Posts by BlackSwan of Memphis

78

any pagans on board?

by BlackSwan of Memphis in

jw
friends

call in thread for pagans etc.. .

BlackSwan of Memphis

I'm learning about it.
It's rather interesting.
Quite a few pagans from JWD come to mind.

It is quite interesting as it encompasses so many different sets of beliefs. Ask a 100 pagans what they believe and ya just might get a 100 different answers.

I still identify as "apathetic", but definitely have pagan leanings and interests.
<-- like it wasn't obvious eh?

I'll research my status and let you know. Can I be agnostic and pagan at the same time?
What kind of benefits do you offer?
You have any peace of mind?

I personally have no problem with that. Benefits? Like ......................I know one: the freedom to worship however you want? Peace of mind......it comes and goes I suppose....

Do you mean,
P eople
A gainst
G oodness
A nd
N ormalcy?
Sorry, I couldn't resist stealing a line from the Dragnet movie starring Dan Akroyd.
Paganism and Buddhism are my favorite religions. But I'm not religious.

There are numerous Buddhist temples in the surrounding areas, one is only a few miles away and I really want to visit, but I'm a little nervous about it. All the Buddhists I've met are pretty cool individuals and the basic teachings are, from what I can tell, compassionate? So...someday..

78

any pagans on board?

by BlackSwan of Memphis in

jw
friends

call in thread for pagans etc.. .

BlackSwan of Memphis

Call in thread for pagans etc.

30

A debate on childrens haircuts

by tinker in

without giving my personal opinion i would like to ask the board, 'what is your view of children with mowhawk haircuts'.

our family has an ongoing debate as to what is considered an acceptable hairstyle for boys age 5-8. please be unbiased reguards what you may think is my personal feeling.

your input would be greatly appriciated.

BlackSwan of Memphis

First of all, THANK YOU Burger time for sticking up for me. I did not say I would shun my grandchildren. I would never shun anyone, especially my own grandchildren. What I ment was that as for babysitting at no charge so my DIL can have some free time, I am considering quiting. I have not done this yet, just thinking. They would always be welcome to visit as a family. Our Casa is Their Casa.

Well, first of all this is what you said originally:

I have been trying the 'nice' way for 3mo and it's not working. I'm kind of up against a wall and thinking of pulling out of the whole thing by saying 'if the hair does not go back to normal then they cannot come here'

That is far different from:

What I ment was that as for babysitting at no charge so my DIL can have some free time, I am considering quiting. I have not done this yet, just thinking. They would always be welcome to visit as a family. Our Casa is Their Casa.

Which is why you got the response you got. What I got from your orignal words was that you would not allow them to visit. That this was not a matter of babysitting.

I should have let you all know I was not telling the whole story. It is too personal and I become overly emotional.

Usually there is, but all anyone had to go on was what you told us.

What I am struggling with is, how much does a grandparent or a parent take before they push back?

It is not a matter of how much does a grandparent take before they push back.This is not about any grandparent, this is about what you are willing to take. This is about your own opinions of respectful grooming and whatever else. And you asked for opinions and got them from a variety of people. You agreed with the opinions that suited your own and are shooting down the ones that disagree. So why ask for our opinion?

Judging by what we had to go on, these are the opinions you got for better or worse.

15

Armish vs. JW

by Princess Daisy Boo in

jw
friends

i watched an episode of greys anatomy last night, which featured a 23 year old girl, who had come from an armish family, and was dying of cancer.

she and a friend had left home at 16 and now that she was dying she wanted to go home to her family.

she could still talk to her family because she had not been baptised and therefore not shunned and her friend was shunned because she left after she was baptised.. now, as a non american, i don't know a whole lot about the armish, except what i have seen on movies and tv, but the similarity between the jws and the armish or puritans struck me last night.

BlackSwan of Memphis

Not long ago I was wondering the same thing and spent some time on an exAmish discusison board.

I was asking about shunning. And it was explained that when a person leaves or is excommunicated association and conversation is still permitted, what is not permitted is dining together. Also, because conversations will revolve heavily around trying to get one to return to the congregation, association is limited.

15

Armish vs. JW

by Princess Daisy Boo in

jw
friends

i watched an episode of greys anatomy last night, which featured a 23 year old girl, who had come from an armish family, and was dying of cancer.

she and a friend had left home at 16 and now that she was dying she wanted to go home to her family.

she could still talk to her family because she had not been baptised and therefore not shunned and her friend was shunned because she left after she was baptised.. now, as a non american, i don't know a whole lot about the armish, except what i have seen on movies and tv, but the similarity between the jws and the armish or puritans struck me last night.

BlackSwan of Memphis

http://www.phpbb.ex-amish.com/

30

A debate on childrens haircuts

by tinker in

without giving my personal opinion i would like to ask the board, 'what is your view of children with mowhawk haircuts'.

our family has an ongoing debate as to what is considered an acceptable hairstyle for boys age 5-8. please be unbiased reguards what you may think is my personal feeling.

your input would be greatly appriciated.

BlackSwan of Memphis

I have been trying the 'nice' way for 3mo and it's not working. I'm kind of up against a wall and thinking of pulling out of the whole thing by saying 'if the hair does not go back to normal then they cannot come here'

Are you serious??

It's one thing if they're smarting off to you and treating you like you're crap, or if they're abusing the kid or have an abusive marriage.

But to say because the child is not groomed according to your liking they cannot visit, is incredible.

They are adults, maybe you are the one who needs to get with it and let go of your kids.

edited to add:

Yes you are entitled to your viewpoint. From experience of living with a mother in law for several years I know that it's frustrating for a parent to watch their children go through life experiences and feel like their opinion is not valued or wanted.

You are entitled to your opinion, but be wary that your opinion does not become rule. There is a differance, and while that mohawk might seem like a really friggin big deal right now, once you are not seeing your kids for a length of time, you won't care if their hair is purple, polka dot or checkerboard. You'll just be glad to have the chance to hold them.

30

A debate on childrens haircuts

by tinker in

without giving my personal opinion i would like to ask the board, 'what is your view of children with mowhawk haircuts'.

our family has an ongoing debate as to what is considered an acceptable hairstyle for boys age 5-8. please be unbiased reguards what you may think is my personal feeling.

your input would be greatly appriciated.

BlackSwan of Memphis

depends on the kid and the reason

24

Ex-Father-in-law dies...

by Jim_TX in

when i was married to his daughter, he was always thoughtful and kind.

i'm not one to ever want to borrow money, but there were a couple of times that i just had to.

he willingly loaned me money - which i repaid, with interest.

BlackSwan of Memphis

Yes ma'am, I did. He was out mowing/clearing a lot near where I live. But, he had a crew with him, too. This is what puzzles me - he was evidently alone on this last job - or had dismissed the crew for the day, while he stayed out there working.
We all live with regrets. One of mine is that I didn't stop and chat with him when I saw him there that day.

James I am really sorry to have brought back the memory, that was really not my intent. The timing, for lack of a better term, is just interesting is all.

I'm sorry you lost such a great person from your life.

24

Ex-Father-in-law dies...

by Jim_TX in

when i was married to his daughter, he was always thoughtful and kind.

i'm not one to ever want to borrow money, but there were a couple of times that i just had to.

he willingly loaned me money - which i repaid, with interest.

BlackSwan of Memphis

James, didn't you just see him recently while driving? Seems like I remember you posting something about that.

52

Ever have a "paranormal" event or experienced something unexplicable?

by fedorE in

once when i was returning from work i decided to take a short cut home.

it was the halloween week and ppl had their houses decked out.

i turned into a dark road that has a house just every so often.

BlackSwan of Memphis

Last fall a few weeks before Halloween, I believe, I was at home alone with the girls. Mr Swan was working a double shift. It was around 11 pm and I was watching Little House on the Prarie (I should probably learn how to spell it though). The unlocked side door opened and closed. It was not a windy night, rather still for fall. I thought Mr Swan got off work early. Someone walked down the stairs to the basement. The walking was not like shoes clapping on floors, it was the cadenced movement of steps creaking the floor. I looked around the corner from where I was sitting in my kitchen and waited for him to come back up. The footsteps came back up the stairs and by then I realized it was not him. I was thinking there was an intruder or something and wanted to go into the kitchen to get my phone but the footsteps were heading right back there. I stayed where I was wracking my brain what to do. The footsteps got to the kitchen...I didn't see anyone but could hear the kitchen floor squeaking as if someone was walking around. The footsteps came into the hallway of the living room where I was, then dissappeared.
Finally realizing that no one was there, I got up looked around and tried rationalizing away. Simple really: It was not the house doing old house things, it has never ever done that before or again. Although other things have happened. The house was not creaking due to wind, old age or settling, because I have lived here now for 7 years and know what that sounds like. It was, as I said, a cadenced movement and then it was just gone.
No, I wasn't drinking at all that night. No, I was not half asleep. No, I hadn't been using drugs. No, it wasn't something that I imagined, I was ready to call the police had my phone been by me. No, it wasn't my imagination being stoked by scary movies or the like, as I said I was watching Little House.

my experience copied and pasted from this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/139091/1.ashx My husband heard the footsteps as well on another occasion btw.