shortfuse

Note to TWI watchdogs: Consider adding the two fingered quote/unquote gesture AND the voice inflection technique to your existing approach. Let's eliminate all doubt as to when you are speaking your own words versus someone else's.

When did Way Prod go completely down hill and why?

What can they do to stop sucking?

It's trivial but annoying as H. For some reason today's Way leaders love to quote the H out of VPW, and occassionally famous historical figures. When reading these quotations aloud they always make a point to read the punctuation. For example. A quote from Dr. Wierwille in Lifelines "QUOTE ' We were born to live, born again to serve' UNQUOTE". Do you guys really have to read the UNQUOTE every frickin' time? Hasn't anyone ever heard of voice infliction? It's a perfectly good way to indicate the end of a quoted passage.

Note to TWI Watchdogs: You sound like, and I quote, "IDIOTS", unquote.

I Corinthians 1:10 has been a verse used to silence criticism, and compel people to elevate unity (or rather its appearance) above truth. It occurs to me that this verse, so many others in TWI, has been ripped from its context and given a meaning not intended by the Author. Read the passage below. Is it not speaking of a specific type of divisions in the church? It seems more a condemnation of following a man, or a denomenation instead of following Christ. Anyone else see it this way?

Not trying to derail or get all "doctrinal", but it seems to fit with the subject at hand.

damn. maybe this is some of the reason for his overseas outreach ambassador assignment?

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Actually, "moving the Word" these days seems much more like forwarding the talking points memo.

Not familiar with this approach.

I was just thinking about the phrase "moving the Word" and how it was a state we were perpetually striving for. All it really meant was running classes and recruiting new wayfers. "So and so is really 'moving the Word' in his area". Translation, "So and so is a great salesman."

Note to TWI watchdogs: New outreach strategy - drop door to door, and mall witnessing. Go to the used car dealerships and recruit there.

Thanks for the replies. I guess there is no magic bullet to take this twi-atch down. Every bit helps though.

Quoted from another thread:

To put it in one word...

Da-internet.

Unless they can destory the internet, twi will never be able to have a comeback.

I was thinking, "Yeah!" and then I paused. There are a number of cultlike groups getting exposed by people on the Internet, and yet somehow they continue to exist. Truely the "Internet is Evil" approach propounded by TWI holds no weight with most, especially the younger generation. In my heart I think The Way will sputter out on its own, but at the same time I'm afraid it won't. Is the information out here enough to stop them?

Just thinking,

sF

P.S. > Note to TWI watchdogs. Accelerate plans to destroy the internet, it may be your only hope!

Well, the "comeback" suggested was in terms of numbers. I'm with Lindyhopper on the reason it will never happen.

I suppose you're right. I would be a difficult thing to prove. All staff applicants are required to be Advanced Class Grads and have the endorsement of local leadership. I think the intent would be to steer those people away before they even apply.

I wonder if just saying what she said counts for anything. It's on a tape somewhere.

Well, until the WayGB reads this maybe?

Don't call it a comeback...

A little Public enemy there for the kids..

That was LL, son.

In light of the "argument" that UNwritten Policies didn't exist since they were not written down, it reminds me of the Tom Cruise / Jack Nicholson movie "A Few Good Men."

You want the truth?!! You can't HANDLE THE TRUTH!!

Love that movie :)

Okay, I'll bite.

I've been looking through some old threads and found this post by Oakspear. I wonder if it's changed much at all since it was posted in 2002:

How about classifying those still "in"?

* Those who want to get out, but are stuck in because of family or other committments

Still true.

* Those who are in, but are seriously questioning twi policies to the point of checking out GS or other sites

Still true.

* Those who are in and are just starting to question what is going on

Still true.

* Those who know how screwed up it all is, but don't think there is anywhere else that "The Word" is taught

Still true.

* Those who do not have enough brain cells to register on a postal scale and would not recognize logical thinking if it bit them in the @$$

Don't see a lot of this but is probably out there.

* long-term Way Corps and clergy who could not get a "real" job if their lives depended on it.

This is harsh but probably true of some.

* People who live in 2 million dollar log cabins

Who is this? The Gunnison folk or the Corps Chalet dwellers?

Add to this:

*New people who have yet to sense any of the problems - still blissfully ignorant.

*Those who see the problems and stick around hopeful that one day things will change.

*Those who see the problems and are biding their time for an opportunity to influence change.

How old were you during the family corps years?

4000 for the 40th was actually the 82-83 group.

The Hobbs Act defines "extortion" as "the obtaining of property from another, with his consent, induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right." 18 U.S.C. S 1951(b)(2).

TWI obtained money from us with our concent using the threat of fear, fear that God's protection wouldn't cover us if we didn't give $$$ to "The Ministry".

TWI also obtained money from us with our concent "under color of official right".... which is them saying they had the God given official right to collect and use our ABS for their purposes.

I believe that TWI extorted our ABS from us, and that they could probably be sued by class action for it under the Hobbs Act.

What does everyone else think?

Wonder what the statute of limitations is on such an offense.

Is there an epidemic of illness in TWI? I was reading through the Sunday service highlights section and was surprised at all the teachings on health.

Nah, just a recent series of teachings.

Exactly what Tom said. LCM put his foot in his mouth so many times, nobody will be allowed any license for quite sometime.

Also change could suggest previous error. Never do that.

Boy Belle, that guy MH sounds like a class act.

That's funny. I believe I left in 01' and part of the little "reproof session" I bowed out of had to do with me not ABSing in recent weeks. Old habits die hard I guess.

Not dead yet.

According to Matthew Harmon, BC of Orlando in the last year of WC full time and the first year of WC back on the field:

"Don't make me do your dirty work!! I have to spend MY money, MY gas and MY time to buy a money order for the cash you losers put in the horn. At least do me the courtesy of getting a money order for your abundant sharing. It's really selfish and disrespectful when someone constantly puts cash in the horn. "

This is really inexcusable. However, I must say that many of us during this time were just zealously parroting what we heard from LCM or other leadership. Doesn't make it right, but we thought we had our hearts in the right place. I know I have regrets from this time.

These are a snore fest because Rosalie wants them that way. Ultra-simple, not deviating from the well worn, established teachings stated in well worn, established ways. There are still some left that would write relevant, interesting articles but these would never make it in the Way Mag, at least not without some serious editing.

Donna is living in Founders Hall????? I really find that hard to believe. Could you expound on how you know this?

Source was innie friends on staff. Don't know who is in the Corps Chalet though.

You might be quite surprised who he was.

You have our interest. Who's your friend? I'll take a guess. Doug McMillan?

Or are you just talking about the way that they're "set up and run"?

Yes, this is most to the point of what I was getting at.

Over time, I am able to give less and less credit to TWI for any original thinking. Therefore, when I consider the current model of TWI (notably the latest model for the way class) I have to ask myself where they got their idea from. There is almost certainly some other group that they are using as a model for the continuance of a group, sect, NRM, cult, whatever, after the death of its charismatic founder. Scientology seems to be a model for this, although there are definitely other candidates.