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Twig Coordinators' Meeting at the ROA


Oakspear
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from Cherished Child on the "CES Name Change Thread"

STFU---Now that reminds me of a story, a true one, actually. Some of you might have even been present when this went down: Rock of Ages, just before LCM cancelled the WOW program. There was a meeting held in the Living Room Tent for Twig Coordinators and persons interested in becoming one. LCM, Howard, and several big wigs were seated in wing chairs on the stage. There were teachings and "sharings" and, at the end, people were encouraged to line up at a microphone set up near the stage to share their thoughts on Twig Coordination. Quite a line formed and several folks got up and proceeded to kiss butt big time, telling LCM and the BOT how blessed they were to be leading God's people in such a wonderful mininstry, and "God Bless Rev. Martindale and the BOT", etc... A few had some simple and rather innocuous questions about the logistics of submitting certain forms, etc.

Then this one WOW came to the mike. He was wearing one of the arm bands they use to give to people who were committed to going WOW for the upcoming year. He got about six or seven words out of his mouth---something like, "We need to...(do such in such)". I didn't even understand the last couple of words, because LCM reared up and shouted into his mike, "SHUT THE FU#K UP!" An audible gasp rippled through the room. Then Craig went on to tell this guy that it was NOT this guy's place to say what "We needed to do"---it was his (Craig's) and the BOT's. Then he said a couple of other things that I don't quite remember. The room was so silent for a couple of seconds, you could hear a pin drop. But then the humiliated WOW recovered from his shock and got MAD! He tore off that arm band, threw it on the ground and stormed out of the tent. By now, waves of whispers and gasps were rippling throughout the room. People were honestly in total shock, because this whole scene just came out of nowhere. To say that this incident sent me into a spiritual and emotional tailspin, would be to put it lightly.

LCM motioned for John Reynolds (I think it was him) (I remember Larry Panarello) to go after this guy. Then LCM turned to address the room, which I'm sure he could see was still shell shocked. First, he apologized for his choice of language ("because there were children in the room"). Then he went on to elaborate upon why he had been totally right to shut this guy down. Needless to say, the meeting ended pretty soon after this.

I was at that meeting also. The pattern that it set, at least in my area, was that whoever was running a meeting could do or say whatever they wanted. Martindale said that whoever was running the meeting (in that case, him) had free reign. I saw "leaders" take this attitude often, especially in "confrontation" meetings.

Martindale...he should have been a diplomat icon_biggrin.gif :D -->

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice...but in practice there is

Oakspear icon_cool.gif<!--graemlin::cool:-->

[This message was edited by Oakspear on December 19, 2003 at 18:41.]

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The odd thing was that it was consistently inconsistent. One leader would rip your head off for saying anything during his teaching. Then the next guy would ask obvious questions to the crowd and tear into you for sitting there in silent fear.

In hindsight, it's a great control technique. If you went to the Joseph Stalin school of diplomacy, that is.

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okay well i gotta say thank you oak for re-posting this because i skimmed right over it before in the other thread (oh and thank you cherished child)

this may sound arrogant but no way do i mean it to be AT ALL

when i was "in," this kind of lashing out was reserved for the frikkin way corps ~ meaning now that you sold your soul (with your loving sponsors' money) you are able to handle this kind of sh!t. just ask a few here what happened at microphones OHMYGOD

so i see the cruelty became more common for wows, whoever

i gotta say though that i love this guy for ripping off his armband. i would love to have ripped off my nametag and said %@*!_(##!_ to the men in the golden chairs

but i thought i was privileged to get yelled at or watch others.... (not really, made me sick)

sooooooooooooooooooo

boy would i love to be able to go back in time and grab that microphone now. it would be so much fun to confront veepee publicly about his "personal" walk....

?

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Good point about the yelling once being reserved for Way Corps. Yeah, it did turn into everybody getting yelled at in the mid 90's.

Seems like when I got "in" in the late 70's more was expected of Corps folks. In 1994 I remember or Branch Coordinator telling us that we were wrong for thinking that only the Way Corps had made a committment, we all had by showing up to his living room and listening to him teach.

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice...but in practice there is

Oakspear icon_cool.gif

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If I remember correctly, the guy at the microphone talked about love. His (abbreviated) topic definitely dealt with the lack of love he saw and we needed to get back to that.

BTW, I was in the front row at that meeting. Mr "I'm so anxious to go in the Corps." Well, we never did end up going in the corps. That meeting had a lot to do with it. If I wanted screaming, I would have joined the Army.

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Unfortuately, it seems that whenever I think back to being residence in the corps, not about the laughs shared with friends, but "doing" the abnormal daily routine, most of what I remember was reproof sessions, complete with strained eyeballs and bursting jugulars. Particularily during and after lunch (lovingly referred to as dinner).

Ex, I too wish we could go through that now. I think I'd rip more than an arm band off. What a bunch of F-heads.

Is it any wonder Way "membership" is so lean?? Who in their right mind would consider it Godly to be the subject of these insane rantings?

Yes indeed, LCM's choice use of words sure inspired me, sure set a godly example. The fact he was selected to "lead" the ministry is proof enough to me that the Selector, the Creature, Box 328 New Knoxville, OH 45871, was as spiritual as his own testicles.

Deck the halls with his balls this wonderful Holiday season ... CHMF.

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Reminds me of the Corps weeks when Martindale & Wierwille floated the "athletes only" doctrine. It was presented by Mr. Fore Head and we were given, what?, a day to "work" it.

My skeptical buddies & I found problems in the proposition that *all military language in the NT was wrong.

So we have the "discussion". ForeHead is front & center. Also on stage are Wierwille & cummins. After some more from the stage we are invited to share our questions, agreements, problems. Yeah. Same deal. Fawning & butt-kissing; shameless, emabarrassing. Emboldened by one another, our posse lined up behing a mic. Each of us were angrily interrupted ...not by Mr. Rev Fore S. Head, but by Big Daddy MotorCoach Hisself. His comments, though a bit more articulated, amounted to "shut up dummy, we don't want to hear it".

For Fore Head this was learned behavior.

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Oh geeze,

I'll apologize for the sidetrack ahead of time...sorry.

But VP, LCM, and company knew that the whole athletes thing was a humongous stretch, but VP in particular felt that it was ok to make the leap, because he was after all "the great teacher." He was fishing for ammo to back up his "claim," that the military terms were "athletic." When he didn't get it, he didn't change his teaching, he went forward with it anyway. And then LCM took it to new heights....or depths, depending oh how you look at it. icon_rolleyes.gif:rolleyes:-->

Could it be that this "teaching" and the liberties taken with the scriptures set the stage for LCM's um, stranger teachings of the 90's? that aren't found anywhere in the bible?

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All right, out with it, Evan--- it was "no perception Paul" and "pablum Pyle", ifn' I 'members correctly.... all this, in a Biblical research and teaching ministry, the likes of which have not been seen since the uno Ce-antch-errryyy!!!!!!!!

sheeesh icon_rolleyes.gif:rolleyes:--> icon_rolleyes.gif:rolleyes:--> icon_rolleyes.gif:rolleyes:--> icon_biggrin.gif:D--> anim-smile.gif

[This message was edited by alfakat on December 20, 2003 at 0:06.]

[This message was edited by alfakat on December 20, 2003 at 0:07.]

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Greetings all and happy holidays.

My wife and I were at that TC meeting and it was so uncomfortable just to be there. The young man was exhorting the crowd in the tent to "Keep it simple" and that set LCM off on his diatribe. I remember as the words were coming out of his mouth We were cringing in our chairs, not because the young man was wrong, but I guess only LCM and his ego could give direction at "HIS" meeting and we knew what was comming. It was L#$RY Pan^&*$%o who LCM sent to clean up his mess. I must admit at the time I thought it was funny, But it must have been humiliating for the guy and I'm sorry I felt that way. It would have been so easy to have handled it in a kind and loving manner but bullies will do what bullies do. One either earns another's respect through love or intimidates with fear. LCM always chose the latter.

Peace and Blessings

IMA

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cringing for other folks.... the way corps motto....

i remember evan's testimony

and i remember daily the in-residence house of horrors with my tuttles

also if i'm remember right, veepee was with lc initially with the jock chit

then what happened ? after he did the dance, veepee backstepped ??? i forget

?

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Good point Evan and ex10 about Wierwille squelching arguments as well.

From very early on TWI was an organization that did not tolerate dissent. Wierwille usually wasn't as vulgar about it (although I dare say some might dispute that), the incident at the ROA Twig Coordinators meeting was a natural outgrowth of an attitude that had been there for years if nor decades.

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice...but in practice there is

Oakspear icon_cool.gif

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As wannabe "leaders" frequently imitated Wierwille and later Martindale, many started saying "I'm running this meeting" whenever there was any dissent, or if the reproved one disagreed with the assessment of the almighty miniMOG.

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice...but in practice there is

Oakspear icon_cool.gif

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quote:
It would have been so easy to have handled it in a kind and loving manner but bullies will do what bullies do.

Freeman,

That quopte just bugs me. It would have been easy to handle "it" in a loving manner? What was "it?" As far as I can tell, there was no "it" that needed to be handled. LCM was just being an obnoxious bully. There was no "it" that needed handling here.

See what I'm getting at?

Anyway, that quote just nags me.

Welcome to the cafe.

Raf

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