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64 Comments:
Man oh man oh man... Oh the stories I could tell!!! How funny... You just sent me back years and I just spent about 10 minutes recounting with glee the very many "nefarious" activities done while at HQ. Probably the worst was this one time we had a group "spontaneously" meet on the same field so we got to play Ultimate Frisbee. I'm so embarrassed!
A bunch of ALERT guys ran the last half of the PT run in nothing but boxers in January. I have pictures to prove it.
New ATI Theme Song
LEANN RIMES LYRICS
"The Light In Your Eyes"
Life can take your dreams and turn them upside down
Friends will talk about you when you're not around
Reality can really cut you down to size
But don't ever lose that light in your eyes
Don't ever lose that light in your eyes.
People make you promises they'll never keep
Soon you'll know why people say talk is cheap
And life resembles on big compromise
But don't ever lose that light in your eyes
Keep on shining, Keep on smiling
Don't lose faith and don't lose heart
When you're crying
Just keep trying to remind yourself
You're a shining star, Yes you are.
Some where down the line you'll face the judgement day
When the angels look at you, what will you say?
They've got a way of knowing who qualifies
Just let 'em see that light in your eyes
Don't ever lose that light in your eyes
Oh, that's hilarious. That song instantly brought to mind "The Smile Song". Does anyone in here know all the lyrics? All I can remember is "A smile, a smile, to make this life worth while, a smile, precious smile Jesus gives me, and some day I know up to heaven I will go were I'll thank Jesus for the smile he gives me."
I remember that first Knoxville, I was eleven and I was happily clad in my cabin creek navy skirt, white shirt with peter pan collar and huge blue bow ties converted from hair bows. I had been too young for the trip (this is the days before pre-excel) and so my dad wrote a "letter of appeal" so that I could go...I still remember singing the smile song on one of the buses, with all the older girls cheerfully singing along in fifteen part harmony. Those jaded days didn't last for long...
Vs 1 -- Every day in this world there are people that I meet
I walk up, shake their hand and they see
The kind of person that I am by the smile that I wear
I am blessed by the smile Jesus gives me
(Chorus)
Vs 2 -- Jesus Christ died for you and He really loves you too
There's a way you can smile and be happy!!
Won't you trust in Him today, He'll come in, come in to stay
You'll be blessed by the smile Jesus gives you
(Chorus)
Vs 3 -- After dying on the tree out of love for you and me
He rose up from the grave as He promised
Now He sits in heav'n above and because of His great love
We are blessed by the smiles Jesus gives us
(Chorus) A smile, a smile, to make this life worth while!
A smile, precious smile Jesus gives me!
And someday I know up to Heaven I will go
Where I'll thank Jesus for the smile He gives me.
--
Those words are seared forever in my mind.
I enjoyed the last two posts. The funniest thing was maybe "singing in fifteen-part harmony" on the bus. Also about the converted navy hair bows - All that was funny but also good and nostalgic. I may be the only one who will thank you for posting the lyrics of the Smile Song; I actually like that song! ... I will say one thing: I don't think the word "jaded" was the precise word you were looking for in that post... You may be, or feel, "jaded" now, but those days themselves were not jaded at that time. And they aren't jaded even now. If you can explain to me _why_ you think that was a correct choice of wording, maybe I will back down. *mischievous grin* .... dictionary.com
I think X-er should offer a downloadable "Smile Song" ringtone so we can identify each other at the mall. :D
Okay, so now I know that I need to pull out my old Websters before I post on this website. :-)
After the initial "ATI high" wore off, I became jaded. I'm not anymore, I'm not even bitter. But I do think it's incredibly sad all the pain that the warped teachings caused my family. All I can say is that I'm so glad that my younger siblings will never have to go through what my older sister and I went through. I do have some great memories, but none of them came from home. Life at a training center was actually became more attractive than life at home. It was at these centers that you could escape the painful reality that had become your life. And there was always other students who you could relate too. We all became very adept at the charade.
The bad thing with my family was that we got out of ATI to late to save my older brother from going down the path he has gone down. I'm not excusing his actions or rebellion. But I know why he did it. I probably would have done the same thing were i a few years older.
anon 6:55, are you a second-born? ha ha ha
me too! gothard's one concession to real psychology (birth order) actually gave my parents more insight (permission?) to understand me than they would have allowed themselves otherwise.
i too wore hairbows at my neck on a bus in knoxville when i was "underage". my sis actually went to a basic seminar when she was 10 b/c dad met gothard and asked if she could go. he comes tearing up to the house, tells her to get ready, and "not to wear too much hairspray." awwww, how sweet of him.
those were the days. i can only be thankful they're over and (almost) forgotten. sometimes i think they never happened.
I totally understand the post about training center life being more attractive than being at home. My sister and I cried hysterically when we had to leave ITC. Not because life there was so grand, but because we were going home to a life of nothing.
let me guess...
nothing means sitting at home in a tower, sewing, cooking and having no face until some "godly young man" magically appears out of nowhere-- with a successful career, instant clarification and agreement with your parents' twisted ideals, and a white horse-- to ask if he can ask your father if he can marry you sight unseen.
i would have cried, too.
Oh, that reminds me of something hilarious that happened while we were at a the "young ladies counseling center" at Indy. It was past midnight and my roommates and I were in our room singing "unapproved" songs. Within seconds there was a knock on the door...and who should appear but none other than Christiana Reed! "Laaadies...I don't think that song you were just singing would be considered institue approved..." She sat in our room and talked to us for about 30 minutes, it was pretty funny actually. She ended up being pretty cool and let us by with a warning (what were they actually going to do?)Her constant energy always wore me out. Anyone else?
I just put the Leann Rimes song on a mix for my 13-year-old brother ... he still believes that being spanked maintains/brings back the "light in his eyes."
Maybe this would be a better ex-ATI song ...
Jesus Doesn't want Me for a Sunbeam Lyrics
Nirvana
Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam. Sunbeams are not made like me.
Don't expect me to cry for all the reasons you had to die. Don't ever ask your
love of me.
Don't expect me to cry.
Don't expect me to lie.
Don't expect me to die for thee.
Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam. Sunbeams are not made like me.
Don't expect me to cry for all the reasons you had to die. Don't ever ask your
love of me.
Don't expect me to cry.
Don't expect me to lie.
Don't expect me to die for thee.
Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam. Sunbeams are not made like me.
Don't expect me to cry for all the reasons you had to die. Don't ever ask your
love of me.
Don't expect me to cry.
Don't expect me to lie.
Don't expect me to die.
Don't expect me to cry.
Don't expect me to lie.
Don't expect me to die for thee.
Bitter? Dunno. That word cheapens the courage it takes to get up every day, to live in contrast to all the self-hatred they tried to teach me.
Your little brother is weird if he thinks that about being spanked. Either that, or he has other problems we won't get into. I don't understand the "Sunbeam Song." Who is that supposed to be addressed to?
I'm going to have to second the Nirvana song as the ex-ati song. Amen, Amen and Amen.
Stories...? Hmm. I have some humourous ones (even some that non-IBLPers would get), and I have broken nearly every rule there is, but I wonder if I have any tremendously juicy ones...
/me thinks...
Most anyone who was at HQ while I was there knows who I am, by reputation at least, and the recent ChukP thing has solidified that. My sisters go work at the DTC every now and then and they meet people all the time who say "Are you related to Brendon?" *grin*
I have regrets on both sides, some that I didn't get to do many of the things lots of the other students did (like go overseas), but mostly I regret that I once thought like they did. I spend a large amount of time and effort these days un-training my brain to think like that... *sigh*
I think this calls for a blog entry. :) I'll email you what stories I think are worthwhile, X-er.
OK, so I also don't get the Nirvana song. If it's addressed to Jesus, it's blasphemous.
Think of it as directed towards the ATI system and way of life and it makes allot more sense.
anon 9:07
Actually i am the third of four boys. my brother told me when he went to the basis that BillyG said that the third is the worst child in the family. BillyG was wrong when it came to me
Forget about birth order. I'm still crippled because I was never able to determine my spiritual gift. I mean, where do I fit in this world if I don't have a gift?
I never broke any rules.
(Fortunately they couldn't monitor thought life, which would have had me thrown out with my navy blue blazers flying after me... too bad they never explained how lots of young ladies have certain interests that are a great struggle when single, but great fun once married. Instead, they assumed no young lady would ever have struggles like that.)
The worst I ever did outwardly was congregate in other girls' rooms to chat, which they didn't allow because they didn't want to spread illness throughout the camp (somebody was always sick at a TC). Or maybe they thought it would promote folly. I can't really remember; I just know it took me a long time to realize that sitting in a room giggling with other girls was an okay thing to do.
And once I made friends with a girl who wasn't on my EXCEL team, and felt incredibly guilty for spending time with her instead of with my teammates. The great thing about those years is that there was so much extra stuff to be guilty for, I hardly had to concentrate on my real sins.
I felt guilty about everything possible. Then I felt guilty about feeling guilty, because good ATI'ers aren't supposed to feel guilty. (They're supposed to have clear consciences.) Then I got to the point where I stopped feeling guilty all the time and then I felt guilty about that and figured I wasn't truely a Christian. I still feel guilty, but mostly guilty because I don't know why I feel guilty.
I must have been warped.
Okay, I will not use my name, because I had a "bad reputation," but let's just say that if I did everything that I was accused of doing, I broke every rule IBLP ever came up with and then some. Being a girl at a TC and being labeled as a slut simply becuase I was from a broken home still causes some intense bitterness inside (imagine that).
I guess one story I could tell is how (note, we did not break any rules here) is when ITC sent all of the staff to a "Revolutionary War Reenactment" based on some recommendation from an outsider. Well, let's just say that after having so many guys hitting on us that were supposed to stay in character and seeing the infamous "women of the night" everywhere, ITC sent us back to the TC as soon as possible and had to issue a mass apology for all of the alleged "defrauding" that took place. Too funny.
My story...I was at ITC for a harp workshop and the entire week there was this really cute LIT who I made a point of smiling at every time I saw him. He was always with his leader, but somehow he managed to silently and skillfully flirt back. We didn't speak a word to each other until the end of the week when I was queuing my things up in the lobby and he walked by (still with the ever-present leader) and whispered "thank you." I was so happy to have brought a bit of sunshine to this guy's life - however briefly - but sad that he felt so starved for interaction that my smiles could evoke such gratefulness. As I walked out of ITC for the second to last time in my life, I felt I'd finally beaten the system...but then it got better.
A year or so later I returned to spend two days as a paying "guest" at the ITC "hotel" (this was after I had gone away to college, so obviously I'd turned my back on ATI and was no longer "in") in order to spend Easter with my younger brother. Since I was under no obligation to follow the rules I revelled in walking through the lobby on Easter morning and going to the church where 85% of them attend in a slightly-above-the-knee skirt - you'd have thought I was wearing a mini-skirt and fish-net with the way the guys were looking at me. I departed later that day wearing my favorite tight jeans...never to darken the doors of anything ATI-related again. My walk with the Lord soon became more than just words and actions.
Compared to some of the rules that were broken (by my brothers to begin with), these are minor, but for the quiet/secretive rebel I was, these were quite an awakening for me.
Yes, Nirvana pretty much rules. My family joined ATI not too long after Kurt Cobain committed suicide--a coincidence? I think not!
Uh, just kidding. I'd never heard of Nirvana back then. But anyway.
When I arrived at ITC for my job there, I got The Booklet. You know which one. It's the booklet you get when you come on staff at any ministry in ITC--it explains all the "guidelines" for your time there.
Well, I didn't read it for a week or so. Then, looking for something to read while I took a dump, I picked up the Guidelines Booklet and sat down on the porcelain throne.
As I read the booklet and pinched off a few, I was stunned because of one simple fact:
I had broken virtually EVERY DANG RULE in only a week! WTF?! Anyway, after weeks of REFINE girls checking out my butt and my smile (which made me vomit in my mouth a little--they were like six years younger than me), and after EQUIP kids kept worrying about how much they were talking to me, I made my final escapade.
**I dropped down the laundry chute at ITC.**
Yeah, it's not original. But I'm here to say, that even after I explained my careful rationale to Mr. Gergeni ("Well sir, I just had to see if I could do it."), I still did NOT get sent home.
He sort of smiled and said, "I guess I can understand that."
My secret--I don't come off as a "bad kid." It's sort of a vibe thing: if you give off that bad-kid vibe, you'll get in trouble even for doing nothing. But not me--for some reason, God's sense of humor poked a lot of holes in ATI's inability to take a joke, because I did everything short of making out with chicks at the front desk and NEVER got into major trouble.
Which begs the question, "Who's your Daddy"
Anon # 12:38AM - That was hilarious, you are so right on many levels. You sound like a couple brothers I know who slid down the laundry shoot at one of the first counseling seminars. Thankfully the door at the end was open : ) Very true, if you had a good vibe and put on sly smile at the right times and to the right people, you could get away with murder if you wanted to. If you were labeled a "rebel", you were pretty much screwed. You had to play the system, keep a low profile and kiss the right amount of a**, but not too much to be labled a boy scout. You'd be surprised at what the "leaders" at the TCs did, listened to, watched, had access to and so on. I wouldn't say it was hypocritical, it just made me find ways to do what they did without getting caught.
One story out of hundreds in particular comes to mind. While doing security with a buddy and another dude at the ITC, my friend and I decide we need a break and to get away from watching Rickie Lake on the 3" TV behind the front desk. We tell the other dude to sit tight, we are going to do "security checks". "J" (I'll call my buddy) is friends with a "key master" and has a key to the roof access door. We go up there and decide we need some fresh air. Unlock the door, and as the door is closing we realize that it has no key access from the outside and it's still locked! Door closes and we are locked on the friggin roof. Mind you, it was mid-February and we only had our thin white shirts on. Freaking out commences and we try to radio the other dude at the front desk. Come to find out, our radios are dead or out of range. We discuss jumping down to the ledge on 13 and then climbing down the fire escape but a we love our lives more than the risk of the lashing we will get if we have to wake someone up to come unlock the door. Finally "J" gets his bank card out of his wallet and does the old slide trick in the door jam crack and successfully trips the lock bolt.
Since I was in the "computer department" as a "volunteer" I brought all kinds crap with me for my year long stay the ITC. I was able to get my VHS Video camera and a TV card for my computer in somehow. With some rabbit ears snuck in from the monthly Wal-Mart trips, I remember watching ghetto professional wrestling on Friday nights, ETW I think. Once a guy bought Last of the Mohicans from Wal-Mart and we had a movie night with my VHS camcorder hooked up to my TV card in my computer. I also brought my Super Nintendo and we had some good Super Mario 3 playin' nights.
Another small memory is playing Doom deathmatches on the 7th floor with some computers "J" and I had built. We had some COAX cable I got from Jason Young and we fragged our brains out many a night. Funs times...
Smells Like Teen Spirit is also a great X-er song
My favorite was recieving the little booklet at ITC named "The Sin of Bathsheeba"...I never knew before I needed to wear a collared shirt OVER my sweater so as not to defraud a "fellow" with my curves showing through the knit.
I was SOOOOOO freaked about getting sent home and was SURE my dad would kill me if that ever happened. So...my crimes were small...having people in my room...getting out of work...boxing matches...breaking lights out...
My story...well, there were the cookies on fasting day (after two hours of stomach rumbling in church, there was no waiting until dinner!)and then there were the secret makeup/fashion shows some of us girls put on (just to see what we would look like if we were "normal"). We got awfully tired somtimes of wearing those blouses OVER our sweaters. :-) Thanks to whoever wrote that one...so funny but so true.
Do all these youthful indiscretions happen at ITC? I mean, where's the representation from the rest of the world? HQ, OTC, DTC, EM, ES? Is Indy the only place with rules, or the only place people will confess to breaking them at?
C'mon peeps, let's get this thread movin'!
I... uh... Hmm. How to say this....
This is kind of embarrasing, but I guess I should confess:
I read... ... ...xatiguy... in the office.
Let's see, OKC...We were pretty good...I emailed guys with code "girl" names so that the "gods" wouldn't catch on.
The OTC's rules were just less clear-cut, so it was harder to know if you were breaking them. We watched movies in the warehouse many times (approved and then some).
Stories from ITC are the most notorious, mainly because of the certain members of leadership on staff. I remember I was extensively counseled by two staff ladies there because they said I gave off a "sensual vibe." No one could tell me exactly what it was. My clothes were fine. I never talked to the guys. I never even looked at the guys. But I was in deep, deep trouble. All because of this "sensual vibe" that I portrayed.
The question is this: How can I fix something like that if I don't even know what I'm doing wrong?
I feel terribly ignorant, as if I didn't study to show myself approved enough... I know all the abbreviations except ES and EM. Anyone enlighten me?
Eagle Springs
and
Eagle Mountain
i never spent much time there...but a close buddy of mine did...and believe me, you can get away with lots of stuff in the woods, if ya know what i mean.
besides, in my opinion, Bob Norvell (the director of EM) is one of the coolest cats in the 'tute.
After ES turned 'girls program', though, the whole thing really went downhill. noone who knew it as it was before was ever happy with it or it's new director. except for when the Camenisches were there. they also are some of the coolest peeps to fill a leadership role....and keep it for years!
Anybody know what they're up to now?
I was wildly in love with Joe Norvell when he first came to ITC. Of course, that was 12 years ago, and he had really changed the last time I saw him - 10 years ago! He got all serious and into the whole "never talk/look at girls" phase.
I know he's at the Arkansas TC now. Anyone know how he's doing? (I always thought he was SO FINE.)
I think Joe is courting now - some girl from Australia, I believe.
So I usually just watch these threads...
Brendon, I remember you. You were annoying as hell. I distinctly remember you
throwing marshmallows, which you'd put in your mouth, at people sitting around
a campfire. Sound familiar?
Any reputation you had was as a dumbass, nothing more.
~jeff
My heart is broken over Joe.
My worst moment was participating in the anarchist meetings in the MTC during the winter of '96. Oh, and 'accidentally' getting lost with a girl in the city while 'escorting' her from church on sunday morning. We had a great time.
The one thing I can remember took place while I was working at ALERT. It had already been reported that I had music that needed to be evaluated, which by the way, my Wagner CD was disapporved because Hitler had liked it... I still wonder about that one.
I had purchased a computer with a DVD player, and decided to get some movies in order to 'test it out'. Then, another friend bought a movie and we decided to have 'Visual Graphics Classes'.
Then there was the time when a good friend of mine and I were driving by the 'Mafia Guy's' house at Oak Brook, when all of a sudden, my buddy turned off the headlights of the car and drove by the house's entrance very slowly. This 'Mafia Guy' had armed guards outside his house, and I didn't want to mess around with them either. So, I just yelled at my friend to DRIVE! He just laughed.
That's about it for me.
This is to Anonymous Jeff:
Me? It's hard to imagine there being another Brendon out there aside from me, but I seriously doubt that the one who did those things was me.
I was at HQ twice, and I never remember any camp fires that I sat around. The first time I was at HQ I was one of the 'good kids' and tried to be perfect in every way, and the last time I was there I worked too much to go camping.
Sorry mate, but you have me confused with someone else.
there was a brendon or brandon burns.......he could be annoying........maybe?
I laughed SO HARD just now when I read about Mr. Gergeni's comment about the guy going down the laundry chute. OHHHH that is SO good. Just classic.
About Bob Norvell: He IS a cool cat. Not only that, but his son Joe is cool... And you can add me to the list of those whose hearts are broken over Joe.
I love the stories.... I HATE that Nirvana song... I enjoyed the post about "feeling guilty for feeling guilty." .... The one about someone who somehow "gave off a sensual vibe" was good [NOTE: Why couldn't they just ACCEPT the fact that someone gave off a sensual vibe, instead of trying to change her very essence? If they really felt it was there but couldn't put their finger on it, (their collective finger), then I guess they should have just bought a one-way plane ticket - Which I think they probably did! *GOOD GRIEF*... But in the first place, they needn't have worried about it. *SIGH!* It's just ridiculous... I'm sorry...] ...the reason there are so many stories about Indy (in proportion) is because it's the strictest place, or was, with the most ridiculous Leadership - an accident waiting to happen... ... The one about.... "there was this really cute LIT who I made a point of smiling at every time I saw him. He was always with his leader, but somehow he managed to silently and skillfully flirt back." That's a good story, even if it is sad.
Why they were worried about the "sensual vibe": It just goes to show that you can't control sensuality with clothing or even other rules. Sensuality is actually part of human existence; but regardless, an evil sensuality is something that cannot be legislated out of existence. Rules can only do so much. Rules are not the solution to everything. ...this is why we have people who follow all the rules and yet are not "righteous." Legalism breeds this kind of thing.
SO they were worried about something over which they had no control. At that point, they should have "let go and let God," as the saying goes.... Instead, they gave her rigorous counselling sessions! *sigh*
Oh my gosh! Brandon Burns! I totally remember him...he thought he was pretty cool...but didn't we all? We hung out some while he was at OKC for CFE training and then in Knoxville.
Yikes, the stories I can tell. Like the time I got locked out in the courtyard at the DTC so I climbed a tree, climbed over the wall and ran around to the door to let myself back in (in my skirt, of course). Or the time I got in trouble at HQ for singing that song "Going to the Chapel" with Glory Perkins while cleaning up the kitchen. Or the time I was told not to mention skiing in front of the young men because that would imply I sometimes wore pants, and that might defraud them. How about the time I and several other girls from Brook Manor broke into Mr. Gotherd's office to retrieve some always-coveted junk food from the kitchen? And we can't forget the girls' swimsuit sunbathing club which met faithfully on sunny weekends in the summer on the back deck at Brook Manor.
For the record: I bought my first "rock" CD and my first pair of short shorts while living at HQ. I was just driven to it.
And you may reprint any or all of this if you feel so inclined. :)
Once I went for a walk with a young lady (who I actually married)while staying in OKC for an OBCL function. Even though we were both adults and only visiting, certain of the Holy Order deemed it necessary to actually go and search the bushes for us. Afterall, what ELSE could a couple that went on a walk be doing besides making like rabbits... Upon returning one particularly righteous individual invformed us of our sin (and subsequent lost salvation) and proudly handed down a curfew and "bedtimes". I think they built an extra wing on his celestial mansion as a prize. I think they even threatened to call our parents (oooh scary), my father would have laughed I do believe. The following year we returned engaged and reaped our ample revenge upon them with public kissing and hand-holding. Maybe one or two suffered extreme physical abnormalities from the exceedingly unholy corruption. I should repent now... or not. (you may republish this)
So all this talk about Joe Norvell reminds me. . . how many people are STILL P.O.'d at Adam Bell?
Who is Adam Bell? Is he the brother of Lauren and - oh, I forget her sister's name...
I don't know who Adam Bell is, but Lauren Bell's sister is Amy Bell...who lived across the hall from me at the DTC during EXCEL III and was one those bright, shiny people!!
Got a few mild stories of my own from the DTC...back in the early days...think EXCEL III.
There was the time we went walking into town to a public park (a rare happening....mostly we had to go just across the street to that park you had to be a member of for our daily walks). Anyway, it wasn't repeated, because everyone started climbing all over the statues to get pictures and "horror of horrors" some girls were actually sitting by the pond and lifting their skirts up to the knees to get a little sun on their legs!!
Then there was the fact that me and my roommates (I was in a four person room on the fourth floor across from Amy and Lauren Bell...see if there are any EXCEL III girls who can figure out who I am) never actually went to bed at 9:30 (who picks crazy hours like that for bedtime?)!! We'd wait till the assistant had made her rounds and then either sit around on our beds with flashlights and swap stories, or spread out a blanket around the corner from the door by the bathroom where the light wouldn't shine and eat our contraband food stuff we kept in our fridge...which was supposed to be off, but my cousin (a guy) got running for me when I got there first.
There was also a time when my roommies got reprimanded for waltzing in the hall (waltzing, mind you...not shaking their tails to "Baby Got Back"!!)!!
I remember one time we had spots dancing in front of our eyes cause I had the bright idea of taking our picture in the pitch black with a very bright flash...then the next day having a fit of giggles in class when for some strange reason they were talking about how we should avoid bright flashing lights...no clue WHAT that was about!!
EXCEL III was also the last EXCEL to get to have team parties at the end, cause one of the teams (not mine--we were doing glamour makeovers) put glitter on a ceiling fan and turned it on, resulting in glitter being ground into the carpet for weeks!!
There was the time I thought I was gonna get sent home because...oh, my...I went to visit a sick friend...sitting right outside her door with her just inside...so as not to be actually IN her room...but yet, I was still breaking rules just visiting her!!
I never did do that one big project that we were supposed to write to graduate...they had that hanging over our heads...but I still "graduated"...go figure.
Even graduation day was funny...I got reprimanded for talking too much to a guy...who just happened to be my cousin!!
Another funny thing was when Olga, a former Moscow translator who got the "opportunity" to go to EXCEL came up to us one afternoon and told us that she had been asked to give her testimony but had no clue what to say and was asking for advice..she got everything from "Give it in Russian...you could say anything and they'd love it" to "Just mention bright,shining eyes several times...that'll do the trick"!! I thought it was so funny that even in that atmosphere where everyone was at least partially taken in by the whole ATI thing...we could still poke fun at the whole thing!!
I could go on and on....soda cans hidden in toilet tanks, running down the halls(horrors...a young lady never runs), etc. However, I will leave that for another time!!
Take care, serve God, and never let anyone tell you you can't be a real Christian if you don't wear a nametag!!
Ooops!! Forgot to mention one particularly funny thing...
One of my roommates got her parents to get her special permission to go home one weekend...made it seem like a family emergency...but it was actually cause she was singing backup for a CCM group...oh my goodness gracious!!
So all this talk about Joe Norvell reminds me. . . how many people are STILL P.O.'d at Adam Bell?
From the lack of responses it would appear not too many. But if I have offended, I would appreciate the chance to know how and to try to make it right (sincere). adam@adambell.net
Adam, based on the context, I think they meant PO'd that "the Prince" of the DTC is still single. Or maybe not.
Joe Norvell??? Want to catch up on the latest??? He married a girl from New Zealand, "Heather". He then "obeyed" scripture and took an entire year off of work to stay at home and make love to his wife. (BTW, they live at EM in their own cabin which was paid for by the institute) They are now pregnant, go figure. He basically bums money off of the institute to sit on that mountain and do nothing. Such a wise use of God's money...Anyways, since he and his wife are pregnant they really want a bigger house so, they are going around asking for people to give them money to build. If you feel led to give, DON'T. He needs to get off his sorry *&@#! and WORK!!! So, all of you ladies that are heartbroken over Joe, don't be.
Just wandering around the net and found this page... too bad it took me so long to find it! I s'pose I tend to block out the years spent in Indy, lol. I will start on a positive note since it will only take a second. HAHA.
I was intrigued with how exciting even the most ordinary things could be, like when the ice cream truck would roll through... or when a bunch of us would wake up at 5:30 am to play volleyball. We had to get up anyway, march music would pour into every room via speakers. (My sister and I unscrewed the damn thing and cut the wires!! They never found out, as far as I know....)
The overbearing authorities created a world void of humor and fun and would march around with secret fun-zapper guns with great purpose and determination. They jammed it down my throat that it was time to smile smile smile, and labeled me the fool the minute I laughed.
I think the main reason I was able to stay there as long as I had been ordered without going insane was my uncanny ability to make things more fun than they really were. (A horrible quality to have when trying to survive in this ego-centric male-driven world) Oh yeah, and I was always on constant trial for the whole sensual vibe thing as well... Kudos to that story!
There is one story that I will never forget: We were all busy preparing for visitors from the "City" who were coming to see how great we wonderful shiny people were.... that's about the extent of what I knew. The following night at supper (after a number of
'confessions') there was a very serious announcement. The "City people" had come and gone without our knowing it and had alerted authorities that they felt like they had come to some kind of gay/lesbian convention because when they went onto one of the girls floors (?????) they saw girls all over the floor rubbing each others backs and doing each other's hair. They were disturbed that both sexes appeared to want little to do with each other, and would even ignore each other even in the halls. I kid you not.
We were reprimanded for being 'all over each other' and were not allowed to give back rubs and do each others hair unless in our rooms.... but we weren't allows to go in each others rooms.... Ummm, HELLO!
But I digress... everything in life happens for a reason and every experience holds a lesson to be learned. I hold no bitterness, just lots and lots of humor. :) Or should I say...... FOLLY? *Wicked Grin*
i walked into mr.G's office in blue jeans once. :D and yes, he was there (and no, i was not in there for counseling)
I played Third Day songs on my guitar for my CI kids during naptime. And Simon and Garfunkel. I think that may have been the extent of my good-"bad"-music repertoire at that point. I would always revert to the Canon in D or something as Dr. Guthrie or some such authority figure would walk by. I was passive aggressive, yes.
It's kind of strange. I was the oldest. My family joined when I was about 11(?). My parents were the gregarious, open-minded type (frankly, I have no idea how they were duped... I guess they were directionless and looking for an anchor. But anyway...). While definitely not unaffected/unscathed, my siblings and I tended to have an outside-looking-in mentality at most of the seminars and training centers and all. We just kind of rode the wave. God was gracious. That wave died out in about 4-5 years. Just a few days ago we actually happened to be "reminiscing" about those days and I suddenly recalled countless instances of being herded into various rooms, auditoriums, etc. Invariably, some kid would notice a slight variation in my attire from that of the pitch-perfect ATI-er. We'd have a seat, and they'd lean over with a nervous expression and say something to the effect of a)"So, do you ever listen to Michael W. Smith?", or b) "Do you like Marilyn Manson? He's the %$#@-in @&%#!" Either way, it made for some surreal comedy. It still blows my mind to consider the vast spectrum of social abnormalities born out of that organization. Praise God for his grace. I still pray for people I meet or have known that are yet within that toxic system.
I liked teaching CI, though. I'd do it again. Man, what a rush, to sneak in from the outside... : b
-matthew
I am brandon burns, the person who remembered me should look me up on facebook - I did think pretty highly of myself back then :)
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