Twinky

Not seen Michael 0'Brien but if I run into him, shall I ask him for your plane fare so that you can visit this fair isle? If his scam was successful he may have change in his back pocket.

They write it all in a "Book of Life"? (Ancient computer, more like). Now how the heck can someone on "spiritual probation" (whatever the f*** that is) either learn to get better, or prove they are good enough to return, if they aren't allowed to "fellowship" and freely avail themselves of the wonderful teaching? Remind me, here, of how many people Jesus put on "spiritual probation". Or how many the apostles put on "spiritual probation" in the book of Acts? Something perhaps relevant in 2 Cor 2 - but in verse 7 it says: " So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, (-why? :) ) lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him." Huh? Forgive?? Comfort???? "Swallowed up with overmuch sorrow"? Does that find resonance in anyone here's life? (Completely completely completely spiritually angry with them!)

On the theme of the theme...TWI runs its themes in 10 year cycles. "Living the Word's Way" is a 10-year theme. "Making God our Sufficiency" is the 1-year theme. You know what really would be a new theme? "The excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord" (Phil 3:8) What if they really did start teaching something about who Christ Jesus our Lord actually is? About his lifestyle - which wasn't all confrontation, as LCM would have us think? About what he is doing today - in his church? About building a relationship with him - our big brother? Now that ... might be worth paying attention to. (Of course, believing what they said might be another matter, LOL.)

Yeah, Mark, I was thinking just a drive-by, too. Was going to give him/her another day or two ... perhaps it's an innie who has to find a suitable closet with internet, before posting.

What, Highway? You think it should be "Prevailing upon God's Sufficiency"? I don't see many folks from the Cafe volunteering to partake in this tremendous new year of outreach.

...web-beacons??? :blink: (scratches head) Is there an interpretation with that?

What's this about Advanced Class 98 cover up?

Wow. Some things really go off track quickly. This is not a discussion about Rosie. It is a discussion about the ministry theme. Even if that theme is a new variation of "your ABS at work." Maybe if we address some issues about how God really is our sufficiency, it will help some innies who are still in, some who are still recovering from TWI-speak, and help them see that there is plenty of Godly sufficiency outside TWI. Or maybe it will give those perusing this site some ideas to pass on to Rosie so that it isn't just "how to get more money out of the punters."

Now now, Wordy, don't go jumping on newbies as soon as they get here, and scaring them off! Welcome, Billy G. Welcome to the Get Sorted Clinic aka Grease Spot Cafe. This is a diverse community and do feel free to express your own viewpoint. Being thankful is a great attitude but as you see, some are suspicious of it.

This is the new ministry theme for 2010. Fresh news, just released! You’ve all been waiting for this, haven’t you?! Living the Word's Way : Making God our Sufficiency I have little doubt that this ultimately come down to being all about the "here and now," the physical needs that we have being met. Even less doubt that it’ll be tied into some rich teachings (ahem) about God providing for our finances if only we will give more to the work of the ministry (read, TWI). And it will be very little about the love, joy, peace and comfort that there is in really knowing God as our strength and sufficiency and knowing His sustaining power in times of great anxiety or distress. …Your experience may vary…

Was at home. My brother had sent a video of his recent visit (he lives overseas). Had been watching that and the video tape was rewinding. Flipped it onto TV while it was rewinding. There was this bizarre movie, flames and smoke pouring out of a skyscraper... I thought it was some movie with a bizarre plot. Nobody would make a real movie like that! The sombre voices made me suspect that in fact it wasn't another movie at all. Then the second one hit. I watched in shock and horror. The entire family group sat in stunned silence watching in disbelief. It was unreal. But it was real. My condolences to anyone who lost loved ones in this dreadful attack. Am especially sorry for any small or (then) unborn children who lost a parent whom they never had the joy of knowing.

In a little neighborhood area near me there is a small collection of shops: a couple of food stores, a wine bar, a pub, a chemist, fruiterers, and quite a number of other shops. It's not a big area, but there are maybe two or three dozen shops. The area is full of very big houses, expensive to buy, but as they are so big, some have been turned into student lodgings and flatlets. An odd sort of mix, really. One of the shops, surprisingly, was a betting shop. It always seemed to me to be somewhat out of place, but it's not a business I know a lot about. As the shopfront had frosted windows and is not the sort of place I frequent, I had no idea how busy or otherwise it might be. A while ago I noticed in the betting shop window a sign - "Charity shop opening here soon." And today when I drove past there are rails of clothing, stepladders, storage boxes, etc, all strewn around in the former betting shop. It seemed so ironic that the get-rich-quick betting shop, that may have taken money from households that could ill afford it, now has its place taken by a charity shop selling clothing and other cheap stuff to perhaps keep those very households going.

Not their minds, Ron - just their knives. http://www.goxplore.net/guides/Knife_law_(UK)

uh...there was a time when HA was not "Uncle" Howard? Now you come to mention it, I don't think I ever heard him referred to as just "Howard" - only "uncle Howard" or "Howard Allen". I don't remember Don W ever being called "uncle Don" - just "Donnie." I never even thought to question or even notice that before. But then, I've never thought of it for years. As a child, it was simply the polite way to address or to refer to adults of one's parents' generation as "uncle" or "aunt" even though they weren't relatives.

What are we doing here? I'm asking myself the same question...it is 1.30 AM and way past my bedtime. How fascinating GSC is at times... :blink: Chockfull - I noticed that about their line drawings too. Very Watchtower-ish. Heck, they're not plagiarizing the artwork now, are they?

Ha ha, Chockfull, if numbers continue to dwindle, it may be that those departments will lose so many staff that TWI will have to put their services on the net. In a "password protected area", of course, lest their pearls of wisdom should fall among swine, Christians in general, the people really searching for answers, etc. What a truly worldwide tool they are so carefully avoiding using. Isn't this the organization that was at the forefront of so many areas of progress and whose ideas were copied by the world at large? ...The AoS performance, which was "copied" by a famous performer. ...The latest and greatest in equipment (in its time) - probably way out of date now. Use of the Internet is something so simple that young schoolkids can access it and check out all sorts of sites. What a great way to reach out to the young people of today. But TWI doesn't even have a Children's Fellowship page on its website. Let alone access to its teachings, pitched at whatever level.

Well! I actually picked up and fondled Crypto today. She is so very light, such a tiny cat. Feels just like skin and bones. She didn't like it but didn't fight me. Previously, she has fought, struggled, absolutely terrified. Today I fell upon her and had her on my lap before she had time to realize. I managed to weigh her (carried upstairs, weight noted with and without her), and also groomed her a little. I got a growl from her at one time (Tuxy came running to see what was going on), and also some minutes later while she was crouching on my lap, Tuxy sneaked up under the table, reached up and hit Crypto! It's the longest I have held her - several minutes - and I gave her a bowl of biscuits as a reward. She fled, though. She didn't enjoy it at all, but then, to begin with neither did Tuxy, but T enjoys it now. A success, however, compared with other attempts to pick Crypto up. Crypto is nothing like as jumpy as Tuxedo. She is very shy but once she had made up her mind that she liked being stroked, she will approach me and seemingly ask for a stroke or two. She especially loves being stroked with a feather. A hand can still be a little scary sometimes. As for Tuxy - she never volunteers to be fondled and makes a token struggle, and then nestles down happily on my lap, purring and moving her head this way and that so that she will be fondled just where she wants. She does that needling thing, massaging my arm and if my sweater sleeve is thin, leaving my arm looking like I have some nasty rash. She rather enjoys being groomed. Edited cos the typeface changed size inexplicably, to microscopic, half way through the post.

I was looking at the Internet thread today, which seems to have veered off in a different direction from that which might be expected (no news there) and started thinking about the benefits (and detractions) of the Internet. How many church teachings are available over the Internet? If you go to a church, you may well find the sermon or perhaps the whole service on your church's website. Some of the people posting on this very website have their own sites where they post teachings, research, or whatever. We all know that some sites are very helpful, and some are rubbish. But they are available. Not kept secret. But a certain valiant organization, which thought it could "move the word over the whole world," and then thought it was in a position where the "word was prevailing over the whole world" ... dare not post its own sermons/teachings/research for public consumption. (emphasis added)Say what you like about the splinter groups, at least some of them expose their teachings to public criticism or acclaim by posting them on the net for all to hear (or even to view). CFFM does, and STFI/CES posts some teachings on the net. Other splinter groups also post their material. But all TWI does is post a printed article which presumably is a reprint of the main Waymag article for that month. Never mind the cost (expense) of purchasing the tapes/DVDs and packing material. Never mind the time that is spent putting these tapes/DVDs in envelopes and addressing and stamping them (all "moving the word," doncha know?). Still hiding, and not using their people's time wisely. Not exactly redeeming the time. Not exactly making manifest to the saints (Col 1:26) - or even to some of the saints!! Very sad.

Doesn't this thread need to be in Open? Or in Politics and Tacks?

It's ironic that we were all supposed to be responsible for ourselves, our own actions, our believing... ...and suddenly the rank and file is responsible for VPW's believing as well...? huh?? Nothing about his own personal responsibility for abusing his body with cigs and ruining his liver with too much alcohol. Perhaps he was afflicted with a spirit of forgetfulness - he forgot that he had drunk all that alcohol. Or...a spirit of infirmity, that paralyzed his hand so that he couldn't put his hand up to (accept responsibility for) his (cough) indiscretions. Bleeaaaah

Tzaia, you don't have to visit Doctrinal if you don't want to. It's not my hang-out much, either, but sometimes there are interesting things, and sometimes it just helps demolish a bit of Way "theology" by providing a bigger picture. I like that there are differing viewpoints on what might be seen as Doctrinal differences and it can help to (re)develop those critical thinking skills that were so crushed by TWI. We are free to explore here, and though there are some posters whose points of view I find very difficult to see, it's always good to explore other people's ideas.

Okay, I think we're singing from the same songsheet.

You know some of you are being unnecessarily cruel here. It's quite clear that some of the smaller "offshoots" are run by what appear to be still Waybrained (probably) Corps. But on the other hand, a number of them may well be run by Corps who left of their own volition, or were kicked out, and they have taken the time to reassess what was taught and to evaluate the whole shebang. It doesn't mean they are regurgitating PFAL. And it doesn't mean they are demanding "tithes" from people attending their fellowships. Just because they don't fit into some "established" church doesn't automatically mean that they are mini-TWIs. There's rubbish that's taught and abuse that occurs in mainstream churches, too. Most people entered the Corps because they really did love God and love to help people. Many still do. And because they choose to have people over to fellowship at their homes doesn't mean they are promoting TWI rubbish. (Not everything in PFAL is rubbish; if it had been, none of us would have been sucked in!) Maybe they have learned a lot about compassion, what not to do and about real practical application of the Bible. Maybe they have learned what it is to be isolated from other Christians and in fact they work to promote exploration of other Christian beliefs. ...Perhaps it depends on how high up the "Way tree" they climbed. I'm sure we all knew some decent folks and would gladly spend time with them and would consider they had something they could teach and share. We all also knew some bad folks who it would be wise to run a mile from.

Interesting site, Mark. Also interesting to note that in the Preface, he doesn't mention TWI. Only in the Lexicon. Is Paul Y0unan some exWayfer? Note, he makes it freely available.

Won't be able to watch along with you, Tonto, but ... there is nothing new under the sun ... funny how the OT is for our learning yet none of these horrible abusers of God's people ever seem to learn from 1 Sam 2:22, 3:11-4:18. And just one or two similar places...