Merry Magdalene

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Posts by Merry Magdalene

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  49

  panda's husband died...

  by Country Girl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  our dear friend, panda's, husband died of a heart attack a night ago.

  she is a sweetheart, and she didn't want to tell us because she was thinking that it would make people feel bad.

  she is feeling very bad, that's forsure.

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  Merry Magdalene

  I'm so sorry for your loss, Panda.

  

  ~Merry
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  13

  Graduating Massage School

  by darkuncle29 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey you peoples, i'm graduating massage school tomorrow, and i take my national certification exam on tuesday the 22nd.. i'm going to get my liscenses and business/legal stuff all set up, and then take a much needed break for my health and sanity.. i'm hoping to start off with outcall massage and some spa/wellness treatments, i've got a menu already prepared.. i haven't been around much, so if you want to reach me, to say "howdy" or "whot?!?

  " here's my myspace:.

  http://www.myspace.com/81587245.

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  Merry Magdalene

  Hey, I remember when you were first thinking of doing this! CONGRATULATIONS

  ~Merry
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  38

  WHY I'M BECOMING A MUSLIM!

  by Dansk in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i came across an interesting site the other day and below is an extract from one of its web pages (does anyone know if the following is actually true as i've never read the quran?).

  no wonder so many muslim men wear baggy trousers, it's to hide the erection they get when they look heavenwards!.

  what i don't understand is what's in it for the women?

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  Merry Magdalene

  Bismillah rahmaani rahiim~

  This is a topic that gets brought up a lot in discussions of Muslim beliefs, I am sure, and perhaps rightly so. As I see it, it has the power to bring out the best and the worst in our hearts as well as our minds (human nature being what it is), and in that way is perhaps a test of rational and compassionate faith for Muslim believers.

  The picture brought to my mind in reading the following verse from the Qur'an is that for those unmarried persons, both men and women, who attain Paradise, and for those whose spouses do not make it, wonderful companions will be provided for them to marry. But those with spouses that do attain Paradise will be united with them there:

  "They will recline (with ease) On Thrones (of dignity) Arranged in ranks; And We shall join them To Companions, with beautiful Big and lustrous eyes. And those who believe And whose families follow Them in Faith -- to them Shall We join their families: Nor shall We deprive them (Of the fruit) of aught Of their works: (Yet) is each individual In pledge for his deeds. (The Noble Quran, 52:20-21)"

  Let us look at Noble Verse 44:54 "Moreover, We shall Join them to Companions With beautiful, big, And lustrous eyes." The same word for "...join them to Companions..." is used in Noble Verse 52:20.

  As for those whom the believers would marry, "...With beautiful, big, And lustrous eyes...", it is written in Arabic as "bi hoori-aayn". This same word was used for Jesus' (peace be upon him) disciples (al-hawariyyun as plural......hur or huri or houri as singular), which both (al-hawariyyun) and (hoori-aayn) are both derived from the Arabic word "hoor" or "howr", or "hur".

  The following comment regarding Noble Verses 52:20 and 44:54 was taken from the foot notes of the Noble Quran that was translated by Minister (Sheikh) Abdullah Yusuf Ali; may Allah Almighty rest his soul and make Paradise his ultimate destiny: "Hur implies the following ideas: (1) purity; possibly the word Hawariyun, as applied to the first Disciples of Jesus, is connected with this root; (2) beauty, especially of eyes, where the intense white of the eyeballs stands out against the intense black of the pupil, thus giving the appearance of lustre, and intense feeling: as opposed to dullness or want of expression; and (3) truth and good will."

  The word "hur" which Jesus' male disciples and the companions of believers in Paradise were given names that were derived from it quite clearly is referring to both males and females. This means that the winners of Paradise will have their suitable gender of "hoori-aayn" depending on their gender.

  So when Allah Almighty promised companions to the believers in Paradise, He quite clearly and obviously promised female companions for the males and male companions for the females.

  As regards your question, we’d like to inform you that in Paradise believing men and women will be showered with blessings; there is no room for discrimination based on sex in Paradise. The life of women in jannah will be as pleasant and happy as the life of men. Allah is not partial to any sex. He created both of them and He will take care of both of them according to their needs and desires. Let us all work to achieve the jannah and then, in sha’ Allah, we will find there what will satisfy all of us fully.
  
  In his response to your question, Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustapha, professor of Fiqh and its Principles, International Islamic University, Malaysia, states the following:
  
  

  Thank you so much for your very interesting comments and understanding of the issue of polygamy and the blessings given to men in Heaven.
  
  I congratulate you for your logical ability and critical way of looking at things. However, I shall also confirm to you the issue of polygamy, be it in this life or the hereafter, it should not be classified as a privilege but rather a solution as you correctly mentioned in your arguments.
  
  In other words, Islam does not open the door of polygamy for all men as it does not open it to women at all. As you may know well that each ruling or law has an exception and the exception is not the principle, therefore, we can not judge a law through its exceptions.
  
  In this regard, I shall remind you that rewarding a mujahid with many wives doesn’t mean betraying the female mujahid.
  
  It simply means there is a such reward for those mujahids who are looking for it. In other words, there is no compulsion upon all mujahids to accept or reject this reward. It is exactly the same thing as the polygamy in this life.
  
  It is meant for those who want it, not for every single mujahid. Yet every Muslim man and woman who is allowed to enter Heaven is given the opportunity to get whatever he or she wants as clearly stated in the Qur’an and many Hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This means that those women who don’t want their husbands to have more could be granted this wish and desire. At the same time if the husbands of those women want to have more than them Allah is great and can satisfy each of them in the way He, the Almighty, wants.
  
  Therefore, a woman should not be frustrated for a privilege of polygamy offered to men. This is not, for sure, at the expense of woman. Heaven is meant for both men and women, both of them are equally entitled to get what they wish for.
  
  Certainly, there would be no clashes in their wishes, if any, the Almighty knows how to please each of them. Having said that, I shall inform you that the existing setup of humans in terms of desire, would be changed on the Day of Judgment.
  
  In other words, both men and women would not be allowed to enter Heaven in their existing physical makeup. They will be in a better and greater form as stated by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Both of them would enjoy living together and having whatever they wish and like.
  
  Finally, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) describes Heaven as a place where there are many things which no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard before and no heart has ever felt. Let us pray the Almighty to grant us this great and wonderful place. Let us work harder and harder to be in this place. It is only through our full submission to the will and the orders of Allah that we will one day be granted this place.

  I do not know about the other things that are mentioned on that and other anti-Islamic sites I have come across. But I think they are good questions to raise and find answers to, if one is sincerely interested in understanding Islam and Muslims.

  Salaam

  ~Merry
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  37

  What are you reading - Summer 2006?

  by eyeslice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  always a popular thread the what are you reading at the moment thread?.

  my favourite reads for the summer of 2006:.

  the history of love by nicole krauss.

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  Merry Magdalene

  Just finished the Qur'an and No god but God The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan and haven't picked up anything else yet. I have a copy of The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade sitting here which I may read in between trips to the book store (70 miles away).

  Reading lots of children's books...over and over...to my daughter.

  ~Merry
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  23

  Been gone for awhile, no internet.

  by avishai in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  but i could use some love and or email at [email protected].

  miss you guys, drop me a line, will have service back soon.

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  Merry Magdalene

  wow...sorry to hear it, but glad that things are getting better now. I have no doubt you're continuing to be a great dadPlease don't be afraid to be a downer when things are rough, we're here for each other through it all

  ~Merry
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  23

  Been gone for awhile, no internet.

  by avishai in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  but i could use some love and or email at [email protected].

  miss you guys, drop me a line, will have service back soon.

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  Merry Magdalene

  {{{{{xoxoxox}}}}} you've been very very missed...can you give us an update?

  ~Merry
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  8

  Holidays, Witness wives, and authorities in the community WT 2001 QFR

  by garybuss in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i must have missed this, in the dec 15 2001 watchtower magazine question from readers page 28-29 the society says ".

  the individual christian has to decide what noncompromising things can be done at the request of one having authority in the family or in the community.".

  "things can be done at the request of one having authority .

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  Merry Magdalene

  "things can be done at the request of one having authority . . . in the community."

  Maybe it means...at work or something?...if your boss tells you to decorate the office or arrange an office party or ?

  "authority...in the community" is an odd way to phrase it, though

  ~Merry
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  39

  my story

  by jaberwalkie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is a difficult thing for me to do, i used to be a jehovahs witness 20 years service as a pioneer.. last thursday it was announced from the platform at my local kingdom hall that i was disfellowshiped.. it was a bit of a shock.

  i still have a deep sence of anger at what happened to me and its so unfair.. it started 3 years ago when i began to feel ill and i missed a couple of meetings.

  the elders were wonderful and came round and cheered me up.

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  Merry Magdalene

  I'm glad to meet you but sorry for the circumstances

  I didn't notice your spelling.

  I've noticed that congregations, especially elders, seem to have a tendency to drive hurt sheep away rather than enfolding them with love, as if the hurt ones have suddenly, secretly turned into wolves or something. I don't get it.

  But you are welcome here to sort through all your feelings and bounce from thought to thought as you continue processing what has happened to you and why and where you go from here.

  ~Merry
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  39

  my story

  by jaberwalkie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is a difficult thing for me to do, i used to be a jehovahs witness 20 years service as a pioneer.. last thursday it was announced from the platform at my local kingdom hall that i was disfellowshiped.. it was a bit of a shock.

  i still have a deep sence of anger at what happened to me and its so unfair.. it started 3 years ago when i began to feel ill and i missed a couple of meetings.

  the elders were wonderful and came round and cheered me up.

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  Merry Magdalene

  I am so sorry those close to you turned away when you needed them most They should come crawling to you in tear-stained repentence for having put you through this on top of what you were already going through. It's not your fault!

  Welcome to JWD {{{{{jaberwalkie}}}}} <---hugs

  ~Merry
• 
  53

  The Funeral

  by purplesofa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as you all know my brother was buried yesterday.

  he was 33......... he did this ..........17 years after his father commited suicide.

  the funeral took place at the funeral home.......a witness elder did the funeral.....my brother is not a witness, but my mother is.

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  Merry Magdalene

  Hug the people you love today.........accept them unconditionally. Draw out what is deep inside........learn how to love deeper.

  Powerful words, Purps...reminds me of a poem:

  I've Learned Some Things by Ataol Behramoghu

  I've learned some things from having lived:
  If you're alive, experience one thing with all your power
  Your beloved should be worn out from being kissed
  And you should drop exhausted from the smelling of a flower

  A person can gaze at the sky for hours
  Can gaze for hours at a bird, a child, the sea
  To live on the earth is to become part of it
  To strike down roots that won't pull free

  If you cling to anything, tightly hold a friend
  Fight for something with every muscle, whole body, all your passion
  And if you lay yourself for a time on the warm beach
  Let yourself rest like a grain of sand, a leaf, a stone

  To your utmost, listen to every beautiful song
  As though filling all sides of the self with sound and melody
  One should plunge head-first into life
  As one dives from a cliff into the emerald sea

  Distant lands should draw you, people you don't know
  To read every book, know each other's lives, you should be burning
  You shouldn't exchange for anything the pleasure of a glass of water
  No matter how much joy, your life should be filled with yearning

  You should know sorrow, honorably, with all your being
  Because the pains, like joy, make a person grow
  Your blood should mingle in the great circulation of life
  And in your veins life's endless fresh blood should flow

  I've learned some things from having lived:
  If your alive, experience largely, merge with rivers, heavens, cosmos
  For what we call living is a gift given to life
  And life is a gift bestowed upon us

  My heartfelt condolences {{{{{{{PurpleSofa}}}}}}}

  ~Merry