Twinky

Okay, folks, send me some encouraging messages. Tomorrow I do another Half Marathon. The weather forecast is dry, temp <6 degrees (43F) with a bit of a breeze. At least it is supposed to be dry, no rain, sleet, snow or grey dampness. At last. It's been bitterly cold lately and we have had many weeks below freezing day and night. For some of you that might not seem much. If you live in Texas or Florida you might be shivering at the thought of it. I have not practised much as when I go out in such cold my muscles all lock up. I can't seem to get warm at all. I think I have managed 3 or is it 4 training runs. So I am not expecting a record time tomorrow. However, I will get round, will complete the course fully - and within the allocated 3 hrs. I may be getting a Personal Best - for my longest time yet. Personal Worst, perhaps. As to whether I can walk or even move the next day - hah, that's another story. I do it as a fundraiser for Genesis Trust, which reaches out to the homeless and very vulnerable in this city where I live. Their strapline is: Compassion in Action. It is funded basically by all the churches in this city. Everyone working or volunteering there just gets on with what needs to be done, to help others. Nobody discusses theology, but everyone acknowledges God in all that they do. It's a very supportive place. Meeting real physical needs. I am delighted to support it by a bit of fundraising. Anyone who feels so inclined can make a donation at: my JustGiving page but I'm not particularly expecting you to. Please visit and leave good wishes, though, or send me a message here.

I've said this before here, and I'll say it again. I have friends who firmly believe in the trinity and pray to...it/them and get prayers answered. I know people who don't believe in the trinity (myself and other ex-Wayfers) who pray and get prayers answered. Therefore, I conclude that it's not a big deal for God, nor for Jesus, though they may prefer things to be different. However, they know who they are and what their roles are. They love the foolish people of this Earth and put up with our silliness. They look on our hearts to do what's right; they see love and compassion, or otherwise; that's what they respond to. And the meeting of needs, of course.

Wasn't my intent to set up a RC bashing thread, though there is much to bash. This is not a RC survivors' forum, it's a TWI survivors' hangout. Immaterial to me, I don't have a dog in this fight. Brought up C of E. Not so many RCs in the UK. I just wondered how people felt about the Pope's resignation. And now, his departure. To a fantastic castle. Prior to moving to a small mansion. Luke 18 comes to mind:

You crack me up, Socks! Can't see that happening in this century, anyway.

Just listening to something on the 10pm news about the cardinal's resignation. Oh the backpedalling! Oh the way they're saying some of the other cardinals may have made mistakes in the past!! But far in the past, and who hasn't made mistakes ... ^_^/> and other such rationalizations. Why raise such things now though and how many others will get wiped out by historical past suddenly emerging? Do we expect a squeaky-clean new Pope, or the muckiest one who has something on everyone else? Meantime, I would like to offer the outgoing Pope a special night's accommodation...in Julian House, a hostel for homeless people. Or perhaps he would like to offer some homeless Italian people, males of course, accommodation in the new home that is being prepared for him? Now that - I would respect.

And now, it's arrivederci Cardinal. Britain's most senior cardinal has also resigned...one month before he was due to retire anyway. Over long-ago allegations of inappropriate conduct. Cardinal O'Brien resigns One has to ask if there has been a little politicking going on. If these allegations were from a long time ago, why have they now surfaced? On the eve of the Pope's resignation, a new Pope's election, and the resignation of this very cardinal due so very soon. Someone is cleaning house! Someone is getting rid of those who would not vote for a particular candidate as Pope. I suspect there may be more to come - on both stories. OS, I take it you're not a big RC fan. :rolleyes:/>

It would be nice to retire with a golden handshake like he's got. Not zackly a life of poverty... What is the RC church doing with all that money and all those wonderfully rich things anyway? Living like Jesus lived? Living like Paul or Peter did? There was a quiz in the article Excie linked to. For amusement, I did the quiz (I know nothing about the RC church). One of the questions was about an investigation carried out by J John - which investigation, according to the quizmasters, revealed that 4% of priests were found to have had sexual contact with a minor. 4%!!! What???!!! :mad2:/>

I just had a quick look at the Peace Corps website and they have three mission statements, none of which resembles the WC principles. Not to say they haven't changed their mission statement or whatever. The text of their early newsletters, without being at all the same, has a not unfamiliar feel about it... Peace Corps started in 1960; when was the first WC intake? You might have something there, Penworks. Excie, you'd have been a lot better off... But who knows what other "adventures" and persuasive overseers you might have had?

Don't think anyone's accusing the Old Boy of participating. Wouldn't surprise me however if some within the Vatican did participate. If they lived normal lives like normal men, ie, married to supportive women, well, perhaps things would be different. Instead of male priests having "housekeepers" who look after them as well as after the house. I did hear something briefly that the RC church might consider removing the vow of celibacy. There have been calls for that. Here's one article: Catholic priest celibacy to end? But here's another view: Or maybe, not to end? Something for the next pope to wrestle with, maybe...or the pope after that...or the one after that...

With God, time is an eternal NOW. Time is not a linear thing such as we know. So that means: Now, right now, the earth is being made into what we now know. Now, right now, Adam is being created. Now, right now, Adam is falling. Now, right now, prophecies are being given about Christ coming. Now, right now, Christ is coming. Now, right now, Christ is being executed. Now, right now, Christ is rising from the dead. Now, right now, the time of Pentecost is occurring. Now, right now, YOU are being born. Now, right now, all the events of your life are taking place. Now, right now, YOU are dying, dead, and your funeral is taking place. Now, right now, the time of Revelation is occurring. And so, it doesn't matter if you're a dispensationalist, a preterist, a whatever or a something else. It gives a somewhat different perspective on life, foreknowledge, predestination, fatalism, and how you live your day today. Not saying that I agree or disagree with this view - just saying it's another take on Christianity and God's plans that some people espouse. Good strong fervent Christians too, not drum-bangers but with a desire to educate God's people into a fuller spiritual awareness.

You need to open your ears and your heart to listen to a few other people. Maybe even (gasp) go to a church or two. You'll hear a good many teachers, and a good many teachers teaching about and living grace, too.

Steve, I lost sight of who Jesus is, overlooked him pretty much altogether, as I expect many if not most Wayfers did and some still do. It's accepting the gift without any sense of what the cost of the gift was, or what its value is. If you worked hard to buy a diamond necklace for someone as a gift, or for a new car, or for - anything expensive - an operation, say... Or even, if you gave a body part like a kidney to someone whose kidneys had failed...and that person just said, oh thanks, and walked away and never displayed the item but shoved it in the back of the sock drawer or never thought of you again... I imagine if someone as a living donor gave you their kidney, or donated their loved deceased person's heart or lungs for a transplant, you'd be so grateful for the new life you'd received. So thankful for the gift, and so thankful for the donor's kindness and selflessness. And acknowledging the grief and loss that a deceased person's family may feel, in order that we, the donee, may get life anew. We were taught to ignore the kidney donor, the donor of the deceased's healthy heart. We just took the parts and shrugged at the donor. Like it wasn't a choice, wasn't a real cost. How selfish can we get? And that was sooooooooooo wrong.

So then, so far no further forward apart from a pervading idea that they were borrowed from somewhere else. But where? :spy:/>

Just a thought – in light of plagiarism of other TWI materials – but where do the Way Corps principles originate? Did VPW pinch these off someone – or some other organization? He was fond of calling the first semester of WC training “boot camp” (except that boot camp continued throughout WC training). Please someone (Galen?) tell me he didn’t steal some version of these principles from the Marines! For those of you who don’t know, or don’t remember – here they are…well, as they were at one time. From the Chalet sign: Acquire an in-depth spiritual perception and awareness. Receive training in the whole Word so as to be able to teach others. Physical training making your physical body, the vehicle [vee-hicle] of communication of the Word, as vital as possible. Practice believing to bring material abundance to you and the ministry. Go forth as leaders and workers in areas o concern, interest and need. They did change slightly from time to time. LCM added a word, changed a word… maybe VPW did, too. For instance, LCM added “of the Word” at the end of CP1…which makes it a rather different principle. Don’t really want this do become a discussion about the principles themselves – that would be a different thread – it just struck me that VPW probably didn’t think these up any more than he thunk up PFAL or other class materials. (Apologies to any of you who I grossed out by repeating what you might prefer to have forgotten!)

Newlife, :knuddel:/> what you say is probably common to many posters here. There are still people who need to be rescued. :cryhug_1_:/> So there is still a need for people to be here, to throw the lifeline. There are a number of people here who come ... because they want to help. :dance:/>

Glad you're still around here. Have a great birthday. Many more to come.

Maybe there aren't that many more to "move on"? Whoever is left is there for life and won't move on regardless of what they learn. The "lifers" at HQ. But I don't doubt there are some useful fellowships out there - at basic twig level maybe there is still some genuine heart. And of others - children of lifers - they want out and are ready to flee regardless of GSC. Mind you, some of the younger ones have fled to VPW's grandson's cult...they'll want to move on some day. As to the rest of the old hands around here, we stick around for various reasons. Not sure that for any of us that it's the lack of somewhere else to go - we've mostly been out long enough to want to look around at what else is offered that's not vpw-linked. One reason for sticking around is to help those who might still be looking for a way out. The lurkers. The lost. Someone had the kindness to stick around for us in those difficult days...

Actually WW, there was an announcement just over a year that this site would close. And many people said their goodbyes and left then. Since that time, certainly the number of posters has dropped off. Yep, O&A, I look in often but there can be days without posts. I've started a few to see what interest there is...not much. Steve, the entire Christian community is so diverse that there is always something going on. The different facets of contribution into community life can be fascinating. Some are deep Christian thinkers but they don't spout their knowledge, just act on it; others don't know so much but enthusiastically get involved in outreach in whatever manner - nobody spouts superiority TWI-style. I always enjoy and find thought-provoking the discussions you start in Doctrinal.

I think there's not a 64 bit driver, only 32 bit. Yes, it was that No driver message that has me confused, esp when you found that driver. There's nothing to lose (is there?) by having a go at installing it. Cheaper than a new printer, anyway. A task for the w/e perhaps.

Ah, cool, thanks, Hap. Yes, typo on my part. I had a good old rummage through the actual Epson website so why I couldn't find this is a mystery. The driver is for 32-bit and I think I have 64-bit, will it still work? Maybe because I put in Win8 & 64 bit - but even so, I thought the printer might show. I guess I have to install it from your link, see what works, and uninstall if nothing happens. I'll let you know. Thanks for your help.

Just got myself a new laptop which runs Windows 8 (an interesting (?) and amusing new development for those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure). It's definitely nothing like Win7 or XP or anything else. I also have an Epsom DX4050 all-in-one printer/scanner. And wojja know, there doesn't seem to be a Win8 driver, or at least I can't find one online. Any of you computer geek types got any ideas?

I didn't hear that WW but if he ever read his Bible he'd know that "walls have ears" - something in the Bible about what you say in your (bed)chamber the birds will tell outside. Beanie, I wondered about a terminal diagnosis too. But even so, he didn't have to resign, could just have died in office. RC would cover/disguise even prolonged cancer treatment (hence non-appearances).

I think, in the circumstances, it's a brave decision. He watched the previous Pope declining, didn't want that for himself, knew it was all too much. He's an old man. Realistic about his declining health. Recently (3 months ago) had an op to upgrade his pacemaker. No doubt there will always be some controversy about whether he went voluntarily or was pushed. It is said his decision took everyone by surprise. I'm sure he had some confidants though with whom he must have discussed, researched protocols, etc. The divine right of Popes...to die in office? Interestingly, but completely off topic, the queen of the Netherlands has just, at the age of 75, abdicated in favour of her son. And she's not even "past it" mentally or physically. Just ready to let a younger generation deal with the problems of today. While still being around to offer the wisdom of age. And the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Anglican church, retired at the end of last year and a new man has been elected, to take over. (quote)In his opening statement at Lambeth Palace, Bishop Justin said he was “astonished and excited” to be taking over from Dr Rowan Williams, who stands down as Archbishop at the end of December. Acknowledging the many challenges faced by the Church, he said it will be a privilege to provide leadership "at a time of great spiritual hunger".(end quote) New archbishop's statement Time to move on...it seems to me that Pope Ben did the right thing. It might be a useful thing if the cardinals now elect a man in his early 60s to take over and lead for the next 10-20 years (no longer).

The way I read it, too. It's a fine balance between being genuinely helped in one's Christian walk, being corrected and encouraged to a more worthy endeavor where necessary - and being bullied. As we have all found.

So today the Pope has resigned. A surprise, apparently, to everybody. I wondered what any of you who were once (or have returned to, or become) Roman Catholics think of that? Saddened, respecting his decision, think he should have continued unto death, think he should have gone sooner? As one brought up with different denominational background, I don't find it alarming - for example, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Head of the Anglican church) retired recently and his successor is now in post - but it's not a RC practise.