oldiesman

This may be an inapplicable crude example, but it crossed my mind: God told Jonah to go to Ninevah and tell them the city will be destroyed because of their wicked ways. Jonah finally arrived, and told them what God said. The people of Ninevah believed God, and changed their ways, and the city was spared. Then Jonah was angry that the city wasn't destroyed as had been planned. Ha! Guess he wasn't ready for God's mercy. *********************** Let's see what happens here. If they repent and change, they deserve to be forgiven.

I don't see why its good to shut it down, as long as the false doctrine (that now has been quite adequately exposed) gets thrown out. I agree that different leaders may be necessary, if the current ones won't abandon the false doctrine and/or can't be trusted by folks. If they admit the error and have a desire to move on with the things of the Lord, they deserve to continue unabated. Our God is a merciful God.

I don't think these folks have departed from the faith; but, have espoused a deadly doctrine. I think if they get rid of the "prophetic counsel" and "personal prophecy" and get back to the simple truth that manifestions of the spirit are about edification, exhortation and comfort (I Cor 14:3); they'd hit a home run.

When folks know and believe who and what they are in Christ (a real foundational goodie of PFAL), they can't fall for all this crap.

Allan, thanks for sharing that. If folks who have been hurt ( and administering the hurt) would've followed Wierwilles advice in this instance, think of all the trouble that would've been avoided. All the gossip, the evil surmisings, the meddlings in peoples lives, could all have been avoided. It was all right there in PFAL :) (aka "mind your own business")

Me too ROW. Welcome.

I trow not. He taught it from Bullinger. It was not an original design, it was Bullingers design. VP thought Bullinger was a tremendous scholar, and taught lots of his stuff.

Chrispy, golly I hope JAL would elaborate on this. I'd like to hear his side. Yesterday I emailed John Lynn & John Schoenheit, mentioning about this thread and adding my two cents, that I thought the "prophetic counsel" and "personal prophecy" was destroying their group. JAL emailed me back this morning, and said he didn't know anything about this thread but asked for the link, which I forwarded to him. Hope he would share his thoughts, and particularly, his vision for the future. I'd like to hear Schoenheit's views too.

To my knowledge there is no evidence at all. Golly it's so nice to be called names again.

I really do doubt it. When there were non-tithing believers asked to leave, I suspect it had more to do with reasons other than tithing; although lack of tithing might have been considered another nail in the coffin, so to speak. To my knowledge, there were never any teachings from hq that tithing was a requirement for admission or continued involvement.

I suppose back in "those good old days of twi" we called it "claiming the promises of God", to which I have no condemnation or regrets.

I think if your (or my) mindset and believing was to enjoy the fellowship and move the Word in the spirit with the love of God, a la Romans 10: 14, 15 so that folks would be blessed the way God blessed you and me, your (and my) involvement was anything but a life-sucking entanglement. This is true of any church you may belong to. Without a Godly mindset and attitude of love and meekness of what God did for you, all religion could be like prison.

Polar Bear, During my twi stint (1973-1991) , there was no mandatory tithe or else you're out. But, I could see some region or area coordinator getting on some high horse and possibly doing this. Am interested what time period this was? This is the first I've heard that under orders from hq, someone actually was kicked out for not tithing. Are you sure there weren't any other circumstances besides tithing alone? There is only one written record of Abraham tithing. Whether he tithed a second, third, fourth, fifth, hundredth time; the bible doesn't say.

Thanks Mother of 2.. Its Friday have a great weekend, one and all..

T-Bone please use larger fonts I can't see.

I agree with you on this point... they should have emphasized the "freely avail" part more especially in the later years. But still, you can't blame others for your own involvement. I don't even put a blanket judgment on folks who are involved today... it's The United States of America and we have freedom of religion... If twi is their chosen religion and where they think they have their best fellowship with God, then that's what they choose. By the way, I think this is the overwhelming answer you'd get from most ex-way. ALL of the folks I know have this same opinion. Thanks for reminding me skyrider.

Perspective varies depending on the individual. If you want to say that "slick vic" indoctrinated and manipulated you, your entitled to your opinion. But even so, it's an indoctrination process and lifestyle YOU CHOSE TO BELIEVE AND PARTICIPATE IN. And ... "slick vic" didn't kidnap you, didn't force you and didn't want you to be there if you didn't WANT to be there.

Oakspear, that statement exactly describes the exodus of 1989 in New York State to a tee.. ************** I think TWI was about following both God and men (and women).

Based upon the truth that the real you is the Christ in you, yes, I think twi taught keys on how to become Word conditioned and aware, rather than self conditioned or circumstance conditioned. Of course, how that related to an individual was according to that individuals own commitment, attitude and mindset. It was up to the individual how far one wanted to go with "walking in the spirit".

Yet another example that if one regrets their twi stint, they have nobody to blame but themselves. TWI didn't want folks if folks didn't want to be there.

That's good wisdom Mo. I believe God already sorted things out and we're all gonna be there. Praise God.

He said he believed in Jesus Christ and that God raised him from the dead; he said he loved Jesus Christ and Christ was his lord and savior. I believe Wierwille when he said that, so yeah, I think and believe he is born again, because I believe that Wierwille was honest when he said that and God's Word is truth and will come to pass.

This is true. I think it's fair that one may describe what a person is on the inside by what they do, what they teach, what they think, what they speak, etc.

Off topic. What I'm saying is, if an alcoholic father who abuses his children does Romans 10:9, he shall be saved according to the scriptures. Salvation and getting born again, isn't about the goodness or badness of ones behavior. It's about God's grace, and faith in God's promise to bring it to pass.

I went back and read Galatians and it doesn't say what you describe. It talks about "the works of the flesh" and "fruit of the spirit". But it doesn't characterize people as "of the flesh" or "of the spirit" in those verses. Since we Christians are made up of both flesh and spirit, we do (or are capable of) doing the works of both.