CoolWaters

Gawd, I know all these songs, too...and identify with many of their 'new lyrics'.

Sigh.

George, you're right and most of us know it. However, I'm beginning to look at things more like as a marriage gone terribly awry instead of a dark hole from the get-go.

The things I experienced during the love-bombing stage were genuine...the people (except for a small handful) were genuinely nice to me and I to them, we genuinely enjoyed one another's company, we genuinely were out to make our ideals happen, we genuinely had no clue how bad things were going to get for so many of us. None but a handful knew that the love-bombing was a tactic and was going to end abruptly once it was deemed that we were sufficiently hooked. We thought the love-bombing was the whole goal.

That's the joy and the folly of youth, imo.

Best place for hosting imo: https://www.hostdepartment.com

Everything you'll need to know is included in their knowledge base.

Do you have a web developing program like FrontPage or anything? Don't worry if you don't...FTP is in the package.

I'll be glad to help.

If you do go with Host Department, please mention me as referring you (I'll email you the info if you choose this option.) as I will get a free month or something. TY.

Gone crazy over you.

City Council bans feeding the homeless

July 20, 2006 11:17 AM CDT

The Las Vegas City Council has taken its most aggressive action yet as it tries to clean up the homeless problem. They've passed an ordinance that forbids people from feeding the homeless in public parks.

City Marshals will be enforcing the law in places like Huntridge Circle Park at Maryland Parkway near Sahara.

Locals have complained that on most days you'll find more homeless there than families. Some volunteers have already been forced out after handing out boxes of food.

The rest of the story can be found here: http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=517...p;nav=menu107_2

I once attempted to obtain some sort of assistance in Nevada...government and otherwise. I was given one day's worth of food, 30 days worth of food stamps, and told beyond that, well, the brothels were hiring.

This article says that the ban was done because feeding homeless people kept them from getting the assistance they need.

Welcome to the Cafe, nowgrown! TY for your post.

I was never in the corpse but I, too, was told something similar...except for those 'over' me, those who had been around longer than me, or those 'more spiritually mature' than me.

In other words, I learned that this attitude was reserved solely for those twi deemed worthy. I was never deemed so worthy.

White Dove, this one's for you...

The best of times for me in twi were the times like what you've described, danteh: coffee at Sambo's and Denny's; ice cream on hot summer nights at DQ--we would all (sometimes as many as 15 or so) walk up there in a group after twig or branch meetings (from 915 Western, Dove, to the DQ on 17th) and be all excited about the 'hot bible' we had just heard and be talking about it and how it applied to our lives--then we'd get to DQ and sometimes nearly have another twig meeting right there--we'd pray, pull out our bibles and look again at what we had just learned, witness, have healing sessions and sometimes even believer's meetings, and so often others at DQ would stand around and listen; going to Gage park to hang out with each other and so often end up doing the same thing as at DQ; going to Emporia (in a 'WOWmobile' full to nearly overflowing with all of us) to help out and for services and special meetings, praying the whole way that the car would make it and the gas would be enough to get us there and back, taking the back roads when we didn't have enough for toll; sitting around the branch home listening to BY sing while accompanying himself on his beautiful 12-string Ovation roundback (and I still long to hear him again); waiting for my boyfriend at the branch home and all of a sudden someone jumping down off the stair banister yelling something totally hilarious; the joyous, spontaneous, heartfelt laughter; the happy tears of seeing someone get deliverance--even in a 'small' way; the excitement of the bible opening up to our understanding.

These things were the best of times in twi for me.

White Dove, I haven't forgotten...and I never will. Love ya, dude.

Sigh. OM, why do you so often post just to stir things up or be snide or something? You don't really want to know the answer to that question...eslewise you would have seen that I have already answered that question...and that I answered it with biblical authority.

This is certainly a game for those who like challenges and enjoy forcing themselves to think outside of their normal boxes.

David...thanks for blaming me for this game being here! LMAO!

Actually...

We had quite a bit of fun with it the first time around. Maybe this time around the weather sucks too much to enjoy a good challenge?

In twi it was all important to speak with authority.

I never thought to question this then...and since being out I've thought to question this only as it pertains to professional authority...seeing my doctor instead of just taking my neighbor's or my friend's opinion on what is wrong with me...or consulting an attorney instead of asking around for legal advice.

But you know what? Accepting authority in any form without first knowing the validity of that authority is pretty foolish imo.

In fact, when it comes to every day things...like making a decision about where to eat, or wondering what church to attend, or even wondering what circle of friends to build into one's life...the only actual authority one can have is one's own.

I have learned throughout the years to not give advice with authority, but rather to say that something is simply my opinion based upon my personal life experiences...and that one has lived one's life long enough to know what one needs better than I. (OK...I'm not real good at that yet...but I am working hard to be good at it.)

Recently on another thread I posted how very little experience I have had with 'official' twi teachings, classes, programs, etc. Right after I posted that information, it hit me all of a sudden to wonder then why did I fall so deeply into twit brain.

After much soul searching it finally boiled down to the authority people had in my life.

Yes, I gave them the place, but they took the authority gladly.

And it all started with them speaking with authority.

But it surely was NEVER God's authority. None of it ever lined up with biblical wisdom. There was never, ever any profit or blessing as the outcome of listening to such authority. Nope, it was never God's authority. The fruit proved that.

So whose authority did twi teach people to take?

My experience was that twi taught people to take their own authority.

And that led to the blind leading the blind.

From my experience.

And I still see people who are still twi indoctrinated taking authority in people's lives. Not Godly authority. Just, "I know better than you for your life or for life in general." authority.

You know what?

That's pure BS.

IMO.

Dreams are most often symbolic and not literal.

Meaning that this dream was probably not about you and your dad.

Most psychologists/psychiatrists agree that dream symbolism is you in your different roles in life. For example, in this dream you have posted, your father represents the parental side of you, and you (in your dream) represent the child side of you.

I would say (and I'm no licensed anything...just have had a whole lot of dreams of my own that were odd...to say the least) that this dream you've posted is symbolic of the struggle you have had...and may still be having...reconciling what you believe. I mean, seriously, the dream you've posted pretty much describes the coming out of twi and finding GSC experience.

As others have said, dreams are your mind's way of working things out so that your active mind can cope.

Vickles!!!! I sure have missed yakking with ya! Been seeing you around but wasn't sure if it was you or my eyes. Now I know, I guess.

Oh Strangest of Toms...is there something you're not talking about...?

WD...I thought you liked it when I slapped ya, man. Sigh. I've been wrong all these years?

Oh Groucho...what am I gonna do with you, huh?

I have been giving this a whole lot of thought.

On the one hand, we learn good things from people who do bad things all of the time.

I will never forget learning some small business techniques from a man who, less than 3 months later, was arrested for murdering one of his employees...and was later convicted of that murder! I did not think to myself, "Well that SOB didn't know a thing about small business techniques at all! I'll just delete what he taught me from my memory banks now." What I did think, however, was, "Let me re-evaluate what he taught me in light of where his mind may have been at when he taught me those things." When I did that, I saw that most of his techniques were smarmy and self-serving...the way he presented them to me...as he used them. I then deleted his information from my memory banks.

I also learned a whole lot about political science from a quite sleazy and totally immoral lawyer...and I knew before taking his classes that his character and morals were not only questionable, but downright bad. But who better to learn political science from? What he taught me ended up being what saved my bacon in many situations.

In both examples, I had to watch out for smarmy, underhanded information tainting what was being taught to me.

The poli-sci professor laced the good stuff with stuff that would get one arrested if done.

The businessman laced his techniques with stuff that would find one on the butt end of a law suit--or worse--if followed.

I had to use discernment when listening to their instruction.

I was free to use discernment when listening to their instruction. Neither one ever tried to pound their information into my head, use threats against me, my husband, my children, my extended family or my friends to intimidate me into believing their words, or in any other way, shape or form did either one do anything to belittle me, ridicule me, threaten me, coerce me, or make any type of overbearing and unending demand that I believe and follow what they told me to believe and follow.

On the other hand, everything I ever experienced in twi was all about coercion, threats, intimidation, ridicule, belittlement, and whatever it took to make me think and do what twi wanted me to do. TWI did not do this as an organization. No, not at all. That would have left twi totally accountable and totally culpable beyond the shadow of a doubt.

And I honestly thought I was dodging twi's bullets by not participating in twi activities beyond twig. I honestly believed that if I never took piffle again, if I never took any other class or any seminar, if I never attended ROA, if I never went corpse or LEAD or WOW or anything like that...I honestly believed that I would not fall into twi's traps.

But even with all of those 'safeguards' in place, I fell as hard--if not harder--into twit brain as anybody else.

How did that happen?

Well, when dealing with spiritual matters, there is something called a little leaven.

If just one person has a little leaven, the whole lump is spoiled...including the unleavened parts...eventually.

Everybody around me had a little leaven. I had a little leaven. Everybody involved in twi had a little leaven.

Sure, this would have been true regardless of what group or organization or church in which I may have become involved. In fact, a little leaven is the heart of the problem when spiritual groups, organizations, churches, whatever screw up. There's just no avoiding it...because we are human.

But the whole lump need not be leavened. If the leaven is found and cut out immediately, the rest of the lump may be saved. Notice, I said may. Most often what I see happening is that the whole lump takes a piece of the leavened part and runs off to start another lump...that is already leavened.

This is why the bible is always admonishing us to purify ourselves, to work out our own salvation, to save one another from the fire, to test the spirits, etc.

But twi never allowed for the purification of the saints, never allowed for the testing of their own spirits, never allowed anyone to pull one another from the fire, never allowed one to work out one's own salvation.

Instead, twi preached that the only protection was in twi, the only truth was in twi, that questioning was thinking evil, that working out one's own salvation was probably debbil spurt trickery.

How often were people in twi told, "You're out in left field, man!" or, "You'd better take a checkup from the neck up!" or "If you want to go back into the world, then know that you're walking out from under God's umbrella of protection." or "You gotta be a dog soldier, man!" or, "Do what you're told to do. If it is wrong, God will bless you anyway."

I could go on for hours and hours with twi-isms that were absolute fulfillments of Jude 1:4: "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." And I'm not talking about twi followers who parroted the twi-isms...I'm talking about leadership who enforced the twi-isms.

What I am saying is that twi was a leavened lump from the get-go. Anyone who followed twi, believed a thing twi taught, immediately received unto themselves leaven...and passed it on.

Yes, yes, yes...that was going to happen no matter where one learned the information.

BUT, the leaven is not usually celebrated and expected as the norm.

AND, once shown the leaven, people usually do whatever needs to be done to get it out of themselves...not make excuses, defend and champion the leaven.

toppie...skyrider...that's hilarious!!!!!

So simple, that dummies need not err therein.

OM...that's funny...if you're not serious about applying to vp's and twi's words what God applies to the bible...

Lost your touch??? Are you kidding? NO WAY. I don't even know you, but I can tell by looking at your picture that you've got your touch and then some, girlfriend.

Heck, that poor boy didn't stand a snowball's chance in Bonner when you flashed him your smile.

Oh I know what you all are saying. On an ex way group I belong to one of the guys thought that he might of thought I was a working girl. lol.

That wasn't what crossed my mind. However, I worried about your safety.

Then I re-read your post...

This happened in Bonner Springs.

'Nough said.

Next time?

FIRST go to a hose and spray off, girl! (Any service station should have one...or car wash...or something.) Or pop over to the WalMart and explain to the greeter what is going on. Or just plain explain to whoever is running things where you're stopped. Everybody understands the danger of heat exhaustion. If they don't, fall down right there on the spot and lay there panting like a sick puppy. Make it their business to understand.

THEN, when your brain is not half baked to death due to heat, THEN I think you'd do just fine all on your own.

From this view, your smile turns the heads of the angels. I think once you flash your smile, it doesn't really matter what you say. :)

But if you want my opinion (I think you asked, but I've now confused myself), you could say something like, "I look good to you only because I'm so hot, big boy. How 'bout you get me a nice cool drink and we'll see if you like the way I look after I've cooled a bit?"

Of course, I pick up Sicilian Yum Yums I've never met before...so maybe you shouldn't pay any attention to me...

Also, remember to always, always, ALWAYS flirt like that WHEN YOU'RE AROUND THOSE WHO CAN SEE AND HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.

Yes, it was Bonner...but some of those bubbas have a tweaked idea of fun...

What a beautiful woman you are my dear, sweet, smart, kick a$$ sister!!!!!!!!!! And such LOVELY eyes!

I am so thankful for you, girl! I am so very proud of you, too!

Par tay on, dear Louise Darlene...for life is just going to get better and better.

:wub:

I'm guessing you would be hesitant to just come out and admit that you believe Jesus was pretty darn arrogant. Didn't He say "I am the way, the truth, and the life"? Didn't He also say, "Sanctify them (His disciples) throught thy truth. Thy word is truth"?

Ummm...no...not Belle...not at all...that would be twi you're thinking about.

TWI (not Belle) goes around claiming trademark on the words, "Way", "The Way", and other variations. TWI claims ownership of being "The Way". TWI has sued other people for daring to use the word "Way".

Guess it's twi that thinks Jesus was pretty darn arrogant. I'm sure twi would be suing Jesus right this second...if they knew where to find Him.

I suppose there are some folks who haven't heard or read this stuff.

First, I didn't call you a dummy. I don't think you're a dummy, either. I think you're hard-headed...but so am I...so I gotta love that in you...or I'd have to hate myself.

Second, I never read any of the books or collaterals or rag articles or even the piffle syllabus. Every time I tried, I'd get pi$$ed off with the insane 'logic' and throw the pos across the room. I skimmed things, yes...so that I wouldn't have to use my brain.

Third, I took piffle once and only once...in 1977...when the intermediate was combined with the foundational. I took no other class, seminar, whatever offered by twi.

It has been pointed out to me that I am slapping people in the face with what I've said here.

That is not my intention at all.

It is my intention to show people that God would have brought to us deliverance, healing, the truth, etc., with or without twi...and that God would have preferred it if we didn't go through hell and get poisoned and poison others.

My heart in this thread is to maybe help people see that anything godly that came about in twi was NOT because of twi or vpw or piffle or anything else, but because of God.

God promises: seek and we shall find, knock and the door shall be opened, ask and it shall be given. (Matt. 7:7)

Yes, I agree 100% that there were many things good and godly that came into our lives when we were in twi. I, for one, stopped attempting suicide long enough to get into therapy and get some real help. Many others have shared here on these threads the miraculous deliverance seen in their lives once in twi.

My point is that if it weren't twi, it would have been some other avenue...because God never leaves us or forsakes us...so the credit goes NOT to twi, but to God.

My hope is that people will look back at their twi experiences and see the hand of God regardless of twi...not because of twi.

My deepest apologies to those I have offended.

I agree, and he made it clear that lots of the stuff he taught was not original. Not only was that in written form in 1972, from a popular book in the twi bookstore, but he said it to folks for years.

I never saw that written in any form. I never heard vp say any such thing, either.

Gotta do better than that, OM...at least live up to your own standards of 'proof' of something.

Can you site the book, please? Can you also site the times/places he said such things (like specific tape #, specific session of specific class, other official statements he made about this), please?

What you heard from vp is almost always very different from what others heard from vp. Never have I seen you site specifics of what you claim vp said/did/taught (and if you have, please site the thread and provide a link so that I can see it written for myself). It would be nice if you did...so I don't go around thinking that you're just arguing.

TYVM.

Really has nothing to do with Piffle. Piffle doesn't set the twi policies, the BOD does.

I would like to know, myself. So far, haven't heard they do.

Ummm...the question was, in part, at one point at least, about when the policy of tithing was first established 'officially'. (If I'm wrong about this, Tom, please correct me.)

I put forth that the expectation of the tithe was first established in piffle, giving the tithe an 'official' place in twi 'policy'.

Of course, as you so wonderfully pointed out, 'official policy' is usually set at the whim of the bod...and there has never been an official statement of twi policy, beliefs, practices, etc..

TWI operates primarily upon intimidation. If twi were to put, or ever had put, such intimidation into writing as an 'official policy', twi would have been successfully sued out of existence by now.

Where did I hear, "the devil never puts things in writing"...?

I just spoke w/Katy at Gwinnis whatchacallit and she said that they do not have the hookups (electricity, water, septic) for RVs/trailers, HOWEVER, they would allow RVs/trailers to park next to cabins rented by others in a group.

I never had an 'exit spewing'. Those of you who did, were you ever told that at least one of the reasons you weren't welcome at twi was because of your lack of/unwillingness to ABS?

See, many groups and organizations expect certain behavior...like being on time. Schools, jobs, doctors appointments, hotels...all these expect one to be on time. It's even written in to the official policy.

If one is not on time, what happens?

Usually, one does not get kicked out...unless one disregards the policy repeatedly.

So, if anybody was EVER told they were no longer welcome at twi for the reason of lack of/refusal to ABS...either as part of the reason or all of the reason...then I would have to say that regardless of the timing of the ejection from twi, twi's 'official policy' of the tithe as a minimum was established in piffle.

You really tickle me OM! Seriously. I get a good giggle from your posts.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep...

Know what that is?

Your truck backing up.