Steve Swenton

Seems a little Corny to me! :)--> :D--> :)--> Just a thought... Steve. ¥

Every now and then, I slip back into the personality I had as a TWIt. Case in point... A couple of years ago, I attended my daughter's baby shower for her second son, Jonathan. One of the gifts she opened were "Pampers Swaddles". I made some remark about the difference between that and real swaddling clothes and the whole family, almost in unison, yelled STEVE!!! I told them, "Sorry guys, just having a flashback." At that they all laughed and the party continued as though nothing had happened. Still, it shows just how deeply engrained some of our behavior became. Good thing I have family and friends who are kind enough to catch me when I fall. Just a thought... Steve. ¥

Quote: "4. If you're Rosie, consider not wearing make up. That's gotta make somebody feel sorry for you." Ya might wanna reconcider the makeup there. After all, you don't wanna freighten the jury either! :)--> :D--> :)--> Just a thought... Steve. ¥

Andreatheflorist, Spousal abuse is NEVER a good thing. Thank God you have the courage that caused you to fight back and get out of that kind of relationship. I only know of these things as an outsider looking in, but I have a frend in Florida whos situation sounds a lot like yours. I'm glad to see you got away from him. Steve. ¥

The "Undermining Marriage" thread got me wondering about something. During your time in TWI, when was it that any of you got that "feeling" that all just wasn't right in "the Household". Under what circumstances did you begin to suspect TWI to really be something other than what they told you it was supposed to be? In my case, it was when one of the WOWs from Palm Springs asked me dance with her at a TWI function in Los Angeles, and to keep her as far away from LCM as possible. I thought it a bit odd that she'd ask that, so I stayed with her until she and the other WOWs returned to Palm Springs later that evening (something about a "midnight" rule?). As I observed LCM on the edge of the dance floor that night, he seemed to be "on the prowl" so to speak. He seemed to be looking for something, or someone, in the crowd. I figured at the time that it was my imagination, but in retrospect, I know now that it wasn't. He was likely looking to get laid, or something, based on his actions. From there, things were quite different when I moved to Maryland. The "believers" acted differently than those in California. Kind of like they suspected me of being a spy or something like that. It made me wonder why they might treat me that way. However, that feeling went away as they and I got to know each other better. Then, later that year, came VPW's death and things really began to melt down from there. So when did the suspicions start with you guys? Just a thought... Steve. ¥

This thread reminds me of the last time I tried to contact TWI to see if things had changed for the better after the POP. Boy was that a slap in the face! I was contacted by the BC and told how wonderful it was that we were coming into this area (northern West Virginia). Later that week, while I was not at home (a tactic that I learned TWI employed all too often), the LC called my wife, Anna, and was nice to her until he found out that she wasn't in TWI, but was married to me. He started in giving her sh?about how we were SO unequally yolked! That conversation terminated with Anna telling him where to get off, in so many words or less. That evening, I got an earful from the BC, whom I told not to call me again. I've been free of the TWI monster ever since, and have had NO desire to return. As a result, Anna and I enjoyed her remaining 12 years together. See, Anna resisted TWI right from the start. She didn't want to have anything more than necessary to do with them, but she wasn't hostile to them either. In fact, we made some pretty good friends within TWI in Glen Burnie, MD. We even talked (OK, conned) Anna into taking the first session of PFAL just to see what it was like. After that, she decided that she didn't want to go there, and that was that as far as I was concerned. Unfortunately, TWI didn't see it that way - Their loss. Just a thought... Steve. ¥

This poster seems VERY weird indeed. The characters seem like those one would find on a commune, but the weird part is that most of them are dressed like the Amish (another cult), save for the "security guard" guy. In the stream, there seems to be a word, "nOAH", at least that's what it looks like to me. Then there's that strange cloud formation. At first glance, it would seem that "the lord" is looking down upon them. Then again, I can see how someone could take it as some sort of phalic symbol desparately in need of viagra. The prominent title says "Building Biblical Understanding", but when looking at the depiction, these guys apparently can't agree on what the heck they're building, if anything. From my point of view, the depiction looks like a fugitive from someone's nightmare. Just a thought... Steve. ¥

Mr. Lynn, We've never met, but I have read your book, "Living In The Eye Of The Storm" while I was still in TWI. I'm one of the ones you mentioned that had a relatively good experience with TWI, at least until a Limb Leader told my wife how she and I were somehow unequally yolked because she refused to take PFAL or leave the RC church. Since then, I've been studying the bible on my own as I have the time, using the things I was taught both in and out of TWI. Three years ago, I bought a copy of the CES book, "One God & One Lord". I'm only about 1/2 the way through it as I have been studying and researching it since I received it. So far, I've found nothing wrong with it. BTW ShazDancer, that book teaches that Jesus is NOT god, but it goes faaaaar deeper into REAL research, both biblical and historical, than VPW's "Jesus Christ Is Not God" ever did. As far as my dealings with CES, I've never been pressured, heckled, maligned, or forced to do anything. For about a year after I bought the book, I did receive "The Sower" and "The Contender" for free, and was never asked for contributions in any way (save, of course for reading the links on the CES web site regarding that). I have never been told that I should, or have to, join CES either. Still, I'm very weary about joining any other organization that is similar to TWI. You guys at the CES seem to be genuine on the surface but, then again, so was TWI - until one got to know them better. It's going to take a whole lot more convincing for me to change that thought. God Bless you Mr. Lynn, and thanks for your honest sharing. Steve. ¥

Into Heavy Metal bands? Here's a good one out of Weirton, WV. http://www.tunnelheadgroup.com/ ENJOY! :)--> :D--> :)--> Steve. ¥

In the summer of 1975, I got "born again" while returning to my barracks from a Bible Study at the Hansen Christian Center in Kin, Okinawa. We had been studying Romans chapters 9 through 11 that night. You've probably guessed by now that I'm referring to Romans 10:9-10, and you're right. I saw the instructions there, plain as day, and just did it. I wasn't introduced to TWI until April of 1984. By this time, I had spoken in tounges on 3 different occasions, and I thought I was somehow a psychic because I kept having visions and dreams that all came true in the course of time. If anything, taking PFAL set me straight about what was really going on and what I had done that day in '75. I was VERY apprehensive as to whether I would be able to SIT on the last session of the class, even though I had done so before, just in a private setting instead of in front of a room full of people. I suceeded at the PFAL class, but when I was asked to "manifest" after graduating the intermediate class, I felt like a deer in the headlights. I did it anyway, and have been continuing to do so in my private prayers ever since. I must admit, there was one time that I tried to fake it and got "busted" in the process. Outside of that one time, I never tried to fake it, and I was always nervous when asked to SIT in Twig, so don't feel alone. Just a thought... Steve. ¥

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October 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th? Just about the time it starts getting cold up here in northern West (by GOD) Virginia. I missed the last two weenie roasts due to family affairs. I'll see what I can do to be there this year. If I do get to go, I'll likely be camping. I'll be coming through Parkersburg and Huntington, WV, and along I-64 and I-75 in Kentucky if anyone needs a ride down there. It's still too early to tell if I can make it just yet, but I'll give it my best shot. God Willin', I'll see y'all there! Steve. ¥

I agree with Word Wolf on this as I have a differing theory about the splitting of the continents, and the cause of the flood, which can be discussed in the doctrinal forum. As for the WAP class, ALL of this is completely new to me, and I'd like to hear more about it since I never had the displeasure of taking it. Say on please... Steve. ¥

Eve was a lesbian?!? I'm surprised he wasn't trying to teach the "Lilith" theory as well. Come to think of it, if this wasn't sick, it'd be funny. Just a thought... Steve. ¥

As I recall, the song "Family of God" was one of the ones that DID get yanked from Sing Along the Way. Then they started publishing the brown covered book instead of the blue one. It happened before my time in TWI. It was sometime in the early '80s, but I heard a lot about it when I took PFAL - specifically that the author had ordered it removed for some reason. Speaking of parodies, in the brown covered book, there was a song I liked called, "Standing on Solid Ground" which bore a TWI copyright. My daughter (8 years old at that time) used to sing it, "Standing on coffee grounds..." to her own parodied words. One night she sang it for the Twig that way. They all got a kick out of it. At least some within TWI could take a joke. Just a thought... Steve. ¥

I've been confused with a Steve Swenton in Arkansas, and a Steve Swenton in upstate New York, but those are two other guys with the same name. Unless you fellowshipped/went WOW with TWI in Palm Springs/29 Palms, CA, or Glenn Burnie, MD, you likely never met me through TWI. I do have a ton of relatives that live mostly in Bristol, CT (my father's side of the family). It could be you know, or have met, one of them. Just a thought... Steve. ¥

Hello fellow Februarian! I hope your Birthday was as great as mine (Mine was the 13th)!!! Belated Happy Birthday to you Kit!!! :)--> :D--> :)--> Steve. ¥

Wouldn't it make sense that they'd sell Camp Gunnison before they'd sell HQ? Waitaminit! I said "make sense" didn't I? Never mind. :)--> :D--> :)--> Steve. ¥

Here's a fugitive from my years as a RC: There was this Irish priest who hated the English. While his congregation was mostly Irish, he would blame the English for everything under the sun. If there was a fire somewhere, the English did it, a robery, sure it had to be an englishman that did it. As time went on, Vatican II came along, and his congregation began to mix more and more. Soon the priest was called in on the carpet to explain himself, and the bishop said, "You've got to stop railing the English so much. I've been getting complaints from members of your congregation sayin' you've been doin' this for a long time." The priest says, "I'll try my best, you're emenence." So, the priest returns to his congregation and throughout the whole year, he refrains from blaming anything bad on the English. Then along comes Palm Sunday, and his surmon went like this: "Jesus and his apostles were at the last supper, and Jesus said, "Tonight, one of you will betray me." And He looked at Peter, and Peter said, "Not me." And He looked at James and John and both said, "We would never do such a thing!" Then Jesus looked long and straight and hard at Judas, and Judas said, "Ow blyme govenor, you can't mean me!" Hee Hee... Steve. ¥

Been there, done that. Didn't like it either! Not to mention, they placed a bunch of spybots and tracking cookies on my system that I didn't want either! I use two programs to protect my system from these programs now. "AdSubtract" from Intermute - www.adsubtract.com - and "Spybot-Search and Destroy" which is available from - www.nonags.com ; or www.majorgeeks.com . AdSubtract is a for sale program, but they do allow a 30 day trial. It's purpose is to eliminate the banner ads and pop-ups that you're talking about. It also allows you to remove any tracking type cookies, among others, left on your system by any site you visit. Spybot-Search and Destroy is a shareware program designed to eliminate Robot (BOT) programs that run in the background and spy on your every move while on the internet, and when you're off-line they collect information and transmit that the next time you're on the internet. Bots also s l o w down your system while you're surfing the internet because of their constant reporting activities. There are others out there such as AdAware, and Spyware Blaster, among others, but these are the two I use and they do a great job. Now I'm not a lawyer, so I would strongly suggest checking this out with a lawyer, but unless there has been some kind of change in federal law in the past two months, there's no law against them doing this. There may be a law in your state that would prohibit this kind of advertisment deception. Check with your state Attorney General's office, or with a lawyer to find out. You know, this sounds like something TWI could have cooked up, if they hadn't so disbelieved the internet. :)--> :D--> :)--> Just a thought... Steve. ¥

Actually, that would depend on which class you took as to whether we were originally taught the same thing. I left TWI long before the WAP class was even thought of. I only took PFAL (foundational and intermediate), Witnessing and Undershepherding, and Principles of Biblical Interperetation. As you can see, I don't have quite the exposure that some here have had. From what I've read here, PFAL and WAP weren't anywhere near identical. The errors in PFAL were bad enough (about 1/3 of PFAL is Biblically inacurate), but I have always understood WAP to be even worse, doctrinally speaking. I never took the WAP class, so I don't know how bad it is. Just a thought. Steve. ¥

I started SIT long before my time with TWI, and I didn't stop afterward either. I still do it to this day. During the "practice" manifestations at the first intermediate PFAL class I attended, someone told me that I had spoken Russian. I wouldn't know Russian from Chinese, so I had to take his word for it. He went on to say that my interperetation was genuine, although he did not translate it for us. At the second IPFAL I attended as a student, we were doing the "practice" manifestations, and the guy next to me got up, SIT, and interpereted. During his interperetation, he quoted an obscure passage from Psalms (Psalms 19:10 to be exact). Up 'til then, I had never faked the interperetation. However I figured, if he could get away with it, why can't I? So when I was called to SITWI, I pretty much recited 2Tim 1:7. James, the moderator, looked me straight in the eye and said something like, "...you faked that, didn't you." I fessed up and he told me not to do that again - and I never have to this day. I have to agree with Lightside, "...if we only knew what power we have!!!!" Most of us were never exposed to that side of things because our teachers didn't "get it" themselves, but pretended they did. It's a crying shame on TWI's part, because they had a habit of pushing people into leadership positions before they were really ready. BTW Lightside, wasn't Oral Roberts the one who threatened his own death if someone didn't contribute some really large amount of money to his ministry (give me $1.4 million or the "lord" will take me home)? It was back around '87 or '88. A friend of mine described it as, "...Your money or my life!" Just a thought. Steve. ¥

Hey, that's quite a bit closer to me than the last two. I'm right next door in West (By GOD) Virginia. Where in Kentucky? What accomodations are available? What's it cost? Do I need to bring my own weenies, or are they provided by the host? ;)--> Once those questions are answered, all I need is a date and time, and I can arrange my vacation schedule to attend the "3rd annual" this year, GOD be willing. :)--> :D--> :)--> just curious... Steve. ¥

Kit Sober, I don't recall if I knew your son, though I had 3 tours of duty at 29 Palms between April 1, 1973, and February 15, 1985, for a total of 5.5 years there with tours elsewhere in between. I could have met him at some time, however brief. All I can say in response is, "You're Welcome", and to your son, my brother Marine, "SEMPER FIDELIS!" :)--> ---------------------------- Just Thinking, As I mentioned above, I had 3 tours of duty at 29 Palms. My 3rd tour, November 1981 - February 1985, was the one in which I became involved with TWI. I was part of a regular Base unit; Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC). I was with Base Telephone and Electronics under the Base CEO (Communications Electronics Office). I went through the TTY/Crypto School at C&E Schools Battalion during my first tour of duty in April through September of 1973. My second Tour of Duty was from May 1976 - May 1978 with HQ BN MCB (Marine Corps Base - before it was renamed MCAGCC). I had no affiliation with TWI during those two tours of duty. --------------------------- Sunny1, The only "Chuck" I remember from among TWI was SSGT Chuck Miller, and his wife Alison. We were part of Dan and Vicki Van Allen's branch out of Palm Springs. Mark and Margaret Kelso, and Melvin and Toni Hall were the local Twig Co-ordinators during that time. When my active duty contract with the Marine Corps was up, I re-enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and went home to Washington, DC. I got a job in Annapolis, MD, and settled with my wife and daughter in Glen Burnie, MD (just outside of Baltimore, MD). We lived there until September of 1990, and then moved to Wheeling, WV where I live today. GOD Bless you all!!! Steve.

I don't think so... I left when the Twig I was with broke up, then I went to a different Twig twice with folks I didn't know, but left when the teaching at the second session went Way, Way out into left field (so far out I couldn't reconsile it in my KJV if you can believe that). All of that involved quiet departure without threats or problems from the local leaders (not even a phone call) and I was still on speaking terms with former fellowship members, even the BC and LC (some of whom post here). When I moved to West Virginia I contacted TWI to find a fellowship (HUGE mistake on my part). I got a call a week later from a FC up in Follansbee, WV (30 miles away at that time) who invited me to fellowship ASAP. A day or two later, my wife, Anna, received a call from the LC down in Charleston, WV. She told me that everything was cordial until she mentioned that she wasn't a "believer" (something that they should have known if they'd done ANY research at all). That's when the LC she was talking to got a bit nasty and self-righteous with her saying generally that she should take the class yesterday if not sooner. Things escalated into a shouting match where Anna told me that she finally told him to "...have aerial conversation with a perambulating perforated pastry...", and hung up on him. Later that evening, I received a call from the guy in Follansbee, who demanded that I bring my whole family to fellowship that night. I told him that we had something else planned. He told me that i could change my plans to come up there. I told him I wouldn't and if he couldn't live with it to have a nice life and I'd call him when and if I'm ready in the future. I haven't heard from them since, except that I remained on TWIs mailing list until the great purge in 1995. So M&A'd I don't think you did anything wrong in your exit from TWI. I might have done the same if circumstances had been different for me. You Rock! Steve. ¥