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“What's the point of a CLASS?” Bolshevik, great question! And that’s the $64,000 question! And it’s a crucial question to an important issue…but the answer may vary depending on who you ask: What’s the point of PFAL? Loyal TWI-follower: PFAL teaches how to tap into power for abundant living. Disenchanted TWI-follower: Why did I have to pay for an infomercial on the Bible? TWI-cult survivor: PFAL is The Way International’s entry-level indoctrination program. There are no clues or hidden messages to help one delve even deeper into tapping “the power for abundant living”. But there are subtle manipulative and controlling tactics in PFAL that most new students are not aware of. Besides all the Scripture twisting, logical fallacies, interpolations, pontificating, fabricated/embellished anecdotes throughout PFAL there’s also the delicate social pressure of the class body – the degrees of influence exerted by the grads and even other new students are also a subliminal call for conformity to the group.

No, in this case, I was thinking about how one actor did it, and another kinda-sorta did it. So, he got 1/2 credit for showing up and walking around.

While we're at it, there is no Biblical basis for "fluency in SIT." There is a skeptical basis for "increasingly convincing bullsh!t," but that is totally the same damn not the same thing.

Manifestation = obviousness. manifestation φανέρωσις (phanerōsis) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's Greek 5321: A manifestation, disclosure. From phaneroo; exhibition, i.e. expression, a bestowment. Cognate: 5321 phanérōsis – a manifestation, a "coming to light." See 5319 (phaneroō). Amplified version: 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good. 8To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit; 9to another [wonder-working] faith [is given] by the same [Holy] Spirit, and to another the [extraordinary] gifts of healings by the one Spirit; 10and to another the working of [a]miracles, and to another prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and to another discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues. 11All these things [the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering] are brought about by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as He chooses. (I underlined the "familiar" bits.) Now hang on a bit. What's this about the expressing of words of Wisdom, etc? Step back a bit further. Verse 7 states these obviousnesses are "for the common good" (same in several versions). That's the common good of your friends, neighbours, colleagues, city; everyone, everywhere. It's not limited to a fellowship or church setting. So why do we suppose these manifestations operate only in private or in a TWI-setting? Take a look at other people, outside of Wayfer groupthink. You may well find that there are some people who seem extraordinarily wise, whose words offer comfort, guidance, etc - who always seem to know just the right thing to say. It's their background, training, thinking patterns, all of that - and something else. God has seeded, or salted, his people through all walks of life. Let's face it - we all need someone wise to turn to. Same with every other manifestation. Even "gifts of healings" whether or not they believe in God, Jesus or that the earth is flat. Soothing words of wisdom can operate just as well in conjunction with gifts of healings - see the rise of "talking therapies" these days, where we talk with trained counsellors, psychologists, etc or just mentors, to help us through difficult times. TWI picked on the noisy stuff because it was an attempt to distinguish themselves. They forgot what might be more significant - being wise, having vision for the future [prophecy], discernment [getting a handle on the motives of others] etc. This thread relates to TWI's newest class. Do you think they'll manage to remember that there are other people out there upon whom God's blessings fall, believers and unbelievers alike? D'ya think they'll understand that "common good" relates to everyone - and not "common with distinction" meaning only Wayfers?

Maybe they just think it’s regurgitatable