Posts by Fleur

44

President Bush donates $10,000

by yesidid in

jw
friends

.

it has just been announced on cnn that president bush has contributed $10,000 of his own money to the tsunami victims.. poor guy he obviously doesn't have much money.. .

.

Fleur

Sorry if the pro-bush are offended. I just think that the amount was too low considering his wealth. He is very wealthy, aside from his big presidential salary.

I think that as the sitting president if he had wanted it to be kept secret, it would have been. He likely had his secretary 'leak' it as they do often when they want news to spread but don't want it to look like he's making an announcement. All politicians do it.

Good for him that he donated something. But him donating that much when homeless people have been showing up and donating 20.00...doesn't impress me.

I don't know why people feel the need to defend him. If he did a good thing, that should be its own reward, why does anyone else's opinion of him matter.

I also still believe the US contribution overall is too low. Not private donations, what our government has offered compared to other, smaller nations. But I'm sure that'll get defended too LOL.

Peace ya'll.

6

Courage to Change

by scootergirl in

jw
friends

i wanted to pass on a link of a db that i want to get up and runnning called courage to change.

it is a site for friends and family of alcoholics and focuses on our recovery using the 12 step alanon program.

for any that are interested, please feel free to join me.

Fleur

thank you scootergirl, I will keep the link in mind and if anyone needs directing to an AA/Alanon discussion forum I'll send them your way!

hugs

essie

44

President Bush donates $10,000

by yesidid in

jw
friends

.

it has just been announced on cnn that president bush has contributed $10,000 of his own money to the tsunami victims.. poor guy he obviously doesn't have much money.. .

.

Fleur

OMG I was JUST coming here to post about this.

)(!*&%~&^$~!!!)(&!*&%!.

that's all i have to say about that.

128

My daughter has a brain tumor :(

by outnfree in

i am so terrified!.

#2 daughter came home from college on 12/18 with a violent headache, nausea, neck pain and great fatigue.

we took her to the dr. on the 20 and again on the 21st as she had kept nothing down for 3 days.

Fleur

I'm so sorry about this news, Brenda! Sending you best wishes and hugs...

I have a friend who went through this last year and she is doing good now...you have to take it one step, one day, sometimes one hour at a time.

We're here to listen if you or she need to talk about it!

hugs,

essie

69

I'm not a Buddhist, but...............PART 2

by Dansk in

jw
friends

as i can't post to the original thread started by nicolaou, i'm doing so here:.

hi fleur,but the part that really, well, frankly creeped me out for lack of a better term, is that he left his wife and child, then starved himself nearly to death before he realized that this wasn't the way to go, and he lived as a homeless person, begging food as he went on his path to enlightenment.

that's a rather simplified version of events.

Fleur

Please understand. I?ve nothing to hide. On the contrary, I love to share anything I have. I was talking about not discussing what I might see in my meditation because it might erroneously affect someone else (they might go looking for the same thing ? a thing which, at the end of the day, might mean absolutely nothing).

Oh, dear Ian I didn't think you had anything to hide sweetheart! Again, I blew it at articulating myself correctly. I just meant that I didn't want to presume to intrude on anything that was too personal to you...I don't want to pry. You have been so open and so sharing, and I appreciate that more than words can say!

(((((((((((Ian)))))))))))) sending you more positive energy and thoughts...did so last night and will continue to do so....

love

essie

69

I'm not a Buddhist, but...............PART 2

by Dansk in

jw
friends

as i can't post to the original thread started by nicolaou, i'm doing so here:.

hi fleur,but the part that really, well, frankly creeped me out for lack of a better term, is that he left his wife and child, then starved himself nearly to death before he realized that this wasn't the way to go, and he lived as a homeless person, begging food as he went on his path to enlightenment.

that's a rather simplified version of events.

Fleur

Ian, I forgot to say before in my other post...when you said that you are careful of what you share; I wanted to say that I certainly don't expect you to share anything that makes you uncomfortable in any way... If anything feels like too much information, I understand, I do not want to tread too heavily upon your kindness or ask too much that is personal...and I am so appreciative of the openness you have shown us in this thread (and many others too!) and I just wanted to say that. Thank you, thank you.

love,

essie

69

I'm not a Buddhist, but...............PART 2

by Dansk in

jw
friends

as i can't post to the original thread started by nicolaou, i'm doing so here:.

hi fleur,but the part that really, well, frankly creeped me out for lack of a better term, is that he left his wife and child, then starved himself nearly to death before he realized that this wasn't the way to go, and he lived as a homeless person, begging food as he went on his path to enlightenment.

that's a rather simplified version of events.

Fleur

Hi guys...I'm back! LOL :)

Well, what a week it's been. This is the culmination really of something that has been coming for years. I remember wondering about so much of these things as a teen; and burying them deep under years of JW rhetoric...and then totally losing myself somewhere along the way. Even when I thought that I had realized my individuality and 'uniqueness' in the freedom that comes from casting off the JW restraints...I honestly still had no idea at the core what I knew; as far as god, mankind, myself. anything.

I have gravitated toward buddhism and eastern philosophy for years; but something always in the end made me shy away; and that was the concept of needing a Buddha, or a Master, so to speak, to lead me. As I said to Ian at the outset of this discussion, I have ultra sensitive cult-radar; anything that seems to lean on either the idea of an all powerful being ruling over all and us being horribly inferior to that; and the idea of elevating any human to a divine status, frankly, scared me.

Now, I know that there is wisdom in learning from people who know more than you do LOL that's why the world needs teachers. Whether you want to learn to drive or knit or anything else, you usually need someone to show you the finer points.

The event, 'awakening' if you want to call it that, is the most amazing thing too because suddenly, everything is still, and peaceful at the center of myself. there's just this sense of knowing what I know. I expect that this is how people who believe in God feel; or would describe as 'being saved' or 'feeling grace'. I don't believer that there is only one path and I know that this understanding that I have now of my own self and reality will make me a LOT more tolerant of others beliefs; whereas before hearing anyone talk about how they believed in God grated on me so badly, like nails on a chalkboard, and that came out of my own 'not knowing' what life is; what we all are, what I am.

This is likely gonna sound nuts to the majority of people here; that's okay. I can't believe the freedom that I feel in knowing that it's not about a particular religion or god; I don't have to believe in an all powerful being to find peace and answers; i have them all inside myself, and they were there all along, I just needed to remember. everyone has it inside them. but it's not about me, or you. it's bigger than that.

with that, I won't try anymore to describe it...cause if you know what I'm talking about no explanation is needed but if you can't begin to make sense of it, no explanation will do...

i have much reading to do; and maybe the day will come where i will feel comfortable with finding a master to study under. but what i think that you all don't understand is that all of you who have helped me think things through for myself here and given me some great road signs to follow to cheer me on that i was going in the right direction are teachers to me; you all are. and i am grateful.

have to run for now but will be back with more later...

love

essie

69

I'm not a Buddhist, but...............PART 2

by Dansk in

jw
friends

as i can't post to the original thread started by nicolaou, i'm doing so here:.

hi fleur,but the part that really, well, frankly creeped me out for lack of a better term, is that he left his wife and child, then starved himself nearly to death before he realized that this wasn't the way to go, and he lived as a homeless person, begging food as he went on his path to enlightenment.

that's a rather simplified version of events.

Fleur

Thank you again unfettered for your continuing contributions to this thread...so much to ponder, not a lot to add at the moment, but I wanted you to know that I appreciate and am pondering your words.

thanks again!

essie

28

Let's start a new religion and call it Gary

by Eyebrow2 in

jw
friends

why gary?

i don't know...that name just seems right.. i am not sure exactly what the rules will be...not too many.

i do know that i want a position that has some power.

Fleur

Mr. Krabbs is new convert to the Gary Religion, and has given as a sacrifice the recipe, including the secret ingredient.)

exxxxcelent (mr burns. soundbyte here)

But will Spongebob man the grill at the congregation picnics?

I think Squidward was our School Overseer between 1975 and 1980...same tone of voice, same outlook on life...

4

My company is doing a fund raise drive for...

by observador in

... the tsunami disaster relief.

i'm glad i found that out today before sending my own donation, as they will match, dollar for dollar, the employees' donation.

there are 3 options of organizations to donate to: mercy corps, americares and oxfam.

Fleur

I don't know about the other two but Americares was able to donate 2800.00 worth of medical supplies for every 100.00 dollar donation they received in 2003, according to their finantial statement. They're a high rated charity with low overhead; so more of the money (almost all) goes straight to relief efforts instead of overhead.

www.americares.org is their website.

Happy choosing! There's no doubt that the cause is very worthy, glad your company is doing something to help!

essie