DebLounsbury, and kBOY, I sent you both a PM. best, Ron
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

FCSLC I was indeed using the word catharsis in that particular application. Cheers :)
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Catharsis can be a very valuable tool. While perhaps not realizing it, Lily did a little pu...kng as well. This is a very cool forum, for which I am grateful.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

L.B. said, "I’ve also heard of similar (perhaps the same) groups of people who think TLW started out fine with John and then was later corrupted. I used to be in that group, but after a time I realized it never really passed the most basic of tests. E.g. for a group to be a religious organization, it must of necessity, focus the aspirations of the adherents on a higher power, whether in
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I find the subject of the occult to be very interesting. It really is assigned a great deal more meaning than it deserves. The word simply means "hidden", or "covered from view". Latin origin, I think, Heck, you can say the same about God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit. I guess that makes them occult, because they are most certainly hidden from anyone's view! The aspect I fin
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Best guess is that TLW will be a functioning entity until the second generation dies off. (Hargrave, et al). The third will probably lose interest and sell off assets then. My two cents.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

KBoy says, "two recent weddings of some significance had no mention or pictures posted on popular social media" Speaking of weddings, I attended one last weekend, the marriage of Matt Larson and Shannon Skinner from the San Diego church. Shelly Skinner, if you're out there, or if someone could pass it on to her, your daughter simply lights up the room. She was radiant. The c
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

LB said, "I just want us not to lose sight of the fact that the Way, the Truth, and the Life is a real person and not a doctrine." Not to cause a stir, but a fact can be defined as 'a piece of information presented as having objective reality'. I'm pretty sure there are precious few of those in the bible. While likely being the most important book in world history d
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

My goodness. I had completely forgotten about the "Probe Sessions". I'm happy to say that I never had the pleasure, but one of my housemates did. Basically, it was a process by which the elders took one of the 'sheep' into a room and went about the process of ridding them of whatever 'spirits' were afflicting their ability to properly intercede for 'The
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Welcome, TheJewel. I myself am in the middle of the slog you reference. Nearly finished. Enlightening indeed, yes? I am also a product of the barn and RD. Came in around '71 and left a couple of years after JRS's death in '83, and the ensuing madness that occurred as a result. (that is not to say that some form of madness was not present prior to his death. :) My hope is that the
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The thing I'm still having a pickle of a time wrapping my head around (tongue firmly planted in cheek); Nearly all the people I know who are still in the Walk are doing something-or-other for Christmas, something that would have earned them a seat at the head of the 'Nephilim' table back in the day. Go figure.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

respectfully, Changed, I think there is also an over-emphasis on finding a scriptural justification for divorce. All too often, good people stay in terrible marriages, or marriages that have simply devolved into unhealthy relationships because they cannot find a 'scriptural justification' for a dissolution. Sometimes things just don't work out, and the individuals are much he
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

don't forget me!! PB
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

TJs Chocolate covered almonds are the harbinger of the coming Kingdom of God. Eat with abandon. Interesting about Shiloh U, easily classified as a huge waste of money/time that is likely only for massaging the egos of a few leaders. Young people will recover from the financial parasite of the thing, but they will be disappointed when they learn that divinity degrees are useless and that the ad
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I was just remembering the fans in the sawmill that were run all day with the aim of keeping the flies off the workers. They were 4' diameter with 2' blades. No fan guards. Every now and then, we would notice the fan oscillating wildly and run to turn it off, noticing it had lost a blade. We would find the blade stuck in the wall inches from where someone was working. "The Elders&q
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

AD - I owe you an apology. I broke a rule I made for myself long ago, that I wouldn't use the anonymity of the internet to make comments to others that I wouldn't make face to face. I violated that rule. Your comments are often of a tone to which I disagree, but given what we've all been through, and the depth of hurt and betrayal we all experienced together, I apologize for att
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

AD- Let this be known among you...blah blah blah. Sometimes you really kill me, man. You are sounding just like the guys who are principally responsible for my decision to leave the Walk so long ago. Deep breaths, dude. BTW, that it would even occur to someone that being with a woman is synonymous with being defiled, troubles me. There is nothing defiling about being with a woman for pete'
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

AD says, "JRS installed elders that were not qualified, hell lots of them weren't even Christians. It is quite possible for people to be in roles of authority in a Christian church without being a committed Christian. Since that is true, it is certainly true that somebody could be in a church that worshiped the leader instead of Christ to be a non-Christian." Do you have any rel
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

AD, good question. If you remember the Valley Church, there is an entrance door on the south side wall, near the front dais. I was standing there with no one behind or in front of me. I had just walked inside to an ongoing service after completing a long drive through LA traffic. I looked up at the dais (where JRS was standing in the center) and JRS made a sweeping motion with his arms. I fel
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

AD, I was witness two times to JRS felling a few hundred people (me included) in the Valley Church. I was an unwilling domino (meaning I wasn't playing along), and still have no explanation other than to believe that there are things in this universe I don't understand.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Yes, kBOY and Lamp, I think you are both onto something. There is an innate drive to be part of something that fits into our definition of spirituality. Something we hope will transport us out of our daily grind that we believe too ho-hum to be anything truly important. There has to be something greater, something far out of the realm of our understanding, but that tickles our sense of the ethe
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

RRModerator, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I humbly offer that you've misinterpreted my comments and motives. I most definitely do wish you all the best there is. Cheers
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I think Southern Boy makes some very good points. Perhaps that is because I left "The Walk" shortly after JRS died. I saw all the changes taking place and thought to myself, "This is not the teaching I have learned through these years".I also did not witness, hear of, or experience any of the womanizing or boozing, though I do know that JRS liked his Johnny Walker. I Wish I ha
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Charles Dicken's 'Tale of Two Cities' A must read classic.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Apostle Dog, do you put medication on your Cheerios? I mean, no worries, but really? Dead Marilyn resurrection conspiracy? She's had cancer for years. I think we can all just let her be dead.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

John Miller is The. Very. Last. Person. I thought would leave the walk. wonder what the #$%#$ happened.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

And another thing that's even more frustrating: Every time I talk to people about you and your experiences with EFWA, every time I post something on Rick Ross, every time Damon posts to his blog, you run around in e-mails and private conversations and tell everyone that I'm NOT really your sister. You tell people not to talk to me because I'm a troll. That I'm really just some
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Okay, here I am, weighing in, just like you asked on your blog. I posted two comments directly on your blog yet you failed to publish the comments. Perhaps that's why you need to use a 3rd party moderated forum. My IP address does NOT track from Mozambique in spite of what you posted on your blog. Perhaps the ISP host showed Ohio because I was using Wi-Fi at Panera Bread, but I'm positi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Well, ghostwriter1984, you need to start with the truth. Damon doesn't disagree with your representation of the Natlfed cult. He disagrees with the lies that you write about him. He's not a former member of EFWA but you continually say he is. He went to you for help with his brother who was in EFWA but instead you posted on your blog that he was a troll who spammed you. You lied and sa
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi moderator, Thanks for the links. There were some very interesting articles in there. It helped me better understand what happened to her. However, there was nothing in there to help me with my situation. I'm right back where I started - with a sister who needs help but won't talk to me and let me help. Like I said, she blogs about NATLFED and is aware she suffers some problems fr
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families