now I see

Exactly! Hence, the confusion that many had in not knowing what to do. You really can't solve a problem if you don't know where or how it's occurring or where or what to apply the change to, or even if it applies to you. In Corinthians we see the myriad of transgressions of the Church stated openly, publically and specifically, they were told to stop practicing specific actions, as well as given the information of what their conduct, actions, and heart should be. I am saddened that is not what happened, and that the attitudes of covert concealment so that the "ministry be not blamed" was still the edict of the day.

WordWolf, I suppose it is a lot of money, just to clarify, I meant 10% of the total ABS that each fellowship collects goes to G**r's operation. This is off the topic, but perhaps charging a fee to any participant in any class that G**r develops is more equitable, however, it then in begs the question of should one charge anything at all for biblical instruction, and wouldn't the George Muller method of unsolicited donation be preferable?

The money is supposed to be used at the fellowship level, if you have 10 people tithing $20 every two weeks,equaling about $400/mo, that money idealy should have been used to rent the hall needed for the dinner. The rest could have been sent to the BC or Limb or HQ depending on the perceived need and desire determined by the twig coordinator, or kept at the twig level for any future needs. The ministry became too ridgid, policy heavy, and centralized to do this. In the younger days of the ministry perhaps they kept more $ local, does anyone here that was around in the early 70's remember if that was so and why it was changed? I think one thing that the G**r's groups do right, is that they operate this way, with just 10% being sent to G**r. Whether you agree or not with what G**r stands for, it seems more of a fair and honest way to handle the ABS monies within a ministry.

LOL Good one! Sadly, I agree completely. Overall, I think we understand what the BOT did or didn't do after the POP was read publically, but I'm not so sure we know what went on beforehand and what led up to the state of affairs being so bad at twi, or what they were reproved of by G**r.

Can anyone tell me what the BOT did and what they were guilty of doing and not changing in "86? I think many people were confused and perhaps still are as to why Chris G came to them first to "set things right" and stated in the POP that they had walked away from the Word and God and the problems came from the top down to them and beyond? What exactly were the transgressions and what did they look like? It had to have been more than the adultery thing and the missuse of the money. And ultimately, why weren't we told so that the BOT would be accountable to the people, and how could anything be fixed if we didn't know what was wrong and where to fix it? I think a whole slew of people wouldn't have continued to be deceived for so long, and many, many transgressions would have not been commited against them if there were some clarity about what the actual problems were, rather than continueing to cover up and sweep them under the rug. The outcome in not knowing was the ministry and the vitality of the Word in people's lives was lost anyway.

Right On to SethR. !!! I never felt comfortable not being able to say Good Luck! to anyone because Waybrain said it was taboo. And the last time a psuedo leader proudly corrected me on saying I have a "problem" instead of "opportunity" I wanted to tell them to "bite me"...I wish I had! I also never understood, and considered it an abuse of power, when the word Christmas was banned but Easter wasn't. What about Valentines Day, St Patricks Day (probably never mentioned because of the twi pention for drinking) and Mardi Gras? How about the practice of abstaining from Halloween and denying children of the all you can eat free candy while their friends got bags of it. And why was the word for Halloween not changed like Ho Ho Christmas was, surely Halloween was far more cinister than a holiday representing the birth of Christ and warm family traditions and memories! I've got to conclude it was pride that caused whatever leader to stand up and get so picky about one word and not the others, it also smacks of a contolling power trip to keep the little people in line under the oppressive thumbs of those in charge, kinda like herding sheep. Gal 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

When our dog got sick the Vet said totake him off his normal food and feed him white rice with hamburger because it would be easy on his digestive track. Dot had some good suggestions along the same lines of what my Vet said to do. Also, most dogs will get diarrhea if you change their diet too rapidly, so be careful, once you've selected a new food regime, to introduce the new foods slowly. I want to say good luck! even though I know that was a banned phrase from amongst twi "rules"!