Broken Arrow

The squirrel said: "I would like to see one honest report of where the "battery poser" has done something really useful.. other than to try to desperately attract attention and admiration to itself.. generally. I know, perhaps there are a couple specific cases.." More than just a couple my squirrely friend. Speak for yourself. Personally, I have no idea what's going on.

Stop with the wise cracks, okay?

I vaguely recall that TWI came under sharp criticism for being involved in politics so their tax exempt status came under scrutiny. I might be wrong about that. At the time, I do remember being shocked at how disappointed some people were at Gehagan's loss. I was at a meeting where the esteemed Gehagan said that running for Senate was, "an opportunity to take a stand." I never thought for a moment that he would win and I didn't think anyone else did either. I mean, when was the last time an independent won a Senatorial election? This was prior to Lieberman who did it just a few years ago. Anyway, it's not very common and the only time it's ever worked is when the candidate is well known having been a former member of a particular major party. Really, I thought the whole purpose was to inspire other believers to get involved in the political process. Silly naive me. Do you remember who he was up against? It was Edmund Muskie, former Vice-Presidential candidate with Hubert Humphrey and very popular in Maine. He was nationally known for crying out loud. Gahagan actually thought he was going to beat him? I don't think so. Even TWI with its millions was no match for the coffers Muskie had at his disposal.

I'll admit the picture is pretty funny...but no, this is not the housing for Corps leadership in the 80's. I can't remember where I've seen that picture before. If by Corp leadership you mean the people that ran the Corp like JAL etc., I think they stayed in the Corps Chalet if I'm not mistaken.

Someone once told me that this "spiritually angry" persona LCM developed was nothing more than a front. They told me in actuality he was a coward (he used a different expression that starts with "chicken" and ends in a word that rhymes with "hit"). He said if confronted he would just avoid the person...maybe not on the phone, but face to face. I dunno, my acquaintance was kind of PO'd about a few things regarding LCM. He's also a pretty big guy.

I have to disagree. Well, I dont have to I suppose, but I do. "Mission Creep", if I'm understanding things correctly, implies that at one time there was a well-defined, needfull, and well carried out mission. I don't think such a thing existed in TWI.

TJ already had his leanings prior to the Corps. Hmm, has anyone seen him for awhile? Maybe he's...over nevermind. Yelling and face melting...it was a way for insecure people (such as myself) to feel like they were in charge.

Are you sure? I thought the place was turned into a strip mall, and something honoring teachers in what we used to call the "Campus Center."

I just can't believe they call him "Uncle Howard".

Then of course, there's the verse somewhere where Moses says to Aaron, "Would you please pass the salt?"

Wow! :o

I think the answer is obvious with LCM. VP is a different story. There are still people in and out of TWI who still worship him. But you're right, many have disavowed their association with him. One of the things about brainwashing, or so I've been told, is that for the brainwashing to continue, the victim needs to contiually be reinforced by the group. As people have left and begin to live life and get older, many see what a ruse VP really was. We're no longer ga ga-ed 21-year-olds searching for an identity and approval of a group. I know it was gradual for me. I thought he was the man for a good 10 years after I left. A natural disaster would occur, like the Oklahoma City Bombing. I said, "It's because we no longer have the believing of 'Dr. Wierwille' present so the door is open for devil spirit activity." I'm embarrassed I ever thought that way. I wasn't the only one. But as time went on and my thinking faculties started to kick in, I began to see things in a true light.

That's riiiiight!

That's true. I used to marvel at some of the people that would be put in leadership. Many, and I mean many, had a distaste for such things as ethics and even having an education. There were a few times people were mocked for possessing such attributes. The narrow-mindedness of some was astounding.

Supposed to be an "orientalism" that he learned from K.C. Pillai.

Even your notes on jet style packing and how to properly accesorize, and tie a tie?

LCM claimed that VP said to someone he was counseling that the reason LCM was named president is because, "He never forgot who taught him the Word."

Reminds one of Adolf Hitler. He was requiring officers, and I think even soldiers and a host to others to pledge a loyalty to him, not Germany, him. We had to pledge loyalty to TWI, not God, TWI.

As well as insecure.

I'm thinking, maybe that tractor of his neighbor's that he sank to the bottom of the pond?

Karma? Are you LeBron James? Seriously, I think with staff and corps there were about 800 total on campus. How many times did we see VP weep openly over his "broken heart" regarding a corps person who took the covenant of salt and didn't "stand"? "Oh kids, you break my heart!"

Some people did and they were ostracized. Speaking for myself, no. It never crossed my mind that TWI would ever "go off the tracks." It was the perfect ministry run by leaders who were above reproach. They were trained by the MOG himself. He hand-picked LCM as his successor and he had a direct connection with God, don't you know.

I can see having some sort of security at night. Whether that should have been the students is another question. Also, was it really necessary, if someone was assigned "bless patrol", to require them to be at breakfast at 7-am and do their regular work assignment the next day? Guess that was supposed to make us tough, but it was another control thing. That and they didn't want to pay people to work security. I know one poor guy, or was it a woman, that worked bp and the next night was Corps night with VP live. They got basically screamed at for falling asleep during the teaching. Sheesh, they had only had about 3 hours of sleep.

Yeah, that M.Div. curriculum is tough. I have a friend going through it right now. They don't mess around.

If you don't mind my asking, was that right after graduation, or years later?