Rocky

4 hours ago, Nathan_Jr said:

I now see the ambiguity in my sentence. To be clear:

The reputations and finances of victor wierwille, his top acolytes, and the Ponzi scheme they built were at risk. 

Perhaps because of a pervasive practice of sexual predation and depravity? That's what I was getting at. Perhaps my post above also was too ambiguous. 

23 hours ago, Nathan_Jr said:

Pro-choice? Hardly.

It was never about a choice.

Pro-abortion is a more mathematically accurate and scientifically precise description. Abortion was merely a rational and practical method deployed to mitigate risk of reputational and financial loss. 

True! But what risk in particular? 

16 hours ago, oldiesman said:

I didn't believe in striking the guy's name since it was his idea in the first place, but whatever Raf wants to do with this thread is fine by me.    

Frankly, I don't believe the idea originated with Kirk. I concur w/ the edit. 

I'm leery of AI generated answers because we generally don't know how broadly the particular model has been "taught." 

In this case, it occurs to me that the scenario presented by the AI seems to make inferences about why/how low-carb diets may work to minimize cancer risks.

There MAY be other mechanisms at work to cause the effect in the scenario. For example, I've gotten info from VA dietitians that suggests it's not just a matter of ketogenic diets. Rather over the course of more than two decades, they've advocated eating fruits and veggies which may not necessarily be strictly low-carb. 

However, it's worth doing more research and I hope there are people exploring these questions.

Thanks Oldiesman for your post. 

1 hour ago, Seth R. said:

My argument is that VPW used the closeups of his face to induce trance.

LOL! That and a few rhetorical tricks. 

14 hours ago, Joe Maslow said:

This presents us with a challenge for Greasespot to reach people all over the world and not just in the usa.

The challenge we face is not beyond telling the story of what we know or experienced first hand. 

IF TWI "missionaries" in Africa or South America abuse people, it will be up to people they know to seek out GSC or any other outlet telling the stories.

13 hours ago, Joe Maslow said:

it's already well known as a cult by several LOTS of people.

On 8/21/2025 at 6:56 PM, Twinky said:

(sorry, the page cannot be copied & pasted).  Look at page 1 under Achievement and Performance.

But it can be saved as a pdf document. I did.

2 hours ago, oldiesman said:

You too?   I hope you're doing great on it and feel good Rocky.

I started two years ago this month. I'm doing well. thanks. 

4 hours ago, oldiesman said:

BTW Seth, I forgot to ask you before but what is considered the top dose for Ozempic?    Thx.

.5 ml/once per week

On 8/16/2025 at 8:04 AM, GeorgeStGeorge said:

I could have sworn I added Erin.  Looks like she's veering away from the US.

George

Check the top of this thread... maybe you did.

5 minutes ago, Belle said:

"More than 3,000 people" - were these people pestered over and over until they caved in and used vacation and PTO to appease the gods of TWI? 

Great question.

7 hours ago, oldiesman said:

One of the most useful tips I got from VPW on this was this often repeated phrase:  "You can't control which thoughts hit your mind, but you can control which ones take up lodging in your mind."

It was actually Oldiesman quoting Mike. I'm not sure this insight was unique to Victor Wierwille.

10 hours ago, oldiesman said:

There you go.   OldSkool and Rocky just proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that I don't have total free will.  And probably you don't either.  

That I quoted a claim made by George Orwell doesn't prove or disprove anything.

It does, however, give you some food for thought... if you wish to exercise it. 

5 hours ago, Twinky said:

 (3) Facebook - a clip by one Pastor Paul Drees

Excellent characterization. 

10 hours ago, oldiesman said:

Here's what our friend AI says, FWIW:

https://www.google.com/search?q=is+The+Way+International+a+Christian+Nationalist+group%3F&sca_esv=18be89dfcaae8ca6&sxsrf=AE3TifN47sLtLRfoS_HPzrJ2yE51s5tlWw%3A1754995720174&source=hp&ei=CBybaNX_B5WgptQPmbWD0Qc&iflsig=AOw8s4IAAAAAaJsqGKF6_TaCQfgJ5a2-mSFLf_hoSIry&ved=0ahUKEwjVo-zDjIWPAxUVkIkEHZnaIHoQ4dUDCBo&uact=5&oq=is+The+Way+International+a+Christian+Nationalist+group%3F&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IjdpcyBUaGUgV2F5IEludGVybmF0aW9uYWwgYSBDaHJpc3RpYW4gTmF0aW9uYWxpc3QgZ3JvdXA_MgUQIRigAUiHf1AAWI13cAZ4AJABAJgBrQigAZJWqgEPMTQuMjYuNi4zLjYtMy4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAI4oAKdU8ICBBAjGCfCAgcQIxjwBRgnwgIKECMY8AUYJxjJAsICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIFEC4YgATCAhEQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHAcICCBAuGIAEGLEDwgIFEAAYgATCAgQQABgDwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAggQABiABBixA8ICFBAuGIAEGMcBGJgFGJkFGJ4FGK8BwgILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwHCAgYQABgWGB7CAgUQABjvBcICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIIEAAYogQYiQXCAgcQIRigARgKwgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAgUQIRirApgDAJIHDzE2LjI5LjQuMy4wLjEuM6AH79ECsgcPMTAuMjkuNC4zLjAuMS4zuAfuUsIHCTAuMTkuMzEuNsgHggI&sclient=gws-wiz
 

Intriguing, Oldies, that you refer to AI as "our friend."

There have been posts on TWI before that had hallmarks of AI. Clearly, AI, which Harari calls Alien Intelligence, is far from perfect.

Orthodoxy was unconsciousness.

Orwell, George. 1984 (p. 63). Gates Classics. Kindle Edition. 

Think about it.

1 hour ago, Nathan_Jr said:

It might be this one. https://www.theway.org/sunday-teaching-services/

Here's an unattributed testimony from a very cheerful giver of just how... tremendous the experience is - so much smiling:

"It is truly an unparalleled experience being in the audience, smiling and feeling as if everyone on the stage can see you and they are all smiling back at you. The music, the interaction between stage and audience, the Word being shared from fully dedicated hearts of committed believers, God receiving the glory in everything—there is no price tag big enough to cover it."

Orthodoxy was unconsciousness.

Orwell, George. 1984 (p. 63). Gates Classics. Kindle Edition. 

IOW, once a person accepts the orthodoxy of TWI as "truth" s/he no longer has to actively put any conscious thought into (maintaining fellowship in the "household") it.

Orthodoxy was unconsciousness.

Orwell, George. 1984 (p. 63). Gates Classics. Kindle Edition. 

Vern and company are trying to re-establish the cult orthodoxy. George Orwell saw through it well before Victor Wierwille or Loy C Martindale entered "Christian ministry."

Ponder the underlying meaning of Orwell's proclamation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodoxy

https://www.wordnik.com/words/refuting

4 minutes ago, Rocky said:

I'm reading George Orwell's 1984. In Chapter 5, this expression caught my attention, "Orthodoxy was unconsciousness." Orwell, George. 1984 (p. 63). Gates Classics. Kindle Edition. 

On 4/2/2023 at 6:45 PM, Rocky said:

Some time ago, Mike posted about, let's say, limitations on human free will.

While I didn't find the case he made to be particularly compelling or coherent, I did start to recognize some of my actions IRL did not and do not match what I thought I intended.

In the course of my (somewhat compulsive) reading explorations, I found a book The Loop: How Technology is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back.

Some notes I've made from the book:

• if we don't familiarize w/mechanisms of our brains we'll be vulnerable to those who prey on us and will run the risk of being blind to the effects thereof.

 

• our unconscious (subconscious) minds powerfully shape our lives

 

• unconscious tendencies are the control surfaces by which technologies will shape our lives

 

• cultural forces work to convince us we make independent choices when we do the opposite

 

• even years before scientific consensus on controversial findings, nascent understanding becomes bases for entire industries; hence, surveillance capitalism
  
   
• two researchers (as a team) wrote key papers 1971-1979 and their findings are still challenged, but have become foundation for industries in behavioral guidance 

 

• unconscious biases manifest (in decisions) under pressure and moments of uncertainty

 

• research subjects (people) faced with situations they didn't understand were powerfully influenced to make choices they didn't understand, producing scenarios likely to constrain future thinking

 

• 99% of our waking activity is strictly automatic and habitual

 

• our brains are shortcut machines, desperate to hand off difficult cognitive tasks

 

• many (nearly all) of what we think (believe) to be well-considered choices are, in fact, offhand, instinctive decisions 

 

• "although research has show inferences from [observing] thin slices of nonverbal behaviors can be surprisingly accurate, there is no good evidence trait inferences from facial appearance are accurate.

 

• There are two (decision) systems at work in our brains. System 1 makes snap judgments, without conscious analysis/effort; System 2 involves actual analytical intelligence.

These notes are from the first couple of chapters.

Intuitively, it seems to me this research and reporting, with overtly stated focus on technology, can be used to take new looks at historical events to recognize patterns involving the pervasive nature of cults worldwide in contemporary times. Notably, twi, the LDS church, and JWs... but also many more.

I have long recognized the significance of my younger life exposure to the Catholic Church/religion as having "primed" me for PFLAP and twi.

 

 

I'm reading George Orwell's 1984. In Chapter 5, this expression caught my attention, "Orthodoxy was unconsciousness." Orwell, George. 1984 (p. 63). Gates Classics. Kindle Edition. 

2 hours ago, Stayed Too Long said:

I did checkout the bookstore and found none of LCM’s research. After 25 years his memory seems to have been erased. 

Rightfully so.

I just heard from a fellow 9th corps friend that David Bailey passed away a few days ago. Several friends have posted remembrances to David's FB page.

Kit was a very kind soul.