It brought tears to my eyes when I heard of women and girl children taking off their burquas and flying kites, etc. Propoganda? Probably--but the pictures of the suffering before the fall of Taliban was TRUE, I assure you.
Path, thanks for reminding us to keep our heads about all this and yes, war sucks. And I am most dismayed that Women's Human rights have not been put on the forefront of the agendas over there. Yes, I wrote my congressmen (it's me you're talking to
Anyway, I urged them to use this opportunity to demand that whatever gov't is left to rule, puts an immediate end to the systematic discrimination of women. I of course, support a broadbase gov't under the watch of the U.N.
Having said all that---when I saw pictures of those women and watched "beneath the veil" on CNN, I felt as though I were a citizen of the 1940's watching film of the jews in the concentration camps. I am so glad that the Taliban fell by whatever means (I truly do not believe they were going to be "massaged" out). Of all the grotesqueness that was WWII, I think that any means justified the ends, there (the liberation of those camps--can you imagine?). This war is nothing yet, compared to what it took in human suffering and death to put an end to Hitler's regime.
Now, we have to watch that the women over there don't go from the frying pan into the fire. Watch, write letters, e-mails, faxes. We have the potential to do such good on this planet. If you think war is evil (I'm close to agreeing with you there), then let's get some workable solutions for ending regimes like to Taliban, and preventing their fostering and growth. I agree that the U.S. helped the Taliban get to where it was, but guess what, now I'm ALL OVER IT. I may just be jane blow citizen #0012345, but I've got a voice, and a government who pays lipservice to listening to me. So, I make myself heard. You'd be surprised at what a little voice can do. Especially if you vote.
Love,
Bridgette
Bridgette
JoinedPosts by Bridgette
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Seeing Afghan women again worth the war
by Eyebrow inthis may seem trivial to some that do not agree with the us going after the taliban by bombing afghanastan, but i had to make a comment.. i watched the news the other day and saw for the first time, women and girls in afghanastan outside, and many showing their facs and smiling.
there are a few that have been able to return to work after 5 long years.
kids are now allowed to fly kites again, and you could hear music playing.. these are things that i, and many others i am sure, have taken for granted since we are so free in this country.
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Bridgette
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BEAT that Child!
by Farkel inthis is sort of a continuation of threads on dubs and how they are conditioned to discipline their children.
someone questioned whether the society actually encouraged dubs to whup their children.
i only had enough time to dig up a few salient quotes from the wt magazine.
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Bridgette
P.S. One of the first things that the school official I showed the article to noted was that the children were being "home schooled", so that teachers, and others would not have been able to pick up on the abuse. I told him a high number of witnesses "home school" their children and that abuse is a common theme in children who've grown up as witnesses is abuse.
They love to keep their kids soooo isolated for a reason. Jeez, the next thing you know, they will be "encouraged" not to seek medical treatment so that healthcare workers can't pick up on the abuse. They already get by with sacrificing their children on the blood issue (although, the state canlegally do pretty much as it sees fit to save a child's life) -
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BEAT that Child!
by Farkel inthis is sort of a continuation of threads on dubs and how they are conditioned to discipline their children.
someone questioned whether the society actually encouraged dubs to whup their children.
i only had enough time to dig up a few salient quotes from the wt magazine.
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Bridgette
Thanks, for the quotes, Fark. They can't say they do not condone or promote corporal punishment, or that this is an isolated case--there's simply too many of us that were beaten and abused as children growing up as Jehovah's Witnesses. There's a case for correlation if not causation, by this fact alone. Also at issue is their policy of not reporting suspected abuse IMMEDIATELY to the authorities. I keep thinking of the people who went to meetings with little Laree (by their own beliefs, they stand condemned before god for her death) Either they were too scared to call police over their suspicions, or more likely, I'm sad to say, THEY APPROVED, AND ARE DOING THE SAME THINGS TO THEIR CHILDREN.
"This reminds me how my parents would constantly remind me that in old time Isreal I would have been stoned to death for <insert bad behaviour here>. "
Hey, me too, Namewitheld! I heard it from the platform, MANY times. I don't want this issue to die until the "society" has taken responsibility for the abuse they've meted out (community responsibility), and even the deaths that resulted from their teachings. Sorry, Brooklyn, but you want that much control in people's lives, ya gotta pay the price, when they do what you tell them! And no backpeddling, there's too many of us out here who know your dirty secrets--APOLOGIES are in order. APOLOGIES. That means saying I'm sorry, we were wrong--IN WRITING. Then doing your best to make repairations. I still smell the stench of Laree's lifeless little body all over you and your organization. You shared in every life crushing blow.
I've now shown this article to every person I could get my hands on, and left the internet page open to the Chicago Sun open on public computers in the hospital.
Maybe health care workers can pick up on some of this crap, and do what the witnesses seem unwilling to do---REPORT ABUSE TO THE AUTHORITIES.Peace,
Bridgette -
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Girl died after parents hit her 160 times
by Hmmm ina friend just called me and told me to check out chicagotribune.com.
below is the article to which he pointed me.
warning: it's very disturbing.. .
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Bridgette
Oddly, I feel somewhat as Mommy does--that in order to evolve, we must not thirst for their blood. And you know, since I've left the organization and it's morbid apocolyptic gore behind me, I simply have no taste for blood. Even for these people. What I do thirst for is justice, if that justice brings balance, and that balance brings ultimate love. It's not that I excuse what they did, I just feel that they are probably living absolute hell. I curse them to FEEL with every fiber of their being what they did. According to the laws of Karma, they will, either in this lifetime or the next. No electric chair is going to give them what they need to learn to love.
I also curse those responsible for the teachings (the WTBTS, as individuals, and a community) to FEEL what they have done to people, and reconcile. Her blood will not wash from their hands, nor will the stench of her death leave thier organization until they've paid with apologies, love and a complete turnabout in their archaic teachings regarding children's, women's and human rights. (i.e. admit they have been wrong, and apologize and evolve).
Until they do this, Laree's death and the part they plaid in it will haunt them forever--they will know no peace in this life or the next.
Peace,
Bridgette -
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Dateline NBC JW Sexual Abuse Story Coming Soon!
by mikepence infor details, see http://xjwnews.com.
peace,.
mike pence.
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Bridgette
Great NEWS!!! Maybe this, coupled with Laree's story will shed some light on some very dark corners of children's lives.
Thanks for the update! Great site.
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Why The WTS *IS* To Blame re. Laree
by ISP inthe wts will condemn the recent murder and do its best to distance itself from the parents.
jws will say its the actions of people who are deranged and nothing to do with jws.
they will say other religious groups harm children.
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Bridgette
Thank you ISP. You have pointed out just a few of the reasons why they cannot just wash the blood of this little child from their hands and walk away without the stench of her death clinging to them forever.
As I posted earlier, this case--Laree's story has left me emotionally overwraught. I want her story told over and over and over again, until every good JW sitting in the meetings witnessing or even suspecting abuse gets a good whiff of the ugliness that their policies bring. I want these decent human beings to stand up and say NO MORE! I want them to show that these children's lives mean more than the "sterling reputation" (not) of the organization and report suspected child abuse.
And maybe any active witnesses will ask why? If the organization is SOOO anti corporal punishment-drip-with-the-milk-of-parental-kindness all of a sudden---why is abuse (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc) an all too common theme of growing up a Jehovah's Witness? We ain't all lying here about our stories (both witnessed and experienced) of abuse.
As I stated in my earlier post, this girl's blood cries out from the ground. They will not walk away from this one. They must not only apologize for their sick, twisted teachings and record on children's and womens' rights, and they must cease promoting covertly corporal punishment.
Bridgette -
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Roger Zelazny on Guilt
by COMF ini'm visiting my son and his wife for a week while on vacation.
for the past few evenings, after we retire to our various sleeping quarters, i've been reading an old copy of analog magazine which i found on his extensive bookshelf (their library fills two walls from floor to ceiling).
analog is, or was, anyway (this issue is dated november 1975) a science fiction/science fact magazine and served mainly to provide genre afficionados the latest offerings from both sci-fi luminaries and young up-and-comers.
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Bridgette
I beleive guilt is a tool. If something you've thought, done or are thinking about doing is "pricking" you, then guilt is the "pricking" mechanism. All guilt does for me is cause something to be brought up before my "mental review board". I weigh the matter. I determine whether something is unethical, or I need to make apologies or ammends for something, or it is just a vestige of the cult think I was brought up with. More often than not lately, it's something I truly need to reevaluate (the cult think hardly plays into my consciousness anymore). I re-evaluate, make ammends if necessary or possible, and release.
What guilt is NOT, is something to be carried around like a heavy piece of baggage. Once you've done what you can do, learned what you need to learn--let it go.
IMO
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Listen! Her blood cries out from the ground!
by Bridgette ini cannot forget this little girl.. ezekiel 34:12 this is what the sovereign lord says: i am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock.
i will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves.
i will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them".
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Bridgette
I wonder if anyone has notified the press who covered this story of the running themes they would find in silentlambs.org of growing up a Jehovah's Witness.
I just want abuse to stop. If those who'd attended meetings with Laree had only stepped up to the plate.
Love,
Bridgette
p.s. just for the record. Neither I nor anyone in my family buys or owns anything Nike (for that very reason), I am a member of Amenesty International that defends human rights everywhere (even those of JW's--I may not agree w/what you say, but I will defend your right to say it and not be tortured). And me and my husband report suspected child, animal and elder abuse. The point is, I do those things on the other side of the org. While in, I was both abused, and witnessed abuse, and felt helpless to do anything about it--I tend to make up for it now. I have to say I'm a much better human being now that I'm not a Jehovah's Witness. -
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Listen! Her blood cries out from the ground!
by Bridgette ini cannot forget this little girl.. ezekiel 34:12 this is what the sovereign lord says: i am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock.
i will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves.
i will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them".
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Bridgette
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them"
What else can I say Whiz? I do always enjoy your comments.
Peace,
Bridgette -
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Listen! Her blood cries out from the ground!
by Bridgette ini cannot forget this little girl.. ezekiel 34:12 this is what the sovereign lord says: i am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock.
i will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves.
i will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them".
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Bridgette
Now, what Hillbilly? Can you elaborate on the actions you are requesting?
I have taken the action of sharing this story with a school official with whom I'd already shared the letters to BOE about not reporting child abuse. I would love to do more. I want abuse to stop. I could care less if consenting adults want to be witnesses--more power to them. But I will not stand by while children are being not only physically but spiritually abused.
Love,
Bridgette