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Charity, since you're new, I'll tell you this in advance. One of Mike's hallmarks is to go on for pages on subjects nobody wants, and lots of people refute or debate. When someone has a question about something SPECIFIC and CONCRETE, then Mike suddenly doesn't have time. In over 20 years, he's never even clarified his belief system as he sees it- because he'd get called on it. Instead, he changes positions in secret and claims people misrepresent him based on his previous posts, and uses terms that try to make it sound like he's not that different from everyone else. a la twi. I even opened a thread to discuss people changing their positions on things over the years. Mike refused to post on it. There's someone hiding something.

I was badly broken after being kicked out and was a desperate, near suicidal, wreck for a good ten years afterwards. I was deeply ashamed then, and am ashamed of that person who I'd been turned into. It wasn't really "me" - I'd been brought up by my parents to be much better than I became. I hurt people that I cannot apologise to (how I wish I could!). I don't really talk about it, either. But I do use the post-TWI experience and growth to try to help others who have been in equally desperate circumstances. Lemons into lemonade, as it were. I have much more to share now, and a bigger base for helping others. Life is sooooooooooooo much better now. Thank God. Thank the Lord Jesus, who rescued me from all that stuff.

...but, first, burn all your bridges behind you.

I agree wholeheartedly. Way to go Christ and OldSkool .

Very honest post, OldSkool. Thank you.

Even after I say there's no point in discussing things with Mike, I still feel the desire or need to shine some light and truth on what he says - not so much for him because he doesn't want to see it, but for others, especially new people, who read his posts. On my walk outside just now, I talked to Christ about all those still blinded by twi, those who are hurting in twi, those who have left twi but are still hurting and those who, like me, are beginning to heal or like others who are continuing to heal years after leaving twi. GSC is one way Christ can lead people into the way, and the truth and the life which is to himself.

Here you go Mike, Jumping to concussions: The Power of Pentecost Island

He hasn’t posted here in a number of years sorry

Yes he might be spinning us up in response to a criticism. But it relates to this idea of “collaterals” or something as an entity or whole that I guess now we are making molten images of? So is the next statue for the lobby a bronze desk with “collaterals” on it? I see that in the Way rag. Pumping up the RHST book and another VPW pistis teaching. As a way to misdirect the idea from the golden image of “The Teacher” to a golden image of “The Teachings”

Hmmmmm. Could we label this “collateral” damage?

In PFAL VPW described a guy pointing blindly to random verses for instruction on what to do with himself. I remember one verse being "and Judas went out and hanged himself" and the next was "what though doest do quickly". Or something like that. Apparently, this is called Bibliomancy. A book is picked that is believed to hold truth. It is balanced on its spine and allowed to fall open. A passage is picked, with the eyes closed. Not that different from how everything was done.

This is pretty funny. If you take all the things we are calling out TWI on you can see a running list of how Mike is pretending to use words that negate the criticism. It’s like someone who is so desperate they will say anything to appear something than they are not. What Jesus would do is what you see him doing in the gospels. He would confront the lying political Pharisees who made life easier for themselves and harder for the average religious follower. He would have tipped over the money changers tables. Like we are doing calling out all the sin in the financial handling of TWI. Like we are confronting the Pharisees of OW-4 with their self serving and self seeking decisions. What Jesus would have done is what He is inspiring Christians to do. Not listen to fake tree planters and listen to those who teach according to His purpose not their own.

Holy smokes, thats a real thing! I mean the Bible seems to work better if someone like....actually uses it as intended...I mean...just read that dang thing........its a book...not a...

Jesus wept.

No I believe they disbanded the TWI in state bookstore to avoid the reporting requirements. Yes they along with most states run a bookstore for TWI or used to. I do think the law changed after that. I’m not referring to state government entities.

Arizona doesn't have a state bookstore. Never has. Not sure to what you were actually referring. But the legislature DID get rid of the nonprofit financial reporting requirement. The records were kept by the AZ Corporation Commission. They didn't get rid of the ACC either. It's established by the state constitution and it primarily regulates utility rates. It won't be eliminated anytime soon.

Well, let's talk about me for a minute. Im thinking it would be easy to read a "position of moral authority" into my posts and musings here on GSC where I seem to be jeering at wierwille and accusing him of folly and not really looking at that pile of rubbish in my own backyard...well...lets talk about OldSkools problems for a minute before we get to the solution. Mike - I am a chronic alcoholic who has been sober for several years now. Im literally the worst person when Im drinking. I lost everything to alcoholism...and nearly comitted suicide in 2017 because I hated myself on a level that I still cant put into words adaquetly. When I was drinking I lived in bars, I left my wife, I was a womanizer, was doing cocaine like it was creamer in my coffee...and all of this after I left TWI and after I had a knowledge of scripture, whether that knowledge be good bad or indifferent. If you were to look back on my life from where I am now you would see a person who was mean spirited, a trained fighter, and extremely violent. You would find an occultist who had both hands in the devils bag of tricks. You would find a liar, alcoholic, and druggie who would be just as likely to buy a person a shot of Tequila and turn around and fight them half hour later. I was awful. The pits. I literally have not one shred of justification left to assume any moral superiority or high ground ever. I was among the worst of the worst. It wasnt the way international that saved me mike. It wasnt wierwille or his doctrines...he gets no credit. It was Jesus Christ. Not only did he sacrifice himself for our sins but he is here every step of the way, and nobody is able to pluck us from his hands. When I was drinking myself into oblivion I kept getting a vision of waves crashing onto a very rocky shoreline over and over. I eventually came to understand that I would remain caught in those waves drowning in alcohol and hurting myself and my loved ones over and over again as I crashed onto that rocky shoreline. Well...I eventually reached rock bottom where I knew death was just around the corner from me and it was zeroing in on what little life I had left. I repented. I have literally emptied myself of all pride, sin(s), anything I have ever tried to hide from God and Christ..I have asked for and received forgiveness. I have spent several years now making amends to the ones I hurt. I have apologized in writing to my former wife and am actively doing all I can to make her life better. I have confessed my short comings to my 16 year old son and have been very open and honest with him on everything. Even things most parents would shelter their kids...well I wont shelter him because he doesnt need to get caught in the same generational problems my family carries. I have come clean with my current wife. She literally saved my life by her stand for the Lord Jesus Christ. Her words and confrontation to me when I was drunk are the reason I am alive today...those words still echo in my head "Surrender yourself to Christ...stop fighting and submit" -- thats literally what she told me and I have. Today, I am giving her the best life I can give her. There is nothing left to hide. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I am open and honest on my sins, my lifestyle, and my humbleness of heart to serve the Lord. I am actively working with others including the homeless and other alcoholics/drug addicts. No Im not in AA either, not that I have anything against them beause I don't. I am very active in ministering and there is nothing that points to me as some great one...I will only point the way to Christ because I am redeemed scum of the earth. I dont deserve the breath I am breathing, but I fully understand that every breath I take is a gift of life from our Creator and I have never been more thankful. So, when it comes to me Mike..I am literally a man who is breathing fresh air for the first time ever. I am as open and honest as I can be before God and man...and when there is anything I need to change I will change. The Lord is very active in my life and he chastises me as well as leads me to greener pastures. Hes is my Lord and I am in service to Jesus Christ because it was him who died for me, it was Christ who saved me, it is Christ who strengthens me, succors me, and causes me to be victorious over sin as long as I stay open and honest and continue to push into the new nature and reckon the old as deceased. That is the essence of Christianity -- release from the corrupted sin nature into the glorious new nature of the last Adam - Jesus Christ! Let me be clear - wierwille never did any of those things for me and he is a cheap conterfeit. Im not trying to be insulting to you or mean. Im just being honest and giving an honest account as someone who stands for and actively fellowships with God and Jesus Christ. So, I have no condemnation for wierwille on a personal level. I speak against his works and legacy and his faulty example he left for all of us. He is accountable to Jesus Christ as his servant and I do not think I am worthy to judge the motives of his heart no more than anyone would be qualified to judge the motives of my heart..but the fruit of my life tells a story and the fruit of wierwilles life tells a story and we are know by our fruits. Mike - there is nothing on this earth I desire more than making Jesus Christ happy with what he has given me. The greates pinnacle in my life was the moment I emptied myself and confessed my sins and turned to the ones I hurt to make amends and do my level best to bring healing to them. I am doing just that. So, I have done better than wierwille when it comes to sin. Not in gathering donations, or selling classes, or amassing wordly goods under athe banner of a 501-c3...my crowning acheivement in life is the point where I literally humbled myself before Jesus Christ and came completely clean of my sins. My crowning acheivements in this life will be the moments I was able to undestand and do the will of the Lord. Thats all I have left and thats all I want. Much love in the Lord!

A. Always B. Be C. Closing

120. “But they aren’t witnessing Christ, they are witnessing ‘The Class’”. Dr John Juedes