Steveo

Hi guys and gals. I'm just checking in, I wasn't in the Way Corps BUT I kinda wasted the best 5 years of my young life as a Wow, Wow vet and also took pretty much every expensive class available.

When I was scanning through my favorites list, I saw the Greasespot Cafe and my heart kinda was like deeply affected. You see I have a lot of love for the folks I knew back then, and my life outside of PFAL/The Way was riddled with druggies and hateful cliques in High School. I just wish the wonderful WORD of God had been shared by kind loving people of integrity, and not wolves like Craig Martindale and Victor Paul Wierwille. Maybe then those precious friendships would still be alive even to this day.

OK dats all, I am still here and I will check in as long as I'm alive, God willing :)

This is an interesting topic, but I remember John Lynn and therefore want to add my advice/2 cents

Dear John Lynn, I read your letter and see that you are eager to begin a NEW ministry, a clone if you will, of TWI

I honestly feel this is because you are still addicted to the fan/worship of all the followers, beiong high as on a drug of their adulation and obedience.

I WARN you that to continue the way of TWI is to continue in sin. I am referring specifially to 1) Lording it over Gods Heritage 2) Demanding perfect obedience from others while practicing sin in their own lives 3) Victimizing followers thru financial and sexual exploitation, and more things but I think you get the idea

I ADVISE you to stop trying to be a leader, and be a humble FOLLOWER of Jesus, repay the financial exploitation you perpetrated on your former followers, stop trying to regurgitate the Ways doctrine and spend some humble time correcting all the flawed beliefs/teachings of the Way, much can be learned/corrected via these Forums.

I luv ya John Lynn and am giving the best advice I can for those who have escaped the Way, and their pernicious ways

Steveo

I registered for the ExWayVision forums http://exwayvision.com/ BUT it had no way to post or even reply to topics :(

I guess its too hard for me to use, I prefer a simple Add Reply button

Also the topics seem jammed togehter, is there a way to spread them out a bit?

Also plz add an "Introduce yourself" forum cause thats where I wanna post first.

One of the things that I explored, without success, was a blog section on a site. I tried it two different ways. A separate site as well as integrating it within these forums.

Let me explain what I think as distinct advantages over the forum. If someone wants to tell their story, they can do it uninterrupted. In the forums, when someone takes that chance of telling the story, there is always someone that wants to thwart the story in one form or another. In the blog scenario, the person telling their story has control over all of the comments. You can publish or delete any and all comments. In a thread situation, the story can get lost with comments and off topic replies.

I believe that an individual's testimony to what happened is vital for themselves as well as for others reading it. I would be more than willing to keep the blog section active on this site, if some would be willing to try it out.

Any opinions?

I think you should just go with a Forum.

A Forums advantage would be....

ONE place to find everything

Topics can be pinned and closed if you want to make a Read only Statement or Policy Statement or Way Archives

In a Forum you could have 3 or 4 trusted Administrators (will help relieve the financial and time load on you too) to weed out hate talk, overt threats, cussing etc....

You can in some cases set up a "filter" to weed out certain unacceptable cuss words

You can set up the Forum with most all the categories you have now and just lets the posts happen.

You should post a "transition link" and/or send out a bulk email so people can register and post on the new forum

Set it up on a Free Forum so you wont have to lay out a lot of money each month

Just my own two cents worth of advice

I love the fact that you guys are gonna carry on the Greasespot Cafe tradition.

I also saw there is some debate on what the name of this new Forum should be....

Hmmmm maybe if you ask Paw he will let you call it Greasespot 2

Other Misc ideas including some things that Way people used to say when someone left the Way....

______________________________________________________

Greasepot 2......................greasespot2.com

He/shes tripped out.............. trippedout.com?

out of fellowship.................outoffellowship.com

Marked and Avoided................markedandavoided.com

The Way Blasters..................wayblasters.com

No Way (creds to the previuos guy).. noway.com

Way out Cafe (creds to humanwithoutbean)...wayoutcafe.com

Way Free............................wayfree.com

Out of the Way......................outoftheway.com

Deprogrammed........................deprogrammed.com

Hmmmm Greasespot seems to be the best name that captures who and what we are, and the rediculous pressure the way would put on us. So I like Greasespot2 best

Hi,

Thnx Pawtucket for all the hard work you did and the money you spent. It has benefitted many people!

Can I make a suggestion? Why don't we ( The ex Wayfers and sympathizers) start a NEW Forum thats on one of the free forums, and keep in touch that way. Ive been running a gaming Forum http://s7.invisionfree.com/Royal_Noobs_Clan/ on Invision for about 5 years now and although its not as good as this forum, it kinda serves the purpose. If anyone is up for this, Im willing to help. I know theres some admins who could set it up and maintain it, and it wouldnt be as BIG or versatile as this forum, but it might be nice to keep this going on a free forum

Hello Balanced,

As I read thru your post I felt the "heart" where you were coming from. Please keep in mind theres lots of us out here who went through the same thing.

What really amazes me more is that there are still people IN the Way Ministry!

I hope you find comfort in speaking to people who also somehow "extracted" themselves from the Way, and felt the needles of guilt thrown at them afterward by the "innies"

I have a lot of fond memories of friends in the Way, from many years ago, but I really do thank God that He lead me to get out of the Way too.... :)

I know exactly what you mean! That teaching about tithing sticks with you, for decades after I always "tithed" to the Catholic Church, figuring I knew the Word and just because the Way was a cult didnt mean the tithe doesn't work!

But looking back now I know the Way was a kind a "farm" planting more and more seeds of brainwashing and hoping to reap people tithing to them, so they could drive limos, fly in jets, and live high on the hog and have sex orgies and victimize the gullible, even sometimes driving them to commit suicide

If anyone feels a need to give, why not give insteead human decency! Allow people to worship God in their own way without "marking" them for banishment, and loving people because their them, NOT because thier in good standing with the Ways rules of fellowship ( obey obey obey, lol) Oh and by the way why not help the disabled and weak, instead of condeming them for not believing rightly. Did I forget anything else? Oh! How about not gaining a "rank" like Twig Leader or Branch leader so that you can boss people around and tell them to shut up and obey and never of course express any indivuality or feelings of self worth just because their themselevs, and NOT conditional on their "fellowship" in the Ministry, which I feel is a bad type of bigotry.

I thought this topic was on Critial Thinking Skills and how to get OUT of THE WAY

(hamster wheel life and be free)

I supppose for each person it IS differant depending on your desire. The first step

is the most important and that is to recognize TWI is NOT it.

Maybe in the beginning it was or seemed like a good thing to know the bible,but I did\

not sign up for what it really was in the longrun.

I still had the desire to KNOW God. Even after I went thru the I don't believe in "anything anymore" thing.

I now call myself a Humanitarian that believes in God.

Great info Cheranne! I think that cults and truth are natural enemies, and our mind will always remind us we are on the wrong track. People in a cult just need to "forget" what the cult people are telling them and get the heck outa there! I am reminded of that old Paul Simon song..."50 Ways to leave your Lover"....we can change it to "50 Ways to leave a Cult"

((clears throat and begins to sing)).....slip out the back jack....make a new plan Stan...no need to be coy Roy, just listen to me....step off the bus Gus, dont need to discuss much, drop off the key Lee , and get yourself free!"

The drummer was Chuck Santacruz.Not sure of that spelling.

"God put a rainbow in the clouds."

Thanks Geogio, you have a great memory for names!

Did you also know the others? I am SO curious as to what became of them, I have Googled them, but unfortunately hardly any of them have registered and post on these Forums.

Bernadette Willette was my FIRST major girlfriend, but I havent spoken with here in about 30 years and I so often wonder what the heck happenned to her

I heard that Jim Dufala and his wife were divorced (unconfirmed)

Tom Burke put out a tape, but thats not surprising he was such a great performer.

Suzanne Ryan I havent heard about at ALL, she was the Branch? Leader of Worcester MA

Peter Newey most likely settled back at Great Barrington MA, its such a great little town and hes got family there

I just HAD to move to Floridam its is SO much more positive economically, but I do miss the Old World feel of Massachusetts....:(

Geogio did I ever meet you? I am curious, Ill check your profile to see if you have a picture there...

Congrats on qitting smoking.

I quit about 30 years ago and Im glad I did.

Im sure a number of your body parts would thank you if they could!....Your lungs will be happy and clear, and less prone to getting cancer, your blood vessels will be cleaner and less constricted thus avoidng danger high blood ptressure, your brain will be clearer and less likely to have a stroke, and finally your breath will be nicer and smell less like an old barroom floor.

And also...all your loved ones and friends will have you with them longer! Heres an article I googled about life expectancy....

Participants who had never smoked lived an average of 10 years longer than heavy smokers (defined as more than 20 cigarettes per day). The quality of life of the surviving participants was measured using a survey scale that measures health-related quality of life in categories including physical functioning, role limitations caused by health problems, role limitations caused by emotional problems, social functioning, emotional well-being, fatigue/energy, and general health perception.

quote "Not to put therapist down but this guy was "green to the gills"when it came to cult awareness in twi stuff

and I think it is because twi so much resenbles "truth"(with a twist of poison here and there!!)

But...honestly I think I taught the therapist more than anything"

Amen to that

Therapists are only human. I worked in Nursing Homes and watch therapists and what they say about their patients in private conversations. It wasnt very nice, I can testify to that!

I think that to "heal" from the Way would be perhaps to simply return to the normal healthy control of our life, and the relationship with God that is in private prayer, Bible reading, and fellowshipping (NOT cult joining) with other Christians, ALL Christians.

And also NOT to blindly follow formulas, bossy leaders, and pecularly obsessed groups.

Also perhaps a lesson all Way followers need to re learn is to be NICE to people and not boss them like some drill sergeant because we "know the Word"

Kindness and courtesy seemed to be greatly lacking in all the Way organizations I was a part of, oh man I could tell you stories!

I like Rush Limbaugh. He truly is a political genius.

How many talk show hosts do you know that actually intimidate the President of the United States? This alone is testimony to his genius.

And you must admit he points out some glaring faults with Obamas policies.

Rush can't help it if he is kind of obnoxious, after all he is a golf, playing, cigar smoking, rich guy from Florida.

People like Rush simply CANT relate to the poor in America ( most of us who make 30k a year or less)

He could not in his wildest dreams imagine what its like to suffer in sickness with no health insurance. So likewaise all the right wing talkers who have disdain for any Universal health care plan.

But I do find it entertaining how he "picks apart" Obamas foreign policy, economic overspending, damage to Americas economy through catering to Unions, etc...

This (if true) is a really amazing phenomena, REVERSE SPEECH!

Appareently we all do is through a mecanism of the subconcious mind and the REVERSE SPEECH is apparently the truth whereas forward speech is often a lie or a cover up, listen and post your opinion! :blink:

The Hidden Language

OHMYGOODNESS!! "Well, I used to build straw houses on lots of sinking sand........." I was just trying to sing that song the other day. I was a WOW in New Bedford, Mass., 1979-80. "Bema Bound" came to New Bedford to perform and rehearsed in our WOW home. I don't know how many times I asked Bernadette to write down the lyrics for me. I kept losing them. But, I was 11 at the time. Not sure if I met you since you were with them from 81-82 and we moved back to NC in '80. WHo was the man that headed up that band? He wrote the Wierd Al type send up of "Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Homos." He was hysterical!!! There were 3 women: Bernadette (?), K.T. and was there a Kathy?

Mom and I liked Foster Smith because he was from NC like us.

Anyhow, Steveo, I think that is cool. I am also a musician now. My husband and I perform together in a silly little duo. We play a variety of stuff. But, mostly classic pop songs.

Hope to hear more from you.

Kathie

Hi Kathie, I dont remember practicing in your house but that was sooo long ago!

The members to the best of my knowledge were....

Suzanne Ryan - vocals

Bernadette Willette - vocals

Steve Taikowski (me) - guitar

Jim Dufala (from the Way Corps) - guitar

Tom Burke ( from the Way Corps, I think also he later became limb leader) - guitar

Peter Newey - Piano

unknown person (I'll remember later maybe) - drummer

unknown person (I'll remember later maybe) - bass player

There was also a girl from boston who was Bernadettes best friend Ill take a guess at her name....Kathy??

(sorry my memories arent complete from those days)

I do remember that song, it was named Bema Bound written by Tom Burke, I played it a hundred times while the girls sang, hmmm let me try and rember the words...

I used to build straw houses on lots of sinking sand

I was sinking in my bootstraps and hammering my hand

(dont member this part)

Im Bema Bound ...etc....

(Bema : The place of heavenly rewards, like the place where Olympic athletes recieve their gold medals, etc...)

I see that you guys have some very interesting opinions and knowledge about politics.

Even though he lost, I voted for McCain and Im not ashamed to say it. Here is my reasoning why.

Things that made me decide NOT to vote for Obama

Abortion - I studied Obamas record on the abortion issue, and he seems to have been "Pro Choice" consistently, even to the point where he refused to vote for a law that would block "Partial Birth Abortion" ( A particularly gruesome way to kill a baby even though its born alive)

Character - Obama seemed to be friends with some pretty rotten people.....Reverend Wright, Michael Ayers, Louis Farrakan, the PLO , etc....

Godliness - Obama said - those people in Pennsylvania want to just cling to their God and their guns......

Other issues that I agree with Obama or dont care about......

Taxes - Both candidates tried to appeal to the masses by claiming they would give "Tax Cuts", Obamas plan actually seemed better

Health Care - I know from experience, having been un-insured my whole life, that we NEED Universal Health Care, so I simply agree with Obama on this account

War in Iraq - to be honest with you I couldnt care less what happens in Iraq, and I feel it certainly isn't worth wasting 1 American life in trying to help them establish "Democracy"

Osama Bin Ladin - Both candidates said they were definirely going to catch Osama Bin Ladin, but I believe Osama Bin Ladin moves freely between Pakistan and Iran, both countries which politicians seem to fear to go into

Sorry to insert my opinions in there, and Ill respect other opinions, but thats how I believe politically....... :ph43r:

I never met Craig Martindale, but I saw him on videos and heard him on tapes

He appeared and sounded very arrogant and proud, as was common in many Way Leaders who were not practicing down to earthness, humilty, and compassion

As to the rape charges, Id say thats up to the woman who got raped, unless of course he hurt her so bad or killed her in which case she would be unable to report it. But its their responsibilty to report if they had been raped, thus not only fulfilling justice, but also protecting other women. I myself could also be found somewhat guilty because I lost my virginity when I was in the Way, I assure it it was not rape, and we both were older than 21, but I do recall some red wine being involved.....

As to whether Craig is repentant? Hmmmm I guess thats between him and God, but I know hes definitely tring to hide his past, I mean like he never went to anything like ex Cult Leaders Aonomys, or had any Psychiatric counseling for it, or maybe he did?

And he never posted an apology here...but I guess hes too embarassed about how he got fired and the sexual situation(s) Knowing his history of pride, I really think this is consistent with his personality

Is he Narcissistic ( did I spell that right?) Well I can only mnetion that dance routine he did for Athletes of the Spirit. I mean , think about it, what if Billy Graham, The Pope, or any other Christian Pastor had a Christian show going on, and they insisted on being the star! I mean it was ballet no less! makes me have a big laugh

Hello Mr Knapp,

Nice to meet you!

I also am a health care professional, a Licensed Practical Nurse, but most of my asssessments in Nursing Homes are when a patients behaviors and attitudes become harmful to themselves or others, I have patients with a wide spectrum of personalities and beliefs....

This Topic got me thinking about many of the habits and beliefs that Way Ministry people take with them after they've left the cult.....and I know these habits have colored my life ever since, affecting my relationships with others.....(just got to tell you this anectodote : I was in a rock band after I left the Way, and after one jam session my bass player said, "Great jam 'bro"....My mind recoiled...'he hasn't had the "class" (PFAL) he doesnt speak in tongues" so I blurted out...'Your not my bro!'.....I feel bad about that now years later because it actually caused that guy some pain and it was a Way response for sure)

I will definitely check out and join your website to hopefully learn more about these things. You seem to be providing a great service, not only to us and people like us, but to those young kids we encounter who may be in a cult or about to join a cult...and theres lotsa kids like this out there, because the suicide rate is way up, and drug abuse, and general mental and socio-personal stress that makes it really hard to be a kid!

I am thinking of a young kid I met on my gaming site who confided in me that he sniffs glue, I have been trying in my aged wisdom ( Lol) to convince him to stop, and it breaks my heart to see kids being so messed up nowadays...

OK enuff said....glad your here and let the healing begin! Lol

This Video reminded me of the ladies at Greasespot Cafe, Ill bet we have a lotsa talent out there, maybe they could do something like this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkqnHNpcKOQ

Ha ha ha! Great story.....

Edited by Steveo

Try this one!!

1) Go to the You Tube Page and look on the right of the video for some code that is called "Embed" Highlight that code and right click on it and "copy" it. (You know there is an embedding link located on the you tube videos right?)

2) Now go to the Greasespot Forums and make a post. Right click on the text area and choose "Paste" and paste the code in there.

3) Then look towards the bottom of the text area and you will see a little drop down menu.

Choose "HTML On - Raw Linebreak Mode" under "Post Options" (located below the are where you type your reply on a post. This makes that particualr post able to accept an "embedded" You Tube video, where you see the actually screen on the post and it plays as well when play button is clicked).

Thanks to both of you for sharing those cheese related Videos, I'll never eat cheese again!

That story really blessed me, but more than that I believe that God worked through you that day! Kinda reminds me of how the prophet Elisha found the lost axe head in the lake that one time on the OT (2 Kings 6:6)

I didnt know him personally but I watched from afar ( Massachusetts)

He fit the prototype of the Proud, know it all teacher, who didnt hesistate to belittle and insult others in the name of spiritual enlightenment (ex. Way Corps, Advanced Class, and all that other jive the Way said was "Walking with God")

It really makes you re-evaluate what 'Walking with God' is.....and what love and spiritual enlightenment are. Perhaps it is after all better to be humble of spirit, meek, and kind to all people. Then who could find fault in you, or build resentment towards you, it would tend to make your essence pleasant and easy to be around, and memories of you blessed, am I right?

It made me feel a bit better, now I know that I'm not the only one who thinks that way.....