kbyrne, I'm new to the group. Maybe you didn't incur any harsh treatment. But I found that venting about the way I and others were treated helps. Doesn't mean your bitter. But how could you not be a litter bitter if you were ruined for ever getting involved in another church.

Thanks NickelandDimed,

I think I'm just starting to come to terms with things that I saw and ways that I was treated during those years. When I left, not only did I leave the Walk, I left the country for four years. I just buried it.

A lot of what I saw confused me more than anything. Like a roommate telling me she's sleeping with a married deacon in the Washington, Iowa church. I certainly never spoke to anyone about it. And looking back now, there were two individuals on separate occasions that really needed psychiatric, professional help, but they were put in a room at Shiloh, and I was part of a shift of people that watched them 24/7. Looking back now, I sure they were highly medicated, because they slept all the time. If something were to happen, I had no training, I wouldn't have clue what to do. There was definitely the vibe that Shiloh did not expose their business to the outside world.

And it does bother me that I just don't feel comfortable in any church (I've tried a few) and I'm not really sure why.

Thanks lily rose

I went to the Valley Church pretty much out of high school. Got involved in transcribing pretty quickly. I was almost 20 when I went to Shiloh. Drove out there with John Sayer and others. The Finneys, Corbetts, Millers, Lindys, seemed like a lot of people from San Diego were there for long periods of time. I knew of David Cokas, but can't say I knew him. I'm going to check out his website. Thanks for that. I'm glad to hear that the Finneys are doing well. Brent and Teri helped me through some tough times.

I don't know what happened to the really hardcore Blix girls. I never considered myself part of that group. I know they were incredibly dedicated and I know that some of them were also incredibly fragile. I have wondered how they held up after John died. I believe that Morene Walsh and Phyllis Maybee (at that time) are still very much involved.

I do have one friend that I knew before the Walk, we joined together, and our families are friends. She's still there. We do talk and email from time to time. She had emailed me when Marilyn died.

When Gary and Marilyn became an item, that pretty much sealed the deal for me. That just seemed wrong. And I couldn't understand what Donna Hargrave (and his little girl) had done to deserve that. It just did not seem right.

Welcome to the group, kbyrne.

> For several years, when things struck me as strange, I
> just filed them away as something I didn't
> understand. When people left, like the Corbetts
> and then the Finneys, I just wondered why, but
> never questioned it. And sadly, I never saw them
> again, so I couldn't even ask them what had
> happened.

That experience wasn't unusual, Kbyrne. I got the feeling that perhaps some people were warned prior to leaving not to contact anyone in the fellowship. I'm certain there was misinformation coming from leadership to discredit these people.
To Finney's credit, I recall hearing that he was one of the few that actually spoke out--while still in the fellowship--against Gary's decision to divorce Donna, and later marry Marilyn. If true, that was courageous.
Anyway, feel free to participate. And based on your experience, if you know something to be inaccurate, say so.

changedagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Welcome to the group, kbyrne.
>
> > For several years, when things struck me as
> strange, I
> > just filed them away as something I didn't
> > understand. When people left, like the
> Corbetts
> > and then the Finneys, I just wondered why, but
> > never questioned it. And sadly, I never saw
> them
> > again, so I couldn't even ask them what had
> > happened.
>
> That experience wasn't unusual, Kbyrne. I got the
> feeling that perhaps some people were warned prior
> to leaving not to contact anyone in the
> fellowship. I'm certain there was misinformation
> coming from leadership to discredit these people.
> To Finney's credit, I recall hearing that he was
> one of the few that actually spoke out--while
> still in the fellowship--against Gary's decision
> to divorce Donna, and later marry Marilyn. If
> true, that was courageous.
> Anyway, feel free to participate. And based on
> your experience, if you know something to be
> inaccurate, say so.


I think one of the big problems was keeping the congregants (God I despise that word), from being in the loop. Sure if it's something personal that a person doesn't want others to know about is one thing, but the behind the scenes crap was just stupid and wrong. Most had/have been there for years and they treat them like infants.

I remember Gary denying in South Gate that he was going to marry Marilyn.

SouthGate Wrote:

> I remember Gary denying in South Gate that he was
> going to marry Marilyn.

Interesting...but not surprising. Didn't this guy once have some integrity?

301,384 page views to date...

I believe that the assumption that we need periodic updates regarding the number of page views to date is incorrect. Just saying.

DebLounsbury Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> It took me many years before I
> could walk in and trust anyone at a church. I try
> to explain my religious past to folks and they
> just don't get it.


This was helpful for me to read.
Thx. kbyrne

LampShmamp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe that the assumption that we need
> periodic updates regarding the number of page
> views to date is incorrect. Just saying.

sorry about that
Initially my intent was to poke fun at this kind of obsession...but then it took a life of its own.