Twinky

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?)

"Turd of wisdom"? Turd of knowledge?

Didn't you mean feces-ious?

Naw... let's just blame the thief. The zero teacher.

So... if we can "blame" the "Zero" corps, can we also "blame" BG Leonard?

Hey, they could make a decent website, for one. And keep it up to date. For two, they could include a Contact Us email address. Not an invitation to write to them. It's just for show anyway. They don't need more followers, more money, more anything (except abusees). Just need to sit pretty with what they've got. There's enough in the bank to see them through till the leaders all drop dead. And then, there's always land they can sell off.

What does Mrs Wolf think? Was she a Wayfer? I'm sure Wayfers would have a very different take on it from non-cult viewers.

Based on the book by Margaret Atwood. Anybody been watching this? Set in the "not-too-distant future" (though the book was written in 1985) and portraying a fundamentalist "Christian" takeover of the USA. Everybody's afraid, everybody's spied upon. Well acted and rather frightening.

Presumably you've sent a copy to HQ? Let us know if there's any response. Not holding my breath, though.

I'm glad to know that. Something I can accept, then, as not a VPW invention. The arrogance of that PoS wanting reputable preachers to evangelize and then send their converts to him (gag!) to corrupt and ruin. I don't think many church-attending people are aware of the Red Thread; it doesn't seem familiar to them when I've "tested the waters" previously.

Good post, T-Bone. I'd add that even if we had quite well-developed critical thinking skills, these were also constantly undermined by the allegation that we weren't spiritual enough to understand... and we weren't meek enough to receive spiritual information... and (esp in rez WC) that we were in training and shouldn't expect to know everything but learn to wait on the Lord... blah blah. I saw information/plans deliberately withheld from those involved, simply to teach them to trust leadership. Yeah, a great confidence booster. Save your questions till the end, folks.

I really loved this bit from John R's letter (though it appears he didn't get to send it before he got M&A'd: Nice idea ... but ... venture out of the secure fortress of the household at HQ??

How ridiculous, Mrs A has a wealth of knowledge. And that's appropriate to share. It's part of the Body of Christ working together, every part contributing what it can. Mrs A, having raised all your kids, could contribute a lot in the realm of childcare, and what was an appropriate cause for concern and what was "normal" for a kid growing and developing. There were so few people with kids at that time, most were singles. I'm sure that later, F was able to advise and guide some of the others who later had kids, and that's nothing specially "spiritual." In fact, that's a significant reason why TWI failed. Didn't meet people's needs, kept them in enforced infancy and dependence, didn't allow natural growth in personality and development in changed circumstances, etc etc. God gave us common sense for a reason and TWI was out to destroy that as "senses knowledge" and replace it by its own "mystery religion." So thankful we're all out. ((Hugs)) to ((Mrs A)).

Splendid: same concerns ("these are specific things that are wrong"), same response ("come and see, things are different"), followed immediately by shunning. John knew that if he accepted the invite to go to HQ, he'd get a real face-melting. And yes, pretty much that letter could have been written now.

Yes, Allan, I got the point. I'm also mindful that F's mother isn't close by to refer to. How much is too much, when it comes to doctor's visits? It does sound strange, though. Wonder how well known that was, among the local fellowships?

If you're talking about F, Allan, she wasn't so stupid. I remember cutting my toe on a rock whilst swimming in the sea; it went septic and horrible. I was "believing for healing" and refused to do anything practical except soak it in salt water. F took one look at me hobbling around and took me to a doctor, paid for it herself as I recall. Told me off in no uncertain terms. Can't speak for her childcare (I was in rez at the time) but I believe she would be a careful mum who, as many new mums, was anxious for her babe's health. I'm sure she prayed for her, as well as taking action.

By the way, on solstice weekend I'm going to Stonehenge to minister to druids!! Street Pastors from various locations around Stonehenge are invited to go and help look after the hundreds of people at the Solstice. Some attendees will fancy themselves as druids, some are just nature lovers, others will be in for the thrill of doing something different. What an opportunity to witness to anybody interested in telling them about the Son, not the Sun!

Hear, hear, T-Bone. Innies, GET OUT NOW and find a rich and abundant life where you are FREE TO SERVE and free to develop that love that God has instilled in you. See the many ways people genuinely serve their communities. Engage in startling discourse. You may even find that some of the "special knowledge" that TWI is the guardian of - are widely known in the church. And other "special knowledge" is so irrelevant that nobody cares a whit.

I think there was another thread elsewhere about the purchase of Gartmore. It was no mistake. It is in a stunningly gorgeous setting, a mansion, with classrooms and other facilities. Wouldn't surprise me if he wanted it because it was so much more beautiful than Ohio, or even Gunnison. C'mon, do you think in the British Isles there was only one property for sale? But it would have been cheaper because of its remoteness. And its dilapidation (because it was very dilapidated when it was purchased). Transport is difficult, remote, and a long way from the rest of Europe - the farthest north place, when in fact for Europe a better location would have been France or Germany, easier for all the European believers, more central. BUT that might require CG to learn those languages fluently enough, or to allow control to those who did speak those languages (even though most people there are in fact very fluent in English and probably speak better English than CG). No, NEVER! Never give up control! Whatever, the place was a monument to his ego. And his controlling of volunteers and in particular European Corps, who worked willingly and hard under the abuse meted out to him. Vols and EC flocked to the place to try to help with the necessary works. None of their help was good enough. No, a martyr for his faith. Or his ego. Not a blunder - it was his scheme all along.

And I'm putting my Grease mark firmly in the NO category, for recommending VPW's books to anyone. I think I burned mine so that no-one else could read them and be influenced by them.