Twinky

One more to go! Last episode was The Bridge (Janine with her baby on the bridge) (among other things). Looking forward to Sunday (last episode). Got the book on order from the local library: time for a re-read. Of course, finding time to actually read the book is entirely another matter.

OldSkool - where did you get this photo? How did you get it?

Actually, I was thinking about this phrase "to the ministry." And yes, we can "believe for it." It's just that we want to bring success to the MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST (which we, as the body of believers, have the privilege to do, to minister his blessing to others) - but NOT to bring success of any kind to the "ministry" of TWI. No way.

"Material abundance to you and the ministry" - yeah, right, prosperity gospel. I guess Paul when he was in prison wasn't enjoying prosperity gospel... he must have been so badly out of fellowship...just acquiring spiritual abundance, so that he could write "the prison epistles" with all that great revelation that TWI so reveres. And so many of the OT prophets were out of fellowship. And what of some OT kings, who had great abundance? Like Ahaz: rich? Yep. In fellowship? Nope. So bad that he wasn't buried in the kingly tomb.

Crib is a card game can be played by two, three or four players. Scores are made by making 15 or 31 points in play (that gets two holes), then whatever is in a person's "hand" of four cards. First to 121 holes (points) wins. It's quite easy but the skill is in the play. I learned from a young age and to this day (not far from retirement) add up quicker in 15s than in 10s!

Cribbage is my game. My great grandfather taught me. I'm not smart enough for bridge. (Or more, I can't be bothered to apply my mind to the game.)

CP2 "Doctrinally and practically" - goodness me, are they going to get some external teachers in to teach this aspect? Cuz there ain't not nobody there that could do that. ... Gross! ...

CP5: "Go forth as leaders and workers in areas of concern, interest and need..." "...in the household." Would be of concern, interest and need to this group of people? (Mt 10:36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. Can you imagine (ROFLMAO) that shower at TWI lovingly serving their enemies?

When I was in rez, this is what CP1 was changed to. Apparently that had always been implied, but it needed to be made explicit. Nobody changed the sign in the woods, though, the outside the Corps Chalet. As to newly-revised CP5 ... "in the household" !!!

Tabula Rasa? I don't know her, is she nice? Seriously, I don't care either way. It's your argument, not mine.

Do animals have morals? How do you know? Some animals will protect their own young, care for them and nurture them. Others are just as likely to drive away or kill their young, either to remove a potential threat or for food. Some female animals will nurture the young of other species. But I don't think that's "morality" so much as an inbuilt maternal instinct, that some individual animals have more than other individuals. Most animals kill other animals for food. Some kill for fun, sport. Some don't eat other animals at all. Animals have instincts. Instincts are not "morals."

As with every event, you had to be a TWI follower to attend. Maybe RoA was "open" to anyone who paid the fee, to begin with, but certainly not by the time I was there. All closed off lest the local hoons came to disrupt it, and they wouldn't want to buy a ticket. You wouldn't get into Gunnison unless you were a Wayfer. As to the hospitality itself, when I was at Gunnison for summer camps, we did whatever we could to help people enjoy themselves. We (in rez corps) were always very busy and didn't have a lot of time to fraternise outside those in our immediate orbit (for myself, it was kiddies 3-5 dropped off by their parents after breakfast). Though I did find myself thinking that I wouldn't want my own summer hols to be spent in group teachings all morning, a group meal, a little free/family time, another group meal and then yet another teaching session. There were age-suitable activities for the younger ones and teenagers. Some trips to the river for rafting; that was popular. A dance on say, Friday night, might have been fun, but it never happened.

Egads, indeed.

T-Bone, you crack me up!!!

No , please don't, Grace. Don't f-him.

And the epistle is MUCH milder than the oral teaching, esp at Corps Nights.

I remember a Rock of Ages early 90s, where there was a parade of folks bearing posters with messages like "Adam & Eve, not Adam & Steve" and other anti-homosexual messages. There were - oh, a dozen or so - different messages. I'd forgotten, but I reviewed a caseful of old photos and there were some from that Rock, that parade. And anti homosexual? Heck, you only had to hear Craig ranting on and on ... and on ... and on ... My first year in rez, i thought he was never going to let up about this subject. I know that's not teaching kids, but it is teaching their parents, and it is teaching potential twig coordinators who are going to go out and "oversee" twig members who themselves will have children in their orbits - their own children, their nephews, nieces, kids at school, etc. I don't think the "trans" community came into it (much) - maybe a passing reference but nothing compared to the full-on histrionics against homosexuals. Ironic, really. When his wife lived with the Vice Prez of the ministry.

I am pleased to say that a few years ago, I managed to dissuade a young man from going to join this group. Don't think he particularly believed me about the "parent program." Thought Sowers would be all nicey-nicey. But it lodged the concerns in his mind. I prayed about it too and have a recollection that he couldn't get a visa, or some such. And th young man got a job in a small nearby town and moved away to there.

What would probably happen is that the whole business would be papered over. The generals who withdrew would be made scapegoats, perhaps, for withdrawing. And in today's times, leaders who do naughty things end up being excused. A President has molested interns, got impeached and then let off, for example. Not sacked as Prez. Another caused the death of thousands of young men in foreign countries, left those countries a worse mess, and suffered - what consequences? Vietnam is back on its feet; dead soldiers aren't. African Prezes have committed genocidal campaigns and still "got away with it." If enough people are murdered, it ceases to matter. Murder 6 million or more people of many backgrounds (including people from your own country), because of sexual orientation, nomadic habits, beliefs, etc, and a few perpetrators will suffer penalties, some of those penalties being laughably small in relation to their crimes. Others equally complicit suffered no consequences (but then, they weren't kings or Prezes or anybody that "mattered"). That's what the Nuremburg Trials were about. A semblance of justice and fairness. And, at this present time, a President is ordering the killing members of his own community for apparent offences, but doesn't bother with the rigour of a trial. Some of the killings include government officials. Not for any "good" reason. Not only is this Prez immune from punishment, he gains increasingly high approval ratings. Duterte in the Philippines, anyone? And the Philippines are supposedly a great R Catholic country! (I can't think of any modern kings who've committed heinous crimes like murder, hence the references to presidents.) Sooooo..... what would Christendom do with a man like David? Slapped wrist? Maybe even give him more power? Like Duterte!

Hey, I attempted a serious answer. But you lot - well, go play with your paintballs. I guess I'll wash the dishes. More productive.

Actually, Raf, the question was this: The question: what would present day Christendom do to a man like David? which is not a question about God, but about Christian responses.

Take your pick. Coveting his neighbour's wife. Adultery. Murder. Lying. Deception (or attempted deception, in trying to pass off his babe in the womb as Uriah's). Conspiracy to murder (with the other generals whom he ordered to withdraw, leaving Uriah exposed). A good many of these are "worthy of death" offences. And the penalty was borne by the innocent babe in the womb. Are there allegories here? We also commit "worthy of death" offences (maybe not murder) and our sins (David's sins, too!) are paid for by the death of the innocent Jesus? Is God's not requiring the death penalty his showing mercy to David, and giving a foretaste of the mercy we can all enjoy? Is God a respecter of persons, that David should be forgiven when confronted? Do we not all receive grace and mercy if, when confronted, we 'fess up? Note the worthy of death penalty - there isn't an instruction to kill such offenders. Indeed, God provided cities of refuge for murderers, a place to be exiled to where it would in fact be an offence if they were murderers. God delights in repentance, not in the death of people ("baddies" or otherwise). Moses too was a cold-blooded murderer. Well, okay ... a hot-blooded murderer. He served time in exile. As to the religious zealot and murderer Saul mentioned earlier - he went on to do great things, and it is thanks to him that we know the Good News now. He was forgiven by those whom he set out to murder - indeed, after initial fears by the believing community (new Christians), he was welcomed with open arms by them. Perhaps we should take our example from them. US justice is much more barbaric than British justice. In the US, the death penalty might be sought. In the UK, he would be sentenced (mandatory sentence) to life imprisonment. However, life prisoners are generally released on licence (paroled) after a number of years if (and only if) they are considered no longer a risk to society. There would be a minimum time (the "tariff") set for actual imprisonment, depending on circumstances surrounding the event, before he was eligible to apply for parole. Good behaviour (repentance) would get him out on parole earlier after the tariff was served. At any time after release, and for no particular reason, he could be recalled to prison. Is that right, fair? Better than being executed. I think I'd go along with that as an outcome for David, then be ready to welcome him back (cautiously!) into society. Still has many skills that he could use for the betterment of society (as, in fact, David did do after being confronted). If I were a man (which I'm not), I think I'd want to keep him away from my wife!

I just looked at the whole thread. Now I'm sure it belongs in GSC Humor. Have fun, guys.

I noticed a new post on this thread and have read only this page (so far) and am wondering if it belongs in the GC Humor forum ?

To start with, "all nine all the time" is such nonsense. "All the time"? Someone's working miracles "all the time"? Healing people "all the time"? If one is alone, who is being healed or having a miracle performed for their benefit? Is the person who is alone in such constant prayer that every second they are healing someone at some remote location? (Or rather, praying for someone to be healed?) Not even Jesus was healing people or working miracles "all the time"! For myself, I prefer to live a life that's quietly in line with what God wants, not "talking to" anyone but constantly trying to line up my heart and my thinking up with what I know and understand from the Bible. But when I get in conversation, it is amazing how many times someone will say something and my response is nothing planned but the other person says, "That's just what I needed to hear!"or "That's so helpful!" and I perceive these to be words of wisdom that God has given me to speak to that person at that moment. It may also be that God is working in the heart of the other person to be able to receive such words. (I say it, he hears it; God energises both.) Perhaps that's how it works for all the evidence (manifestation) of the gift that is within us. Jesus was pleaded with for help, healing; in his compassion he prayed for it and there was a healing, a miracle. Blood flows ceased, the dead were raised, crowds fed. Passion = strong feeling or emotion. Com = with. Compassion = strong feeling or emotion, shared with someone else, individual or group.