I remember being really fired-up about the auditorium as well, when it was first announced and then after the construction was going on. Good PR on that one.
Then I heard the Way Chorus (or whatever it was called) sing there during a SNS or somesuch, and I remember just a glimmer of the notion flickering in my brain momentarily "This seems like just another goddam church". It took me another 4 years to actually do something about it, but I finally realized that WayWorld was just another B.S. religious organization among the many, and not terribly significant at that.
It still amazes me that they were able to convince us of it's tremendous importance at the time.
I remember when TWI first solicited donations for the "Victor Paul Wierwille Auditorium." I refused to give, since it was clearly a tribute to a man. (One I respected, but I still didn't think he needed a monument.) Then it was decided to call it the "Word Over the World Auditorium." Okay, I could live with that, so I sent in a donation. Not two months later, the name was changed again, this time to the "Victor Paul Wierwille Word Over the World Auditorium." So I wound up paying for the monument, anyway. -->
They originally projected that it would cost $5,000,000 to construct, it ended up costing twice that.
I remember some guy at a Rocka standing up and saying, "How about a 1000 club? I had a vision, 5000 X 1000 = 5 Million. If 5000 believers would each contribute $1000, that would cover the cost of the construction." And even as waybrained as I was, I remember thinking to myself, "What a dupe!"
When I first heard about plans to build the auditorium I thought that we were building another Mormon Tabernacle or a Temple. Why did we need a big building when we fellowshipped in the home? I never gave a cent.
Another time I recall some TWI bigwig, maybe Ralph D discussing how it would be named "The Victor Paul Wierwille Word Over The World Auditorium" and Wierwille got mad and stomped out, only to be later "convinced" by Howard Allen that it was appropriate. What crap. It was Wierwille's playground, if he really didn't want his name on it, it wouldn't have been there.
Then I heard the Way Chorus (or whatever it was called) sing there during a SNS or somesuch, and I remember just a glimmer of the notion flickering in my brain momentarily "This seems like just another goddam church".
Whoaaa George, You took the thoughts right out of my mind.
Ditto to all said above. Also, um, I really didn't think it was very, ah, all that nice considering the amount of money that was spent on it. And of course it will always stick with me that vpw said it wasn't appropriate to name a bldg. like that after someone who was still alive--that it was always done posthumously--but then they went ahead and did it anyway. At the time that puzzled me because he didn't seem to be in charge then and I suppose he wasn't after lcm took over.
There was really a 250 mile radius? For what? You HAD to go? How often? What if you didn't.
outandabout.....yep, apparently the top leadership got out a map and started doing some figuring. Wouldn't surprise me if they toyed and quarreled with the mileage abit...before establishing the 250-mile radius mandate!
Heck, at 60-65 mph average....it would ONLY be a 4-hour drive to hq (one way). Add in the carpooling factor, proper clothing attire, kids, food, stops.....and 2 1/2 hours minimum at hq.... YOU COULD BE HOME AND TUCK THE KIDS IN BED BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
No wonder the sunday service was moved from 5pm back to 3pm !!! :P-->
Nothing like spending 9 HOURS in a car..... and 2 hours in a chair to hear a teaching that you'll get in the mail a few days later.
I knew several couples who MOVED AWAY FROM HQ to avoid the insanity mandate!!!
Right from the git go, I greatly disliked the place. I went to a SNS while in-residence, and then there after stayed back in the dorms during the service. I just couldn't stand it.
Nothing like spending 9 HOURS in a car..... and 2 hours in a chair to hear a teaching that you'll get in the mail a few days later.
Yeah, there was a whole lot of logic in the decision-making process on that. My personal opinion on that was to fill up the damn place. I used to usher for the service, and most of the time there were hardly enough to fill the lower 2/3. They made sure we had all of the front seats filled so that the cameras wouldn't pan on empty seats. It would look bad on the video to see empty seats. They should really see the signs....nobody wants to come to the service when they are getting a friggin tape. Yeah, that's a real quality life-style to drive 4 hours each way each week. -->
I'm not sure if anyone was with me doing this, but I was assigned to help lift and remove rocks from the place where the foundation for the auditorium was laid. There were a few guys with me. I think possibly a girl or two. I was there for that first service. I remember the book of contributors. I remember the full house packed and overflowing.
I thought it would be packed forever as I was excited about it in those days. Looking forward to the Advanced Class and all that would be offered and later the Corps.
The legalism destroyed it all. The lack of love and respect for its followers and people destroyed the foundation which I helped to build.
It grieves me it is mostly empty now. I wish they would sell the grounds there to a church or ministry that would get more godly use out of it and fill it to the brim again.
Yeah, there was a whole lot of logic in the decision-making process on that. My personal opinion on that was to fill up the damn place. I used to usher for the service, and most of the time there were hardly enough to fill the lower 2/3. They made sure we had all of the front seats filled so that the cameras wouldn't pan on empty seats.
Wayfer Not!.....Absolutely! If the first 5 or 6 rows could be filled with 'visitors'....THEN the hq staff would be able to cover enough for the camera angles. Staffers got to hang in the foyer and slip into their seats at the last minute....the traveling 'visitors' were herded up front 20 minutes before it started. MORE SITTING...UUUUGH.
I was out here on "the field" when it opened. Some of the believers around here did a Saturday car wash, proceeds of which were to go to the auditorium. That was kind of strange I thought.
I didn't much care for it. Last time I was in it was to hear that all spouse corps were no longer considered corps. A lot of sad people walked out of those doors that day including some of my friends.
Then later we sat through the abominable AOS production. We were stunned at its badness but couldn't really figure out why until years later when I heard John Lynx explain that its main focus we the devil and the "minister" and how Jesus Christ was left out of it. Made sense. I never visited the place again.
I agree they should sell it. TWI of today just does not need it anymore. What a waste and lots of money to maintain from what I hear. After all, Howard and others used to pride themselves about getting rid of something that is no longer useful. Heck, from what I hear CFF might need it some day the rate they are growing. Ha!
I felt sorry for those within the 250 mile radius who were all but forced (mandatory) to attend STS's regularly or face stern reproval, especially Corps.
Yes, this was a reality for a long period of time.
The one time I tried to go into that auditorium, I was denied entrance.
It was at the Rock in '85, which was the last ROA I went to. They were doing a production of AOS, and it was for central region folks only. I was stopped at the door, asked where I was from. I told the guy Minnesota, and he said --"Oh, this is for the central region. Your region's showing has already taken place. You should have gone to that one."
I told him I couldn't make the one held up here, but he wouldn't let me in. Now I'm glad he didn't. I never did see AOS either - till JAL showed up here in Minnesota about 8 years later, and talked about it like you mentioned, igotout.
From a musician's POV -- I thought AOS sucked, right from the get go. The music was so depressing, it made you want to hide to get away from it all. The over-abundance of minor chords, and discordant notes thrown together (from what I remember) cast a pall on the entire room of folks who were there for that meeting. I couldn't even concentrate on the *dance*, or the *symbolism*.
Music is indeed a powerful thing - and can be used to set the mood effectively, completely, and easily. I couldn't believe that such a depressing score had been chosen to be the music for what was touted as such a "Great Production" -->
If any of you musicians out there happened to have played for AOS, I apologize if you think I am directing this against you, or any of the musicians. I am not! The quality of music was probably pretty good (notes on a music score are notes - nothing else). But the choice of what was performed really rankled me.
When I heard the music, and realized that it had to have been approved by the really high-up folks -- I thought "The law of gravity is once again proved".
Law of Gravity -- "What's in the Brain, Drains out at the mouth"
Ps -- I was so ....ed at the guy who wouldn't let me in, I decided then and there that it was not worth my while to either visit the auditorium, or see AOS.
I was already *one foot out the door* by then, and had gone to ROA '85 only because of the memorial being done for docvic. Close to 900 miles from here. Shoulda saved the gas money for something more *profitable*. :D-->
How totally shallow that they wouldn't let you in! How legalistic! And how far did you travel to go there?
Like there wasn't a seat for you?? No room in the big huge building paid for the believers???
Remember when they used to say HQ belonged to us? HA HA HA HA Yeah, sure it did.
And when you got off the WOW field you were coming "HOME?" Home? yeah, sure, like I'm going to stay in my tent here for the rest of the year because I'm "home." Just try it. (Might get kind of cold when winter comes).
I guess they're reaping what they've sowed. A big fat building with no one to put in it.
"Here's the church, here's the steeple, open it up, where're all the people!!"
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oldiesman
Last time I set foot in the auditorium was sometime around 1990 or 1991 for a service.
Do you remember those thick books they had in the front with all the contributors' names?
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George Aar
I remember being really fired-up about the auditorium as well, when it was first announced and then after the construction was going on. Good PR on that one.
Then I heard the Way Chorus (or whatever it was called) sing there during a SNS or somesuch, and I remember just a glimmer of the notion flickering in my brain momentarily "This seems like just another goddam church". It took me another 4 years to actually do something about it, but I finally realized that WayWorld was just another B.S. religious organization among the many, and not terribly significant at that.
It still amazes me that they were able to convince us of it's tremendous importance at the time.
Youth is wasted on the young...
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GeorgeStGeorge
I remember when TWI first solicited donations for the "Victor Paul Wierwille Auditorium." I refused to give, since it was clearly a tribute to a man. (One I respected, but I still didn't think he needed a monument.) Then it was decided to call it the "Word Over the World Auditorium." Okay, I could live with that, so I sent in a donation. Not two months later, the name was changed again, this time to the "Victor Paul Wierwille Word Over the World Auditorium." So I wound up paying for the monument, anyway.
-->
George
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outandabout
Yeah, I never would have thought that, either, that that place would end up with almost nobody in it. How pathetic.
There was really a 250 mile radius? For what? You HAD to go? How often? What if you didn't.
How pathetic.
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Ham
Probably have to stuff the back 3/4 of the place with "blow up" people..
I remember my name was in that book.. probably not any more.
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Ham
"Da prevailing" choir.. good grief, rather listen to Sgt. Peppers- "Twenty years ago today, Sgt. pepper taught the band to play.."
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Steve!
They originally projected that it would cost $5,000,000 to construct, it ended up costing twice that.
I remember some guy at a Rocka standing up and saying, "How about a 1000 club? I had a vision, 5000 X 1000 = 5 Million. If 5000 believers would each contribute $1000, that would cover the cost of the construction." And even as waybrained as I was, I remember thinking to myself, "What a dupe!"
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Oakspear
When I first heard about plans to build the auditorium I thought that we were building another Mormon Tabernacle or a Temple. Why did we need a big building when we fellowshipped in the home? I never gave a cent.
Another time I recall some TWI bigwig, maybe Ralph D discussing how it would be named "The Victor Paul Wierwille Word Over The World Auditorium" and Wierwille got mad and stomped out, only to be later "convinced" by Howard Allen that it was appropriate. What crap. It was Wierwille's playground, if he really didn't want his name on it, it wouldn't have been there.
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justloafing
Whoaaa George, You took the thoughts right out of my mind.
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waterbuffalo
Ditto to all said above. Also, um, I really didn't think it was very, ah, all that nice considering the amount of money that was spent on it. And of course it will always stick with me that vpw said it wasn't appropriate to name a bldg. like that after someone who was still alive--that it was always done posthumously--but then they went ahead and did it anyway. At the time that puzzled me because he didn't seem to be in charge then and I suppose he wasn't after lcm took over.
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skyrider
outandabout.....yep, apparently the top leadership got out a map and started doing some figuring. Wouldn't surprise me if they toyed and quarreled with the mileage abit...before establishing the 250-mile radius mandate!
Heck, at 60-65 mph average....it would ONLY be a 4-hour drive to hq (one way). Add in the carpooling factor, proper clothing attire, kids, food, stops.....and 2 1/2 hours minimum at hq.... YOU COULD BE HOME AND TUCK THE KIDS IN BED BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
No wonder the sunday service was moved from 5pm back to 3pm !!!
:P-->
Nothing like spending 9 HOURS in a car..... and 2 hours in a chair to hear a teaching that you'll get in the mail a few days later.
I knew several couples who MOVED AWAY FROM HQ to avoid the insanity mandate!!!
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outandabout
Un friggin believable.
I'd move too to get away from that.
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skyrider
o&a,
As far as I know.....the mandate STILL is in place.
It is 'acceptable' though to travel ONCE a month and keep that special membership card. Yep.....un friggin believable.
Some things never change.
:D-->
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gladtobeout
Right from the git go, I greatly disliked the place. I went to a SNS while in-residence, and then there after stayed back in the dorms during the service. I just couldn't stand it.
It made me want to puke.
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Nottawayfer
Yeah, there was a whole lot of logic in the decision-making process on that. My personal opinion on that was to fill up the damn place. I used to usher for the service, and most of the time there were hardly enough to fill the lower 2/3. They made sure we had all of the front seats filled so that the cameras wouldn't pan on empty seats. It would look bad on the video to see empty seats. They should really see the signs....nobody wants to come to the service when they are getting a friggin tape. Yeah, that's a real quality life-style to drive 4 hours each way each week.
-->
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Radar OReilly
Well, I was on my duo at LEAD the weekend the auditorium opened. They extended our duo to be 48 hours so that they could keep us an extra day at lead.
So, 2 feet in snow, in my hooch....I had a MUCH BETTER TIME than just about anyone in that stupid building.
ror
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Eagle
I'm not sure if anyone was with me doing this, but I was assigned to help lift and remove rocks from the place where the foundation for the auditorium was laid. There were a few guys with me. I think possibly a girl or two. I was there for that first service. I remember the book of contributors. I remember the full house packed and overflowing.
I thought it would be packed forever as I was excited about it in those days. Looking forward to the Advanced Class and all that would be offered and later the Corps.
The legalism destroyed it all. The lack of love and respect for its followers and people destroyed the foundation which I helped to build.
It grieves me it is mostly empty now. I wish they would sell the grounds there to a church or ministry that would get more godly use out of it and fill it to the brim again.
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skyrider
Wayfer Not!.....Absolutely! If the first 5 or 6 rows could be filled with 'visitors'....THEN the hq staff would be able to cover enough for the camera angles. Staffers got to hang in the foyer and slip into their seats at the last minute....the traveling 'visitors' were herded up front 20 minutes before it started. MORE SITTING...UUUUGH.
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igotout
Another insightful post Skyrider.
I was out here on "the field" when it opened. Some of the believers around here did a Saturday car wash, proceeds of which were to go to the auditorium. That was kind of strange I thought.
I didn't much care for it. Last time I was in it was to hear that all spouse corps were no longer considered corps. A lot of sad people walked out of those doors that day including some of my friends.
Then later we sat through the abominable AOS production. We were stunned at its badness but couldn't really figure out why until years later when I heard John Lynx explain that its main focus we the devil and the "minister" and how Jesus Christ was left out of it. Made sense. I never visited the place again.
I agree they should sell it. TWI of today just does not need it anymore. What a waste and lots of money to maintain from what I hear. After all, Howard and others used to pride themselves about getting rid of something that is no longer useful. Heck, from what I hear CFF might need it some day the rate they are growing. Ha!
I felt sorry for those within the 250 mile radius who were all but forced (mandatory) to attend STS's regularly or face stern reproval, especially Corps.
Yes, this was a reality for a long period of time.
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coolchef1248 @adelphia.net
was the .... of the spirit done on that opening week end . if it was i was there and got there in twi big jet!
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dmiller
The one time I tried to go into that auditorium, I was denied entrance.
It was at the Rock in '85, which was the last ROA I went to. They were doing a production of AOS, and it was for central region folks only. I was stopped at the door, asked where I was from. I told the guy Minnesota, and he said --"Oh, this is for the central region. Your region's showing has already taken place. You should have gone to that one."
I told him I couldn't make the one held up here, but he wouldn't let me in. Now I'm glad he didn't. I never did see AOS either - till JAL showed up here in Minnesota about 8 years later, and talked about it like you mentioned, igotout.
From a musician's POV -- I thought AOS sucked, right from the get go. The music was so depressing, it made you want to hide to get away from it all. The over-abundance of minor chords, and discordant notes thrown together (from what I remember) cast a pall on the entire room of folks who were there for that meeting. I couldn't even concentrate on the *dance*, or the *symbolism*.
Music is indeed a powerful thing - and can be used to set the mood effectively, completely, and easily. I couldn't believe that such a depressing score had been chosen to be the music for what was touted as such a "Great Production"
-->
If any of you musicians out there happened to have played for AOS, I apologize if you think I am directing this against you, or any of the musicians. I am not! The quality of music was probably pretty good (notes on a music score are notes - nothing else). But the choice of what was performed really rankled me.
When I heard the music, and realized that it had to have been approved by the really high-up folks -- I thought "The law of gravity is once again proved".
Law of Gravity -- "What's in the Brain, Drains out at the mouth"
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dmiller
Ps -- I was so ....ed at the guy who wouldn't let me in, I decided then and there that it was not worth my while to either visit the auditorium, or see AOS.
I was already *one foot out the door* by then, and had gone to ROA '85 only because of the memorial being done for docvic. Close to 900 miles from here. Shoulda saved the gas money for something more *profitable*.
:D-->
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outandabout
How totally shallow that they wouldn't let you in! How legalistic! And how far did you travel to go there?
Like there wasn't a seat for you?? No room in the big huge building paid for the believers???
Remember when they used to say HQ belonged to us? HA HA HA HA Yeah, sure it did.
And when you got off the WOW field you were coming "HOME?" Home? yeah, sure, like I'm going to stay in my tent here for the rest of the year because I'm "home." Just try it. (Might get kind of cold when winter comes).
I guess they're reaping what they've sowed. A big fat building with no one to put in it.
"Here's the church, here's the steeple, open it up, where're all the people!!"
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outandabout
d miller,
oh, sorry, was it 900 miles?
Does that mean you went 900 miles to go to the auditorium but because your area was thre at a different time they wouldn't let you in?
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