I read information on this forum. Before signing up. Rick Ross says most people hurt by cults don't speak out. I wanted to try speaking out. At first. I wasn't sure how to. Rick Ross says no one cares about benign spiritual groups. They don't hurt people. I don't care about them either. I wasn't interested to participate on a message board discussion about spirituality and beliefs. Rick Ross said the forum is about behavior. Not beliefs. And offering your personal opinions about spirituality or religion was against the rules. So we talk about Gary's behavior. That's the whole point of the board. I noticed some posters follow the rules in the beginning. While the moderator reviewed their posts. After that. The rules weren't followed. I understand while posters want to share their spiritual path. There are other message boards where people can do that.

This, from the rules page, "Each thread of discussion is a place for every participant to freely express his or her ideas, feelings and opinions."

Slandjt, I don't know if I'm who you think I am, but I'm Ron Deming. Hi. When I registered on this forum, I tried twice to register as rondeming, but the site engine kicked me out as "hacking attempt". Humm...

It's a long, long way from the heady days in Yakima and the San Diego church. What a ride.

My mom was friends with Bessie. Marilyn's mom. My mom experienced a traumatic event. Her doctor put her on medication. This is a long story. But I am talking about it because of this. At some point, John said she was fine. Didn't need the medicine. My mom had a relapse. When my father learned what happened. He was livid. My mom and he argued. He said get in the car. To go see John. He went into the garage and got a base ball bat. When my mom saw the base ball bat. She got out of the car. She said she would stop going to services.

NickleandDimed Wrote:
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> ....And offering your personal opinions about
> spirituality or religion was against the rules.

It is our personal opinions about spirituality and religion that caused us to make the desisions we made, both to enter into TLW and for most of us here, to ultimately leave it. So, it is only natural that the discussion of these things become part of the discourse.

slandjt- Last year someone complained about Larry Bobo preaching. Rick Ross said on the message board that he took a look at Larry's posts and found that Larry had made a significant contribution to the forum. Ross has said that at times members of the message board may make distinctions regarding "mainstream beliefs of a particular religion to better forum the contrast between that religion and cult like groups." It is natural to do that to sort things out. I have found making those distinctions helpful to me in sorting out what was cultish about the Walk vs mainstream beliefs.

According to the rules, this is not a message board for religious debates, theology and philosophy. Some posters have tried to turn it in to that. They need to resist and as Nickle suggested, find another place or board to have those discussions.

Further, I know that some in the cult who have recently left see the constant calling out of Gary necessary. I for one defer to their insight. I have no criticism of those who continue to rail against the leadership. And I encourage them not to stop because some don't like it.

When I read through the posts. I thought some of the posters, who have tried to discredit Larry Bobo, had an agenda. Last week I opened my big mouth. I said something about Larry preaching. I apologize. The distinctions Larry makes between the cultish lies of the LW and the mainstream is not preaching.

The Leah Remini series on Scientology is now in it's second season and is very interesting. More people are coming forward and telling their stories of abuse. Much of this sounds all too familiar to me.

The similarities between TLW and Scientology are definitely there, although TLW is more subtle in their mind control.

I thank each and every one of you for speaking up and telling your stories. They need to be told.

I have a hard time with mainstream religion, especially the Catholic church that was molesting children and then covered it up. This isn't to cover up abuses made in TLWF, but just wanted to say mainstream religion isn't always so great either. Most religion is about the money, which is sad. JMHO

lily rose Wrote:
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> slandjt- Last year someone complained about Larry
> Bobo preaching. Rick Ross said on the message
> board that he took a look at Larry's posts and
> found that Larry had made a significant
> contribution to the forum. Ross has said that at
> times members of the message board may make
> distinctions regarding "mainstream beliefs of a
> particular religion to better forum the contrast
> between that religion and cult like groups." It
> is natural to do that to sort things out. I have
> found making those distinctions helpful to me in
> sorting out what was cultish about the Walk vs
> mainstream beliefs.
>
> According to the rules, this is not a message
> board for religious debates, theology and
> philosophy. Some posters have tried to turn it in
> to that. They need to resist and as Nickle
> suggested, find another place or board to have
> those discussions.
>
> Further, I know that some in the cult who have
> recently left see the constant calling out of Gary
> necessary. I for one defer to their insight. I
> have no criticism of those who continue to rail
> against the leadership. And I encourage them not
> to stop because some don't like it.

Hi Lily and others - I hope we can agree to disagree on this matter! What means something to you doesn't mean the same thing to me. I was in this cult for a good long time and have every right to post here, just as you and everyone else does! Larry's posts are important to you, but they come across as preaching to me. I understood that preaching was not allowed here. When we were in the cult, there were those "in the flow" and those who were not. I was in one of the many inner circles and was considered to be in the flow and to have good perception. Just thinking about that kind of arrogance now absolutely sickens me. I apologize retroactively here and now for any hurt I caused others by thinking I was more important than they.

So, all of that said, this forum is for all of us -- not just for those who happen to agree with each other. Sometimes having an open mind allows us to see things from others' perspective. Just saying . . .

Jewel, I didn't say "And offering your personal opinions about
spirituality or religion was against the rules." The moderator said it.

In reading all the posts. I found when conversations got off topic about personal opinions about spirituality or religion. It usually involved mocking and demeaning of Christianity. Not the LW. In one instance. Regarding political agendas and Christianity, the rrmoderator stepped in and ended the conversation. It was obvious. Feelings got hurt. In these off topic conversations about spirituality or religion, posters did not communicate respect for the spiritual or religious choices of their fellow posters. Something Rick Ross said we are do on the message board.

Thank you for the reminder Puddington. I missed a few episodes during the last run. Now I can catch up.

I have more to say later on. About what happened after my mom left.