Posts by La Capra

54

Am I being totally unreasonable here?

by Princess in

jw
friends

my son is in a school for smart kids.

they call it "challenge".

he is in 2nd grade, just turned 8 last month.

La Capra

Dear Princess-

I like that spelling list, because the words are muliple-syllable, but mostly phonetic, which means that the words aren't impossible, but will challenge young but bright minds. I remember second and third grade spelling lists (yes, I remember that crap-I not only remember what I was taught but how I was taught it) and that capitalization was part of the deal. Proper nouns got capitlized, common nouns didn't. We ALWAYS had a pretest early in the unit and the post test at the end of the unit.

I am surprised, though, that here it is nearly November, and this is the first time this matter came up for your child. Whether he had a brain fade (gee, that NEVER happens with gifted 8 year olds) or the teacher has a pedagogy (or other) problem, is probably irrelevant. I have seen many a teacher treat students unfairly, only to make it worse when a parent comes to the defense. Try to tread carefully, since it appears this teacher already has a "particular opinion" about your child. I'm a high school teacher, and when we get together with the elementary teachers for union and district stuff, it never ceases to amaze me how petty, vindictive and close-minded the elementary teachers (as a group-not individually) can get. (Yes, that is a sweeping generalization, but you should hear how they have it in for certain kids-not because of the kid but because the parent is making life miserable for them.)

I have also seen parents overreact to little things, turning very minor inconsistencies or apparent inequities into federal cases. It puts teachers in a very defensive place, causing a disruption to classroom environment (can't be helped-teachers are human). I hope this is as bad as it gets for your child, because the good news is that it's not so bad, and no college or future employer will want to know whether your child forgot capitalization rules in second grade.

Have him retake the spelling test for you, give him the perfect score he'll earn, and put that one on the fridge instead. The learning continues at home, anyway right?

Shoshana

22

JW are instructed to perjure themselves in Nov 15 WT

by ezekiel3 in

in the watchtower november 15, 2004 article "the tent of the upright ones will flourish" pg 28, the old policy of "theocratic warfare" is freshly confirmed.. remember that in us courts (a principle that mosts for most of the world's courts), a witness swears to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

" it is recognized that withholding information would be the equivalent of lying or perjury.. what are jws instructed to do?

my comments are in red.the faithful witness does not commit perjury when testifying.

La Capra

No such luck, Scully. My mom is no dummy. She knows I would have only ulterior motives for having any WT literature. And she is right. She is very much an avid adherent to the notion of not casting one's pearls before the piggies.

Oink Oink

Shoshana

22

Joining School Board - Will I get DF'd?

by confusedjw in

i was asked to fill in on our local school board as an elected board member could not finish their turn.

i thought about for a day and decided to do it.

it requires that you are a registered voter, at least in our town, which i am.

La Capra

Not for being appointed. Not for registering to vote...If there were two witnesses that you actually voted, you are toast. But then again, they would probably consider accepting this post as an act of disassociation....

Oh, to get the local rag to send a reporter to the meeting when they announce it, and then for you to be able to tell the whole community why. Nothing like this sort of thing to get those active in the local scene all aflutter right smack dab in the middle of election season.

Most small local newspapers thrive on this kind of scandal (school board drama has always played big in every district I've worked.)

Sounds fun, can I watch?

Shoshana

22

JW are instructed to perjure themselves in Nov 15 WT

by ezekiel3 in

in the watchtower november 15, 2004 article "the tent of the upright ones will flourish" pg 28, the old policy of "theocratic warfare" is freshly confirmed.. remember that in us courts (a principle that mosts for most of the world's courts), a witness swears to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

" it is recognized that withholding information would be the equivalent of lying or perjury.. what are jws instructed to do?

my comments are in red.the faithful witness does not commit perjury when testifying.

La Capra

I anticipate that I will be practicing family law once I pass the bar (on the first try, of course), and that I will be called upon by my colleagues in the field to handle some of the diffi "cult" portions of cases involving JWs (there seem to be more and more of them in my area).

I am definitely going to acquire this WT, for use in situations of cross examination of JW parties, experts and children.

I wonder if it would be a violation of any legal ethics (I haven't taken Professional Responsibility yet) if I stole this issue from my mom's house. Otherwise I need to go to the mall and pick it up from the zombies that look afraid if you look like you are about to talk to them.

Shoshana

5

Does the Watchtower Society resemble the ancient Jewish system of worship?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

jehovah, his word, and his organization.

jehovah, moses and his chosen people.

jehovah, the aaronic priesthood and his chosen people.

La Capra

Well, keeping in mind that the JW "history" is ever-so-slightly slanted to preview the whole Jesus thing. I think most Christian religions use the same bent. Sometimes I have to stop and think, Truthseeker, how much I understand of my "Jewish History" is colored by the JW painting of it. They take all of the Bible, mistranslate it, take it out of context, and only consult outside sources on interpretation when it suits whatever mind control tachnique they are currently practicing. The real connection between the JW "history" to which you refer is the need for the "organization" or a "channel" to God.

Not so with the early Jews. Looking at all that leadership in the early history of the Jews as "mediation" isn't exactly Jewish. Think of some of the prominant non-priestly figures, like Jonah, Miriam, Ruth, Naomi, Esther (yeah, I know, there are more, but I have con law on the brain). That form of worship, devotion and loyalty was not accomplished through the "mediator" of the day, but by dint of their own determination.

And anyway, those "sacrifices" were promptly followed by fabulous barbecue (of the recently sacrificed animals) (Baruchu...) and days on end of partying. When did that ever happen in JW style "worship." Maybe things would have been different for me had that been the case: Say the blessing, butcher the cow, barbecue the beast and get down to the real business of hanging out at a festival, eating, drinking, singing, dancing, buying and selling trinkets and goodies, and generally celebrating freedom...

Shoshana

8

Do they going to change doctrine again ? WT Oct,1st 2004,pg12,para14.

by jwsons in

jw
friends

according to the watchtower issue october 1st 2004 page 12, paragraph 14: "a second way that organized religion dishonors god is through the conduct of its adherents.

christians are expected to follow the teaching of jesus.

among other things, jesus taught his followers to "love one another" and to remain "no part of the world.".

La Capra

Don't they have a book called, "Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry?"

Oh, I guess everyone is supposed to know that this was a different definition that they use for "organize." For some reason, this morning I am really hating them. I am not usually so vehement. I better chill, gotta spend the morning with the young'uns.

Shoshana

18

Anyone in Northern California?

by TweetieBird in

jw
friends

just wondering if there is anyone from northern california.

La Capra

Me, Me....I'm in the wine country, "north bay," on the 101...

Shoshana

27

Unwritten prophecies of JWs,

by Brummie in

jw
friends

...that helped the wt to recover after 1975 failure.

all of us could document the written false prophecies of the wtower, 1799, 1874, 1914 -15-18-19-1935-75.by 2000....etc but how about the unwritten ones?

can you document any?.

La Capra

Avi

Then there was the 1986 year of peace and security, in 1985 this was made a big issue at the "integrity keepers" convention, we were really expecting the outbreak of sudden destruction even though it wasnt written down
I remember that BS.

Me too. It was sitting at the convention in 1987, after 1986 had passed, free and clear of armaggedon, that I allowed myself the freedom to imagine life without all this BS. I DAed the following October. Shoshana (of the take a few months to get my ducks in a row class)

27

Are JWs "Approval Whores"?

by Scully in

during a quiet moment at work the other night, i picked up a back issue of o magazine, one of the current quintessentially authoritative journalistic voices of the modern north american woman.

it was the december 2003 issue, and i was intrigued by the title of the article: "the halo effect" which promised to examine the condition of 'being too good' for one's own good.

the preamble contained the phrase "self-sacrificing" and i was immediately zapped by that standard jw buzz-word and the article's suggestion that being "self-sacrificing" is not all it's cracked up to be.. you can read the article here: stop seeking approval.

La Capra

Maybe you can help me about the Lord's prayer. Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. If there isn't a new system, then what does that mean? I have so many doubts about the society but that one still stumps me.

When I left (at age 19), I left fully imprinted with black and white thinking. Any situation could be viewed only one way: all right or all wrong (JW mentality). Falling into this mindset is the most common way I regress. But deep down, I know that this mindset is ALL WRONG (tee hee...)

This part of the prayer does not have to mean that all the Earth is doing God's will, or that God intends his will to be demonstrated in the same identical way in everyone.

One single person doing God's will is the fulfillment of this prayer. Which means this prayer is answered billions of times a day, whenever anyone says a little prayer or blessing, does something kind, stands up for injustice, gives a handful of change to a homeless person, comforts a crying child, appreciates the beauty of nature, you catch my drift? You can view this part of the prayer as God's assignment to you to do holy things right now, here on Earth (just like they do heaven...)

When Jesus "gave" this prayer, he was not giving any new prayer. This was the way the Jews prayed for ages. He is outlining the structure: Honor God, honor God's presence, ask for stuff (food, healing, blessings, a new car), ask for redemption and forgiveness, ask to be protected, It wasn't the be all end all prayer of promise of a new system.

(As an aside-I try to remember if the prayers at meetings and assemblies followed a similar structure, and I can't-but I think they sorta did. I do remember, though is that we were told to constantly pray, but were never really taught how to have a personal prayer practice....)

Wifey-I encourage you to begin enjoying the shades of grey as you journey beyond the WTBTS. It is a never ending reminder of the freedom thought you now have.

Take care, Shoshana

12

People to People Student Ambassador Programs -- heard of it?

by cruzanheart in

jw
friends

our daughter jennie got an invitation to take part in a people to people student ambassador program, and we're kind of curious as to what this is and how much it might cost (their website shyly avoids talking about money).

have any of you lovely people out there heard of this program?

is it legit?.

La Capra

This one costs at least $5000 for a two to three week adventure, that involves a lot of homestays (that's the ambassador part). A whole group travels together. They go in the summer, and it doesn't look like they enroll in school, but participate in the culture in other ways. $5000 (not including spending money) seems steep to me when the lodging and food (thanks to the hosts) don't cost the program a dime, but the administration of it, along with the teachers for the program that travel with the kids, need to be paid and paid for. It gets good reviews, but it is expensive. The teen tours that are cheaper are known for their partying and allowing the kids to run wild in foreign lands, they have much less supervision. This program was established (in name at least) by Eisenhower. It is probably safe, and not a scam. My thoughts on exchanges, though, is that when you travel in a pack with other American kids, you tend not to mix it up with the local family you are staying with too much. Again, there are other exchange programs that are much more into the exchange of culture, not jet-setting. Shoshana