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Divergent Tactic -- Spend More Time On Devil, Than God


skyrider
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After setting markers in pfal regarding the scope of fundamental principles and holy spirit field.... wierwille and twi-leadership spent more time preaching/talking about the devil than the things of God.  At first (1976-1978), I thought that wierwille was simply preparing us to understand the multi-faceted workings of our adversary.  Yes, we went through the dozens of names that he is called in the Scriptures.... ie. Lucifer, Satan, serpent, Antichrist, God of this world, Prince of the power of the air, Father of Lies, Beelzebub, Belial, Great fiery red dragon, dragon,  destroyer, enemy, thief, evil spirit, adversary, tempter, wicked one, son of wickedness, etc. So, with all these different names, surely God wants us to pay attention to this.

But then.... I began to sense that all the emphasis on the devil had a divergent tactic.... it kept wierwille from highlighting God in his life.

Even the few examples that wierwille cited in pfal were suspect.  Why was no one around to witness these moments?  Wierwille makes reference the closing down the fortune teller's stand at the local fair (if I recall that correctly).  And, first of all.... did it really happen?  Or, the revelation "white heart / black heart" story and how God was teaching wierwille revelation?  I just find these sporadic examples suspect.... since I never saw wierwille operate any revelation/power manifestations in the 70's or 80's.  What's up with that?

With the rarity of any power manifested, did wierwille spend more time on how the devil operates to keep us from spotting his fraudster ways?  After all, he couldn't spotlight his OWN LIFE as a testimony for this power of God, now could he?  Thus, he and martindale go into great lengths to show how the devil operates.  Same with Athletes of the Spirit....... what is more glamorized is the Devil.  All the unique costume designs, the music rips and squeals, the fire bursts, the sensual gyrations, and allure.  The "believers" seem bland, obedient and unappealingly faithful.  No contest:  the devil is glorified throughout.

Just like in pfal when wierwille doesn't want someone to criticize the tie he is wearing, or his clothing.... or soon, we "get down to the bare facts!"  Wierwille surely didn't want to come across as the emperor who wore no clothes.  He wanted you to see what he let you see: a prominent preacher, a man of God.... not a phony counterfeit.  His stories in pfal belie a deeper truth.  The things wierwille was trying so hard to hide.

Does anyone remember wierwille's story about the time when Howard Allen was deathly sick?  The story I remember hearing was wierwille and Howard were on the motor coach coming back from an itinerary.  Howard fell deathly sick.  And, wierwille had trouble attending to the driving AND helping Howard to get him to a hospital or home.  Anyways, not far down the road was a hitch-hiker standing alongside the road and wierwille pulled over to pick him up.  This guy was instrumental in helping Howard while wierwille kept driving.  Apparently, as they got near home and Howard was no longer in serious condition, the hitch-hiker asked to be let off at a certain spot.  Wierwille claimed that this "guy" was an angel sent by God to minister to Howard.  A phenomenon.  I always pondered why wierwille didn't minister healing to Howard... if, as he taught, that gifts of healing was one of the nine manifestations.

Wierwille sure gave the devil his due throughout his ministry..... and then some.

 

 

 

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44 minutes ago, skyrider said:

The story I remember hearing was wierwille and Howard were on the motor coach coming back from an itinerary.

It wasn't even ministry business. They were on an annual hunting trip to Pennsylvania. (It was for pheasant or quail, if I remember correctly, and the ailment was encephalitis.)

Edited by waysider
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Man, those yokels talked more about "the adversary" at times than they did God. Especially during martindale's reign of terror. God was small in comparison to they way they used to talk about the adversary and everything we had to do to not get caught by that guy. As for wierwille "operating" healing and all that...yah...fat chance. I dont think any of the directors actually believe what they teach. I never saw not one miracoulous healing when I was at the way international. When I used to ask the old timers about how things used to be they all said the same things: Back in Dr wierwilles day miracales were plentous. Yet, not one person ever had anything verifiable just a lot of talk and hear say.

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54 minutes ago, skyrider said:

Does anyone remember wierwille's story about the time when Howard Allen was deathly sick?  The story I remember hearing was wierwille and Howard were on the motor coach coming back from an itinerary.  Howard fell deathly sick.  And, wierwille had trouble attending to the driving AND helping Howard to get him to a hospital or home.  Anyways, not far down the road was a hitch-hiker standing alongside the road and wierwille pulled over to pick him up.  This guy was instrumental in helping Howard while wierwille kept driving.  Apparently, as they got near home and Howard was no longer in serious condition, the hitch-hiker asked to be let off at a certain spot.  Wierwille claimed that this "guy" was an angel sent by God to minister to Howard.  A phenomenon.  I always pondered why wierwille didn't minister healing to Howard... if, as he taught, that gifts of healing was one of the nine manifestations.

Makes wierwille sound increibly inept on all counts. Why didnt the MOGFODAT heal his buddy? Drinking buddy at that. Howard is one of the biggest creeps out there. Ive heard from countless people where Howard had made crude remarks to married women, sexually harassing them. He was into adultery the same as wierwille and it was common knowledge back in 2008 when I was still at HQ. But wierwille loved talking about how special his believing was, and how much he labored for us all and how his believing basically held the world together from descending into chaos. Bullshonta at its finest.

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1 hour ago, skyrider said:

After setting markers in pfal regarding the scope of fundamental principles and holy spirit field.... wierwille and twi-leadership spent more time preaching/talking about the devil than the things of God.  At first (1976-1978), I thought that wierwille was simply preparing us to understand the multi-faceted workings of our adversary.  Yes, we went through the dozens of names that he is called in the Scriptures.... ie. Lucifer, Satan, serpent, Antichrist, God of this world, Prince of the power of the air, Father of Lies, Beelzebub, Belial, Great fiery red dragon, dragon,  destroyer, enemy, thief, evil spirit, adversary, tempter, wicked one, son of wickedness, etc. So, with all these different names, surely God wants us to pay attention to this.

But then.... I began to sense that all the emphasis on the devil had a divergent tactic.... it kept wierwille from highlighting God in his life.

Interesting thoughts, Skyrider!

And I suspect there might be more to wierwille’s misleading followers by diverting attention away from his bad behavior – but not from his glory as our champion of evil exposing our enemy. I believe with his fixation on demonology – he established a stranglehold on my faith in God. I can easily recall many times in my 12 years with The Way International that my go-to strategy for ‘dealing with the adversary’ was referring to something wierwille taught whether in PFAL or other works. That’s a great form of control to have on someone. wierwille was my reference point.

 

Not long after I got off the WOW field I witnessed to a church pastor. I was so full of myself – thinking I could whoop his a$$ with ‘trinkets’ from PFAL and JCING…that didn’t go well…I went home and felt so weird and confused I said to my wife please  minister  to  me – I  don’t  know  if  that  pastor  sic’d   a  devil  spirit  on  me – but  something  is  not  right.

I now offer up a more realistic analysis of that experience – while witnessing to a pastor – a Christian who probably had actual training in a legitimate seminary and a more accurate and honest understanding of the Bible - it had a jarring effect on the cognitive dissonance and twisted wierwille-doctrines swirling about in my head. A most uncomfortable experience...I thought it was from a devil spirit...but it was my TWI-mindset being confronted by reality.

Edited by T-Bone
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@T-Bone View from the other side of the fence: that pastor went home and said to his wife: "I met a very disturbed young man today, possibly possessed of many devil spirits.  Please pray with me for him.  Something is not right."

And as you see, his prayers, though not effective immediately, have come to pass and been answered.

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13 minutes ago, Twinky said:

@T-Bone View from the other side of the fence: that pastor went home and said to his wife: "I met a very disturbed young man today, possibly possessed of many devil spirits.  Please pray with me for him.  Something is not right."

And as you see, his prayers, though not effective immediately, have come to pass and been answered.

excellent point, Twinky - thanks!

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3 hours ago, OldSkool said:

Makes wierwille sound increibly inept on all counts. Why didnt the MOGFODAT heal his buddy? Drinking buddy at that. Howard is one of the biggest creeps out there. Ive heard from countless people where Howard had made crude remarks to married women, sexually harassing them. He was into adultery the same as wierwille and it was common knowledge back in 2008 when I was still at HQ. But wierwille loved talking about how special his believing was, and how much he labored for us all and how his believing basically held the world together from descending into chaos. Bullshonta at its finest.

Howard.... just like his mentor, wierwille.  A sexually-harassing creep.

On my wedding day, Howard Allen is going to walk my bride down the aisle.  Martindale is the presiding minister over the wedding ceremony.  Monty H0bbs is my best man.  The four of us are in the back room of the BRC awaiting for the proceedings to begin. Howard had been hitting the hard stuff, because I could smell it on his breathe and noticed him slurring a bit.  Anyways, as we're waiting.... he comes over to me and says, "I like running with _________ (my bride's name), because I like to watch her boobs bounce."  Imagine the creep that he is.... to say this on my wedding day and he's the sleaze who will be escorting her down the aisle and "giving her away."

So readers and lurkers.... just know that Howard has a flirty, harassing underbelly to his emeritus-irrelevance. 

Peace to all.

 

 

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9 minutes ago, skyrider said:

Howard.... just like his mentor, wierwille.  A sexually-harassing creep.

On my wedding day, Howard Allen is going to walk my bride down the aisle.  Martindale is the presiding minister over the wedding ceremony.  Monty H0bbs is my best man.  The four of us are in the back room of the BRC awaiting for the proceedings to begin. Howard had been hitting the hard stuff, because I could smell it on his breathe and noticed him slurring a bit.  Anyways, as we're waiting.... he comes over to me and says, "I like running with _________ (my bride's name), because I like to watch her boobs bounce."  Imagine the creep that he is.... to say this on my wedding day and he's the sleaze who will be escorting her down the aisle and "giving her away."

So readers and lurkers.... just know that Howard has a flirty, harassing underbelly to his emeritus-irrelevance. 

Peace to all.

 

 

Man, I have heard so many stories similar to yours skyrider. That's crazy though..they consider Howard as a pillar in the Church, a bridge bulder, a man of God of great height. What has he actually done to deserve these accolades? 

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16 hours ago, skyrider said:

But then.... I began to sense that all the emphasis on the devil had a divergent tactic.... it kept wierwille from highlighting God in his life.

Even the few examples that wierwille cited in pfal were suspect.  Why was no one around to witness these moments?  Wierwille makes reference the closing down the fortune teller's stand at the local fair (if I recall that correctly).  And, first of all.... did it really happen?  Or, the revelation "white heart / black heart" story and how God was teaching wierwille revelation?  I just find these sporadic examples suspect.... since I never saw wierwille operate any revelation/power manifestations in the 70's or 80's.  What's up with that?

With the rarity of any power manifested, did wierwille spend more time on how the devil operates to keep us from spotting his fraudster ways?  After all, he couldn't spotlight his OWN LIFE as a testimony for this power of God, now could he?  Thus, he and martindale go into great lengths to show how the devil operates.  Same with Athletes of the Spirit....... what is more glamorized is the Devil.  All the unique costume designs, the music rips and squeals, the fire bursts, the sensual gyrations, and allure.  The "believers" seem bland, obedient and unappealingly faithful.  No contest:  the devil is glorified throughout.

Just like in pfal when wierwille doesn't want someone to criticize the tie he is wearing, or his clothing.... or soon, we "get down to the bare facts!"  Wierwille surely didn't want to come across as the emperor who wore no clothes.  He wanted you to see what he let you see: a prominent preacher, a man of God.... not a phony counterfeit.  His stories in pfal belie a deeper truth.  The things wierwille was trying so hard to hide.

I suppose, in a sense, one could say that wierwille was hiding his lack of credentials and God-experiences behind stories, characters, one-liners, false or shady principles..... not just demonology.  Most all of us got our first exposure to wierwille via the pfal class.  Some of us old-timers didn't even get to see him teach the class.... we sat in audio classes.

Not having done any research on The Way International in New Knoxville, Ohio.... I plunged right in by taking the word of wow ambassadors.  They said that the class was the most extensive, biblical research class ever presented.  I said okay and paid my $85 fee...donation. 

I didn't realize that Maggie Muggins, Snowball Pete or Henry Boloco were Canadian fictitious characters stolen from Rev. B.G. Leonard's class, "Gifts of the Spirit."  In fact, Maggie was quite popular in a Canadian children's radio and television series.  Perhaps, its only fitting that Maggie appears in pfal..... as if wierwille is teaching little children the basics in the bible.  So, wierwille didn't even have enough imagination in his brain [narcissists are lazy, it comes with the personality disorder] to create his own pfal characters?  Hallmark traits of a narcissist.

Stories in pfal (in no specific order):

  1. Believing for red drapes --- emphasizing positive believing
  2. Mother who fears her child's death --- negative believing
  3. Traveling salesman --- fearful of car crash, negative believing
  4. Drunk in back of church --- don't preach negative sermons
  5. Sign on billboard, "millions now smoking" --- ???

So, most all these stories were filler food....er, taught to convince us of the "law of believing."  Obviously, wierwille wanted to cement this "law" into our thinking patterns by giving it such weight.  In hindsight, it seems like this was one of the cornerstones NEEDED to build a faithful following....ie scare the hell out of them if they succumb to negative believing.  Or, if they don't choose to give "believing" proper allegiance in one's daily life.  Sure seems, now, that pfal was filled with molding us into "right character conduct" rather than teaching foundational principles in the bible.

Wierwille had no credentials to stand on.  No real certifiable colleges of a Bible Seminary.... just radio preachers and other men who traveled the highways running retreats and conventions.  Those are the 10-12 men with whom wierwille credits his studies of biblical research were launched.  These renegade preachers off the grid held sway over cult-like followers who attended their retreats, events.  Wierwille patterned his ministry in this manner.

 

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16 hours ago, T-Bone said:

Interesting thoughts, Skyrider!

And I suspect there might be more to wierwille’s misleading followers by diverting attention away from his bad behavior – but not from his glory as our champion of evil exposing our enemy. I believe with his fixation on demonology – he established a stranglehold on my faith in God. I can easily recall many times in my 12 years with The Way International that my go-to strategy for ‘dealing with the adversary’ was referring to something wierwille taught whether in PFAL or other works. That’s a great form of control to have on someone. wierwille was my reference point.

Would it be safe to say that those earlier teachings on fear and negative believing were a pretext to the demonology fixation that came later?

 

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35 minutes ago, skyrider said:

These renegade preachers off the grid held sway over cult-like followers who attended their retreats, events.  Wierwille patterned his ministry in this manner.

But....but....but....God brought these great men of God to wierwille so he could uhh...steal...I mean make their material error free and teach it to his keds like it hadnt been known since the first century....it hadnt been known since the first centure because it never was known in the first century....wierwilles law of believing came from Phineas Parkhurst Quimby who was the driving force behind Mary Baker Eddy who founded Christian Science. Late 1800s != to first century.

Edited by OldSkool
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13 hours ago, skyrider said:

just know that Howard has a flirty, harassing underbelly to his emeritus-irrelevance. 

"Coming soon to Netflix!... a flirty, harassing underbelly of emeritus-irrelevance"

Edited by waysider
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13 hours ago, OldSkool said:

Man, I have heard so many stories similar to yours skyrider. That's crazy though..they consider Howard as a pillar in the Church, a bridge bulder, a man of God of great height. What has he actually done to deserve these accolades? 

Yeah.  I remember him wearing bright red boots and telling everyone he polished them so he could see up ladies skirts.

He taught some practical business type class in the corps that mostly was about turning off lights and saving pencils.  And how God is your insurance.  That one came more after we went to work for the Way without health insurance.  Or self funded insurance with the Directors evaluating every claim.

Who is he married to now?  Wanda?

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Isn't it interesting? When the lady wanted drapes, she had to get specific. And I mean VERY specific. Not just drapes. Not just red drapes. FIRE ENGINE RED drapes.

Meanwhile, no make, model or color was required for the little boy to meet an untimely death.

Did the salesman picture himself dying in a head-on collision with a dump truck? Pulverized on a railroad crossing? Missing a turn and plunging head first over a cliff?

Why, if I was a bettin' man, I would have to conclude that, compared to the difficult task of believing for positive results, believing for negative results is  a piece of cake.

 

Edited by waysider
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5 minutes ago, waysider said:

Isn't it interesting? When the lady wanted drapes, she had to get specific. And I mean VERY specific. Not just drapes. Not just red drapes. FIRE ENGINE RED drapes.

Meanwhile, no make, model or color was required for the little boy to meet an untimely death.

Did the salesman picture himself dying in a head-on collision with a dump truck? Pulverized on a railroad crossing? Missing a turn and plunging head first over a cliff?

Why, if I was a bettin' man, I would have to conclude that, compared to believing for positive results, believing for negative results is  a piece of cake.

 

No, I don't think the traveling salesman pictured a "Thelma and Louise" ending when he feared traveling down the road.

So, you're right waysider.  Where are the specifics in the other stories?

 

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32 minutes ago, OldSkool said:

But....but....but....God brought these great men of God to wierwille so he could uhh...steal...I mean make their material error free and teach it to his keds like it hadnt been known since the first century....it hadnt been known since the first centure because it never was known in the first century....wierwilles law of believing came from Phineas Parkhurst Quimby who was the driving force behind Mary Baker Eddy who founded Christian Science. Late 1800s != to first century.

Sounds more like an opportunist and shady huckster.

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50 minutes ago, skyrider said:

Would it be safe to say that those earlier teachings on fear and negative believing were a pretext to the demonology fixation that came later?

 

I think they certainly set the stage.  The conspiracy theory I think grew as the ecumenical push faded.  The 60s Way Ecumenical Bible Center (BRC) faded as few stayed with and tithed to VPs ministry after the PFAL class and went back to their churches.

The 70s brought a younger more drugged up group with less critical thinking.  Conspiracy theory there was easy to plant and maintain.  All the heads of denominations are “seed of the serpent” a Branham based term.

The 80s were transfer of power and loss of 80% of numbers.  The Poop paper further enhanced conspiracy theory and made directors extremely paranoid.  The 2nd prez antics caused lawsuits and defending them became more important than truth.  This continued for 20 years.

Now in the 2020 era we have a new invigorated group.  The ongoing investments from the around $65m left don’t cover all the bills.  So they are doing a membership push changing nothing. 

The culmination of their “advanced” teaching consists of reading OT records, devil spirit zoology and conspiracy theory.  Taught in isolation over 2 weeks, with share groups overseen by Corps, this class cements in the isolation from the rest of Christianity.  And sets the pattern for all your laity.  

The leadership body has no backing but a label like the most extreme of the military branches the Marines.  The most extreme get the biggest rewards.  

Underlying it all is victim blaming and the law of believing and mental assent being the monster in the closet that a leader can bring out on the attack in any situation.

Those are some patterns I observed.

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30 minutes ago, skyrider said:

No, I don't think the traveling salesman pictured a "Thelma and Louise" ending when he feared traveling down the road.

So, you're right waysider.  Where are the specifics in the other stories?

 

Every story in pfal had generic elements that easily appear to be made up.  Again, it points to a man who was plugging in fake details of a typical story that could possibly relate to others.  The concern that a traveling salesman might wreck his car….. sheeesh.  No more imagination than that?  Doing the story-hustle.

 

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34 minutes ago, chockfull said:

I think they certainly set the stage.  The conspiracy theory I think grew as the ecumenical push faded.  The 60s Way Ecumenical Bible Center (BRC) faded as few stayed with and tithed to VPs ministry after the PFAL class and went back to their churches.

The 70s brought a younger more drugged up group with less critical thinking.  Conspiracy theory there was easy to plant and maintain.  All the heads of denominations are “seed of the serpent” a Branham based term.

The 80s were transfer of power and loss of 80% of numbers.  The Poop paper further enhanced conspiracy theory and made directors extremely paranoid.  The 2nd prez antics caused lawsuits and defending them became more important than truth.  This continued for 20 years.

Now in the 2020 era we have a new invigorated group.  The ongoing investments from the around $65m left don’t cover all the bills.  So they are doing a membership push changing nothing. 

The culmination of their “advanced” teaching consists of reading OT records, devil spirit zoology and conspiracy theory.  Taught in isolation over 2 weeks, with share groups overseen by Corps, this class cements in the isolation from the rest of Christianity.  And sets the pattern for all your laity.  

The leadership body has no backing but a label like the most extreme of the military branches the Marines.  The most extreme get the biggest rewards.  

Underlying it all is victim blaming and the law of believing and mental assent being the monster in the closet that a leader can bring out on the attack in any situation.

Those are some patterns I observed.

Yes. They set the stage for more diverging tangents in the future.  One of the more interesting things in all this…. is wierwille built this adulation-platform on which he stood, but with no credentials or power-in-action.  Sounds so similar to L. Ron Hubbard in Scientology.

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2 hours ago, skyrider said:

I didn't realize that Maggie Muggins, Snowball Pete or Henry Boloco were Canadian fictitious characters stolen from Rev. B.G. Leonard's class, "Gifts of the Spirit."  In fact, Maggie was quite popular in a Canadian children's radio and television series.  Perhaps, its only fitting that Maggie appears in pfal..... as if wierwille is teaching little children the basics in the bible.  So, wierwille didn't even have enough imagination in his brain [narcissists are lazy, it comes with the personality disorder] to create his own pfal characters? 

Wierwille stole Maggie, Snowball and Henry from B.G's class.  Pathetically lazy.

What Maggie Muggins told us about wierwille

 

 

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I'm really kind of surprised he didn't, at least, use the character of Hamburglar, to represent the thief who comes to steal..

I mean, wasn't VPW the guy who had the original concept for McDonald's?

Edited by waysider
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Was wierwille projecting a sin-conscious scenario by telling the story of the drunk at the back of the church?

  • Translation:  Wierwille WAS the drunk who came and sat at the back of the church.  He sat and listened to the pastor's sermon and was unrepentant.  The church didn't help him.  In fact, the drunk ends up lecturing the preacher for his preaching a negative sermon.  In confrontation, the drunk tells the preacher, "I could tell you more about alcoholism than you'll ever know (not exact, but close)." 
  • So, supposedly.... the drunk gets in the last word.  And, the pastor vows in his heart not to ever preach another negative sermon.
  • Score:  Drunk 1 --- Preacher 0

 

 

.

Edited by skyrider
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