newlife

I'm glad you are all willing to e-mail etc this guy.........I pray it makes sense to him and he does look it up to see just what TWI is all about. But, I know when I got involved, I had a pastor, parents, friends, all telling me the same thing.....it's a cult! I did not listen, in fact it motivated me more to get involved and Stand with the ministry even though I wasn't quite sure of it myself. The more they talked, the more I moved away from them......... Hopefully, your e-mails will have more of an impact than all the people that were in my life at that time!!

I will say this of my experience in TWI......"It was the Best of TImes and the Worst of times" The best of those times has outweighed my best of times out of TWI......but the Worst of times far outweighs anything I have experiencd since leaving TWI. Would I return...NO.....That's a big NO from me. I loved some of the people and became good friends with them......but where are they now? I have little contact with former Way people. About 4 to be exact. I think when I first got involved, it was a good thing cause I was very suicidal at the time and on the edge. However, what happened in the years to come is taking more years out to undo than I was in for. Putting my life back together has been a tedious, difficult, and emotional rollercoaster. Others have said it....there was a price to pay for being in TWI.......I'm still paying!!!!!

thanks Tom for your post.........I appreciate it alot!!! You know here's the thing....if a person has devil spirit or is being bothered by one......people should be compassionate and helping.....not critical because there is a problem. And I think that's where it got to in TWI......just being critical of the problem. I do believe that people can be delivered and that this should be happening frequently as needed. We need to know there is a deliverance available....and that we can have it. Thanks again for your post Tom!!

Well it was good to read your post Geisha Girl..........I think this whole trinity thing is the thing that had kept me in "suspense"....not being able to get involved with a church etc........I've read and read and STILL can't see that Jesus is God.........I sense you do have a heart of compassion and understanding.....somehow you have come to an understanding that I am still searching for. Thanks for the post!!!

Well, I have been reading the posts and here is something to consider and think about....... An alcoholic or addict.......in TWI.....It would have been termed as "possession".....Correct me if I am wrong. In AA they call it a "disease"...........People get sober in AA and it is about the changing of the mind. But, there is nothing biblical per se, reciting scriptures etc, that is a part of that. So did they get freed of the demons? Or did they just put them to sleep? Still there, just not active???? Mind you, I don't know what I am actually talking about, this is asking a question. I agree that most of us are afraid of the topic...demons and possession. And it is truth that they should be the ones afraid of us not the other way around. I know for me, I can't take any prize in demon identification or the casting out of them. I agree with someone when they said, if you look at the bible and the demon possession, it was like the Man in the tombs etc. I think alot of what was termed possession was actually oppreession.....coming from without not within. And what I think is a lot of wrong behavior comes from the sin nature inside of a person. The wrong desires, the wrong choices, the lusting of the flesh etc.........At some point, it must cross a line......what do you think???? And I've heard different views.....A christian can be possessed, a christian can't be possessed. Just another 2 cents from me..........

I don't know....I think it began with PFAL.......FOUNDATIONAL! Funny, I started thinking back, and how I used to "stand up and defend" the ministry when I first got involved, when I wasn't even convinced of it being right. I think at that point it may have been just curiosity that kept me around.....What is this group all about? I'd never seen anything like it before. And I remember one fellowlaborer saying to me......we are not of this world!!! Ha!! Oh how true. I think things built in me, with every class I took, every twig I attended and every time I went to an event. It seemed as if, I was never "just There" yet.....Know what I mean. Like I just kept trying to Learn more and learn more...I wanted it all......By the advanced class, they definitely had me as a faithful follower. Advanced class was just a lot of Ooohs and aahs!!! Deep knowledge that no one knew....I had reached the inner circle of spirituality. Interesting Topic......

Thanks for sharing that...... That seems very logical....about the confusion on a simple thing such as adultery. It sounds just like what the devil would do too. I might read those books.....

Thanks for Posting this DWBH......... After reading your post, I said to myself, TWI was just plain down evil. I've never thought that before or said it before......but I totally believe now it was not something good gone bad, it was not something bad, it was something evil. And unfortunately, we bought it hook, line and sinker. After reading more and more posts, I have compassion on some of the leadership. I am so sorry you have had to endure all this crap. I think my story is sometimes horrifying, but doesn't come even close to some of the leaders here. My eyes get opened alittle more.....this process is just that.....a process of seeing a little here and alittle there to help complete the picture. I had forgotten all about how against TWI was on the counseling aspect. How could you help, when you couldn't get help? God Bless You DWBH!!!

They really didn't care about people....it was all about being "someone" who was spiritual mature and had the "In" with God to know what spirit a person had...it was all about "them"......Who could reach into "Daddy's Cookie Jar" and get the revelation. When I first got involved with TWI.....do you know what we looked for in each person? The Christ in them. It was HUGE.....look for the Christ in that person......and love that person as Christ would love them......How far in the opposite direction was that taken.......From looking at the Christ in Each person........to looking for the devil spirits. So Sick........ Oh that is such a vivid memory! We got sooooo far from that simplicity didn't we?????? Sad to hear these stories.......I hope it helps other to know that they don't have to believe the deceptions laid at their doorstep!!

Knowing there are a lot of people here on GS......Just out of curiosity, I wondered how many people were ever told they were possesed? I know I was, many times over and it didn't even dawn on me till years after I was out of TWI.....Well if I had been, WHY didn't someone who was walking all nine all the time, cast them out and deliver me???? For me, this was one of the most damaging things to a person I experienced and heard about. I say one, cause as we know there were many more. I know of a gal who was told she was possessed, told she had to check into a hotel room and ONLY talk to her branch coordinator and no other believers and that she was to master the blue book. Gosh that can be supported by scripture huh? This is still going on in the splinter groups today, I have heard first hand from someone who's inlaws tried to convince their son that his wife is possessed and that he should divorce her. I know her, and she is a sweet gal. Were you told this????? If so, what's your story?

well, That is what started changing My mindset......AA, NA.......It was a new way of thinking. I had a very difficult time thinking differently, but going to those meetings really helped me change that. It presented me with new ways of thinking about God to. But just the every day living......being kind, considering other people and not making everything all about me. When I was in TWI, I was obsessed with being "someone"........being a great leader and maybe even some day being ordained. Oh My gosh, I so changed. I am so not the person I was when I was in TWI. Only God bring restoration to our lives....and this recovering addict is very thankful and grateful for the miracle of what has happened in my life.

Hi Everyone, Got The book on Friday, read it through the weekend. Amazing book. Kris did a great job of writing her story......I could relate to a number of things in the book, abuse, the mindset, behavior of others and myself. It now seems like eons ago that all this happened, and the book brought it all back very vividly. When I got involved with TWI, I was a very "Broken" person, spiritually, physically and emotionally. Looking for God because I knew from my childhood He truly was the answer and I had really ruined my life with alcohol, and I was very suicidal. I didn't want to accept the God of the church, I wanted something "different". I got "different"..........I got what I was looking for in The Way----or so I thought. A family! And God became very "real" to me. There were red flags along the way....things I didn't understand....well, Just like what Kris talks about in the book. Not understanding teachings, feeling like you weren't spiritual enough etc. Trying to "sell out" to the Word, but never feeling like I ever did. My drinking did decrease alot, though I was still drinking some. Feeling like I wasn't feeling....And What I was losing was "Me". Everything that was Me was either repressed or disposed of. Red Flags increased, but there was always a "reason" to ignore them. Took me to where Kris was.....so confused, and just not mentally stable at all. What I found MOST interesting was at the end, when she talks about the exit counselors etc. But She compares leaving TWI to Leaving alcohol. And talks about as with Alcohol, you can't really work on issues until you put it down. And it's the same thing with TWI, cult addiction I believe she calls it (not sure if those were the exact words). I work with people who are trained counselors and they say the same thing, cults are addictive. Being that I a recovering addict, I can see that very plainly. I switched addictions...alcohol to the cult addiction. It made me feel different in the beginning.....changed my moods......Got that "high" feeling going to advances and classes. I was addicted to it. Whenever I felt stagnant, I just went to an event to get that feeling again. But as in all addiction, it turns on you......Good in the beginning......but leads to down a road of destruction. It was hard for me to understand cult addiction, but having her talk about it confirmed to me what it was to me. Hard to accept, because I didn't want to accept the truth.....I wanted it to be "all Good", and Be the family I never had, and to fix me. It was a total illusion......The truth is hard to accept, but the truth, as it has been said, will set you free. She did an awesome job and I think that she was the one to write the book.....A groovy Christian from NY......Heard about that right off the bat when I got involved......and to hear someone who was there in the beginning relay her story....I thought it held a lot of credibility. It brought healing and insight to my life. If you haven't read it....Get it! Thanks Kris!!

Hi All, I just had something on my mind this morning. And that was I wondered if any of you had the response that I did when I told people I was in a "cult". I wanted to talk about it and "get it out" of me. I wanted people to understand what I had been through. I wanted some type of support from people. But, I found most people didn't want to really hear about it.....most people just didn't believe it was could of been all that bad. Really found people to be ignorant of this and other groups. I couldn't even find a therapist who would say they could help me with it. Now having just gotten out of the ministry.......I was confused, angry, hurt, and didn't know what to do with it all. Didn't know what the solutions were. I even eventually even got a job working as a receptionist with psychologists and when I asked one if he knew of someone who could help someone with this background, his response was well, no I don't. We just don't have that problem in this area. I was dumbfounded!! Little does he know that there are probably 100's of people in this area that have this background......even from abusive churches. Here's something else I have experienced......Instead of people looking at the group and saying how screwed up that was....they look at you and say, how could YOU have ever gotten involved with something like that. I became the one to have surely had something wrong with me to have gotten mixed up with a group like that. I was in long enough to know....there was no set type of person that you can say was the type to have gotten involved. I saw Drs, Lawyers, sports people, salespeople, businessowners......Anyone could have been a participant. But, that's not the most common response I've gotten. I think this is hard to deal with......cause it says our greatest hurt isn't really "that important". Maybe that was my interpretation....and that's not the case at all. I don't know. I've been out now for 21 years.......still dealing with "left overs"....but these are some of the things I experienced in my departure and I just thought it might help others to know they are not alone. What has been your experience??? Thanks!! Newlife

To my knowledge, no one ever "Wants" to commit suicide. They don't want to really end their life. They just want out of the pain and they have tried every solution that they know to do that without any results......the last solution they have is suicide. They just can not stand the pain any longer and not having "hope" of ever not having pain and recovering is just not there for them. So, the "only" thing left to do is to end their life. Pain can be really, really, deep along with shame. And the decision to end life is not a quick decision.....It is something that happens over time.....as they try this and that and nothing seems to work. They don't realize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary situation......They just want out of the pain and feel they have no other option. I speak from experience. Shellon, as always, loved your post!!!

I remember just getting into the ministry about that time......I thought it very "coincidental" (at the time) that Josh McDowell had just published a book on Who Jesus Christ was and the book was about the trinity. I get into The Way and Here's the JCNG book being promoted. Timely? I have no idea about what was going on at the time.

Just had to comment on being out of the "world" for 13 years and then returning. I felt like I knew nothing!! Things had changed and I didn't even know they had changed! Technology, just all kinds of things. At the time I felt weird and overwhelmed with it all..... It took some time to adjust and to find out, what did happen all those years. I don't think I watched one TV show and definitely did not listen to the news on radio or TV........ Maybe it didn't hurt not to know what was going on......But coming back to it, I described it as a culture shock!! I remember saying to my friends, once I made some, I'm not used to being in this world.......But that's how I felt. Like this was so out of my element. In Bed By midnight on the wow field.....didn't have to force me! But I will tell you what I thought the strangest thing on the field, was getting confronted for eating without the coordinator one night.......waiting the next night and getting confronted because we didn't go ahead and eat. The rules constantly changed.....and you just didn't know what to do. Glad I don't have those kinds of problems now!!

Hi All, I know we couldn't say this when we were in the ministry, but I can say it now!~~~ MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all!!! It took me a long time before I could say those words.....but I finally got to where I could. Any other phrases you had trouble with??? Newlife

I was healed......and it's documental medically! I had cancer and the second time I had it they gave me a 20% chance of living. And said there was nothing that they could actually do to turn it around. BUT, we have a God that can do anything. And He did. A gal prayed for me, someone I respected as a wonderful leader.....and Immediately, I felt the healing and I knew I was. When the Dr. called the next day and said, we have a bed for you, I said, I don't need it. And she said, what do you mean? I said, I've been healed of it, my friend prayed and I was healed on the spot. She said come into the office....I did, and there was no cancer to be found......Healed! That was in 1995, and I've been healthy ever since. I wasn't in the ministry, this was some 9 years after I left. Now, That is our God! An awesome and mighty God! I have to say it, "God will make a way, when there is no way" and that is what happened to me. The Dr. said, there is no way to turn it around, and God made a way so it did. I'm very grateful and thankful!!!

Belle, I lived two lives the whole time I was in TWI.........13 years.......I had already learned how to live 2 lives because of the family I was raised in so my transition into TWI was easy....I just kept living those 2 lives....... I can totally relate to your sharing! Newlife

Great Post! Thanks for sharing your heart with us. I have to say I agree with all you said and voice my thanks! It's human to go negative on everything and forget the good. I can do that in a single day regarding my day....I will focus on only what went wrong that day and not all of the good things that happened. Love your heart! Newlife

Thanks Belle for your post......

I am almost apologetic for posting this topic.....my motive was not to start a conversation of conflict, only to verify my thinking on this topic. I do appreciate the many insights and comments that were made.....it did help!

I don't know if this has been an old topic or not (probably has).......but it recently came up in my life.....and I thought I'd get your input on the perspective/perception of this phrase...."Don't look at the 5-Senses" I know for me, ultimately, that became denial. Denying what the situation is.....example.......getting a cold.....but saying, "No, I don't have a cold"........Or......I have a broken arm....but saying, no I don't have a broken arm.....It distorted for me, what really was...... It recently came up when I was talking to a friend....and it came right out of my mouth, "don't look at the 5 senses" and then later I started thinking about what that really meant. The enlightment that came to me was......don't continually direct your eyes, your mind on your 'Broken leg".....Yes you do have a broken leg, but instead of consistently keeping your mind on that.....you should look to God.....trust Him, read the word about His character, His ability, His love for you, and Know that He will take care of you in this situation. This brings a lot more sanity to me anyway. Am I on track here?? Appreciate your comments......

Ok---you had me there in the beginning White Dove.....YES I do.......How do I get it??? THANKS!!!

Thanks for checking on this for me.....I sure appreciate it Whitedove!