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In my search for information, I came across this thread: Rosalie's Retirement Plan and Oldskool's post brought to mind wierwille's need-basis teachings. FROM THE ONSET......wierwille set-up his employee-salary plan on an ILLEGAL basis. Apparently the IRS did not take a favorable view to twi's "need-basis" setup. Ouch. So, all those years of lauding Rhoda as twi's example of living on a need-basis, the essence and right-ness of it.......it gets smacked down as ILLEGAL. I suppose it shouldn't, but it never ceases to amaze me HOW MANY THINGS WIERWILLE DID THAT WERE OFF-KILTER.....ie con, scam, coercion. Rhoda was the first secretary hired by twi on a full-time basis and wierwille pays her the least amount that he could. But then.....makes a grand teaching on his "wisdom." Yep, here this single Mennonite woman needed a job and wierwille pays her bare minimum......and she can play the piano as well. Lordy be, what a blessing.....and her example is a cornerstone of twi's salary payment plan. Sure, I could understand how twi struggled 1957-1967, or whatever......but then, wierwille NEVER saw the discrepancy in this need-basis plan. And further, that he BUILT A DOCTRINE around it. Call it spiritual, herald it from the brc podium, laud it as a cornerstone.......BUT the irs steps in and, BOOM, it was illegal. And, the frustrating thing for me is.......THIS was another one of the things that had me scratching my head during my interim year at hq AND subsequent years on staff. At the time, one of my wife's coworkers, 10th corps grad had requested MUCH MORE NEED than we had. Whenever we visited them in St. Marys at their apartment, they would show us another piece of new furniture that they'd just bought. And, sure.....maybe his wife's mother was sending them money for extras, I don't know. The thing that was concerting to me was this "need-basis" salary doctrine in twi. Even then, in early 1982......I strongly suspected it was based on a faulty foundation. Again.....it only validates my critical thinking patterns back then. And, here's the kicker......Wierwille died at the *right* time. 1) Wierwille died before an onslaught of questions on his doctrine and teachings. 2) He died shortly after the IRS audit and changes were coming to twi. 3) He died before allegations of sexual predation came storming to the forefront. 4) He died and Geer dutifully did everything to prolong wierwille adulation, legacy. 5) He died of cancer and upper-leaders kept dissenters from "law of believing" questions. 6) He died in isolation, solitude....instilling more "mystique" and adulation. 7) He died.....see, in "giving his eye and life for the outreach of God's word." 8) He died.....a *martyr* and his legacy, as such, lives on.

Yeah...I agree with Steve. John is facing some horrible experiences in his near future and I really don't want to kick the guy when he is down. I'll say that John Lynn has spent his life trying to be the best bible teacher he could be and I believe that he has probably helped a lot of people...Is he arrogant? Does he have his own sins in life to deal with? Has he ever deliberately lied to people for his own gain?...Probably so...but as we all draw closer to old age and the end of life, I have no bitterness towards him and I wish him well. I will pray for him not because he "called in his markers" but because he is need of prayer...I give my prayers unconditionally. May God be with him...and may He be with all of us as well.