I've kept in contact with Petermann throug my dealings with the LIFE program, and I paid attention n group to what he had to say. Outside of the blashphemy, I'd say He was a really up front sober-minded man when I knew him. He spoke his mind, whatever he knew about the drug-culture. I still remember his stories. He talked of methadone clinics. All the junkies I saw get straight at the Seed weren't on methadone to my knowledge. I believe they puked their guts out and got support. I wasn't with the apartment crew I was just a kid. 14 years old. He blew my shit away at an open meeting because I was going to blow al the rules and tell the parent's what really went on. He said"That's because you're a little kid and you don't want to grow-up."Then he told me to sit down. Next day it was encounter with Nick at group where had to face my problems head on with the group. He was a sober-minded strong man too. I dont know anything about some kind of cult that the Seed was but I do know.......I learned how to get a high school diploma. I learned lessons calso from Dennis Novac. He is and was my Mentor all trhough my training at the Seed. My parent's worked for the St. Petersburg Times at the time I was in there. Art spoke to my parents before they accepted my intake. My mom said it was for publicity now. But my mom still thinks she's in the Straight Inc. Program because of my drunken dope addicted brother. She's Episcapal. Got a bunch of Idols. Really bad religion and she works at a treatment center called "Fairwinds"as a housekeeper. I hear all kinds of stories but I keep them to myself. I'm not involved with any denominaltional church or step program. I've got the Holy Bible and online communities to get my spiritual necessaties as of scripture and such. All because of Dennis Novac and his refering to certain bible passages that were in fact very real, but I never really knew any of the other members there. I was more neglected by te Seed community of peers as far as right and wrong. I depended on Staff members to help me and tell their stories and I just paid attention to them. The others I never really knew.I guess even Dennis spoke to me once about hoe he felt neglected also. It was a common thing there I guess. I kept busy wit my schoo work in the Seed since I had by-passed Jr. High school out in the woods, skipping out on school dropping acid. I had a lot of hard work to do. I didn't have time to get into my head. Running shit on my head was just about how long? How long do I have to stay in with these bunch of mad dogs called peers? I had enough problems in school with the other children just keeping away from all the non-sense. And when He said You're off your program" I knew I had been acknowledged for my work. I also had to work in a bakery besides school, and had extra-curricular activities such as school band that kept me off the street. But it wasn't the end of problems. The come each and everyday. I think one dayt at atime is the best way to handle it. That is a scritural referance I believe. If you read the gospols it's all there. I don't know what programs John Underwood was in but I do remember him saying...." If I ever get back to the point where I feel nothing, I'll go back to drugs." He was very honest and up front in his dealings with me, to the best of his ability. This I owe him not sparing the rod on my lifestyle at the time. Please forgive my spelling you have no spell-checker, and like i said I bypassed Jr.High school. Never read one book until I got out of the military. It was the bible Dennis Novac spoke of.
To make certain that crime does not pay, the government should take it
over and try to run it
--G. Norman Collie
You don't have an arguement with me on that one. The government and our constitution is all we have, and self-governing should be taught in schools, instead of religion preferances. We have freedom from religion also, since I don't go from crackpot to the outward show of religion in their "churches". I thought this country was founded on having no religion. Sparation of church and state. Whoever thinks the Pope is the "Holy Father" or a bishop can heal you is a card still. It's totally absurd. We answer to our creator.
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"This is a Republic"-VA Man.