Galen

Is a bunch of flowers, an expensive dinner, a movie and a stroll through a shopping mall ending with a necklace; the same thing? Trading "----" for "----" Ann Landers used to say that within marriage: women trade sex for security, while men trade security for sex.

I remember a big emphasis on "Practice the presence of G-d". Focusing on the mindset that Our Heavenly Father is walking with us, and among us. Talk with Him daily and do all things in His presence. That that was worshipping Him. Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus. Galen ET1 SS - USN Retired, Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine. and 'University of Life' Alumni "I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller

Dot Matrix: "Simply horrible. Did the people who did that ever get repremanded? Or because it was common at that time was it merely winked at?" I guess 'winked at' was more the theme of the day. On the next day your an 'insider' and included in the harrassments of the next new guys.

Dot Matrix: "One person who spoke with us works with vets who have been sexually abused and the worse case I ever heard was about this young guy -- maybe 19 or 20 years old he was in Viet Nam." I have read that story before. "I wonder how many men had these things happen in TWI that are too ashamed to speak out." Could be. During my careir I saw some forms of harassment and abuse go from religous and daily to none existant. I was 'greased' when I reported to my first command. It was common at the time. My colon was packed with lithium grease using a pnumatic greasegun. Granted those were not beleivers, but in the 1970's such things happened in the US military. "It is rough on either sex, but I think men are slaughtered more for opening their mouths than women. If they were raped by a man then they must be a homo sexual.... If a woman raped them... why are they complaining?" Yes something like that. Though it was mentioned at the academy that usually when women do rape men, it is done by a group of women and using weapons.

excathedra: "by the way galen, the movie star thing, you're too innocent or is that naive !!!!!!" I guess that I am just missing 'it'. I re-viewed your profile and you do say that your purpose in life is to be a moive star.

wyteduv58 "And one day a couple of months ago I listened to one of his teachings about SIT and all of a sudden towards the end of the teaching I really started SIT for the first time in my life. It was totally different from the one I faked and was/is very beautiful tongue. When my hubby heard it he broke down and cryed and so did I. I do it now on a regular basis. But I haven't yet done interpritation or prophecy yet, maybe someday I will, but I'm patient and will wait til that day comes." Wow that is so neat. I had always understood that "Reason for Speaking in Tongues" number eleven (Mark 16:17 a sign to un-beleivers) was dealing with those un-beleiving beleivers. A person has been going to fellowships and has been doing stuff, but they still dont 'really' believe that they are really truly saved and righteous and sanctified and redeemed. Speaking in tongues (which they think they are faking) (or which they think is gibberish) will one day finally show them that it is real. I thought that mine was gibberish. I never tried to repeat any phrases, and I never memorized any verses to say. But I did think that it was not possible for 'me' to do it. Once while riding my bike on a quick road-trip (Virginia to california to washington to connnecticut), I was SIT'ing a lot while driving, and I decided to try 'influencing' it's sound. I found that I could SIT and sound just like my barracks room-mate's tongue (Rick Horncohl), and then the next day I found that I could make SIT that sounded just like chinese. I was so happy, for a while. But then later I got depressed. Because I knew I was 'faking'. Some months later I was in a twig and used that 'chinese' sounding 'tongue' while doing a tongues with interpretation. Others in the fellowship were very excited and were able to provide the word-for-word translation of what I had said in that 'chinese' tongue. They said that I spoke Mandarin with a 'northern' accent. This incident finally convinced me that Speaking-in-tongues was real and that I was doing it, I am born again and G-d does like me. I think that in your case, your 'faking' it was all a part of your journey to finally find your beleif that you are born again. You are my sister in Christ. Bless you.

The debate goes on. . . . Which parts of doctrine came from Stiles, who got it from Bullinger, who got stuff from Luther, who got stuff from . . . ad infinitum. I still enjoy that idea of a simple 'word-study'. I was raised in a Baptist church; full of thieving deacons and adulterus preachers. They taught to read the Bible from their own view point without any concept that maybe the Author had a particular meaning to what was written. Still today, whether I do the word-study or else I hear one that someone else did, when someone aligns something from the Bible that has been there all along, yet hidden. I enjoy it. It has been hidden by our own language. By the mere fact that we are reading it in our language. 20 different people can still read the Bible and walk away with 20 entirely different ideas about what it says. They were all in prayer, they may all feel that G-d spoke to them. But they disagree on every issue. Respecting Our Heavenly Father to the point of laying down my pre-conceived ideas, going to the Bible without an end goal in mind. Saying I am going to read every verse that deals with "---", and then build a new definition from G-d's point of view; is very refreshing. Routinely I hear preachers go to Daniel Webster 'English' dictionary to define G-d's Word. I respect every man that went before me and was envolved with that chain of progression. Whether it be: Luther, or Bullinger, or Mueller, or Stiles, or Dr VPW. They were all sinners. So was the adulterer Baptist preacher that I grew up listening to every Sunday as a child, and the Methodist preacher I attended as a teenager who gave money to missionary killing rebels in South America. At least to me, some of those guys had a respect for the Bible and it's Author, that many other ministers today dont have.

simpatico: " . . . When I get the problem solved I will definitely modify my profile" Well, I suppose that brief is good too. perhaps

dawayback: Welcome. "Which part of it was real and which part of it was all imagination?" That is a very subjective question. Different parts of it was 'real' for each of us. As you read here on Greasespot Cafe, some people were 'faking' their manifestations, even some of the leadership; while others never did. Some were 'faking' their love, while others were not. Some consider attending a small un-accredited Seminary as well-spent learning, others would think of it as using the postal system. If you were in 'need' and you prayed and your needs were met; then it was real for you, and Your Heavenly Father came through for you. Others may have been there and perhaps they saw the same thing, but to them it was all just a coincidence; so for them it was fake. I think that anywhere you go, there are different kinds of people. If one goes into medical school to help others, and another goes to make money. One goes into mortuarys because they see a need to help people in mourning, another goes into because they see a business with a huge mark-up, and a third goes into it because they want to molest the dead bodies. It takes all kinds. Overall I think that I would have done much better in TWI had I known that many of the leadership was just faking it, I would not have assumed they were knowledgable or authoritys on any subject. Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus. Galen ET1 SS - USN Retired, Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine. and 'University of Life' Alumni "I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller

Dot Matrix: "My husband's thesis was on Male rape. It devastates males. especially, if the rapist was female." (derail) When I attended the Military Police Academy in Lackland Texas, the FBI instructors taught us that according to their statistics the majority of male rape victims do not live through the experience. I dont recall their numbers but it was an over-whelming majority. Whereas in contrast, female rape victims usually live.

Coolness- "Abuse? If a man gets sex, he's not feeling abused!" That sounds kind of sexist and stereo-typical; and just a little suggestive of promiscuity. Do you mean that a 'christian group' would be so promiscuous? Hmm. Most of the fellowships that I was in were either all men, or mostly men (obviously those of us who had wives would be couples). But otherwise, I think the single adult females that I have seen in twigs that we have been in ugh, not more than a dozen over a period of 18 years. Not really surprizing since those twigs have mostly been sailors. Now within the branch, I have seen a couple WOW groups that were all female, but we were always forbidden to interface with them. At the rock I went to, there was a LOT of girls. And at the Advanced class, too. I was really drooling at those things. I did however see a couple all-female WOW groups that would have huge followings of guys (non-PFAL grads). "Well, there was some initial fun to it all, but it got old quick and became insulting." The 'sexual abuse' got old and insulting? Sexual abuse is wrong. I can't imagine it getting 'old'. Sexual abuse of a guy, you mean like a girl abusing a guy (not his wife?). "There was a lot of pressure to "be a man" and behave in a sexually aggressive manner." I can agree with the idea that men were encouraged to be: "men". But I dont think that ever included the idea of being sexually aggressive. Maybe it did in some areas, but that is kind of close to criminal activity. In the Navy, any report of physical abuse and the guy is prosecuted fast. I think that generally any female visiting a twig was treated politely and all the guys were usually gentlemen. I remember in 1993, I was in Charlestown SC getting onboard the Pulaski and while there I was getting introduced to the beleivers onboard. It did seem like they all had girlfriends, and come to think of it, there was a female branch Co-ordinator. I think the girls had been a WOW group from the previous year though. I find it difficult to imagine that any of the men there were abused, nor that they were abusive of the girls either. "My wife/girlfriend/daughter/sister/etc was victimized and it hurt my life, too." No. To my knowledge, previous to when we first heard about the adultry issue in the BOD, we had never seen or heard of such a thing within the Way. I dont mean to be in denial. I am not saying that it did not happen. Obviously it did. I am only saying that to the best of my knowledge outside of Greasespot Cafe, I have never met anyone who was victimized in such a method in TWI. Even when Corpse-nazi got weird and yelled at someone, it was usally the sailor. Never the wife. When we were out to sea, NOBODY touches another sailor's wife. I think that even a weirded-out corpse-nazi would be smart enough to keep their distance away from a sailor's wife, when the sailor is under-water (scream and yell at her, and lots of really BIG sailors would be pounding on that corpse-nazi). Fortunately our wives were never really alone for all that long, never more than 6 months at a time. "My life will never be the same because of what happened." I thank my G-d that my life was changed by TWI. Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus. Galen ET1 SS - USN Retired, Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine. and 'University of Life' Alumni "I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller

excathedra- "i just wanted to tell you all how much i enjoy your profiles" Your purpose is to be a movie star? cool. Thanks

Georgio: "I don't know of any language that "improves" if you go down the alphabet and add each letter to your "tongue"." I thought that it was simply a way of getting people away from the "La Shanta" thing, assuming that they were not 'faking'. "Not all languages use the same syllables or chronological time to say the same thing! For example if I say "hola" , "hi" and "aloha" they all mean the same thing. But they are 2,1 and 3 syllables respectively. So how would a paragraph be equally long in all "tongues"?" I think that both views are correct to a point, here. Granted languages are not going to match-up perfectly syllable for syllable, however a full 2 minute dialog is not going to be translated in one word either. Which was where I thought they were going in those 'Exceler' sessions. People got to lighten up. . . ?I actually asked that once and was (guess what) REPROVED. How asinine.? Agreed, again they really needed to lighten-up sometimes. We are all one-body working together, some with strengths here others with strengths there. The ?need? to scream in your face, publicly humiliate and insult someone, does not knit us closer as a family. Though it did seem that such technique was taught those in the Way-Corpse.

I would imagine that VPW is currently buried in the ground by that fountain. I recall seeing a picture of it in one of the magazines. I beleive that when Christ Jesus returns in the sky to gather us to himself, VPW and all others who died beleiving in Him will rise up to meet Him, all in our 'new' bodies. Sometime after that we will each be judged and rewarded according to what things we have done, possibly to recieve as many as 5 various crowns, possibly not. I have no idea whether G-d will only see us as 'perfect' sons based on our beleiving and the fact that we were 'saved'; or if He is going to weigh our goodness against our badness to determine worth. In either case, it is said that some will get 'in' only by the skin of their teeth. Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus. Galen ET1 SS - USN Retired, Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine. and 'University of Life' Alumni "I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller

I certainly do. Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus. Galen ET1 SS - USN Retired, Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine. and 'University of Life' Alumni "I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller

def59: "I think we need Mike now to offer some balance, or maybe Galen.?" I have previously stated my opinion. Which agrees largely with Ex10 "Ex10- Well, it occurs to me that there really was a kind of great divide between people who were in the corps or on staff, and the masses of people who just went to or lead a twig. They rarely got the chance to see the "top leadership" up close and personal. Plus there were so many wonderful, loving, kind souls involved who really did reach out to people. I can certainly understand how hard it is for them to accept and believe the crap. Sheesh, I was there and I was clueless! for a while, anyway." I never said that I did not beleive that people were hurt. All of us were simply involved in very different versions of TWI. Some fellowships were very loving and spent a lot of time doing Word-studies. From the point of view that I had while running various twigs as that the Corpse were often boot-licking power-hungry nazis. I began following TWI in 1979. I never met VPW. I was at a meeting with LCM once (an advanced class) and once at a Rock. I always thought that LCM was an idiot. I dont see what further 'balance' I could possibly provide? Obviously many people were hurt, we know this. For me to list any of them, would insult others that I dont list. I dont wish to insult anyone, thus would be an error.

Well Done. If you again find yourself planning anymore visits to R.I. and would need to stop-over place; I am sure that we could spare a bed or 2. Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus. Galen ET1 SS - USN Retired, Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine. and 'University of Life' Alumni "I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller

excathedra: "yeah so what. we're deserving of being believed or loved because we post our accounts again ?" I had thought that this did not need to be said, I apologize. I love you and I feel deeply for your past mis-treatments. I hope that you have a wonderful holiday. I pray for you.

Dot- I am sorry that the need appeared again for you to post your story again. My apology to you, if I had some effect in causing you more pain. I know that their were in fact some who sought Way-Corps enrollment to truly better themselves and seek G-d. It just seemed like each time that we were un-fortunate enough to come in contact with a corp person, often they were jerks. Frequently they were not someone whom you would introduce to a 'new' person. They seldom had wisdom or discretion. I apologize for having lumped you into that miserable group earlier. The same goes to anyone else who sought W.C. training for such pure motives, but from reading other posts, I think we should all be able to agree that far too many went into the W.C. who were jerks. :=)

alfakat: "so all you folks that say, oh, sin is sin... raped any one _lately_ ???" not lately, no. "how about your daughter??? want her molested at age 14,15,16, 17 by a Christian minister, maybe the Man Of God for the 20th century?? is that all cool under the "sin is sin, he taught ME the WORD!!!!!" slavish devotion of some apparently still-cannot-see-the-signal-for-all-the-noise types out there...." My foster daughter was molested when she was 5, though it was not by a minister, it was her step-father. As regarding the "the Man Of God for the 20th century", I certainly would not want LCM to do such a thing. Nor would I want any other 'minister' to do such a thing, whether it was VPW, or any other person. It would be difficult to imagine that anyone would knowingly approve or 'okay' such actions, but then we do have Catholic preists (locally here in CT they just started investigating yet another one for molesting girls). G-d will judge us all. As always I am sorry that anyone was hurt. I would not wish hurt onto anyone. That does not negate (in my mind) that I still beleive that when G-d led me to TWI, it was a good thing. Even if only for a short period of time. I still enjoy PFAL, recognizing that some things are perhaps overly emphasized. Again I am sorry that anyone got hurt. I would not want to do or say nothing to negate their hurt. I dont think that I have either. I certainly did not mean to, though here on Greasepsot many things said are mis-interpreted. I am sorry that I gave tithe money to a church in the 70's that used that money to supply weapons to South American Rebels who in turn slayed missionarys. There is a lot of bad in the World. Only Jesus' shed blood can cleanse us. [This message was edited by Galen on December 29, 2003 at 18:46.]

oldiesman: I feel that you have largely ex-plained my P.O.V. "There's a viewpoint that says, "why take personally another person's alleged evil experience, when he did right by me." I dont mean in any way to down-grade or lessen the victim's plights though things that I have said in the past have certainly been taken that way. Many victims feel so awful that any other view point is taken as a defense. And those victims do have that right, I do not intend to take away or dis-credit their pain. Which is why I have never used 'alleged' in describing those people's experiences. I know that from serving as a M.P. when someone is telling of how they have been victimized, to say 'alleged' sounds like an insult. I do have mean to have insulted any victims here on GreaseSpot. I think that I more correctly feel: "why take personally another person's evil experience, when he did right by me." Otherwise I would have to really hate the US Navy for how many men's lives they have totally ruined; all while they did okay by me. I never thought of VPW as "Thee man of G-d". I thought that he taught that any and all of us, while we are standing of G-d's Word and holding it forth, ARE men of G-d. I dont think that such a 'title' ever became common until after LCM took control of things. ". . . those who knew him and didn't experience evil, but good from him." I did not know VPW personnaly, I was just a common twig coordinator, not a boot-licking leader-wannna-be. VPW was a minister of a church, would found a 'hook' that multiplied his evangilism. Un-like the Catholics priests he did not claim to be celebite while he was boinking the congregation. Un-like the Baptists minister he did not use the tithe to pay for prostitutes. Un-like the Methodists minister he did not use the tithe to pay for weapons for the Nicaragian-Contras. VPW copied other people's stuff, and was given too much power over other people's lives that it corrupted him. I have never seen LCM as anything other than a power-hungry dictator.

shazdancer: " . . . Never mind that the Bible says that God gives his revelation to HOLY men, and Wierwille was not a holy man." We each have our sins. I have certainly sinned. I will likely sin tomorrow. I think that perhaps so have you, and so will you. It is only through recognizing the shed blood of Jesus that we can hope to obtain holiness. I have said this recently in another thread, and there upset people as it is considered that holiness comes from their ideals of sexual purity. My understanding of the Bible, would include that our holiness comes from G-d our Heavenly Father. The holy men of the Old Testament had their own issues and weaknesses, yet G-d calls them holy. I do not mean to turn a blind eye, or in anyway forgive or forget what VPW did wrong. I am not excusing his err. However I know that I err, and it is my understanding that all men have err'ed with the single exclusion of Jesus the Christ (Our Lord). All of G-d's Word has came to us via sinful men who He calls 'holy'. "He has NEVER responded to my charge that Wierwille was not a holy man." I have responded. I think that Mike would possibly agree with my response. :=) "Galen, do you now see why peple get on his case, where they might listen more politely to others?" I fully 'see', not un-like seeing chickens in a hen-house. :=) enjoy your weekend Dancer, dance on. . .

This past summer both I and my eldest son got bikes (he got a honda 600, I got a goldwing Aspencade). This past fall I recieved a catalog for 'big and tall men' and in it is a large selction of leather goods. I have a black leather sport coat of a cut that makes it suitable for formal wear, but in recent years my girth has grown and alas the sportcoat no longer fits. I got my original sportcoat in Glasgow Scotland and I really miss not being able to wear it anymore. Then in this new catalog I found a line of jackets of the same style. the prices were actually much lower then what we have seen in local leather goods outlets. My son wanted a dressy jacket but he needed one that would not be opened up by the wind while on his bike. So . . . We bought myself a new leather sport coat. We got him a leather jacket with large lapels that open to look nice, but also fold and zip shut. We got both of us new lined leather pants, so we will slide real good should we ever encounter the pavement. I got Bonnie a new stainless-steel pasta boiler pot (20 quart size). Our old one wore out after living in Italy for 3 years and now with 5 children this past 2 years. I have gotten her jewelry in past years but she does not wear it. I once got her (according to her wishes) a ring with two matched pearls, one white and one black, but during a parade in Dublin the setting lossened and we lost both pearls. We sent most of our relatives jars of honey from our beehives. I harvested 40 pounds in Novemeber. We are not in 'recovery' mode here with trying to clean up the after-math.

While I was functioning as the Protestant Lay-Leader on-board various submarines, Each year I was issued an annual book that listed 'suggested' services for each day of the year. For any given day of the year that your religous service was planned to be held: it gave a suggested theme, hymns, opening statement, one Bible verse, a story, and a closing prayer. The idea was that the entire service was to be read word-for-word from that book. I NEVER did that, but it was suggested to me. On the other hand, the Catholic Lay-leaders on-board were directed that they were NOT authorised to vary from the proscribed service. Before each patrol, they had to recieve a 'special-blessing' and written authorization so that they could take possession of the host, and later administer the host during each service. Annual 'Minister's Manuals' are not un-common. I have seen them on the shelves of church studys.