bewareofthevictorwerewolf

We will continue to dialogue and try to

occupy the place where we can

intersect without controversy,

It is a shame religious leaders like politicians

let us down by failing to self regulate

against the temptation to sin.

My wife and I are mainstream

evangelical Christians and so

from our vanatge point we can see

how God's people get burned and turned

off ("I like your Christ..." -Ghandi), and go

elsewhere into another den of wolves.

We're not part of a church community currently

because of petty keeping up with Jones' mentaility,

and garden variety judgmentalism, and we haven't

joined a few mega church's who's services are moving,

if highly produced, because of their institutional arrognace

and Starbucks like branding of Christ. But

we're hopeful a place exists for us.

The only thing I can say is Christ is

perfect; Christ Americanized is far

from it most of the time with

moments of brillance here and there.

Thanks to all who shared. We'll keep you posted....

another thing to consider.. practically EVERY SINGLE "leader" in that organization were trained by, with or followed the man who could "biblically" convince staff it was a godly thing to "loan" him their wives (documented in at least one instance), or enabled him..

to argue with them, is just to argue with insanity, in my opinion..

I don't know if it is fair to say those who adhere to TWI doctrine are only guilty of being taken advantage of. . . There is enough out here now to enlighten even the most stubborn among us, that TWI is an aberant belief system.

That sense of community and being connected seems to be a strong attraction for many, and rightly you have pinpointed how that can serve to keep one engaged.

However earnest a seeker we once were. . . . when you go from a caring unbeliever with a modicum of decency and propriety to a judgemental jerk by way of "Christian Doctrine" it might be time to rethink things.

I don't think we need to lose our humanity to continue in a community and certainly not to serve God.

The only thing I know to be done is to be an example. . . doctrinal discussions are pointless when one has an answer for everything due to some expert INdoctrination. . . . but it sure used to make me VERY uncomfortable when I saw "Carnal Christians" actually living their faith in love and service.

How they went and saw that concert and all those Christians there and walked away with that choice tidbit. . . is just telling. Keep inviting them---challenge them OUT of their comfort zone of "Community".

I don't know if it is fair to say those who adhere to TWI doctrine are only guilty of being taken advantage of. . . There is enough out here now to enlighten even the most stubborn among us, that TWI is an aberant belief system.

That sense of community and being connected seems to be a strong attraction for many, and rightly you have pinpointed how that can serve to keep one engaged.

However earnest a seeker we once were. . . . when you go from a caring unbeliever with a modicum of decency and propriety to a judgemental jerk by way of "Christian Doctrine" it might be time to rethink things.

I don't think we need to lose our humanity to continue in a community and certainly not to serve God.

The only thing I know to be done is to be an example. . . doctrinal discussions are pointless when one has an answer for everything due to some expert INdoctrination. . . . but it sure used to make me VERY uncomfortable when I saw "Carnal Christians" actually living their faith in love and service.

How they went and saw that concert and all those Christians there and walked away with that choice tidbit. . . is just telling. Keep inviting them---challenge them OUT of their comfort zone of "Community".

I'm motherof2's husband, and I've joined in the discussion because

I'm totally mystefied by the hold TWI theology has on its followers.

Mainly how people could continue clinging to such false consciousness

still to this day when the leadership was found to have in some cases defrauded

them or in more serious instances misabused their power to cuckold

spouses of followers they lusted for and desired among the many other cases of malfeasance.

I mean this is powerful stuff; lightning in a bottle.

When you can pull off wifeswapping in the name of Christ,

you have a serious control.

In fairness to the adherents (who are guilty

only insofar as they longed to be filled with a meaning

for their lives that only God can satisfy which TWI took supreme

advantage of) is it possible the collective memory of the powerfully

strong and meaningful experiences of a bonded community of adherents

is stronger than the distaste of betrayal and it

keeps people clinging in the face of todays shallow connectivity in a

mainly wired world. Or is it the kind of pride that ignores

failure beacuse it would negate the real communal expereinces described above

and continues to morph upstream to keep the proverbail fire burning?

Whatever it is, it's like a virus whose wild spread growth has been

stunted for sure, but is it now dormant but still living amongst us

waiting to rear it's ugly head again like a dogmatic ebola?

It's crazy how her relatives act; what can be done????