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Pffft.....70th anniversary?


OldSkool
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Och, you remind me of things I'd forgotten ... how I was spied on when in rez and the times I retired at night reported to the Corps Coord and thence to LCM ... the frogmarching off to meetings with Craig or the CC - not for a facemelting but for a very quiet (chilling) reprimand and his pitiful sighs about my spiritual ability ... how horrified (if not to say terrified) I felt when after graduation I thought I might have to go back to HQ and work on staff ... the ultra-organization of one's time ... too much stuff that I am not going to dredge up.

I live a nice life now, thanks, and truly feel that I am SERVING GOD AND SERVING HIS PEOPLE. And in return I feel genuinely loved by God, and genuinely cared for by people at my church. Oh and I make occasional mistakes along the line and people just smile lovingly and say, don't worry about it.

Oh what a cop-out I am (NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I don't think they were ever dropped. I think demoted to "twig coordinators", put through the wringer by the Fort/Lally leadership, then when those guys left/got demoted eventually they convinced probably Rosie of their undying loyalty and were advanced back to Limb, Region, then Trunk, now Sr. Officer positions.

Martindale, at one time, referred to these as "battlefield promotions."

In other words, when people are dropping left and right.....the situation dictates that anyone with a modicum

of gung-ho passion is assigned to take charge. If a lowly 'twig area coordinator' was the best available, then

that's who was given the "promotion."

Oh, that's right.......twi scrubbed 'twig area coordinator' and twig references from twi around 1991. It was

their subtle way of erasing the ERROR OF WIERWILLE DOCTRINE.......after the fog years. The whole concept and

'foundation structure of outreach' ie 'the way tree' was not backed up by scripture. Enter.....Household

Fellowships, Branch, Limb (oooops!).....guess more scrubbing is needed.

:biglaugh:

Staff at TWI HQ is the utmost in lording control over people. Since the lawsuits there is at least some semblance of keeping personal or work lives separate. However, they get around that easily.

For example, there are policies as to living on grounds vs. off grounds. Living quarters many times share two families to a unit (read: trailer), and in any case of bringing someone into HQ for perceived disciplinary or reform reasons, the other couple in the living quarters is instructed to spy on and report on home behavior.

HQ is a fiefdom that has been set up for decades to run around one person, to be based off of one person's ideas and input. This is why TWI will never work to reform or clean up. The infrastructure in place was set up by the original false teacher and built from to make worse. It plays in to the worst in human nature - suspicion, control, micromanagement, whispering, and of course the shunning behavior.

The whole program was structured with an ELDER corps to "watch over" (monitor and spy) over the YOUNGER corps.

Wierwille employed a structure where "the blind lead the blind."

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OldSkool......as you know, the onslaught of ever-changing policies, teachings, leadership changes, people exiting,

debt purge, homo purge, non-productive evil and destructive evil suspicions, etc. etc. made for a whirlwind of

changing the twi-landscape forever. But yes, I believe you are correct.......the mullins replaced the lichts.

For years, the mullins were on twi's "watch list"........and, seemingly, leadership over them were reporting back to hq

on the mullins' "progress." In other words, the mullins had to jump thru a series of hoops to rebuild their integrity of

supporting twi. I do not recall whether they went back inrez......but they might have. These types of situations are

kept out of public view, of course. Twi does not want to put a spotlight on those leaders who split out.......and, years

later, debase themselves and let the alpha male dominate.

In more subdued fashion, Bill and Regina S@ge resigned from their region responsibilities and slipped away to work secularly

and raise their family. From what I heard, the s@ges had a tough time paying the bills and resolved to go back to twi.

Everybody has got bills to pay. <_<

It was Tom and Lois Guelli who were the limb leaders in Michigan in the 1990s who were removed. Allen and Debbie came in and replaced them as limb leaders. They left when the "one time affair" came out and were then replaced by John and Joyce Neize (sp). I think they Neize's are still in charge there, at least that was the last I had heard.

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How ghastly AWFUL... I am SOOO glad I got out when I did. It was so much easier to build a life at age 31 than later. Of course, I've changed careers a couple of times since, but...

anyway, Sky... I hope you write that book.

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How ghastly AWFUL... I am SOOO glad I got out when I did. It was so much easier to build a life at age 31 than later. Of course, I've changed careers a couple of times since, but...

anyway, Sky... I hope you write that book.

Rocky.....yeah, be ever-thankful you got away from twi when you did.

And, thanks for the encouragement on writing that book.

Those corps leaders, who have spent 20-40 years in twi's structure, are immeasureably ENSNARED. As noted above, even some who

dissent and/or want to strike out on a new path [at age 35 or 40] find tough slogging.

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They left when the "one time affair" came out and were then replaced by John and Joyce Neize (sp). I think they Neize's are still in charge there, at least that was the last I had heard.

John Neize replaced me at HQ, taking over the department I no longer wanted to coordinate. I worked with him a few weeks to get his feet on the ground. Very capable person who really needed nothing from me. I liked him a lot. They had been branch coordinators in Mich. before coming to HQ, so perhaps they really didn't care to do a limb. I knew several folks who hated the paperwork associated with being a limb guy.

Edited by OldSkool
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Second here on encouragement for writing a book. You are a prolific and inspiring author, even on simple thread posts. I would buy a copy.

At this point, I don't know if I really want to go thru the painstaking task of resurfacing all these details.

Honestly, it's quite embarrassing to admit that I got ensnared in twi's cult and how it altered my life.

Besides.....by the grace of God and a truckload of perseverance, I came out on the other side intact

with a special wife and family.

But if I did write it, should I include......??

1) My 'Ten Days of Deprogramming' experience

2) Escaping from the halfway house and phoned twi & flown back to hq

3) Recovering at Don and Wanda's and documenting the experience

4) Meeting with VPW for 3 days on his motorcoach to write "By The Way" articles

5) Wierwille's prophesy that my parents would disown me (which did not happen)

6) Finishing my research paper ahead of others despite all this

7) Later..at our wedding, lcm-performed the ceremony, howard-walked my bride down aisle, and rosie-bridesmaid

8) Etc. etc......

For years, I've kept a very low profile.......but with all that I've shared, twi obviously knows who I am.

There's more, too..........but will leave that for later.

.

Edited by skyrider
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At this point, I don't know if I really want to go thru the painstaking task of resurfacing all these details.

Honestly, it's quite embarrassing to admit that I got ensnared in twi's cult and how it altered my life.

Besides.....by the grace of God and a truckload of perseverance, I came out on the other side intact

with a special wife and family.

But if I did write it, should I include......??

1) My 'Ten Days of Deprogramming' experience

2) Escaping from the halfway house and phoned twi & flown back to hq

3) Recovering at Don and Wanda's and documenting the experience

4) Meeting with VPW for 3 days on his motorcoach to write "By The Way" articles

5) Wierwille's prophesy that my parents would disown me (which did not happen)

6) Finishing my research paper ahead of others despite all this

7) Later..at our wedding, lcm-performed the ceremony, howard-walked my bride down aisle, and rosie-bridesmaid

8) Etc. etc......

For years, I've kept a very low profile.......but with all that I've shared, twi obviously knows who I am.

There's more, too..........but will leave that for later.

.

Write about ALL of those things. When you get it to what looks like a reasonable stopping place, you then look back and decide what goes in the final manuscript.

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At this point, I don't know if I really want to go thru the painstaking task of resurfacing all these details.

Honestly, it's quite embarrassing to admit that I got ensnared in twi's cult and how it altered my life.

Besides.....by the grace of God and a truckload of perseverance, I came out on the other side intact

with a special wife and family.

Yes, that's the challenge. The embarrassment and exposure. Those are real considerations. Also, what would it do to community/professional areas? Those reasons would be very real ones to consider using a pen name. Like "Sky Rider". That way the people who know or could figure out know. And the rest be-bop around blissfully ignorant of who you are, preserving current day relationships.

But if I did write it, should I include......??

1) My 'Ten Days of Deprogramming' experience

2) Escaping from the halfway house and phoned twi & flown back to hq

3) Recovering at Don and Wanda's and documenting the experience

4) Meeting with VPW for 3 days on his motorcoach to write "By The Way" articles

5) Wierwille's prophesy that my parents would disown me (which did not happen)

6) Finishing my research paper ahead of others despite all this

7) Later..at our wedding, lcm-performed the ceremony, howard-walked my bride down aisle, and rosie-bridesmaid

8) Etc. etc......

For years, I've kept a very low profile.......but with all that I've shared, twi obviously knows who I am.

There's more, too..........but will leave that for later.

.

All awesome.

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Skyrider,

If you want to write your book, do it. Yes, there are many considerations about going public, but there are people who want to hear our stories. Who need our stories. If you feel you can put yourself out there, that you are coming from a good place, not a place of revenge for instance, let it rip. People respect that.

I can say this about the embarrassment aspect: It's a matter of trust. I began confessing to being in a cult gradually with people I had gotten to know. They already knew a healed version of me before they learned what I'd been through. Most of them were aghast but very curious and loved me for surviving. Most understood I had had a hard time and had learned things they will never have a chance to find out without stories from people like me.

The people I've talked to are fascinated and want to understand it all. They respect the fact I left. They see I'm "normal" and wonder how I got in, how I left, how I sorted things out, how I rebuilt my life. So keep writing if you feel compelled to do it, and I think you do. The writing saves us. The writing is important. Our lives matter.

Love to you and cheers to your endeavors,

Charlene

Edited by penworks
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Skyrider,

If you want to write your book, do it. Yes, there are many considerations about going public, but there are people who want to hear our stories. Who need our stories. If you feel you can put yourself out there, that you are coming from a good place, not a place of revenge for instance, let it rip. People respect that.

penworks.......thanks.

As you well know, there are so many considerations in such an undertaking. How one approaches all these logistics

are, seemingly, multi-layered. Yes, it would be my story.......but then, my wife (before we were married) had her

story of involvement......of which, when married, gave me accumulative background understanding of plenty of other

hypocrisies.

For example: When my wife was inrez corps and hitch-hiked to TFI (Total Fitness Institute in California ---- the

forerunner of LEAD)........her partner was Craig Martindale. When they got to a truckstop outside the city limits

of Oklahoma City, she found a trucker who would give them a ride.....and, just then, Craig snagged a ride as well.

In deciding what to do, Craig told her, "I'll take my ride and you take yours. I'll see you in California."

Craig Martindale abandoned his hitch-hiking partner, a woman........and away he went.

Years later, as Corps Director.....Martindale's policies for the corps was to NEVER abandon your partner!

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penworks.......thanks.

As you well know, there are so many considerations in such an undertaking. How one approaches all these logistics

are, seemingly, multi-layered. Yes, it would be my story.......but then, my wife (before we were married) had her

story of involvement......of which, when married, gave me accumulative background understanding of plenty of other

hypocrisies.

For example: When my wife was inrez corps and hitch-hiked to TFI (Total Fitness Institute in California ---- the

forerunner of LEAD)........her partner was Craig Martindale. When they got to a truckstop outside the city limits

of Oklahoma City, she found a trucker who would give them a ride.....and, just then, Craig snagged a ride as well.

In deciding what to do, Craig told her, "I'll take my ride and you take yours. I'll see you in California."

Craig Martindale abandoned his hitch-hiking partner, a woman........and away he went.

Years later, as Corps Director.....Martindale's policies for the corps was to NEVER abandon your partner!

Outrageous! Unimaginable. What a horrible mess...

One thing about our stories is to ask ourselves, who is the audience we want to address? Many issues are settled after we decide on that. Also, do you want to write a personal history or a memoir? They are different.

I suggest reading: Writing the Memoir by Judith Barrington. There are other helpful books out there to guide us, too, like, Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited by penworks
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Craig Martindale abandoned his hitch-hiking partner, a woman........and away he went.

Years later, as Corps Director.....Martindale's policies for the corps was to NEVER abandon your partner!

And later on, to complete the irony, Martindale drops at least one guy from the Corps for doing exactly this.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

seventieth anniversary.. it is not a prize that they are entitled to..

I mean.. you have to have a willing spouse, seventy years in the agreement, wouldn't you?

"hapless bastards.. following us, for over seventy years.." yeah, that would do it. I don't see that exactly happening..

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