Tknc Wrote:
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> Hello all,
>
> I have a question in regards to some of the
> practices around baptism and the church in the
> late 70's early 80's. What did that ceremony look
> and feel like? I was told I was baptized and
> blessed by JRS himself and that I was given an
> impartation of the spirit from birth. Thanks, just
> curious!

Hi Tknc, good question. It sounds like you were very young when your parents left the Walk. I don't recall baptisms of infants or young children. They did have baby dedications, though. Most of the LW churches didn't have baptistries, so baptisms would sometimes have taken place in a pool or lake during summer camps. It doesn't seem to me that baptism was emphasized much. As NancyB said, it was all about JRS and laying on of hands.

There’s an interesting short article in the 4/30/2018 issue of People magazine about the Branch Davidian cult in Waco Texas. Some guy named Charles Pace is attempting to rebuild the place. I guess the seeds of a cult are difficult to destroy.

That got me to thinking about the Living Word and all the crazy teaching that has come over the years. I’ve never heard Gary renounce any of JRS’s messages. He can’t because he claims they are as sacred as the Bible. This must be a bit of a pickle for him. I guess the best he can do is try to bury certain teachings (like the Babylon lesson in the First Principles).

Since there is no allowance for doctrinal corrections, John’s word stands. And thus the seeds of crazy do not die.

puddington Wrote:


> That got me to thinking about the Living Word and
> all the crazy teaching that has come over the
> years. I’ve never heard Gary renounce any of
> JRS’s messages. He can’t because he claims they
> are as sacred as the Bible.

During the transition period from analog to digital, were any of John's messages edited? I know there were hints from leadership that John meant to say something a certain way, and edits (on occasion) would reflect that.
BTW, if anyone still has an unedited copy of "The Shape of Things to Come"...there are passages that read today, perhaps even by those in the fellowship, that come across...or should come across...as insanely ludicrous. Specifically, his vision of being transported into the future,..and what he witnessed.

If I had kept any This Week, I wish I had kept The Shape of Things that Never Happened. False prophets, teachers and false Christs need to feel validated, to put on an outward show so that others think it's the Holy Spirit moving upon them. You have to ask yourself was John's vision of being transported into the future the Holy Spirit or something else? When deceiving others, it is always in the false teacher's, prophet's, false Christ's best interest to quickly silence any questions or opposition from those who may suspect they are being deceived. To do this they rewrite the narrative to hide their errors or simply say to the followers that their prophecies happened unseen in the realm of the spirit. Give me a break. Right?

puddington Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That got me to thinking about the Living Word and
> all the crazy teaching that has come over the
> years. I’ve never heard Gary renounce any of
> JRS’s messages. He can’t because he claims they
> are as sacred as the Bible. This must be a bit of
> a pickle for him. I guess the best he can do is
> try to bury certain teachings (like the Babylon
> lesson in the First Principles).
>
> Since there is no allowance for doctrinal
> corrections, John’s word stands. And thus the
> seeds of crazy do not die.


TLWF website on JRS says JRS used the word divine order over 550 times in the messages of JRS. WOW. Could anyone question it? That unbiblical teaching sure has served Gary well. Gary sure has squeezed every bit of power he could get from it. Without it, Gary couldn't be served by the members. There's nothing in the NT about hierarchies or about using your life to serve your leader. Rather, the NT talks about different gifts, not the JRS divine order hierarchy. Your're right puddington. The seeds of crazy do not die.

That's stunning, lily. Here's the exact quote. "The term divine order appears 568 times in Steven's written material." Such repetition and overkill of a false unbiblical concept. To indoctrinate. To control the sheep. To brainwash.

The tv series with Leah Rimini and others re Scientology presents a picture of "cult life" that could not be more like LWFellowship/The Walk. I have been studying the books by Steven Hassan who works with former cult members and it seems the best approach to understanding is more re the methods used by the cults in capturing and keeping members than in church doctrine.

If you were part of the TLW franchise for any amount of time and to any depth you will find that all of your life prior to the cult has been devalued to the point that you may not even remember good and valuable things about yourself, your family. Very deadly to self esteem and very likely a source of problems concerning self worth.

lily rose Wrote:

> TLWF website on JRS says JRS used the word divine
> order over 550 times in the messages of JRS. WOW.
> Could anyone question it? That unbiblical teaching
> sure has served Gary well. Gary sure has squeezed
> every bit of power he could get from it. Without
> it, Gary couldn't be served by the members.

whatever you do, never question him. You might get punched. This applies to both men and women. As I mentioned before, I haven't read the Bible in a very long time...but I do recall this approach by Gary being scriptural :)

I'm designing a customized MAGA hat with the image of decorated marine veteran Robert Mueller. Expect me to be sued ;)

changedagain Wrote:
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>
> whatever you do, never question him. You
> might get punched. This applies to both men
> and women. As I mentioned before, I haven't
> read the Bible in a very long time...but I do
> recall this approach by Gary being scriptural :)


Yeah, Gary sure has gotten a lot of mileage out of Christ returns to rule with a rod of iron and the POW right in the kisser scripture.

Welcome Onion. Thanks for sharing.