penworks

Thanks so much for sharing your story, T-Bone. You and Tonto are an inspiration! I love it that you pointed out that you're "into developing empathy." In my view, that is a major step in getting us healed from the narcissistic mindset of our past cult life.

The ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes is not always easy. Oddly, during our Way Corps training, in our public speaking class, one principle we were taught from Carnegie was "to try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view." But often we failed at that because we thought we were right all the time when it came to what the Bible said, what God wanted for us, etc. etc. When you think you're right, it's pretty darn hard to see things from another's point of you, but even if you can, you've already made the judgment that their point of view is WRONG. So having a conversation, a civil back and forth, respectful one, is impossible. Thank goodness, when we realize that "certainty" is not possible about most things, we can relax, admit we're human, and appreciate other people ...

Forgive me if I'm "preaching." This is just what's on my mind this morning. I'm fresh from Facebook where someone (a Way Corps guy who married one of my 2nd Corps sisters) accused me of supporting Sharia Law and killing babies because I showed up at the Women's March in Orlando to show support for the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and golden rule. Go figure ...

On ‎12‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 6:46 PM, penworks said:

You can read the first chapter of Undertow, called "Hiding in Plain Sight" in the Blog section at the bottom of my Home page. Later, it will be stored on the website under the "Writing Undertow" blog category.

Wishing you all the best in 2017!

Charlene

FREE first chapter of Undertow, "Hiding in Plain Sight" is now stored on my website at http://charleneedge.com/3550-2/

Thank you, readers, for the feedback on the story that you've sent me so far. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of any of my blog posts.

Cheers!

On ‎2‎/‎28‎/‎2011 at 10:40 PM, T-Bone said:

... each of us has a different story, maybe used a different escape route, a different process for freeing ourselves of not only the flesh & blood entanglement of the organization but just as importantly the mindset......

.....and perhaps all that seems like such a daunting task to someone still on the inside - wanting the things we talk about but unsure of what it takes to attain them.

.....and to be honest, freedom from TWI and the mindset can take a lot of work sometimes but it's worth it. And besides support & resources outside the Way's walls, i think the very real feeling of once again taking charge of your life grows on you.

Hear, hear!

On ‎1‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 10:35 PM, skyrider said:

Part IX

FreshAir77

 

We, as a family, walked away from the cult.......and breathed fresh air.

Nothing else mattered. 

Every time I look at my wife and our two sons.....it was totally worth it.

I walked thru a cult-hell to find my bride.......and married an angel.

And, I dedicate this last chapter to my Dad and Mom.....they walked thru hell with me and for me.

Thanks Dad.  Thanks Mom. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Thank you Greasespotters !!  I have no more words. 

You all are truly amazing and I dedicate the title of this "book" to you. 

I'm going introvert for awhile......to ponder the depths of the oceans, the reaches of the universe.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ghost Ryders In The Sky

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing your story here, Skyrider. So many of us can relate to the pain you went through, the turmoil, the confusion and loss. But you are brave. You are a survivor. You are dear to us.

Hi readers,

First, thank you for the outpouring of interest in Undertow. I'm grateful many of you have found it worthwhile.

Most of you know now that Undertow is for sale on Amazon (it is also at Barnes and Noble. In Australia, a few people have found it at the Book Depository. Independent booksellers can also get copies directly from the print-on-demand company, Ingram Lightning Source).

Rocky suggested folks think about writing reviews of Undertow on Amazon, which is wonderful. BUT a word of caution: I found important advice about how Amazon views the validity of reviews, etc, in this this article. That said, I welcome your responses there or on my website.

If you ever want to contact me directly with comments about the book, you can always leave a message on my website Contact page.

Cheers!

I agree with Rocky. Keep sharing, Skyrider. Take it from me, telling one's personal story is revealing, not only to readers, but to the writer. So write on! Tell us more about the experience whenever you feel so inclined.

Cheers!

Hi folks. Hope you're having a happy holiday season.

I'm checking in just to let those interested know that Undertow is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and local bookstores can order it, too.

If you go to my website, you'll see links to Amazon and B&N in place of the other buy button I had for the first 30 days when I sold Undertow direct from my front porch

Thank you for the lovely emails and comments here and on Facebook. I am grateful my story is proving helpful to so many people!

You can read the first chapter of Undertow, called "Hiding in Plain Sight" in the Blog section at the bottom of my Home page. Later, it will be stored on the website under the "Writing Undertow" blog category.

Wishing you all the best in 2017!

Charlene

On ‎12‎/‎18‎/‎2005 at 0:55 PM, Outin88. said:

Has this book been published? And if so, where can I order a copy?

BTW WW, David Anderson would be familiar with much of this timeframe, he doesn't post very often but you might try emailing him. Just a thought.

So, is Doop's book available to the public?

1 hour ago, Rocky said:

One of the defining characteristics of narcissism/narcissists is deficiencies in the capacity for empathy.

 

The same can be said for narcissistic organizations.

Rocky, this is a very important issue. I am glad you posted this link to more info about it. It is rampant in our society. How to offset it? Education and practices that cultivate empathy. Cheers.

On ‎12‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 4:55 PM, chockfull said:

So after the Rise and Expansion days, and all the loyalty purges, and the numbers dropping 80% TWI sold off Emporia first, then Indiana later.  They sold the big airplane Ambassador One but kept the little one Athletes.  Motorcoaches were starting to be sold off too.  Lost all that income, but still had all those expenses.   And boy the Rock was expensive too.  The whole front end of the warehouse stored parts for it.   Tights are cool, but we've got some money problems.

Boy it was good we had a MOGFODAT that could just simply get revelation for the answers to all those problems.  

First, the Word was over the World.  Then, apparently, people were having a lot of sex at the Rock.   I mean, open air, week long hippie festival, tents, who would have thought that would go on?  And not only was this the kind of sex loytoy could understand - you know the mogfodt and his harem that "loosened you up" to be a mogfodt, this apparently also involved sex of the worse kind - gasp - gay sex.  [NOTE:  Please understand outside of my sarcasm I really really do not share TWI's hatred for homosexuality and Westboro Baptist like attitudes or acceptance of their adulterous practices].  I mean the Rock was turning into a veritable Sodom and Gomorrah right in front of our very eyes there.

Now of the hindsight 20/20 variety here - looking back do I think that possibly this also was fed by D0nn@'s not really being into the mogfodt harem, and instead seeking solace in the bosom of another - rfr.  Yes I do think that was going on.

And the WOW program.  They had a certain percentage of this type of thing going on too.  Oh no.  It is contaminated.  It must be canceled.

Thus began the next purge era - the Homo Purges.

 

 

 

Could you give a timeframe for this era? Many of us left in the late 1980s. Readers of this website, too, who never were in TWI, might like to know what years you're referring to. (Yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition. Please don't hold that against me.)

Thanks, OldSkool. I would love to have an off-line conversation with you. If you want to, send me a message through my Contact page. Cheers and thank you for adding your presence to this place!

30 minutes ago, T-Bone said:

I agree - I am thankful for folks like Don't Worry, Penworks, and yourself, Skyrider - as well as all the other brave souls who have shared their stories at Grease Spot and in published books!

I don't think any single person could have connected all the dots and realize what a crazy evil mess TWI was and still is...because the dots are people (that's right - soylent green is made of dots)....with security mechanisms in place like the lockbox or expecting folks to hid their head in the sand - I mean "renew your mind...the love of god thinketh no evil - so keep your mouth shut and don't go murmuring, gossiping, spreading rumors, hurting the ministry / body of christ"...blah blah blah...

to connect the dots - that's the point of Grease Spot and wherever else folks tell the other side of the story

 

 

 

 

Good point, T-Bone, about connecting the dots. It often depended on the level of a person's involvement. Until I worked in the research department, I could not, or would not, wake up to red flags I'd seen ... they did not appear red until I reflected on them in hindsight.

Here's a sneak peak into Undertow, Chapter 1: Hiding in Plain Sight,

Cheers.

In honor of human rights day, on my website this morning I posted Chapter One of my new book, Undertow. How is that connected to human rights? Because over time, cult followers often give up their autonomy, their right to make their own choices. For a sneak peak (scroll down on the Home Page) into "Hiding in Plain Sight" visit: http://charleneedge.com/

On ‎12‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 6:08 PM, Rocky said:

Link to ordering Undertow on amazon.com.

Glad the book is helping out! I'm very touched to be of service with this story. If you want to, feel free to contact me through the Contact page of my website any time. I promise to reply within 48 hours, if not sooner.

Meanwhile, I'm checking in now to say that due to some technical difficulties on my website blog post feature, comments can't be left at the moment. Hope to get the glitch fixed soon.

Ciao for now,

Penworks

Dear readers of Undertow who've shared their responses here, I am overcome with gratitude. That's my understatement of the century. Thank you for sharing your hearts!  

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 7:46 PM, penworks said:

From Nov. 22 until Dec. 22 customers in the USA can order Undertow at my website and receive a signed copy in the mail. Transactions will be secured on my website through PayPal. Undertow is $24.95 plus tax and shipping. There are 31 photographs included (you'll get to see all the fascinating ways I wore my hair from age 6 to 35. And those gigantic glasses I wore in the 1980s. No extra charge for that entertainment.) The e-book version is scheduled for early 2017.

Later, all customers, including overseas residents, can find Undertow at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other vendors’ websites and can order it from brick and mortar bookstores, too. (FYI -The print-on-demand company printing and distributing my book says the time it takes for books to become available at Amazon, etc., varies from one retailer to another.)

If you have any questions, the fastest way to get an answer from me nowadays is to use the Contact page on my website. I will do my best to answer within 24 hours.

Thanks for your support, folks. I hope you enjoy the story!

Yours,

Penworks

 

I'm here to tell you that PREORDERS of Undertow can now be made on Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites, but they cannot ship copies of Undertow until Dec. 15th.

If you want a copy before Dec. 15th, you can order directly from me on my website and I'll ship it ASAP (sorry, I cannot fill overseas orders). Cheers!

2 hours ago, OldSkool said:

They have buried so much history where Victor Paul wierwille basically stole others work and used it for his own means. I don't have time while at work to search, but if someone can pull up one of the old threads of the way west/east sagas it would answer so many questions. 

Some of that history is in my book, too.

I suspect she is behind the new marketing effort to make TWI appealing to more people before she "steps down."  There are several newish Way websites listed in the right-hand sidebar of the main website. IMO, they are an attempt at showing different "faces" for the organization. Here's one A more modern looking TWI website.

The common thread: they hammer away with V.P. Wierwille's insistence that TWI offers followers a way to find "the accuracy of the Word." With no credentials, with no understanding of what everyone OUTSIDE TWI considers as "biblical research," it may be that the next TWI "prez" --without R.R.'s marketing skills that she learned first-hand from VPW, will have his hands full trying to convince outsiders that TWI is what it purports to be. 

So happy ya'll have found the story worthwhile. Thank you VERY much for reading it.

Cheers to you, brave souls,

Charlene

18 minutes ago, skyrider said:

Thanks Charlene..........the book arrived in Friday's mail.

Really good read.  I'm halfway thru the book......and your story is riveting. 

So nice of you to let me know. Happy reading ... even through the tough parts. It does have a happy ending :-)

Cheers!

2 hours ago, Out'n'About said:

Holy...crap. I wasn't sure what to post when I was asked, but if you made me spit out a number, I'd literally have said 45,000 - three zeroes. The ONLY basis I have on spouting out this number is that I've been told repeatedly over the years that there are "tens of thousands" - likely on purpose to make me feel as if all is alive and well in TWI. 

That is VERY interesting. In its heyday, the 1980s, TWI was said to have about 40,000. Karl Kahler's book, The Cult That Snapped: An Insider's Journey Into The Way International, has lots of facts you might be interested in reading. Like this info on numbers, which is included (here's a shameless advertisement ) in my own new book, Undertow:

Author Karl Kahler states, “Cult numbers are notoriously hard to pin down, and are often inflated by anti-cult writers more concerned with sounding the alarm than checking the facts. Many writers have claimed The Way had 100,000 members, as if everyone who ever took the class were still a member. Around 1982, when [Craig] Martindale [second president of The Way International] was marching in Ontario and Way leaders were talking to the press, I heard consistently that we were claiming to have 40,000 members.” Karl Kahler, The Cult That Snapped: A Journey into The Way International (Los Gatos, CA: Karl Kahler, 1999), 110.

See also: Zay N. Smith, “The Way—40,000 and Still Growing,” Chicago Sun-Times, Aug. 17, 1980.

So, it is HIGHLY doubtful that today TWI has 45,000 like they told you. Actually, more like impossible, since thousands left in the days after Geer read his paper.

Hi Out 'n' About. Cheers to you for joining in the conversation and we do welcome you with open minds and open hearts. Thanks for filling us in on current news. People ask me if TWI is still in existence and I say yes, but the number of followers is low now. What would be your estimate, nation-wide or world-wide, of active "members?"

Take good care and feel free to ask whatever questions here that you want. By leaving TWI, you can question anything and everything. Yay!

Happy Thanksgiving, GreaseSpotters. First, thank you to those who've ordered my book already. The books have shipped!

This holiday is especially bittersweet for me, as it is for many whose loved ones are not here to share it. I feel like many of you are my extended family. We shared a unique sub-culture in TWI that bonded us. I am grateful for you. I want you to know that you have touched my life and enriched it. You have exhibited courage in your posts that honestly portray your experiences in TWI and the perspectives on them you have now. You continue to engage people, get them to think critically, and motivate them to look beyond the surface propaganda coming from closed-system groups like TWI that twist Scripture to suit their objectives, like teaching "believing equals receiving," which puts blame on people if they do not get answers to their prayers and keeps people feeling that if they just took one more Bible class at TWI they would be more spiritual, more able to know God, more successful in life. Mmm ... for many of us, that narrow view just doesn't work. If religious tolerance is going to prevail in this country - or anywhere - let it begin with us. If free speech, freedom of religion, and all the other freedoms we enjoy are to continue, let us not be afraid to speak the truth in love.

On a personal note: Today, this holiday is happy and sad for me. It is a prominent feature of my life’s story. In 1968, when I was sixteen years old, on the day before Thanksgiving, after battling ovarian cancer, my mother died. She loved God, in her own Catholic way. She was dedicated to her family. She was kind. She was brave. Her untimely death set me on a path to find “the truth” that changed my life forever. Today, I honor her life and thank her for the inspiration she instilled in me to never give up.

Hold your families close today.

Cheers,

Charlene

Just a reminder. The Special Offer to order my book, Undertow, is only for US residents. Shipping overseas is cost prohibitive. For instance, it costs about $35 to ship to Australia!  In about a month, I'm told that Undertow will be available through online vendors like Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and other vendors around the world. The book printing company that is printing and distributing my book, has world-wide channels for distribution. So, sorry I can't accommodate overseas folks! Thanks for your interest in reading my story.

Okay, it's working! You can place orders from either the Home page or the Book page. About an hour ago, as it turned out, we received the first shipment of copies of Undertow now waiting to jump in Priority Mail boxes and ride in the car to the Post Office.

Thanks for your interest and support,

Penworks