Jim

Thanks for all the replies.  I really enjoy seeing the different ways the thread goes.  And a big hi to Skyrider.  Always enjoyed your posts and support.  

Firstly, when did he renounce the trinity?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but VPW was ordained as an Evangelical and Reformed minister.  Since part of their dogma is the belief in the Augsburg Confessions, I would suspect that he believed in the trinity back then.

Secondly, did VPW ever mention the evangelist William M. Branham?  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_M._Branham

Branham was an enormously successful evangelist of the same era of VPW and Oral Roberts, and Branham's ministry had many parallels with VPW's, including a divergence from the trinity.  I'd be really interested to know if VPW was influenced by him.

I couldn't find the part where he got drafted during WWII. I bet there's an interesting story.

I rested my forearms on the dining room table.

Speaking as a person that's run his own company for the last 20 years...

They had everything. No taxes. Great profit margin. Free labor. Free advertising. Dedicated and committed workforce.

And they fsked it up big-time. If the had kept their dicks in their pants and spoke the truth, we'd still be coming to ROA 2015.

"We don't use people. We use things and love people"

--VPW

Right.

Anyone remember when VPW said it would be a Corps requirement?

I think it was about '76 or '77. And thinking that it would rule me out as Corps material.

Makes me think of Joe Coulter and Carrie Williams. Both good men, talented, motivated, hard workers. AFAIK, still with TWI. Are they there because they truly believe that they are working for God? Or because they are old and gray and TWI will (maybe) take care of them and they don't have any other options. I don't know. Just seems sad, no matter how I look at it.

......

i just i have to say this is a very good thread if this is a goodbye thread

you know?

a lot of us have been saying i just have to say this for years

i personally have never had the gut to say it all at once. it was just too painful

i just to have to say this.....

it's true wierwille talked at a night owl about touching his daughter

oh man, can i do this?

what happened on the motorcoach to me and countless others....

jesus why is this still so difficult

He tore out a part of your heart, but you've shown you still have plenty of heart left. I've loved reading your posts over the years. You're a great lady and I'm sure you're a great mom.

Skyrider, if you ever decide to write a book, I'll be first in line to buy it.

BTW, I think the Mormons use the term "earthly family" as well. Doesn't make it any less creepy though.

Part one aired last night where I live. Fascinating stuff, with more than a little commonality with TWI on certain issues.

A stand-up engineer, entrepreneur, visionary and human being. I had the privilege of talking with him in the early days of my business. He will be missed.

Yeah. Been there, done that.

After *lots* of faithful service, I asked local clergy to marry my wife and I. They said "after she takes the class". Well, she took the class and they still wouldn't do it. We got married by a Universal Life minister". 28 years ago. Still together. My daughter did her first wedding service as a Universal Life minister two weeks ago. The circle is complete. Without TWI.

They are no better than the "lowlife" living in a crack house..

if they could only partly behave themselves, be cool about it.. they could get away with murder, practically speaking.

But nooooo.. let's just live stupidity out loud in front of god and the world..

maybe that's another way of restating your original post..

:biglaugh:/>

Close enough.

After running my own business for the last 20 years, I have to ask, how could they be so stupid? Five senses-wise, back in the 70's they had everything. They had free labor, free advertising, a product that had a huge profit margin, no taxes, and a zealous workforce. A business owner's dream.

All they had to do was to keep their dicks in their pants, stop infighting and at least make a small effort to tell the truth, do the right thing and keep their stories straight.

I'm still speechless at the stupidity and arrogance.

This...

then eventually the meeting of all the members nationwide could be held in a hot tub.

Trying hard to get that image out of my mind...

i am truly devastated

i don't belong to facebook

could i have some memories here

I'll try to get you something in the next couple of days. He was a man of God and widely loved. His memorial was limited to 100 people and filled before I could put in a request.

He was a great guy. I rode out to the ROA from the west coast with him in '78. He's missed by many.

I wished I could give you a hug.

Fell asleep January 16. I don't have the words. There's lots of good words written on his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/felix.schmidt.967?ref=ts&fref=ts

Here's a link to Pilots N Paws,

http://pilotsnpaws.org/

A group of private pilots that fly free missions transporting rescue dogs to new homes. Maybe they could fill in some of the gaps.

I've been busy at work and have been spending more time on reddit and aviation forums, but I still stop by and lurk occasionally. Whatever holiday you're celebrating, have a safe and happy time.

I'd add a tip from my brother. The best way to fix a stomach ache is to "eat through it".

70th anniversary.

Seems like the 40th anniversary was just yesterday...

Walking back thru a bit of history, one can pinpoint certain 'forks in the road' when TWI leadership could have admitted their shortcomings and errors in twi doctrine......AND pivoted toward the truth. Yet, sadly and deceptively......they obfuscated such responsibility before the Lord and covered their deeds in darkness.

Snip....

Of course, all of this presupposes that wierwille's ministry had ANYTHING OF VALUE that could have been salvaged.

And, the more I objectively look at twi's doctrines, practices, policies and propaganda.......the more I clearly see

that wierwille NEVER LED BY EXAMPLE. Oh, sure.....he "taught" and critiqued and scrutinized others' research, but was

always searching that magical formula to razzle/dazzle a following. Even, in hindsight, the speaking in tongues/Pentecost

stuff seems little more than a climax crescendo of session 12. Did wierwille's "speaking in tongues like a house of fire"

dramatically change and alter HIS life? Nope.

Snip....

Let me answer your question *cough* with a question.

Suppose VPW passed the mantle to Johnny Townsend instead of LCM. What difference would that have made? Sky, I know you were at HQ the same time as me. John was in charge of staff then and I watched him handle a couple of delicate issues with what I would call Christian wisdom. Before HQ, he was the California Limb leader and as far as I could tell, handled us reprobates quite well. I have heard the stories about how he went to the dark side after the power struggle. Nonetheless, with the JT I knew back then, I can imagine a reformed TWI with a strong code of ethics applicable to all leadership, more tolerance for respectful disagreement, and a more mellow acceptance of family and education.

Just saying...

please don't take this wrong, I DON'T CARE

Yawn. Me either.

But feel free to carry on.

Who in the h3ll "charged" them?

God, of course.