Hi, Peeplezs!
ROTFLOL!!! "Pears to me that in some people's minds, being a "little freckle-faced girl" is a mortal sin. That's fine, I'll continue to use it 'cause I've always liked to follow the good advice in Zedekiah 3:8 - "ALWAYS keep a pompous ass in a state of perpetual outrage! It's the only Christian way to fly!" It's one of the great joys in life. Hehehehe!!!!
Meangirl - (are you bragging or complaining? LOL!) You're funny. You keep saying "what's wrong is wrong and what's right is right!" Since when have you been appointed the arbitrator of all morality? It appears to me that your concept of right and wrong is so warped that you would not be able to recognize either of them even if they bit you in the butt!
But - let me answer some of the questions that have been raised, in spite of the apparent fact that you couldn't recognize truth even when it's in plain sight.
All of the laws that you have quoted apply except when the couple in question are married. Then there is another body of laws that apply. We obeyed all laws that were in existence at the time.
When we married, my little freckle-faced girl (I threw that in especially for you) (Grin) was still a virgin, which I realize that you are so jaded that you couldn't possibly believe such a thing even if the angels came down out of heaven and sang it to you in ten part harmony. There's a good reason for why she was, though. You see, she freely gave me something that would be utterly impossible for a woman like you to give to a man. That is her trust and faith. In my book, that is the most exquisite thing on this planet, more beautiful than her body, and even more beautiful than her love. I knew even at that age that if I could live up to that trust and faith, that it would make a solid foundation for a long and happy marriage, and time has proved me right.
But of course, in your moralistic omniscience, it is utterly impossible for any man to do something that isn't selfish and self-centered, right? Not only that, but the sole thing any male ever has on his mind is sex, and all sex is dirty and degrading, right? Plus, sex should never be engaged in unless a baby is desired, and even then it should only be with the lights out and fully clothed, right? And of course, the most hideous fate possible for a woman is for a man to be proud of her, right?
But, here's a little more truth that you couldn't possibly believe. When I left home at the age of 18, the biggest reason was that I was looking for a life's companion, someone that would be mine and that I would be hers. Sowing wild oats was the furthest thing from my mind. I met her for the first time the very next day after I arrived at my destination. Her oldest sister was getting married, and I was invited to go. I probably wouldn't have gone, but their last name was the same as mine, so I was curious. The bride was my age and beautiful, but I was obviously too late, so I looked to her younger sisters.
The next one was 16 and even more beautiful, but she already had a boyfriend, and I felt that was something to be respected, so I moved on. Then there was a third daughter, a little freckle-faced girl of only 13, so I moved on again and didn't look back because she was just too young.
Months passed, and I was appointed as the assistant magazine-territory servant. As circumstances occurred, this little freckle-faced girl was the one who picked up her family's magazines, so I saw her on a regular basis. There was no thought of romance in my mind at that time, sexual or any other type. Nonetheless, she bothered me. There was an air of sadness about her that just didn't seem right. Therefore, I did the only thing I knew to do. I'd make some comment to try to brighten her day a little, like tease her about her last name, which, as it was the same as mine, was safe to do. She wouldn't say a word, but a beautiful smile would appear and it always reminded me of the sun coming up.
After a while I learned the reason for that sadness. Her father had died of leukemia two years before, and her mother had to go to work to support them. Much of the responsibility for the house and caring for her little brother and sister had fallen on her shoulders.
This continued for some time, but finally came to a head at a circuit assembly in Pasadena, California. I was stationed as an attendant in the back row. I had seen her sitting with her sister, her sister's boyfriend, and her little brother and sister in the front row, and had waved to them when I passed. A few minutes later, her little brother (about 8 years old) came trotting up to me. Grinning, he piped, "Tom, Linda wants to talk to you."
Stunned, for I didn't remember ever hearing her speak, I started walking back up to the front, my mind churning like a boiler factory. I was about half way when it clicked and I turned to him. "Vern, who told you to tell me that Linda wanted to talk to me?"
His grin spread from ear to ear. "Donna and Johnny!"
Aha! Now I understood. They were teasing her. I started to turn back to spare her the mortification, but it was too late. She was coming to meet me. I will never forget what happened next for as long as I live.
She walked up squarely in front of me, looked up into my eyes with a steady gaze, blushed, and said quietly and evenly, "Donna and Johnny were teasing me because I like you."
I was blown away. I had never seen such honesty in all of my life! She was very young, yes, but she was no ordinary little girl! I didn't say a word, but just took her hand, and we sat together for the rest of the assembly.
On the last day, we made arrangements to go on a date the next weekend. About mid week, I got a note from her. "I can't go! I have the measles!" So we waited another week and it seemed like an eternity. Finally the day came and I went to pick her up.
The drive-in movie was about 20 miles away, and for the first third of that distance I tried to strike up some sort of conversation, but got only silence. Then suddenly, right out of the blue without any introduction at all, she said in a breathless tone and with sparkling eyes, "You know, I'm afraid my two older sisters will have the whole world populated before I have a chance!" That did it. I knew who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with!
Two years passed. I had moved back to Oregon and it seemed like we had written a jillion letters to each other. I proposed, she accepted, and it was eventually arranged for her to come up. The first time was for a week, and it seemed like the world was empty after she went back. Finally we decided not to wait any more, so she came up again and we were married. We were both young, scared, but very much in love.
But I too was worried about her age, so we agreed that we wouldn't have any kids for at least five years. We got some contraceptive, learned how to use it and followed the instructions faithfully. Ha! That was a joke! It seemed that all I had to do was look at her cross-eyed and she'd be pregnant. The contraceptive only seemed to encourage the process! Within two years we had two kids. I'll never forget the look of utter joy on her face when the first one was placed in her arms.
About that time we figured out what caused it (actually, we changed contraceptives) and five years passed, then she wanted another one. This happened twice more, so now we had five children. Eight more years passed, and one day she came up to me, looked into my eyes, and asked: "Just one more?" Now we have six.
I don't know of any woman anywhere who is more loved and respected than this one. I think we all know what happens to the families of men who have been disfellowshipped, but ours is the exception. My wife is treated with honor in the congregation, and my son's best friends are elder's sons.
So yes, I abused her something awful, didn't I, seeing as how I forced her to have six kids against her will? What a couple of morons you are, meangirl and Devil_Fish! You look for evil where there isn't any, while running on the assumption that because you are incapable of doing something yourself, no one else can either.
And yes, my words are harsh towards you for a good reason. The worst threat by far to the happiness of young couples (or nearly any other enterprise) is the cynical and deliberate search by people like you to find evil in everything. You pollute everything you touch. It seems that if you are incapable of achieving something yourself, you will do everything in your power to make sure that no one else has it either.
And yes again. My words are deliberate and calculated to encourage those who, in spite of the best efforts of people like you, still have the courage to reach out for some happiness in life, and they are meant to be a slap in the face of those who cynically belittle it and destroy hope.
For instance, you make a big issue about my words,"One of my primary goals when I married this little freckle-faced girl was to do all I knew how to be sure that she could find joy and happiness in her role of wife and mother. I wanted her to be glad she was a woman (especially my woman) and found fulfillment in her role in life."
Why didn't you include the very next sentence? "Needless to say, that is not something that a man can force on a woman, and for it to happen he has to control the environment in such a way that those qualities can grow on their own." I'll tell you why. It's because those words tend to contra-indicate the evil that you are so desperately trying to find. Leave them out and it's far easier to twist the words into something dirty. I find pleasure in your anger at me, due to the damage that you do to the innocent. Perhaps my words will distract you from molesting them with your cynicism. I can take it, and many of them can't.
Tec - Thanks for your thoughts!
However, I'm going to mildly disagree with your words about how today's standards probably aren't any better. (Grin) They are far worse than those that existed when we were kids. I have never in my life seen such a hodge-podge of idiotic lunacy than what the modern philosophies on how to raise children, how to maintain safety, race relations, and marriage are. I have solid grounds for that statement and a huge contempt for their grand pretenses of being able to "counsel" anyyone, at anytime, on anything.
When we were kids, killing your parents, teachers, and fellow students in mass shootings and similar atrocities, were unheard of, not because we couldn't, but because no one had the desire to. Most of the homes where we lived were arsenals. My two little brothers at the ages of 13 and 14 would go down to the hardware store and buy cases of dynamite, and no one thought twice about it, yet people felt safe in spite of these things. Why? Because we understood what integrity, morality, and fair play were.
But I fully understand why kids do it today. If I had to try to survive under the ocean of hogwash that they are subjected to today, I'd probably feel the same way.
(And I kind of hope that someone is sucker enough to challenge that opinion. Before they do though, I would strongly recommend that they go to http://howlinmad.net/, and look under the link "On Racial Prejudice" so that they will get a good idea of what they are getting into. LOL!)
And peace to you too!
Everyone else - Thank you! I'd like to comment on some of those too, but felt I should get this out of the road first. This is long enough already.
