Personally I enjoy talking with people that used to be in the LWF. For one thing, it is good therapy. I thought I posted this already, I typed it all up so that I wouldn't have any typos or whatever, but i don't see it. So i am going to just let the typos happen, but I have tried groups therapy type things before, NA, AA, CD, CO-DEPENDENCY stuff(*that is useful to people like us btw, most of us are sort of co-dependent or we wouldn't give our power to cult leaders to begin with) I have also been in a church thing they have now, Celebrate Recovery, all sorts of stuff, know, America was in about a twenty year fad of THERAPY for everything. But this forum here is about the best thing that I have tried.

Also, I have hooked up with new friends here. I feel like we have a connection. That is one thing that I miss about the Living Word Fellowship, it's like the old friends that I had in the late sixties and seventies, partying and stuff. But then, like in the Walk, once you decide to think a little differently, the old cool buddies that you thought were so open minded slam shut on you like a steel trap. I think we might be able to move beyond that, where we can view things a little differently.

Anyway, that is what I think of the reason I am part of this forum, message board, blog, whatever is the buzz word for it today.

RRModerator,

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I humbly offer that you've misinterpreted my comments and motives. I most definitely do wish you all the best there is.

Cheers

If one follows the overall trends taking place in the world, there is every reason to be encouraged. In general, things are moving towards OPENNESS and INCLUSION, and away from separation and divisiveness. There will always be examples of the later, but more and more they are being exposed and marginalized. We will not see the end of it in our lifetimes, but more LIGHT is exposing areas of darkness than ever before.

This current TLW transition will be another sign on the landscape. With its heyday long since past, and an impressive inventory of missteps under its belt, its only a matter of time when those who have considered their involvement, will be in the position to gain a new perspective.

To quote one of my favorite NON-scriptures: “You cannot evaluate an insane belief system from within it. Its range precludes this. You can only go beyond it, look back from a point where sanity exists and see the contrast. Only by this contrast can insanity be judged as insane.”

Following the $$$ would probably answer your question.

So true, kBoy...
living with an image of a god that would kill us for our "withdrawal," and assuming that pursuing a course that might actually enhance your life will prompt this god's wrath upon your life. The "visitation" that John claimed he had really did set the mental framework of the walk.

kBOY Wrote:

> One must remember the culture of fear upon which
> this fellowship was based. Holy Jim Canyon was
> the pivotal moment that set the tone from the
> beginning. We were instructed to believe in a god
> that would “kill us for our withdrawal”. I
> saw, within the last two years, this sentiment
> being repeated amongst some of the faithful (by
> those into their 50’s & 60’s) as a clarion
> call to rouse them out of their tired doctrine and
> lives. It was sad. But that overriding fear,
> however it has been spun, is foundational in the
> thinking of those who signed up back in the JRS
> era, and why it is so hard for them to leave
> today.

So true, kBoy...
living with an image of a god that would kill us for our "withdrawal," and assuming that pursuing a course that might actually enhance your life will prompt this god's wrath upon your life. The "visitation" that John claimed he had really did set the mental/emotional framework of the walk. I remember when I left the fellowship in '97, receiving a This Week in the mail from a well-meaning first generation congregant about the danger of withdrawal, which was basically a death threat. I was so miserable at the time that I had no fear of this god...thinking that a quick departure from this planet might actually be a good thing...well, except for the hell thing that would follow. Ha.

kBOY Wrote:

> One must remember the culture of fear upon which
> this fellowship was based. Holy Jim Canyon was
> the pivotal moment that set the tone from the
> beginning. We were instructed to believe in a god
> that would “kill us for our withdrawal”. I
> saw, within the last two years, this sentiment
> being repeated amongst some of the faithful (by
> those into their 50’s & 60’s) as a clarion
> call to rouse them out of their tired doctrine and
> lives. It was sad. But that overriding fear,
> however it has been spun, is foundational in the
> thinking of those who signed up back in the JRS
> era, and why it is so hard for them to leave
> today.

If one follows the overall trends taking place in the world, there is every reason to be encouraged. In general, things are moving towards OPENNESS and INCLUSION, and away from separation and divisiveness. There will always be examples of the later, but more and more they are being exposed and marginalized. We will not see the end of it in our lifetimes, but more LIGHT is exposing areas of darkness than ever before.

This current TLW transition will be another sign on the landscape. With its heyday long since past, and an impressive inventory of missteps under its belt, its only a matter of time when those who have considered their involvement, will be in the position to gain a new perspective.

To quote one of my favorite NON-scriptures: “You cannot evaluate an insane belief system from within it. Its range precludes this. You can only go beyond it, look back from a point where sanity exists and see the contrast. Only by this contrast can insanity be judged as insane.”

North Korean citizens, and the citizens of other communist countries have always been shown propaganda films about America, how we eat rats and pigeons we catch in the streets, how we eat bugs, how we have no electricity, no running water. The people in closed societies have no way of knowing the difference.

In the Walk, it's no different, they believe what they are told about the people who left, how judged them all. They don't know, they are set up in a closed society. They only know what they are told because they have bought into the myth that they are special and they should not associate nor feed on any information other than what they are told.

They need to take a look outside of their closed society and see for themselves.

kBOY wrote in part:

“One must remember the culture of fear upon which this fellowship was based. Holy Jim Canyon was the pivotal moment that set the tone from the beginning. We were instructed to believe in a god that would “kill us for our withdrawal”. I saw, within the last two years, this sentiment being repeated amongst some of the faithful (by those into their 50’s & 60’s) as a clarion call to rouse them out of their tired doctrine and lives. It was sad. But that overriding fear, however it has been spun, is foundational in the thinking of those who signed up back in the JRS era, and why it is so hard for them to leave today.”

Changedagain wrote:

BTW, I've heard from what I consider to be a reliable source (I know--here we go again with this reliable source stuff)...that Matt Walkoe, pastor of the Church of the Living Word, is required to report to Rick Holbrook. If anyone can either confirm this, or shoot it down, please come forward.

---------------------

I remember the name Matt Walkoe I think. If he is in the 50’s/60’s age group, then he could be experiencing some stress right now. Pretty hard to feel secure, at home and heavenly insured when your particular god is inclined to kill underperformers. Adding to that is the stress of a younger boss dictating policy from an entirely different generational perspective. I don’t know. There aren’t any “union protections.”

So happy to be rid of that “Fear Monster in the Sky.” Both my wife and I told “it” to go ahead and kill us because we were done getting jacked around. Better to be dead than serve that obsessive, compulsive a*ss. Psalm 18:26 indicates the God of Spirit has the ability to be different things. So, this forum is actually helping to reset the tone (kBOY terminology). Looking for a great God that is wonderful, friendly, helpful and a side kick to go along with us as we become all that we can be.

Speaking about insanity, the Book of Leviticus is tiresome concerning offerings and sacrifices. Then Jeremiah comes along and says in effect, “It wasn’t God dictating that stuff, it was invented by the lying pen of scribes.” Jeremiah 7:21-22 & 8:8. Perhaps Jeremiah was thinking about insanity also.

kBOY quoted: To quote one of my favorite NON-scriptures: “You cannot evaluate an insane belief system from within it. Its range precludes this. You can only go beyond it, look back from a point where sanity exists and see the contrast. Only by this contrast can insanity be judged as insane.”

It is an unfortunate reality that GOD has received copious amounts of bad press from all belief systems since the beginning of time. HEAVEN is in no way responsible for this occurrence.

On the one hand, there was one who addressed this dilemma by making bold statements to the contrary. “This world, not (our) KINGDOM”, first removed responsibility for this world and all events within it from GOD (confirmed in the Prodigal Parable).

On the other hand, the Old Testament version of a bipolar deity was seriously upgraded by an accurate depiction of a father in his ‘Welcome Home’ moment to a son who erroneously thought he could improve on HEAVEN by leaving it, and whose ‘misdeeds’ were discounted as having no effect on his father/son relationship.

I decided, upon my departure from TLW, to upgrade my own ‘operating system’ to one that carried more ‘spiritual gravitas’, and have since made my own little prodigal misadventure a much happier return trip. We should all anticipate the party that will be thrown on our behalf.