WordWolf

Thing is, with both "Andromeda" and "Earth:the Final Conflict" (I seem to have a psychological blind-spot on recalling these 2), I followed a simple logic. Gene Roddenberry, the Great Bird of the Galaxy, was nearly worshipped among some Trekkies. If he had a competent SF concept to release, it would have an automatic audience. (Well, it would for sure once ST:TNG was proven, and points thereafter.) So, if Roddenberry had ideas for shows, and never followed up on them, to me, that says he wasn't confident they were worth airing. And if the writer is not confident they are worth airing, then I certainly am not confident they are worth WATCHING.

When I dealt with the peons, the "Joe Believers", many times, I was the recipient of, or the witness to, acts of kindness done just to bless members of "the family." 2 quick examples: As a brokeass kid, I raised the money for "the class", and asked to borrow someone's Bible. When I got to Session 1, someone gave me a brand-new Bible. (A really nice one with large print.) Another person I know balked at the class since they were hesitant about raising the $40 (someone else broke.) Someone who had just met them then offered to pay the $40 for them, no strings attached, no nothing. (Looking back, I'm fully confident there were no strings attached.) Many of us loved each other and did things-little things or big things- to bless each other, because we wanted to. I also met total strangers, both on staff, or at the ROA, or returning from the WOW field, and we were usually quite kind to each other and offered each other a hand-up. Of course, that didn't speak for EVERYONE. Some people who were leaders locally, or trained leaders from hq, or training IN hq, should have had a funny walk from having to accomodate the stick up their keister. ========== Looking back, it's interesting. Although it always seemed (& felt) like there were NO CONDITIONS on anything we did for each other, it's probable that it was TIERED- that we were that good to people in the group or entering the group, but if you weren't interested, then you weren't treated quite as nice. It has been said that "the best way to have friends is to be one, and the true test of a friend lies in our treatment of people from whom we can expect no favours in return." I think there's something to that. On the one hand, it was often seen as more "watching each other's backs and watching out for family." On the other hand, how easy it was to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the problems and sufferings of those not IN the group? Many church organizations "with inferior doctrine" have NO DIFFICULTY in reaching out to help those from whom they can expect no favours in return.

I asked about the thing in 'my' "Secret Initiation?" thread. http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...ic=8433&hl= The conclusion of that PARTICULAR thread about that PARTICULAR ceremony was, for the most part, that it was a stupid prank on the level of "Animal House" "mild" hazing, some "Repeat after me, 'I, state your name...'" stuff. Although some good questions were raised about how elaborate the preparations were. Of course, some practical jokes take a lot of prep-time...

Well, it would let people know in advance who they could NOT appeal to if there's a problem further down the line, and help reduce misunderstandings. It could be worse-they could need a "hold harmless" clause and contract.

"The moon. Yes, that will be my home. My paradise. I shall find there, all the souls I love -- Socrates, Galileo..." "The Captain will do everything in his power to stop you."

Proverbs 30:18-19.(KJV) "18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 19The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid." Colour charts cost more. Spending a penny more on people WOULD have killed vpw. When it came to expenditures for others, he could pinch a penny until it howled for mercy, and left fingerprint indentations on every nickel. There's more than 1 type of Christian, and more than 1 type of learning. Plus, there's more than 1 type of LESSON. Lectures and classrooms are great for some types, and dismal for other types. That's one reason a lot of people learn computers faster if they're allowed to to go through a "what does this button do" phase.

Let's see..... Top leaders are convinced they have THE Truth, and other Christians are lesser and lack THE Truth. Top leaders are autocrats and not accountable for anything. Dissent/disagreement of all kinds is stomped flat ASAP. Add in all the poison concealed in their own training, and practice at glossing over evil (how many of them, to this day, have never come clean about EVER knowing ANYTHING vpw did?), and you're overqualified to be Lord Over God's Heritage and abuse his people. The filthy lucre is a bonus.

One of the commentaries on Sun Tzu's "the Art of War" included this story. One emperor challenged his great general to make a disciplined force of the Emperor's concubines. (To show he could do anything, not so they'd actually go into battle.) The general equipped them, appointed officers among them, and had the basics demonstrated (parade-ground, exhibition stuff, not real fighting stuff.) Then he gave a simple instruction for attention with the weapon over the shoulder. The "army" giggled and did not carry it out, resulting instead in dropped weapons and much tittering. The general pointed out that if a general's directions are unclear, it is the general's fault, but if his directions are clear, and the soldiers STILL do not carry them out, it is the fault of the OFFICERS. After some "officers" were beheaded, the military unit had no difficulty carrying out the previous instruction. The point being, that if ONE person turns out bad, it's likely the person. If ALL of them turn bad, there's a problem with the PROGRAM, and the people in CHARGE are responsible. vpw had ZERO training in any programs himself, and had ZERO study in how to run a successful program. He figured you could just cobble something together easily. His first attempt failed so completely he disbanded it and blamed them. His second attempt may have followed his instructions, but that's more the result of him demonstrating harshness (like beheading concubines to show you're serious) than him actually having an excellent program. The complete failure of the program was the fault of those running it, which is to say, vpw. Of course, what's considered a "flaw" depends on who's doing the consideration. They followed orders unquestioningly, and paid on time. That was what vpw considered a success. (Following orders was always his big sign, and how lcm got to be his fair-haired boy. I have documentation on the money thing, from a reliable source, if you need it.) As to the flaws being corrected, the program had people paying money to perform manual labour. They were taught some Bible (which they didn't have to go in for- everybody learned some Bible), and did calisthenics (we have photos), were loaned out to farmers for manual labour, and kept up the grounds. In between, there were some "leadership training" things taught by people who had little business doing so since they had no formal training to do so. We also had people sent hitchhiking, or transported in the homemade trailer hitches like cattle. Some people were hospitalized, and some died, as the result of these measures which saved money. All of that was because the program required hazarding the lives and safety of its students so they could follow the directives of unqualified climbers and go up some mountansides. When it was pointed out that women were getting raped hitchhiking, vpw himself insisted it remain a requirement for the program, since they could potentially get raped anywhere. (His comments are in the "Heart of the Way Corps" tapes.) So, vpw considered the frugality of the program to be paramount, even when was kept at the expense of the safety of the students. So, people were EXPENDABLE, but the money came in, and the people in the program always did what they were told, and much of what was taught was of dubious benefit. Depending on who you ask, that makes it a great success, or a great failure.

Ok, next one, then..... "The moon. Yes, that will be my home. My paradise. I shall find there, all the souls I love -- Socrates, Galileo..."

Or at least a working-definition of a "tiddlywinks Christian". Do they suck eggs? Do they play tiddlywinks? Can it core a apple? ===== Actually, I think very few-if any-object to vpw using Bullinger's books. They object to blatant violation of Bullinger's copyrights, and deception and fraud performed USING Bullinger's books. Many of us have books of Bullinger. Many of us have read them. Many of us have quoted from them and recommended them. We just don't pretend we WROTE them.

"THE FIRST DUTY." When Picard finally gets to see Boothby again, Boothby replies "I remember you. What happened to your hair?" Boothby gets great lines. With a faint look of disappointment, at that! I hear the Voyager fans consider "Threshold" the worst Trek episode ever, due to it being a continuous string of science fantasy so far from plausible that suspension of disbelief just can't be done. (For most people.)

Wouldn't mind at all. Until then, I refuse to give up until I injure myself here trying. Ok, one more shot. "Firefly/Serenity."

This is the first I've heard of her. This is what I found, though.... http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2003/004/18.66.html http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2005/005/1.30.html

Correct. Geordi gets dating advice from Guinan. And Picard's bugged that the others don't share his love of ship models. But Worf didn't play with toys as a boy, and Data was never a boy. Go, George!

Actually, left-handers and ambidextrous people have more connections between the hemispheres. (Scans have shown more activity in the corpus collosum.) There's 4 types of side dominance: right-handed dominance (uses right hand for most things) left-handed dominance (uses left hand for most things) ambidextrous (uses either or both just as often) cross-dominance (leads with the left for some things, leads with the right for some things.) One guess as to why cross-dominance exists is that some left-handers were born left-handers, but learned to use the right-hand more, whether by being FORCED to or through acculturation. So, your story is not an uncommon one. ========== As for the things of God, IMHO, it is good to have an intellectual understanding of what you CAN understand. However, the IMPORTANT parts are the things you know in your heart. That's what has meaning, and keeps you alive. That's what motivates ACTION, and what people will remember with more depth than "he really knew those Greek words". That's why one person said "In the end, only kindness matters."

I was referring to a Saturday Night Live skit, which was of Blue Oyster Cult recording this song, and a guy at the studio (played by Christopher Walken) who kept insisting that they record it with one member playing the cowbell. Most of the band was saying to drop the instrument, but he was DETERMINED. And his line about having a fever that could only be cured with MORE COWBELL has been quoted a LOT online. I've seen versions in "signatures" that included screenshots of the scene, or of a band member hitting the cowbell in an animation.

pg-235, TW:LiL. "We started the first Way Corps then, the fall of 1969, especially for that purpose, to prepare leaders, There were nine of them-some married, some single, younger and older. They stayed until the spring, and then I gave them the privilege of leaving. You see, they never got it together among themselves. They didn't have that commitment, that discipline." pg-236, TW:LiL. "They just kept fighting among themselves. But you know what? They're all standing today, all but one, and she'll be back. She'll get tired of messing around after a while. And she'll be back because there's nowhere else to go after you have seen the greatness of the Word."

I've got a fever! And the only cure is: more cowbell!!!!!

I remember Bruce Boxleitner as Flynn in "Tron", but not really for any movies. My second guess would be the "Stargate" stable: SG-1, Atlantis, San Andreas, Vice City... (wait, those last 2 were video games...)

Uh, oh, I need a new episode! Let's see.... "I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say." "You're doing fine with me." "You're different." "No, you're different." "But I'm not trying now." "That's my point." "Oh, good lord, didn't anybody here build ships in bottles when they were boys?" "I did not play with toys." "I was never a boy." I love that second quote, myself.....

From Mrs Wierwille's book, Born Again to Serve.. (p. 91) "In June of 1953, four months after Dr. Wierwille's initial trip, our family traveled with two other carloads of our friends to Calgary to take B.G. Leonard's class which he called The Gifts of the Spirit. At his Christian Training Centre, a large upstairs room over the pawnshop, our son Don and I (Mrs. W.) were students of this class from June 28 to July 15. Dr. Wierwille was with us, but of course he was not a new student, though he wanted to sit through the class again because what B.G. Leonard was teaching was so thrilling and powerful about the 'gifts' of holy spirit and about spiritual healing."

pg 207, TW:LiL: "We took his whole trip- really learned a lot about the other manifestations of the holy spirit. But he worked from personal experiences. I worked what he taught from the accuracy of the Scriptures. When I came home, I made up my mind that I was going to tie the whole thing together from Genesis to Revelation."

"Ad Hominem (Argument To The Man): attacking the person instead of attacking his argument. For example, "Von Daniken's books about ancient astronauts are worthless because he is a convicted forger and embezzler." (Which is true, but that's not why they're worthless.)" "There may be a pretense that the attack isn't happening: "In order to maintain a civil debate, I will not mention my opponent's drinking problem."" "Needling: simply attempting to make the other person angry, without trying to address the argument at hand. Sometimes this is a delaying tactic. Needling is also Ad Hominem if you insult your opponent. You may instead insult something the other person believes in ("Argumentum Ad YourMomium"), interrupt, clown to show disrespect, be noisy, fail to pass over the microphone, and numerous other tricks." Around here, that's usually a flag that the preceding posts can't be successfully argued with, so the opponent switches to personal attacks to distract from the issues. No one said that-in and of themselves-they did. You missed several paragraphs where peopleowe their lives to charity work in several countries. I know, vpw made charity-work a dirty word. Since you have the poor with you always, f' 'em. Don't give them ANYTHING. Send it all to hq instead, as tithes, abundant sharing, or PLURALITY GIVING. Ever see another group that has a phrase meaning "send us all your money except your rent and food bills"? twi had a phrase for it, which means they had the concept. Ever see another group that had that concept? It's rich to compare "receive the donations" for vpw and twi- where the money all went to hq and STAYED THERE and never went out- with groups that have performed amazing acts of mercy for people. Which is more in line with God's thinking? James 2:16-18. "16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." This is really not that hard for most Christians to see. The amount of intentional ignorance displayed here is incredible. First of all, vpw did not satisfy the legal requirements to avoid plagiarism in ANY country. Here's an introductory primer on the subject: http://www.greasespotcafe.com/editorial/pl...m-wierwille.htm In the actual bodies of work where he used the work of others- and we're talking entire sentences, paragraphs, and in some cases, entire book sections, not just "this idea was taught by this guy"- full credit must be given. All OTHER Christians have NO DIFFICULTY doing this. Need to see an example? Flip through your copy of "Babylon Mystery Religion." That book was almost entirely all taken from a book by someone else. And it's properly credited all throughout the book. Which does not in any way interfere with the contents of the book. The names of Stiles and Leonard, in particular, are completely absent from the White Book and the Orange Book, which is where they would have LEGALLY been required to have been cited (repeatedly, like Woodrow did with his book.) In fact, vpw made sure later editions of RTHST didn't even have the suggestion he learned from other people. Here's the closest vpw gets to even mentioning Stiles in RTHST: ""The Word of God is truth. I prayed that I might put aside all I had been taught and start anew with the Bible as my handbook as well as my textbook. It took me seven years to find a man of God schooled in the Holy Spirit, a man who knew the Scripture on the Holy Spirit, and could fit it together so that I dod not have to omit, deny or change any one passage. He made the Scripture fit like a hand fits into a glove, and when you can do that, you can be assured of having truth." That's what he said about the man whose book he retyped and called RTHST. Oh, YOUR copy of that book doesn't have this paragraph. That's because this is a quote from the SECOND EDITION. ONLY THE FIRST TWO EDITIONS SAY THAT. Here's how that same paragraph reads in ALL THE OTHER ADDITIONS: ""The Word of God is truth. I prayed that I might put aside all that I had heard and thought out myself, and I started anew with the Bible as my handbook as well as my textbook. I did not want to omit, deny, or change any passage for, the Word of God being the will of God, the Scripture must fit like a hand in a glove."" Interesting how the other man just VANISHES from the picture, no? It's as if vpw later wants to take exclusive credit ("I started anew with the Bible as my handbook as well as my textbook") for something that was exclusively the result of Stiles-the UNNAMED Christian-working for God ("...He made the Scripture fit like a hand fits into a glove...") As for Leonard, what's Allan's idea of "credit where credit is due"? Well, first, vpw takes his entire class without attribution. When it goes into print (the Orange Book), vpw never mentions Leonard even once. And if you look hard enough through ALL the books twi ever released, eventually you will find Leonard's name buried on page 207 of TW:LiL. vpw took the ENTIRE contents of pfal class 1.0 from Leonard's class, UNALTERED. What did he say about Leonard? TW:LIL, pg-207. "He loved me, and I learned some stuff from him. He had tremendous believing. That's why I love the guy." "The summer of 1953, our whole ministry went up-Dotsie and Donnie and some of the others from Van Wert. We took his whole trip- really learned a lot about the other manifestations of the holy spirit. But he worked from personal experiences. I worked what he taught from the accuracy of the Scriptures. When I came home, I made up my mind that I was going to tie the whole thing together from Genesis to Revelation. So I did, and in October, I had the very first 'Power for Abundant Living' class. At that time, the Foundational Class and Advanced Class were together-the whole thing in two weeks. But the syllabus today is basically the same. The basic principles from the Word are the same. The class has filled out. But I knew the greatness of our age-the age of holy spirit and that every truth must fit in the framework of the manifestations. I just had to teach it to somebody." "I taught without a syllabus, but the class was the same. You could throw the syllabus away now and I could still teach it. It's a burning reality in my soul."" That same book has this to say about RTHST, which was Stiles' book with vpw's name on it... "TW:LIL, pg-209. "Somewhere in there I wrote the first holy spirit book. I can't remember exactly what year. I'd been working those 385 scriptures and they began to all fall into place." "We're having the sixth edition printed now of that book: Receiving the Holy Spirit Today. It's a great piece of research."" Everything except the 385 scriptures was all Stiles. The 385 Scriptures was Bullinger's book "the Giver and His Gifts", now known as "Word Studies in the Holy Spirit". Hm. BULLINGER's name is missing for that book, too. So, right after all those omissions of the authors of the work he stole, vpw says this, which some people insist actually qualifies as a disclaimer: (supposing you ever read the page) ""Lots of the stuff I teach is not original. Putting it together so that it fit-that was the original work. I learned wherever I could, and then I worked that with the Scriptures. What was right on with the Scriptures, I kept; but what wasn't, I dropped." How would any OBJECTIVE reader view this? The cold, hard fact is that vpw went out of his way to claim he was the sole author of books and classes that were either direct clones or amalgams of the complete work of other Christians.

Confirming wasway was right, so wasway can serve up the next one....

Nice quote, if I'm remembering right. (And still nice if I'm not...) Mc Coy, with a super-enhanced mindboost, preparing to return Spock's grey matter to his noggin. What WAS that episode's name? "They Saved Spock's Brain?" I think it was simply "SPOCK'S BRAIN." (But the other title would have been funnier.) Am I at least right on the episode, if not the exact title?