Kevlar2000

Yes, and usually the reaction (even if it's unspoken, you can see it in their expression) is, "Former cult member, eh? So how big a flake are you?" If the subject comes up (which it hardly ever does anymore), I just say I was affiliated with a high-demand religious group, and left when their demands became too high. If they want to know how big a flake I am, they'll have to spend some quality time with me.

To express sorrow and remorse, one usually has acknowledge they did something wrong, and have to be sorry they did it. I don't get the sense they believe they ever did anything wrong.

Most churches understand without being told that tithes ("abundant sharing") are completely voluntary, and cannot be forced from their congregation. Any attempts to do so will result in, at a minimum, their membership leaving in droves. At most, it could lead to criminal prosecution for extortion. It seems the Way International attempted to insert its control hooks far too deeply, and now are learning a bitter lesson: you can only &^(% with people for so long, and then they will turn on you.

*singing the Ren and Stimpy "Happy Happy Joy Joy" song* Have a great birthday Radar!

The implication being, no one else except us knows about this and can teach you about this. None of the Way's research on any of this is original, so of course others know about this and offer information concerning these subjects. Today, one only needs an internet search engine to do their own "research" into these subjects. "Our ministry provides this...direction." We'll tell ya what ya needs to know, keeds. Because it's what, class? The Way, The Way, and nothing BUT the Way! That's riiiiiiight!

. What time is it: 13:00 hrs. 2. Name: Kevlar2000 3. Nickname: Kev20 4. Piercings: none 5. Recent Movie: The Passion of Joan of Arc 6. Eye color: brown 7. Place of birth: Maryland 8. Favorite food: just about anything you're making. No onions, brussel sprouts or eggplant, please. 9. Ever been toilet papering? no 10. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes 10 a. Ever hate someone so much it made you cry? No 11. Been in a car accident: Yes 12. Favorite day of the week: Saturday 13. Favorite restaurants: Macaroni Grill 14. Favorite Flowers: Whatever I can get to grow. 15. Favorite sports to watch: Orioles baseball, Ravens football 16. Favorite Drink: nonalcoholic: water; 16 a. alcoholic: Guinness 17. Favorite ice cream: Breyer's 18. Disney or Warner Brothers: Pixar 19. Favorite fast food restaurant: Burger King 20. What color is your bedroom carpet: light brown 21. How many times you failed your driver's test? passed it the first time. 22. Winter, summer, spring or fall: fall 23. Which store would you choose to Max out your credit card: Marshalls or Eddie Bauer 24. What do you like to do when you are most bored: sleep 25. Bedtime: 10 pm 26. Favorite TV shows: Battlestar Galactica, Smallville 27. Last person you went to dinner with: My daughter 28. Ford or Chevy: Toyota 29. What are you listening to right now? Italian Renaissance madrigals 30. How many tattoos do you have: none of which I'm aware. 31. How many pets do you own: none any more 32. Which came first the chicken or the chicken egg? the devilled egg.

And I would think, "Make sure you name it after me."

But ChasU, you're not seeing the issue properly. As good and faithful stewards, walking in the love of God in the renewed mind in the household, steadfastly holding forth the prevailing word of truth as a candle to a darkened world in this day, time and hour, they are standing against all manner of unrighteousness and wickedness, and, lest the evil one tempt our people by having an overabundance of worldly mammon, desire to count it all joy by a re-distribution of physical non-necessities so that the spiritual man may arise in the hearts of the household so that we may stand firm and erect at the Bema. Yes, it might be good to let our people in our Household fellowships enjoy the fruits of their own labor... But is is best? *tongue firmly in cheek*

Thanks guys! I'm sorry I didn't see this until now, but I appreciate your good wishes.

I would guess the reading of the Passing of the Patriarch paper indirectly caused some, like myself, to leave. I had not actually read the paper, nor do I remember if it was discussed when some of us twig coordinators were told of the other crap happening with the Way. But I do know the leaders who were honest with me about what was going on were leaving "the ministry". The limb leader who told us half-truths and evasions, who started to demand more of our loyalty and time, stayed with "the ministry". I finally decided enough was enough.

Bliss, I've been disassociated from the Way religion for almost 20 years, but I would almost bet money their unspoken thought was, "Which god?" (And I didn't even need Word of Knowledge for that one. Just chalk it up to genuine spiritual suspicion.)

Why? Does he weigh as much as a duck? (A reference to the witch burning scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, for those who are wondering)

Absolutely. I had not even heard much about Victor Wierwille until close to the time I took the PFAL class in 1972. All my exposure to the Way was from the people who came weekly from Westchester County and south to visit our fellowship. I can pretty much guarantee I would not have taken a bible class which was primarily presented to me by a middle-aged preacher. It was the enthusiasm, clarity, commitment, and sureness of people at or near my own age that sold me. In fact, when I took the class (presented on a reel-to-reel Wolensak tape player), I was kind of put off by Wierwille's preachy style of speaking.

She just found out the Word really isn't over the world.

That does suck. My sympathies, Wayfer Not. I would keep your boss informed of the conflicts you're having, and make sure you are doing what your boss wants you to do, not what your co-worker wants you to do. And, if all else fails, keep your resume up to date. Good luck (ha, I said "luck"!)

Hi Wayfer, What is "PTO"? Personal Time Off, or something like that? I work in state government, and am boggled by the amount of leave you all receive. We accrue 1 week of vacation leave, 15 days of sick leave and 7 days of personal leave when we start. After 5 years, we accrue 2 weeks of annual leave, up to 5 weeks after 20 years. The sick leave and personal leave accruals remain the same. We can accumulate as much sick leave as we can. 50 Vacation leave can be carried over into the next year, and the 7 personal days have to be used by the end of the year or they are lost. All leave must be approved by that person's manager, and is generally granted unless there is evidence of abuse or it negatively impacts work. It certainly sounds like it's being abused where you work. Being a newbie really has it's disadvantages, and it's harder when supervisory staff don't support the people who actually do the work. Some of the things I've found to help me is: Do the best job you can do (which I know you're already doing); Which should make your boss look as good as possible (not always the easiest task in the world); Which may get your work noticed by others higher in the government food chain. If they're at all cognizant of what goes on in your office, they may reason, "I'm noticing an improvement, and I'm pretty sure it's not coming from Supervisor X, so what's different? And who's this Wayfer Not person, anyway?" If you get the opportunity, talk to others outside of your immediate sphere of responsibility - make yourself, your hard work and your goals known. Somebody will notice. "The newbie will move on to bigger and better things while the 13 year veteran still complains they don't make enough money" Remember - living well is the best revenge. :)

Of course, M & A is a lot like S & M - hurting you by throwing you out of their group is only hurting themselves.And they like it that way.

Hi Gillian, One thing that I try to remember when I read missives like that from people still associated with the Way... We were once where they are now. But we aren't any longer. She might be harboring doubts of her own, and may be trying, via Wayspeak, to communicate with someone whom she knows is no longer required to parrot TWI edicts. In any case, should you choose to pursue this, keep your ears open, your mind alert, and your heart guarded. As far as "See Ya At The Bema", We used to have a saying when we parted, "See you here, there, or in the air!" But this was a generally friendly farewell, rather than an oblique way of saying, "P1$$ off!"

Just out of idle curiousity - Was anyone who posts or lurks here a part of that WOW branch? (besides me, of course) It was a fairly large group that year; around 7 or 8 WOW families. I just wondered if any of them ever come here. Or, for that matter, is there anyone here who was introduced to The Way by any of those WOWs in that area that year?

It's ironic. To have sat through and accepted (embraced, for some of us) 12 sessions of teaching which were directly opposite of what mainstream Christianity taught took an iconoclastic, slightly anarchistic, "think-outside-of-the-box" mentality. For the Way to demand persons with that mindset to conform and adhere to its viewpoints, doctrine and dogma without question under the guise of "like-mindedness" was to demand abandonment of the very qualities that drew many of us to that organization. It is foolish policy, and it dooms the Way to tiny insignificance.

Perhaps one only needs to contact the Wierwille children and ask them how the head kahunas treated and took care of Dorothea Wierwille in her last days. And then ask themselves, Is this an organization to which I want to devote my time, energy and money? (Of course, one could also ask oneself, They've been abusive a**h*!es in the past - what's to stop them from doing it again? What safeguards exist? And what gives them the authority to order my life around, anyhow?) p.s. - I think you can tell what my answer would be. :)

*shaking my head in sadness* ...that the ministry be not blamed. Indeed. 2nd Corinthians 6:1-18 (from The Bible in Plain English [crosswalk.com], emphasis mine): We then, working together with God, make our request to you not to take the grace of God to no purpose. (For he says, I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: see, now is the good time; now is the day of salvation): Giving no cause for trouble in anything, so that no one may be able to say anything against our work; But in everything making it clear that we are the servants of God, In quiet strength, in troubles, in need, in sorrow, In blows, in prisons, in attacks, in hard work, in watchings, in going without food; In a clean heart, in knowledge, in long waiting, in being kind, in the Holy Spirit, in true love, In the true word, in the power of God; with the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By glory and by shame, by an evil name and a good name; as untrue, and still true; Unnoted, but still kept fully in mind; as near to death, but still living; as undergoing punishment, but not put to death; As full of sorrow, but ever glad; as poor, but giving wealth to others; as having nothing, but still having all things. The Way ministry leaders would never have had to worry about being blamed if they hadn't made a tacit policy of endorsing and then hiding wrongdoing. They could have said "Love or hate what we teach, but we live our lives loving God and others, and doing the best we can in the kindest way possible." They didn't, and we're paying the price for their malfeasance. (btw, I don't go quoting bible a lot anymore, but it just seems to me this whole "ministry be not blamed" was taken completely out of context, and handled erroniously and deceitfully, especially for an organization which sole purpose is to "rightly divide the Word of Truth".)

Nothing wrong with that. I love country handicrafted things! :)

It ain't me! Honest! And the second line proves it! :D

Yes, let's end it now. :P What consenting adults do with consenting adults in privacy generally is no one's business (unless it's Paris Hilton; she makes it our business). But adults doing that kind of stuff to kids?