Watered Garden

Looking back, I remember... He crawled to the cross, barely able to move at all, and lay down on it willingly. In my church people gave testimony of what the film had done for them. One dear, precious, high school student said that many at her school who had made fun of her and mocked her for her faith no longer do so. One teenage boy who has been saved only a few months, spoke with tears of his family and his prayers for their salvation. The Passion has brought the realities of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf to the forefront right now. So many of us, myself included, have become "coca-cola Christians," all fizzy sweetness, no substance. I thank God to know that when the going gets rough, it will never get that rough because of Christ's sacrifice, and He will always be right there for me. WG

Gonna be 72 in Buckeye Land today!

How is this different from stuff you can buy from Joyce Meyer? Or any other Christan Bookstore? When I wear a cross, I do it because it reminds me of the ultimate sacrifice God was willing to make for me. If I had a coffee mug, it would do the same thing. My limited understanding is that when someone wants to make a motion picture, they get money from a studio to do it. Mel used his own money to do this - I'm rooting for him to get it back plus! WG

I cannot begin to say how moved I was by seeing The Passion. I had to lay aside all the doctrin and dogma I had heard and seen throughout my lifetime, and simply look at this as what it was. Obviously it is not entirely objective and some of it is based on tradition. However, I think it was a very wonderful experience for me. Rough, but awesome. I am not surprised at how this film has polarized so many people. After all, the real Jesus Christ did the same in His time on earth and will continue to do so. On the other hand, my son just said what a good movie and my daughter-in-law had a look of absolute distaste and didn't say a word. I am glad the truth about the suffering of Christ was brought out in the open. A lot of folks, God love 'em, are coca-cola Christians these days, all fizz and sweetness and no real substance. And they don't see their own worth -Jesus did that for mebecause I am precious to Him. What do I want to do now? Well, the first thing this morning, I hunted down a resident who has also seen the film, and apologized to him for being such a smart-a$$ to him. He apologized right back! We talked about how we want to change our lives as a result of seeing The Passion. I want to be a better person, and with more guts to stand for what is right. I honestly feel more at peace with myself and my relationship to God than I have for years. Not the Catholic church, nor TWI, or any denomination, nor height nor depth nor any other creature can separate mefrom the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Whatever church is attended, this is the ultimate message of the Passion, in my opinion. Jesus transcends denomination, race, religion, and even politics! WG

OM, You say these people who supervised my son while I was in FWC were my brothers and sisters in Christ and I would have trusted them to do the right thing??? Dude, I could fertilize a whole organic farm with that bull****! Some I could, some I couldn't. Staff - no way! See that is the ONLY method - beat that child, smite him, thump him, punch him, thrash him that was used there. The whole darn point, is there is more than one way to discipline as in teach, instruct or train, a child than beating them, even a little tap with a tiny delicate wooden spoon (which never happened by the way, it was a big nasty wooden spoon). And another thing - if some nun or teacher or WC Coordinator hauled off and punched my kid in the face and I heard about it - I might just have to get violent. And I'm a nice person. But NO ONE profits from that sort of behavior except the sadist who's throwing the punches. And Cool, I believe you all the way. There was a lot of really nasty stuff that went on and got swept under the carpet. WG

Cool - that last half of the last line was a GSC classic in my book! You are wonderful! WG

Green Eggs and Ham The Little Engine that Could - the old version, not the newer, genderized one.

The Purple Paddle: When I was about 3, my parents were painting some rooms in their house. To keep me out of their hair, they gave me a little thin wood paint stirring paddle and I painted it purple with my water colors. Upon admiring my handiwork, they were so impressed they took my toy away, stuck it on top of the fridge, and said, "Now, if you misbehave, we'll just get down the Purple Paddle!" Somehow, the fact that that thing was painted purple made it an object of extreme danger! All they had to say for years was "I'll get the Purple Paddle!" and I was good as gold. They never used it. Not once. Didn't have to. But then I was a pretty good kid anyway. Most of the time. Honest, I really really was! WG

My understanding is it ends with the open, empty tomb.

When I was in FC 20 (3 months only thankGod) we were required to carry a spoon at all times, to whack any child who was not toeing the line. The rules were very strict, but they only applied to the children of WC; staff kids were exempt. I finally just lost the damn thing. But I found out later that my son was the recipient of many blows - from him, not from anyone who wanted to come forward and say, oh, yeah, I had to hit your son today. I don't think anyone who wasn't there could have possibly understood. We were not with him more than meal time. He was pitifully unhappy and screaming for attention the only way he knew - acting out! I really think some of those people who taught, promoted, and insisted on this crap would look much better with a big ole' wooden spoon hanging out their.....nose. WG

Mandii, AMEN! Well amen twice I guess. WG

Mandii, AMEN!

((((((((Cool Waters))))))))

Cool, I might too. I threw out a lot of stuff, but some of it is still hanging around...Will dig this weekend and PT with list if I can find it. WG

My 3 Cents, I hope you are being facetious.

WhyteDove, Were these people in TWI? Holy Cow! Galen, I just don't know what to say. You got a lotta love, courage, and conviction. We were foster parents too. It isn't easy, forks they don't know and even more importantly, they have no clue what love is. God bless you. WG

Serve TWI? Serve God's Word on a silver platter? WG

That's what it says at the bottom of the picture "The Trainer." too bad nobody there believed it. Training with love does not equal beatings of dog or kid.

"Training with love breeds loving obedience."

Hope, We have "The Trainer" hanging in our lovely new home! My husband loves that print. However, the good news is that it is hanging where the summer sun will hopefully fade it away to nothing!

I once saw WC grads beat their 1-year-old daughter repeatedly with a spoon because she wouldn't apologize for throwing pebbles. When the dad was finished, you could see blood running under the skin of her calves and thighs. This was at the ROA and I could see 2 sheriff's cars from where I stood, horrified. I wanted to run over there screaming, but I was rooted to the spot and to the notion that this awful man had the God-given right to beat the he11 out of his child. It about half an hour to get her to apologize. I wondered if they'd taught her not to lie, and were forcing her to do it anyway - she obviously wasn't nearly as sorry for tossing pebbles as she was for getting thrashed like that. Wonder if explaining to her whyshe shouldn't throw pebbles would've helped?

I think one of the reasons this film is disturbing a lot of people is that it appears to point out quite clearly that human beings are sinners. Sinners who needed salvation that could come from no other. When I was in TWI, sin was given a passing glance, a nod, really. At the moment one did Romans 10:9-10 one was freed from original sin, and perfect. After that it was just broken fellowship. "Gee, sorry Dad." and off I ran to play. After a while I even forgot to say "sorry". After a while, Jesus wasn't at the forefront of my mind, it was The Organization, and pleasing the leadership of the organization, thus becoming pleaser of man not pleaser of God. I hope this wonderful film breaks the heart of everyone who sees it and needs to be saved. And I think if we take family and friends to see it who are not familiar with The Bible or are not Christians, we need to be ready with some answers. There are going to be questions. WG

Shellon - I'm thankful that helped. BOWTWI: I remember you telling about some of that. LCM will answer to the Father of us all for his cruelty. I hope I get to watch! ;)--> Water Buff: Hugs to you too! WG

I think we've gone over the TWI treatment of children many times on other threads. However, thank God kids do wake up and smell the coffee eventually. That same self righteous slimeball told us to "get rid of him, he's a mad dog, don't let him back in your house!" Jeez, such compassion. Book Chapter and Verse, you creep! Show me where Jesus set up His church along those lines! I now have an opportunity to be with my son, his wife and our wonderful grandson. We go to a real church with loving people who do not cast out the needy and I'm praying for them to go with us. My favorite song right now is Kathy Troccoli's "Go Light Your World!" I sure don't believe in killing, but I could easily envision busting the chops of a few chosen people of that lousy and untoward TWI! NotinKS, I heard that too. I was in in 1973 and it was my first year I heard about that. I think the guy had been a Marine or something? People who speak in public forums to adoring fans had better watch their mouths, methinks. WG

I remember once the mini-MOG in our last branch telling us how "if this were the Old Testament I would be responsible for gathering the men of God of this city together to stone your son to death." Would he if he could have? He11 yes, he was an imitator of the MOGFODAT down to every breath he took. Would I had he commanded it? I used to think yeah probably you were pretty messed up, but now I think "No!" What annoyed me greatly at the time was that it wasn't about that pi$$y-a$$ed branch leader and his "sponsies", it was about an angry and rebellious 13-year-old boy. He should have wondered why the kid was so pi$$ed off? Could it be the fact that the most allegedly godly people around were treating him like crap? That the HFC's wife bitched him out for taking big bites of a tiny sliver of cheesecake and asking for more? Could it be that he was being crammed into a tiny mold that didn't fit him, and his own mother was too paralyzed by fear of death by separation from the Household of Faith, Piety, and Perfection that she couldn't stop them from their meanness? I think they killed his heart for God. But maybe it can be resurrected. WG