T-Bone

Perhaps you're overthinking this /> . Though it may seem tedious in wanting to differentiate between critical and non-critical thinking – it may just be a matter of fine tuning one's concept of the thought process. TWI tended to oversimplify certain things especially when it came to matters of the mind. One of my favorite Sunday Night Teaching Tapes used to be Carnal versus Spiritual – on it vp puts forth an amazing claim - countries without Christ do not invent – and he basically threw critical and creative thinking out the window suggesting inventions or any advancement of science came by revelation to a believer. (i am pleased to report that I have since kissed that stupidity goodbye a long time ago). Back in the day that may explain why most way believers could not differentiate between critical (or even non-critical) thinking and revelation. And just in case you thought you were smart enough to figure out things – vp would throw a whopper in the mix – something like spiritual knowledge (revelation) cannot be analyzed – it can only be ascertained; that was a favorite of his to use in the Advanced Class – and I think mentioned in the Blue Book too….hmmmm if we got the Bible by revelation (Galatians 1:12) – then I wonder what is the point in studying it, looking up the words in the original languages, comparing verses that seem to address the same topic - if you can't analyze it. /> you've probably used a critical thinking process in many different situations without realizing you're doing that. I bet a lot of people do. Say you're going to buy a used car. Do you take the used car salesman's word for it that the car is mechanically sound, has not had any issues, and has never been in an accident? If you're a smart consumer I would think you'd want to bring the vehicle to a mechanic you trust and have them check it out and maybe check the Vehicle Identification Number with databases to see if it was ever in an accident or maybe recovered from a flood. Or if you're going to buy a new car – again do you just go on the snazzy TV ads or just what the new cars sales rep says? I think most smart consumers do what I do – read up on consumer reports concerning the make and model I want, check websites like Kelly Blue Book for reviews by experts and others who own the same make/model; maybe even talk to folks where I work who own or have owned the same type vehicle. I want to hear it all – the good, the bad, so I can decide if that is truly the right car for me. When it comes to buying into anything TWI offers – I think a PFAL "consumer" may have experienced something that approaches this manner of critical thinking but it tends to get short-circuited by a "well-meaning qualified sales rep" (someone who may be a little higher up in the way's hierarchy). So if a newbie is asking about the benefits of PFAL you could bet your bottom dollar whoever is drooling over snagging them for an upcoming class the "sales rep" will make sure they only hear good things - - and from only standing grads. Or if someone is interested in the corps program, by now it's a given that you ask any corps grad in good standing what's it like - because we all know a tripped out grad is a tripped out grad – whether PFAL grad or corps grad – and they were talked out of the word by devil spirits – they're lower than low and can't be trusted on any information they share. And speaking of buying a car – some states have a vehicle lemon law that protects/helps consumers who buy a vehicle with recurring problems of the vehicle – repeatedly it fails to operate the way it should. Imagine if that could apply with PFAL. TWI would have gone broke; but any product complaints of PFAL principles not working – the "sales reps" are trained to issue the standard line "failure due to operator error" – after all nothing wrong with PFAL now is there /> .

John Lynn took the gold ! i found that out in a "signed confession" source of "signed confession": WordWolf quoting Lynn's letter

Welcome to Grease Spot, Collateral D ! thanks for sharing your story - so interesting...one of the things you said really stood out to me "Our last trip, I don't even open my bible. I hear and scrutinize the entire presentation better than I had every encapsulated with my notes." - you did a very bold and daring thing - engaged critical thinking skills after growing up in an environment that stifled such things; i think all that note-taking i did for the most part just kept any questions at bay; it tends toward absorbing rather than analyzing. something else you said is very powerful too: "I have spiritually sherpa'd a few others out of TWI, and gotten immense satisfaction for helping them think and process, not just bad-mouthing their religion. It's rewarding to truly help people, not blanket their needs in retemories or promises of a brighter day that never comes. It's rewarding to see them break the chain of mediocrity and a quiet life of apartments and ABSing to pay for staff cars (another post). I loved helping them and reassuring them the devil will not take them should they decide to take off the name tag." - i love that - that's why i keep coming to Grease Spot - to help and be helped - to share my story and my heart that's been freed from such nonsense....and to listen to the experiences and thoughts of others; Grease Spot is to setting folks free what the Public Ex was to leading folks into captivity. thanks again for joining Grease Spot - i'm glad you're here hey, i'm not really a bourbon guy - but i'll join you with a Long Island Ice Tea - />

WordWolf, thanks for that link to the vpw? Superman? thread - some good reading there! maybe something along a similar vein was the typical nonsense that was said when disasters did happen; about the Big Thompson flood of '76 in Colorado i vaguely remember someone's remark how the devil usually kicks up his heels around the time VP teaches the Advanced Class... i have another vague memory of when i took the Advanced Class in '78 , VP smugly saying in reference to some disaster how the devil always "accommodates" him when he teaches about the power of the adversary. ...these memories happened so long ago -and i'm unable to accurately recall the context of when/where i heard this stuff ....and i've watched too many sci-fi / fantasy movies since then....sometimes all that nonsense just blends together if you know what i mean.

good point Bolshevik - i enjoyed that link - and i like Hemingway too - matter of fact i plan on re-reading a couple of his works in the near future - probably would do me a lot of good to have some of his minimalist style rub off onto me (i know Grease Spot would appreciate it - yeah for the Verbosity Reduction Act of 2016....uhm i just made that up btw - don't bother Googling that). on a side note: while on vacation Tonto and i took a tour of his home in Key West not too long ago....now home to a gazillion six toed cats...there was one laying on his bed as the tour guide showed us around.

To give someone the complete picture of TWI, it's sort of like the telling of a twisted Tale of Two Cities. It's the story of the long and arduous journey of PFAL grads being demoralized by the aristocracy of TWI. The "benefits" of this "dual citizenship" is enough to break the spirit of anyone if they stayed around long enough. On the surface resides the pristine community of Overt TWI – all prim and proper like – they've got a convincing dialect down pat – a mix of jargon and Bible verses; this is the place they want to present to tourists – and to maintain the drip-feed of delusion for the faithful – a special Kool-Aid that makes them think they really are living the dream – the more abundant life. Hang in there with me folks – I'll get to Covert TWI in a little bit – first there are some tracks to cover up – uhm…er…ahem…I mean - - first there's some ground to cover. I think many grads were like me - an honest, perhaps somewhat simple minded type, wanting to make a positive difference in the world – thinking you truly served God and really helped people; when disaster hits this beautiful little world – the tendency for most grads is to look to outside causes rather than within this little world. So the repair and recovery personnel work to shore up the damage to prevent catastrophic failure. There was a grand assumption in place that the repair personnel need not analyze the city's original blueprint nor question the thought process of the founding father (chief architect, city planner, code enforcement department, and general contractor all rolled into one all-knowing…all-seeing....... eyeball....shall we do the VP salute together now /> ). But you know…once you start questioning this "city hall" it often doesn't take much to figure out there's something wrong in the basement…which reminds me of something Morpheus said in The Matrix : Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world? Now I grant you - to go from questioning this "dream" I think I'm living out - to actually waking myself up seems like it would take a herculean effort… and it does…so if you have the intestinal fortitude to peek at the underbelly of the beast ( I speak to Grease Spot newcomers and TWI lurkers, of course) then grab a torch and you may now proceed - WITH CAUTION - down the Basement Stairs in a self-guided tour of Covert TWI..... .....(T-Bone stops at the first landing only a few steps down from the Basement Door- his hand in a long smooth motion gliding over the various forums ) there's oodles of threads on Grease Spot that will thrill and chill you; you will be "thrilled" to realize that some of the those weird "little" incidents you've heard about, or maybe even experienced yourself (I am so sorry to hear that) were just a few pixels in the bigger ugly picture; and it will chill you to the bone how pervasive this wormlike beast was to have carved out such a massive under-structure…there are HUGE caverns – replete with "life" sustaining supply lines from above ground - - - – (suddenly T-Bone thrusts a finger out as if wielding a knife to rightly divide a loaf of German Dark Wheat Bread) and look there….there…. and way over there – uh huh – those cave-ins show you the starting point where the offshoots and side tunnels strayed off from Overt/Covert TWI – they've built their own above ground facade to take in precious nutrients for the denizens of the deep; you can't get to them from here ....they've taken on a life of their own now...anyway it has the makings of a cool movie franchise like Tremors. During the months following the passing of the patriarch – I became more and more curious about this Covert TWI. Fortunately the upper leadership in my state had some brains and moral fiber. They were in the process of leaving or had already left TWI. I would hear in greater detail about VP the sexual predator. At one point I even called Don't Worry – I had to hear it from someone I knew and trusted to clinch it for me. It's been a long journey for me – especially getting to the point I could truly see what was really going on in my corps training. See an old post of mine – link below – warning it is NOT for the faint of heart or for those who still think VP was the man of god for this day and time and hour…well at least back in the day. TWI's Sedative to the Conscience Before ending my post – I would like to close by saying there were so many good people in TWI as I just mentioned above – and for that I will forever be thankful for their courage, strength and honesty. There's a lot of corps bashing that goes on here – I do it too – but my gripe is about the program itself and any of the self-assuming bozos who want to drive the bus to crazy town (that's Overt and Covert TWI…and so ends my tale of the two cities).

(I want to apologize in advance…I may have exceeded the limit on how many analogies one can use in a single post) I wanted to elaborate on the two ideas discussed on this thread - TWI's quick demise and yet it still lingers on; It brings to mind yet another Titanic analogy; it's not sunk yet – but it is slowly sinking - we look upon the scene long after it had struck the iceberg - back in '86 ; (hereafter TWI will be referred to as the TWI-tanic).....as we observe from the helicopter we can see there's some offshoots in lifeboats who will carry on VP's delusion of having the most accurate handle on truth. Case in point, see Don't Worry's post # 70 on The Latest Garbage from TLTF thread: Don't Worry's post # 70 One of VP's faux gems in Lifelines - - - - nothing happens without leadership - also comes to mind – it does reveal the recipe for the secret sauce of continuity. Like the commercial that said good soup comes from good stock – VP's corps program essentially was about cooking down the individual participants to form a homogenized power source to fuel his madness. Yup – the TWI-tanic runs on Soylent Green…and in case you haven't realized it yet…Soylent Green is made of the way corps. The essential thing that kept this living, breathing, chair-stringing mix of folks corralled and operational as a ©ruse ship * was the ironclad rule of oligarchy. The commotion over the passing of the patriarch was the iceberg that breached the TWI-tanic's iron hull, just below the waterline. Surly the impact must have registered with the passengers on board who were not totally asleep…and if they looked over the side they would have seen precious fuel leaking out. == == == == * note: with deliberate intention to have a play on words i originally typed "cruise ship" to read ( c ) ruse ship - ("ruse" as in an action intended to deceive, a trick) - i thought it would be a clever way to say TWI's cruise ship is really a ruse ship ; here in this note of explanation i put a space on either side of the "C" that is between the parentheses - but in the "original text" when i typed the parentheses and "C" all together my word processor changed it into the copyright symbol; i thought that was even better since the PFAL material does have the registered trademark; yes their ruse is copyrighted! (…and to dredge up and reconfigure an old joke in PFAL) the reason GeerHead and LCM did not deal with keeping the TWI-tanic afloat was because they fought over the deck. Ba dum bum tsssss….I'm here all week folks.) (edited for clarity)

i think it's about one of the candidates - they're on the verge of a meltdown over the mudslinging....and then the media is going to have a field day when they find out the candidate listens to psychedelic rock......and is a Grease Spotter!!!!

Howdy Human WTB, as i told Twinky on another thread - i'm not an IT guy - but on occasion i am a field technician for IT (IT has no feet but my feet with which to get on site....IT has no hands but my hands to click on tabs just right /> )....so i usually try to garner tips and how-tos from them for personal edification of course . concerning your remarks about how to back up computer files - i have a few recommendations; if you're wanting to back up system files of windows 7(this is basically your operating system) , there is a process on Windows 7 that will step you thru it - see my link below - of course there's lots of others out there - just Google for how to and find one that's easiest to understand. How to geek website on how if your wanting to back up files of pictures, music, documents, etc. then that USB flash drive you mentioned should be good enough - you'll copy and paste using Windows Explorer; you can also copy files to an external hard drive or network drive, or burn them to a CD or DVD; i don't recall if windows 7 has a media maker that let's you do that; i have windows 10 and had to download a media burning software - i use CD Burner XP; concerning wanting to have your computer run better i recommend getting CCleaner ; i bought the $39.95 Pro Plus version and use the heck out of the added features like Defrag , file recovery, etc. CCLeaner website

Hi Twinky, i was looking around here and saw your thread - thought i'd tell you of my experience; i'm upgraded both our computers to Windows 10 - don't have any current issues that i'm aware of but i did see a difference in upgrading windows 7 and windows 8. a good precaution is to back up your files before you upgrade - especially if you have pictures, documents, music, etc....i always do that for both our laptops - i back up files to a network drive. My laptop was running windows 8 - once i got used to it i preferred it over windows 7; I upgraded to windows 10 without a hitch and have not had any issues since. Tonto's laptop was running windows 7;when i upgraded her laptop it looked like all was going smooth just like mine did - when it was about finished i saw the same message i saw on mine something like "all your files are exactly where you left them" ...........Liars !!!!!......There were three different folders on her desktop that had pictures and docs - but now they're gone! Fortunately i had all that backed up on a network drive so it was no big deal to replace them. - i'm not an IT guy - but i work enough as a field technician for IT that i know just enough to be dangerous :biglaugh:/> - something that i've always wondered about though is what happened to windows 9 ?

this thread reminds me of the movie Edge of Tomorrow tag line live, die of boredom, repeat

What if TWI wrote the welcome aboard message for the Titanic: Dear valued guest, you are about to embark on the greatest ©ruse ever conceived! Our philosophy is that you should enjoy an exciting voyage on our own terms. Our ship is equipped with every amenity and option and by far is exceedingly abundantly redundant especially in the option category (i.e. same option stated several different ways). We believe the greatest cargoes come to us over quiet seas – so please keep it on the down low how much you've actually paid to be on this ©ruse. Whether this is your first ©ruse ever or the first time with our ©ruse line our goal is to provide a memorable fun filled experience for all; you may even find yourself wanting to shout "I'm king of the world" from the prow of the boat. Just remember the captain is really the king on this boat…so technically all the women on the boat belong to him. When it comes to our guests – our safety and security is priority one! When we leave Reality Harbor please remember to always wear your nametag. This way if we have a safety or security issue with you we are able to call you out specifically and not distract everyone else who is getting along just fine with the onboard programs. If you should experience any discomfort or minor inconvenience with your cabin - such as flooding, going topsy turvy, etc. – remember the five senses can be deceiving and that a little positive affirmation can go a long way when working through such small problems. If a shipwide catastrophic event should occur it is best to maintain absolute faith in the captain's talent for pulling a nautical miracle out of his stern; unbelievers may inhibit the captain's ability to do so – in which case they should be thrown overboard immediately. Only unbelief can sink this ship – and possibly an iceberg if it's no longer being held in abeyance.

Interesting thread I like Skyrider's post #1 - having a different take on their demise. A few ideas come to mind why TWI went sort of kaput (now it's one big way corpse): VP neglected to build upon the Rock (by putting Jesus' teachings into practice Matthew 7: 24-27) and instead built upon the sand of his skewed theology (or it may have been sand from Rockaway Beach – you don't know what's washed ashore any given day - - hey i love yah New York - - i kid, i kid!!! /> ). If VP's vision was truly Word over the World he must have been shortsighted, hallucinating, or greedy (perhaps all three) in the strategy and execution of how to accomplish his vision; why would you charge a fee for a class and expect students to jump thru a bunch of hoops while attending it if your goal is to get the Word over the Word; seems like that's counterproductive – you're actually making it extremely difficult to get your product or service out there! I think the first century church did just fine getting the Word out to people without the aid of a green card, syllabus, and someone designated to run the tape or video machine. And lastly (thinking about the list Skyrider posted and some gem I picked up in a management course), VP and company were NOT good managers; a good manager helps develop people – they don't put folks in a straitjacket so there's uniformity and crack the whip to up production ("run more PFAL classes!") – but a good manager helps draw out each person's unique capabilities with a view to honing their skills so they become more effective; it does not squelch individuality but rather respects it and even enhances it.

Skyrider, thanks for starting this thread and your comments. Bolshevik, thanks for the link to the characteristics of a cult leader – that's like the TV Guide for Grease Spot. Don't Worry, your details from the anals of TWIstory are always a lot to take in – for me it's another bitter pill to swallow but also necessary treatment for Way-brain; thankfully the cure is not worse than the disease! I've said this before – that VP's doctrine and lifestyle were like a virus – a wormlike infection to the unsuspecting mind – and it's my opinion that any offshoots of TWI pose the same risk of contagion. From what I've read on viruses – I understand they are parasitic and I will now use an Amplified Bible technique to "expound" the greatness of this: the virus (PFAL) attaches to a host cell (the mind of a PFAL student), injects its genetic material into the cell (the student absorbs the essential elements to replicate the mindset of VP) ), then the host cell (the mind of the PFAL student) uses the genetic material (essential elements to replicate the mindset of VP) to make new viruses (hopefully the new PFAL grad will want to run more PFAL classes) ; when the infected cell reproduces (PFAL grad shares what they know / witnesses, etc.) – it's not always an exact copy – so there's mutations which can either weaken or strengthen the virus....I do apologize - that wound up being more complicated then the great principle. I see a lot of similarities in how my mind initially absorbed the PFAL material and as my involvement developed – and being encouraged to "make it my own" the "infection" took hold - it spread and mutated. It's not just studying or memorizing the PFAL scripture references, VP's bogus word definitions / translations / interpretations – it's also being captivated by his subtle anecdotal "messages" Skyrider and Don't Worry pointed out; thus VP has succeeded in heading off at the pass any criticism from such a devoted follower as myself. And if I've truly made PFAL my own in all of its morally stupefying glory and work my way up TWI's hierarchy – I tend to think there's a good possibility of VP's traits being reflected in my leadership as well. There are obvious symptoms of being infected with the Ebola virus and it can be easily identified under a microscope…In order to identify the infectious "threads" of PFAL, folks will have to fire up their critical thinking engines….and if they want out (out of TWI or even out of their mental prisons) they should brace themselves for some bitter pills to swallow. == == == == /> On a side note: years ago an administrator at a zoo loaned me a book The Hot Zone by Richard Preston which tells the true story of the first emergence of the Ebola virus – from central African Rain Forest and showing up in Washington D.C. – that was really scary stuff!!! The appearance of the Ebola virus in Dallas, Texas not too long ago was a little scary too. It was like deja vu all over again. The Hot Zone on Amazon

Hi MRAP, whether it's off topic or not, I really appreciate your honest comments and there's a lot in your post that resonates with me. I'm glad you said what you said. I was raised Roman Catholic but towards the latter years of my time in TWI it seemed like it had become more legalistic and even ritualistic than the Roman Catholics. While I'm at it - let me also say when I was a kid a lot of the mass was in Latin and that truly mystified my little mind – but you know some of the stuff VP threw out there can be just as befuddlicious (just try analyzing the great principle for starters). I also am ashamed to say (but feel it's now part of my "penance" to confess before this "congregation") what high esteem I too held VP; he spoke of the Word taking the place of the absent Christ – and there is a despicable "truth" in what he said; if I may be so bold as to paraphrase his statement – it was the word of VP that took the place of Christ in his version of Christianity. Speaking of violating the Great Commandment – I never felt so guilt ridden for trespassing the second commandment (love thy neighbor as thyself) as when it was shortly after I left TWI; I was shopping in a supermarket (this is a little weird to think of it even now) and as I walked up and down the aisles, looking at these strangers I passed - I began to cry. And I don't mean one little tear down the cheek – I mean running water! I had to leave the store because I felt like everyone was looking at me thinking this guy is having a nervous breakdown or something. I realized how much I looked down on everyone who was not in The Way and was thunderstruck by how much of an elitist….a spiritual snob I had become! For me it was like Paul knocked off his high horse on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) meets the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18). Anyway that's how I'll pitch it to the producers for the final episode of That Darn Pharisee.

Rocky thanks for that link to magical thinking – I've bookmarked it so I can review it a few times – good stuff. VP's skewed version of Christianity was a lot about being in control and manipulating reality; I venture to say that the long term effect on his followers holding to such a mindset would be the followers becoming self-centered just like VP. One of the first non-Way books I read when I left TWI was Beyond Seduction by Dave Hunt. One of the finer points he made in the book got me thinking that maybe there was an insidious nature to certain TWI beliefs; in the book Hunt talked about self-centered belief systems that silence the God-given voice of conscience. link to Beyond Seduction book on Amazon In my opinion true Christianity is about submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ. When I was in TWI, maybe I had some unarticulated idea of God as being something like a genie in the law-of-believing-bottle - - there to get me what I need or want. That's opposite of the idea in Matthew 22: 36-40 that Rocky referenced in post #1 – to love God and neighbor; I think those passages could be the official policies and procedures manual for authentic Christianity...genuine love is about giving and serving. == == == == Yeah – makes me think of the phrase "you can't have your cake and eat it too" or rather you can't have Christianity and live like the devil too. To paraphrase what I said above - VP's skewed version of Christianity was a lot about him being in control and manipulating Christianity! In other words, VP was in charge of his own religion....maybe a variation on a trinity - he was god, high priest, and devotee all rolled into one....which one ups "i am my own grandpa" ...."i am my own idol." == == == == VP was so obsessed with stuff from the John Birch Society, conspiracy theories, devil spirits, wrong seed boys, and every other covert group that densely populated his mental map of reality. I figure his paranoid delusional tendencies factor in there but also perhaps the idea that he could thwart these invisible enemies by the "power" of believing was comforting to him...and yeah maybe after an exhausting day on his imaginary battlefield, you'd think a tough old warrior should be entitled to a furlough so he can go do whatever he wants.

An alternate rendering of the great principle: In the spirit of VP breaches any inhibitions in you; now VP's problem is your problem – how to keep things on the down low as you act.

I took the Advanced Class three times: in '78, '79 and in one of the years in residence as Family Corps (which was Fall of '84 to Summer of '86). My expectations were always very high. I had it stuck in my head one of VP's quips "sign, miracles, and wonders follow believers, class". I think that pretty much set me up for a "ministry life" of disappointment and frustration. I had hopes that each time I took the Advanced Class there would be a watershed moment and I would finally operate the power and revelation manifestations; this seemed like a valid expectation based upon my experience at the end of my first PFAL class (supposedly speaking in tongues just like in the Bible; sorry if that offends anyone; currently i am a Christian who believes God can do anything - even significant, miraculous and wonderful things - if and when He so chooses, but concerning the topic of the manifestations of the spirit i take the cessationist point of view ). Advanced Class '78 memories: a hodgepodge of conspiracy theories, VP and LCM saying the Holocaust was a myth, rants to express their disdain for the Jews, that Satanic influence was behind everything, and The Beatles tune "Back in the U.S.S.R." was really a subliminal message to suck the U.S. into communism. Advanced Class '79 memories: folks sharing some pretty weird experiences of having devil spirits cast out of them and teachings on the ever-growing ranks of those born of the seed of the serpent…Something I do when things get weird or too heavy – I start making jokes (just for comedic relief) – so I'd ask some folks there "do you think Mickey Mouse was wrong seed?" Advanced Class in residence memory: Ghostbusters…yeah I said Ghostbusters (uh huh the movie). LCM kept talking about the movie The Exorcist as if he was going to show us that and then he rolls with Ghostbusters. Hmmmm – he must use the same trick I do when things get weird or too heavy. Though it was good for a laugh with friends. I never witnessed firsthand displays of power or revelation manifestations – let alone experience any of them myself; Needless to say, I lacked confidence and enthusiasm – which sucks if you're going to be a PFAL salesman. Whereas, the upside of disappointment and frustration was the solid toehold they provided for doubts – so that by the time of passing of the patriarch I felt compelled to question EVERYTHING about the ministry as the commotion ensued. And that was the beginning of my freedom! Waysider, thank you for this thought provoking thread!

Hi Sky – your posts always give me a lot to think about – I love the details and overviews; your "inflection point" point /> was a little difficult for me to grasp at first – but after a quick study on the old Internetia and mulling over your entire post I think I get it now. I tend to view the corps program as mostly one-sided – driven by leadership – whipping the new recruits into a crack troop. But with you bringing all the dynamics of people's lives into the equation I see a different thing – maybe not always as rigid as a boot camp with the attendant drill sergeant – but sometimes a ragtag team of dogs and cats and one pain-in-the-azz animal wrangler… Me? I wasn't a Pitbull bossy type; not really a Border Collie pastor type either; think I was more of a Silver Tabby Cat type – I will LET you lead me (and don't think i'm a pushover or i might just hack up a hairball in your direction). Back to the "inflection point" – I found a definition in a business dictionary that may expand on that – strategic inflection point: the time of transition of a company's competitive position that requires the company change the current path and adapt to the new situation or risk declining profits. I really appreciate your 6 point overview of TWI's quick demise – it got me doing some homework for extra credit (more catnip)!

Yo Don't Worry ! I'll pass it on to Tonto...all the best to ya!

In light of Raf's request (in post #104) of keeping on topic - trying to assess what the corps experienced – I'll try to be brief (which for me this length of post is brief >); I like Raf's question in post # 1 "Understanding that we are each ultimately responsible for the things we choose to do, at what point do we stop looking at Corps as "marks" and "victims" of TWI's agenda and start looking at them as enablers, facilitators and perpetrators of it?" hopefully I'll try to converge on that. Let me just say this about "direct revelation" (some systematic theologies also refer to it as special revelation) – what VP taught in PFAL and the Advanced Class (in my humble opinion) is a whole bunch of gobbledygook that sounds technical but obscures the simple way God revealed something in the Bible; Like God talking to Adam and Eve in the garden; God giving the 10 commandments to Moses; God giving specific instructions to Noah about building an ark; God using a donkey to speak to Balaam; God showing Peter a vision of unclean animals on a sheet (three times!). Now that's direct – is it not! What PFAL or Advanced Class did they have? VP taught that God can't speak to our brain cells. However, God did manage to communicate with a donkey's brain cells and had the donkey speak to Balaam. And I think some of us in the corps had our hopes up for getting spectacular displays of revelation like that. So we wouldn't have to go thru a litany of spiritual checklists "what was my first thought? Did God already tell me first but I didn't have my ears on? Have I been speaking in tongues enough?" I used to go thru that. That's why the easy route is to follow leadership. I think someone on Grease Spot has referred to TWI's agenda as being like the secret decoder ring in A Christmas Story; first you have to get the decoder ring; then listen to the Little Orphan Annie Radio broadcast for the encrypted message to decipher; and the deciphered message is nothing more than a crummy commercial "be sure to drink your Ovaltine". In reference to our discussion the recurring commercial message is "take PFAL again". "Still not seeing the benefits listed on the back of the green card – then take PFAL again! Oh you've taken it 10 times already? Then maybe you're ready for the Advanced Class. So you say you want to live up to your true potential and operate all nine all the time – then go corps! The corps is really moving the Word because they're running PFAL classes back to back!" I can still hear LCM barking out the parameters for our research paper "don't try to re-invent the wheel, base it on PFAL." When all the commotion erupted after Passing of the Patriarch I remember the solution one person in my corps said he was going to pursue "when I get out on the field I'm going to run PFAL classes like crazy." Maybe in some regards the corps is to TWI's agenda what the heroin addict is to the methadone program. If you support and promote TWI, become the best little old facilitator you can be – then you'll always have access to the greatness of PFAL because you'll be running PFAL classes back to back.

hope I'm not taking this thread way off topic … I'm sure there's others here who can jump in and explain it better – but anyway here goes - for me back when I was in the corps, there was a common decision making model that held sway – even in critical situations – and it went along the lines of doing what you were told – whether by leadership or supposedly by God. Blind obedience adheres to rules, doctrines, directives, and established practices without question - Because they are based on leadership's "divine" authority. When I said "A mindset that seeks direct revelation from God and/or adheres to blind obedience to leadership avoids critical thinking…etc." I don't see my use of "and/or" qualifying as an oxymoron since neither thought process (seeking direct revelation or doing what you're told) is contradictory but rather complementary where if one is not available (direct revelation) then one defers to the other (blind obedience); I was trying to cover all contingencies – and my writing may have even be under the subliminal influence of legal documents we've all become familiar with nowadays when we sign up for anything – in other words you can base your decision on direct revelation or blind obedience - - or both! /> Concerning "critical thinking" – again I say there's lots of other posters here who are better qualified to define it; as for me plain old "thinking" is an activity of thought that anyone can do. For example, I can look at a Vermeer painting and think "wow - that is beautiful. I like the details and perspective. It makes me think i should practice the bass more often". Whereas Tim Jenison (an inventor) seeking to understand the painting techniques of the Dutch Masters applied his critical thinking skills (as well as creative thinking skills – which often go hand in hand with problem solving) and was able to re-create by hand Vermeer's The Music Lesson. By the way, Tim is not an artist and had never painted before. Tim's Vermeer == == == == For want of a better way to put it - critical thinking is aware of its own thinking process. You'll see that happening a lot here at Grease Spot. There are some posters here who have very well developed critical thinking skills and being aware of their own bias can analyze quit admirably even a biblical text or PFAL doctrine – even if they do not believe in God or that the Bible is the word of God. I did not mean to suggest direct revelation eliminates thinking or further choices – the ways corps mindset is what eliminates thinking or options; folks claiming "God told me to do this" or "God revealed this or that to me" was often used response for an immediate "crisis"; it's great for getting you out of the hot seat of responsibility and avoids wasting precious time considering other options (I'm speaking sarcastically of course). edited for clarity :rolleyes:/>

Hi Twinky - it's always good to see you at the Spot!!! It has been a long time since i posted - although i still have been checking out Grease Spot every so often....yeah this is one of those topics that really gets me thinking - - and wanting to contribute - so i thought i'd "get this out to our people right away booms-quick". /> but i'm not the one who talked about the MiracleGro idea (at least i don't remember saying that....geesh older i get the less i remember anyway)...i'm more of a movie reference type guy....give me some time though and i should be able to find a sci fi film about a guy who gets blasted by radiation and miraculously grows real big and it's embarrassing now because he can't easily hide his acne - - - - ok i've got it The Amazing Colossal Man (a 1957 sci fi classic of course). edited for memory disclaimer :biglaugh:/>

I think responsibility is one of the key elements of this topic. In that regard I take full responsibility for joining, supporting and promoting TWI. As far as coming to terms with my involvement for twelve years it has been a mixed bag of emotions and thoughts. I was frustrated that I was not able to persuade folks to leave TWI once I reached the point of no return. I never was a good salesman (I didn't get many people to join and so I didn't get many people to quit either; I can only claim a handful of "fruit" – and of that I count my parents - I got them into it – and did manage to convince them to leave.). I was angry for a while over being royally duped – but the upside of that anger was to activate critical thinking and it's been going strong ever since. And there's regret over poor decisions especially in the career category. And not to try and shift the blame or avoid accepting responsibility – I do think it's kind of funny though there were so many subtle undertows to get you to relinquish responsible: A mindset that incorporates the "law of believing" avoids reality and places hope in magical thinking. A mindset that spiritualizes everything is dishonest – I worked under a corps grad who was a crook when it came to running his business; but when many of the believers who worked for him started complaining about how he conducted his business he would attribute the "rumors" to being generated by devil spirits trying to thwart his ministry. A mindset that seeks direct revelation from God and/or adheres to blind obedience to leadership avoids critical thinking and the anguishing over hard choices.

You make a lot of good points here. When I first got involved I had a genuine hunger to find truth; and I went WOW and joined the Family Corps out of a genuine desire to serve. But the way I see it now – what I thought I was doing and what I actually accomplished were two different things. It's similar to the experience of Tom Cruise's character in the movie Oblivion – a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film, Cruise plays a technician who supports and protects the generators that produce power for all of humanity relocating to Saturn's moon since the earth is no longer habitable – the aftermath of a war with aliens; it is only later that he finds out his memory was wiped, he's been fed a bunch of lies and is actually helping the extraterrestrial invaders suck the earth dry of its resources. Maybe not as visually dramatic as the movie Oblivion, but TWI's insidious process to re-purpose an individual is for real and it works! When I think of TWI nowadays I usually think of three roles: predator, facilitator, or victim. Over the course of my twelve year involvement - my conscience, my critical and creative thinking skills, my emotions, my logic, my values, my concept of who I am were so worked over by them (both directly and indirectly - and way too complicated to explain here) in order to make me into the best Way believer. In some ways it can be viewed as a slow and subtle shift from victim to facilitator. But maybe I still had some desire for truth and service so I never developed a taste for ruthlessly exploiting others. I'm glad I got out during the commotion of Passing of the Patriarch – who knows how much longer such noble qualities would have warded off the overtures of predators.