door so they could pray together immediately. Me, I prayed, marched, and just focused on making the best time. There was occasional thunder, and once a few drops began to fall, then stopped. I might say that the charged air even felt a bit frustrated- but that could easily be argued to be an active imagination. When I got home, I got as far as the elevator before the thunderstorm dropped, so I missed the sound of it starting. I did, however, get inside my building seconds before the storm hit. Naturally, one might consider this a fascinating coincidence, or think I'm exaggerating, or that I'm outright lying. (I insist I'm neither exaggerating nor lying.) Nobody made a big deal out of this at the time, but I respected those teens BEFORE this, and if anything, respected them more AFTER this. So, a couple of teenagers were cool with praying to delay some weather for 20 minutes. For one super-believer, it should have been a piece of cake to MOVE some weather with a single prayer. B) Yes, there's mundane solutions- which were NEVER put into actions. They knew where the tents were going to be. They knew where the rain runoffs happened. They knew where the relief was going to be needed (same spots as the last several years...) Why not make preparations during Corps Week- either something temporary for the next few weeks, or install something useful that could be maintained lightly each year? It would have been good for the people who showed up, and made for happier attendees. They had the people, they had the resources. The remaining reason they didn't do it was that they didn't CARE that anyone's tent was at risk of flooding every single year. If they were seen as PEOPLE and not as RESOURCES, this would have been very different. From the main stage, vpw would often talk about how much he loved the people who attended. But his love ended there- because after that, he elected never to TAKE ACTION to DEMONSTRATE that love- which means, of course, it was ALL TALK. Little of this should surprise anyone, any more.

"You guys are just poopy-heads. I'm gonna take my ball and go home. So there!" (Cue the sound of stomping feet and slamming doors.)

Anytime, bro. Let me know if there are any other uncomfortable truths you can't handle. Be more than happy to serve you a little more of what you're dishing out, just to see your shocked SHOCKED reaction.

If the trustees couldn't stop the rain (by their believing) where the boiling heat and humidity collide into somewhat-expected torrential thunderstorms EACH YEAR...... how's about just using common sense? Wouldn't it have been smart and feasible to install drainage pipeline in the camping area? I know that Way Builders installed miles of electrical wiring for hookups and such. For seventeen (17) years (1978-1995), twi made a boatload of money by using free labor from corps to put on the rock of ages. How about installing drainage pipeline so that campers experience far less discomfort after those Ohio thunderstorms? The male/female corps tents were set up to give the worker bees six hours of sleep before their next shift. Looking back at all this....... the coerced/exploited labor was off the charts. Work. Work. Work. Where was the thanks? Where was the love? Oftentimes, the people (corps) who gave the most..... were the MOST EXPLOITED. Wierwille had NO empathy in realizing all the hardships and burdens that he was placing on this pilgrimage each year. I know that I repeat myself.... but the only thing that explains all this, to me, is that wierwille was a blatant narcissist. He had NO empathy for others who went thru trauma and hardships. Wierwille had tunnel vision for only that which he deemed fitting or necessary. No holy spirit within was working in wierwille. He was governed by his narcissist pathological disorders. Full stop!

"Islamophobic" is used to smear anyone who stands up to Islam. Wouldn't want to be "intolerant," you know. George

"The key to recovering from alcoholism is to raise a glass to toast sobriety." -prolly the same guy on YouTube