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They're brining back "the rock" but only for young people...


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twi is still run by old fogeys who seized power so they could have the money and the power, and won't let go.  They're trying to figure out how to interest young people, since without young people, twi's fading into obscurity.  It's an old people ministry that hasn't appealed to young folks since the 1980s, and that means, as their population ages out and some drop dead of old age and others leave, they don't have any replacements to pay 10% or more of their income because they are suckers to keep the luxuries coming in for the people at the top.

So, twi now has a handful of old farts in power trying to convince young people that twi is actually relevant and meaningful.  How are they doing that? They're reviving what worked in the 1970s with the baby boomers, in their own foolish youth.  It would be funny if it wasn't sad.

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Those do look like old photos!

brining may be a typo but it kinda fits. 

I assume they want to invoke memories of events long past, get the old time vibe going. "Better than ever, even better than best!"

The age qualification reeks of a generational cleansing. The oldest would be born in 1989. The mid to late 80's saw the first influx of evacuees, post Geer taking a dump on the whole thing in 86. Martindale "resigned" in 2000.

Will there be a "Rest for the Aged" event for the elders?

A "Senior Acres of Shakers" drum circle? Maybe a virtual "Don't Stop Breathing Or Believing!" cheese and whine pairing event? 

The original RoA was a night during the Winter Advance of 1971 that was called Rock of Ages. That summer of 1971 was the first R of A gathering. Over the next few years the event went from local fairgrounds to the Way's property in New Knoxville, "the farm". 

It took on a life of it's own and to a great degree became a social meet up of the Way Corps each year. Early on it became a homecoming event for WOW Ambassadors. People from other countries came as the outreach reached out. 

I remember the year after Emporia'd been up and running and the RoA  meeting when Martindale spoke to the Corps there and crowed on and on about how he had a great realization that hey! we don't just have to get together to have FUN, not that there's anything WRONG with that but hey! he could MEET with Corps, those coming into Emporia, going out, interested in the program, DO SOME WORK, get work done MOVING THE WORD. My wife and I looked at each other and thought the same thing - uh oh, there goes that. He and his leadership clones at Emporia, then staff then all the field leadership all suddenly came to the same "realization" and it became an all day schedule of them trying to figure out reasons to meet because they didn't want everyone having FUN all day.

The social side of it was something that was natural and followed the social trends of the youth culture of that era. Both coasts were developing the new formats for concerts and events, Woodstock had occurred, etc. etc. The R of A's generated out of that social atmosphere, with their own twist.

VPW had his own ideas of course and he spoke of it being a time for WC to meet each other, kind of an in house Tinder hook up for singles. I am well aware of all the discussions that have exposed the sexual activities over the years but to be honest, whoever was hooping up, from VPW on down, they kept their sexual partnering pretty secret and the edges I saw or heard about weren't common knowledge. In most legal settings what they did would meet the criteria for "lies" and lying, as there was intent to deceive and knowingly defend a false set of statements or facts....but I digress. It was garden variety lying and corrupt behavior imo, redefined by whoever wanted to into whatever they wanted to justify.

But as far as it being a social gathering and people of like mind meeting each other - sure. It was plenty of that. 

If I were them, and I'm not but if I were - and I'm not - I'd take a stepback and get the temperature of the membership, see what's going on and make room for something new and current to develop. Freshen it up. Allow for some spontaneous combustion. Set the stage, make the space, see what can be done. Inclusive, not exclusive. Everyone, at least all their tag bearing members current in their abs dues. And try doing something different than getting together in Ohio in August for God's Sake! which is part of the hottest muckiest periods in Ohio. 

In todays' world they will not want to play fast and loose or take the position that it's "their place" and they can do what they want. They can't. If they f it up, they'll be toast before you can say "liability". 

But hey - peace and love! Thanks for the memories Junior! 

 

Edited by socks
Smoke on the water. Fire in the sky.
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1 hour ago, socks said:

If I were them, and I'm not but if I were - and I'm not - I'd take a step back and get the temperature of the membership, see what's going on and make room for something new and current to develop. Freshen it up. Allow for some spontaneous combustion. Set the stage, make the space, see what can be done. Inclusive, not exclusive.

Great insight there Socks. Of course, you are NOT them. A very salient question for them might be whether they are even capable of taking the temperature of the membership or are they just desperate for ideas (throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping it will stick)? 

Edited by Rocky
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5 hours ago, socks said:

Martindale spoke to the Corps there and crowed on and on about how he had a great realization that hey! we don't just have to get together to have FUN, not that there's anything WRONG with that but hey! he could MEET with Corps, those coming into Emporia, going out, interested in the program, DO SOME WORK, get work done MOVING THE WORD. My wife and I looked at each other and thought the same thing - uh oh, there goes that. He and his leadership clones at Emporia, then staff then all the field leadership all suddenly came to the same "realization" and it became an all day schedule of them trying to figure out reasons to meet because they didn't want everyone having FUN all day.

The social side of it was something that was natural and followed the social trends of the youth culture of that era. Both coasts were developing the new formats for concerts and events, Woodstock had occurred, etc. etc. The R of A's generated out of that social atmosphere, with their own twist.

yeah, funny how Craig was the one who shut down the roa killed for his own reasons.....thinking back on it I think he was offended and jealous of everyone being there and having a great time. This is part of how he took down twi, part of his plan cause I think he saw how really deceitful and evil some of twi is.

Edited by cman
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5 hours ago, Rocky said:

Great insight there Socks. Of course, you are NOT them. A very salient question for them might be whether they are even capable of taking the temperature of the membership or are they just desperate for ideas (throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping it will stick)? 

Thanks Rocky. Juniors initial post got me to thinking.

Good question though. I don't know, no idea really. I don't mean to demean the current leadership group there but I've worked with and learned from some pretty heavy hitters in the years since leaving there. We all have, I know I'm not the only one. I really don't know that they've grown up and out enough to have the kinds of skills that they would need to do great work. Good work, good enough, maybe. Sure. But "excellence" isn't a self defined self-congratulatory metric.

So much of what we struggled to do under VPW's vision was limited to his personal preferences, his ego. In the 90's they had an idiot-squad there working with Martindale and then Rivenbark, a group of survivors who screwed over anyone who challenged their positions in the food chain. Looking back it's easy to see why it failed - no one was willing to let go of their own egos long enough to let great work happen. Like the lawsuits - settling isn't exactly a claim to innocence or greatness on their parts. It was great for the Allens case, and well deserved to see Rosalie and her team of toadys run like bunnies from getting Martindale on the stand. Can you ev-en imagine what that would have been like? 

Is it different now? No idea. Some of the faces and names I am aware of might have a chance buuuut - and I take no pleasure in saying this - so many of them are just the ones who've manage to stay on, hold on and keep on coming back. The Way Nash is ending up as an archive and museum of it's own past, with young talent selling tickets. 

Good looking bunch of kids though, I will say that. It's nice to see the kids growing up. May they have long healthy lives. 

Edited by socks
Or, it could mean you’re the righteous man and I’m the shepherd and it’s the world that’s evil and selfish. I’d like that.
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socks!  We have a sighting :wave:

So funny about the parallel elderly groups.  We do have an R&R splinter group going on - I do think it must stand for Rest Home and Rehab :biglaugh:

my take is the brain trust probably all saw the matinee show for The Jesus Revolution and had an epiphany.

But the people would rather see the Jesus Revolution than PLAF-T

Why?  Because Christianity is for the masses not the brasses.  And Jesus in peoples hearts is better than a fat lie about “The Teacher” chewed up in 4 different cow stomachs and regurgitated for the world once more.

Peace.

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15 hours ago, cman said:

yeah, funny how Craig was the one who shut down the roa killed for his own reasons.....thinking back on it I think he was offended and jealous of everyone being there and having a great time. This is part of how he took down twi, part of his plan cause I think he saw how really deceitful and evil some of twi is.

Yeah - that's the truth there cm. Over the years I've seen the "train wreck strategy" used a lot. People in the middle of something they know is failing will choose to just let it happen rather than try to fix it. Then they don't hold any accountability and can rebuild from what's left. It's a dangerous game to play though and he lost miserably playing it. 

Edited by socks
Planning for spontaneity is like looking for something when you already know where it is but want to be sure you find it
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21 hours ago, Junior Corps Surviver said:

I did a bit of a deep dive into these young people and many of them are the sons and daughters of old Way people. 3rd generation lifers, not new people. Word Wolf makes sense with his comment. I just want a Wow Burger.  

My favorite R of A dinner was a WOW burger with ketchup and mustard. And a Snickers candy bar, with coffee. Two sugars. Good eats. :biglaugh:

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7 minutes ago, chockfull said:

socks!  We have a sighting :wave:

So funny about the parallel elderly groups.  We do have an R&R splinter group going on - I do think it must stand for Rest Home and Rehab :biglaugh:

my take is the brain trust probably all saw the matinee show for The Jesus Revolution and had an epiphany.

But the people would rather see the Jesus Revolution than PLAF-T

Why?  Because Christianity is for the masses not the brasses.  And Jesus in peoples hearts is better than a fat lie about “The Teacher” chewed up in 4 different cow stomachs and regurgitated for the world once more.

Peace.

:wave: 

Hmmmm...yes. That's an interesting correlation you made there. I bet you're right. 

That brings up a lot of thoughts. Thanks! 

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I worked at a WOW Burger tent with Stevie Kay and a recent conversation had me look her up and we had a really nice conversation. But she doesn't seem to want to talk about it and I don't blame her.

As for "is it different now?". Probably not enough to make it right. They cling to VPW in an L. Ron Hubbard retro history way. The entire thing is  the house the foolish man built upon the sand. It was rotten for so long that being 'different now' is moot. The reason people don't leave is mostly fear based and that's not a good thing. 

They should make sure there's a bucket of condoms at the Young Adult Rock. 

 

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15 hours ago, Junior Corps Surviver said:

They should make sure there's a bucket of condoms at the Young Adult Rock. 

Hmmm... interesting reflection. For safety's sake, you're probably right. As to whether the culture at such an event would be anything we'd expect to imagine? I have no clue. :eusa_clap:

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Socks said: The original RoA was a night during the Winter Advance of 1971 that was called Rock of Ages. That summer of 1971 was the first R of A gathering. Over the next few years the event went from local fairgrounds to the Way's property in New Knoxville, "the farm". 
 

Yes, and I was there at all of them, Socks, just like you. Great to meet you then and hear from you now! You were/are one of the "real" ones.

The photo below appeared in The Toledo Blade newspaper. It captures the stage dynamic from ROA August, 1971, at The Way HQ near the pond. 

On a personal note, I happened to be the Corps applicant who painted the banner at the back of the stage "The Word Over the World." I used orange paint, who knows why? And I remember making the banner out of oiled canvas up in the barn under dangling light bullbs (from the rafters) on a makeshift table made of plywood held up by wooden "horses," like the ones they use to stop traffic.

I think that autobiographical detail is relayed in Undertow. Anyway, I hear that the WOW phrase is trademarked now. Lemme go back and paint a superscript TM on that banner, okay?

To any staff member at HQ who is reading these posts here at Greasespot Cafe, I can't imagine any young people today would jump at the chance to re-enact such hippiedom-yoked to-Bible-thumping. But maybe I'm wrong. Stranger things have happened.

image.jpeg

Edited by penworks
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43 minutes ago, penworks said:

 

Socks said: The original RoA was a night during the Winter Advance of 1971 that was called Rock of Ages. That summer of 1971 was the first R of A gathering. Over the next few years the event went from local fairgrounds to the Way's property in New Knoxville, "the farm". 
 

Yes, and I was there at all of them, Socks, just like you. Great to meet you then and hear from you now! You were/are one of the "real" ones.

The photo below appeared in The Toledo Blade newspaper. It captures the stage dynamic from ROA August, 1971, at The Way HQ near the pond. 

On a personal note, I happened to be the Corps applicant who painted the banner at the back of the stage "The Word Over the World." I used orange paint, who knows why? And I remember making the banner out of oiled canvas up in the barn under dangling light bullbs (from the rafters) on a makeshift table made of plywood held up by wooden "horses," like the ones they use to stop traffic.

I think that autobiographical detail is relayed in Undertow. Anyway, I hear that the WOW phrase is trademarked now. Lemme go back and paint a superscript TM on that banner, okay?

To any staff member at HQ who is reading these posts here at Greasespot Cafe, I can't imagine any young people today would jump at the chance to re-enact such hippiedom-yoked to-Bible-thumping. But maybe I'm wrong. Stranger things have happened.

image.jpeg

It's a different time and a different culture. Literally. :wave:

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Funny, I was a newborn in the Summer of 71, and the "last wave" was my only wow year. I recall those big moments when he announced it was all over. Everyone struggling to make meaning out of it all. Ended up taking home a wow cancellation refugee. Young guy with all his life stuffed in a few bags (which was me, the year prior) and suddenly nowhere to go. 

Edited by sirguessalot
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3 hours ago, penguin2 said:

they tried to spin Jesus Revolution movie by saying Doctor was a vital part of it.

Of course!  Why not?  Everything else, every other idea, is plagiarised and enhanced with VPW's ego - PFAL; books; the radio show; AoS based on Saturday Night Fever.  The trip to India where he was a keynote speaker. 

So of course he was a vital part of the Jesus Revolution.  At least his ability to hang onto others' coat tails was. /sarc/

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12 hours ago, Twinky said:

Of course!  Why not?  Everything else, every other idea, is plagiarised and enhanced with VPW's ego - PFAL; books; the radio show; AoS based on Saturday Night Fever.  The trip to India where he was a keynote speaker. 

So of course he was a vital part of the Jesus Revolution.  At least his ability to hang onto others' coat tails was. /sarc/

Yes as well as the “hook shot revolution” showing Kareem the way.

:biglaugh:

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On 1/30/2024 at 1:19 AM, Junior Corps Surviver said:

I did a bit of a deep dive into these young people and many of them are the sons and daughters of old Way people. 3rd generation lifers, not new people. Word Wolf makes sense with his comment. I just want a Wow Burger.  

The pickles were bomb.  And that huge monstrosity of a chicken fryer.  Delicious fried chicken.  

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20 hours ago, Twinky said:

Of course!  Why not?  Everything else, every other idea, is plagiarised and enhanced with VPW's ego - PFAL; books; the radio show; AoS based on Saturday Night Fever.  The trip to India where he was a keynote speaker. 

So of course he was a vital part of the Jesus Revolution.  At least his ability to hang onto others' coat tails was. /sarc/

 

On 2/1/2024 at 1:22 AM, penguin2 said:

They did a Young Adult Rock maybe two years ago?  And they are having a Word in Culture Conference soon too.  Also, they tried to spin Jesus Revolution movie by saying Doctor was a vital part of it.

vpw did indeed play a historically significant part in the Jesus Revolution.

By being the person who single-handedly ended the House of Acts, he ended the emerging movement of genuine Christianity and guidance of the Holy Spirit among the young of California, who already were making national headlines.   As such, vpw did more to impede the movement of God's Word and replace it with calcifying religion than anyone else that decade.  I'm sure the devil was VERY impressed with him.

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On 2/1/2024 at 9:48 PM, WordWolf said:

 

vpw did indeed play a historically significant part in the Jesus Revolution.

By being the person who single-handedly ended the House of Acts, he ended the emerging movement of genuine Christianity and guidance of the Holy Spirit among the young of California, who already were making national headlines.   As such, vpw did more to impede the movement of God's Word and replace it with calcifying religion than anyone else that decade.  I'm sure the devil was VERY impressed with him.

I would agree.  Simultaneously he poured water on the fire of the “Groovy Christians of Rye NY” and in both cases placed his goon Way Corps grads leading both West and East Coast arms of the movement - Moynihan was one of them.

The only survival of the Jesus movement persisted in the influence of Calvary Chapel which produced a new denomination of Christianity and various other Christian movement changes.

The Jesus movement, which was originally one that originated from the fire in the hearts of the masses, was overrun by the weeds of human greed and corporate institutions.

“The Way” or “The So-Called Way” or “The Way International” produced a rock star existence for VP and a subservient existence for the lay follower.  A stagnant pool of lust for power and bondage.

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