I plan to have a few friends over at my place next week, former members of TLWF. It's been a long time since I socialized with anyone, so I'm a bit rusty at this.
I did email a few parameters that I expect they will agree to before arriving. I hope what I wrote (below) is not in any way offensive:

"I'm not used to having anyone over, so I'm likely to overlook some basics. But here goes: the drinks I have in my home are water, gatorade (purple), beer and Maker's Mark whisky. There's three chairs out back. I might rope off an area...have a couple chairs on one side of the rope, and a lone VIP chair on the other. Once you arrive, we can discuss who will sit on the VIP chair.

p.s. haven't decided about plastic cups vs. glass...cover charge...if I should be shit-faced when you arrive etc. I'll be praying about that today. Look forward to seeing you again!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2018 12:31AM by changedagain.

changedagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I plan to have a few friends over at my place next
> week, former members of TLWF. It's been a long
> time since I socialized with anyone, so I'm a bit
> rusty at this.
> I did email a few parameters that I expect they
> will agree to before arriving. I hope what I wrote
> (below) is not in any way offensive:
>
> "I'm not used to having anyone over, so I'm likely
> to overlook some basics. But here goes: the drinks
> I have in my home are water, gatorade (purple),
> beer and Maker's Mark whisky. There's three chairs
> out back. I might rope off an area...have a
> couple chairs on one side of the rope, and a lone
> VIP chair on the other. Once you arrive, we can
> discuss who will sit on the VIP chair.
>
> p.s. haven't decided about plastic cups vs.
> glass...cover charge...if I should be shit-faced
> when you arrive etc. I'll be praying about that
> today. Look forward to seeing you again!

Don't forget to add something along the lines of your shit being on their calendar!

How could I forget that? Thanks for the reminder :)

Will the usual $40 be required?

Onion – Thank you so much for turning on the light on what has been hidden in secret for a long time regarding TLWF. It makes me further appreciate Jesus’ words when he said, “So do not be afraid of them. For nothing is concealed that will not be uncovered, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.” I’m especially hoping that those who have been reading this thread in silence will have their eyes opened and be able to utilize their critical thinking skills to better understand what they have given their lives to. Hopefully they will find a soft place to land when things crumble. I’m sure Gary is not very happy with you, thinking you have betrayed him. Actually, you’ve probably given him one of the few chances for repentance he might have if he is seriously looking to go another direction.

Thank you Larry and you are most welcome. It is an interesting mix of emotions to share this history. I had the "betrayal" tug of war in my brain earlier today. After debating it with myself - I don't really see how anyone can be held to silence and secrecy for anyone, or about anything that has occurred, within the Walk. There was such obvious betrayal of each and every congregant from the very beginning that I would think they should have always expected exposure. If they were truly smart or honest or Godly, the exposure would have been provided by their own hands long ago and continued through the present.

People gave such huge portions of their lives to this group and were lied to, paid nothing or if paid, given next to nothing. People gave up having children, got divorced, got married and divorced, chose political parties, chose medical treatment (and the list goes on forever) all because they were directly told to or there was such an obvious endorsement from the pulpit that it was the same as being specifically directed.

A wise person in history, whose name I don't remember, said "If something can be destroyed by the truth, it should be."

ONION:


Please jettison the betrayal monkey. You are providing a valuable service only a few can supply.

The anecdotes you are sharing I'm sure 95% (or more) of the rank and file have never heard. The sight and smell of so much sausage-making tends to turn one's stomach and force a shifting glance.

The early rift you sighted between GH/MS (pre-secret ceremony) and Rick/Tami is interesting in the timeline. There was probably some bargain struck that gave Rick a bit of leverage in order to not cause serious trouble, and, coupled with the power-grab following the building break-in, set him up as an autonomous force with little or no checks and balances.

As we know, 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely '. . .

Onion, do not let the betrayal lie enter in to your thinking. They betrayed you and us. The truth sets things free, and a little bit of upheaval is healthy for CTLW. You had a front row seat that most of us did not. I treasure your memories and it strengthens me and the path changes I am pursuing. Please keep these coming. Do you know what happened to the Shofis and Shimerhorn. There are so many that I knew and loved that just disappeared overnight.

Does anyone know the real reason that Dan Statton was removed out of the ministry?

Dan Statton: I had always heard that he was removed because he challenged Marilyn. Lynda is on facebook (Lynda Symans) and we are friends as always but I've always shied away from asking her about what happened because I think she was told to divorce him as part of the whole deal and she may have been told she would still be part of the apco which of course never happened because she is -- OH GOD DARE I SAY IT? -- a woman. Lynda owns a lovely home in Vermont and is happy and free. We will always be friends.

Ted & Sharon Shohfi are happy and living large with their huge family that never seems to stop growing. They are active on Facebook and we are friends. I love them like crazy. I don't know any details about what finally broke them free.

Mike & Van Schermerhorn are likewise active on Facebook and Mike writes the most moving posts about his family history and history of the U.S. and world. They are lovely. Mike is one of those ministries that was kicked out from his own pulpit and told some awful thing about not being good enough or something like that. I love them like crazy too.

Thanks, everyone for having my back on the betrayal lie. Remember when you were in the middle of "this thing called a walk with God" (or as a popular comedian has called it - a walk with fraud) and you would constantly feel like you did something wrong? That little pisher sneaks into the brain on occasion but happily, I think it's becoming less and less familiar as time goes by.

I promised to finish writing one of my stories and now I have to go back and find where I left off. I'm encouraged to keep writing everything I know and remember because it's rewarding that any of you or all of you are finding help in knowing what was behind the awful secrecy.

How about abortions? Lots of those that I probably won't identify but know about. I was told not to get pregnant because a baby would distract me from my service to Marilyn and "she really needed me." Others aborted as commanded for the same reason.