Morgan

So in other words, although I am paranoid enough without this information - it's just one more thing I can't really do anything about beyond worry.

Nope - wouldn't eat it. It's all I can do to scoop it off the ground with one of those doggy scoop things without vomitting

how does one prepare?

"Of course it depends on the severity of the crime, but it may also be that they don't want to rat on a brother/sister in Christ if they don't have to."

Not reporting the crime makes them an acsessory after the fact, IMO

However, as far as my overall experience and witness that twi was at one time "moving the Word" and a "ministry of God", I believe that may be the majority opinion of ex-wayers too. It depends on who you talk to I suppose, but I hold to that opinion not only because of my own personal experiences, and those of others that I know, some of who were in better position than me to know, but also those that are STILL THERE somehow hanging in and being loyal even today, plus all the plethora of folks in the offshoots, who have "eaten the fish and spit out the bones".

Well no doubt there were some truths taught by TWI - afterall, every lie must have some truth to it to be believable. However, don't be so sure that all of those who are still hanging in are doing so out of loyalty, though how much of that loyalty is to the true God and how much of that loyalty is to people, money, power, etc is certainly open to debate. OH, I'm sure there are some - no doubt. There are also those who "hang in" out of fear. Fear of the loss of their families, fear that there is "no where else to go", etc. But I wouldn't confuse fear with loyalty. Likewise, I wouldn't confuse loyalty to idols with loyalty to God.

Perhaps as with outer beauty, inner beauty is also in the eye of the beholder.

What are you, Templelady's personal stalker? Sheesh, doesn't it ever get old!

Anyone remember Splat the cat? the stuffed cat that had been hit by a car! I loved that cat.

Thanks Roy, I enjoyed that post.

okay - I have to say I find this thread interesting. But truth isn't always so black and white either. What I think today, may be different tomorrow, or next week.

I may not feel safe telling the truth either. [lack of courage? perhaps but I'm not talking about my own emotional saftey but that of another] I had a situation like that come up not too long ago - where I honestly felt like telling it like it is would be a very very harmful thing for everyone involved. I didn't lie though, I simply didn't answer. But if I had been forced to answer, I would have really had to scramble to find a way to change the subject or something, cause there was just no way I was going to "out with it" in the particular circumstances I found myself in. You may say I am arrogant to decided what another person can and cannot handle, and perhaps I am. But there was more than one person's safety at issue in this particular circumstance. I am responsible for what I say and I try to take that seriously. Our words can have a profound effect on other people.

Truth is fairly easy when we are talking about how a new hair style or outfit. But when it comes to other subjects, sometimes the "black and white" truth of what we think is not so simple. Sometimes we don't know ourselves yet what we think and need time to think it through. Sometimes we are corned into saying things we don't really mean - my ex used to do that too me. He would hound me and hound me and no amount of begging and pleading would make him stop until I told him what he wanted to hear, regardless of whether it was true or not.

And though I now know better - there was definitely a time in my life when I would and did lie in an attempt to spare someone else's feelings. I don't think that makes me a bad person. My actions were wrong, but my motives were not. Life has taught me that in the long run, that often hurts people more than the up front truth would have, but until I learned that lesson the hard way, I simply didn't know that.