penworks

I agree that in the USA we cannot prevent them from forming, but as many of us are trying to do, we can try to prevent people from joining cults. Does anyone else here know about ICSA? They try and educate. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS_hc5LO1HtMvoa8kRcLcig

Me, too. He was the N.C. leader when I got involved at ECU. I think he means well, but he was misled like so many of us. John, if you're reading here, know we're sending good thoughts your way. It's been a rocky road for us all...

Me, too. Especially in peace of mind and gratitude for all the positive things in day-to-day living. I think many of us can say that TWI sucked the life out of us...and we're thankful we're out.

John Juedes reveals VPW's plagiarism at https://www.youtube....h?v=_z3K7xnoXww Thanks, John!

Speaking of Lamsa's influence...perhaps some of you know that he inspired VP to produce an "Aramaic N.T." In 1979 a working copy was printed in paperback. Then a hardcopy was printed in 1983. It was not for sale to the general public or even in The Way Bookstore as far as I know, but copies were around in-house. Just to clarify: this publication is NOT the interlinear that was published in 1988. This is a N.T. that was printed in-house in the Estrangelo script with NO English translation in it. I used to have a paperback copy but I don't any longer. If anyone here has a copy of either the paperback or the hardcover, would you please send me a message or an email? Thanks!

Just want to clarify that he attended Princeton Theological Seminary

Mmm...raises an interesting scenario. What if there had been no Corps? VPW's influence would have been weaker, yes, that's a good thing, IMO. Maybe his little cult would have been a bigger flop and not hurt so many people. On the other hand, hurting even one person was one person too many. Perhaps some of us want to think over this question: would the world would be a better place if twi had not existed at all? Or perhaps it does no good to raise hypothetical questions like that. The fact is we're stuck with what happened. We're tasked with sorting out the good from the bad and the ugly. Cheers!

Yes, and it's no wonder it took some of us so long to break the "don't question VP" barrier and leave TWI. One thing VP was right about--fear is sand in the machinery of life. He sure knew how to muck up the "machinery" with his fear tactics. I've found that life is not really like a machine, though. It's a mystery.

It wasn't until I realized I needed to change my idea of what "God" was that I could see past the ridiculous fear that motivated me to stay in TWI. Then I could leave it. Seems to me that TWI created a god that fit VPW's ideas. Not the other way around. Perhaps that is true for lots of churches, too. You say you were bored by the "structure of a regular church," so that makes me wonder what the value of such structures really is. Seems like the value is emotional support, but I've yet to feel comfy in a church either, so all I can say is good luck in your quest...

Helping God? How ridiculous that we thought we could "help" whatever God really is...

It is never wrong to expose an abuser, a predator and a fake. It's a moral outrage to remain silent.

I'm here for that purpose, too. And to shed light on any issues I witnessed during my time in TWI and things I've learned since. Cheers, Charlene

You crack me up, Socks. Makes me wish I had been a smoker. BUT the truth is I didn't even go inside the tent that year...played hookey. Was moving my Aramaic books out of the Research room and into my garage...got "reassigned" to Multi Services from the Research Dept. to wash cars, like the already clean car of a certain wife of a certain Pres. of dah wey. So it goes. Glad it's gone. Those days are over. Now on to other projects like speaking up for freedom of expression. A constitutional "right" that wasn't honored at The Way. TWI was (still is) a sub-culture of repression in a county that allows such sub-cultures to repress, because even the likes of TWI is allowed freedom of expression. Ironic, isn't it? An uphill battle all the way...keep on speaking up. Maybe someone will hear...TWI is a group that suffocates individuals' efforts to express what they think and write what they want. It's a CLOSED system of absolutist ideology. Yes, that repression exists in Fundamentalist Christianity, not only in Fundamentalism of other religions. Cheers, Penworks

The first corps group (the Zero Corps which was sent home before their first year ended) came to HQ in 1969. The official First Corps came to HQ in fall of 1970. I don't know whether they fiiled out an application form or not. The Second Corps (the group I was with) began the fall of 1971. I had to fill out that form which was said to be based on the P.C. form.

I'm not sure where the principles came from but I know they did not exist until AFTER those of in the 2nd Corps entered the program. I remember this so clearly because one of the other girls told me she didn't know we were signing up to "go forth as leaders and workers" after the program. She had come in the Corps just to get the training and knowledge. AND I know VPW told another girl that it was just a two year commitment, not a LIFETIME deal. I can tell you I heard from a reliable source back in 1971 that the application we filled out to enter the Corps program was based on the one for the Peace Corps. Maybe VPW modified their goals somehow and reworded them to come up with the ones for us. Who knows...

Just want to thank you, OldSkool and many others, for the info you've posted here about the more recent version of TWI. I find it helpful for several reasons. People ask me whether TWI still exists and what their influence might still be. Info here helps me answer those questions. Plus, just today I received a phone call from a former TWI person I knew long ago who recently read my Affinity for WIndows story at this site and would like to talk with me about it. Many thanks to Pawtucket for keeping it available. I plan to post things again when the time is right for me. Cheers, Penworks

Exactly. If he had been an out-front monster, we would have run in the opposite direction (I would hope!). I'm reminded of those TV commercials trying to sell us drugs with hideous side effects. The ad depicts smiling people doing everday tasks. The voice over sounds like your dearest friend. The voice tells us a litany of ghastly side effects but the ad makers are counting on our being distracted by the fun-loving, often beautiful, healthy looking people we assume are taking the drug, so we miss listening closely to the gravity of the side effects, "on rare occasions, even death."

Outrageous! Unimaginable. What a horrible mess... One thing about our stories is to ask ourselves, who is the audience we want to address? Many issues are settled after we decide on that. Also, do you want to write a personal history or a memoir? They are different. I suggest reading: Writing the Memoir by Judith Barrington. There are other helpful books out there to guide us, too, like, Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Skyrider, If you want to write your book, do it. Yes, there are many considerations about going public, but there are people who want to hear our stories. Who need our stories. If you feel you can put yourself out there, that you are coming from a good place, not a place of revenge for instance, let it rip. People respect that. I can say this about the embarrassment aspect: It's a matter of trust. I began confessing to being in a cult gradually with people I had gotten to know. They already knew a healed version of me before they learned what I'd been through. Most of them were aghast but very curious and loved me for surviving. Most understood I had had a hard time and had learned things they will never have a chance to find out without stories from people like me. The people I've talked to are fascinated and want to understand it all. They respect the fact I left. They see I'm "normal" and wonder how I got in, how I left, how I sorted things out, how I rebuilt my life. So keep writing if you feel compelled to do it, and I think you do. The writing saves us. The writing is important. Our lives matter. Love to you and cheers to your endeavors, Charlene

For anyone reading here who is not familiar with what TWI used to do in their so-called Biblical research efforts, this is a repeat of the failed efforts of TWI: "The basis for all our efforts is the Bible, which we believe to be the Word of God, perfect in its original writing. So-called errors, contradictions, or discrepancies are the result of man’s subsequent interference in the translation or transmission of the text, or his failure to understand what is written.Spirit & Truth Fellowship International draws from all relevant sources that shed light on the integrity of Scripture, such as geography, customs, language, history, and principles governing Bible interpretation. We seek the truth without respect to tradition, “orthodoxy,” or popular trends and teachings." Buyer beware.

One caveat: secular education was encouraged for some, for instance many at East Carolina Univ. who lived in The Way Home trying to immitate the Corps program. BUT the purpose of getting it was only to use it for the benefit of TWI, i.e. an accounting degree or business degree AND ALSO that unbelievers would have more respect for us, given we had a college education. The idea was the education would give us a chance to witness to educated people like business leaders and politicians who would not consider us just ignorant kids obsessed with the Bible, but intellligent educated folks. Ha! Then, there were those who were encouraged to get degrees in biblical languages to "help in biblical research." Ha again. Plenty went wrong with both...

I knew him back in the day (early 1980s) when he was in Florida as limb leader but actually met him much earlier than that when he first got into TWI in NC. He passed away a few years ago and I understand that his older daughter is the one running this group.

Oh yeah...charity. The greatest of these...how far away from it we often roamed while searching for power over every blasted situation, "unbeliever," etc. etc. I'm reminded of the old guru story that goes something like this: The seeker asks the guru how to have more power. The guru asks: "Why do you seek power? What are you afraid of?"

For me, yes, sometimes.

You said so well what I thought.