And then there was the lawsuit from 1999/2000. Craig had confessed to the household of believers that he had an extramarital affair. Whoever this had happened with had sued him, so Rev. Martindale (Craig) had stepped down as president and Rosalie Rivenbark had stepped up to fill his position. When I had heard Craig's confessional tape in 2000 to The Way Household, I thought similar to when I had heard the stuff about Doctor back in the 80's. Who's to say these women didn't throw themselves at these men? I sometimes wondered about sexual harassment accusations.
I talked with Dr McColloch, my psychologist, about Craig. My opinion was that if it was consensual, what difference did it make. Dr. McColloch was emphatic that it was ethically wrong. Craig was ordained clergy, in a position of trust; he violated that position. Craig was married and the woman was married. Dr. McColloch said it would be no different than he and I having an affair. It's wrong; no question in his mind. I trusted and respected Dr. McColloch and considered his viewpoint noteworthy, but I still wondered...what really happened behind the scenes with Craig's affair.
Within a year of Craig's dismissal from his presidency of The Way, he had disappeared. We in the household didn't discuss those times, where Craig was, what had happened. After all the scripture says to declare null and void the past, reach forth to those things that are before, to think that which is only true, lovely, and of good report.
The essence of those memories all crossed my mind within the few moments of my dialog about The Way with this hungering and thirsting man at that sacred table in Borders.
He answered, "No, I haven't heard of it. Seems there was a Bible version at one time called "The Way." Is it related to that?"
I shook my head. "Nah, we aren't associated with a certain Bible version or translation."
I wrote my name and phone number down for him and gave it to him on a small business-size Way witnessing card. I had bought the cards at some time either from the Way Bookstore, or maybe I'd bought them from Jim, a believer in Charlotte who had some printed to bless believers.
"Thanks so much," he said. We exchanged smiles as he got up to leave. "I'll look up The Way on the internet when I get home." He seemed enthused and excited.
I paused a moment when he said that. "Well," I replied, "The Way is controversial and there is information on the web that criticizes us. I'd appreciate if you find anything controversial that you'd give me a call, then I can answer any questions. It'd be sort of like straight from the horse's mouth that way."
"Sure!" He said. We smiled, both excited. I wondered what he would find on the web.
He never did call.
~*~
Missing Pieces I
Missing Pieces II: Grotto Journaling
Missing Pieces III: We All Stand Together (Part 1)
Missing Pieces III: We All Stand Together (Part 2)
~*~
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