vickles

Thanks you all for all of your input. I can understand why some wouldn't want to check out churches because of what we believed when we were in twi. I couldn't go into church either when I first got out. Now, I can and actually enjoy it. I'm surprised on how much of the bible they actually do know. Mind you, I still can't get into going every sunday. And if someone asked me for a comittment they would most likely not see me there anymore. But this one certain church has shown me nothing but kindness and sharing and I've been going there off and on for three years.

Ok, I have to ask....what does SAHMs stand for?

I got this from a private message of someone that wants to be anonymous but gave permission for me to post part of what was said. To me it was very interesting..... _____________ Just like a drug addict has to hit rock bottom before he will stop abusing his DOC (drug of choice), a person in a cult normally will go thru hell before finally leaving. After the initial detox to cleanse the system of the 'problem', the person is left without the thing that worked on the pleasure center of his brain for so long. With drugs it's obvious what gave the pleasure. With a cult it's a little different for everyone, but the main things would be the love bombing and sense of community and likemindedness a cult gives. If the person doesn't find something to replace his DOC or cult, he stands a very good chance of going into a deep depression and that can lead him to a relapse. For an addict that means going back to abusing drugs, for a cult member it means finding another group that is similar to the one he left, if he doesn't return to the same cult again. Just as addicts have groups such as AA and NA for support, ex-TWI people have the GS Cafe. Both work on the same principle of helping the person refrain from going back to the thing which was destroying their life and giving them a place to go, to talk to others with similar experiences, to talk it all over with and get the needed support. Very few can do it on their own without having a relapse. --------

ok Cindy, where is the gossip?

I know John from when I was corpse and the afterwards when I left twi, and I'm not going to bring up some poop but what has been mentioned is not that bad. Its been in public and John has even wrote a letter about it. So I don't think there is judging going on with what he has done in the past. If you are going to lead an organization as he has then your life is going to be put up front and yes it is going to be judged. If I'm interested in joining an organization I don't want to join it blindly by people acting all nicey nicey to me. I want to know if it is what it says it is and that the people that are representing it are on the up and up. If they aren't (which is what this is all about) then I want to know. I don't really call this judgement. He put it in there for others to see. Now if you disagree with me that is fine. We can agree to disagree. But I will not go back and forth and fight about it.

Wow, strong words, cindy. I'm sorry you feel that way. I am in agreement with mj. He did put himself in the limelight so to speak. Right? Cindy, I have no need to 'fight' just trying to make a statement here which I think we can, right?

exactly rottie, thanks for defining it. I know it happens over and over again but its just so frustrating. I mean really you leave because of different reasons and join something that is similar in everyway with the same people? I was wondering if it was refusal to believe that they may have been wrong all these years? To most people it would be hard to except they made a mistake for years on end.

Good question....mike are you going to answer? I would like to hear it also.

Its like people still want to worship man.... Ok I think I'm done.

Ok, I see that its going to be hard to respond to this one. Why do people leave twi only to go to an offshoot and go through the same stuff? And then won't admit that its the same? I'm not talking beleifs here I'm talking about the politics and worship.

Ok I'm going to get crap for this but maybe I'm just in that kind of mood... It really gets me about these people in offshoots that are against twi but they are just like twi. They even have their own little catch phrases...maybe not the same as twi but they are there. If you notice, they have the same pat answers as the other member. This drives me crazy!!! Ok there, I said it, its out!!!!! So there!!!! :P--> :P--> :P--> --> -->

A couple of years ago he had to get out of his position at CES because of sexual issues. Not too long ago... Has he ever had a secular job? I'm sorry you guys who totally believe in him, he was just the front guy...funny, outgoing, kind of personality that attracted people. That doesn't mean that he was all truth. Sound familiar, huh?

Well, this has got to be a first...MJ I totally agree with you. He has had problems for years and this is a great opportunity for him to get his life together. I wish John the best and hope he finds a secular job out in the real world to find out what its like to be a regular person.

Galen, I'm not saying that signs, miracles and wonders did not happen just if it did. I know of some stories that just weren't true. But, I'm sure that others did happen. I'm saying that twi 1 and vpw 1 was a fallacy. If you did see anything it was because of God and his Word not because of vpw and twi. There were things going on from the beginning. Just that some didn't see it until later. You think that it changed over night? It was always there. Vpw was able to hide it better than lcm is all.

Twi itself was always the same. There were things going on from the very beginning. Its a fallacy that everything was great and wonderful because of vpw and twi. If you did see signs, miracles, and wonders it was not because of vpw or twi but because of God, if it actually was happening at all.

O Shaz, Happy Birthday Hope you had a great Obirthday and it was the best O one you ever had.... :P-->

I agree with everyone here. Its been really great reading your experiences. You have great writing skills. You have written it so well and simply. I am eagerly waiting to hear how you got out, and who you ended up marrying. I'm wondering if its the guy who you met on the field and didn't take the class.

So Walter is heading up for environmental toxins...that is exactly what he would say to all his patients of twi. They had toxins. Well, he was really into it. LOL

:P--> hehe brat!!!!

Sudo, I've also experienced that at times too.

Yes it is, Crinnion, I know the spelling is wrong but yes that is it. I just hate this because I knew them so well and now after so many years I feel like I have alzheimers....

The guys name in seattle was walter....gosh I forget his last name, starts with a C. He is in arizona now as I understand it. To be honest, I never did like his treatments with his patients simply because it seemed to me that everyone was having the same problems and had the very same treatments. Seemed bogus to me.

Its slow as molasses here around the evening time but that is when I get here on the weekdays. I've had to give up at times because it took so long... :(--> I checked sporadic because on the weekends its very fast at times but others its slow.

Abi, We had norton and it made our computer worse. In fact, after time our computer went down. We had to start all over again and no way would I ever get norton again. We have McAfee and it works great!!!! We are very happy with it.

Now, Kris, what a great idea!!!!! I could go for that one.... :)-->