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Spiritual Emotions


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Alright, here's another one.

Craig used to teach (don't know if VPW ever took this stance) that since revelation comes by way of the "five spiritual senses", there was also such thing as "spiritual emotions" that were a form of revelation. Biblical examples included when Jesus was "moved with compassion" or angry with the money changers in the temple. These weren't regular emotions, but spiritual energizing to respond to a particular situation.

He went on to explain that he would recognize "spiritual emotions" because they would come on suddenly and didn't seem merited from a five-senses point of view. Furthermore, he recognized it as revelation because the emotional state would vanish as soon as he acted on it. (Seriously, I'm not making this up.) Anyone who interacted with Craig much saw MUCH more "spiritual anger" than any other spiritual emotion.

There much wrong with this teaching. One thing that stands out to me is the implied importance of disregarding that "voice of reason" most of us have. When experiencing an intense emotion like anger, we need to get good at hearing that faint voice of sanity telling us to calm down. Instead, LCM elevated his violent mood swings to the realm of "spiritual emotions" that should be acted on as revelation from God.

What fruit did this teaching produce? Exactly none. Those leaders prone to LCM-like rashness felt validated, and viewed this tendency for anger and vicious criticism as a great spiritual strength. It was precisely the opposite. For those of us of a milder temperament, we felt compelled to fabricate the kind of intensity exhibited by these "leaders". Many were cast aside as weaklings. Others of us spent years viewing a great strength in temperance as an embarrassing deficiency.

...but I digress. Anyone know if this "spiritual emotions" teaching is still in the advanced class?

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I'll have to check my syllabus at home, but this sounds familiar.

I can tell you at the gulag (a few years after lcm) I was being trained, no, instructed to use my spiritual five senses. Spirtual smelling, hearing etc. It was my job to use them.

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I have no idea if it is still taught but I do remember this being quite a big deal in the AC in 1973.

It wasn't only anger but the whole spectrum of emotions.

In other words, if you suddenly felt unexplainable fear, anxiety, sexual desire etc. when in the presence of someone, this was supposed to be the Christ in you speaking to your spirit via the five senses. This is on page 8 of the AC "silly-bus" and is called The Great Principle. God's Spirit teaches His creation in you which is now your spirit and your spirit teaches your mind. Then, it becomes manifested in the senses realm as you act. The graphic for it shows God as a triangle(interesting choice for an anti-trinitarian group,no?) directed toward a circle that had "spirit" directing to "soul" directing to "body" and directed outward as you speak out. I guess the speaking out part would only apply if you subsequently divulged your revelation. Seems like a long way to go just to say you had a "gut feeling".

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At this point in life and don't think Craig or VP had a clue about spiritual emotions OR walking by the Spirit. VP was a hot tempered German and Craig was a hot tempered... The only spiritual emotions they displayed were flesh (five senses) emotions manifested due to demonic control.

People, people...we need to study spirit, soul and body. Thats right. Spirit should come first. The Spirit bypasses the mind. The mind learns later. But. You see, There are a bunch of verses in the bible stating that man is a spiritual being. We possess a soul and live in a body. When God made Adam he breathed spirit life into him.

Ok, I am off topic.

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I don't remember many of my dreams, but this one was just too weird. I dreamed I was at HQ just a few years ago. I went in the auditorium and people came up to me and greeted me (including LCM himself) even though I was deemed "contaminated" when I left TWI 10 yrs earlier. After this I recall looking around the room and everywhere I looked someone was chewing out someone else. It appeared as routine as manifestations for a TWI fellowship. Also, when LCM came up to me to greet me, he looked like that scene in the movie 'Poltergeist' where the guy is picking his skin off his face and throwing it in the sink. He looked like he was decomposing, yet walking around as though everything was fine. He told me I could hang around if I wanted. Cheerful tone of voice. :confused:

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I don't remember many of my dreams, but this one was just too weird. I dreamed I was at HQ just a few years ago. I went in the auditorium and people came up to me and greeted me (including LCM himself) even though I was deemed "contaminated" when I left TWI 10 yrs earlier. After this I recall looking around the room and everywhere I looked someone was chewing out someone else. It appeared as routine as manifestations for a TWI fellowship. Also, when LCM came up to me to greet me, he looked like that scene in the movie 'Poltergeist' where the guy is picking his skin off his face and throwing it in the sink. He looked like he was decomposing, yet walking around as though everything was fine. He told me I could hang around if I wanted. Cheerful tone of voice. :confused:

OK----Now tell us about the "weird" dream. :blink:

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It's amazing how twi leadership could twist scripture and concepts to indulge themselves in their own mean spirited egotism.

Spiritual emotions?...Gimme a break, these buffoons don't know spirit from gummy bears...never did, never will... That's why they have disgraced themselves and continue to live like the jackels they are.

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I do not know what Craig was talking about. Perhaps, he said that so he could melt someone’s face and claim it to be of God.

But I do believe there are many “spiritual” happenings.

For instance:

I worked with this guy who made me feel funny (emotions) and every time I walked by him I saw him shake. It was so very, very odd. I had witnessed to, and now had about four other believers at work. I said to Michelle, “Watch me walk by this guy and he will start shaking.”

I walked by him, he began to shake. Only, she did not see it. Only I saw it.

Later, my car broke down and he asked if I needed a ride home? I knew something was WRONG. So, I declined. Later, I found out he had been in jail for rape.

The Holy Spirit did warn me. I did feel something and I did see something beyond my five senses.

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Dot

You touched on some very interesting points there(IMO)

First, based on your recounting of the event, you did not solicite God to give you revelation. He just dropped it unexpectedly into your lap. Even after you saw it, you did not realize what it was you were seeing until after the fact. Do you see where I'm going with this? He gives it where and when He deems appropriate. TWI had it backwards. They had US telling GOD when and where.For many people there may never be a "where and when." And that's OK! It doesn't matter because it's not our choice in the first place. It's only our choice how we react to it and respond.

Second, when it happened, it was as large as life, not one of those deals where you think"Was it or wasn't it?" or

"Gee, did God show me that parking space was open?"

The same guy who told us it would come as a small, still voice also told us all the women in the kingdom belonged to the king. Where is his credibility now? Only God can determine if it will be a small, still voice or a guy shaking with the heebie jeebies or some guy you know almost nothing about being depicted in a vivid mental picture as someone who is grinning devilishly and displaying the "Hey!, here's my I.Q." symbol. Wierwille said"Just reach up in the cookie jar and see if there is anything there." In my opinion, if God has a cookie for you it will plop down on the table right there in front of you before you even think about being hungry.

God not only determines where and when, He also determines how, even if He has to burn some shrubbery in the process.

Remember that old TV show Candid Camera? The opening line to the theme song was"When you least expect it, you're

elected..."

Well------ that's just my opinion.

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Dot: that's really cool. Just like Moses and the burning bush and Peter and the sheet full of animals, God gave you a non verbal before eventually getting to the verbal message. Best part: you don't get hurt.

That's one thing TWI had right: that even God Himself is both able and willing to help little ME (us). Most church people I've met seem to think that God is like some corporate big shot or high profile celebrity...that He couldn't possibly have the time or the inclination to get involved with MY life. But He does.

Edited by johniam
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Funny, after that happened which was so cool --

I went into another place for a job. As I sat in the room, it filled with cigar smoke and I got sick. I went up to the receptionist and told her I was sorry, but I could not fill out the paperwork and I was leaving. She asked why? I told her I could not tolerate the cigar smoke.

She said "There is no cigar smoke in here."

(And nobody was smoking...)

I knew then, God wanted me to leave. I never knew why -- but I knew it was God and I left.

And yes, God just did this for me. I wasn't in the cookie jar. I was just a believer in the early days of the early 70's.

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