earthly family ......another twi-derogatory sucker punch

[skyrider]

Remember them reading A Day with the Wierwille's at Corps week?. They made thousands of us sit for hours in a tent and listen to a time when the Wierwille's all got together as a family and played in the snow at Gunnison. People, some with small kids, drove thousands of miles, spent days on the road, spent hundreds of dollars, sacrificed vacations, quit jobs etc. to sit around on a farm in humid Ohio and hear about VP meeting with his family. (Well, at least there were pictures.) If you were there, do you remember the great concluding statement, the great point of the whole story? Go get your barf bucket and I'll remind you. It was this: "If the Wierwille family does not stand together on The Word, the Word of God will not live in our day and time." Yessir, that was it! Our job as Corps was to take care of the Wierwille family. Not to herald the Word of God, but to take care of a "bless-ed holy family". That was the only way the Word was going to live, at least that was the implication. I was headed into my final year in residence then. I vividly remember walking across that bridge on Wierwille Rd. and being heartbroken. I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. There was no question it was a lie. But I was Corps which meant I believed VP was the Man of God which meant he didn't lie. I know now that I was starting to see that there was a serious flaw in the whole thing. I sort of just put the thing on the back burner. No one talked about it. At least not where I was present.

Meanwhile, everyone else's family line was completely irrelevant.

erkjohn.....yeah, the wierwille-worship corps week.

When it was all over.....my inner thoughts were, "That's absolutely nuts. My God isn't limited to wierwille's blood line and a wierwille grandson 'standing on the word.'" Of course, like most -- and not wanting to 'speak evil of the man of god' -- I, too, shoved it to the back corner of my mind and got ready for rock of ages.

From 1979-1985, wierwille seemed to escalate his self-bloated image at every turn. With the death of Harry (1977) and Ermal (1979)......the clock was ticking on wierwille to instill his wierwille legacy for generations to come. The 1980-81 corps nights were totally devoted to wierwille's "literal translations according to usage" in the Book of Romans for University of Life. The frenzy to get all this done, and recorded, was more important than the corps student.

Heck, even the wierwille crest was changed to spiritualize it.

----> .....no rose-colored glasses anymore!

[JavaJane]

OK, so what is the deal with a special prophecy over a grandson? I have never heard of this ridiculouness before!!!! (Didn't get in to twi until after the old poop (VP) passed.....)

[skyrider]

OK, so what is the deal with a special prophecy over a grandson? I have never heard of this ridiculouness before!!!! (Didn't get in to twi until after the old poop (VP) passed.....)

JJ........check the link below.

The Wierwille Heritage

[outandabout]

I remember how they cordoned off in white that special section they all got to sit in at the Rock.

[Nottawayfer]

Wow! That video excie posted was eye-opening! I remember the days when TWI was proud of being "the largest growing cult in America". Of course it was said in jest. I'm sure they were happy they were growing like they were in the 70s and 80s. It brought in a TON of money for them.

I remember Rhoda W telling me she would warn Uncle Harry and VPW of their doings with money in the early days, and she was ....ed they didn't listen to her. I use to eat lunch out with her on many Sundays. She said a lot. I wished I had the balls at that time to pry and ask questions. I was scared to ask her questions or even know anything because of the wrath of Martinfail.

Javajane,

I'm sorry to hear about your brother's past. The fact that he is 2 years sober and educating himself and setting goals really shows a lot of strength and determination on his part. I pray for the continued healing of your family.

[JavaJane]

Javajane,

I'm sorry to hear about your brother's past. The fact that he is 2 years sober and educating himself and setting goals really shows a lot of strength and determination on his part. I pray for the continued healing of your family.

Thanks! He is doing better every day.

And thanks, skyrider for that educational (and surreal) link!

[Broken Arrow]

I remember how they cordoned off in white that special section they all got to sit in at the Rock.

I'd forgotten all about that.

[waysider]

Here's a bit of a twist for you. What if you got your "earthly" family "in the word" BEFORE you left to go WOW or WC or FLO or WayD, etc? How could you leave your program of choice, go back home and NOT feel like a failure?

[excathedra]

praying for java brother

erk and sky and all -- listening to you all takes me back in time

that stupid wierwille family prophecy bullsheeta -- they stand or the whole world goes to hell in a handbasket

ohmygod

i'm embarrassed for them and for me lol

[skyrider]

Here's a bit of a twist for you. What if you got your "earthly" family "in the word" BEFORE you left to go WOW or WC or FLO or WayD, etc? How could you leave your program of choice, go back home and NOT feel like a failure?

Ironic, isn't it?

Twi defines the terms......1) earthly family, 2) in the word, 3) program rules, 4) success or failure.......and then, the 'Christian believer' finds contradictions of the program or teachings or minister abuse that VIOLATES scripture, and he/she is supposed to feel like a failure?

How about this........when one searches the scriptures and FINDS OUT THAT THINGS AS PREACHED ARE NOT SO...he/she is doing the will of God by leaving the abuse and those oppressors who deceive the elect of God?

Happy Trails.....

[waysider]

How about this........when one searches the scriptures and FINDS OUT THAT THINGS AS PREACHED ARE NOT SO...he/she is doing the will of God by leaving the abuse and those oppressors who deceive the elect of God?

Yeah.

It didn't feel like it at the time, though.

:(

[waysider]

And it wasn't only about feeling like a failure. It was also about feeling guilty that I may have led these people I really cared about into a snake pit. But the uncertainty was there due to lack of information----not like now, with the internet and all that----and there was the salt covenant thing, too----- so I stayed.

Edited July 16, 2010 by waysider

[Broken Arrow]

Here's a bit of a twist for you. What if you got your "earthly" family "in the word" BEFORE you left to go WOW or WC or FLO or WayD, etc? How could you leave your program of choice, go back home and NOT feel like a failure?

That was my situation, mom, stepdad, stepbrothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. I never thought much about leaving. Maybe part of that was that if I did I was going to have to face them. They would have taken me in, but it would have been something to have dealt with. I still would have had to deal with TWI since they were all twig leaders, children's fellowshipe leaders, etc. I had a bout with cancer, and even that caused some shame because obviously my believing wasn't there. I had a brother-in-law get pretty self-righteous about it. Obviously, according to him, I was full of fear. When I pushed back he looked at me and said, "Are you going to deny that you're full of fear?" The he said he still "loved me" and would "believe" for me. Today he is a recovering alcoholic and just finished his own succesful bout with cancer. He's a little more humble now. I guess I sometimes forget just how young we were at the time.

[waysider]

I really understand what you're saying, erkjohn.

[100% Free]

It's not too late for your brother. It takes a lot of strength and determination to stay sober for two years. That really does say a lot about him. He probably will end up having a succesful life and be able to give the compassion he was denied. It just takes time to heal first.

Java Jane,

I was thinking about your brother today and I had an idea. Have you ever heard of the lost boys of polygamy? I've seen some shows about boys born into groups that

practice polygamy. A lot of young boys are thrown out with nowhere to go and no money because the older leaders are afraid of the younger men, they want to stockpile the women for themselves.

Lost boys (polygamy)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See also: Lost boys

"Lost boys" are young men who have been excommunicated or pressured to leave polygynous groups such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS)[1]. They are allegedly pressured to leave by adult men to reduce competition for wives within such sects, usually when they are between the ages of 13 and 21.[2]

Simple mathematics dictates that with the birth of roughly equal numbers of boys and girls, and without an influx of females from outside the community, the practice of one-husband/multiple-wives polygamy leads unavoidably to shortages of marriageable females and a surplus of marriageable males. In particular, FLDS men are each expected to marry at least three wives.[1]

While some boys leave by their own choice, many are ostensibly banished for conduct such as watching a movie,[3] watching television,[4] playing football, or talking to a girl.[2] Some boys are told not to return unless they can return with a wife. There are also young women[5] who have left or been pressured to leave because they did not want to be part of polygamous marriages.[6] One estimate is that between 400 and 1,000 boys have been pressured to leave for such reasons.[1]

Boys in these sects are commonly raised not to trust the outside world, and may be taught that leaving their communities is a sin worse than murder.[7][8] These boys are usually left with little education or life skills and must learn to live in a world about which they know little, while dealing with the consequences of being shunned by their families, and believing they are beyond spiritual redemption. The families of banished boys are told that the boys are now dead to them.[4] Some individuals, such as Dan Fischer, a dentist who left the FLDS church, work to help young men who have left or who have been ejected from polygamist organizations in cities like Hildale, Utah, or Colorado City, Arizona.[9] [10]

I was wondering if people who work to help these boys might have some insight or advice to offer for your brother because he would probably have had some of the same experiences as some of these lost boys. Just a thought. Hope you don't mind.

Edited July 16, 2010 by 100% Free

[100% Free]

When you say "still standing"......you mean "still standing in lockstep with twi" right?

None of wierwille's five kids are in twi.

Don -- died at age 60, in 2000.

M@ry -- not involved since the early 70s (?)

K@ren - not involved, except help to edit Mrs. W's book in 1995.

J.P. - affiliates with CFF, the "half-sister of twi"

S@ra - on staff at CFF

The special prophesy of grandson Luke Som3rv1lle....totally bogus.

It was all hushed over and not spoken in public again.

Thanks for the info. Yeah, lockstep with twi is what I meant.

Interesting. Hope the kid didn't suffer living under that kind of false prophesy.

[skyrider]

And it wasn't only about feeling like a failure. It was also about feeling guilty that I may have led these people I really cared about into a snake pit. But the uncertainty was there due to lack of information----not like now, with the internet and all that----and there was the salt covenant thing, too----- so I stayed.

waysider.....I hear what you're saying.

It was tough, but everytime I started to 'feel like a failure'.....I claimed the high ground of scriptural truths wherein they lie in wait to deceive. Yes, I was warned time and time again to watch out for wolves, pharisees, false prophets, deceivers, seducers, clouds that hold no rain, oppressors, lords over God's heritage, etc. etc.

Twi failed God........Twi failed us.

Period.

[HappyGay]

One of my siblings and I were talking about this very thing last night. I "marked and avoided" my family for five years after they were kicked out of the WC because I believed the lies Mosquito told me (he was on the phone with my LC the MOMENT he had them pack up their stuff and leave, and my LC was on the phone with me IMMEDIATELY after - they missed my parent's call to me by SECONDS... How is that for trying to break up a family??) They never specifially told me to M&A my family, but it was encouraged, and I remember having meetings with my LC where he told me that it would be "best" to limit my contact with them because it was effecting me spiritually.

Prior to this in preparation for inresidentured training as WC, my parents kicked my 16 year old brother out for being "rebellious"... kicked out as in threw him out on the street with NOTHING but the clothes on his back. He lived under a bridge for a while before he took up dealiing drugs to make enough money to live - because no one would hire a 16 year old at a legitimate job without an address or parents' permission. He is still recovering from that.

Well, it has been seven years since I reconciled with my family, and three years since I left TWI. My family is still effected by the whole situation - they keep major life events secret until they absolutely have to tell someone else (major life event like marriage, divorce, "I'm going overseas for the next six months and you can't contact me", major across country moves, etc.) The entire family is disconnected. We do love each other, and I have one brother I am very close with now, and for that I am thankful. But when you compare that to my husband's family (and according to TWI, we should NEVER compare!) my family is a tattered mess. See, my husband's family was never in TWI.... there is nothing more important to them than family - and that includes in-laws like me! Our child plays with her second and third cousins on a monthly if not weekly basis. FAMILY.... EARTHLY FAMILY is more important than any religious group.

And if any religious group tries to break up families, they have nothing to do with God.

And if any religious group tries to put down the importance of the family to GOD, then God is not in them,

GOD loves us - he is our Father (in Christian religions) and our Mother (in other religions)... God is the Ultimate Parent, the Designer of families. To try and pull those bonds apart that God built into our DNA is evil.

My heart goes out for your poor brother. TWI has made innocent people such terrible victims. Out on the street at 16... my mind cannot fathom his pain or resentments! I bet he has a heart of gold before God. Gosh, this story really upsets me and I pray he'll know peace, prosperity and great love. It is so due him. Damx TWI !

Edited July 18, 2010 by HappyGay