changedagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Reepicheep Wrote:
>
> > TLWF leaders bent on absolute control and power.
> Even
> > now they are rallying sympathy and support from
> > among the faithful behind the scenes. The
> torches
> > and pitchforks will come out, don't doubt it.
> > Watch your backs and follow the money. Cheery
> > words for a Friday morning...
>
> Yeah, I've gotten word that many die-hard TLWFers
> are rallying around Rick, comparing him to King
> David. Interesting. I wasn't aware that King David
> sexually abused so many girls in his lifetime and
> never really specifically apologized for it. It's
> been quite a while since I've read the Bible.
> Anyway, lately I've been wasting my time in
> political forums, trying to make the point that
> President Trump is very much like George
> Washington. Both could never tell a lie. And they
> both golfed a lot. I probably should fact check
> the latter claim.

No wait!! Really? Even as we speak?

HappySad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> King David? Really? Omg, vomiting, brb. So much
> for Rick being gone...looks like he will be
> controllng everthing and everyone of his loyal
> followers from his “cave”.
>
> Onion, and others, what are your thoughts about
> what is actually going to happen vs what Gary’s
> letter and others are saying? Is this all a big
> show and once again nothing will actually change?
> Just be re-vamped into other independent churches
> all still affiliated by choice and now Gary gets
> paid to visit and bring the word?
>
> I cannot help but wonder if what is being said by
> Gary and others is all PR fluff.

It is just smoke--he has to keep them busy while he rearranges things--all the while--really being in control--the man behind the curtain. will it survive? I think he will find a way to liquidate the churches and move on--but he has to play his cards out. And they can go ahead and call us whatever they want. People are free tnd that is huge--the few that stay cannot possibly afford to keep it going-- and there are not enough tithes. Anyone think they will actually dip in the cauffers to keep the heat on in the church? I don't think so.

I just want to say that I love you all. This forum saved my life in those early days--people reached out to me in my despair. I was able to vent without being judged--it is kind of fun to poke at the leadership--especially G Man. So, though the work is not done--as Denise points out--closing the doors is really the only way to end the nightmare for good. So carry on my friends and thank you for sticking with it and hoping against hope your words would help someone escape. It worked in a very big way.

People don't know our names and I am going to keep it that way--and I have connected with some on the outside. It is important because it isn't over yet--not over. None of us need to be threatened or harassed. We have come here from a lonely place--so many of us had lost our friends and valued relationships. But now the tide is turning and it is so wonderful to be able to connect with so many. I am proud to know each one of you as your pseudonym. Keep up the good work and sleep better at night now that the darkness isn't so scary anymore. Love Love Love and thank you.

NEO:

I hear you. We are all grieving. There is no way to put a happy face on this. We are just beginning to realize the depth of the con that was pulled on us. It is indeed tragic.

* * * *

ONION:

You keep blowing me away.

Truth 'defined' as ". . . behavior so heinous that even talking about our experiences factually seems like bashing." (That's known as the 'ugly truth'.)

JRS:

-- The "rabid perpetrator"
-- Created deception to hide his wrongdoing
-- Gave words to protect his secrets
-- Kept the deception going until his death
-- 'Word' was used to avoid getting caught
-- Not every word came from 'above'

(That's enough to pop a few bubbles.)

* * *

LB:

All great points.

For those waking from the 'spell', exiting a culture of dependency to enter independence is initially a daunting task. Ones that successfully make the transition experience a brighter day, but those who linger can wander about in twilight.

Before the stunning blow that set off this block-chain of events, those banished to the hinterlands were left to languish alone. Now, those who have seen the light can illuminate the path for those just emerging from the fog.

The challenges of freedom can even feel like another form of bondage. But hey--at least we will have had the opportunity to experience both the limitations of dependency and the creative potential of freedom.

* * *

TWOteeTWO:

"We can't identify the false unless we're firmly planted in what's true." (What's 'true' has always been the challenge.)

"Some of the churches will choose to excise all things post JRS and concentrate on getting back the of basic of John as the Living Word." (There will probably even be a small quorum of hard-core Kool-Aid drinkers that will 'throw out' JRS, but keep 'his' word.)

* * *

DENISEwallerLAUGHLIN:

It has been far too long. Great to have you here, in spite of the circumstances.

Unfortunately, 'GOD' has received a lot of bad press over the millennia with abuses done 'in the name of'. TLW just added to the fake news.

It was always supposed to be about relationship, which unfortunately became a casualty of position and greed.

* * *

HAPPYsad:

Glad you joined the conversation.

Your point is well taken--is the focus within or without; on Spirit or flesh?

Cults are by no means limited to the religious sector, and being informed allows one to identify 'cult dynamics' in all walks of life, be it in politics, finance, education, nationalism, racism, bigotry, and on down the sorry line . . .

* * *

ONION: (again)

I am sorry you are catching heat over anything. Just be cool.

The Christmas Truck gets H I R E D ! ? As in making $$$? Where in the hell did that go?

Thanks for the press release. The more #metoo exposures, the less #metoo will ravage the landscape.

* * *

CLOUDWATCHER:

Your presence has been a pleasure.

As to our pseudonyms, they are just temporary disguises we will one day jettison, when we have put this all behind us and walk together into the real NEW DAY. (Sorry.)

Cloudwatcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just want to say that I love you all. This
> forum saved my life in those early days--people
> reached out to me in my despair. I was able to
> vent without being judged--it is kind of fun to
> poke at the leadership--especially G Man. So,
> though the work is not done--as Denise points
> out--closing the doors is really the only way to
> end the nightmare for good. So carry on my
> friends and thank you for sticking with it and
> hoping against hope your words would help someone
> escape. It worked in a very big way.
>
> People don't know our names and I am going to keep
> it that way--and I have connected with some on the
> outside. It is important because it isn't over
> yet--not over. None of us need to be threatened
> or harassed. We have come here from a lonely
> place--so many of us had lost our friends and
> valued relationships. But now the tide is turning
> and it is so wonderful to be able to connect with
> so many. I am proud to know each one of you as
> your pseudonym. Keep up the good work and sleep
> better at night now that the darkness isn't so
> scary anymore. Love Love Love and thank you.

I appreciate your valuable contributions here, Cloudwatcher. I will miss your posts. Check in now and then. This is not a Word from God, so you're free to say f off :)

All the best,
ChangedAgain



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2018 11:53PM by changedagain.

Onion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am getting some heat from some recent
> participants in this entire issue, especially on
> FB. I sent a facebook message to the reporter who
> generally releases a piece on the Christmas Truck
> as follows:
>
> Hello Mr. Eisner. I was informed that you have
> reported on the annual Christmas Truck that
> routinely goes out on Christmas Eve and is hired
> by various chambers of commerce (Toluca Lake and
> Studio City, to name two).
>
> The man who credits himself as being the founder
> and director of the Truck, Rick Holbrook, has been
> kicked out of his church and is not allowed to
> even attend services under allegations of routine
> and ongoing sexual abuse of young, female church
> members.
>
> Gary Hargrave, Rick's stepfather and the leader of
> the church, has stepped down and published an
> apology letter while apparently hoping more
> revelations can be stopped by his action. But the
> exposure continues. I can send you links to FB
> where tales of Rick's abuse have been published
> publicly and the victims continue to come forward.
> Many believe that Mr. Holbrook used his position
> in the church to create events focused on
> including "the young people" in order to supply
> himself with an ever expanding herd of prey. This
> would include the dancers following the Christmas
> Truck.
> ------------------
>
> The only links I would ever give a reporter are
> those links that have been made openly and
> publicly of course. There are many private groups
> and to my knowledge, only Shalom's letter and
> attachments have been made public on FB and on
> this forum. Not the shared remarks.

[/b],


Onion
Thank you for not backing down on this. I took heat for posting about it and suggesting posting a link to Shalom’s page on the Christmas truck Facebook page. Shortly after, they closed the announcement to comments.

I honestly don’t get why people would want to defend the Christmas truck. I always saw it as a complete misrepresentation of TLWF beliefs since we were castigated yearly for having a Christmas tree both privately and from the pulpit. Oh yeah, and because RH used it to collect girls for his harem. If people want to give you heat for outing him publicly then they have a serious problem with the truth IMO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2018 03:13AM by notcrazy.

I am new to this board, and I am not with the TLWF anymore. I am done with this group, when Shalom put out her courageous open letter. But I will have to say one thing, in the church that I was in during the Christmas time had a Christmas tree by the fireplace, and no one was not discouraged to celebrate this. We, if we wanted to, to put up a Christmas tree and celebrate it.

> The only links I would ever give a reporter are
> those links that have been made openly and
> publicly of course. There are many private groups
> and to my knowledge, only Shalom's letter and
> attachments have been made public on FB and on
> this forum. Not the shared remarks.

Yeah, that was my concern. I was consulted and was only worried about anything surfacing that would potentially violate privacy. I couldn't care less about the Christmas truck, or whether his misdeeds are made public. Actually, they should be--since he has been presenting a phony public image for many years. I admire your boldness, but for whatever reason I got the impression that the posts in private groups might be compromised...which, of course, would spook victims from coming forward in the future. I now realize that you specifically mentioned only sharing posts that have already been made public. Anyway, we're on the same team, seeking the same results.

p.s 21 Years in the religious cult has left its mark. Just recently I changed my middle name to Paranoyd.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2018 04:03AM by changedagain.

Onion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> A lot of people are trying to hold on to JRS and
> his teachings in the midst of this and that is
> heart breaking because he was a rabid perpetrator
> himself. He consciously and actively created
> deception to hide his wrongdoing. He gave
> innocent people (some ministries) words to do
> things that he needed done to protect his secrets.
> This included giving a word to get married to a
> young couple when he knew the young woman was
> pregnant with his child. He kept this deception
> going until the day he died. He actively created
> this deception by pretending he had a word from
> God when really he was motivated by his own fear
> of getting caught. The family he created with his
> deception turned out to be a family of very fine
> people - none of the circumstances reflect on them
> - but the carefully plotted deception did much to
> disabuse me of my belief that every word spoken by
> JRS was a word from God.


I don't think this can be emphasized enough. I believe that is exactly what people will do, try to hold on to JRS and his teachings. Having left decades ago, in my eyes, JRS could still do no wrong. It was a piece of my thinking that I have only recently let go of. This will be very difficult for some people to do.

"Merriam-Webster: The cult's charismatic leader had managed to persuade ... rational people to obey him blindly."

thisisthetime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am new to this board, and I am not with the TLWF
> anymore. I am done with this group, when Shalom
> put out her courageous open letter. But I will
> have to say one thing, in the church that I was in
> during the Christmas time had a Christmas tree by
> the fireplace, and no one was not discouraged to
> celebrate this. We, if we wanted to, to put up a
> Christmas tree and celebrate it.


That was only after the C truck began. Prior to that it was discouraged and you would get some ridicule. And the church never has decorations so do not celebrate or even mention it. How does any of that make sense?