Twinky

Now might be an appropriate time to mention "The Screwtape Letters"

Too right, Steve. And most parents teach that to their kids, from an early age. LCM did bang on sometimes about there being no "rights" without "responsibility". He addressed that to wider worldly issues but thinking about it now, in Wayworld, we had neither rights nor responsibility. (And of course I understand the darker underbelly of TWI now. Yet - rights to help oneself to Way women? But no responsibility towards them!!) And yet, it was in Wayworld that I heard - God trusts you, he has entrusted his Word to you. It's called "obedience" and "meekness," Steve. Two words that continue to make me cringe. "You control your thinking, what goes on between your ears." Didn't they say that? (Of course, they meant, control your thinking to think only what we say you can think!) Break out, folks! Your brain - you use it!!! The most responsible thing any innie can do now is to THINK and consider what you're really obedient and meek to. Then BEAT THE FEET! Grow up!! God will never leave you, never abandon you, never mark and avoid you. It can be tough outside Wayworld, but nothing like as tough as staying complacently within Wayworld.

I think of this world a bit like a womb. A fetus in a womb has no idea of the magnificence of what's available outside its closed environment. Nor of how magnificent and wonderfully capable its body really is, or rather will be, outside its closed environment. Just as we really don't know (we only have a glimpse of) what's available outside our closed environment. And we only have a glimpse of how magnificent and wonderfully capable the new body will be.

Ham... What've you been smoking? Or drinking?? Looks like you were having a nice little party by yourself last night!

Oh funny, Outandabout. But no doubt their behavior got them a reprimand. It certainly would have done when I was in rez! I wonder, if any of the head honchos are reading this (hello, Mr Linder!) if they have any idea how infantile and yes, degrading, some of the things they compelled us to do actually are? Sure we need to leave false pretenses and pomposity behind, act a bit silly sometime, but adopting other false pretenses - that we're just kids - is just that, pretense. Can you imagine Rosie having a (nice little) twig in her house and leading adults into songs like those mentioned here, with appropriate actions? Like "Going on a Bear Hunt"? "If You're Happy [blessed] and You Know it, Clap your Hands"? Etc? Mmmmmm.....

Cutting edge pedagogy ... now that sounds ... interesting. (Steve, I do enjoy your informative and interesting posts.)

You could be right about that.

Not just children ... little children. Surprised they didn't give us coloring books and craft scissors with rounded ends to cut out pretty pictures with. Any teacher aims to bring out the best in his/her students, whatever their age. Stretch the learners, encourage them to think for themselves. TWI on the other hand damped down whatever thinking ability we had and sought not to develop talents and abilities, nor even to focus them in TWI's own preferred direction - but rather, to squash them altogether. In my time in rez I saw so many talented, caring, big-hearted people oppressed and wasted in truly menial roles until all joy in serving had been eradicated. Then, they were let loose on the field. No, Sky, don't think I agree with you. I think we were treated worse than children.

Strikes me that the copy WC might have more participants than the current in rez WC. And the copy WOW program more participants than the current Fellow Laborers / WOW original program.

Biblically, aren't we partakers of eternal life? (= live forever). Don't think that that ever referred to the physical bodies that we now inhabit. Well, unless you are Rosie, of course, looks like her believing is right up there, protecting her physical body. Just think how gorgeous she will look, in another 50 years.

Oh Kit, so glad you found this thread again. We have new people since it was started; perhaps they can add their stories?

The RC church has given this priest a loan to hire a top-flight lawyer. I wonder if the RC church will make a grant to the boy/his parents for counseling for the boy? Everyone's entitled to a defence. But how about the priest gets honest? Honest to God first, then to everyone else? Wonder how many parishes this priest has been shunted around, to cover up previous allegations? Maybe appropriate justice would be to allow the boy to launch a mighty kick at the priest in his "privates."

Another sad case. Glad it got thrown out - she got costs against the church! And not only the church that abused this woman. At a "splinter group" led by that leader's son ... the son is facing charges of sex abuse of children in the congregation. blogspot Should we invite her over here, for coffee and cake? From BGBCs statement of faith: V. We Believe In Spiritual Authority. God Himself has established order in every area of our lives, and the church is no exception. God in Scripture has clearly given us the structure of authority for the church. Christ is the head of the church and He mediates His rule through the shepherding of godly elders (pastors) (5). These elders (pastors), having a high view of God and Scripture, being devoted to the preaching, teaching and practicing of sound doctrine, and being examples of personal holiness before the congregation, are responsible to lead the church. The Bible teaches that the congregation is accountable to the elders (pastors) and that the elders (pastors) are accountable to God. Therefore, all decision-making authority is vested in the elders (pastors), who shepherd the church (6). RED FLAG! RED FLAG!

I always enjoy watching the Paralympics. Those are people that are less than perfect - "visual, physical or intellectual impairments" - they're people who could easily say - I can't do that, oh look at me, I'm a victim. But they don't. They say: heck, I'll still play basketball, even from a wheelchair. I'll still run 100m even though I have artificial legs. I'll still swim even though I'm autistic. I'm blind but I'll still throw you over my shoulder (judo). Did you see the runner Pistorius, whose legs are amputated below the knee? He insists on running with able-bodied runners - doesn't get enough competition from disabled runners. And commentators complained that his blades might give him an unfair advantage!!!!!!! Pistorius at the Olympics Paralympics

I was in rez a lot later than most of you posting here. In one series of Corps teachings (I think it must have been Corps not SNS - OldSkool's wife might remember, she might have been around about that time) LCM spent very much time "teaching" about meanings for the different words used for "evil." One such word was poneros; another kakos. One being "unproductive" evil (ie that caused by not doing something that you ought to be doing - passive evil. The other being "corrosive" evil - actively doing wrong. Don't ask me which was which, and if there are other Greek words. I think maybe there were. All rubbish, probably. Anyway, the point I wanted to make is, how much more unproductive can TWI be? With control-meister Rosie ensuring that nothing except highly scripted stuff is ever allowed to escape those hallowed, sorry hollowed, walls, how much more "unproductive evil" emanates from that place? (Not to mention the "corrosive evil" when something does escape.) Patriot, you might remember something of this too. Unless you also choose to forget it!!

And these people thought they could teach us "Greek" etc. They don't understand English. And their errors in understanding the English language (in particular verb construction and tenses) pass all the way down until PFAL grads somehow reinvent themselves as knowing grammar, sentence construction etc...because they heard something in PFAL or copied it from some other person up the Way food chain. Blind leading the blind...and so they all fall into misunderstandings and total ignorance...whilst all the time thinking themselves wise. I don't think there was ever a lack of leadership. It's leadership in an appropriate direction that is lacking.

Steve and Chocky -- exactly! Lynn doesn't even hear what he himself says... doh!

We hear ya, John. That's zackly what we do here at the Cafe. Regarding both categories you identify.

Would you believe it! John Lynn, in his Living Truth newsletter, Aug 2012, said this: What a great answer to my post #15 of a few days ago.

Think right from the beginning when I was being nagged to take PFAL, I asked about this "donation" and said, a donation is a free-will, voluntary, payment. If I don't "donate" can I still take this class? Of course the answer was no. So I said, it's not a donation at all, then; it's a charge, a fee. No, it's a donation. I only took the class to shut up those pushing me. And then I felt tricked into something. And then I tricked myself into continuing for ... years. "Donation" is now one of those words that causes me to look very narrow-eyed and carefully at what is actually going on. And at what is to become of my "donation." I have to say, I haven't come across it in the Christian context.

Clearly gold medallists in the foot-in-mouth competition. :eusa_clap:

That was "tantamount" not "paramount," Steve.

Wouldn't they have to get married at the annual mass wedding-fest? Oh, just remembered. There aren't enough in rez Corps to make a mass of anything.

Trick of the Adversary, doncha know. Those in the secular business realm ... simply do not love you like the leaders in TWI do. (Thank God.)

"Teaching" and "ministry" in context of TWI spin-offs is a real contradiction in terms. Fits like a hand in a boxing glove .... when doing the laundry. Jesus taught by example - was right there with people, showing how life was to be lived. With all its joys and hardships. Peter taught by example - was right there with people, showing how life was to be lived. When he fell short, there was a public confrontation and Peter changed his ways. Only later did the early apostles separate themselves. And then, their mantle passed, to Philip, to Paul, to others. Paul taught by example - was right there with people, showing how life was to be lived. Supported himself but made collections to give away to help those in need. No record he hoarded any money from his work, or from collections. Timothy taught by example - was right there with people, showing how life was to be lived. Paul was there, and wrote to him, showing how the example was to be set. Teaching ministries... ...Mother Teresa? David Wilkerson? Nicky Cruz? ...Ordinary people in your community?