Posts by AlyMC

10

Are you honest with your kids?

by JWdaughter in

jw
friends

my daughter is a talented cartoonist and makes the funniest sketches.

way too much irony for a 16 yo!

she isn't technically proficient exactly, but she captures a mood so well that i halfway think if she were 'better' it might ruin the charm.

AlyMC

haha... you're familiar Alfie Kohn, aren't you?

I appreciate and validate effort over results... because I truly believe that most of us can be good at many things- but it is the effort and work involved that will take you there. I think that over or under praising kids can bring on praise hungry children who don't feel motivated from within, but through external validation.

It is all a dance, sometimes we're right on rhythm and sometimes we miss a beat. Generally I think that filling our children with our love and acceptance regardless of their accomplishments will send the message that they are valuable beings. What they achieve is really dependent on how hard they are willing to work for it... so i focus on that instead of how good or not so good something is.

43

Once You Had Doubts, How Long Before You Got On The Internet?

by minimus in

jw
friends

the watchtower society keeps telling everyone to stay away from the evil internet.

they claim that once you surf the internet, even if it's done innocently, it's the beginning of the end.

were you personally affected in your faith because you turned on the computer?

AlyMC

I was online long before I left... I actually met my DH on aol back in 1998 in the days of searching the member directory :) But I never looked up anything JW related until early 2004 or maybe late 03. I had doubt long before, but I'm not sure I had articulated them or come to terms with them before that... I thought a doubt showed my weakness of faith, you know?

I remember the first time I came across apostate information (I sought it out) and being shocked that apostate information was just logical discussion of doctrine. Scriptures, watchtower info, etc. Nothing "big and bad" as I had anticipated. I don't preach to JW's but I do try to slip in a little plug for apostates when I am given the chance by just commenting on how surprised I was to find out that apostate information was nothing more than a rational discussion of bible and doctrine and that if it is the truth, it should be able to stand up to that without a problem.

In retrospect, what else could it have been that could really change and shake someone's faith? At t he time it was just really shocking though.

26

What does your Avi mean to you and why have you chosen it?

by FreedomFrog in

jw
friends

i'm sure this has been posted before but i think many have changed their avi's.

my avi:.

the frog i have now has a gavel...i liked it because to me, it's giving the impression of being released from bondage (as in a prisoners case).

AlyMC

The Aly part of my username is what I go by. Short for Alyson. The picture is just me, or half of me I suppose... I always relate to people better when I can put a face to the name... being new I thought my picture would be a good choice :)

14

Do you guys remember the big push to baptize kids?

by isnrblog in

it was in the 80's i think but they began stressing the urgency of baptism for anyone who was "at an age of understanding".

i heard several assembly talks that said kids under ten could be baptized if they qualified.. this sticks in my mind because my kids were 12 or so and not qualified in my view.

my ex wife pushed my daughter into baptism at 12, she is now 32, not a witness and we both laugh about it.. www.isnrblog.com.

AlyMC

I know there is the whole freedom of religion thing... but baptism has always struck me as a contract of sorts. "I promise to do this forever, and should I fail I will be cut off from everything I've ever known"

I don't think 12 year olds really know what they are committing to, or have the critical thinking skills to enter in to such an agreement. I don't think our laws should let them. of course I realize this is a religious arrangement that can't really be governed by the state.

142

What are you drinking right now?

by stillajwexelder in

i am drinking real russian vodka (not stoli) mixed with vermouth on ice

AlyMC

wow, thanks low_key, I will give some of these a try! The added cranberry sounds nice to try as well.

14

Do you guys remember the big push to baptize kids?

by isnrblog in

it was in the 80's i think but they began stressing the urgency of baptism for anyone who was "at an age of understanding".

i heard several assembly talks that said kids under ten could be baptized if they qualified.. this sticks in my mind because my kids were 12 or so and not qualified in my view.

my ex wife pushed my daughter into baptism at 12, she is now 32, not a witness and we both laugh about it.. www.isnrblog.com.

AlyMC

My husband got baptized real young... I think 11 or so. I put it off until 16, but mostly did it because my Dad had left and didn't approve. It felt good to go against him and have a bunch of adults patting my back about it. Good reason, eh?

16

Can you count a bible study with a 2 year old?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

according to my friend, an elder said he could count 4 hours a month and a bible study if he talked about jehovah to his 2 year old son.. this would go some way to getting in his 10 hours a month as the elder said to my friend "the co won't look at anyone whose hours are less than 10.".

ridiculous eh?.

AlyMC

I was always told that any time I spent teaching my kids formally (reading the BSB) could be counted.

2

who is your mediator

by buffalosrfree in

jw
friends

i often wondered how people couldn't see that the society was taking away everything from the jws.

the "meek" don't even inherit the earth, according to them, the "annointed" do though they will never live on it.

.

AlyMC

well, I'm a girl... so technically wouldn't my husband be my mediator to the mediator?

39

USA - Who to vote for President = Woman {Hilary} or Blackman {Obama} -cool!

by Witness 007 in

.

and thank god george bushes term will soon be over and he did'nt start armagedon......{dumb texan accent} "now what does this button do..." blaaaam..

AlyMC

There is some truth to what you write.

If she had a penis though, she might very well have gotten to where she is without him. I don't think it is her actual qualifications that resulted in her getting her foot in the door through her husband though, but more the sexism that is obviously still present in our society.

23

she's just a friend

by daytona27 in

i was married a long time, divorced and alone for the last couple of years.

i consider myself content.

i've come to terms with being alone and the prospect that i may not be with someone for a good while.

AlyMC

ahh... I'm emotionally guarded as well, but not physically guarded at all. IMO, darkuncle is right on. I would be very off put at a guy who wined and dined me and then kissed me. Assuming I wasn't already married- I might sleep with him, but I probably wouldn't call again.

I think that you do owe it to yourself to talk to her. If you move away, the friendship will probably fade anyway. I would totally risk a friendship if I felt really strongly about someone. But if she is in fact anything like me, I wouldn't go for the romantic physical thing. I'd go for open communication saying what you said here about how much you value her.