Rocky

My community believes Phil, and other men trained as ministers in The Way International, are righteous, knowledgeable authorities and that the beautiful women they surrounded themselves with are lucky to be in their presence. This organization, a recognized cult, has significant claims of sexual and spiritual abuse, dating back to the 1970s. In this community, these are swept under the rug and brushed aside as “how men behave.” Is that how your community behaves? Where a man “teaches” sexually starved young women, who believe him to be a friend and mentor, by forcing his fingers inside their vaginas while asking, “Do you like it?” “Let me show you something,” he commanded right before the second assault, as he bent me over his desk and shoved his hand up my skirt. I had arrived intending to rebuild the church database; this was not the way I wanted to volunteer. From a post dated 3/21/2021 at MyRapistLivesHere. Note: the person who posted her story at that link can be found on Instagram and YouTube.

My community believes Phil, and other men trained as ministers in The Way International, are righteous, knowledgeable authorities and that the beautiful women they surrounded themselves with are lucky to be in their presence. This organization, a recognized cult, has significant claims of sexual and spiritual abuse, dating back to the 1970s. In this community, these are swept under the rug and brushed aside as “how men behave.” Is that how your community behaves? Where a man “teaches” sexually starved young women, who believe him to be a friend and mentor, by forcing his fingers inside their vaginas while asking, “Do you like it?” “Let me show you something,” he commanded right before the second assault, as he bent me over his desk and shoved his hand up my skirt. I had arrived intending to rebuild the church database; this was not the way I wanted to volunteer. (excerpted from MyRapistLivesHere.com, posted 3/21/2021)

Nice! An apt summary.

Truth.

Sorry, I didn't see this until now. Glad you found the book to be thought provoking. Another one you might find intriguing that I recently learned of is The Tao of Psychology by Jean Shinoda Bolen. IF you can find a copy. I bought one (used) on Amazon recently and now can't find the book by searching Amazon at all. But Bolen's website does have a link to it on Amazon. Immanence as described on your linked Wikipedia page seems to fit with Bolen's concept of synchronisity. The blurb on Amazon reads: Understanding the Moments That Touch and Transform Our Lives Who hasn't experienced that eerie coincidence, that sudden, baffling insight, that occasional flash of extrasensory perception that astonishes? Can these events be dismissed as mere chance, or do they have some deeper significance for us? The twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this classic explores the inter-relationship between these meaningful coincidences and our intuitive sense that we are part of some deep oneness with the universe -- a oneness called Tao in Eastern philosophy and synchronicity in Jungian psychology. By relating the concepts of Tao and synchronicity, Dr. Bolen reveals important links between psychology and mysticism, right brain and left, the individual and the external world. The Tao of Psychology provides the key for each individual to interpret the synchronistic events in his or her life and gives fresh insight into the relationships, dreams, and flashes of perception that transform our existence.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/12/us/ravi-zacharias-sexual-misconduct-report/index.html "We want to help the victims of Ravi's abuse, and we want to thoroughly understand what has taken place in our organization so that we can do everything we can to make sure nothing like this happens again," the board statement said. Seems like they need to shut that whole thing down.

Can you find it at this link?

Hi Laura, I have some old HS friends who live in the Houston area. There are also a couple of GSCers who live around there. Nurses, IMO, are very special people. Thank you for serving those around you in that capacity. I recently picked up a book, The Tao of Psychology, by Jean Shimoda Bolen MD. I've realized that inner guidance thing IS real and is a big deal, but in no way is it exclusive to Christians. Dr Bolen describes it in that book. Charlene Edge, whose memoir about her time in TWI and her escape, Undertow, mentioned Bolen's book (as one her favorites) in a newsletter Charlene sends out by email from time to time. It's nice to "meet" you.

Advances the illusion that Wierwille/Martindale/Rosie had a valid and legitimate model for advancing godliness but just somehow made a mistake along the way and didn't know how to right the ship. I don't believe that's what happened either in the beginning or at any time in the course of the cult's history. The social accountability was bass-ackward from the start. The model in the book of Acts seems to have been having leaders be servants of and to the followers. TWI, from the start seemed to make the followers believe that they should treat the "leaders" like gods. That's why everywhere veepee and Loy went, branch and limb leaders collected extra cash from twigs/leaves to buy exorbitant gifts and collected the prettiest young women to present for the pleasure of the MOG. That, to me (NOW) is so obviously at the core of the corruption of the organization's culture. All bow down. To Wierwille be the glory. That's not what they said, but it IS what they did.

A fantasy ministry, apparently.

Thanks John. I appreciate that insight.

Good job, John. I realized (as many here at GSC have also) long ago that the PFLAP class was all about focusing the student's world view and biblical understanding on what Wierwille said any of it meant.

Sigh... didn't we all.

May I call you "IR-Reverend?"

Stayed too long, This is a discussion of history. Only the context is politics. I figure if it stays civil, it might not get deleted.

Last spring I read Valarie Kaur's memoir and manifesto of revolutionary love, See No Stranger. It's life changing (in a good way), especially for people emerging from fundamentalist cults.

Thanks T-Bone.

You sure got that right.

That depends on what you mean when you say listening. In one sense they probably are, in the other sense, never in a million years.

Indeed. Thanks for reminding anyone who reads this thread that it certainly does no good to blame those who get infected, especially those who die from covid, for whatever transgression they may think caused those people to lose God's protection. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew 5:44-46&version=NIV 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

And a hopefully Merry New Year all through 2021.

Too early in the day for me.

Don't they have jobs in education?