Belle

In a letter from October 1995 to all "Way Believers" - italics and bold are as they appear in the actual letter: The last ministry year has certainly been eventful in terms of God's Call to Abundance. We have especially seen His abundance to us in our growth in knowledge and understanding of His wonderful Word and in the guideance He's given us concerning where to build the ministry in the days ahead, including the new classes on The Way of Abundance and Power that will be available to our standing PFAL graduates in the months ahead. In this light, we've also changed the former WOW program to the Disciples of the Way Outreach Program for graduates of the new Advanced Class who are going forth witnessing and confronting our country and the world with teh greatness of the Word. Recent Sunday Night SErvices have unveiled great depth of illumination on our times, especially "Word Over the World Redefined" (July 16, #1803), and "The Graduation of the Twenty-third Way Corps and the Family Way Corps XIX" (July 30, #1805), where I set for the ministry the new light and direction on the Corps program. I'd certainly encourage you to put your head and heart into these teachings and truths to keep yourself current in heart and believing with us. God's grace and mercy have blessed our ministry abundantly over these 53 years. I'm daily thankful for the Wierwille family and the founding trustees of the ministry for their stand over the years so we could have this ministry today. I'm sure you'll want to enjoy seeing the new life-size bronze of our Founding President, vee pee, which is now set in the lobby of The WOW auditorium. It was unveiled at our July 16 SNS and that video (#1803) is available if you haven't had the opportunity to see it - or get here to headquarters to view the bronze yourself! I love you all abundantly and thank God for the physical and financial abundance reaped in the lives of our people as they have heeded God's clarion call to get out of debt, get in control of their lives and finances, and allow Him to bless them in ways they never dreamed of. I love you. Let's have a great 1995-96 year Living Sanctified!

**************************** Here’s a letter dropping a WC couple from FL. I am not giving the names because I personally don’t know the couple. My ex must have since he has a copy of the letter. (the phrases in quotes are how they appear in the letter – any bold type is my emphasis – italics are my comment) Dear XXXX and XXXX; It is obvious from your letters back to me, via Don’s request, that you don’t “have a clue” as to how hard-hearted both of you happen to be. XXXX’s letter, especially, is venomous and coldhearted tward any attempt of ours to try and wake you two up as to how inactive you really are as WC. How wonderful of you to readily admit that you have made no effort to be a part of Corps Night this year (that alone should necessitate your being dropped), or that XXX did not take the Rise and Expansion seminar (which I have stated on several occasions on crops nights that it is one of the most important spiritual events of our ministry year), or that you have made no plans to be a part of the new Advanced Class (which you seem to be proud of for some stupid reason), or that in essence you say that you are perfectly happy with the way you are living your lives and you don’t give a d@mn what Don or I think. Well, I don’t give a hoot what you two think. You are wrong. You are not active and committed and passionate for the truth as WC. You do about as much as would be required for an “active believer”, but certainly not anything close to what should be expected from WC. I suppose you think you can stay apiritually on top of these things by not giving any effort toward getting into the crops nights and seeing what’s on my heart and direction to the WC. You are so far behind spiritually that I doubt if you can catch up even if you wanted to….which you apparently don’t want anyway. I’m sure you think you’re right. I’m sure you think you’re doing everything you can. You’re wrong in both cases. It’s also obvious that you’re doing what some of our other Corps have done this year to God and the ministry, and that is using your child as an excuse not to be a part of what you should be a part of. These are not just “functions”! These are key events where the household of God is getting together, and you flip it off like it’s just some kind of jaycee of little league meeting in your minds. Well, the hitchhiking days are over. I’m tired of the rest of us carrying you two spiritually as WC because you haven’t carried your weight for several years. So, consider this your “dropped from active WC” status letter. The only thing that would change my mind would be total, unabashed and genuine apology to the BOT, but I seriously doubt that can happen real soon. Some day if you really mean business about being committed and salted overseers in the church, then you might want to approach the WC again and reenlist and go through the program. You’ve forgotten so much and learned wit live with such bad, watered-down habits that nothing short of going in residence again could possibly help you wake up to the degree of “saltness” that you have to be. Sorry about it, but you’ve painted yourselves into the corner, and I’m just calling before God the honest status you deserve and have earned. Ps. (Why do they always have a p.s.???) It’s also very clear from your letters and from your lives that XXXX is not the spiritual head of his family. That sin alone would necessitate being dropped from the WC. I don’t know who you all think you are, but you better wake up. Also, you are considered “inactive clergy” with no rights or responsibilities in The Way Ministry household as ordained clergy. Now, didn’t craiggers claim that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance and that HE is still clergy even after all the crap and filth he got caught hiding?? ** edited to correct spelling **

Will do, Mr. Strange. :) From Moneyhands to someone in our area. For some reason we got a copy of the letter. The underlined parts were underlined in the letter. May 1996 Dear XXXX: Due to your lack of concern for the present truth in your personal life, I am informing you of the following: You have eliminated yourself from fellowship in the faithful househodl of The Way Ministry. You are not welcome to continue in the Advanced Class on Power for Abundant Living graduate weekends. You have not made this material your own, and there is no indication that you want to do so. It has been recommended that you establish a program for yourself so that you may recover yourself from the snare you are in. You may contact me or P@ul Bro0ks August 1 if you establish yourself with a program for deliverance and faithfully follow it. With regard for the truth, Boob Moneyhands p.s. should you decide to put yourself on a program, send the outline for study, retermorization, prayer, etc. addressed to the Limb by June 1. Then keep daily logs of how you have carried out this plan.

Not sure where to put this, but thought it would generate some discussion and shed some light on how we were talked to and treated in craigger's regime. I will gladly scan copies of the entire letters if someone wants. I have shared all of the letters and such that I have with the lawyers for a few of the lawsuits. Excerpts from some letters written by craiggers: Nov/Dec 1994: “….bless you in preparation for your holiday season with your family and friends. [snip] Don’t go in debt….plan ahead to make thinkgs. Plan ahead to trade with other believers or friends toys and such materials that are no longer needed but are still in good enough shape to share. Plan ahead to do more in-dept things to bless your family, which would be less expensive. If you really want to get quality things, then wait until December 26 when prices are cut in half….. I trust you took to heart the confrontations and challenges regarding ridding our ministry of the homosexual devil-spirit plague. Be careful around your senses family and friends, for this infiltration is obviously becoming more rampant, and those spirits are becoming more bold. Do not be sympathetic to them in light of the fact that you know they are deeply and spiritually diseased…..If they show now desire to get out of the malady, then you have to withdraw and separate….They are not “victims”; they are sinners to the lowest degree….in some cases, it may even be wise to decide to completely avoid, as graciously as possible, situations where families are infiltrated in this regard. God will certainly bless you with a wonderful time this season in spite of all the malarkey and baloney and two-bit tradition that flies around as if it were the truth….. Our trustee household is believing with you for a prosperous, not deleterious, holiday season in body, mind, emotion, heart and finances! Sincerely, In Christ, L. Craig (Scrooge) Martindale That’s how it was signed.

LOL, George! I did have to go look up Andy Devine. Raf, you totally crack me up! But, I have to say I think you're right on the money there. :) So, Jerry Springer will be handing out snowcones as Mr. Strange? I like it!! BUT, will he be handing them out, or shoving them in people's faces?? :blink: JL, Jeff Bridges and Kurt Russell? Hmmmmm...... Moony, velly nice. Will you give her personalized lessons on how to re-arrange the ornaments on the Christmas tree? Radar, I wouldn't have picked Elizabeth Perkins for you....I'm trying to think of who I would pick, but not Elizabeth Perkins.... Who would JustLoafing say? I'm thinking Meg Ryan would be closer than Elizabeth...although I did relate all too well to her character in the opening scene of "From the Hip" with Judd Nelson. Shellon, we were posting at the same time. ROFLMAO!! Whoopie Goldberg it is!

These are awesome dogs!! NLL, I love corgis! They're so cuddly and cute! Buddy is beautiful! They do have such energy, don't they? Beatrice looks beautiful in her top. :) Vixen has bandanas that come out for each appropriate holiday. I think her Halloween one is my favorite, though they don't last very long on her. She's a tomboy and doesn't like them in the least. JL, the puppers are beautiful! Shiny coats! Tom, I really like Dixie Chick! Love the name, too! ;) She has a great head. Was she a show dog? Since we're all sharing pics, here's Vixen at work in earthdog. I hope to get some agility photos soon.

If there were a movie to be made about your life, who do you think would play you? I'm listening to a book on CD and the character in the book plays this game with his sister. I thought it was an interesting question and wonder who you think should be cast to play you. I don't see it, but I've been told by numerous people throughout my life that I look like Jodie Foster. I do like her skill-wise, movie choice-wise and from what I've read about her real life, so I 'spose that's who I'd pick. (I'd love to be considered as brilliant as she is, too.) Who would you pick and why?

Well, I agree with this much of what he said. :) If I don't agree with the rest does that make me also demonic? Ya know.....it'd be really hard to see how anyone in their right mind could give this guy any credit, much less, respect - IF I hadn't already been in their shoes with my blind obedience to craiggers and Moneyhands.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAFARIVISTA!!!!! I baked a cake just for you!

I think his only purpose on here is to follow Mo around and attack her and her religion at every chance. Notice that he hardly, if ever, contributes anything worthy to a discussion. All he knows how to do is attack, belittle and spit on people. Yeppers! That would make me want to join his little offshoot.....NOT!!! He's becoming like Mike in his insistence on posting his irrelevant agenda and thereby derailing any real discussion that could take place. I recommend the ignore feature for him and others. ;) I hope that the show makes it clear that this group being portrayed is NOT mainstream Mormonism, but rather, a perverted version of the original. If it opens people's eyes to recognize how they, too, can be manipulated and totally convinced that something so wrong is so right, especially those who are raised in this environment. With the isolation from society, they really have no sense of "normalcy" nor do they have any other good examples to which they can compare their lives.

Excellent Post, Lindy!! Regarding them re-working the program....I seriously doubt it. I mean, look at how rosie has them submitting their teaching in writing for approval and then having to read that teaching verbatim. She's got those long-timers on a short leash. There's no way she's going to give people more freedom - especially not those who are signing up to be her b1tch and getting in line to drink the kool-aid. :blink:

Littlehawk, I wasn't going to post on yer thread 'cause I'm no parent, but while I was walking I couldn't help laughing while thinking about saying those words to my Daddy. I can just picture it now... Belle: Daddy, I'm still out with my friends. Daddy: It's late and you need to come home soon. Belle: No, Daddy. I'll call you in the mornin'. Daddy: *********** Belle: Daddy, I'm at Susie's and I'm not coming home. I'll call you tomorrow. Daddy: Since when do you tell me what you're doing? That's not gonna fly under my roof, young lady! You'll get your butt home and you'll get your butt home NOW!! *********** Course my brain is in the gutter on these....but that's only cause I know what kind of teenager I was. ;) I can't think of a situation where it would have been okay for me to say that to my Daddy. Doesn't mean that there isn't one. The real parents on here will be able to really help. I was just sharing the little chuckles I got thinking about your question. ^_^

For me, I think it would be the Allman Brothers, Soulshine: Allman Brothers Band - Soulshine Lyrics Transcribed by Sean Carpenter When you can't find the light, That got you through the cloudy days, When the stars ain't shinin' bright, You feel like you've lost you're way, When those candle lights of home, Burn so very far away, Well you got to let your soul shine, Just like my daddy used to say. [Chorus] He used to say soulshine, It's better than sunshine, It's better than moonshine, D@mn sure better than rain. Hey now people don't mind, We all get this way sometime, Got to let your soul shine, shine till the break of day. I grew up thinkin' that I had it made, Gonna make it on my own. Life can take the strongest man, Make him feel so alone. Now and then I feel a cold wind, Blowin' through my achin' bones, I think back to what my daddy said, He said "Boy, in the darkness before the dawn:" [Chorus] Let your soul shine, It's better than sunshine, It's better than moonshine, D@mn sure better than rain. Yeah now people don't mind, We all get this way sometimes, Gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day. Sometimes a man can feel this emptiness, Like a woman has robbed him of his very soul. A woman too, God knows, she can feel like this. And when your world seems cold, you got to let your spirit take control. [Chorus] Let your soul shine, It's better than sunshine, It's better than moonshine, D@mn sure better than rain. Lord now people don't mind, We all get this way sometimes, Gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day. Oh, it's better than sunshine, It's better than moonshine, D@mn sure better than rain. Yeah now people don't mind, We all get this way sometimes, Gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day.

LOL, Ron! Ya know, I've asked for a Chia Pet for the past ten years and never gotten one. <_< I'd like to have one, but I'm too cheap to buy one for myself. Of course my favorite is Vixen, my border terrier. :D I grew up with cats and love them, but there's just something awfully special about dogs that no other pet, imo, can touch.

Happy Birthday, Lindy! You're a joy to read and to get to know!

You totally rock, Chatty Kathy! I hope it's a happenin' birthday!!

Woooo Hoooo!!! He must take after his Daddy! ;) Congrats, Dad! You done good and you should be proud! Thanks for posting it here so we can rejoice with you and your son!!

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, ABI!! I hope it was as special as you are!

As far as I know here's what people think of those who work on staff: - they live in dorm rooms or flimsy trailers - even families - they don't even have their very own phone - they get paid meager wages - they have zero to no retirement savings - they don't have any free time to enjoy those things mentioned in the letter - they don't enjoy the Sunday services; they work the Sunday services - they have even less privacy than they do now living in the real world - they are incredibly isolated and oblivious to what goes on in the real world - they can't take vacations whenever they want to - they don't have the money to go on nice vacations and it's a dream to think they ever will - they really aren't free to leave/quite any time they want; they are often bullied into staying an extra year, even when they haven't signed up for it - they are TWI employees 24/7, body, soul, spirit - they aren't really happy Knowledge of these things from first hand accounts zeros out any persuasive marketing hooplah they might try to pass off in some flier. And what the he11 do they need more employees for anyway?? It's already something like 4 TWI employees to every believer "on the field", isn't it?

Thanks, Top. :) I apologize, that whole post was tongue in cheek. I knew it was on his gravestone. I think it's ironic, though, that TWI has gone so far from what their 'founding father' taught. Here is the founder with the word "wish" on his tombstone, yet no one in TWI is allowed to even say that word anymore. They may be today, but we couldn't say it when I was still involved not that long ago. They are reading teachings after vee pee poked so much fun at preachers for doing that....But that's a derail.... IF you substitute "believe" like craiggers said we should, then that would read "I believe I were the man I know to be." :huh: He can't even say that he believes he was the man he knew to be. He knew he wasn't the man he knew to be. I only wish he was terribly sorry about that and about all the lives he destroyed.

I think I took care of people before and after TWI than I ever did while involved. People were a commodity to me while in TWI. There was so much pressure to bring new people, that I looked at everyone as a potential commission payment, so to speak. <_< Before TWI I was gregarious, generous to a fault and always ready, willing and able to lend an ear, a shoulder, an extra bedroom....whatever. I was really good at making people laugh and could make people forget their troubles when they were around me. I honestly think I left most people better than I found them. But then came TWI and I was taught how to "properly" witness and undershepherd someone. :unsure: I was taught that to really help people you had to sign them up for these classes. You had to get them to say the right words - no "wish" , "luck", "bet", "fortunate", "create", etc. You had to confront them with the word to really help them. Teach them to control their emotions. Teach them to follow the rules. blah blah blah .... I think I ministered before TWI and minister today, after TWI, better than I ever did while involved with TWI. But I'm sure this isn't a good definition of "minister" to some people.

I think they wanted us to all be little waybots. All of us.... that's why the emotions are the icing on the cake and not to be heeded was such a prominent teaching. They wanted to rip all the humanity and "natural affection" from us so that we would do whatever they said to do because it was the "logical" thing to do and it came from leadership - leadership who always knew what was better for us than we ourselves did. I used to be bubbly, funny, sometimes loud and rambunctious. TWI killed that in me. I got very emotional with my friends - if they were doing the happy dance and laughing till their sides split, I was right there with them. If they were crying buckets full of tears and sick with grief, I was right there with them. After a little while in TWI I was better at pointing out how, if they would just come to fellowship with me and if they would take TWI's classes, they would have an even better life. Then I would oh so knowingly point out why and how they were doing things wrong. If they would only listen to me and quit letting their emotions get to them - do the word - pay no attention to anything else, just what I tell you the Bible says. It's alarming how stoic I became.

I've thought about this quite a bit, Lindy. I go out of my way when talking about TWI to call them TWI or "that group" or something - anything other than "THE ministry". They aren't THE ministry unless you want to call them THE ministry of Satan. It's been real eye-opening to see all the very subtle ways we were so arrogant - and taught to be so. Been quite humbling, actually. I've changed my vocabulary quite a bit trying to avoid trigger words and such.

Perzackly, Chas! Craiggers wouldn't have let him put that on his tombstone. How DARE vee pee use the word "wish"! :blink: I think that just confirms how possessed he was.

They can't even get it right when it's right in front of them! They totally took Chris Jordan's paper that she researched and followed exactly the study techniques taught in TWI and showed how they have been teaching wrong doctrine. Rico Spaghetti took Chris's teaching and then totally twisted it and took it off on some tangent that I'm sure by the end of his teaching everyone had forgotten what the topic really was. As for me and my house? I'm happily sitting on over $100K in equity in just a few years of home ownership. :)