Twinky

Maybe, Nero, that's a way you could get to reach your Mom? Show/read to her from a different version, Hey, look what I discovered! (It might even be something close to one of the dreaded "literals"). After all, TWI never banned use of other versions of the Bible. They said that more study materials were available for KJV. And of course since VPW recorded the original PFAL class, some good new versions have been produced (some awful ones too). KJV is not "God-breathed." I like Holman Christian Bible which is very readable, in sensible comprehensible English, yet seems to give nuances close to (what I understand as) the meaning of "original" words. NAB is good, RSV/NRSV are good too.

Thank God TWI hasn't really discovered the internet yet. Even though some of its splinters have. TWI's website has to be about the most static website one can possibly imagine.

Thanks, Krys and Dave. Those are pretty much the conclusions I came to, too. I think as time permits I will sift out and retain any useful articles, and there's probably stuff that I don't need to keep any more that can go into the paper recycling. Is keeping stuff ... building a monument to an ugly past? Or building a pillar of witness and warning to say, "Don't go here again!"? Or is it something else?

I was rooting around at home tonight for some documents I need to complete my tax return. In my cupboard are 3 or 4 THICK ring-binders of stuff I printed off from GSC when I first discovered the site. (I tell you, I was open-mouthed, shocked and completely horrified to begin with; later, open-mouthed with anger.) I printed off (at my then employer's expense) vast amounts of documents and threads and read and re-read at home. At a guess, this was 8-10 years ago. I also printed off a load of CFFM newsletters and some of their articles. Of recent years, these things have just sat in the cupboard. And now I need the space. It's time for them to go, don't you think? I burned all my TWI material two years ago. That was very satisfying. I just don't quite know yet whether I want to keep some of the awesome articles reprinted from GSC, just to remind me of the arguments against and flaws in reasoning of TWI. Anyway... how different life is now, 10 years on! Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dance:/> (I was gonna put 3 of those little dancing figures but it reminded me too much of the Singing Ladies' rigid routines, LOL)

Nero, so difficult for you with loved ones still tied in to TWI. It's true that there are some great people there - just not the ones in charge. At least, there used to be some great people. Maybe not now. It is easy to make superficial friendships while everyone is buddying along. When things get tough, it's a little different. As in, such and such a person has problems; therefore they have a d.s.; therefore if you hang out with them you yourself will get pozzessed - so stay away - it's their problem. I totally agree with you about different versions. When I started reading the bible again after many years I decided to avoid KJV and started on The Message - two versions nearly as far apart as you can manage. Now, I read in several versions though I have a fave version. Sometimes one version puts something differently, words it in a way that makes you think. That's nice. It avoids all that BS about in-depth meanings. Keeps it simple. Like it's supposed to be.

May this year bring fulfillment of some of your hopes, dreams and ambitions ... and leave you with some new aspirations for another year.

Interesting talk, Rocky. Lots to think about.

Happy Christmas everybody. Eat a little too much, drink a little too much, sleep a little too much ... and enjoy time with those you love. And thanks to Pawtucket for another year hosting this site. Blessings, Twinx

It was all about distortion. As a final stab, when I got thrown out, the then Country Coordinator growled at me (with a fair degree of viciousness), "You could have been great!" as if to say, if I'd toed the party line more, I could have been a bigwig in TWI. Fact is, I'd done everything they demanded and still couldn't get it right. Because I wasn't "meek" enough. Fact is, I was meek to God and did as He wanted - not as TWI wanted. In God's eyes, I'm as "great" now as I'm ever going to be. As I was then, too. It's nice to be liked, but I don't care too much for man's fickle approval. I've got "me" back ("reclaimed," if you like) and I'm a better person for it. And that's because I have a closer walk with God. And with true Christians who have a close walk with Him. End of!!!

"What the Bile says" ... !! I misread what you said at first.. It's definitely "what the Bile says" coming out from that place. Rants and all. As in that infamous blue book, "the Bile tells me so."

Here's two words at a time for you, Sky. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Thought you'd enjoy this inventive dog playing. Apparently its favourite game is playing with balls etc and tossing them around. Its owners were nearby and claim that this dog will do things like this for long periods of time.

This started as "sanctification" and seems now to be "salvation." Not the same thing. If we're thinking about "salvation," let's think about it. Salvation ... linked with English "salve" (not save) ... something to soothe, to heal, to make soft. Lip salve. Salve for dry skin or burns. I think of "salvation" as being the soothing of the soul. Don't need to quest around, wonder what life's all about, be restless for the next new thing... One is soothed, softened, and made whole. (Puts a slightly different complexion on demonstrating one's salvation, too.) One definition: salve1salv/nounnoun: salve; plural noun: salves 1. an ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection."the wound should be washed with water and then a salve applied"synonyms:ointment, cream, balm, unction, unguent, balsam, pomade, rub, embrocation, emollient, liniment More"lip salve" something that is soothing or consoling for wounded feelings or an uneasy conscience."the idea provided him with a salve for his guilt" verbverb: salve; 3rd person present: salves; past tense: salved; past participle: salved; gerund or present participle: salving 1. soothe (wounded pride or one's conscience)."charity salves our conscience"synonyms:soothe, lighten, alleviate, assuage, comfort, ease, allay, dull, mollify, mitigate, palliate More"she promised him lunch to salve her conscience" 2. archaicapply salve to."the salved my cuts and stopped the bleeding" (And I guess we're "salvage" too, in that we have been rescued)

Roy, what is it, you need a pee? Hmm...

I wholeheartedly agree that we impact the culture in which we live - by praying for our communities, the people we are involved in, the businesses in which we work, other activities that we know about. We impact that culture by bringing God into whatever's going on - bringing his blessing into it. Where I'd disagree is that it is TWI impacting culture. It's not. It's Christianity impacting whatever's going on. That some of us may first have gained some knowledge of God, of Christ, of Christianity, whilst in TWI, is neither here nor there. It is not TWI that is to be given any glory; it's in spite of TWI. All praise to God and the Lord Jesus Christ for what they do, and for allowing us the joy of serving them.

:offtopic:/> Is where I learned to swear so badly. Foul language by LCM in a Sunday night teaching was fairly normal; it was completely, completely, completely, normal in a Corps teaching. Don't know about "the Word," or application of scripture - but I surely learned a lot of offensive words. ... but I was too deeply in, by then.... :( Shudda gone when they were so legalistic when putting on my first PFAL class!

Matthew 5:45 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth spit on the just and on the unjust. :redface:/>

newlife, what you say seems to be ringed in red flags! This preacher fellow seems to have a lot of "look at me!" and not a lot of "look at God!" or "look at Jesus Christ!" You have a bible; read that and do the best you know to do. Ask the Lord to show you better ways to do what is required. Ask him to show you where you can work on reckoning your "old man nature" dead. Stay humble to God and he will show you. Seek the loving support of those you can see live a Christian lifestyle and avoid those who want to berate or belittle you. Avoid like the plague anyone who tells you you are not "meek to the Word" or who is angry or self-opinionated. Go to a church, or better yet two, if that's helpful. If you keep hearing the same thing in both it's quite likely right. If you hear something that sounds off the wall in one, you can ask at that church or in the other church. Look at the people in your workplace, in your community, and see if any of them are leading a Christian lifestyle, and ask them about it. "I've noticed you always seem so peaceful/ that you always have a smile on your face/ that you're gentle with.../ you're so encouraging with your children..." Ask yourself if the way you treat other people is the way you'd like God to treat you. If it's not, do your best to treat others as you would expect a loving God to treat you. As you would expect Jesus, if he were right beside you, to treat you - or the other person. If you try to match your behavior to that ideal, you'll be living out your sanctification in grand style. Don't beat yourself up when you fall short of the standard...we all do.

Sanctification is the process whereby we learn to live sanctified, holy, is it not? Which we do by living the best we can today (tomorrow might be better or worse) according to God's commands. Spiritually, sanctification is a completed work. Practically, it's an ongoing process. Spiritually we are many things as well as sanctified - including being seated in heaven; being more than conquerors, having all things necessary to live. But we aren't yet, physically, are we? And you only have to look at Christian churches overseas to see that many Christians are still being persecuted for their beliefs, including to the point of being murdered. Others live in great poverty with barely enough food to eat each day. But it's available to everyone to live joyfully and giving thanks in (not for) all things. And we know that one day we will see the reality of the things that are promised. Living sanctified is in my view living looking forward to the future physical reality of the promised things, and doing our best to live each day as if they were a present physical reality. Living with integrity in the ways God would have us live. Living sanctified is part "active" living = doing what we know God would have us do; and partly abstention living = refraining from some types of behavior. Some of those behaviors are specified in the Bible; others are cultural norms. Living sanctified is doing our best with what we know, understand, hold in our hearts. And not beating ourselves up about what we don't know, don't understand, or don't yet have deeply within our hearts.

Good one Chocky. How can it not be edifying, to have falsehoods exposed for what they are? Even if they are not deliberate? Even more so, when they are deliberate falsehoods, designed to deceive, enslave, draw away from what is true? Exposing falsehoods for what they are gives the person misled the opportunity to find a new basis, new premise, new way of thinking. The opportunity to examine everything built upon the falsehood. It might be a horrible shock at first, to realise what you believe/d is untrue. It might leave you feeling bereft, confused, or angry. Fine. Now get out there and find out what is true. Perhaps you were told by your parents that Santa Claus clambered down the chimney and left presents. Many children are told that. Does that mean they believe it all their lives? Unlikely. At some stage the truth will come out. So the deceived kids might be disappointed or angry for a while (even angry at their parents for lying to them) but in time most learn that it's a pleasure to make or choose something to give to another person. Isn't that edifying? Anybody who hits adulthood still believing in Santa Claus is likely to be regarded adversely by those around him. So it is when we learn the truth behind the lies at TWI. Especially when we do then learn the real truth of God's love for us.

So WW, have you used Daily Devotionals whether in booklet form or over the internet, on a regular basis? And if so, have they met your spiritual needs, either at the time of reading or at some later date when such a daily reading has come to mind?

Interesting articlein Wikipedia about lions and their lifestyles and their hunting techniques; here's an extract: Lion hunting techniques Mostly lionesses hunt, for their pride and cubs. It's a group activity. Solitary males who have lost their prides (been driven out by stronger males) are the ones who roam about alone and do individual hunting. Interesting, that - the male who has been driven out. Just like Satan was driven out from the presence of God in the "Fall" when he was an unsuccessful challenger. The solitary male only gets a pride back if he can attack a weaker male and take over that pride. A strong male (the Lion of Judah, as you put it, Kit) will defend his pride (sometimes resulting in life-threatening injuries). Lots of ideas to unpick when you start looking a little more closely. I am not sure, in Biblical times, whether a lion like the African lion is meant, or some other feline more like a cougar (mountain lion). Whatever, it wasn't a desirable meet for a human being.

Luke used the Septuagint? Luke? Used? Or, the compiler(s) of the (oral gospel of) "Luke" used the OT (Hebraic Torah?) and the translators of "Luke" used the Septuagint? Wouldn't "Luke" have been in Aramaic?

No doubt this has closed now. Wonder if they got what they were asking?

JJ, those flashbacks can take you by surprise. Some oh 15 years after I'd been kicked out and 5 years after I'd started to heal, I went to a carol service with my Mum at the Salvation Army. All was well until the MC said, "And now the Corps will sing..." My hair stood on end, shivers went up my spine, I froze in my seat, my eyes widened in fear... of course, not the Way Corps!! Other random odd comments or phrases caught me badly off guard too, at that time. Practising a response in your mind will definitely prepare you for any future meeting with any Wayfers. Hey, you could ask some really good questions and share the answers with us all here at GSC. Think of yourself as an undercover reporter for the Cafe! :biglaugh:/>