Jump to content
GreaseSpot Cafe

The Illusion of support. The Focus is control.


skyrider
 Share

Recommended Posts

Wierwille's twi attempts to keep 1) The Illusion of support and 2) The Focus is control in proper balance.  More than his successors, wierwille played "this con" better than them.  Pfal classes, the WOW program and rock of ages provided this support.  With the backdrop of annual Rock of Ages events.... this festival was a big drawing card to keep the masses making the pilgrimage to headquarters each year.  The youth thrived on the experience of camping in "Tent City" and seeing their friends at this annual event.  As long as it was simple, fun and not overly micro-managed..... it was a spot on the calendar year that few wanted to miss.

In the early 70's, the simple nature was unmistakable.  Make-shift family tables were set up for people to step "on stage" and sing their songs, strum their guitars or perform a funky skit.  Bales of straw were used in place of folding chairs.  Food stands served Dannon yogurt, mixed nuts, fruits, trail mix and assorted items that gave the cash-strapped youth a start to their day.  Showers were cold and fellowship with friends was warm.  All of this provided youth with a space to call their own.

The illusion of support extended to materials like the way magazine and sunday teaching tapes.... although many did not partake of these subscriptions.  Yet, year after year, twi "encouraged" their followers to be connected to headquarters.  For many years, the local twigs and branch meetings gave so much support and activity that twi headquarters was a secondary support system.... at least, that's the way I perceived it.  The only exception was, of course, the rock of ages.  You just had to go to know what it was like.

BUT..... all of this changed by 1975, 1976 as corps grads were sent forth into the areas and limbs.  Now, The Illusion of support was shifting into its new primary initiative which was "The Focus is control."  Wierwille was building a hierarchy.  The narcissist had an agenda.  As corps grads were assigned to field positions, the faithful non-corps twig and branch leaders were replaced.  How few of us noticed the seismic shift that wierwille pulled off in plain sight.  All the fundamentals that built twi to this point were removed off the chess board and replaced by rooks, knights and bishops to do the power plays on the field.  Once implemented, this two-tier arrangement on the field never changed.  Corps leadership were the spiritual leaders over non-corps followers without question.  Why?  Because wierwille mandated it.

As long as there were no challenges, wierwille's "system" operated without issue.  Those who did challenge the doctrines and practices of twi were quickly shown the door.  And, for many.... I suspect, that was fine with them.

I often wondered why if wierwille's corps training was raising up "God's crack troops"..... where were the gift ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers?  Specifically, prophets and evangelists.  Where were they?  Why was there such a chasm between wierwille's elite golden pedestal and a corps grads' stump?  If the corps program was NOT spiritually-enriching and engaging the office of these ministries, then what was the corps program doing?  Was it counterfeit? [Yes, I actually had those thoughts during my final year in-residence 1980-81.]

Now, I've come to believe that all of this was controlled-management.... AND..... controlling.

The whole system of twi is an illusion of support.... to help the follower "study the Word" and "grow to maturity."  But it's an illusion, appearing as light.  Remember the scripture verses: 

  • 2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
  • 2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Some of these people have been twi-followers for 50 years.... and still rehashing basic "truths" every week!!  Don't they see the CONTROL twi has over them?  The activity and habits are so ingrained in them that they fail to see how they are institutionalized into a mind frame.  Even those on the field, with "support" (cough) from corps grads have the same grooved mindset.  Thankfully, most of the kids have surpassed their parents in seeing through this false support and recognize it for what it rightfully is.....CONTROL over others.

 

.

Edited by skyrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's the thing about authoritarian control..... invariably, they ALWAYS overreach.

One of wierwille's many mistakes was the instigation of Corps Week.  Rather than take steps to have staff members and/or contract labor set up Rock of Ages tents, staging and various support systems.... wierwille mandated more FREE-LABOR from way corps.  What became know as Corps Week was in essence *Work Week* to supplement the needs to setting up roa.  In fact, if things were behind schedule, wierwille would cancel a day of meetings so that the corps could do an all-day work day.  It's amazing how much can get accomplished when 1,500-1,800 corps get busy working.

Corps grads became less-inclined to attend corps week and roa, because of the increased burdens placed on their lives, careers and family responsibilities.  With a growing number of pregnancies and little ones in tow..... more corps women were unable to participate in the meetings and/or work.  This also caused concern and friction in marriages.... yet, wierwille stayed stedfast in his mandate of corps week.  And, when 1982 rolled in.... martindale was president-elect getting ready to be installed as the 2nd president.  Corps continued to participate out of "respect for wierwille".... but in the following years, the numbers dwindled further.  Times were changing and leadership at headquarters were caught off guard when the exodus erupted.

Marindale did the same thing.  He overreached his authoritarian mandates and put ALL corps on payroll.  We know how that "revelation" crashed and burned.  And, of course, martindale shifted the blame to the corps.  They just weren't disciplined enough to pull it off.

Same deal with Rivenbark.  She micro-managed the corps to death with projects and requests for feedback.  Even when corps sent out warning signals that she was being abusive, Rosalie stayed the course until the exodus of 2017.  The Revival and Restoration Group started to exit en masse (120-200 ?) as they signed a confrontation letter to the Board of Directors wanting Rosie's resignation.

With this authoritarian overreach..... NOW look where twi is positioned?  :biglaugh:

 

.

Edited by skyrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, skyrider said:

That's the thing about authoritarian control..... invariably, they ALWAYS overreach.

One of wierwille's many mistakes was the instigation of Corps Week.  Rather than take steps to have staff members and/or contract labor set up Rock of Ages tents, staging and various support systems.... wierwille mandated more FREE-LABOR from way corps.  What became know as Corps Week was in essence *Work Week* to supplement the needs to setting up roa.  In fact, if things were behind schedule, wierwille would cancel a day of meetings so that the corps could do an all-day work day.  It's amazing how much can get accomplished when 1,500-1,800 corps get busy working.

Marindale did the same thing.  He overreached his authoritarian mandates and put ALL corps on payroll.  We know how that "revelation" crashed and burned.  And, of course, martindale shifted the blame to the corps.  They just weren't disciplined enough to pull it off.

Same deal with Rivenbark.  She micro-managed the corps to death with projects and requests for feedback.  Even when corps sent out warning signals that she was being abusive, Rosalie stayed the course until the exodus of 2017.  The Revival and Restoration Group started to exit en masse (120-200 ?) as they signed a confrontation letter to the Board of Directors wanting Rosie's resignation.

With this authoritarian overreach..... NOW look where twi is positioned?  :biglaugh:

The top down construction of TWI was always totalitarian.

T1 was all VP with a heavy hand

T2 was the same with LCM

T3 the teachers didn’t matter and were swapped out.  The control was in the administration.  Who did much less than 1 and 2

T4 is the same as T3 except the prez teaches again 

It is the same top down totalitarian structure that the JW Governing Body and the Mormon Q15 and Q70 use except for the numbers involved.  The larger cults have more $$$$ to sit on like the Mormons $32B fund they are catching heat for.

The little person has no rights including voting rights to affect anything within the org.  In denominations the little person does have voting rights.

In fact the leadership group of TWI especially field leadership also have no voting rights.  The BOD rule everyone and everything with a heavy hand allowing no outside votes or influence.

The need to change this was called out by the R and R group who sent in a list of reformations to TWIs board.  Just like in the Martin Luther video they like to show around “reformation Sunday” that group was excommunicated like Martin Luther was.

With no power to enact change within the organization those wishing for change are needing to leave the organization to accomplish any change even the most basic sort.

However as started in T3 they will lie to people about this and allow them to think they will listen and change.

Edited by chockfull
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, chockfull said:

The need to change this was called out by the R and R group who sent in a list of reformations to TWIs board.  Just like in the Martin Luther video they like to show around “reformation Sunday” that group was excommunicated like Martin Luther was.

Yes, but.... even if someone in the R&R group got to run things at twi, would there have been any real changes?  I doubt it.  Those guys were/are so steeped in the wierwille doctrine that I tend to think they would have only "shuffled a few chairs" in the power structure.  The very fact that they've stayed the course of the pfal-catechism speaks volumes.

Without a complete overhaul in structure and thinking, the "little guy" would still not have a vote.

 

.

Edited by skyrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, skyrider said:

The structure is all about control.

Once you've seen the strings of the marionettes, you can never go back to a time when you did not see them.

 

 

This is literally everything.

It is not a matter of beleef. It is not a matter of choice, neither considered nor whimsical. There is nothing to contemplate. Nothing to decide.

Once it is seen, it cannot be unseen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, skyrider said:

Yes, but.... even if someone in the R&R group got to run things at twi, would there have been any real changes?  I doubt it.  Those guys were/are so steeped in the wierwille doctrine that I tend to think they would have only "shuffled a few chairs" in the power structure.  The very fact that they've stayed the course of the pfal-catechism speaks volumes.

Without a complete overhaul in structure and thinking, the "little guy" would still not have a vote.

 

.

Well there are a number of splinters all surrounding the doctrine of VPW. Most modified the governance to put themselves in charge but did nothing to correct the doctrine.

I don’t believe I said that accepting those changes would correct everything about TWI.

It would have given the leadership doing the work a vote at least.  Votes for assignments and policies and who filled major assignments.  It would still not give the common believer a vote in any way.  It would demolish the decision making in a vacuum from the directors.

 I’m actually not thinking the people in RnR are a solution at all but the process would indicate a willingness to start somewhere as opposed to where they are at now.

”Come on home”.

That place has never been my home I’m just passing thru.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, chockfull said:

I don’t believe I said that accepting those changes would correct everything about TWI.

It would have given the leadership doing the work a vote at least.  Votes for assignments and policies and who filled major assignments.  It would still not give the common believer a vote in any way.  It would demolish the decision making in a vacuum from the directors.

 I’m actually not thinking the people in RnR are a solution at all but the process would indicate a willingness to start somewhere as opposed to where they are at now.

I agree with you, chockfull.

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/24/2023 at 7:41 AM, skyrider said:

Wierwille's twi attempts to keep 1) The Illusion of support and 2) The Focus is control in proper balance.  More than his successors, wierwille played "this con" better than them.  Pfal classes, the WOW program and rock of ages provided this support.  With the backdrop of annual Rock of Ages events.... this festival was a big drawing card to keep the masses making the pilgrimage to headquarters each year.  The youth thrived on the experience of camping in "Tent City" and seeing their friends at this annual event.  As long as it was simple, fun and not overly micro-managed..... it was a spot on the calendar year that few wanted to miss.

In the early 70's, the simple nature was unmistakable.  Make-shift family tables were set up for people to step "on stage" and sing their songs, strum their guitars or perform a funky skit.  Bales of straw were used in place of folding chairs.  Food stands served Dannon yogurt, mixed nuts, fruits, trail mix and assorted items that gave the cash-strapped youth a start to their day.  Showers were cold and fellowship with friends was warm.  All of this provided youth with a space to call their own.

The illusion of support extended to materials like the way magazine and sunday teaching tapes.... although many did not partake of these subscriptions.  Yet, year after year, twi "encouraged" their followers to be connected to headquarters.  For many years, the local twigs and branch meetings gave so much support and activity that twi headquarters was a secondary support system.... at least, that's the way I perceived it.  The only exception was, of course, the rock of ages.  You just had to go to know what it was like.

BUT..... all of this changed by 1975, 1976 as corps grads were sent forth into the areas and limbs.  Now, The Illusion of support was shifting into its new primary initiative which was "The Focus is control."  Wierwille was building a hierarchy.  The narcissist had an agenda.  As corps grads were assigned to field positions, the faithful non-corps twig and branch leaders were replaced.  How few of us noticed the seismic shift that wierwille pulled off in plain sight.  All the fundamentals that built twi to this point were removed off the chess board and replaced by rooks, knights and bishops to do the power plays on the field.  Once implemented, this two-tier arrangement on the field never changed.  Corps leadership were the spiritual leaders over non-corps followers without question.  Why?  Because wierwille mandated it.

As long as there were no challenges, wierwille's "system" operated without issue.  Those who did challenge the doctrines and practices of twi were quickly shown the door.  And, for many.... I suspect, that was fine with them.

I often wondered why if wierwille's corps training was raising up "God's crack troops"..... where were the gift ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers?  Specifically, prophets and evangelists.  Where were they?  Why was there such a chasm between wierwille's elite golden pedestal and a corps grads' stump?  If the corps program was NOT spiritually-enriching and engaging the office of these ministries, then what was the corps program doing?  Was it counterfeit? [Yes, I actually had those thoughts during my final year in-residence 1980-81.]

Now, I've come to believe that all of this was controlled-management.... AND..... controlling.

The whole system of twi is an illusion of support.... to help the follower "study the Word" and "grow to maturity."  But it's an illusion, appearing as light.  Remember the scripture verses: 

  • 2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
  • 2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Some of these people have been twi-followers for 50 years.... and still rehashing basic "truths" every week!!  Don't they see the CONTROL twi has over them?  The activity and habits are so ingrained in them that they fail to see how they are institutionalized into a mind frame.  Even those on the field, with "support" (cough) from corps grads have the same grooved mindset.  Thankfully, most of the kids have surpassed their parents in seeing through this false support and recognize it for what it rightfully is.....CONTROL over others.

 

.

 

On 3/24/2023 at 12:31 PM, waysider said:

For those who have ears to hear.

 

On 3/24/2023 at 1:31 PM, skyrider said:

Yes, but.... even if someone in the R&R group got to run things at twi, would there have been any real changes?  I doubt it.  Those guys were/are so steeped in the wierwille doctrine that I tend to think they would have only "shuffled a few chairs" in the power structure.  The very fact that they've stayed the course of the pfal-catechism speaks volumes.

Without a complete overhaul in structure and thinking, the "little guy" would still not have a vote.

 

.

 

On 3/24/2023 at 1:33 PM, skyrider said:

The structure is all about control.

Once you've seen the strings of the marionettes, you can never go back to a time when you did not see them.

 

 

 

On 3/24/2023 at 5:23 PM, chockfull said:

Well there are a number of splinters all surrounding the doctrine of VPW. Most modified the governance to put themselves in charge but did nothing to correct the doctrine.

I don’t believe I said that accepting those changes would correct everything about TWI.

It would have given the leadership doing the work a vote at least.  Votes for assignments and policies and who filled major assignments.  It would still not give the common believer a vote in any way.  It would demolish the decision making in a vacuum from the directors.

 I’m actually not thinking the people in RnR are a solution at all but the process would indicate a willingness to start somewhere as opposed to where they are at now.

”Come on home”.

That place has never been my home I’m just passing thru.

 

 

My random comments on  posts:

Being in TWI for 12 years, I thought of their ‘support’ as benign and necessary for spiritual growth. And in all that time it never  occurred to me that I was in a harmful and controlling cult being led by a phony masquerading as an apostle of Christ - per the verses you cited in II Corinthians 11

 

The primary cause of my unawareness was probably the pride I developed from TWI’s  classes and programs ; indoctrination is weird and creepy the way it got me to uncritically accept a set of beliefs. 

 

wierwille’s egotism fueled teaching had me thinking there was no other group who had ‘the rightly-divided Word’. So I figured I would never fall prey to the deceitful workers and false apostle types of II Corinthians 11.

 

One of the essentials to the power structure of TWI’s hierarchy is the high regard for the wierwille legacy. After I left and continued analyzing and re-evaluating TWI’s doctrines and practices, the strings of the marionettes became more apparent.

 

I suppose offshoots could modify some aspects of TWI’s doctrine and governance - I think it may be like sprucing up a vintage car but the engine is still the same. 

Edited by T-Bone
Concentrated
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, T-Bone said:

One of the essentials to the power structure of TWI’s hierarchy is the high regard for the wierwille legacy. After I left and continued analyzing and re-evaluating TWI’s doctrines and practices, the strings of the marionettes became more apparent.

When you peel the power structure issues down to their essential core, what you will always find is their status of power over you.  Within the system, wierwille was the "alpha" and had NO contenders.  The created system of control was always tilted in their favor.  Wierwille had "spiritual status" but you nor I did not.  In this system, destined to last a lifetime, we were dependent upon their teachings, programs and agenda to structure our daily lives.  They pulled the strings and we acted out our little part.

If idleness is allowed to settled in, then people begin questioning.... so activity is the name of the game.  More people come, some people go.... but activity is emphasized over accomplishment.  Why?  Because rather than self-promotion within the group, what were we accomplishing?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/24/2023 at 6:23 PM, chockfull said:

Well there are a number of splinters all surrounding the doctrine of VPW. Most modified the governance to put themselves in charge but did nothing to correct the doctrine.

I don’t believe I said that accepting those changes would correct everything about TWI.

It would have given the leadership doing the work a vote at least.  Votes for assignments and policies and who filled major assignments.  It would still not give the common believer a vote in any way.  It would demolish the decision making in a vacuum from the directors.

 I’m actually not thinking the people in RnR are a solution at all but the process would indicate a willingness to start somewhere as opposed to where they are at now.

”Come on home”.

That place has never been my home I’m just passing thru.

 

 

They offshoot guys believe that the package that vpw "assembled" is great! Nothing wrong with it at all. The problems they have with the way internatioanal aren't doctrinal and are somewhat trivial in nature at times. Of course the debt policy was front and center but they just didn't like the way the directors were doing things and wanted to do things differently. Nothing changed doctrinally with them....nothing major anyway....none of the offshoots change anything major to my knowledge. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, OldSkool said:

They offshoot guys believe that the package that vpw "assembled" is great! Nothing wrong with it at all. The problems they have with the way internatioanal aren't doctrinal and are somewhat trivial in nature at times. Of course the debt policy was front and center but they just didn't like the way the directors were doing things and wanted to do things differently. Nothing changed doctrinally with them....nothing major anyway....none of the offshoots change anything major to my knowledge. 

I do want to give credit where it's due, even if I disagree with STFI on so many levels...they have gone further than wierwille and have corrected the law of believing, for example. Kudos to that. Wont kudo much else, but hey, credit where its deserved. I dont wanna be judgemental on them either...their works stand or fall to Christ not OldSkool. 

https://www.revisedenglishversion.com/appx/16

Edited by OldSkool
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...