penworks

Ohmygod! Your story, your life just hit me like a ton of bricks. Some days I just weep when I come here and find stories like yours and I continue to weep all day long, it seems. But I am thrilled you have landed on your strong feet and are creating such a wonderful new life as an artist!

Again, I'm so sorry for the awful treatment you endured. Believe me, you are not alone, if that makes you feel any better. Keep on creating and teaching art! You go, girl!

Much love to you,

penworks

CHARLENE, I HAVE ALL THREE VIDS ON DVD, R OF A 72, THE ABUNDANT LIFE, AND CHANGEDL, CONTACT ME AT allegro11@cox.net, my phone is 757-880-6036

love howie

I do this work, goto musicrescue-va.com, and contact me, howie y.

Howie,

Please check your email for an important message.

Thanks!

Thanks so much for providing this link. What a fabulous site he has! I remember him, too.

The pen is mightier than the sword.

Just sending my happy birthday greetings along to you, too. Enjoy your day!

My thoughts and prayers are with you, too, Paw.

Sending good thoughts and many prayers your way!

Success. Thanks everyone for your help!

I found her and we're having a great reunion!

penworks, he doesn't live in Lyndhurst, Ohio, anymore, and that's no longer his phone number. I had an e-mail address for him, but that's no good either because it was a local dial-up ISP. I remember somone telling me he moved, but I'll be darned if I can remember where. I'm just telling you this so you don't get disappointed if you try to contact him via the info on that Web site. It hasn't been updated since 1999, it says at the bottom of the opening page.

I'm sorry I've lost touch with David, and I miss his insights on GSC.

Thanks, Linda Z. I've tried sending him an email from his profile so we'll see if that works...

His contact info is here at the website Here

Thanks!

Oakspear - who is "the family tables guy?"

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Hey Krys, there's a better one than that in Ecclesiastes, "Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but a little evil destroys much good."

Dave,

I've been trying to find you so sent you a PM. Did you change your email address? You can contact me at cooees-91643. I'm curious about HQ in 1971.

I appreciate the tips!

Happy Birthday! Even though I don't know you, I wish you lots of happiness today and everyday.

Whatever you can do

or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius

power and magic in it.

~Goethe

Have you tried sending him a Private Message?

You can go to his profile (It is his name) and choose "send a message". If he gets e-mail notifications that someone has PM'd him, he'll know to log in and retrieve it. :)

I meant to thank you for this info. I sent a PM but so far I haven't heard from him.

Thanks everyone for your input on this. Wish me luck.

penworks

I'd like to get a copy of the ROA '72 video. If anyone has one and wants to part with it or make a copy of it to send me, let me know. I'm willing to negotiate a price.

If Pam Tompary Craley (divorced but now has another married name) is around GSC or if anyone knows how I can contact her, I'd love to get in touch with her.

Thanks,

penworks

Just remember you have a lot of support here, WG. My heart goes out to you. Stay strong. Be brave. Remember baby steps can take you just as far as giant leaps and usually make us more aware of what we're doing since we're traveling more slowly. Whatever that might mean to you....

Ciao from my desk,

penworks

A very interesting and insightful thread going here. I have more comments, but they would be off Copenhagen's topic, so I'll say goodbye on this one.

You've all caused me to pause and think, which to me is a sign of a good discussion, so I thank you and I thank Pawtucket for this and all forum opportunities.

Be well one and all.

Ciao from my desk,

penworks

ABSOLUTELY...I agree, the bullying came from the very top, from the very beginning. What I meant was that there were an awfull lot of really good people who did their very best to talk the talk and walk the walk. These were the people most saw, whom most interacted with....

Those were the people who ran the fellowships, who loved the people, who took the bu tt chewings from above...but continued to love, pray for, minister to everyone in their path....those were the people who`s heart was to serve God and take care of his people....

When they started getting fired for not towing the line, when people were told that their fellowships were no longer considered legitimate...when they were cast out and declared mark and avoid....when they were declared suspiscious spiritually and people warned to stay away....the people who were used to replace them...many times were viscious bullies.

The meaner you were, the more face meltings that you could brag about...the more spiritual you were viewed.

Without the strong people to prevent the bullying....the evil from the top was allowed to run unchecked.

I take copenhagen at their word....that they are stuck in twi. I feel terrible for this...knowing how bleak that existance can be.

Ah, yes, I understand what you mean now. I see from so many posts here that after the big exodus of the late 1980s that the system encouraged being meaner and meaner in a lot of ways...

penworks

Ditto to what Belle and Rascal have shared! It's a brave adventure you are on, Copenhagen, but remember some of us have gone before you and done it already, so it can be undertaken - just one baby step at a time...

Rascal, I understand a lot of what you mean about the bullies remaining after so much dust settled, but I have to say that I was around EARLY on in the 1970s, in the Second Corps, and experienced a good deal of personal bullying from the founder of TWI. I have to be fair and say he started that bully ball rolling. It didn't just appear in the 80s. What we see today is an inevitable outgrowth of the seeds planted in the 1940s.

When I examine my experience (which I've been doing the past 20 years) I see that groups like this can only be what they are. Huh? I mean, that to expect them to be able to maintain kindness in the face of challenging questions, for instance, is close to impossible. Questions are threatening to them. This sort of fundamentalist system is afraid by its very nature of any non-compliance. Fear is the lasso used to rope people into their corral and tie 'em down.

Anyhow, I second the motion for Copenhagen to branch out and try to meet new friends. To keep the old may not be possible. But the world is full of good people who can show up in our lives when we least expect them, so let the universe provide for you, Copenhagen. The key word is "let"!

Rascal expressed many thoughts and feelings that I share, too, and in such a lovely way! I would add that you might consider writing down the pros and cons of staying with TWI and weigh them carefully. See what it all adds up to or comes down to. I remember around the time I began thinking of leaving, I looked around the WOW auditorium (this was in about 1985) and thought "Who in here really cares about MY wellbeing? If my wellbeing means I need to leave this group, who in here would support me in that decision?" Well, I found out real fast the answers to those questions when I did leave. But, today I often think of - even feel like - Job who after losing soooo much, gained everything back sevenfold later in life because he stuck to his truth. I'm reminded of this quote: To thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." Good night and good luck!

Alphacat, I'll be thinking of you, too. Peace.