that is the problem I saw with some in twi, the whole making what they thoughtthe bible (the word?) may have said bigger than loving one another.
Jesus never said make yourself into intellectual giants with your ideas of what the bible may or may not mean, and it is ok to fight and strife over the definitions with power plays of who must be right or wrong .
Jesus said To love one another. that was and is His commandment.
Folks who know very little chapter and verse are just as loved and blessed by Jesus Christ in life.
I think twi worshipped the bible at times and turned into it into a idol to be adorned as a who is who of the Im a real chrisitan and your not game. very religous .
They could have loved you and your wife and baby and had a very nice memorial service to grieve your loss. Why did everything have to turn into the word and nothing but in Corithians it says if we have not love nothing eles really matters .
I know alot of bible and I am still trying to learn but I do not think it matter to much in life other christians do not know so the conversation can not get into "what it really means" and Im glad I really do not think the bible is to be used as a bullet to hurt one another or to isolate groups into private sects which is how twi used the bible.
I've been taking some time to think about your post and the two categories you mentioned. I would like to interject this: Someone who is mentally ill and is looking from relief from their symptoms (cures, answers, etc.) - looking to MOGs is not out of the ordinary.
(Don't take this as my going off on you or anything of the sort - I agree with your statements, but I think your statements are better applied to someone who is in good mental health. I don't think they really could work for someone who was not.)
Ever wonder why there's so many different types of psychotropic drugs on the market? Because there's so many types of mental illness and so many side effects from these drugs that drug companies are still working to develop new ones. Interestingly enough, many of the old drugs, such as lithium, or some of the old treatments, such as shock treatment, are still found to be effective.
It is almost excepted by medical professionals in this field that mentally ill patients will skip, overdose, stop or experiment with their medications. Many patients feel that since there are no "answers" or "cures" that this is perfectly acceptable.
So, when medicine fails them, they look elsewhere. Some go to alternative medicine, some go looking for spiritual answers.
To the mentally ill patient who discovers TWI, who teaches even its newest members that mental illness is DEVIL POSSESSION - viola! They suddenly have an answer. They are taught that when they receive holy spirit that they are made whole - isn't that what they were looking for with the other treatment they've been seeking?
But then they're put in the hands of "trained leaders" who, as you put it, seem to have their best interests in mind. These leaders know nothing or very little about the real illness these people may suffer from - I know of no instances where a twig coordinator asked someone for a copy of their medical records - and they offer them "counsel". The leaders are playing with fire.
I remember when I took the advanced class for the first time - I believe it was in 1991 and it was VPW's class on tape - it was driven into our little heads that we are to NEVER tell someone to stop taking their medication - that's for them to decide. HOWEVER, leadership had no problem melting someone's face, as some have posted about on this thread, for seeking treatment from a medical professional because of their or their family member's mental problem. They wouldn't have told a diabetic that he or she was wrong for needing to take insulin - why would they tell someone with depression not to take zoloft?
In a nutshell - they didn't want to appear weak, no matter the individual, circumstances or situation. Additionally, those who thought they'd found answers in the beginning of their relationship with TWI, placed their trust and allegence with TWI & its leadership. They were in a desparate situation and had a few answers - but not exactly what they needed for true physical wholeness. I'm sure in some cases, that these people's loyalty cost them their jobs, families and even their lives.
Sorry this post was so long - I lived with someone with untreated mental illness for a long time. I've had some time to think about him and his illness - tried to understand why he was who/what he was. I hope he's gotten treatment, but I know he was trying to get back into TWI, so he may have done the "I'm healed!" routine - which I heard a million times...
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that is the problem I saw with some in twi, the whole making what they thoughtthe bible (the word?) may have said bigger than loving one another.
Jesus never said make yourself into intellectual giants with your ideas of what the bible may or may not mean, and it is ok to fight and strife over the definitions with power plays of who must be right or wrong .
Jesus said To love one another. that was and is His commandment.
Folks who know very little chapter and verse are just as loved and blessed by Jesus Christ in life.
I think twi worshipped the bible at times and turned into it into a idol to be adorned as a who is who of the Im a real chrisitan and your not game. very religous .
They could have loved you and your wife and baby and had a very nice memorial service to grieve your loss. Why did everything have to turn into the word and nothing but in Corithians it says if we have not love nothing eles really matters .
I know alot of bible and I am still trying to learn but I do not think it matter to much in life other christians do not know so the conversation can not get into "what it really means" and Im glad I really do not think the bible is to be used as a bullet to hurt one another or to isolate groups into private sects which is how twi used the bible.
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ChasUFarley
Belle -
I've been taking some time to think about your post and the two categories you mentioned. I would like to interject this: Someone who is mentally ill and is looking from relief from their symptoms (cures, answers, etc.) - looking to MOGs is not out of the ordinary.
(Don't take this as my going off on you or anything of the sort - I agree with your statements, but I think your statements are better applied to someone who is in good mental health. I don't think they really could work for someone who was not.)
Ever wonder why there's so many different types of psychotropic drugs on the market? Because there's so many types of mental illness and so many side effects from these drugs that drug companies are still working to develop new ones. Interestingly enough, many of the old drugs, such as lithium, or some of the old treatments, such as shock treatment, are still found to be effective.
It is almost excepted by medical professionals in this field that mentally ill patients will skip, overdose, stop or experiment with their medications. Many patients feel that since there are no "answers" or "cures" that this is perfectly acceptable.
So, when medicine fails them, they look elsewhere. Some go to alternative medicine, some go looking for spiritual answers.
To the mentally ill patient who discovers TWI, who teaches even its newest members that mental illness is DEVIL POSSESSION - viola! They suddenly have an answer. They are taught that when they receive holy spirit that they are made whole - isn't that what they were looking for with the other treatment they've been seeking?
But then they're put in the hands of "trained leaders" who, as you put it, seem to have their best interests in mind. These leaders know nothing or very little about the real illness these people may suffer from - I know of no instances where a twig coordinator asked someone for a copy of their medical records - and they offer them "counsel". The leaders are playing with fire.
I remember when I took the advanced class for the first time - I believe it was in 1991 and it was VPW's class on tape - it was driven into our little heads that we are to NEVER tell someone to stop taking their medication - that's for them to decide. HOWEVER, leadership had no problem melting someone's face, as some have posted about on this thread, for seeking treatment from a medical professional because of their or their family member's mental problem. They wouldn't have told a diabetic that he or she was wrong for needing to take insulin - why would they tell someone with depression not to take zoloft?
In a nutshell - they didn't want to appear weak, no matter the individual, circumstances or situation. Additionally, those who thought they'd found answers in the beginning of their relationship with TWI, placed their trust and allegence with TWI & its leadership. They were in a desparate situation and had a few answers - but not exactly what they needed for true physical wholeness. I'm sure in some cases, that these people's loyalty cost them their jobs, families and even their lives.
Sorry this post was so long - I lived with someone with untreated mental illness for a long time. I've had some time to think about him and his illness - tried to understand why he was who/what he was. I hope he's gotten treatment, but I know he was trying to get back into TWI, so he may have done the "I'm healed!" routine - which I heard a million times...
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TheSongRemainsTheSame
10-4 mj412 and much athoughts we all have all of us and each other and all others...
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