Stayed Too Long

Wonderful you have completed your master's and glad we could add a little to your accomplishment. I am returning to complete my BS this fall. In a few years I too will be able to exclaim "mission accomplished". ohhh where have I heard that before??

...people jumped all over me like Mel Gibson at a barmitzvah!...

or at the police station having his mug shot taken after running the Jews down while partaking of a few brewskis.

I was a twig coordinator for a number of years and came down pretty hard on a couple of people, which looking back, was wrong on my part. I would apologize to them if I knew where they were today. Other than that there is really nothing more I can do. Whether they would forgive me would be up to them, and I would have to live with their decision. Whether they would or wouldn't I still have to forgive myself and move on.

There are examples in the bible of terrible things leaders did to people, including murder, and they were able to forgive themselves and get on with their life. People everyday in the world wrong others and they have to forgive themselves. We are not required to try and carry on a friendship with those we have harmed in the past. Best let sleeping dogs lie, as the saying goes.

Looks like the only thing that seperates them from the rest of us is they stand very still for a long period of time.

Do you think, at some point in the future, we will evolve spiritually to the place where we all agree? Or at least to a place where we can all live together peaceably?

There are so many intrepretions of the bible today, even though it states it is of no private intrepretation. If it were possible to let it intrepret itself, so everyone would know it was the correct one, why are there so many around? Just within Christianity there are thousands of "right dividings". How can this be possible? Expecting these thousands of Christian religions to agree is slim to nothing, and then throw in the Jewish religion, which ignores the New Testament.....well easier to part the Red Sea or move mountains.

....and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives....

Really???? Sounds extreme.

Watered Garden your son should not have had to endure what he did at the hands of TWI, and for them to tell you to get rid of him.....very ruthless. I count myself fortunate to have never encountered such people in my years. I think being in Montana, with not too many people, helped as there were not many Corps here. And once the Corps went full time and showed up in force, I got out.

I does amaze me how people remain in TWI after being exposed to all the harm they inflicted on families and children. More amazing is how people remain in Roman Catholicism, who have harmed exponentially more families and children, but that is another thread sometime.

Hope things are going well with you and your family, WG.

Oh the stories I could tell, Stayed too Long. Some I have, some I never will in a public forum. Sufficient to say the advice I was given and the pressure that was placed on me and my children's father made our experience very very different from yours.

However, I am thankful that I got out while my kids were very very young. I am also thankful that my heart would not be ignored, but SCREAMED at me that what I was being told to do was WRONG.

I am sorry to hear of the heavy handedness so many experienced at the hands of The Way Corp and others when it came to child rearing. Some of the children have posted here concerning their up bringing; something I would not wish on anyone.

Thank you for sharing some of your experiences.

What, she didn't mention the rod of correction? She didn't tell them that if they beat their kids into submission with a wooden spoon their mornings would be more peaceful?

Thankfully my family did not run into this attitude in any of the twigs we were a part of. The rod of correction was never overly emphasized (I do believe in using it), but a tool to be used in rearing our children. No mothers or fathers we hell bent on beating their kids into submission, but rather understanding and loving. When the rod was used it was only a tap on the rear end, with no marks or bruising.

My daughter was born and raised in in The Way until she was 16, and has fond memories of her time there, except for the Way Disciple's 6 months period. She does not feel she was beaten into submission and looks back on the adults as loving and kind.

I can recall one boy who was diagnosed with Attention Deficient Disorder, and pains were taken by his parents and the twig to understand him, and to be accepting. He got into a lot of trouble at school but the result was never to beat him. He is now 22, and my daughter sees him from time to time, and says he is much more relaxed today. His parents did not give him any drugs as the doctors and school wanted, but spent much time understanding teaching him how to be more peaceful.

Often times the only Way Corp around were leaders in another city. Regular 'wayfers' were coordinators in the cities, so we did not have the heavy hand of the Way Corp coming down on us day in and day out. I think non Corp parents were much more relaxed and not into the regimentation of Corp. When the Corp went full time and the coordinators had to be Corps I left and my wife and I split up. She and our daughter stayed in for a couple more years, but took off when all the crap about LCM started hitting the fan.

Carroll begins by going through her capture and what mistakes were made to allow it to happen in the first place. Her interperter was shot and killed during the kidnapping, and she was rushed to several houses in the first day, allowed to watch tv, and fed quite well.

The overview of the entire 82 days was mind opening. Believing she would be killed, Carroll pleaded with her captures to use a gun to kill her and not a knife, as she would rather die from a bullet to the head than having her head cut off.

Carroll's account of her ordeal in Iraq begins airing to night by The Christian Science Monitor.

A "positive" result yet again, for test B.

(((((((sigh)))))))

I feel for him. If he's innocent.

Either way, he's done. The media fries you and tries you before you can defend yourself.

If he's guilty, then ..........@#$%^&&@&%@!!!#@^%$^@!!!#$%^%!!!!!!!

I feel better now, thanks. :blink:

It does sound pretty conclusive he was doping. Here are his explanations for what might have gone wrong:

Maybe-it-was-the-beer-and-Jack-Daniel's-the-night-before.

Maybe-it-was-the-cortisone-shot-for-my-bad-hip.

Maybe-it-was-my-thyroid-medication.

Maybe-I-just-naturally-have-sky-high-levels-of-testosterone.

Maybe somehow or some way I ingested something that caused the tests to be that way.

They don't sound too convincing at this point.

It takes many acts of kindness to build a friendship, but only one stupid act to end it.

STL

Thanks for your input. I do the same when I meet guys online. It's always in a neutral location and I meet them there. My friends know about it and sometimes pop by to make sure all is well. You can never be too cautious in this day and time.

One guy I met wanted me to come to his house so that he could cut my hair. I didn't go and he got real nasty. Said if he saw me he was going to shave me bald. lol. I am glad I didn't give him any personal information.

It only requires a little common horse sense to keep yourself safe when meeting new folks. Glad you are out meeting new guys and enjoying yourself.

Right on, LindaZ. I probably watch too much of 'America's Most Wanted', but I had the same thoughts as you and I am not a mother!!!!!

Gotta be careful in today's world.

I have visited a number of woman in internet chat rooms and dating services, and subsequently arranged to meet them. The first few get togethers are always in a public place, and some bring friends along. Before you go out alone with a new person you have to feel comfortable with him or her. It is no different than dating someone from work, church, corner bar, or local dance hall. You have to make a judgment call that you will be safe. If after meeting in a safe place you do not trust them or have questions, just excuse yourself and tell them no thanks. No big deal-just apply a little common sense.

I believe people are over reacting when in comes to meeting new people because they "watch too much of 'America's Most Wanted'", and other such shows. What is wrong with meeting new people? For every encounter that turns bad there are thousands or millions that come off with out a hitch. That is like deciding not to ride in a car or fly in an airplane because some have crashed. Or refusing to have surgery because there is a possiblity of dying from the knock out drugs. Life is full of risks and it is necessary to take them at times; other wise plan on leading a dull existence.

FreeAtLast guys are just as scared of approaching you as you are of them--rejection, "Am I good enough?", "Why would she want to go out with me?", type thoughts. An extra big smile or "Thanks for asking" can go along ways with a guy to keep the pursuit moving along.

I just saw the display on the History Channel and thought it was great. The woman and her fetus in her womb was very interesting and informative. I liked seeing the display of the man riding a horse as it shows the muscles used by both in the position they are in. I would definitely see it live.

I will soon be 60 and feeling pretty good physically and mentally. I plan to return to school part time this fall to upgrade my AAS to a BS degree, and hopefully after that get a MBA, if the creek don't rise and the hogs come home. I have worked in the IS field most of my life and would like to move into business or teach at college, for something new and challenging. Retiring is not really in my crystal ball as long as I can keep going.

My mind is sure not as sharp as it once was but have been able to deal with it alright. I take extra steps to review things I must do at work, so I keep up and don't get behind. I think more about what I have to do and it is more time consuming but the job gets down correctly.

On thing though, the ole bod gets pretty stiff at times so have found it necessary to make a routine of doing stretching exercises, as it was getting to the point of almost impossible to put my shoes and socks on because of the pain and stiffness. Usually 30 minutes every other day keeps me pretty limber.

I have no major health problems and am very thankful for that. So many much younger than me do not have the fortunate health I am blessed with. I watch what I eat (less fat and calories), watch lots of tv, and read several newspapers every day. I see to it I have to have regular check ups at the doc's office. This gives me peace of mind and hopefully will help to nip any problems in the bud if they happen.

I have been divorced for 10 years and most likely will not be getting married again. Answering to no one is very nice, although it does get lonesome at times. I do date and almost got married a few years ago, but have found it can cause problems with the new family and mine. Even adult children find it difficult to see their parent(s) with another person. The most recent gal I was seeing has a 14 and 18 year old and it was obvious they did not want me in the picture. At this stage in my life I don't like to have to dance around and side step people who don't want me there.

Being able to accept my mortality has been challenging, but think I am getting there. And trying to figure out this god character has also been a problem. Oh well, always something to work on eh? I have learned that having day to day questions or problems in my life is not all that bad. Just have to deal with them and not feel like I am being singled out. Everyone has their issues to deal with so we all belong to the same club.

Enjoy getting older!!!!!!

Statistically, far more men cheat and leave than women do.

Like fatal heart attacks, women are quickly catching up to men in this area also.

Not watching....nor much interested.

If a couple goes into the relationship...or decides at any point in the relationship...that the 'rules' make extra-relationship sex/affairs OK, then it isn't cheating. This is if the couple decides together, imo.............Cheating is only a problem when it was not expected. IMO

Aw, to have your ability to express myself. Thank you.

God was telling you to keep going straight after they turned off ... and to not look back ... you got it right eventually

I did miss the rev didn't I? If only I had listened it would have saved me years of frustration.

I have done my best to forgive the whole bunch at TWI and work at forgiving anyone else who has done me wrong also. Gawd only knows the wrong I have done to others. From my personal experience forgiving does not require a confession on anyones part, only an attitude change on my part. It doesn't happen immediately, requires time, some longer than others, but it can happen.

My WOW year was coming to an end and all from the area were in a caravan enroute to the ROA. There were probably 10 or more cars in the trek from Mass to Ohio, and the branch guy mapped out the route we would travel including exit ramps. He said no one was to deviate from the plan so we would all stay together and no one would get lost.

I was driving the last car in our group when all of a sudden the leader decided to take a different exit than what was planned. It was through a very busy city that had 4 or 5 lanes of traffic on the interstate. and we were all in the middle lane when he decided to make the change. I could not get to the exit lane before arriving at the off ramp, so had to go to the next one, turn around, and come back. They were all waiting for me, and when I arrived got chewed out "for missing the revelation", that God was trying to tell me. If I would have been "walking with God", He would have told me a change of route had taken place and I should have changed lanes earlier.

What is even more stupid than that is I believed him.

OK Galen and Stayed Too Long, I'll bite. . . . What Scripture supports this? ? ?

Are you saying that just because it happened in the Bible it's Biblical?

What about , "..let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband?"

There is an account of some guy's daughters getting him drunk to have sex with them, and there was no condemnation of the women by God. The Kings in the bible had concubines and were not held accountable by God. God did get upset with David once but only because he had the concubine's husband killed first. In Timothy a leader is told to be the husband of one wife, which indicates it was available to have more than one wife.