Broken Arrow

Doesn't "prove all things" simply mean to test things? That's what it says in the NIV anyway. When I say "hold on to the good", I mean to not be bitter. We all know bitterness will suck the life right out of you. While it may feel like we're actually hurting the person who hurt us, the reality is we continue to be their victim as long as we remain in a state of bitterness. However, pointing out abuse and naming it for what it is is not being bitter, it's being honest. Reading posts here on GSC has helped me to put words and definition to my abuse and to bring it more into focus. When I'm able to do that, I'm better able to heal. When I hear, "just get over it", I hear "deny it, pretend it didn't hurt". That's like having a broken leg and trying to live the rest of one's life without getting the bone set.

And to think back to the 70's when Dr Cyclops was teaching in rez that one of the proofs that Islam is bad is that they won't let people have any debt including a mortgage...went on and on about inhibiting people's ability to prosper - and I do mean went on and on and freaking on...

Well Runner...I guess that falls under the copout, er, I mean category of "revelation changes as circumstances change". You know, circumstances changed for The Way when 2/3 of their contributors dropped off so God changed the revelation. Suddenly it became "off the Word" to do such sinful things as buy a nice home for your family to live in, or improve yourself by getting an education.

This is getting annoying

ie. lets have a conversation -- then leave everyone hanging and 'skip town'

look Caleb-- you arent some exception to the rule--we are all very busy--if you are going to stick to your word and represent your org as you said that you would then start participating and answering. If you are just another untrustable run of the mill BS'er ---well----we are already getting that message by your disappearance and lack of honest communication with us

Its not too late to redeem yourself but your stock in my eyes is going down every passing day that you blow us off----

One thing that I can say at this point is that your silence and absence speaks as loudly as your words, even more so, and so far represents the core of the organization you graduated from very aptly.

Promises promises and when it comes to owning up---zilch

So far you represent them well

I'm thinkin' Caleb's been silenced by somebody in the corporation.

Never mind.

Anyone ever note that aluminum spelled backwards sounds like a planet you'd find rich people on? Munimula...you decide...

An insight that would make George Carlin proud, I must say. It's about time someone started thinking whole thoughts around here.

"Or we can tell him it is great he is on this path with this group and more power to him. Yeah. . . hang with the Wierwilles. . . where else can you get the 'word'. (Previous quote from Geisha)

And let's not forget one of VP's "revelations" was that if the Wierwille family does not stand, "the Word of God will not live in our day and time." That quote, by the way is from, "A Day with the Wierwilles". That kind of makes the rest of of irrelevant doesn't it? So...I guess some may see this "Sowers" thing is a carrying on of VP's "vision".

IMO is In My Opinion

Thank you very much! I can rest much easier now!

AAAAuuuuuuggggghhhh!!!!!!

There's a redneck with a bible banging on my front door! :o

Nope! It's just Aunt Ethel with the mashed potatos she made for the family picnic. Gotta love that Aunt Ethel!

I was never in "your rotten army".

I guess as a FLO, I was kinda like a reservist. LOL

When VPW saw that our franchise operation was draining revenue from his company store operation, he wasted no time in distancing himself from our operation (IMO)

This is off topic but it's driving me crazy. What does "IMO" stand for?

W

Yes, you are correct. That is what he said.

Maybe I watered down my explanation a bit too much to convey the point.

I apologize.

What a dilemma it presented.

If he was right, we'd been following the ramblings of a possessed man.

If he was wrong, his credibility was in the toilet. He could, therefore, have been wrong about virtually any and every thing he ever taught us.

Based on his own teaching in the AC and his personal lifestyle, stop and consider how many of these puppies he would have kenneled.

Indeed! And oh, by the way, no need to apologize.

Is that story about Wierwille claiming cancer was a sign on the devil true? And that he died of cancer?

Yes.

In my 1971 syllabus, it is hand notated. In other words, it was not on the printed pages (pg. 20 & 21) but was introduced verbally during the live teaching of those pages in 1973. Not only did Wierwille say cancer is caused by a devil spirit,(ie: possession) he also said that such things as phobias, jealousy, alcoholism, homosexuality, murder, suicide, etc., etc. are caused by devil spirits. Wierwille, himself, was a hardcore alcoholic, documented sexual predator and ultimate victim of terminal cancer.

Wierwille's official death certificate is here on GSC and clearly displays the cause of death as cancer.

http://www.greasespotcafe.com/main2/waydale/waydale-editorials/v.p.-wierwilles-cancer-and-the-doctrinal-dilemma-that-his-illness-presented.....html

http://www.empirenet.com/~messiah7/vp_DEATH.htm

Waysider, I remember it differently, see what you think. I remember him saying that cancer itself was a devil spirit. So, if you had cancer, you were possessed. I actually contracted cancer (fully recovered) and it really caused a lot of shame in my life because, I, a Corps Grad (gasp!) allowed myself to be possessed by cancer. I would say that the cancer had progressed to stage II because I denied certain symptoms. I didn't want to face the fact that I had allowed myself to be "possessed". Years later I found out VPW had died of cancer. When he died, the cause was definitely "hush, hush". He taught that people died, "when they stopped believing". So when he died prematurely, there was some "explaining to do". More like a cover-up actually. Anyway, if you and I died, it would be our lack of believing. For VPW, he was "tired of the fight". His death was blamed on the lack of believing of those around him. We, the "Household" were to blame because we didn't listen to him. What a bunch of bull. Of course, his cause of death was never mentioned.

[

I always thought he said, "Rosebud", and then dropped a glass of drambuie on the floor.

something my therapist has posed to me is to quit revolting against my way experiences and begin to learn what good i can from them so that i can spend my energy helpfully on myself instead of destructively against myself because i'm beginning to have some health issues directly related to anxiety and tension and it's gotten worse since i started looking so closely at my way experiences. did that happen to anybody else?

Yes! Except that whenever I've brought up my Way experiences with a therapist or anyone else who was never "in", all I usually get are blank stares. How can anyone else understand? Even people that were in other cults can't seem to relate specifically to The Way experiences. Maybe I just don't let people "in" when it comes to my own life, I dunno. That's why I read Greasespot every now and then. That helps some...sometimes. Anyway, to answer your question. It's taken me a long time because for a long time I didn't think I had a problem until my first wife left me and I realized all I was was a shell. Then I also came to realize that 15 years in The Way International and my "Way Corps" education taught me absolutely nothing. In fact I may have even become more stupid. Then I started looking for help.

deception was coached. wow year was hell, with carmen and rupp all over us every other minute to get people to take the class, take the class, take the class. we had corps there a bunch of times, showing us how to deceive people into coming to fellowship, telling us not to tell too much because they'd get instantly turned off, had to feed it to them a little at a time as they "matured".

Yup! Not a whole lot different than from being invited to an Amway meeting.

Muddy (aka McKinnley Morganfield) is best known for his unmistakable baritone voice, slide guitar and authorship of countless classics covered by everyone from The Rolling Stones to Led Zepplin. But, many people don't realize he started as a harp player. That may be why harmonica played a major role in almost every band he ever led. The list of harp players who worked with him reads like a "who's who" of musicians. It included the likes of Little Walter Jacobs, Big Walter Horton, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Paul Oscher, Jerry Portnoy, George Smith, George Buford, Sonny Boy II, and so forth. And, you could compile a similar list of guitar players, piano players, drummers and bass players.

TWI, on the other hand, is best known for---OK, I can't think of anything right now. Give me a moment.

This off topic, but you, Waysider, and you, Rumrunner need to stop at the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland if you haven't already. They have an awesome exhibit on Muddy Waters.

o

[q

I have a photo on my bookshelf of that sign that was outside the Chalet, the one with the Corps principles on it. Hmm, why do I keep it?

(pause for pondering)

Because at bottom, I must still appreciate the intent as I first perceived it.

And it reminds me of some fine people that I knew.

Somehow it seems dissociated from the organisation. Weird. Is it time to burn some chaff?

Far be it from me to tell someone how to live their life. But since you asked...YES!!!

Wasn't there some teaching and maybe some one else can corroborate this about how there was no way we could understand Revelations because it had so many eastern isms and other stuff I can not remember all the names but there were all these complicated issues so that it would be impossible to actually study and understand... Now in my head I hear VP saying it.... was it in the class or a Saturday night teaching... or just one of those things taught at corp that got passed on down to we the peons, and I have muddled who said it.

I guess what I mean is it seems that the thought when I was in the Way was that Revelations was not written to us and even so it was too complicated to really understand and get correctly.

Or so I was told, when I questioned it.

Okay maybe I heard it from one of the Corps WOW's when I took PIFL class...

SHeesh obviously my memory is full of that swiss cheese

You got it close Leafy. Actually what was said by VP was that people made it complicated, but it wasn't all that complicated to him. All you needed to do, he said, was "understand a few Orientalisms". He said that in PFAL. In other words, only he really understood it. I was "in" for 15 years and never heard much taught on the Book of Revelation.

C

Just so you know, "I wish I were the man I know to be" was from a song written by Harve Platig and Pat Lynn and performed by "Branded". Harve and Pat were inspired by a teaching of his from Eph. 1:6. where in an emotional moment he "saw" in the Word how much was available and how little he (and all of us) measure up. Don't look for any hidden admissions of guilt, he was a narcissist to the bitter end. We're all supposed to look at the grave stone, sigh, and say, "What a humble, humble man."

[quote name='Watered Garden' post='4660

WG

I have data entry issues. Sorry.

I was required to memorize the order of the books of the Bible. Maybe that's whey they were referring to.