Being human comes with its inherent biases. The abuser will likely always emphasize the importance of the victims being forgiving and "moving on." Victims may decide not to move on with their lives unless there is an acknowledgement of wrongdoing by the perpetrators, and "justice"is exacted in this life. When I started writing in these forums, my primary motivation was simply to reveal the truth of my experience in TLWF, and encourage/support others to do so as well. I figured that in itself would be a victory, and it has been. However, at this point, I don't begrudge anyone from pursuing the monsters that ran TLWF and allowed the myriad forms of abuse to take place, whether engaging in it themselves, or turning a blind eye when made aware. That course could provide its own healing to those who have been battered through the years, and doesn't necessary have to be an exercise in vindictiveness. If anything, society benefits by identifying and dealing with criminal sociopaths, because unless they are stopped, they will continue to do what they've been doing. More people will be hurt--minors sexually assaulted, people conned out of their life savings etc.. Also, as everyone should know from the TLWF experience, if the perpetrators get the upper hand and are not held accountable, they won't hesitate to rip apart every single person that has spoken up against them. They have the resources (thanks to decades of exploiting the congregants) to do this.
Anyway, everyone have a good day. Off to Costco to to buy a few things. If anyone crashes their cart into mine, there will be consequences. Actually, given my TLWF conditioning, I'll probably apologize to them.

Onion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been looking at a lot of the requirements
> for maintaining tax-exempt status and one
> principle that I am loving is that if an
> expenditure that seems to benefit those who are
> connected to, or paid by, the nonprofit is
> approved by the Board then all of the board
> members could liable for reimbursement and taxes.
> The way a board member (or anyone who has
> influence within the organization) shows they did
> not approve the spending is by having
> recorded/written evidence of that person's
> disagreement with the expenditure. Recusing
> oneself from voting or participating, or failing
> to attend the meeting where a decision is
> discussed, is NOT accepted as proof or a defense.
> If no dissent is recorded in the records, then the
> individuals are considered to have agreed.
>
> I would think there would be lawsuits against
> leadership who made decisions without allowing
> dissent or for cult mind control that prevented an
> ability to even have a difference of opinion if
> the IRS found against any individual for the many
> questionable expenditures that benefitted people
> and did not benefit the churches or their
> tax-exempt/religious purposes.
>
> Apparently, the best thing all of us have done is
> to publicly speak up. I would hope that those who
> are die-hard loyalists to the past will realize
> there is a requirement to speak out about
> wrongdoing to avoid being held responsible. Of
> course, the complete control exercised by various
> leaders will result in complete liability but that
> doesn't mean they will be the only ones culpable.
>
> Ponderings....

WOW! Thank you. I love you! Not in a bible cal, but as a good friend. Thanks you. Please tell me how I can be a thorn in their side, publicly.

I have a very old well established snarky blog that can get a lot of views if I don't neglect it as I have been doing. I write on family and disability issues. So far I have not tackled the is issue- I am ready to so. There for I would love suggestions on where to start generically present. I like to give links to credible resources.
My son is almost set up to do pod casts. AS this whole crap load of cult issues had affected our lives along with disabilities my son and i have been wanting to get something going. Need ideas on where to start so we can begin reaching the most people and do the most good ( do no harm.)

Thanks onion

I see the "forgiveness" is a hot topic and I want to throw my hat into the ring.

I believe we are all looking for resolution by doing what is right and healthy. - I think we can agree on that, right?

We are all at different ages and stages and degrees of victimization, - right?

The "Walk" taught us that this is ONLY way to do anything. There fore I want to raise awareness to the fact that we are in different levels of figuring our how to think for ourselves.- right?
We are all co-dependents as victim witnesses- right? Each of us get triggered in different was and read into the same things with very different perceptions. No that any one is doing or saying anything right or wrong- so of us filter differently - for what that's worth.

I am grateful that we can express our own opinions here! Are you, too?
My suggestion is before accepting anything opinion for the perfect solution of each individual persons -perhaps we could google more in depth professional articles on "forgiveness" to help each of us open the right doors for our own healing.

I have found it valuable to state, "this is my opinion" "this is what I remember seeing at this time" "what is your take when this happened" 'I know for fact." This is a link to...:

We have so many new folks searching desperately for help and they are still afraid to jump in- that's ok. So it think every now and then we help each review our point of view so we can be most helpful to each other. My opinion certainly not all that stable at certain moment depending on the trigger..

Can anyone help me state this more clearer?

Deborahs - Welcome and thank you for mentioning Vere Thomas. He is another example of leaders who were kicked out in the meanest possible way because he was a threat to the perverted sovereignty claimed by the walk leaders.

deborahs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello - I just discovered this site. I was in the
> Walk from 72-83 and it certainly led to some crazy
> difficult days. I am incredibly grateful for those
> who are holding leaders accountable and wise words
> that forgiveness is not about excusing nor letting
> people off the hook. Can anyone point me to where
> the legal discussion is happening? I am
> wishing/hoping that some of the pastors who gave
> their lives (ie. brother thomas) and then got
> screwed financially - his family maybe could
> benefit at sometime. Gratitude for those naming
> things that are finally having maybe some
> effective results.

Welcome Deborahs.

Welcome deborahs. Over the years there were many leaders who were treated very badly by JRS and G&M, including W.J. Stevens, Vere Thomas and many more. There were even more congregants who were used and taken advantage of. This is where the abuse train stops. No more.

I appreciate your words. Is there a closed facebook group anywhere going on? would love to see if I know any of y'all! :-) I was in both Illinois and Iowa.

WELCOME DEBORAHS:


To revisit the FORGIVENESS (letting go) issue once again, it is important to consider it is absolutely SELFISH on our part to FORGIVE for the sake of our own PEACE of mind.

To rule it out until 'justice is done' may be a flawed strategy if 'justice' doesn't occur within our lifetime. That means we may go to our grave bitter and vindictive because the results we were holding out for did not come to pass. That is an option, of course, but is that how we want to 'live out our days'?

Pursuing accountability does not negate FORGIVENESS, nor is FORGIVENESS subject to accountability. As pointed out in the Netflix documentary HEAL, many chronic illnesses are the result of 'holding onto' traumas, as opposed to 'letting them go', and refusing to be identified by them.

We all 'have a story', but it is we who decide if we want to be held hostage to it or not. It is within our POWER to decide to free ourselves from it, walk into a 'new day', and let justice take its course.

Christianity suffering another heavy blow--hardly reflecting the GOSPEL of LOVE.

[news.yahoo.com]

kBOY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Christianity suffering another heavy blow--hardly
> reflecting the GOSPEL of LOVE.
>
> [news.yahoo.com]

In the explosive book, "In the Closet of the Vatican," author Frederic Martel describes a gay subculture at the Vatican and calls out the hypocrisy of Catholic bishops and cardinals who in public denounce homosexuality but in private lead double lives.

Hypocrisy--why is this not surprising (leading double lives)?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2019 11:30PM by changedagain.