JustThinking

One has to wonder what else they think they can do?  Isn't being a formal cult big shot a limited resume?  Imagine being white haired with no skills other than manipulating people.  Other than politics, what else is there for them?  So sad.  Like being the last professor of Soviet economics.  When your grandkids look at you, what do you say?  I preyed on innocent people and other people's spouses?  I realized way too late in life that I add no value to society?  (I also have very little in social security and am therefore living in your basement)

For me, I apologized to anyone I harmed, tried my best to make amends and have tried really hard to be a good and kind human being since TWI.  I wasn't for a while for which I will be eternally ashamed.  But to double down on that s**t show?  SMH....

...and I have now attained the rank of Rookie!!!  By any measure, this is a tough crowd!           Happy Sunday all wherever you are!  

On 6/26/2016 at 7:57 PM, penworks said:

I just discovered that someone hosts a website of TWI information, including letters Victor Paul Wierwille wrote to Way Corps members during the 1970s and 1980s. I received those letters and have kept many of them in my own files.

To read them yourself, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/corpsnewsletters/system/app/pages/subPages?path=/home

Is it my imagination or do many of these letters have the same specificity of a daily horoscope?  Vague missives designed just for you.  Well, you and roughly 1/12 of the entire planet.

On 4/3/2022 at 4:57 PM, OldSkool said:

Dude....the main opening riff and subsequent verses are heavily inspired by Rod Stewart.
 

 

Thank you!  I heard it immediately but couldn't place the tune.  

On 4/3/2022 at 11:34 AM, OldSkool said:

https://www.theway.org/online-resources/multimedia/the-family-music-video/

 

Will somebody please tell these guys that this is just awful....really....

He has a smartphone AND wireless headphones?  Does this mean they no longer Mark & Avoid the internet?  Fun fact: when that happened, my limb coordinator EMAILED the directive to everyone!!!  I asked at our next twig coordinator meeting if he saw any irony in that.  Sadly, he didn't.  SMH.  

On 4/29/2022 at 1:43 PM, OldSkool said:

 

I don't know if they give their books away as part of the class registration any longer. Their bookstore pretty much tells the tale though.

 

https://store.theway.org/product-category/books/page/2/

Wait, they still sell Craig's book?!  How do they explain that one?!  

On 12/7/2021 at 5:28 PM, OldSkool said:

They havent been able to fill the auditorium in a very long time. When there is a big event (anniversary, pentecost, etc.) they plan well in advance for out of state people to attend and even goto the extent of busing people in if enough people want to make the trek. When I was on staff they really had trouble filling more than the forst three rows and many of them were staffers happen to not be working for the STS. They have ran off so many people over the years that they are really hurting for attendance. Not to mention the most recent (2016?) purge of the way corps's ranks. They are so hard up for leadership that they are calling people who were dropped from the corps and inviting them back...not sure how many suckers they have found just yet. So this is my verbose way of saying that you are very likely correct in saying that the crowd is about the size of a packed liviing room.

Another purge?  OldSkool, what was it this time?    This feels like Groundhog Day.  Or the religious version of The Death of Stalin.  

I haven't been on this site lately so I'm a little out of date.  Out of morbid curiosity, I searched on the (what I thought was) marked and avoided evil internet.  Turns out TWI have a web site now AND mobile apps?!!!  I guess the whole mark and avoid the internet thing was rescinded?  It would be fun to ask my old state coordinator about that.  He was the one who roasted me for pointing out (in front a large group) the irony of sending that new/old policy to us via EMAIL!!!!  

On 6/12/2018 at 5:16 PM, Taxidev said:

Well, it looks like yet another offshoot will be coming soon.  I just got wind of it today, no details yet.

This feels like TWI has turned into a franchise...  

IIRC,

someone once posted about that.

The experience was common enough that a slang term was coined for it:

"STUMP COORDINATOR."

That was a person (generally corps) who was put in charge of an area, and effectively killed it off.

Oh, that is good!!! WordWolf, I wish I had that term 20 years ago. Stump Coordinator! It describes exactly what I saw again and again. Even a few who meant well but had no real natural leadership ability. No charisma. Unlike many here, most of my Corps were actually decent to me. Or maybe more they were harmless. Not that they didn't try to do the whole "Craig being tough" bit but it was more funny than scary. Think Barney Fife not John Wayne. Not all though. One or two were creepy (including the one who slept with my wife and several others). A few were even admirable. But those got booted early in Craig's time.

But the result was never MORE people. It got to the point where we were told to split a six person twig to give the next incoming stump coordinator his own. No kidding. He took over my twig, told HQ he split it in just two months, and gave me half back. Instant growth!! He kicked someone out during that time so we were actually back to six. The funny thing is TWI then recorded us as a growing area and he eventually got promoted to limb coordinator!!!!

JT

"- some of that early stuff was really good."

I agree. The Singing Ladies, on the other hand...... :(/>

Do you think local kids get drunk and go to wayfer concerts just for laughs? You could probably do a GREAT drinking game.

JT

I would pay to rent that video.

So what does TWI call ABS now? Anybody know?

JT

ABS = abundant sharing, according to TWI ... they no longer use that term

Really?! What do they call it now?

The Way Corps still exists, it simply put on a disguise, changed its name and moved to Mississippi.

HERE

Wow, it's a complete clone!

There is also a flip side to this coin. People who didn't give the expected amount to *the ministry* (cough) were written off as dead weight. I have posted my personal experience with this very recently.

Exactly. My understanding was that very few people gave even 10%. Maybe they aimed for more than 10% but took what they could.

JT

I was reading another thread on butt chewings and I felt a little guilty. I actually was never screamed at by anyone in TWI. I'm sorry for those of you who were. Maybe I was just lucky? But I have wondered if I got special treatment. I was a successful business owner and would ABS quite a bit. I was happy to do so because I got a LOT of good help and coaching from folks in my fellowship. A few very early Corps, for example. The same kind who were reamed and hated by LCM. Kind, wise folks who showed me genuine love.

I wasn't the only business person in our fellowship though. We had a few, all of whom did very well financially. I can't remember any of them getting the abusive treatment. Was this just where we were or did TWI make exceptions for people with $$$?

JT

In this thread, like in life, I owe a lot to ham and twinky. Thanks to both of you. It sounds like it isn't quite as solid as they imply. I'm SO shocked.

Gee, maybe I will beg them to pick me next for their backwoods believing bonanza?! With my new GSC t-shirt from Twinky, I might just be spiritual enough. Maybe if I pray really hard, SIT much and, well, donate a ton of cash, they will see how awesomely cool and spiritual I really am? :lol:

JT

Only the busboys get T-shirts, JT.

But ask nicely and you might get a refill on the coffee.

Who knew Twinky was such a tough boss!

I'd say definitely, JT. You are an old timer. (what does that make me?) T-shirt coming right up!

Would you care if it has a VP monigram?

Hey, watch it! I'm not THAT old. ;)

Can I have a VW monogram instead?

I saw the name of an offshoot group called S.O.W.E.R.S. in another thread. I kind of, sort of remember hearing about them before. Probably here. They have almost completely cloned old Weirwille material including names like W.O.W. Ambassador. On their web site, they claim to have the trademark on that and several other TWI programs such as L.E.AD. Do they really own those trademarks? Did TWI lose them during the 80s or is just BS. Anyone know?

If it's been covered before, forgive me. I tried searching but nothing came up.

The guy running it is named Victor Wierwille (VW?) too! He's young though. Must be a grandchild?

JT

- Edited to add info about VW running it.

Have I been here long enough to be an old-timer? Do I get a t-shirt?

I check in from time to time. There are some wonderful people here.

JT

I took a look at that web site recently too. You know what the musical numbers remind me of? Lawrence Welk!

Yes, that's it!!! Tank you, tank you. Now fur a luvly number called Rotting wit Jezusss. A one and a two...

JT

Estimates for US and Canada are maybe 1 thousand at the most(includes UK, Australia, and NZ). Not sure about factions, splinter groups, off shoots, cliques such as CFFM, S&TF, LTF, CR&F, etc. maybe also 1 thousand globally. :smilie_kool_aid:/>

TLB,

Thanks for the info!

JT

Well, my fellow grease spots, it has been some time. Does GSC have any current or recent TWI members? How big is TWI now? Roughly. And, please, I know we all love to joke and kid and vent but I would like to get some real info.

Also, I looked at TWI's web site recently. Wow, it looks like the same type of poster/theme from 20 years ago. Can you imagine how boring it must be for those who have been in a long time?!!! It's like having the same food for dinner every night.

JT

Why are ex-TWI people attracted to things others find "nutty"? I think a fair share of people are attracted to mysteries, drama, scandal, etc. And it's not new. The National Enquirer still sells, for example, despite finding Elvis for the 8000th time. Maybe we're just more sensitive to our fellow former TWIts falling for them?

JT

I've heard here that the auditorium is only 30% full on Sunday nights. Does anyone here have FIRST-hand knowledge of how full they are? Pictures would be worth a thousand words. And maybe a few chuckles....

JT