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Some folks (I do not say all) paid way too much even back in the "good old days."

Lifted Up, I am not claiming that it was all bad either. The corps training actually used to have some good training and teaching from a few dedicated people. They actually had an academic program. Did I receive some benefit from some classes and from a few dedicated people who loved God? Yes, but most of them have been drummed out of the service. Today, TWI has far less to offer.

My original thought was really "what did involvement in the ministry cost". Faith in Christ, salvation is free if the bible is correct. I think it is a fair assessment of a product (in this case, what TWI had to offer) to consider what the price is, and weigh it with what actual benefits the product has to offer. Ironically, these days, they seem to have less and less to offer, while the price apparently is continuing to rise. More commitment, more sacrifice, more money, and for what? The Special in Texas this year is a prime example. How did they reward their most faithful, committed followers? Same drab teachings, stuff you could get out of reading Bullinger if you can't find a PFAL book, and a few assorted topics. Now they are thinking of redoing the foundational class. You can bet it will not be free for current grads.. more time, more money, shuffle the kids off somewhere, less time with family.. etc. What are they gonna get? Anything that is really new, or works? Or the same old leftovers, rebaked in the guise of "present truth"? On top of this, the higher ups will EXPECT the followers to be so thankful and "blessed" because of their "generosity". I think the cost that most have paid for the product is WAY too high.

The animal skins from Way followers pets were placed on the mantle, above the old desk. (gruesome!)

The Cauldron was stirring by Rosie the Louse.

.. Harvey and Jean had been all tucked away..

Har har har har har..

Alas, I am slightly dated as well..

Ha ha ha ha.. sometimes we can only wish, Uncle H.

Uncle H, congratulations. This one is destined to go down in history with the classics!

I think the singing ladies oughta work it into their routine. I can almost see the hips a swaying.. sure would be better than what they're working with now.

Everybody, don't thank me all at the same time. At least it isn't "Beautiful Ohio."

Don't worry.. it won't format your hard drive or anything like that. You may wish that it did..

Having already given away all my lumps of coal to leaders in TWI, I had something a little better in mind for you folks! Click Here for the rest of the story, Click there

Nope. And I bet that the leaderdang really hates cell phones.

If I didn't get the gold- at least I escaped with a sense of humor (at least in my opinion)!

Thanks for the input folks. What did it cost me? A degree in Chemistry. Very likely a masters degree. I was at a point in my life that I had no idea where to go. With proper direction, things would have been very different. Add many years of time and ABS down the drain. With that said, I did end up in a half-way decent career. I met my wife on my WOW year. Have had two kids- they are better than gold; they are ten times better than me. I would not trade all the gold in egypt for them. I can only partially blame the stupid stuff we endured in TWI leading to breakup between me and wife. Would I have been happier if I ended up with what I thought I really would have liked to have? I cannot answer that question. "Life is like a box of chocalates, you never know what you're gonna get." There are a lot of people that have ended up a lot more miserable than me, and some of them have a heck of a lot more money. In many cases, I think TWI has made themselves too easy of a target as the reason for some peoples failures. That is their fault. They have truly given reason for "the ministry of the verd" to be blamed. Many times the blame is rightly placed, sometimes not. Of course, the outright fraud, abuse, and other despicable actions in some cases cannot be justified for any reason.. Looking back, I can see God at work, many times IN SPITE OF the stupidity and evil of others, and even of my own at times. After reading lots of posts, I think I can see that some left Egypt (TWI) with the gold. Others did not- they never found any "gold" there to begin with; some left having received abuse- in some cases criminally. To be on the receiving end of something like that must be a heck of a price to pay for nothing, or less than nothing. I think if I didn't get anything good at all out of it, I would be royally ....ed, and rightly so, considering the cost.

Yep.. I thought it was beginning to rain ice balls down yonder..

"Give a man a can of shinola to eat, he will probably stay hungry. Teach a man how to sell a can of shinola.." you get the picture..

Good question! I think they have grown accustomed to eating so much shinola, that it actually started tasting good. Seems they paired up with the right group- some enjoy dishing it out, others enjoy eating it..

Well, what more can you expect from a guy that calls rap an "ahhht form"?

Sounds like they should have "listened to the Misses.." heh heh.

Maybe I should have said, what has involvement in the ministry cost. Sorry to drudge up old memories Dmiller.. I just feel sorry for the young folks willing to lay life and liberty on line for that organization. Many have no clue as to what it is really going to cost them.

The ACS discussion got me thinking along these lines. I remember in PFAL one of the lasting statements was made about what the word cost you (compared to what Paul went through), and the teachers answer was "very little". Reading some of others experiences here, I no longer believe that assessment. So tell me, what did it cost you?

Hah hah hah.. I had a friend that someone actually gave one of them to. It needed major repair for something like every three to five hundred miles on the road.