The Way International taught me--and everybody else--to be a wolf in sheep's clothing
By
CoolWaters,
in About The Way
By
CoolWaters,
in About The Way
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WhiteDove
CW
And Samuel said, What [meaneth] then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears...(I Samuel 15:14)
Please don't speak for all of us while speaking for yourself. While I would agree with you that often love got lost in the pile of words. I can't say that everybody was taght that. There were a lot of fine people who came into Way world yourself included. Sometimes we became lost sheep so to speak,but a wolf I never aspired to be. Now You are everything a big bad wolf could want.....Owooooooo
This gives new meaning to Sams song. I wish you could read it in the original....
Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
LI'L RED RIDING HOOD (Ronald Blackwell)
Owoooooooo!
Who's that I see walkin' in these woods?
Why, it's Little Red Riding Hood.
Hey there Little Red Riding Hood,
You sure are looking good.
You're everything a big bad wolf could want.
Listen to me.
Little Red Riding Hood
I don't think little big girls should
Go walking in these spooky old woods alone.
Owoooooooo!
What big eyes you have,
The kind of eyes that drive wolves mad.
So just to see that you don't get chased
I think I ought to walk with you for a ways.
What full lips you have.
They're sure to lure someone bad.
So until you get to grandma's place
I think you ought to walk with me and be safe.
I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on
Until I'm sure that you've been shown
That I can be trusted walking with you alone.
Owoooooooo!
Little Red Riding Hood
I'd like to hold you if I could
But you might think I'm a big bad wolf so I won't.
Owoooooooo!
What a big heart I have-the better to love you with.
Little Red Riding Hood
Even bad wolves can be good.
I'll try to be satisfied just to walk close by your side.
Maybe you'll see things my way before we get to grandma's place.
Little Red Riding Hood
You sure are looking good
You're everything that a big bad wolf could want.
Owoooooooo! I mean baaaaaa! Baaa?
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CoolWaters
OK...it was a rant...admittedly...I just had had enough of yet another "leader"...ya know...
And I think about my grandma...who died of breast cancer when I was 18...and the last thing I said to her was something about her own believing in "the unholy trinity" that took her to her death bed.
So high and mighty was I...because I had "the word"...and a "renewed mind"...and she had nothing but death...
Her last prayer was probably for me and my daughter.
And the self-same yahoo(s) that tried to make a fool of her by lying to her and manipulating her...over her granddaughter and her great-granddaughter...coming around saying things like "I don't even remember some of the people who say I have hurt them"....
Rant rant rant.
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WhiteDove
Cool Waters
:D-->
Cool!! Hope it helped getting it out, you know I was Just messing with you. But
You are everything a big bad wolf could want
:)-->
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CoolWaters
I can't believe you've made me blush!
;)-->
It feels better...yes...but only to get it out...again...I should move on...ya think?
:)-->
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rascal
Yeah cool waters....damn it, I did the same to my beloved Grandmother...told her...gawd this is sickening....
Arrogantly informed her that her son who died in college as a very young man from lymphoma...died because he wasn`t *believing* rightly or enough....didn`t wantto live bad enough....it is the only time that I ever remember seeing her hurt......I am ashamed.
It is one of many times I used the authority of the *word* to deeply hurt someone....
We were taught to be so arrogant and cruel.
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WhiteDove
Cool Waters
Will you wear that cute red thing with the hood
Owoooooo
aaah...Do I have to wear that hot ole' wolf head ?
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CoolWaters
{{{{{rascal}}}}} yeah....cruelty called "love"...sigh...I sure hope I'm not facing a whipping in the afterlife!
*****************************
WhiteDove!!!!!!
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Galen
WOW.
Reading the last few posts, I am amazed. And certainly sorry if I had any place in the movement to cause you to say such things to grandparents or any relatives and to condemn their actions so.
I was not aware that anyone had treated their own family so ruthlessly.
May I ask, during what period of TWI did you learn to treat others in this manner?
While we still hold to the 'Law of Beleiving', I have always seen it as going far over-board to actually blame anyone's 'bad-luck' on their own beleiving. Rain falls on saint and on sinner alike. And we live in a world of spiritual battles going on, that we are mostly un-disturbed by. So many things happen just because that is the way the dice rolled that day, and other things happen because spiritual forces caused them to happen, I want to beleive to keep my family safe. And I talk daily with G-d about the issue. I want to maintain a self-image of strong beleiving that we are protected. But that does not stop all these other forces from coming along and wiping us out, either.
We were followers of TWI for a seeming long time (myself 1978 - 1997, my wife 1976 - 1997), but we were largely isolated from many of the criminal conduct and just really harsh things that were going on. You were actually taught to treat others and even loved ones like this? Ugh.
All I can say is "I am sorry, presuming that I witnessed to you somewhere along the line, or caused you to be a such an area that you were so indoctrinated in that way."
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rascal
Yeah, thanks Galen, we were honestly taught this stuff..... no exagerating.
It was the late 70s early 80s ... I will try to explain the mindset and teaching that led up to this abusive behavior.... I was taught that The ONLY way to *love* someone was to *confront* them with the word.
It was a law baby, if you or someone died, it was because you weren`t *believing* enough...what is worse is...there was a real shame connected with becoming ill or death....it was all your fault where was your head at?
Galen, I know what you are saying....I never dreamed where that path from the loving spirit filled local twig folks and their seemingly harmless class would take me.
Once I got away from the local fellowship (which was wonderfull) and got involved with programs wow...corpes...etc...THEN I was told...I had become an active participant in the spiritual battle...was exposed to the *deeper* spiritual *truths* ....*meat* that was fed ONLY to those more committed....those who could spiritually *handle* it....
It is a world of difference between what was expected/demanded/taught to those in local fellowships...and those on the *spiritual front lines* they called it....folks at the local level were never taught this stuff ...the reasoning was....because they couldn`t *handle* it...needed to *mature* ....(probably in reality...they were not endoctrinated enough to swallow it and would have run)
If you didn`t accept these doctrines...do the *harsh* things demanded...it was because you weren`t *committed* enough..didn`t love God enough......if you objected to a leaders conduct or the content of a teaching.....it was because you weren`t *spiritual* enough to *handle* it....for those of us desperatly wanting to love God and serve him....there wasn`t much we wouldn`t do when leadership informed us that God demanded this of us...if we didn`t understand...we *held it in abeyance* trusting that Gid would make it all clear one day....IF it occured to us to doubt ....the problem was always in our own *understanding.
That is why so many of us committed these unfathomably cruel things Galen....it wasn`t that we wanted to hurt our family members....abandon our loved ones...destroy our children...we did it...no matter how tough...no matter how outragious...no matter how our conscience stung....because we were told by those we trusted, (the TRUE wolves...disguised as us sheep)....that THIS was what God expected of a committed believer.
As time goes by....and my thinking clears little by little...I am agahst at the heartless behavior that I displayed.
I know that those I wounded....have in all probability *forgiven* me....but it doesn`t asuage the shame and guilt that I feel for having behaved in such a way....no matter what the excuse or justification is.
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rascal
I want to add Galen...it was wonderfull tc`s and believes like you and your wife that made twi bearable....those who honestly loved and gave of their lives....it was with these local leaders ... our loving brothers and sisters in christ we saw the answeres to prayers....the excitement for God....the love of his word....it was sweet fellowship at local levels that we all remembered and clung to when things got crazy....it was those early years of real love that we spent the rest of our time in twi looking for...
If the evil hadn`t had wonderfull folks running sweet fellowship to disarm our suspicions...they never could have gotten away with what they did....
It`s you, and me and the other wonderfull believers that were in the dark as to the true inner workings of twi....we did our best in SPITE of the wolves...
Damn ...it has just dawned on me....that we...*WE* were the *clothing* that the wolves wore to disguise their true nature...in order to sneak in close enough to attack and consume the unwary....that is how predators work..
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Nottawayfer
CW, you hit the nail on the head with twi teaching us to be sheep in wolves clothing. I had a Branch coordintor's wife constantly promote going out to just get laid. Just go get yourself taken care of--believer or unbeliever. Do whatever the H you want, hurt whomever you want, don't care about people, use them for your own pleasure......These Branch coordinators are now limb coordinators in twit.
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Bramble
Quote from Galen:
May I ask, during what period of TWI did you learn to treat others in this manner?
***
I was taught this during my wow year in '83, by our local corps leadership, involving a new grad who had a parent dying of cancer in a small town in the state. We were to council this grad to remain with us, where the Word was 'hot,' and not to return home to take care of parent.
The parent would either believe to live or die, corps said--no emotion, no concern.
The unbeliever parent--a Christian trinitarian church attendee, wasn't important, I now see.
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dmiller
I think you hit the nail on the head also.
:(-->
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CoolWaters
{{{{{Galen}}}}}
I think we've talked about this before...unless you were using another name besides Galen, you weren't part of the areas where I lived.
My grandmother died the same day Elvis did in June of '77...so this was at least in '76 if not before.
Everything rascal and others have said...yep...those were my experiences, too, with twi mentality.
And I have to think it was more widespread than isolated...because a person that was "leadership" at the time and pretty much taught me everything I knew about twi said the same things to me just 2 years ago...when my husband nearly died twice in two weeks (cancer one week...head-on collision two weeks later). When I was as emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally broken down as far as I could be broken down I called this person...in desperation...and asked him why these things were happening in our lives...and his exact words were, "Well, anybody can see that your life is $h!t."
Even in a more recent conversation with him (just a few weeks ago) he is still badgering me about my believing and telling me I have devil spirits...and I all I wanted to do was continue to be friends with his wife and go to his church sometimes. But all it took was him knowing how bad my health had become...and he blamed it all on my "spiritual choices and believing".
He was WOW more than once and corpse more than once back in his twi days.
He had been in several areas.
He was (and may still be) good buddies with a former twi big whig...who is, imo, a spineless letch...and who triggered the original post of mine here.
Rant rant rant....sigh.
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rascal
Oh Bramble... that is so heartless.....please tell me the new grad went home to the parent.
I know one of the kiddoes that went to the same town wow with us found out that his girl friend was pregnant after he got on the field.
Of course that was just a trick to distract the wow...draw him away from doing the word...yada yada...he mustn`t let satan fool him via his girl friend and child.
It never dawned on any of us that he would let something as trivial as the impending birth of his child or responsibilities entailed....prevent him from finishing his *commitment* ...you know vow a vow to God ....yada yada...Thank GOD he left and fullfilled his TRUE obligation....though the poor guy had to sneak away in the night with nothing more than a back pack while everyone slept.
Tell me, as many times as I have heard of believers being told to ignore ailing parents...family crisis...told that God would heal/deliver in honor of our stand.....did anyone ever see it happen?
I know of believers who were told to throw away their meds that this was how God would honor their *believing*....more than one in twi died from this.
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rascal
Cool waters....damn, I am sorry for your treatment by a supposed representative of God...that leader. He STILL just doesn`t get it...He truly does not understand the love of God....what is sad is that this and this alone more so than any other thing....will affect his entire ability to be a minister for God.
He will never truly be able to help anyone....just continue to be just a *tinkeling symbol* (sp?) ...the rest of his life...arrogantly feeling like he is doing something noble....well he ain`t doin anybody any favors either...sigh
As mad as these inept minister boogers make me, I feel sorry for them as well...and their whole works based er believing lifestyle...someday somewhere it will all come crashing down...and like as not, God will get the blame.
In the mean time...no telling how much damage will be wrought in peoples lives who believe and swallow their guilt trip.
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rascal
Dmiller...kind of makes you sick to your stomache and adds some perspective to the *good* that we thought we accomplished eh?
I have a picture on the wall....beautifull ..lake...sun rising some mallards back winging to land with some ducks that are all ready in the water...
In the back ground...hidden in the tall grasses are some hunters with guns in the act of rising up to shoot the decending mallards...
The ducks on the water that attracted the mallards in the first place...that distracted their attention from the hidden hunters and relaxed their vigilance...that gave the appearance of everything being ok....in reality were simply decoys placed their by the hunters to lure the unsuspecting within their reach.
To me it is all an allegory depicting the wow year...the outreach programs...the pressures to bring folks to twig...
We were the decoys.....placed there by the hunters....in order to make everything appear *safe* ... our sole purpose to attract attention/ distract from danger.
We were the *lures* ...the nicer we were...the more exciting the bible we taught...the more we loved folks...made us all the more attractive decoys.
I hate that picture....
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Shellon
rascal said: I hate that picture....
==============================================
I have used some old twi stuff as well as other things that remind me of twi for target practice. For some reason stuff like that blows apart beautifully.
Cheap therapy too
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rascal
You know, when I found that picture at the flea market....it was so dirty that only the pretty ducks...were *visable* ...I loved it.
When I got home and cleaned it up....started examining it a little more closely....it was then I saw the hunters hidden ....I was disgusted and saddened....here these pretty ducks...contentedly landing for some food n fellowship...are targeted to be blown away in about two seconds....
There they are oblivious to the impending destruction.....
Now...when I look at this picture....I can STILL simply focus just on the pretty ducks the beautifull water ...all of the *nice* things...and completely block out the looming danger that is lurking in the bushes, and make myself not see that it exists....it is all about what I focus on....isn`t it?
I suppose that if I acknowledge the hunters behind the bushes...those waiting to destroy the innocent....not think about the dead lifeless little bodies that will be floating in the water in about 5 seconds...or the gloating victorious shouts of the hunters...I am of course then focusing on the *negatives*....of an otherwise really pretty picture.....it`s much nicer that way....but am I content not seeing the reality of what is happening in the picture?
Shell, thanks for the advice.....however, I think that I will keep that picture on the wall so that I never forget.....
Sorry for the derailment cool waters.....Got my own little *epiphany* going on here.
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rascal
Maybe I should get my *ducks in a row* on another thread rather than further derail your thoughts eh cool waters?
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What The Hay
There maybe some wolves in sheeps clothing around, but you'll find there are more sheep out there who like to wear wolves clothing, and they are still stuck in their wolf suit.
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rascal
Please elaborate WTH....
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searcher
This thraed explains something that I have been trying to work out for a while.
Thanks all who posted.
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Belle
My ex has not spoken to his family in years all because of a suggestion from leadership (and we know what that means, don't we?). It breaks my heart to think about his cousins, neices, nephews and such growing up without even knowing him. He doesn't even know if some of his older relatives are alive.
He was the one who broke off communication, but he was the sheep doing the bidding of the wolves who encouraged him to do it.
Galen, it seems as though you were pretty much in a utopian TWIt environment. I've read several times at your shock and awe of the horrendous treatment, lies and doctrines taught. Maybe you just weren't around enough to have been affected by it or you were perceived as being too strong to bully, but the doctrines were taught from HQ in the STS tapes, the Way Mag and by all the WC, so I don't know how you missed so much of it.
I didn't get in until the late 80's, but it was certainly standard good practice to limit all communication with family who "refused the Word", it was better practice to cut off all communication with those body & soul empties.
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