Rocky

meh...

I've thought about that idea a good bit. I wish I could say that I knew from the start that it wasn't the only way God might want things done. But I didn't. I've also pondered the reasons and factors that led me to be open to Wierwille and his ministry. For me, having been born into a Catholic family was one. Then having Christian believers I knew (and others I hadn't known before) witness to me gave me food for thought... and certainly if I knew then what I know now... well, I can relate to your musing that you wouldn't have done it for as long. But I am thankful that I left when I did. Taking it a step further, my experience in twi is a large part of what made me who I am today. I will hit the magic Medicare age very soon (this month). I'm glad I won't be repeating some of the mistakes I made in my youth.

Where were you when Jonestown went down, 41 years ago? I was in Emporia, Kansas at what was then the Way College of Emporia. I was obviously vulnerable to cultic and fundamentalist influences as a young adult.

Over the course of four days in November 1978, 41 years ago now, a team of investigators (including California Congressman Leo Ryan and his aide Jackie Speier) traveled to Jonestown Guyana. Jackie Speier, now serves in Congress. Ms. Speier was shot five times and left for dead. Obviously, she survived. We who survived the Wierwille cult, even though some did experience real trauma, escaped with our lives. I was in residence in the 9th way corpse's first year, at Emporia, when this tragedy went down. Obviously, as a young adult at that time, I was vulnerable to cultic and fundamentalist influences.

WOW! That's some wicked (in a Boston dialect kinda way) stream of consciousness there Socks. I can think of feedback to some of the individual points you made in that post, but as a whole, it's pretty cool... and quite relevant. If God controls us, why would he make some people vulnerable to cults and then some of them start seeing things differently once they're engrossed in that cult culture and decide to change directions? (rhetorical question) There's also probably a lot of paradox wrapped up in the word "create." But I'm not going to take the time to expound thereon.

Right on, Brother! I enjoyed reading your response to it.

Doesn't surprise me.

Indeed.

I don't recall them having done so either.

I wholeheartedly believe you when you say you don't see it in this situation. There's a difference between understanding what the Greek word means and actually connecting the dots in this situation. As a teacher once said (or maybe he said it thousands of times), "it's as plain as the nose on my face." May the Lord open.

Taxidev, I was confident Skyrider would reply. Therefore, I didn't want to speak for him. However, the expressions, "put two and two together" and "connect the dots," have been referenced (explained indirectly) to you (taxidev) in prior (other threads) discussions. This is a poignant and salient example of the Greek word, "sunesis." From Strong's Concordance: Cognate: 4907 sýnesis (from 4920 /syníēmi) – properly, facts joined together for holistic understanding, i.e. synthesized reasoning that joins implicit (indirect) truths for comprehension. See also 4920 (syníēmi). For the believer, this "connects the dots" through sanctified, inductive reasoning (done under God). This positive use of 4907 /sýnesis ("synthesized understanding") occurs in: Mk 12:23; Lk 2:47; Eph 3:4; Col 1:9,22; 2 Tim 2:7. I hope this insight comes together for you.

From Wikipedia: Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans, that is, persons who have served in the United States Armed Forces (and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable)[1].[2] It coincides with other holidays including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day which are celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day, a U.S. public holiday in May. Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who have died while in military service.[3] There is another military holiday, Armed Forces Day, a minor U.S. remembrance that also occurs in May, which honors those currently serving in the U.S. military.

That's only one possibility.

Nicely done Bolshevik.

Wow! You seem to have been in quite the contrarian mood today. "You are speculating..." since you didn't even bother going. Have you ever considered that there is often (usually) more than one way to look at any given situation? And how certain are you that the situation (highlighted above in the quote of your comment) is only either/or?