Doreen

Thank you Ralph and Pawtucket. I am speechless right now as to what I've learned what was going on.

On a personal level Ralph, thank you for everything you've done for my life and others at that difficult time. I never knew the extent of what you were dealing with yet you continued to take care of the people around you.

God bless.

Exwaycorps, what you wrote is exactly how I feel! Thank you for your thoughts and thank you everyone else also.

WARNING: THIS IS A POSITIVE POST

I got out in the early 80's. I didn't want to leave,at that time. I had no choice. (another thread perhaps)

I had no Idea what a blessing that would turn out to be.

The majority of my experience was wonderful. I was young. This was a real foundation ,for many areas of life, for me.

I learned the truth ( all the really bad stuff ) long after I got out.

This post is NOT about vpw , LCM, or any other single person.

It's about what I learned.

Am I grateful?

YOU BETCHA !

I can feel the hairs raising on the back of some of your necks. Just stop for a minute.

I am no cheeleader for what TWI turned into.

I'm not a defender,or a sympathizer.

I know well some of the stories.

But...

Even if some of these people later turned out to be the anti-christ. They changed my life, yes even ,saved my life.

HOW COULD I NOT BE THANKFUL FOR THAT?

If your grammar school teacher, the one who taught you to read, is convicted of really horrible crimes later in life. That's aweful. TREULY. The teacher is aweful. Worthy of severe punishment. BUT YOU STILL KNOW HOW TO READ. You obviously no longer love that teacher. He can rot in hell for all you care.

But

You're glad you can read, all about it, in the newspaper.

The fact remains. You were taught something VALUABLE.

thanks FOR THE LEARNING

Monkeys could have taught me the word, I wouldn't have cared.

THE TEACHER IS NOT MY POINT, IT'S THE SUBJECT MATTER I CHERISH

I remain thankful for many things I learned in PFAL and throuout my time in "the Ministry"

I had never before had, what I would call ,a real RELATIONSHIP with God.

Or the types of relationships I had with lots of magnificent folks.

The VAST majority of "rank and file " believers were like no other people on earth. THE most warm,loving,giving ,caring people I had ever met. A "ready friend" no matter where you roamed.

where to start???

speaking in tongues.

tools to read and study FOR MYSELF.

it's not by works.

I cannot get "unsaved" I am a SON.

work ethic. (serves me to this day)

even if you are the "low man on the totum pole" at your work BE THE BEST LOW MAN THEY EVER HAD !!

fearlessness. "I can do all things through Christ..."

kindness

compassion

NOBODY can come between you and GOD.

self esteem ( ok that one got wacked later) temporarily.

I am never,EVER alone.

CHRIST in YOU never heard that before.

The unbridled excitment of the approaching ROA.

The adventure of going WOW,corps,lead. I often felt like "Gulliver" with all my travels.

Really there's a "bigillion" things I'm thankful for and I credit them to (early) teaching etc. I got "you know where".

Comming here is hard for me, at times.

I mentioned once before that hearing all this, for me, is a lil like finding out you're adopted. You loved your adoptive parents. They raised you. You feel like they did the best they could for you. You thought they were your real parents. After you moved out you find out they were not at all your real parents. They were child molesters, swindlers,criminals or something like that. All 'round scary folks. But you loved them when you lived with them.

You knew no better.

Quite the sad, bewildering news. who?...what ?... huh?... You're kidding me right ?

Then there's... proof.

OUCH!

If nothing else...the bible was opened up for me in twi. Like never before.

The "regular" people I knew in my way days really were "the salt of the earth"

People who really wanted the best for themselves,their family,and well, everyone they met.

I do believe it was a very strong FOUNDATION upon which to build.

How the minstry I loved so much turned into such an evil,regimented, heartless cesspool is WAY(no pun) beyond me.

Thank God I was taught to "Take the best and leave the rest".

Sad that some of the "leaving" includes your memories of people you once thought to be among the most awesome on this earth.

I know you guys can relate.

we live, we learn,we certainly never give up.

Just some thoughts

Just wondering...When I first took the class...to learn that I could get born again and have eternal life I was amazed!

To learn that Jesus Christ is not God...That made the perfect sense. To learn that when I die, I don't go to Heaven right away also made the perfect sense. These are really big things I never knew before the class and teach my children these truths.

I've heard there was alot of errors in PFAL, but these few things...do you still believe them to be true? Just wondering...

http://www.myspace.com/presseddownshakentogetherrunningover

Thank you so much. I just visited myspace and loved watching the medley of pdstro. Those guys were great!

Hi,

I tryed looking for PDSTRO on myspace and cannot locate it. I was around at the time and loved listening to them.

Many thanks to all who replied. I think it was Ted Farrell that I was looking for. I have Joe Fair & Ralph Graham's cassette, One by One which is a great tape.

Hi, I thought maybe someone reading this might help me. I am looking for music from the 80's like Pressed Down, and also there was a man with a last name of Farley. Does anyone remember him? This is very important for me to find this music for someone. Thanks.