Yeah, I'm the one on the bottom right with the smart black dress and pointy hair.
BlackSwan of Memphis
JoinedPosts by BlackSwan of Memphis
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BlackSwan of Memphis
brotherA: Lol, you should splurge and get yourself some Guinness or some other nice Irish dark.
I've always got a case of Guinness and Smithwick's in the fridge.
BA- Getting thirsty!!
generally I keep Killians on hand, or some basic Molson Ice.
Guiness is what we break out for speecial okasions
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BlackSwan of Memphis
Cool, any excuse to drink right?! Love your new avatar btw.
Thanks, it's a family portrait taken before I left the org
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BlackSwan of Memphis
Palm Springs?
We HAD a gorgeous 70 degrees here the other day.
This morning I woke up to snow.
enjoy the bbq
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BlackSwan of Memphis
Hey f2think, ya Don't have to be Irish to enjoy it!
djk: Hey wait, yer early! St Patty's is on Saturday! haha!
Erin Go Bragh (also commonly spelled Erin Go Braugh) is the Anglicization of a Gaelic phrase used to express allegiance to Ireland. It is most often translated as "Ireland Forever", and pronounced /'?r?n g? br??/ .
love2be: yeah, sounds much like what we're doing. Got me a nice sized corned beef. Mulling over whether I want to cook up carrots and tatos with that, or to make colcannon. Sounds good either way. I'm a dark haired Irish girl myself. Always wanted the red hair. Congratulations!
brotherA: Lol, you should splurge and get yourself some Guinness or some other nice Irish dark.
We're doing the corned beef. Trying to find a nice traditional dessert that is Not scones! We're picking up a 6 pack of Guinness and watching (finally) our dvd Waking Ned Divine. Husband works Saturdays so we'll have to wait til later to do anything real fun!
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BlackSwan of Memphis
So what are ye doin’ for St Patricks?
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For women: your view of strip clubs
by Paralipomenon ini have heard two vastly differing viewpoints on this subject over the years.
regarding your significant other, would you care if they went to a strip club or not?
some examples: .
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BlackSwan of Memphis
no it wouldn't bother me I'll go with him
after all we're going home together
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If most here R anti jw why bother writing mean hurtful and prejudges posts?
by ayhra inif most people are anti or ex jw why bother if you dont believe in it why waste your time writing mean hurtful and prejudges posts and set up a entire web site and forum dedicated to them.
its a religion not a cult and people write about jw's as a whole everyone is an individual and just like the rest of the world there are nice caring people as well as bad awful people.
jehovah witnesses dont set up web sites saying and exploting awful things that non jw's do to them, such as teasing bashing raping even murder..
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BlackSwan of Memphis
If most people are anti or ex jw why bother if you dont believe in it why waste your time writing mean hurtful and prejudges posts and set up a entire web site and forum dedicated to them.
Ya know this is really an intersting thought. The reason why many come here to bitch and complain and just vent...
Being a jw is not just a religion, it is truly a cultural experience. It is a way of life, that unless you have lived and experienced it yourself, you are just not going to understand it's impact on your interaction with the rest of society and the way you think of the future.
Try to imagine yourself going through school and your childhood Not doing Anything that other "normal" kids do. Normal itself is subjective, but I think you understand what I am saying. You are Not allowed to make friends with kids in the "world" because they are bad and kids in the congregation are "good". You are Not allowed to participate in Any after school functions, because these are events where "bad" things can happen. As you get nearer to graduating from highschool, while all of your schoolmates are preparing for college entrance exams, you are planning on spending the rest of your life pioneering and preparing for Armageddon, which is imminent. So, at a young age you do not think of retirement, you may not even think of having a family. Years go by and you are still pioneering, struggling to make ends meet and you cannot get a decent enough job to really make things work. BUT you believe that as long as you are doing this for God, Jehovah God, you will be rewarded in the end for all your hard work.
UNTIL one day when wouldn't ya know, you are researching the jw's through their OWN publications and words and realize that they have been hiding an awful lot. You go to the elders to ask questions and they try you for apostasy and well, you are now either marked or disfellowshipped.
At this point, EVERYTHING you have lived your life for means NOTHING. You are ALONE in this WORLD you are completely unprepared for. You go back to school, you have to try to make New friends and New family.
IF you were married, it is likely that the tension between you and your spouse could eventually lead you to a divorce. This person that you love so much! Then there are any children you have had. If they are old enough to really understand what has happened, possibly adults, your CHILDREN that you have nurtured all those years, will have nothing or as little to do with you as possible. Further, what you want for your family is for them to see the lies and the deceptions that you have seen, but the Organization has told them that you will poison their thinking and so they should not talk to you.
Until you have been through this (or worse as in many of the cases here) I really don't know (because I am not on the other side of this) if you can really understand.
BUT I am going to trust that you are an empathatic human being who knows that this is inhumane and cruel punishment.
When people come here to vent and talk and whatnot, they are hurt, they are angry. The Organization puts people in emotionally vulnerable positions so that they will either not leave to begin with or once they are expelled from the congregation, they will be so desperate for the love from their family and friends, so desperate for the life they had, they will return. Many, I believe, do Not return to this religion out of true love for God, they return out of sad desperation for the warmth of their loved ones.Welcome to the board, I REALLY hope you stick around and just read the experiences of people. If you want to know more about a poster you do not understand, you might click on thier profile and look at their topic and post history to get a better understanding for why you are perceiving so much hostility. Just a suggestion.
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my first pledge of allegiance
by BlackSwan of Memphis intoday was parent day at jun's preschool.. and they do the pledge of allegiance.. it was funny because i was stumbling through it trying to remember it.. in all honesty, it wasn't a moment where i thought oh yay!
it was more like, eh, whatever, it's a flag.. .
it was interesting.. .
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BlackSwan of Memphis
Wow look at all these replies.
Hm this is something I've thought a lot about today. And the more that I have thought about it, the more upset I am.
Star: I don't think I'll be salutin or pledgin my allegiance for awhile, so I'll wait with ya
Anewme:
People also know you can control young adults and older adults through peer pressure (such as in a crowded stadium or school auditorium.
This is the problem. The peer pressure used to get people to do what you want is just wrong. And imho, this particular teacher, does Not understand or care that a 5 year old would Only pledge because of the pressure to be like his or her peers.
I think to question the pledge and its origins is very healthy. If you read the history of this country, it was very important that this country and its laws be separate from religion and worship. The early colonies were imprisoned under religious governors who served a mix of religion and law.
Further, a little known fact: The part about One Nation...yeah, well, the Under God part was added in the 50's. It was Not a part of the original pledge. The original pledge read like this:
I pledgeallegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all
Interesting huh? Here's a wiki link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance
The laws must be good for all the people and bring people happiness and security. There must not be those good citizens who are left bereft and deprived of justice or sustenance. Justice and freedom and security for everyone! There must continue to be a separation of church and state and a constant vigilance to keep it so.
I wholeheartedly agree with this!
Yes, maybe there are times to fight to protect your beautiful country, your homeland!
I must agree to this. Of course it is right to fight and protect one's country, in the same sense that I would protect my family. The question will be before every war or battle, is this battle to protect us, to defend us or is this battle on the offensive?
Wow, BSoM! This past weekend was my first pledge of allegiance, too!
I got it all except "indivisible" ... I probably forgot that one since it is pretty divided.
Hey the timing!
It is pretty divided? I take it you are referring to the One Nation under G-D
I still can't say the pledge....not for any religious reason, though...just because I don't support the policies of the current administration.
<<nods head>> I understand.
I was at a PTA meeting last month, and my son's class sang the Star Spangled Banner. I could not imagine making him sit out from the rest of the class. I had to, but it's funny I still know all of the words. =-)
And herein lies the problem! I can see an adult choosing to or not to recite the pledge. But by integrating it into a classroom, one puts a child in the position to be "different". I would think, I would hope, that a teacher who educates small children could understand the impact this would have on a kid. It tells me more about the teacher then anything else.
it's too bad they make children recite that tripe.
hmph, I know. After I signed off last night, I trudged upstairs thinking of.... You. Something you said not long ago about renouncing your Canadian citizenship. Hm, I heartily announced to my husband I renounce my American citizenship. I am a citizen of planet earth and you may call me Blackswan of Red Bird. (Red Bird is a play on words started by the four year old that is being educated by the teacher in question. Red Bird is a mispronounciation of our hometown, but interestingly I think better describes where we live) anyhooooo
While the US pledge reads "to the flag of the United States of America," the more important part, im my mind is the following, "and to the republic for which it stands, one nation..."
The NATION is the people, and I feel, the ideals by which they live. The government is simply the horrible abomination of employees hired by the nation to handle the affairs of the people. Sadly, in this nation, the government has become bloated, self-serving and self-assuming. As originally designed, the government was designed to be as small as necessary to manage the peoples needs of security and basic welfare.
I proudly pledge my allegiance to the NATION, and I tolerate the government that we have collectively hired, despite their frequent poor performance. This nation is worthy of my allegiance as it is one of the few places that I am free to think and do as I wish. (Within reason, I know...)
Well that middle part explains pretty well, but not completely why I just can't do it. But hey, each their own and that is the great thing about where we live. Each can choose for themself. And further that is the great thing about not being a jw any longer.
I still don't say it. I do stand, and put my hand on my heart, but I let everyone else say it. Just feels funny after a lifetime of not saying it.
Maybe someday. I do love my country.
See, I just can't get a handle on the notion of loving my country. I know, I know, it's unpatriotic and in many ways I will admit it is coming from the viewpoint of a person who has not had to fight for the freedoms she enjoys. I love my kids, I love my husband. I love the earth and try to show it. Do I love this country? Hm, I gotta think about this.
No other country pleges allegiance to any flags. As for greens comment, it (the flag) "stands for freedom justice"and whatever else. It's really hard to detect sarcasim on a forum..are you being sarcastic with the freedom justice bit? I hope so...
Interesting you say that. The teacher says that the red stands for bravery. Hm, lately I tend to think that the red stands for blood. <<shrugs>> Just my opinion and I know many would disagree.
I haven't been a JW for over 20 years, but have never recited the pledge of allegiance - it just doesn't come up anywhere I go I guess. However, I do sing the "Star Spangled Banner" - not for any patriotic reason - I just like to sing it.
Lol, I can relate to this. With hockey season in session, we have a great local singer, Karen Newman who does the anthem. I tend to sing along to see if I can hit that Really High note. I can't.
I think that reciting a pledge isn't likely to prove anyone's loyalty
Nor does it prove patriotism. I would think that if one wants to really prove, so to speak, their patriotism, there are much better ways then reciting a pledge. imho
It's a matter of indoctrinating young people, gotta make them repeat things a few thousand times until they think they believe it.
This is a concern to me as a parent. A 5 year old doesn't even understand the word allegiance, let alone can they barely say it. Why do this to them? The only reason I can think is indoctrination. Today, I have been thinking of this quite a bit. I am bothered. I am bothered that when the teacher had the choice and she knows that there are jw kids out there, she has dealt with them before, she consciously Chooses to do this. I just don't understand. These kids are on the brink of dealing with some serious peer issues. Sure, lets add one more thing. And for what? To teach them patriotism? It isn't her place, it's the parents.
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26
my first pledge of allegiance
by BlackSwan of Memphis intoday was parent day at jun's preschool.. and they do the pledge of allegiance.. it was funny because i was stumbling through it trying to remember it.. in all honesty, it wasn't a moment where i thought oh yay!
it was more like, eh, whatever, it's a flag.. .
it was interesting.. .
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BlackSwan of Memphis
Oh wow thanks for the link and article Jeff. Did you visit their site? Very cool page.
Good thoughts on why one would pledge allegiance.
allegiance is defined as: "Obligation of fidelity and obedience to government in consideration for protection that government gives."
That was interesting. The only issue I would take up, is that who does the Govt protect? Do they always protect the people?
My guess is that many could say no. Just a thought.
Very nice link, thank you!
