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I have stumbled upon another Way International "splinter group". There are many out there for sure. There's the Geerites, Stiffy, CFF, small groups in cities across America who used to be in The Way but only fellowship with their old Branch, and no doubt many more. I guess there are some in South America. And most of these splinter groups hold on to one , many, or all aspects of the teachings we received when we were in The Way. Some utilize the original PFAL class, while others do teachings that are offshoots of PFAL. But most are a positive bunch, happy with the things they teach each other, and have their fellowship around the teachings that they have in common and embrace. I remember my high school years as a dope smoker and the "fellowship" that came with being on that common ground with my stoner friends. Shoot, the "new conversation" was endless! We could talk about the various strains of reefer, the difference between bamboo bongs and Plexiglass bongs, how nice it was to buy a pound for $150.00, sell ten lids, get the money back and have two free ounces for private consumption, what it was like "last night when we got the munchies and raided so and so's refrigerator and ate an entire half of a left over prime rib, etc. We could talk about the Chinese fire drills we all had with three cars abreast at a stop light with everyone getting back into a different car. Lots of funniness, lots of heavy laughing, and good common ground fellowship. Of course, we didn't call it "fellowsip" but in essence, that's what it was. When we were in class and were stoned, when we saw a pal and recognized that they were stoned too, we would give each other the look that said "we knew". We knew man, we knew! Like when we were in The Way. We knew that we had the one and only "true version" of God's Word, and fellow shipped around the myriad differences between the "true Word of God" and the "counterfeits" that were out there masquerading as God's Word. As wrong as it was to think that way, it was our "fellowship". And even though we were wrong to have our egotistical attitudes about our new found Truth, we were mostly positive and mostly happy. I mean, God forbid that you shown any signs of negativity, for, you get confronted, reproved! "C'mon man! Where's your believing! renew your mind!" And so, I have found yet another TWI splinter group. But this group doesn't fellowship around the positives of their new religion. This group fellowships around the shared negatives that they once experienced when they were involved with The Way International some twenty and even as long ago as thirty years! Oh man, and do they have lots to talk about! Their shared experiences seem to buoy them up almost constantly! And, even though they have shared the same negatives for what seems to be years and years now, they just keep on bringing it up over and over and over. Some of them have been OUT of The Way for many more years than they were actually In The Way! And that to me is sad. Because, the years that they spent In have not been allowed to slip away into the past. It's almost like they are, because of the daily "renewed pictures in their minds" still in the situations they were once in so very long ago. Those negative situations must be as fresh to them today as they were the day it happened-twenty five years ago. But, this is a nation where Liberty still rings, and we all have the right to choose. But as for me, I am beginning to wonder: Just how healthy it is to hang around with this particular splinter group? Obviously, I am talking about the Grease Spot Cafe, and obviously there are those here who will resent this observation, and naturally, disagree with it. But maybe there are some of you "Newbies" here who ought to reconsider your involvement with this splinter group, for that's all it is, just another Way International splinter group.