| Author | Message | ||
     taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 1 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 72.74.212.251 |
Like many others, I have enjoyed reading a lot of posts on Factnet without adding my 2 cents worth for awhile. It's become obvious that the original purpose of this board (to expose TBS's practices), have not been foremost in discussions). I'd like to say a few things and share some experiences now. I was a Taxi Driver at TBS in Lenox in 1978 and 79. Many of you know about and used the green and blue vans as transportation to your jobs then. I enjoyed being able to talk and listen to a lot of people and hopefully make their day a little more pleasant and tolerable during the trip, be it on the way to Great Barrington or Pittsfield. One thing I found disturbing was how many seemingly normal people believed outrageous things about TBS and its leadership, especially concerning delegated authority. I would have people tell me how Pastor Stevens knew EVERYTHING going on at all points in the campus because God told him every night. So if someone was smoking near the ballfield late on a Saturday night he knew because of a "gift of knowledge" that he had. Another girl who was thinking of marrying a pastoral condidate asked me if you should feel anything for him. Apparently this guy conviced her that God told him that she was the one and because she was naive thought that she should obey "delegated authority" in this or miss God's call on her life for good. We had another guy who always corrected people in a loud voice when they said they were going home for the weekend by saying "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GOING HOME, THE BODY IS YOUR HOME! IT'S JUST VISITING YOUR PARENTS! | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 2 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 72.74.212.251 |
hese kind of things didn't happen all the time, but enought so that I had to tell some people to keep quiet especially around new people or they might think we're a cult or something. Little did I know. One guy told me that he was just following his Apostle so I'd better but out or God will judge me! Some of us drivers never really bought into the TBS hype. Mike Erwin was a good example as well. We're both from Salem and from working class families and like to speak our minds. I guess the Taxi job allowed some of us to see how normal people can believe outrageous things. You got to talk to people alone and could see how inbalanced everything could get. After I left TBS I began working in the Post Office and ran into a girl from Lenox who was also from the North Shore. I always got along great with her. After I asked how she was doing she told me that she couldn't talk to me because I was a heathen now. I didn't think anyone even knew I left but apparently word got around and that was the moment I knew that TBS was at best an aberational christian group, if not a full blown cult. My mind flashed back to the many people who would go on teams only to have people say that they "went against the ministry." All you had to do was go to another church to be looked at like you were the devil's friend. Things have gone well since I left. I have a great wife and daughter (who is soone to be an RN). We go to a somewhere where the pastor formed his own church after being driven out by a TBS affiliated Pastor because he questioning crooked financial arrangements. He knows greek and hebrew, doesn't allow begging for money, words like delegated authority aren't used. A board of deacons and elders runs the place with him and the checks and balances are real. I've been a letter carrier for 25 years and enjoy it very much. I hope I didn't carry on too long but it would be good if more of us shared stories of what happend in TBS. Remember, it was the original purpose in this board, not to argue theological doctrines. | ||
| listener New member Username: listener Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2005 Posted From: 72.93.154.247 |
Thanks for sharing your experiences! | ||
| louise_connolly New member Username: louise_connolly Post Number: 6 Registered: 9-2005 Posted From: 71.174.130.226 |
There are lots of folks who have shared their stories and experiences from the inception of this board. The board just got overrun by the nuts and the folks who had things to share got on with this thing called living life. Thanks for telling us a little about yourself! I am sitting North of Boston right now in beautiful Beverly, MA. | ||
| bette New member Username: bette Post Number: 1 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 67.171.159.31 |
I rode the taxi a lot back then...to Great Barrington Nursing Home, Georgeport Truck Stop, and a few other places. I left Lenox for the mission field in Hawaii (ha) in Sept '79. I remember Mike Erwin and Doug Bither were taxi drivers. I wish I could remember you. I enjoyed your post. I remember 2 things about the taxi and both involved Doug Bither. One day, he was playing a tape of Stevie Wonder. The music was wonderful and he was pretty cheeky for daring to play it. Another time, he was playing another tape and singing along with it...something about Daddy going fishing, Mamma going fishing, and Baby going fishing too. It was great. I haven't posted on FN for awhile. I forgot my username and password, moved from Hawaii to Washington to Oregon. I'm glad for FN because I got to connect with people I often wondered what happened to--Louise, Bonnie, Jeff, and others. Most definitely I will look these people up and say "howdy" when I use my frequent flyer miles in the next few years and fly back to New England for a visit. My email address has changed. It's now olores7385@comcast.net. I have no idea where that thread is with everybody's address. For the most part, I've enjoyed reading FN and what I didn't enjoy, I would skip. Take care everybody. | ||
| bette New member Username: bette Post Number: 2 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 67.171.159.31 |
I rode the taxi a lot back then...to Great Barrington Nursing Home, Georgeport Truck Stop, and a few other places. I left Lenox for the mission field in Hawaii (ha) in Sept '79. I remember Mike Erwin and Doug Bither were taxi drivers. I wish I could remember you. I enjoyed your post. I remember 2 things about the taxi and both involved Doug Bither. One day, he was playing a tape of Stevie Wonder. The music was wonderful and he was pretty cheeky for daring to play it. Another time, he was playing another tape and singing along with it...something about Daddy going fishing, Mamma going fishing, and Baby going fishing too. It was great. I haven't posted on FN for awhile. I forgot my username and password, moved from Hawaii to Washington to Oregon. I'm glad for FN because I got to connect with people I often wondered what happened to--Louise, Bonnie, Jeff, and others. Most definitely I will look these people up and say "howdy" when I use my frequent flyer miles in the next few years and fly back to New England for a visit. My email address has changed. It's now olores7385@comcast.net. I have no idea where that thread is with everybody's address. For the most part, I've enjoyed reading FN and what I didn't enjoy, I would skip. Take care everybody. | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 3 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 72.74.199.198 |
Hello Bette and Louise. Doug was very funny and great for the taxi. I'm Shane, by the way. Louise may remember me from the North Shore (Salem) along with Phil Cote and Karen Simone. | ||
| isabella New member Username: isabella Post Number: 16 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 24.128.143.230 |
Shane, Thanks for pointing out the cultic behavior of TBS/GGWO/GM/IAGM...etc. and as CHS would say, 'and on & on'... You are right, of course, that "It's become obvious that the original purpose of this board is to expose TBS's practices, has not been foremost in discussions" That's because there are some who are determined to defend those practices because they never left, even though they left, years ago.... They cannot and will not admit that they were fooled into believing a man with a wig who lied and cheated...a con-artist, (now a drug-addict) a theif, a destroyer of life, a little tiny man, a salesman who took a course in 'cache', and took advantage of anyone he met and when he couldn't convince them, he threw them away like so much garbage. They cannot admit that they were had, along with their families... They cannot admit that they were fooled by a fool. Carl H. Stevens, Jr. had/has no integrity, no truth, no compassion and no real love for the people...he loved the money more.... Too bad he can't take it with him. Thanks again, Isabella | ||
| whatsup New member Username: whatsup Post Number: 18 Registered: 2-2005 Posted From: 24.61.30.105 |
Oh, Shane...the THRONE WORDS taxi driver...can you still recite it all? | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 4 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 71.184.32.136 |
No way, but I sure could then. Actually memorizing things always came easy for me. I had all the hitting averages for the red sox down cold for years. Makes you deadly in sports trivia contests! | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 5 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 71.184.32.136 |
Isabella, It doesn't surprise me at all that some people still defend their beliefs while in TBS. Remember, it was cloaked in orthodox christian practices and often things were spoken in code. A message might mention "the devil and his crowd" and most listeners would think that Stevens meant people who hate the gospel (like Islamic fanatics or Communists) but what he REALLY meant was people who dared to question him in any way. Unless you were on the inside it was very difficult to see these things for what they were. | ||
| bette New member Username: bette Post Number: 3 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 67.171.159.31 |
Shane...I remember you...now that you mentioned your name. Thanks for jogging my memory. If you ever see Karen Simone, tell her I said Hi. I tried looking her up a few years ago but couldn't find her. | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 6 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 71.184.32.136 |
Since I've mentioned some Lenox stories perhaps I'll add a few more. - Once I got talked into going to a fancy type French restaurant with a young, ambitious guy who wanted to be just like PASTOR. It turned out to be a waste of money as I didn't like the food. Later when I told him I wish we didn't go he said "but we have to learn to eat in nice places like this if we're gonna be like Pastor someday." He actually believed (from Steven's example) that to be a Pastor meant to drive fancy cars and eat at the best restaurants. I didn't fault him because that's what we were taught with all the cars and private dining at Folkene.How wrong was that? So much for being a humble servant. Scott Robinson telling me that sometimes Pastor would tell a visiting minister that he believed that same things the vivistor did, even when he didn't, and try to convince him later. When I mentioned this to an older, mature christian lady I knew in Pittsfield she said that you should NEVER lie about your beliefs. She was right. No wonder TBS had such a bad reputation. | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 7 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 71.184.32.136 |
Since I've mentioned some Lenox stories perhaps I'll add a few more. - Once I got talked into going to a fancy type French restaurant with a young, ambitious guy who wanted to be just like PASTOR. It turned out to be a waste of money as I didn't like the food. Later when I told him I wish we didn't go he said "but we have to learn to eat in nice places like this if we're gonna be like Pastor someday." He actually believed (from Steven's example) that to be a Pastor meant to drive fancy cars and eat at the best restaurants. I didn't fault him because that's what we were taught with all the cars and private dining at Folkene.How wrong was that? So much for being a humble servant. Scott Robinson telling me that sometimes Pastor would tell a visiting minister that he believed that same things the visitor did, even when he didn't, and try to convince him later. When I mentioned this to an older, mature christian lady I knew in Pittsfield she said that you should NEVER lie about your beliefs. She was right. No wonder TBS had such a bad reputation. | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 8 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 71.184.32.136 |
Does anyone remember when we had to take a day to "clean the campus" instead of going to class? I was supposed to clean up the front of Sherhehorne with some others but happened to look in and see Dan Lewis on the phone leaning back in a large chair. I thought "maybe this is how people in cults sell flowers and the leaders just relax" MAYBE I'M IN A CULT AND DON'T KNOW IT! I went back to the dorm and never did it.It was sort of like the opening story in the Martian Chornicles when the atronauts think they're in their hometowns but then question it. Later when Lewis was going to visit us on the Boston "team" we thought he'd stay with us but he used the Travelodge instead. It struck me funny that ministry money would be spent at a fancy businessman's lodge in Brookline when there was room with us. These were warning signs..... | ||
| johncollins New member Username: johncollins Post Number: 14 Registered: 8-2005 Posted From: 69.143.75.131 |
Shane! I've asked several folks about you, and no one knew anything. Oh boy, do I remember the trip over the mountain to Georgeport, with you quoting throne words! | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 10 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 71.184.34.88 |
Hey John, glad to hear from you. I enjoyed that job for the few years I had it. Actually, most of Throne Words was just a bunch of verses strung together, some of which had nothing to do with each other! BUT this brings out another point. As I said before, memorizing things came easy for me, but a lot of people thought I must have spent days on end memorizing it, which made me more devoted or spiritual than others. Nonsense. Remember on blitzes how some would come back with 20 "salvations" and be looked at as spiritually superior? Actually they were just better at getting strangers to pray with them and would make good salespeople. Not to be cynical here, but sometimes these things were simply something we were already pretty good at and had little to do with being more spiritual, no matter how much credit people would give you. By the way, you're right about those hair raising trips to Georgeport. That mountain got scary in bad weather, especially when you came down the steep hill into West Stockbridge! | ||
| louise_connolly New member Username: louise_connolly Post Number: 8 Registered: 9-2005 Posted From: 71.174.130.177 |
Hi Shane, I remember you. A long time ago. I remember Georgeport too which is where I began my illustrious waitress career that lasted into the 80s. Thank God for the present! It truly is a present. | ||
| johncollins New member Username: johncollins Post Number: 16 Registered: 8-2005 Posted From: 69.143.75.131 |
Taxi Driver wrote, most of Throne Words was just a bunch of verses strung together, some of which had nothing to do with each other! Many have complimented Carl as a good/great preacher. By what standard? I've often thought about what Shane said -- that Carl's "greatest" sermon was really little more than a quote of a bunch of Bible verses. Carl did have a good memory, and could indeed quote a slew of verses. But if a preacher quotes 100+ verses in a sermon lasting 40 minutes or so, that's an average of 2.5 verses per minute. How much actual teaching can anyone give that way? bs/gg never seemed to believe in real verse by verse expositional preaching. Preaching topical sermons, stringing together verses that are (at least superficially) related is usually little more than a concordance study. BTW -- my first job in Lenox was a stint at the Georgeport Truck Wash. Washing tractor trailers, by hand, in the winter, with cold water... sheesh! Steve Nordfors was my partner. We used to try and conjure up a worse job. We thought maybe pumping cesspools would be worse. And then a guy who worked the other shift at the truck wash got a job doing just that! Having grown up in Southern California, my first memory of seeing snow actually falling was at Georgeport. I remember one time someone drove a passenger car up to the truck was exit, threw open the door, drove into the bay, and demanded we wash his car, right now. I told him we were working on a customer's truck, but he could drive around to the entrance, get in line, and we'd get to him as soon as we could. Steve informed me that this was in fact the George of Georgeport! It's funny -- I remember that much of it, but not if we stopped washing the truck to wash his car or not... | ||
| isabella New member Username: isabella Post Number: 18 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 24.128.143.230 |
Shane, I remember you too...I can see your face. You must have stopped into the cult/church, that I was in, because I never went to the stevens school of the bible I remember hearing about the 'truck-stop' though, and, I can't recall the stories, but your comments bring back the memories....eck Anyway, I'm glad you're well and if you do come to the No. Shore, I will see you then. Thanks, your references to Scott Robinson and others is appreciated....this confirms my own experience with this cult/church Isabella | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 11 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 72.74.208.81 |
Does anyone here remember going to the Centerville community center of Beverly in the mid 70's with Scott Robinson/Jim Morrison? Why did Robinson leave TBS? Was he booted out? He held on for a long time. | ||
| johncollins New member Username: johncollins Post Number: 17 Registered: 8-2005 Posted From: 69.143.75.131 |
Why did so-and-so leave TBS? ...He held on for a long time. Hi Shane, I think that a significant percentage of those "at the top" who left with the class of 2005 may have had two significant motivators: 1) They gave up all hope that Carl Stevens would ever again reign and rule; 2) They didn't like Tom Schaller. | ||
| whatsup Junior Member Username: whatsup Post Number: 26 Registered: 2-2005 Posted From: 24.61.30.105 |
OR...is it possible some actually saw the light and had had enough of all the lies and deception | ||
| lmao New member Username: lmao Post Number: 16 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.251.144.6 |
3) With bondage comes security. Under the new leadership, security was lost. There was less to loose by leaving. (Message edited by lmao on July 04, 2007) | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 12 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 72.74.208.81 |
Scott Robinson graduated with Tom Schaller in the famous Northeast School Of The Bible class of 1975. I wonder if he knew what whould happen 30 years later would he still have left Bowdain College to join TBS? How do you explain to a potential new employer what you were doing for the last 30 years? It isn't like graduating from Gordon-Conwell with a legitimate divinity degree. I would feel like I wasted 30 working years and now have to start over in another field in my 50's. Not a good position to be in. Sort of like the people who gave houses to TBS for a place to live only to lose everything later on because they were lied to. Maybe its a case of "what goes around comes around" since some of these "Pastors" helped TBS take those properties from widows in the first place. | ||
| whatsup Junior Member Username: whatsup Post Number: 28 Registered: 2-2005 Posted From: 24.61.30.105 |
they could always say they had been in jail for the last 30 years | ||
| bjerwin New member Username: bjerwin Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 65.32.219.65 |
Great to hear from you Shane. Mike Erwin (my husband) was a taxi driver too. Nice to hear from Bette too. Bette didn't you do the bus ministry in NH with Jim Morrison and I? Every time I drive by the neighborhood we picked kids up in, I wonder if some lives were changed, where are the kids now. Lots of wonderful friends that we still have from TBS. Hard to understand how someone like Jim Morrison could still be there. I don't think Scott regrets leaving Bowdoin College. Regardless of how things turned out, he still loves God, and is doing well, living in Florida, he, Diane and the girls and their lovely families. Glad they finally got out. He'd have to tell you why. Most likely he couldn't work with the 3 stooges. Thanks for this thread shane. | ||
| david_munson Intermediate Member Username: david_munson Post Number: 136 Registered: 9-2005 Posted From: 63.22.225.229 |
Hi BJ, I have an answer to why Jim is still there. If you remember him as I do then you know how strong a loyalist he is. I think that that is what keeps him stuck in cognitive dissonance. His heart is the right place but he's been conditioned to reject anything remotely truthful if it touches the "golden idol" (Carl's legacy). You know,like the rest of us have had done to us in times past. Jim would be a force if he could only see his way to addressing the error and all ,instead of following the error of the legacy and refusing to face the truth. A little backbone for the flock before "the ministry" would help too. He doesn't stand strong with people who need it, regardless of the circumstances, if it might mean that the ministry might be seen in a less than desirable light. As with other GGWO leaders he places "the ministry" above the need of the flock. (which if you think about it makes no sense at all.) I pray the Lord opens his eyes. } | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 14 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 72.74.220.152 |
Scott Robinson and Jim Morrison were my first Pastors in 1976 and were very loyal to the idea of TBS so it doesn't surpise me that they've lasted as long as they have. One thing to keep in mind about TBS is that some of us were 19-21 at the time and maybe wouldn't have been doing much anyway. We left, had families, started careers, bought houses and most landed on our feet. BUT I might feel different if I were older then and had given up a college scholarship, property, or 20 years of my life to TBS. As the 2006 Berkshire Eagle article pointed out, the ones who seemed the most bitter were the ones who gave up a lot to the place and later had nothing to show for it. I'm just glad that no one left me a lot of money at the time because (like many of you) a good portion of it may have been given to TBS. | ||
| taxidriver New member Username: taxidriver Post Number: 15 Registered: 6-2007 Posted From: 72.74.220.152 |
B.J. its good to hear from you and see that you and Mike are OK. I got a big kick out of him when we drove the taxi. We're both from working class families in Salem and liked to speak our minds. One of the highlights of my time in Lenox was when a certain short and obnoxious woman was really getting on Mike about something(as only she could) and he turned around and said "did anyone ever tell you that you look like a mushroom?" I laughed for a week. Not trying to be mean here, but she could really get on you if you caught her in the wrong mood. I don't want to name her but if you were in Lenox you'll know who it was! | ||
| whatsup Junior Member Username: whatsup Post Number: 32 Registered: 2-2005 Posted From: 24.61.30.105 |
MIRIAM O'LEARY  She did kind of look like a mushroom (the poisonous kind) | ||
| cordell Member Username: cordell Post Number: 100 Registered: 6-2005 Posted From: 70.124.124.36 |
not the psychedelic kind? I had that woman jump my case for all sorts of things over a period of four or five years. I used to just hug her and tell her she needed a smoke. | ||
| isabella New member Username: isabella Post Number: 19 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 24.128.143.230 |
Way to go, What's Up....keep posting..... So beautiful...So loving...So very christian So typical of The Bible Speaks/The Greater Grace World Outreach/Grace Ministries/IAGM.... OMG! Brings back so many memories for us... Miriam: What was she doing there? Oh yeah, now I remember.... That's where her S.S.I. check was sent.... Perfect pickings for wig-boy and his LTM.... You're so faithful....God will bless you....don't ya think? |
