Full-time training is now online!

[Timotheist]

Sign up now!

www.ftta.org/index.html

[Freedom]

I believe that the FTTA online has been around for a few years. I would bet that they started it because they know very well that everyone can't attend the FTTA, and in their minds members who have no 'training' are a big liability.

I visited that website a while back and I noticed that part of the online version of the training involves participation in a trainee discussion forum. Does that mean that trainees get to engage in genuine discussion and debate with each other? I could sign up and see how long it takes me to get kicked out...

[HERn]

Originally Posted by Freedom

I believe that the FTTA online has been around for a few years. I would bet that they started it because they know very well that everyone can't attend the FTTA, and in their minds members who have no 'training' are a big liability.

I visited that website a while back and I noticed that part of the online version of the training involves participation in a trainee discussion forum. Does that mean that trainees get to engage in genuine discussion and debate with each other? I could sign up and see how long it takes me to get kicked out...

I took a couple of the online courses and there were some non-LC participants. Once when I was waxing elegant over how I recovered my first love for Jesus I the LC one of the moderators asked that I take that discussion to private communications. Another time I worked really hard to organize some things into a table, but was told that it was distracting and not to do this. Another time there was a fellow from Canada taking the course who was not in the LC and was planning on visiting the church in Miami during Christmas vacation and kiddingly asked "if the brothers would be wearing flip-flops and shorts". My flippant answer was "even in shorts they will be wearing white shirts and narrow black ties." I was not asked to remove the comment.

[HERn]

Originally Posted by HERn

I took a couple of the online courses and there were some non-LC participants. Once when I was waxing elegant over how I recovered my first love for Jesus I the LC one of the moderators asked that I take that discussion to private communications. Another time I worked really hard to organize some things into a table, but was told that it was distracting and not to do this. Another time there was a fellow from Canada taking the course who was not in the LC and was planning on visiting the church in Miami during Christmas vacation and kiddingly asked "if the brothers would be wearing flip-flops and shorts". My flippant answer was "even in shorts they will be wearing white shirts and narrow black ties." I was not asked to remove the comment.

I think the online training was designed to not put off non-LS saints that were enrolled. I think the online training is very different from the physical full time training because anybody could enroll as long as they paid for the tuition and fees.

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by HERn

I took a couple of the online courses and there were some non-LC participants. Once when I was waxing elegant over how I recovered my first love for Jesus I the LC one of the moderators asked that I take that discussion to private communications. Another time I worked really hard to organize some things into a table, but was told that it was distracting and not to do this. Another time there was a fellow from Canada taking the course who was not in the LC and was planning on visiting the church in Miami during Christmas vacation and kiddingly asked "if the brothers would be wearing flip-flops and shorts". My flippant answer was "even in shorts they will be wearing white shirts and narrow black ties." I was not asked to remove the comment.

I guess creating a table 'competes' with the charts and tables in WL's RcV.

I'm glad that I never wasted a day of my time with any FTT stuff, but the impression that I get that most of the 'training' that takes place in the LC is mainly about reinforcing the authority structure. It seems like the trainers like to make petty corrections, just for the sake of being petty. Who cares if a table is 'distracting'? I once watched a video of WL giving a message and he took off his suit jacket in the middle of the message. I found that to be 'distracting'.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Freedom

I'm glad that I never wasted a day of my time with any FTT stuff, but the impression that I get that most of the 'training' that takes place in the LC is mainly about reinforcing the authority structure. It seems like the trainers like to make petty corrections, just for the sake of being petty.

Yes, definitely.

When i went to the FTTT with other elders and deacons, they had some kid come thru the dorm room writing up citations for our underwear drawers while we were gone. They identified me from the code they made us write on our grungies. Some of the guys were very upset. I got cited because my socks were paired up but not laid out like ducks in a row. Pretty petty.

The whole thing was designed to humiliate, and bring us all under subjection. It was a test to determine who was willing to comply with LSM's new loyalty program.

Another time I was sitting at lunch with others in my long-sleeve whities and Official LSM tie. I had rolled up my sleeves to keep them clean. The junior dress code Natzi, with his little citation pad, pulled up and checked my badge no. I was a little perturbed. I made him write that I rolled up my sleeves at meal, which was proper form. Later it was overturned by the officiating "Trainers."

[Timotheist]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Yes, definitely.

When i went to the FTTT with other elders and deacons, they had some kid come thru the dorm room writing up citations for our underwear drawers while we were gone. They identified me from the code they made us write on our grungies. Some of the guys were very upset. I got cited because my socks were paired up but not laid out like ducks in a row. Pretty petty.

If I took the course online I would be wearing only my undies.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Timotheist

If I took the course online I would be wearing only my undies.

Write this guy up!

[Timotheist]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Write this guy up!

What would be the over/under for how long we would last today?

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Timotheist

What would be the over/under for how long we would last today?

No elder would approve my application.

[HERn]

Originally Posted by Ohio

No elder would approve my application.

I don't think you need an elder recommendation to do the online training.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by HERn

I don't think you need an elder recommendation to do the online training.

Then how can they check my underwear drawer?

[aron]

Originally Posted by Ohio

When i went to the FTTT with other elders and deacons, they had some kid come thru the dorm room writing up citations for our underwear drawers while we were gone. They identified me from the code they made us write on our grungies. Some of the guys were very upset. I got cited because my socks were paired up but not laid out like ducks in a row. Pretty petty.

The whole thing was designed to humiliate, and bring us all under subjection. It was a test to determine who was willing to comply with LSM's new loyalty program.

Another time I was sitting at lunch with others in my long-sleeve whities and Official LSM tie. I had rolled up my sleeves to keep them clean. The junior dress code Natzi, with his little citation pad, pulled up and checked my badge no. I was a little perturbed. I made him write that I rolled up my sleeves at meal, which was proper form. Later it was overturned by the officiating "Trainers."

Ohio,

This stuff is unreal. What kind of training is this? And, how does this compute with, 'just eat and drink and breathe the processed Truine God and be metabolically transformed' stuff? I mean, is salvation of works, or no? And if works do factor in, why are these the works we focus on? Mind-boggling.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by aron

Ohio,

This stuff is unreal. What kind of training is this? And, how does this compute with, 'just eat and drink and breathe the processed Triune God and be metabolically transformed' stuff? I mean, is salvation of works, or no? And if works do factor in, why are these the works we focus on? Mind-boggling.

It's a pseudo-military training with Lee, the "commander-in-chief." The stated purpose was evangelization, but actually it was designed to humble all LC leaders under LSM's subjection.

An old friend of mine from Cleveland and Columbus was there too, and received a special recognition award for door-knocking achievements and no citations. He later was promoted to the eldership, and then shortly after that abruptly dropped the whole program and went back to the world. I pray the Lord restore his faith and love. There are many more stories like this.

Titus Chu used to refer to the trainers as "five little boys."

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by Ohio

It's a pseudo-military training with Lee, the "commander-in-chief." The stated purpose was evangelization, but actually it was designed to humble all LC leaders under LSM's subjection.

An old friend of mine from Cleveland and Columbus was there too, and received a special recognition award for door-knocking achievements and no citations. He later was promoted to the eldership, and then shortly after that abruptly dropped the whole program and went back to the world. I pray the Lord restore his faith and love. There are many more stories like this.

Titus Chu used to refer to the trainers as "five little boys."

I think that I've said this before, but it seems many current LC elders/leaders were those who attended the FTTT. I know that this is true in the LC that I'm from and in some of the neighboring LC's.

I must wonder how some of these leaders reconcile the legalism in the FTTT with what they perceived the LC to be before attending the training. I just don't see any way that those who attended the FTTT could have gone there and not had their reservations about what was going on.

I'm increasingly convinced that the FTTT was all about weeding out anyone who couldn't display 100% loyalty to the system. With imminent departure of some of WL's closest coworkers, showing loyalty to the system was advantageous for all the younger brothers. How else did the blendeds get their positions?

[Freedom]

Just to add a few more thoughts...

One thing that has really flustered me over the years from being in the LC is knowing that leaders have a certain standard for everyone, but they publicly claim that there are no 'regulations' in the LC.

When I hear of the standards of the FTTT, it becomes apparent that many of the current LC leaders have been subjected to the strictest of LC standard that ever existed. I know that many of these leaders like to try to appear to be 'relaxed' with some of the LC standards. How disingenuous is that? They are knowingly leading members on a path that ends with something much more 'strict' and 'regulated' than they would ever admit or reveal to the rank and file members. Sometimes I wish I had the ability to warn all those that I know about what's in store for them.

[aron]

Originally Posted by Ohio

It's a pseudo-military training with Lee, the "commander-in-chief." The stated purpose was evangelization, but actually it was designed to humble all LC leaders under LSM's subjection.

On another thread, the poster placed a hypothetical scale from "0" to "100", with the apostle Paul at one end and some looney tunes, self-proclaimed "prophet" who knows not God nor truth nor Christ nor Spirit at the other. In my hypoethetical "100" end is John or Peter, and yes Paul, and to some near degree, those who learn Christ from them. My "0" experience is a compound in Waco Texas, shooting at ATF agents who've come for the "prophet"; etc.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...vidkoresh.html

Drinking poison to join Jesus on a space ship behind the Halle-Bop comet. We've heard the stories, and we know this stuff happens.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven...eligious_group)

Consider Ohio's experiences at the FTTT, and stories therefrom, and it's below "50"; probably near "20". It's so disconnected from the Christ who we see plainly portrayed in the Bible! Lord, have mercy! Paul was close, John was close, Peter was close; it's not for nothing that John wrote, "...whom we beheld, whom our hands handled" (1 John 1:1). John was very, very close. The New Way FTTT, by comparison, seems far removed.

[HERn]

Originally Posted by Freedom

Just to add a few more thoughts...

One thing that has really flustered me over the years from being in the LC is knowing that leaders have a certain standard for everyone, but they publicly claim that there are no 'regulations' in the LC.

When I hear of the standards of the FTTT, it becomes apparent that many of the current LC leaders have been subjected to the strictest of LC standard that ever existed. I know that many of these leaders like to try to appear to be 'relaxed' with some of the LC standards. How disingenuous is that? They are knowingly leading members on a path that ends with something much more 'strict' and 'regulated' than they would ever admit or reveal to the rank and file members. Sometimes I wish I had the ability to warn all those that I know about what's in store for them.

I beginning to realize that the FTTT was a watershed event in the so-called Lords a Recovery. I too have been able to compare elders who had and who had not attended the FTTT. It seems to me that the FTTT brothers showed more loyalty to LSM, the movement, the ministry than they did to the bible the Lord Himself.

[Timotheist]

I ran into an old friend who was still in the LC. Two subjects I brought up in the conversation: 1) the LC is closed to those with new ideas/ministry 2) many of the elders even signed an affidavit swearing they would not deviate from WL's teachings.

He denied the first and claimed to have no knowledge of the second.

I have often heard the denial of "following a man"

strange behavior, to say the least.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Ohio

When i went to the FTTT with other elders and deacons, they had some kid come thru the dorm room writing up citations for our underwear drawers while we were gone.

Lee constantly preached his mantra of all LC'ers needing training. At the FTTT he created new standards by which to reinforce this directive from on high. Can't arrange your underwear? You need more training! Now is the time for you to get trained. Sing along with me to the old Bob Dylan tune, "Everybody must get trained!"

Well, they'll train ya when you're trying to be so good
They'll train ya just a-like they said they would
They'll train ya when you're tryin' to go home
Then they'll train ya when you're there all alone
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get trained.

Sounds so good, huh? Those folks at LSM must really care for us! Nice to have these good folks caring for our health and spiritual well-being, isn't it?

Actually ...

Their use of young kids to check the elders' underwear models the tactics of Mao's Red Guards. Lee and Son stole the playbook from those old commies and used it where they could get away with it. You want to destroy a society, both old and young at the same time? Then use the young to disgrace the old. In this way, both are irreparably damaged.

This was Lee's stealth motive underlying the "New Way." Whether the FTT Taipei, the FTT Anaheim, or the young people's FTT in Irving. It was the destruction of the order of an established system, which was supposedly built on local church autonomy, led by local elders, "each answering to the Lord," or so the song goes. (Hymnal #824)

This is just part of the glaring contradictions which old LCers must stomach. Back in the cobwebs of their distant memories are the stories of spiritual liberation from those oppressive and deadening denominations. Compare that to the daily regulations passed down from the Blendeds in Anaheim. As The Who's classic song "Won't Get Fooled Again" concludes, "Meet the new boss, Same as the old boss," or probably worse.