Posts by Hortensia

73

Pedophilia: A Disorder, Not a Crime (NYTimes)

by NewYork44M in

Hortensia

I kind of think that pedophilia is part of the sexual spectrum -- people are attracted to others in a variety of ways, opposite sex, same sex, no sex, children, porn, masturbation, animals. HOWEVER, acting on sexual impulses by victimizing/harming others is wrong and criminal. Rape is criminal, sex with children is criminal. I find it far too disturbing to think I would ever actually feel sorry for a pedophile, but I can see that it might be possible for some to pity them for being born with dangerous antisocial impulses.

I don't know enough to be absolute about this, but I believe that pedophiles can be born or made. How often do victims of sexual abuse when children become abusers when they are adults? I don't know, but I wonder.

75

CO's visit ends with a bombshell!!!

by nowwhat? in

at the end of his final talk he said of the gb: they are telling the higher ups , "start getting ready we're not going to be around much longer!

" and we expect the angels to release the four winds any day now!

" my first thought was why are you building a corporate country club then?!

Hortensia

It isn't a bombshell. It's a teeny little fart.

19

Why are you treated as mentally ill if you try to leave?

by wallievase in

jw
friends

i would just like to know why people are always treated like you have to be depressed or have some type of serious mental issue if you try to leave?

you cant just leave because its not for you?.

.

Hortensia

The org. demonizes dissenters so that others will stay in the org.

22

My Lecturer booby-trapped me - Patterns of Authority in Early Christian Communities

by fulltimestudent in

i have a 2500 word essay due next tuesday, so i shall be invoiced until then.

and, i already have been turned upside down.. even though there are set topics for the main essay, it is possible to negotiate for an essay on a subject of personal interest.

i'd been thinking about the development of leadership in the early christian congregation, so i asked my lecturer, if i could write on that.. he asked me for a brief outline of what i was thinking, so i reviewed my early thoughts - that jesus primarily had left no clear instructions (because he was expecting divine intervention and the restoration of the kingdom), but he had trained his disciples in missionary work - which i interpreted to mean that jesus expected his own ministry to continue, to provide the judean people with continued guidance, modelled on what he (jesus) had done.. but as christianity developed (and the expectations of jesus remained unfulfilled) a different model developed and i wanted to explore the model we see developing in the nt (think pauline) and where that model came from and then transformed into the monarchial model with bishops.. .

Hortensia

I would also like to read your essay if you feel like posting it.

47

Divorcing my husband of 13 years...

by 2pink in

jw
friends

my husband and i were both born ins.

i left in 2009, and he followed me out a bit later.

we were one of those couples who followed the script, married young and ended up having nothing in common other than the religion.

Hortensia

Your kids will be better off if you get out of the situation. My siblings and I suffered for years because my mother wouldn't divorce a violent alcoholic. It was unnecessary. We would have been poor either way, but suffering less if she had just gotten out. Poor isn't the worst thing in the world. And you've had some good advice here -- make a plan, get a good lawyer, get some training or go back to school if you can, get as much help as possible with the kids.

19

Turning My House in to A Ex-JW Gathering Church, Will it bug my JW Neighbors?

by BucketShopBill in

i am thinking of turning my house in to a ex-jw meeting place, getting bar, pool tables, ping-pong, foseball, pinball and kegs of beer on tap.

big screen singles pad for the local ex-jws to visit and hang out.

will this bug all the jws who live near by me, do they get weird around known apostates?.

Hortensia

Gee, I hope so! If your inviting your friends to your house for some fun and good beer annoys your neighbors, well, screw them!

25

Why Jehovah's Witnesses Are Susceptible To Ponzi-Schemes and Rip-Off Artist More than the public!

by BucketShopBill in

this thread is dedicated to my friend blondie when she asked "why the pay day loan shop woman had so much access to jws".

in 1993 the jehovah's witnesses in ventura, santa barbara, san luis obispo, monterery, stanislaus, san fransisco, alemeda counties were spreading word of the miracle worker of money from san fransisco.

word traveled throughout the circuit overseers, district overseers telling everyone these brothers in san fransisco were paying 15% for "180 days loans"without any risk, most of these jws were elders and cos and dos, it was only among them the scam remained to create a "in crowd feeling" and left out non elders setting up the sheep for something special down the road!

Hortensia

Because they are true believers who don't ask questions?

38

My jw mum threw us out.

by abbasgreta in

my brother (non-jw but became a christian 6 months ago) and i nursed my aged jw mother back to a semblance of strength over the last three weeks.. the elders were happy to pass the buck on to me, her da'd daughter and my bro.. he has been living with her for 3 months and has transformed her ill-kept home and garden and literally nursed her like a professional alone.

before i stepped in to help him care for her.

he repeatedly told her how much he loved her and was so caring, it brought a lump to my throat.. he has been going to church sunday mornings, telling her he 'was meeting up with friends' so as not to cause friction.but she knew where he had been.. we noticed a shift in her demeanour towards us (she knows i'm a church-goer) over the week-end and she started to.

Hortensia

I agree with Skeeter. Call the elder care folks, tell them what happened, that you are worried she is mentally ill but you can't go to check on her because she has been violent toward one of you -- actually beating him with her cane.

52

I loathe authority

by punkofnice in

now i'm not preaching hatred here i am just expressing how i've felt for years even when i was a jw.. i totally loathe the police/policticians...any authority......anyone that is over anyone else.

i have a total hatred of them all.

i wonder if it's because i was raised a jw?.

Hortensia

It's a good thing to challenge authority. Make them explain their decisions, disobey if it's important to do so. I don't know whether I feel this way because I'm a child of the 60s, or because of being raised JW, or because I think it's a sane, rational way to live.

I remember pissing off a boyfriend who didn't like my asking "why" to every command he issued. I'm just not going to do things because I'm told to do them. I need a reason and it has to be a damn good reason and I have to agree.

16

Who wrote the bible?

by Hairtrigger in

just finished reading "who wrote the bible" ( richard e friedman) ?

made for a fascinating read.

the machinations of the various factions of levites and their efforts at centralizing the jewish religion has been adroitly duplicated by the gb.

Hortensia

Read it a few years ago. Enjoyed the perspective, the background information. Worth a read.