Twinky

Welcome to both of you. This is a place where you will definitely start to see things a little differently. You may find your views changing markedly while you're here. You might even think some of us are a little off the wall (blame the waiters, the coffee is strong here). Speaking of which, hey, enjoy a cup of java and a bite of cake.

This is the Biblical version of "sh1t happens": Stuff happens, and it's not always due to any fault of the "recipient" - not their bad believing, their stupid action, their abuse of their bodies... Of course, it all might be as a result of one's own actions, deliberate or otherwise. 2 Tim 2:26 ... And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. Like fishes are taken in a net, or birds in a snare - sometimes people fall into a trap laid by God's arch enemy. Plenty of stuff about that in Proverbs, and in Ecclesiastes, a book that wasn't high ohn TWI's reading list. Dunno if that's karma, or acknowledging a spiritual battle, or just acknowledging life as we all live it.

Crypto is enjoying life very much now. Today she brought a friend home for lunch. It was a mouse and it was firmly held in her jaws and still moving feebly. I chased her out of the house and she vanished beneath a dense bush in the garden. I don't so much mind her catching mice ... as having to deal with the likely consequences - ie, if she eats prey, at some stage she will get intestinal worms. The problem with that is that I have only ever held this cat twice! In 2-1/2 years! I can't imagine forcing a worm tablet down her throat, nor even squirting Frontline on the back of her neck. I think it doubtful that she will willingly eat a worm tablet or powder. She is canny and of once bitten, twice shy nature - catch her in a place once, and you'll never see her there again. Does anyone have any suggestions? I reckon I'm going to have about three months to figure out a way to to start worming her. I would prefer to live and emerge from the dosing experience with an unbitten and ideally unscratched skin. Meanwhile, Tuxy was interested in this faintly wriggly creature that Crypto had and was wide-eyed with desire to share. Hard luck, Crypto wasn't in sharing mood.

There were quite a lot of strictures in the OT about counting the number of people one was responsible for...or not counting. Off the top of my head, this is the only quote that I can think of, and it's when David had already started a head count of how many people "he" had rule over: but I think there are other scriptures that say that no count was to be taken at all. Counting how many people you "have" on your membership role, etc, is all about ego. How important you are; not how important God is. Yes, there is wisdom in knowing approximately, so that you can plan somewhat for the future; but (as that lovely (cough) "ministry" would say): "it's all about heart. What's the heart behind it?" And if TWI is counting numbers, one thing is certain, it's not because they want to plan to bless them all.

Are you for real, Sunesis??? JMwas there when I was in rez (time of LCM's great rants) and (no idea how this came up) she said she had been a lez but had been healed of that and (big laugh) that's what a finger was for (brandishing her finger). I was grossed out and avoided her ever after.

If it really requires all that much maintenance (still), best thing to do would be to tear it down and leave it to the critters. Sell any particularly good fitting (the gold-plated taps, LOL!), not that the s/hand value would be great. That's better stewardship than throwing good money after bad. But they won't, will they?

If they really wanted to keep up numbers, they could include all those in known splinter groups, like CFFM, CES/STFI, and all those headed up by ex Region coordinators. Some of them stick more or less to Way doctrine and practices, don't they? At least, that's where their roots are. Maybe even include groups overseas, too. Some of those organizations would definitely object, though, thinking they had moved on and away from Way doctrine. (Hey, I'm just trying to think how TWI might spin it.)

I'm sure when I was in rez LCM used to boast about having run a ??branch?? with just a filing box and a table. He was making the point that branch leaders were wanting big offices, computers, fancy gear (in his opinion) and he managed to do it with just minimal stuff. And (he told us) he could go out and do it again if he needed to. Well. Maybe he doesn't need to. Sure as eggs is eggs, the world doesn't need him to, either. Course, with so many records that came to be demanded about fellowship attendees, it'd need to be a mighty big filing box now.

Waysider, do you need a new kind of aftershave or something? Why are you so popular with all these dogs? It's "eau de cologne" you want, not "odor canine."

Does Rosalie having a large animal as a pet mean that the policy against having large animals as pets has now been repealed? Or is this yet another of those "do as I say, not do as I do" moments?

Huh? What is all this? Was just the time they split me and my intended up...but that's another story.

dmiller, of course you know that my comment was tongue-in-cheek, don't you? (That'll be the day, when any of that lot give money away open-handedly.) Yep, Drambuie Swizzlers, fishing, hols overseas, and new glass eyes would about do it.

Repairs to a private vehicle...your ABS at work, perhaps. Anyway, what did happen to that vehicle? Was it sold and the moneys proffered to TWI's coffers? Sold and proceeds retained by VPW? (After all, he owned it, legally, so he could do what he wanted with the proceeds.) Or even, proceeds given to some good cause...the poor, needy, a hospital necessity, a shelter for homeless people, disaster relief fund, mission outreach in another country...something else worthwhile and not VPW-selfish??? As a side issue, I suppose that plane would have been TWI property so the sale proceeds from that would have made their way into TWI coffers...wouldn't they?

Too funny, Waysider!

There are many cultures that can trace their history back through thousands of years. Chinese and Indian cultures particularly spring to mind. Before that, more primitive cultures such as Stone Age man, Bronze Age man, existed way before Adam is said to have done. The datings for these cultures vary around the world, according to local knowledge and (presumably) materials. Radio-carbon dating gives what are considered fairly precise dates for each upswelling of knowledge or "scientific / technological advancement"...as much as man can say. Perhaps you would find it helpful to consider Gen1 and Gen 2 as allegorical. They do give different versions of the "Creation story". Gen 1 is in the nature of a song, with the repetitive chorus, evening and morning were the nth day. Gen 2 is more of a summary. There's a school of thought that suggests that when Jerusalem was repopulated under Ezra-Nehemiah, that when the book of the law was found...it was then subject to some textual revisions. To stake a claim, as it were. It's also clear that there were other peoples about when A&E were having progeny...otherwise, why would Cain need to be afraid of other people killing him, after he had killed Abel? Still pondering permutations myself; but the allegorical idea appeals most at present.

Not to mention Philippians 4: 22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen . [To the Philippians written from Rome, by Epaphroditus.] Well - who witnessed to the saints of Caesar's household?????

Pour boiling water on them.

Donna has/had a brain tumor?? :blink: Maybe (in fact) that's what's caused something of a change in her behavior? Donna's sins aren't secret, they're plain for all to see. Well, some of 'em.

Toledo? Maybe he can join LCM in that gym or B&Q or wherever he works. Or maybe his dad's engineered it, so that he, B0b, can oust Rosie? Maybe Bri@n will start to learn something...?

Young believers were raised to have expectations of God working. PFAL did raise that expectation...got newbies speaking in tongues, or the TWI version of it. Then - take the next class and learn to do something better...all 9 all the time became just words, we needed another class to learn to "interpret" and "prophesy". Then at the Adv class, we were given even more rules and procedures..."green light revelation"?? And we were told God wouldn't spit in our direction if we didn't do this or that. Even little things. In fact, they taught us fear not freedom. Condemnation, not calm. Graft, not grace. Works, not wonders. Yeah, they surely did plan God out of our lives...! WAI, glad you've found the book helpful. Freeing.

I watched it. Hey, what a nice video. What a lovely group of people, a little "dressed up" and churchy looking, but okay. Nice research team, all studying and discussing between themselves. Clearly not racially biased; note the darker-skinned people on the team. And it's it lovely that at every fellowship they make it available to share of one's abundance? 'Scuse me...barfffff

Okay, now what happened? The whole "look" of the cafe has changed. Has it had a sudden re-paint since I called by this morning? Am I in the same Cafe? Have I fallen through the looking glass?

Not really. The first thing he taught us is a few decent Biblical principles. This spirits stuff didn't come in till waaaay later. Anyone see the conflict where he expected grandparents to pay for things that their parents were unable to afford because they were paid on a "needs" basis? And where he expected those same people to claim state and other benefits - eg for health care? And...what about "spiritual partners" who were supposed to help in rez Corps - and (bless 'em) they frequently did, by providing what the $30/month did not cover. I remember him yelling that no Way believer should ever claim state benefits. God was bigger than that! Once you got entangled with the government benefits scheme, they had their hooks into you and you would never escape. (It was to do with the amount of information they required from you...but, hey, think about the amount of info the government already has...!)

Let's see Rosie put it to the test. Leave HQ with $200 in her pocket and no access to other funds, and the clothes on her back and whatever she can carry in a small backpack. In the backpack she may take a Bible of any size she prefers. She must work no more than 20hrs/week and she must demonstrate that, by her own initiative and due to her own efforts and believing, she leads an abundant lifestyle. She may not borrow from anyone, and she not claim state benefits. After 12 months, she may have really learned whether God is her sufficiency...or whether the stockpile of funds at HQ is...

We've all seen enough of wolves disguised as sheep, and this man sounds like another wolf trying out the disguise. What's more, he wants the deacons to be wannabe wolves as well. Erkjohn makes good points. If you're going to call this man on this, make sure you have a good scriptural basis - be able to point to enough examples, scriptures, etc, to convince those who have ears to hear. (Like, "love of money" being a root of evil - maybe even the compassionate response of the Samaritan who, out of his own pocket, tended a needy and injured person! With no thought of reward!)