Twinky

You're wrong on that, Grace. There are still too many who are still in thrall to TWI and are slaving away at HQ and other locations. We can only pray that one day they will come to their senses and see the servitude for what it is.

That's pretty awesome, Rocky. I call to mind that all non-Way material was banned for 3 months after taking one's initial PFAL class. And then discouraged thereafter. On entering the WC training, all non-Way material was banned - permanently. I know a bunch of ex Plymouth Brethren in my local area. The women hated it and are glad to have escaped. The men can't understand why the women couldn't have a voice, too (if women had a thought about something, they had to tell their husbands, who spoke for them). Matter of fact, about 40 years ago, in a different area, I used to work with a woman, who would take her packed lunch to the nearby park and eat there. On a couple of occasions, I went to talk to her and she would stop eating. Very strict PB. Sad. Very quiet woman and never spoke up. Now, I realise why. There are a number of faith schools opening up in this country. Faith might be Christian faith, or it might be Islamic, or any other faith. They can set their own curricula within guidelines. Fine - but do encourage children's critical thinking. It should be possible to examine good literature and draw from it. For example, Shakespeare's plays endure because they continue to deal with enduring human problems - jealousy, lust, ambition. Some of those themes could be considered in light of what could be done to overcome, say. jealousy. Like, learn to communicate better. The more open communication we have amongst ourselves, the better, in my opinion.

Years ago, I got mixed up casually in an offshoot local to where I now live. Some big meeting took place "Rev" Robert Lightfoot came over. He spouted off about something which was incorrect. It included a point of grammar, but I mentioned it kindly to him because, well, I didn't want him to look more ridiculous than he already did. Instead he pontificated at me for a good half-hour, spouting his version of "the Word", not seeking any response from me, just in my face, ignoring my increasingly obvious signs of not wanting to continue the conversation, and not letting me get a word in edgeways. I let him run with it for a little while, to see when he might run out of steam. He didn't. In the end, I just turned round and walked away. It was all "head knowledge" and no personal "relationship knowledge." The Bible says this, the epistle of xx says that, PFAL says... Not, did it meet any part of my need or have anything to do with my (the hearer's) life. Not even how this extensive head knowledge had affected his own life, or about signs, miracles and wonders that he had seen or been a part of. He probably thought I was some copped-out Corpswoman who needed lecturing and who needed to get back into line. That showing off and boasting of head knowledge is so NOT the way to witness. Did you know that "wit" is an old word for knowledge? A witness is one who has actual knowledge. wit (v.) "to know" (archaic), Old English witan (past tense wast, past participle witen) "to know, beware of or conscious of, understand, observe, ascertain, learn," from Proto-Germanic *witan "to have seen," hence "to know" (source also of Old Saxon witan, Old Norse vita, Old Frisian wita, Middle Dutch, Dutch weten, Old High German wizzan, German wissen, Gothic witan "to know"), from PIE root *weid- "to see." The phrase "to wit," almost the only surviving use of the verb, is first recorded 1570s, from earlier "that is to wit" (mid-14c.), probably a loan-translation of Anglo-French cestasavoir, used to render Latin videlicet (see viz.). [Online Etymology Dictionary] Witness = tell what you know. In your heart. Our witnessing trips should have been our opportunity to show how Jesus works in our lives. How God so loves the world. How precious people are, in God's sight. Instead, witnessing was an opportunity to show off, or to try to get one over the "witnessee," to try to show where they were mistaken/wrong. Not to show them how loved they were. No wonder we all hated witnessing session!

It's a good book, scary, sticks in the mind. I'm going to see if I can't borrow it from the local library (yeah right, I have time to read books - not!) though at the present time there's probably a waiting list. Give it a go. You might be able to pick up the TV series on some kind of CatchUp TV or other online service. HULU is involved in its production and streams it in the US. https://www.hulu.com/the-handmaids-tale

So, Grace, have you read the book, or seen the current film series? That's what this thread is about. Waybashing is on the other thread. Thanks.

What's that old saying? "Preach the gospel to everyone. If necessary, use words." Let our actions speak for the love that God bestows on his people. That is what opens doors, to give a full message.

Took up choral singing about 4 or 5 years ago. Something I always wanted to do, never had the opportunity before. A friend sang in a choir, invited me first to their performance, then to choir night. My first choir practice was terribly difficult. I don't read music and the piece that was mostly being practised that night was very very complex. In Latin too, probably (which also I don't know). Choirmaster provides those who want with a CD with their part highlighted - played by his wife on an oboe - so we can learn our own part. George, the choirmaster is Director of Music at a nearby excellent school and part of his remit is to encourage music into the community. He has also set up a couple of choirs at the school - The Choir Who Don't Sing - boys; and the The Choir Who Won't Sing - girls, who were reluctant until "outed" by their friends who said they sang along to pop songs. George takes the view that everyone can produce music and sing, and if the person makes a mistake, it's his, George's, fault because he hasn't taught them correctly. He's magic at tuning the choir and breaking down even the most complex pieces. Since then I've been invited to join two other casual choirs, inc this weekend's one, and I sing in the worship group at church. The latter is very exposed, very small group with just piano and bass guitar, singers are a bassist and maybe one or two other female singers. People both in the choir and many at church have told me I have a very nice voice. I lost my voice a while back and someone prayed passionately with me (all the passion of a Wayfer, unusual in a church!!) for the return of my voice, my holy instrument. The expression has stuck with me and I try to make sure when I am singing that my voice is worthy of being called a holy instrument. Grace, George could teach even Donald Duck to sing - If DD wanted to, that is! Get out there and give it a go. This is the piece we are singing tomorrow afternoon, with our own live orchestra. It's magnificent. Note, I'm in the choir, not one of the soloists!!!!

I just watched something on Catch-up TV. It seemed more interesting than doing the mountain of washing up that needs attention. I might tackle that in a minute or two. What I really ought to be doing is going to bed, seeing as it's coming up to 1am and I have to be up early for a full day's singing rehearsal tomorrow - well - today.

Hello, MaddyWolf. Never a Wayfer - lucky lass, you. Just watched episode 6 (the Mexicans' visit). Yes, interesting delve into past lives of the main characters. I read the book decades ago and parts of it have "stuck" with me ever since. I heard the author speaking on the radio recently about the film adaptation. (She's a consultant or director or something on this latest version.) Her thinking is interesting. One of the things she said was that all the scenarios and incidents of women-abuse noted in the film have all happened, somewhere, at some time in the not too distant past. It's well acted as a movie. Chilling, but quite believable, in its way. Perhaps, even, not quite chilling enough?

rrobs: Of course I take your post personally: you kept addressing me as "you". That's personal. I probably know more about what goes on in this forum than you do (as I've been around just a little longer). Just because I don't go around quoting chapter and verse doesn't mean that what I say doesn't fit here. Heck, I might even have internalized some verses, "made them my own" (Wayferism) and come out with my own words (not parroting). But welcome. All are welcome here. Sometimes we talk about things in a roundabout way. Have a coffee and unwind a little.

Don't go there, WW...

Wow. All that great long post. And no Wayisms, either.

So this refers back to your original post. Which I had the courtesy to attempt an answer before, which you didn't seem to respond kindly to. Yes. Get the doctrine straight. That includes knowing all of the Bible, all the parts which for convenience only are referred to as OT, Gospels, and NT. Do not cherry pick verses. Do not twist them to make them read as you'd prefer them to. Do not ignore verses that you don't like. "Do" what you know to do: and understanding of the bigger picture will continue to grow. Personally, I don't "look at what God has already made [me]" I look at Him, and who (I perceive) He is. I look at Jesus, and who (I perceive) he is. I accept that I am deeply loved, chosen, and cared for. Because I am loved and cared for, I cannot but respond by being loving and caring back towards He who cares for me. I see that I am to be loving and kind towards others: so I am, as best I can be. I look at fellow Christians, to see how they devote their lives to service of the Lord. I can learn from them, too. If I spent my time looking at me, I'd be so aware of my flaws that I'd fail to do anything. Yet I know that others look at me, to see how I serve. So I try to present a good model for them, too. And acknowledge when I stuff up.

Thanks, I'm doing fine as I am without pondering "standing" and "state." You don't know what I study. You don't know what I have studied in the past. I can tell you what I don't study (have a guess, the initials PFAL might give you a clue). And you really don't know how my life has changed, post-TWI. (Nor, for that matter, do you know how badly it changed as a result of being "in.") Are you using the word "you" aimed at me specifically? Or would the word "one" express a more general point? Your post is quite hard to read. You might not think of it as jargon, but you express things in such a TWI-type of style, phraseology, that it comes across as Waybrained. Probably three or four Wayish expressions in every line. It can be helpful both for the speaker (or writer) and for the hearers (or readers), to find a different turn of phrase to express the same thing. Go on, challenge yourself!

Y'know, I have NEVER heard any other organization talk about "standing" and "state". Haven't thought of it for years. Rarely have I heard talk of one's "walk." I attend two very good churches regularly. I have heard much practical teaching and suggestions as to how to live life with Jesus as the focus. There is teaching of fellowship with Jesus, God and one another. There is teaching of relationship with Jesus, God and one another. There is teaching on repentance, forgiveness, and a good many other things. There is even, sometimes, confession of our shortcomings, in public prayer (in vague language along the lines of "we have done what we ought not to have done, and not done what we ought to have done." And then a public act of forgiveness. ("Jesus Christ cleanses you from all unrighteousness.") I spend time pondering right application of Biblical principle to situations. This time, such an action might be right. Next time, some other action might be right, and the first type of action quite wrong. To think one set of responses is always the right and only set of responses is to think too shallowly, too rigidly, too black and white. What, it seems to me, is always right is to consider whether one's actions are the most loving, most considerate, that can be achieved at that time. This talk of "standing and state" seems to me to smack of jargon and thus divisiveness. And thus, not loving.

Tell us all what you think, DWBH!!

The food was fine - there wasn't much of what you might call junk food. Many in my Corps lost weight. But they had plenty to lose. They looked a lot better for it, and were a lot fitter. I, on the other hand, put on weight - and I looked a lot better for it.

Yeah, but probably a bit ruder. Coarser.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program, "The Ceroc Teacher." Oh sorry, the Zero Teacher.

Heh, my Corps bros (also internationals) had a lot of fun on one occasion teaching Brit/Commonwealth slang to unsuspecting Americans. There are some words ...that you just don't use in polite society. Found out about it when someone came to me and said, "R and P say that this expression means..." and they watched my eyes grow wide and my jaw drop. "Hmm," said this person. "I didn't think it meant what they said it did."

Waysider, a "bog" is a very slangy none-too-posh term for a toilet. Lavatory. That thing you put turds down. ["Bog off" is a rather rude way of telling someone to go away. It's rather more offensive than telling someone to "bug off" or even to "bug(ger) off."]

Going south, probably.

It is a gorgeous location. I got myself exiled there and was more or less on my own for a week or so, before some other Corps were sent in to get ready for the family camps. A great big dorm, with just me in it. Used to get out of bed, go to breakfast, pausing on the steps down to gaze at the beautiful mountains in the distance. Seemed like Paradise. I did do one season of Family Camps, which was six (or was it eight?) one week camps, two weeks back to back and then a cleaning/turn-round week in between. It was hard work but I enjoyed it, being with the little kids and generally having fun. I do think that for the adults and older children, it was hard work. "Classes" all morning, communal lunch, a bit of free time in the afternoon, communal evening meal, and then more classes. Not much of a holiday, or time to fellowship with friends. For some perverse reason, I was assigned to flag-raising duty. Me?? A Brit? To perform this sacred American duty? (We don't care much for flags in the UK. Don't fly 'em much, don't particularly pay any attention. Show our patriotism in different ways.) Can only think that giving me flag-raising duty was to force me out of bed in the morning. I've never been a "morning person," so therefore anything involving getting up early (like snow clearance) was a task deliberately shoved my way. Others might have been genuinely pleased or felt honored to have done the flag-raising. Why give the job to someone who couldn't care less? It still puzzles me. It seemed (to me) to make a mockery of the task. Surely ... TWI wasn't mocking the USA?? Ho hum.

I figure that's about all the people on this campus that they can raise. And they don't look overly thrilled at the privilege of being there.

Very sorry for derailing your thread, Sky. You can tell T-Bone and me to "bog off" if you like. (Does that trans-a-late into American?)