skyrider

Although dozens of top-tier leaders and clergy left The Way International prior to wierwille's death (1985)...... I don't recall any of them starting up a splinter group that aligned with most of the tenets of pfal.  That all changed when wierwille died.

• With wierwille gone.....seemingly, lots of these rivals saw an opportunity in front of them.
• Knowing that twi was a pyramid-structure......if they stayed, no golden parachute or paychecks in the long term.
• The best retirement package one could achieve was to become *pyramid point man* of his OWN group.
• Thru the years, trustees made it clear that twi would not be providing a substantial retirement package.
• Thus, it was understandable why dozens of region guys and corps coordinators took to the splinter-path.
• When leaders are not justifiably compensated for decades of faithful hard work.....they move on.

Chris Geer was the most brazen in this attempt.  His public assault on the then-trustees, craig, don and howard....was the most notable post-humous alignment and power-grab in memory.  His assailed attack on the corps, claiming that 90% of them were possessed..... was a bridge too far.  This disruption spread confusion and division that would never mend.  Interestingly, as geer's quest for power unfolded in the following years....he patched together (can we say plagiarized?) a franchise-class that he sold to others.  Talk about golden parachutes and paychecks....!!!  LOL

Many of these splinters who hit the trail in 1986-1988 have had YEARS/DECADES to cash in their paychecks.  Those who self-installed themselves as the splinter leader didn't have to go find another job or be retrained.  They simply kept doing what wierwille did.  They tweaked some version of pfal..... pointing out where twi had gone wrong and convinced their band of followers to keep supporting them.  Some of these guys are now deceased.  They got to ride off in the sunset with those pfal tapes tucked underneath their left arm and a bible in their right hand.

• WordWolf quote from Revival and Restoration thread:  "I really think that RnR is more a matter of the golden parachutes and paychecks of a few twi higher-ups who realized twi was planning on leaving them high and dry. If they had been given a bigger slice of the pie, they would have stayed in twi longer yet.  These were leaders who stayed when all the previous exoduses (exodi?) saw everyone with sense jump ship. Other than realizing they were getting older, there was no reason to finally leave."

It has been long known that when Martindale was ousted from twi in 2000...... that he went to Toledo and got a job at Bally's as a fitness trainer.  A few years later, he worked at UPS and slung boxes for a paycheck.  And, a reliable source just told us that he also did a stint at Home Depot as a "cart boy."  Amazing to see the freefall.... (without a parachute).  BUT NOW...... is craig martindale trying to start a splinter?  The narcissism runs deep in these ex-twi corps.

It is a fascinating study to see how these guys operate.  How they rationalize their actions.  How they dismiss ALL of wierwille's plagiarism, sexual predation, drunkenness, exploitation of youth, etc. etc. etc..... in God's name.  

5 hours ago, OldSkool said:

When I was involved you had to key off the way mag or sts when u taught a fellowship. There's variation in how that's carried out but...yeah...no way international fellowship is self governing. Way corps hands all over it

Somewhere along the way..... I remember hearing an old preacher say, "True Christianity has no religion in it."  Religion is all man-made wherein authoritarian rulers set up their own hierarchies, mandates and judgments over others.

• Mark 8:15  And he [Jesus] charged them [his disciples], Take heed, beware of the leaven [doctrines / bureaucracy] of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

After 20-25 years of corps graduates..... The Way International mandated their corps grads to be involved and confrontational over those "under them."  Seemed like every year the modern-day Pharisees ratcheted up more intimidation and pressure to 1) witness and 2) abs.  This *manufactured spiritual bureaucracy* was similar to that of a shake down. 

2 hours ago, chockfull said:

100% agree.  The distinction I make is between leaders and followers.  I think most of the leaders are pretty cemented into their habits of manipulation.  The followers are sheep.

The path to freedom is the path away from the Pharisee and their influence.

And those words in Matthew are red letter edition straight from the mouth of my lord and savior.

Yes.....leaders (rulers) and followers (workers).

Long gone are the days when those distinctions were not so distinctly defined.  Where action, love and fellowship on the field was a driving force for involvement...... NOT dictates (dictators) at headquarters.

When I got involved, our twig fellowship rarely, if ever, mentioned Sunday Night service teachings or events.  Maybe my memories are hazy..... but I know that the songs we sang were mostly church hymns about Jesus.  It wasn't until around 1977 or 1978 that I saw a significant change in twi's cult antics.

Evolution of a cult, baby.  

How can it possibly be *honorable* before God...... when modern-day Pharisees [twi and splinter leaders alike] uphold "the law of wierwille-doctrine" above the scriptures?  How can they cling to wierwille's teaching on "the absent Christ" when we see plainly that there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus [I Timothy 2:5] and he is the mediator of the new testament [Hebrews 9:14]?

If these splinter guys simply regurgitate pfal to their ex-twi groups..... then they are omitting "the weightier matters" of God's law, judgment, mercy and faith.

And, some of us here at GSC believe that wierwille skewed the teachings of the nine manifestations of holy spirit.  He tweaked them in a way that assigned them as rote [routine] acceptance....ie. speaking in tongues with interpretation in a believer's meeting.  Oftentimes, calling on someone in the audience that was neither ready nor inspired by God with such utterances.

I believe that our service, here at GSC, is far greater than the well-worn path of modern-day Pharisees and hypocrites.  The splinter guys are also lording over God's heritage......not setting free those who are held captive to pfal's cult-indoctrination.

Matthew 23 details this clarity:

1. Woe unto you........hypocrites [shut up the kingdom of heaven against men]  (verse 13)
2. Woe unto you........hypocrites [ye devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayer]  (verse 14)
3. Woe unto you........hypocrites [make disciples twofold more the child of hell than yourselves]  (verse 15)
4. Woe unto you........hypocrites [omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith]  (verse 23)
5. Woe unto you........hypocrites [make clean the outside of the cup...within is full of extortion and excess]  (verse 25)
6. Woe unto you........hypocrites [whited sepulchers.....full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness]  (verse 27)
7. Woe unto you........hypocrites [you build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchers]  (verse 29)

On 10/1/2022 at 8:53 PM, WordWolf said:

I really think that Rnr is more a matter of the golden parachutes and paychecks of a few twi higher-ups who realized twi was planning on leaving them high and dry. If they had been given a bigger slice of the pie, they would have stayed in twi longer yet.  These were leaders who stayed when all the previous exoduses (exodi?) saw everyone with sense jump ship. Other than realizing they were getting older, there was no reason to finally leave.

I agree with this assessment...........ie,  *a few of these twi higher-ups (ex-corps coordinators and clergy)* would have stayed with twi if the bod had dished out TO THEM a bigger slice of the pie.  Heck, if they're going to continue to preach and teach pfal according to wierwille, then why instigate division?  BECAUSE..... Rosalie and Donna were making them jump thru hoops with NO JUSTIFIABLE COMPENSATION.

So.....they take their marbles and move the game across the street.

Big whoop.

Here at GSC, we've gone back and documented the flawed research.  We've shown clearly the doctrinal errors and how it led to practical errors in judgment and service.  We've lifted the burdens of fear, guilt and shame and set twi-captives free.  We've documented the plagiarism and how the wierwille-mystique gave way to idolizing a man who was NOT fit for the office of a church elder.  Here at GSC......it is my contention that we've done far greater service for the ex-cult community than these guys from RnR and Oideos will ever do.  

11 hours ago, OldSkool said:

Yeah...they are reaching hard back into what used to work back when ole vic co-opted the hippies to come to the rock. So much so that they are actively reaching out to ex-way corps asking if they want to come back.

Yep....they are reaching back when the deception worked in vic's day.

• Back when..... there was NO INTERNET
• Back when..... twi could CONTROL the messaging and revised history
• Back when..... vic praised his Ohio-frumpy adult enablers with crazy hyperbole
• Back when..... wierwille and howard could sexually abuse any girl "in the kingdom"
• Back when..... youth "leaders" idolized the cult leader and drank his kool-aide
• Back when..... elena whites!de wrote a fabricated utopia of "The Way:  Living in Love"

Those were the days, my friend.  LOL

BUMP

############

Well, it's been over five years...... and it seems appropriate to ask a few questions.

1. Anything happening with all those cloistered-clergy efforts at Revival and Restoration?
2. Are they gaining any momentum or has their bluster faded away?
3. Are their teachings reaching any one besides the choir?
4. Any one here privy to their status?

############

I can't help but think what I said a few years ago has come to pass......i.e.

"First of all, this RnR group will SOON REALIZE.......once people break away from the fear-based twit-cult, they will NOT automatically follow another "designated leader."  Once the stranglehold is broken......and IF any venture on over to GSC......they will find whole new vistas of thought and freedom.  Their critical thought processes will engage......AND......many will STOP GOING TO AN RnR-SPLINTER GROUP, as well.

Many who went to CES..........don't anymore.

Many who went to CFF..........don't anymore.

Once people break free from the chains of fear, manipulation and exploitation........they ain't going to regularly attend RnR "fellowships" and give a hunk of their hard-earned money to ANOTHER group that preaches wierwille-adulation.  Plus, add in some corps grad egos who want salaried........and, bang, off to the races they go with more in-fighting, back-biting, and splintering.

Once people exit a cult..........it's a new world out there."

.

No, I don't have Rinker's book.....but it sounds like something I'd be interested in pursuing.

20 minutes ago, Nathan_Jr said:

• Is Rosalind Rinker the one vic claims to have "introduced" him to Bullinger? (Coincidentally, he was already "teaching" like Bullinger wrote, but vic had never heard of him....riiight.)
• Does anyone have her book Prayer: Conversing with God? How much of this book did he plagiarize? Apparently, this has been a very important book among evangelicals since its publication in 1959.
• Wow. She didn't get tired until she was 95! Apparently, that's when she chose to stop believing.

No, it was Dr. Higgins who introduced wierwille to the works of E. W. Bullinger.

She sat in the first "The Gifts of the Spirit"[Bullinger's class]........er, pfal class.

On 9/21/2022 at 12:39 PM, WordWolf said:

skyrider's mentioned him before. 

From the thread, "Keys to the City."

"p. 131 Born Again to Serve

"On November 21, 22, and 23 in the city of Ujjain, Dr. Wierwille addressed a three-day annual convention of the Terapanthi Jains, knownas the Anuverat Movement. Dr. Wierwille was the first Christian ever to be invited to address this body. The Jains are a sect of Hindus and their leader was Acharaya Shri Tulsi, who spent much time in private telling us about the whole movement and asking questions of us. Dr. Wierwille remarked, 'I can say that the Acharaya is doing much for the building up of the moral and ethical structure of the Indian peoples.'"

No....I don't doubt that wierwille addressed this convention....BUT all evidence show that Dr. I.S. Williams was the prominent Christian man in this Hindu meeting and translated for wierwille. From what I see, wierwille got to preach for 15-20 minutes.....and that was it. The Jain convention lasted for 3 days......kinda like wierwille getting to speak at the "ROA Family Tables" as a sideshow to a much larger event. BIG DEAL..........hahahahahaha

=======================

From "Ash Heap of TWI-story":

"The Terapanth Jains is a sub-sect movement of the two major sects in Jainism, Svetambara and Digambara. When wierwille

claimed to be "the first-ever christian to address the Jain Convention".....what that meant was Dr. Williams ushered vpw

in as a guest speaker to address a splinter group of the Svetambara sect of Jainism in Ujjain, India.

Not Bombay.....not Delhi.....not Calcutta.......not Jabalpur.

Ujjain, India which today has a population of some 515,000 --- Click Here

For those who might want to see the graphic outline of Jainism and its sects,

[from Wikipedia] the following link is provided. Scroll down to #10 Denominations -- Click Here - Jainism

------------------------

From "Planting a cult one weed at a time",

"

"The haughtiness of wierwille's narcissism wreaks thru even this sanitized edition of wierwille's legacy.

But there is no mistaking that wierwille stole B.G.'s class outright and ran it as his own........and then, plagiarized from other men's works to add filler and pass it off as his own research (cough, cough).  When the timeline is followed........there was NO WAY wierwille had any inkling of a "twi" or class-based system when he barged into Leonard's class in Calgary, Alberta.  Again, arrogance and narcissism.  Even the pictures in Mrs. W's book.........show that wierwille was a nobody, a back-bencher around other men of the cloth. 

And, Dr. Williams the president of the All-India Federation of National Churches AND pastor of the St. Paul's Hindustani Church in Byculla, Bombay AND strict devotee of Indian history........was host to the wierwilles during that India itinerary.  Dr. Williams is the one who opened ALL THE DOORS and gave vpw access into the Jain Convention, where this western Christian (wierwille) was granted a 20-30 minute teaching in a week long festival.  Yawn.  How many of them would even remember his name?  How many of them took this as an opportunity to go use the restroom?  Dr. Williams translated for vpw.  Wanna bet that out of respect for Dr. Williams the American got to even speak at all?"

-------------------------------------------

From "A couple of questions about VPW"

"Then.....12 years later (1956)......wierwille, wife and kids, go on that India itinerary.  Wierwille's narcissism is writing checks that his ministry (cough, cough) couldn't cash.  Through contacts with Bishop K.C. Pillai.....a Dr. I. S. Williams becomes their host upon arrival.  Interestingly, Mrs. Wierwille's book references this man as "Dr. J. S. Williams (perhaps, the scribbled notes at the time were the reason for this mistake....or something else?).   Dr. Williams was a prominent and distinguished man.  Dr. I. S. Williams was president of the All-India Federation of Churches  and pastor of the St. Paul's Hindustani Church in Byculla, Bombay and devotee of Indian history.....and more.

Wierwille, in his narcissistic realm, embellishes this huge storyline in pfal of his India experience.  Yet, truth be told......it was Dr. I. S. Williams that was well-respected and highly prominent to religious and political officeholders.....and therefore, doors DID OPEN because Williams was the man that opened them.  Not wierwille.  And, all that bloviating in pfal of teaching the Word of God at the Jain Convention......when in reality, wierwille spoke for about 20-30 minutes (translated by Williams) in a week-long convention. " 

==============================

 

Interesting background information on Bishop K.C. Pillai ...... from Mrs. Wierwille's book.

• "Bishop Pillai had made arrangements with Dr. Williams to be our host in India.  There couldn't have been a better person for this assignment.  It was definitely God's providence that we should be making our missionary teaching tour at a time when Dr. Williams could be our host." [p. 125]
• "During the years prior to India's independence in 1948, many of the Indian revolutionaries were imprisoned for trying to oust the British.  During those times, Dr. Williams contributed to the independence movement by personally carrying communications to and from these patriots.  He was trusted to take correspondence and messages to those who would later become the highest political leaders in the Indian government, men such as Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Vice President Dr. Radha Krishna, and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the father of India." [p. 126]
• "Because of Dr. Williams's contacts and credibility, it was possible for Dr. Wierwille to meet personally, if he so desired, with the current president and any of the cabinet members in India's government and many governors of provinces." [p. 126]
• Note:  emphasis added to Mrs. Wierwille's quotes.

#################

So.....Bishop Pillai had personal communications and access to Dr. Williams and requested that Dr. Williams host the Wierwille family during the travels throughout India.

#################

Now....background on Pillai.  Page 96

Exact quotes from her book.  Look at Dorothy's statements in second paragraph......LOL

"In the summer of 1953 Dr. Wierwille's brother Harry went to Tennessee to visit a Christian children's camp called the 'Tennessee Mountain Mission,' which he was financially supporting.  While there, Harry decided one evening to attend a nearby Baptist church in Chattanooga, where an Anglican bishop from India was scheduled to speak.  This speaker was Bishop K. C. Pillai.  After hearing Bishop Pillai that evening, Harry called Dr. Wierwille and enthusiastically told him of the teaching and asked Dr. Wierwille if he should bring him to Van Wert since 'the Bishop,' as we called him, had a couple of days open before his next engagement.  Doctor responded, 'If he's that good, you better bring him here!'  Hastily we scheduled a few meetings, and Dr. Wierwille set aside personal time to spend with the Bishop."

"It is no secret that Dr. Wierwille was always in search of greater knowledge and understanding of God's Word.  He felt there was so much more to know than he knew.  One reason he had inadequate knowledge of the Bible was that he had in his formal education studied theological and other writings instead of having focused on the Bible itself.  So he was forever continuing his quest to see God's Word, rightly-divided."

Hence.......vpw was always plagiarizing from others to present himself as someone he was not.

BACK TO TOPIC ......

################

YET.... wierwille didn't believe it  [this *Christ-in-you* scriptural truth that he, vpw, gave extensive theatrics to drive home its significance].  Else he would have structured his ministry on Christian truths, not lockstep obedience.  Individuals within this ministry would have flourished with personal sovereignty, boundaries, dignity, integrity......rather than denigrated, ,manipulated and exploited.

This histrionic performance was a "hook" that snagged youth into his boat.  His theatrics were classic "bait and switch" in every sense of that concept.

################

From 1976-1982, I do not remember ANY TEACHING BY WIERWILLE where he drilled down on this "Christ-in-you" truth and made it the centerpiece of his teaching.  To me, it was one of those pfal-hallmark *truths* that I could see clearly from the scriptures.  From this launching pad of truth.....EACH INDIVIDUAL IS FULLY UNIQUE AND A MEMBER IN PARTICULAR.

Thus, the corps-clone factory in Emporia made NO sense to me.  Sure, some basic discipline training..... but not the harsh treatment of individuals.  Does God want a campus of clones?  Heck, the Old Testament is rich in detail of strengths and weaknesses of men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, etc.  And, after Pentecost.... the scriptures don't show us men and women who walked out of a clone factory.

We were railroaded by a charlatan, folks.  Wierwille NEVER submitted to a program where he was someone else's servant.  Even more so, rules be damned as wierwille eloped with Dotsie to Kentucky.... when they both clearly knew of the rule that pre-seminary students were NOT PERMITTED to get married before completing their seminary training [p. 28 BATS].

When wierwille came to the campus.....why was he singling out corps and dishing out such harsh public criticism?  Why was he flaunting his smoking at lunchtime and forbade any one else to pull out their smokes?  He was a striker.  This intimidation and combative environment fed into his malignant narcissism.  Wierwille used the vehicle of a "ministry" to gain access and control over others.  Period.  

9 hours ago, T-Bone said:

 

Another great analysis, Skyrider! I love how you relate the real history behind TWI’s creative fiction. Nice correlation of TWI’s preserving the wierwille-myths with the story of 1984 (a book I read ages ago in high school).

I’m so thankful to be free of a cult’s control of information. I’m thankful for the internet and cyberplaces like Grease Spot Café. Imagine if we didn’t have this technology. I left in ’86. With no internet back then – I felt like a lone wolf – like there was something wrong with me – I couldn’t see the big picture…it was like existing between two worlds…cult-world and the real world…I was disconnected from both…however with time/effort/Grease Spot Café I feel I have a better sense of the big picture…now I’m in touch with my family and stuff that really matters…and TWI seems like a long time ago in a “galaxy” far, far away 

Desperation has set in.  More and more people are going to the internet and seeing twi's ruse.....and leaving this cult.  The corps program is dismal.  Hundreds of corps and advanced class grads have abandoned them in the past ten years.  Very few want to be worker bees at twi's compound.  As twi's relevance fades into obscurity, the ONLY THING THAT THEY CAN CONROL IS THE MYTH OF WIERWILLE AND PFAL.

Controlling this "information" is the key to their survival.  Nothing else would hasten their collapse faster than losing "the high ground of this narrative."

• Yes, pfal was a stolen class from Leonard.  They don't care.
• Yes, there are flaws throughout pfal.  They don't care.
• Yes, wierwille was a liar and a thief.  They don't care,

GSC has exposed twi in every possible way, from soup to nuts.  They cannot shut down this information.  They cannot silence their critics.  The only thing twi can do is to command (threaten) their followers NOT TO GO ON THE INTERNET.  Yeah, that works...LOL.  For many, it only heightens they sense of suspicion and concern that twi is hiding something.  Yes, they are hiding information.

Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism

In the book, Lifton outlines the "Eight Criteria for Thought Reform":

1. Milieu Control. This involves the control of information and communication both within the environment and, ultimately, within the individual, resulting in a significant degree of isolation from society at large.
2. Mystical Manipulation. The manipulation of experiences that appears spontaneous but is, in fact, planned and orchestrated by the group or its leaders to demonstrate divine authority, spiritual advancement, or some exceptional talent or insight that sets the leader and/or group apart from humanity, and that allows a reinterpretation of historical events, scripture, and other experiences. Coincidences and happenstance oddities are interpreted as omens or prophecies.
3. Demand for Purity. The world is viewed as black and white and the members are constantly exhorted to conform to the ideology of the group and strive for perfection. The induction of guilt and/or shame is a powerful control device used here.
4. Confession. Sins, as defined by the group, are to be confessed either to a personal monitor or publicly to the group. There is no confidentiality; members' "sins," "attitudes," and "faults" are discussed and exploited by the leaders.
5. Sacred Science. The group's doctrine [PFAL] or ideology is considered to be the ultimate Truth, beyond all questioning or dispute. Truth is not to be found outside the group. The leader, as the spokesperson for God or all humanity, is likewise above criticism.
6. Loading the Language. The group interprets or uses words and phrases in new ways so that often the outside world does not understand. This jargon consists of thought-terminating clichés, which serve to alter members' thought processes to conform to the group's way of thinking.
7. Doctrine over person. Members' personal experiences are subordinated to the sacred science and any contrary experiences must be denied or reinterpreted to fit the ideology of the group.
8. Dispensing of existence. The group has the prerogative to decide who has the right to exist and who does not. This is usually not literal but means that those in the outside world are not saved, unenlightened, unconscious, and must be converted to the group's ideology. If they do not join the group or are critical of the group, then they must be rejected by the members. Thus, the outside world loses all credibility. In conjunction, should any member leave the group, he or she must be rejected also.^[3]

8 hours ago, skyrider said:

 

......in essence, “history had stopped. Nothing existed except an endless present in which the Party (Cult) is always right.” 

 

The only way to hold to this cognitive dissonance..... is to stay in an "endless present."

• No matter that some 150 way corps exited twi between 2007-2016.
• No matter that very few want to sign on as hq-staff employment.
• No matter that another exodus happened in 2017....with corps coordinators & clergy leaving, no less.
• No matter that Steve L0ngley, one of twi's foundational class teachers (2004) cut ties with twi.
• No matter that twi has backtracked on their "debt policy" they established in 1994.

The cult keeps them from REVIEWING HISTORY.....even within the last 10 years.  The followers are thought-conditioned on obedience to their leaders.  They are institutionalized by Nurse Ratchet and sedated with their daily dose of medicine pills.  Lunchtime announcements keep the daily lecturing of "us versus them" pertinent so that they do not stray into questioning authority.  Subtle.  Daily.  Indoctrination.

If every day one STAYS IN PRESENT CONFORMITY...... then it shuts down ACCUMULATION OF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES from which to catalogue, analyze and discern truth from error.

52 minutes ago, OldSkool said:

......

This garbage is set in stone. The way is a preservatation society that has enshrined wierwille and many of the things he did when he was alive. He is their guiding light and their idol.

Nothing else matters to this cult except preserving the narrative....ie wierwille was called and destined by God to "teach this word that hadn't been known for centuries."  Problem was..... preachers and ministers HAD been teaching these truths.  

Twi is a classic example of an authoritarian, thought-control cult.  Manipulation of 1) behavior, 2) information, 3) thoughts, and 4) emotions.  The only way twi can function is thru deception at every level.  Notice how they skewer twi-history and ONLY focus on the 1967 pfal-filming as a seismic shift in the spiritual universe.  Why do they AVOID....

1. Wierwille's beginnings of teaching Leonard's class (1953) in the Van Wert Church basement?
2. Vpw's staying on church payroll until August 1957.
3. New Headquarters and Independent Beginning:  Thursday, December 19, 1957.
4. Ten years of vp's driving from city to city to teach pfal classes (1958-1967).
5. Meager abundant sharing.....until confiscating Heefner's and Doop's independent works (March 1972)
6. Really, wierwille only had 10 years of exponential growth AFTER cunning deceit and exploits.
7. Wierwille lost an eye, had cancer.... keeping this cancer secret from the body of believers.

Reminds me of something I recently read about George Orwell's character Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four.  Winston worked in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth where his job was to rewrite historical documents so they matched the constantly changing party line (twi's "present truth").  This involved revising newspaper articles and doctoring photographs -- mostly to remove "unpersons" (mark and avoid people/corps).  In manipulating and altering historical realities......in essence, “history had stopped. Nothing existed except an endless present in which the Party (Cult) is always right.” 

Another thing, twi avoids any mention of all other attempts of these foundational classes.....Another pfal class full of dead men's bones

• Power for Abundant Living (1967).  Wierwille plagiarized wholesale from B.G. Leonard (stolen class)
• PFAL '77.  Wierwille attempted to update this class in 1977 (failed)
• Way of Abundance and Power Class (1996).  Martindale's attempt.  A class filled with sport analogies and jockstrap ego.  (crash & burn)
• WAP Class Update (2004 ?).  Three Amigos teach sections.  Still has the lingering effects and questions of Craig Martindale's presidency and cover-up.
• Power for Abundant Living Today (2022).  Shiny and new.  Makes it looks like twi is actually doing something rather than just serving refried teachings       over and over again.

With each passing decade..... twi has become the "unpersons."

On 9/10/2022 at 9:37 AM, chockfull said:

Yes again sky.  It is not a logic leap to look at a guy who got a cereal box top correspondence degree in homiletics and see that the crux of his interest is in influencing people via the spoken word.

I like your histrionics word.  Yes VP threw semi emotional fits on set throughout the class.  This is a major element of how he “set the hook” to appeal to our young minds and emotions.

Wierwille took this histrionic-homiletics to absurd levels.

His stories in pfal were zingers.... implanting a coded-message of intimidation and fear into the minds of youth.  Even in the 12th Session of pfal, wierwille closes out his class with telling students to spend the next three months reading his pfal collaterals.  Indoctrination 101.  Keep them involved.  Keep them addicted.  Keep them indoctrinated.

With each new class/program level came more aggressive measures of commitment.  Seal your corps vow to twi with salt.  No matter how much debauchery, plagiarism, drunkenness, or evil you uncovered at the top levels of twi..... you were "salted" for life?  Screw that!!  The Scriptures state plainly to flee even the appearance of evil.  Oftentimes, especially in closed-session meetings with corps..... it was debasing and mean-spirited.  Wierwille ruled by fear.  

23 hours ago, BecomingMe said:

There's a lot to respond to here, and I probably will repeat others / miss stuff...

One thought that comes up from several is basically the idea that he should be respected, or that he helped some people, or that he wasn't all "that" bad. I definitely respect each individual's personal experiences and opinions. AND his overall presence in the world, in my opinion, has been a net negative. He was a victim of VPW's, yes. And he was also a villain/perpetrator/predator to many, many others.

I know this is harsh, and I hope I don’t offend anyone too deeply, but he doesn’t deserve anyone’s admiration or respect. He was/is a cult leader that took advantage of people over and over again. Did he do some good? Yes. But it’s overshadowed by the — at best — delusional decisions he made about people’s lives, livelihoods, families, social lives, personal wellbeing, their bodies, their choices…the list goes on and on. I think of all the points here this is the hot-button one for me, so my personal experience perhaps clouds my judgement. But I also think my personal experience informs my judgement here in a way others don’t have access to — meaning, I know what kind of a person he was/is.

WordWolf, you mentioned that those listening to him now are probably over 50 and are responsible for their own thoughts and beliefs. Thank you for that perspective; you’re right, I think (hope?), although I do think brainwashing is real and more powerful than popular opinion sees it as.

Another question that comes up is whether he really believes his stuff or is just a con man. He believes it wholeheartedly. Always has, and I think always will. I think that in itself is a “reason” he continues on with teaching. He believes it’s God’s will.

Thank you BecomingMe for your courage and honesty.  Your willingness to address these issues openly (imo) is a testimony to your mental strength and stamina to acquire personal autonomy of your authentic self.  Good for you!  Never give up, never give in.

Like many others who went thru the gauntlet of twi, some have endured great tragedies of family separation and estrangement.  You are not alone.  I hear you.  I, too, went thru a valley of emotional stress and trauma after my deprogramming episode in 1981.  Wierwille fanned the flames of this episode by giving me FALSE PROPHECY.....stating, face-to-face with me, that "Your parents will be dead in five years for having done this to you."

Still, to this day.....I find it alarming how few understand the depths of the wierwille/pfal mystique.  One of the many things that those *deprogrammers* brought to my attention was Robert Jay Lifton's book --Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism.  Well, now.... it seems apparent to me that the charismatic wierwille, cunning, deceiving, lazy and a malignant narcissist, displayed an uncanny grasp on how to indoctrinate people.  Immersed in that environment for nearly five decades, Craig had his conscience seared with a hot iron and cannot recover his moral, psychological compass to generate compassion and empathy for others (like so many other top-tier corps leaders).  He is stuck on the hamster-wheel.

One of the things that I've found very helpful is writing and posting my thoughts.  Thru the years, posting on GSC has been like "running a clear, mountain stream thru a muddy creek."  It washes away the filth and disease.  Thus, I hope you BecomingMe continue to voice you thoughts, opinions and critical thinking via posts here or elsewhere.  

If there is anything that I could possibly ever do for you, please send me a private message.  You are such an inspiration to us all.  Take care.

The 1967 pfal class was a mixture of plagiarized information, scriptures, stories and theatrics.  Wierwille was nearly 51 years old and had spent 14 years (1953-1967) teaching this material and honing his skill of histrionics.

Wierwille inserted "zingers" into pfal via his stories.

Who could forget the story of a mother and her little boy.  As the story goes..... with each passing month, she feared that something tragic would happen to little son.  Wierwille builds the story with melodramatics and accelerating voice inflection.... "....and she held that fear and held that fear UNTIL ONE DAY IT HAPPENED, HER LITTLE BOY WAS KILLED OUTRIGHT!"  You know what killed that little boy, wierwille proclaimed.  So, you just quit your yakking.  It was the fear in the heart of that mother that killed him.  FEAR is negative believing.  It is the law of believing in reverse. God would have to change all the laws of the universe for this not to happen.  Fear killed her little boy.  That's the law of believing.

But the theatrics of *Christ-in-you, the hope of glory* was not a story, but scriptural truth [Colossians 1:27].  Once again, with immense theatrics....wierwille highlights this truth with repetitive emphasis.  Over and over he repeated the phrase....Christ in you, Christ in you, Christ in you, the hope of gloooory!!  Animated, on his feet, shaking his fists, overacting in theatrical drama.....wierwille claimed its significance.

• Colossians 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

YET.... wierwille didn't believe it.  Else he would have structured his ministry on Christian truths, not lockstep obedience.  Individuals within this ministry would have flourished with personal sovereignty, boundaries, dignity, integrity......rather than denigrated, ,manipulated and exploited.

This histrionic performance was a "hook" that snagged youth into his boat.  His theatrics were classic "bait and switch" in every sense of that concept.

Seemingly, wierwille could NOT pull off the same theatrics ten years later......at PFAL '77.  The re-filming of his pfal class was a failure.  Why the failure?  Were the stories and zingers and theatrics THAT IMPORTANT to pfal's success?  Or, had the plagiarized material that wierwille once taught repetitiously escaped his grasp?  

And, if the importance of *Christ in you* was shout-to-the-Lord glorifying.....why did wierwille rarely teach it nor expound upon it?  Well, seems to me that wierwille used theatrics to ensnare a following, but wierwille's malignant narcissism was his wheelhouse.  He used every tool in his woodshed to keep people from finding out his true and authentic self.  With power and control firmly established, the depths of his narcissistic pathologies came to the fore.  His enablers and inner circle kept the mystique growing as Drambuie-wierwille stepped out of the back room for another late-night corps meeting or night owl.  But for many staff and corps, this wierwille family heritage was hard to stomach.

The theatrics no longer work.....when one sees behind the curtain.

On 9/8/2022 at 12:28 AM, WordWolf said:

To say nothing of the tendency in twi for "leadership" to slap the adjective "spiritual" to anything- as if it changed the properties.  vpw himself said that, if you took a jar of pickles, and changed the label to "apple butter", that didn't change the pickles on the inside.  However, that's exactly what he did.   lcm did the same-  thus, he'd freak out about something, yell about it at length, then, when he was in control of himself again, announce that the preceding tantrum was actually "spiritual anger"- thus, not a tantrum at all.    

I'm forgetting a lot of the more common examples.  I do remember that- in the late 80s- I'd gotten so tired of the "spiritual noun" business that I started to make fun of it.  I ran into another college-age person at an ROA who seemed to be in a good mood. I said he looked like he'd had "a spiritual bl**j**."   He cracked up at that, more to the nerve it took to make that joke than anything else, I suspect. 

It's coming back to me how much "spiritual whatever" was in twi.  For a time, that seemed like a piece of any long discussion.  "Where's he going to fit that phrase in his teaching?"   Not a very long time for me, but then I was out of twi shortly after that, so if they kept it up for the next decade, it's not like I would have known.

Lest we forget..... wierwille's teachings on "spiritual adultery."

On 9/6/2022 at 5:09 PM, Nathan_Jr said:

I stumbled across this phrase while reading an old thread about overflowing abundance post-twi. A search yields exactly 16 results on these boards. Though one can infer from the context what this phrase might mean, there is no real expansive treatment, and "spiritual" seems misplaced -- it's confusing to a sound mind. I never went Corps, which may explain my ignorance. (I never went Sea Org, either.)

Spiritual Goals:

• What does it mean?
• Is it exclusive to Corps?
• How are these goals measured and tracked? 
• Does this go back to Loy? Victor? The Bible? Who coined this phrase?

 

Rocky, OldSkool, Waysider, WordWolf, T-Bone, Twinky ---- ALL of you are right.

"Spiritual Goals" was (is) a nebulous, vague concept that wierwille injected into the twi-lexicon to coerce followers to the next higher level of twi-servitude.  In its most basic form, having "spiritual goals" was OBEDIENCE TO WIERWILLE/TWI.

Occam's razor ...... ie. the simplest answer is most generally right.

Like Scientology, many groups have their own brand of "spiritual achievement."  For reasons known by psychologists, people seem more motivated when there is a "level to climb" in front of them.  Not only does it give the person personal satisfaction, but it broadcasts to others in the group that this person has reached another level.  Like crabs in a bucket.... each one trying to climb over each other to get to the top.  Wierwille stumbled along for decades until he grasped onto the three main "levels" that would define his ministry......1) staff, 2) advanced class grad, and 3) corps.  

The College Division group was short-lived......as was Fellow Laborers.  IMO, wierwille did not promote fellow laborers, because it was state-run and did not involve headquarters.  Thus, wierwille had no use for it.

Here at GSC, we've discussed and dissected wierwille's attributes, characteristics, carnality and modus operandi thousands of times.  But the reasons why wierwille built a pyramid-system (and all its trappings) and levels to scale this manufactured spirituality known at The Way International was because..... wierwille was a man of the flesh.  Wierwille did NOT know God....in the biblical sense.  Therefore, he tweaked around the edges and worked in the shadowy terrain of a deceiver.

On 8/26/2022 at 5:12 PM, Nathan_Jr said:

If you want to eat anywhere near victor, but you want to follow Paul, just cross out the verse. Just cross it out. It wasn't in the original. None that I've ever seen, and I've been to Germany. Plus, it just doesn't make sense the way it interprets itself.

Anyway, like Bullinger and his Trinity, Paul wasn't accurate about EVERYTHING. If Paul could have believed big enough to live long enough, he would have seen how much fun slander and greed and drunkenness and rape and swindling could be. 

Time and time again, the vpw-apologists take the stance that vpw's "doctrine" (i.e. pfal class) stands alone and should be exclusively embraced WITHOUT vpw's manner of life as an issue.

BUT........when I read the Scriptures I find that this incongruous acceptance is UNACCEPTABLE in God's eyes. Without delving into the countless issues of things like 1) hypocrits, 2) deceivers, 3) seducers, 4) wolves in sheeps' clothing, 5) know them by their fruit, 6) leaven overtaking the whole lump, etc....I would like to make note of the following Scripture:

I Timothy 3: 10

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity patience...

Interesting how the apostle Paul's doctrine AND manner of life AND purpose AND faith AND longsuffering AND charity AND patience were [past tense] FULLY KNOWN by disciples and followers. Paul lived his life in open view for all to see. How many times do we see where THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE POWER OF GOD superceded any eloquent words of man?

IMO, doctrine and manner of life are the "hammer and the anvil" that STRIKE FORCEFULLY against the adversary's realm to impact his evil kingdom. And, when a true minister lives blameless and upright in "the zone of godliness and true righteousness" THEN he/she is worthy of double honor. Then, he is a strong vessel fit for the Master's use.

Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice, for all of mankind. He was THE MAN FOR ALL TIME, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God [Heb.10:12]. And, He was the new and living way that made my heart soar to the heavens and strengthened me to carry on his work of reconciling men and women back to God.

When I read through accounts from threads like A few big things I learned in PFAL.......where one elevates the man, vpw, and "his doctrine".....I am reminded of the Scriptural references, "...there are contentions among you...Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ." Those of you that basically say, I am of Victor Paul Wierwille......aren't you DISSING aspects of pfal by your statements of allegiance?

Yeah......I learned some good things in pfal.

Yeah......at the time, I swallowed its whole -- hook, line and sinker. Young and naive and rebellious, I found a group that had a bigger-than-life zeal to "go and grow with God." And, I fully invested years (decades) into teaching and ministering to others in the valleys of life. Little did I realize that wierwille and his cronies were deceivers and being deceived. Clearly, I had no idea that wierwille was raping and drugging and pillaging the hearts and lives of young and innocent twi girls.

BUT WHEN I BECAME A SPIRITUALLY ACUTE MAN.....I discarded much of pfal's indoctrinations that were based on private interpretation and innuendos and cliches and the following of a cult personality. And, what basic truths that I cleave to regarding the pfal class.....many of these truths were Scripturally-based and taught by Rev. BG Leonard, Kenyon, Stiles, and others.

Regardless......this thread is one of highlighting DOCTRINE and the complementary fruit of MANNER OF LIFE.

Seems to me, that God's Holy Writ bonds these TWO ASPECTS in an unbreakable hold to help His people discern good men from evil men, good doings from wrong-filled doings. And therefore......I do not understand how vpw-defenders can separate wierwille from his savage, sexual plundering of many women while at the same time, hold high the pfal class and all they "learned.".....................?????

Thou hast FULLY known my doctrine and MANNER OF LIFE

[Repost of thoughts from 2007.......ring true more today!]

.

On 1/25/2022 at 8:25 AM, chockfull said:

Sky it’s funny I was thinking about this and our training.  We were trained product salesmen, no different than traveling around hucking vacuum cleaners or encyclopedias.  
 

The parts of our training that helped instill any kind of discipline in me I am thankful for.  Of course the overall arching idea of being groomed as a pawn for a selfish hedonists pleasures is the part that is the most difficult to acknowledge for many, some would prefer a seared conscience and false narrative.  That part makes me sick.

I can actually look at most genuine acts I had during that period as a minister to be outside that framework and pattern rather than perpetuating it.

Chockfull.....I absolutely agree with your last point.  The most GENUINE acts that I experienced during my twi-tenure were outside the pfal and corps framework and patterns of twi's multi-level-marketing of pawning off hocking classes and material.

Rarily, do I ever talk about the many "God-moments" that I experienced  before, during or after twi.... but those high points in life sustained my Christian faith.  With humility of heart, trusting in the Lord with all my heart and knowing that He will direct my heart....THAT was true Christianity.  Putting Jesus Christ as savior, lord and mediator FRONT AND CENTER......in daily practice and doctrine far surpassed twi's false teachings and counseling.  

IMO.....that's why many of us stayed too long in twi.  We attributed "the good" to twi.....when, in actuality, it was the Lord's workings of long-suffering, grace and mercy.  Peace.

9 hours ago, chockfull said:

Hey Nate.  Yes it’s an actual quote ....["The Word is the ministry and the ministry is the Word."]  I’ve heard it many times.  I didn’t check but would bet it is in the Lifelines publication of VPs one liners.

Having studied and reviewed wierwille's history of failures and bloviating.....and reading thru Mrs. W's book a few times.....wierwille traveled up and down the highways for 10 years [1958-1967] running pfal classes and LOTS (90%?) of those pfal grads WENT BACK TO THEIR CHURCHES.

People, even after taking the pfal class, did "not stick" with twi.

TWI-Gatekeepers No More

Wierwille, the malignant narcissist, could not understand this.  Why would people having heard "the Word" (cough, cough) NOT want to continue in fellowship and support of The Way Ministry?  So, what's an authoritarian to do?  Well......tweak language, insert directives and mandates, disguised intentions, etc. ... all with subjugation [control] over others.  Inserting little one-liners like "The Word is the ministry and the ministry is the Word"......to ensnare them.

• "The Word" was/is a generic, all-encompassing term of claiming ownership and sole biblical authority
• "the ministry" was/is those who faithfully support and affirm that pfal class is foundational truth
• Deception.....making it appear that two things are congruent, in agreement
• Wierwille wanted to weld these two terms/concepts together
• Much like Jesus Christ is THE WAY and twi's corporation "followers of the way"
• Thus, anyone who LEFT "the ministry" ALSO LEFT "the word"
• And further, any clergy (or anyone) who left twi did NOT have "the word"
• Lots of wierwille's one-liners and cliches, when further inspected, were deceptive

Wierwille was an opportunist, hustler and grifter.  The Van Wert church board voted unanimously to have his name stricken from the church's clergy register.  Erased.  Forgotten.  Good Riddance.

Wierwille, then, spent 10 years trying to peddle Leonard's "The Gifts of the Spirit" class to church goers.  Very few people thru the years stuck with vpw....except a couple of dozen enablers who got fiefdoms in twi for their efforts.  The 1967 film class gave wierwille more time to recruit youth as "class instructors" while he promoted summer camps.  More youth.  Music.  Counterculture.  Distance from parents.  Night owls.  Sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Finally, wierwille figured that his best strategy was to have Youth Firebrands front the ministry.....while he drives the country in his secluded motor coach.  And, when in public....surround himself with an entourage of yes-men, body guards.  Build the mystique as "the man of God" and let the adulation pour in.  

Marketing 101

12 hours ago, chockfull said:

I actually had pushed that down in my conscious mind from direct remembrance.

I would agree this is the big lie that justifies practical error and gives rise to spirits of antichrist, obsession and error to run free within the confines of that group.

Antichrist because the emphasis shifts from Christ and new birth to orchestrated SIT and Pharisee compliance.

........

 

Once you see the strings on the marionettes, you can never return to that moment in the performance when you did not see them.

.

42 minutes ago, T-Bone said:

Skyrider I agree with Rocky - your detail analysis of TWI stuff and especially all the social dynamics often reads like something a sociologist would write - but it’s not bookish - more like your specialty was cults from a practical experience - like Stephen Hassan’s work 

T-Bone and Rocky.....thanks, and I understand where you are coming from regarding this.

BUT..... honestly, at times, the hurt in my heart aches from my deprogramming experience.  This episode caused a fracture and an estrangement with my parents that never was mended.  Last week was the 14-year anniversary of my Dad's death.....and some of the memories came back into view.

Here at Greasespot.....we've spent some 20 years unraveling the deception, manipulation and exploitation of this cult.  I'm quite certain that my farming parents had no concept of how to cut twi's tentacles from my young mind.  They were concerned, anxious and understandably scared.  When this deprogramming effort "failed"..... I spent 17 more years trapped in this cult, 17 more years that I didn't have them in my life.

Hopefully, others who visit GSC will heed our warnings.  Twi is a cult.....and exudes disdain for what they call one's "earthly family."  So, how's that "spiritual household" working out for you, twi?  Tatters and ruins.  

.

8 minutes ago, waysider said:

It was one of the most depressing, disappointing experiences of my entire life.

Yeah, really disappointing.

Looking back.....I should have EXITED twi, then and there.  Wierwille was a fraud.....smoke and mirrors.  

All the smoke......the tangents, The Illuminati, None Dare Call It Conspiracy, Marxist Minstrels, The Thirteenth Tribe, The Myth of the Six Million.

All the mirrors......look at the great "man of God" and relish in his definitions of each manifestation.  How wonderful to see the sleight-of-hand.....er, gift ministries of Teacher, Prophet and Apostle he brings to us in this day and time.  Pppppffffftttt.