I'll tell you what I would have done differently...
Nothing.
I learned more about God and the Bible because of my years in the TWI than I would have otherwise. I just didn't take it "by faith." I was on the ministry leadership "poop" list long before it was common. I spent my childhood in a Baptist church where I got born again as a child, spoke in tongues before I was 12, got sent to Lutheran church to get confirmed and hung out in three or four other churches before the Way came along at age 16. I devoted myself to the folks I was "in it" with, not the "ministry". Oh yeah, I had big dreams about being a big shot in TWI, but then I kept asking all those hard questions. TWI taught me about magical books like concordances and interlinears and things like greek and hebrew and yada yada.
(Important tip for cult leaders... don't show people those pesky concordances, the sheeple might read them and question your doctrines!)
Hey they weren't all wrong. My beta machine is over 20yrs old and still works like a charm! Oh, that Athletes of the Spirit thingie. Got to the end... thought about it for an hour or so... chalked off the price and recorded three Dr. Who episodes over it. William Hartnell rocks.
So is my life all I could ever ask for? HELL NO. I'm 52 years old and I still have to get a "D" or better in next semester's alg/calc into class to finish my degree. But that's okay cause I got a decent job. I learned how to teach in TWI and another believer and I bought a Commodore 64. I teach computer stuff at a respected career college and I've used every iota of what I learned about people and teaching from the my years teaching "twig" in the TWI to make a difference in the lives of everyday people and the occasional felon.
Anyway, I've had my rant now. Probably get tossed eh? Oh well. Look I can't take it back, you know, all those years. They're gone. Kerput. Todalu. But I'm still breathing and still making hay while the sun is shining.
God help those poor folks in the "TWI offshoot" I'm hanging with now. Just last Sunday I had to up and say how the "meeting" reminded me of a twig fellowship. (NOTE: that statement is called an "insult.")
Well, anyway... I love all of you folks... every last one of you. Yeah, even the ones that bent me over the fence rail for a go or two. God is still God and I'm still a favored child.
BTW... if you know a sweet gal name of Linda, a chain smoking, ex-cabbie, red head from Minnesota... well she is sleeping now. Her kin found me and I'm doing her funeral next Sunday. Say a prayer for her family and I'll say one tonight for you.
