Posts by La Capra

6

Jury Duty

by betterdaze in

just received a notice for jury duty, and am curious about the watchtower stance.

do jws wriggle out of their civic duty under the "judge not" principle at luke 6:37?

or jesus' kingdom being no part of the world?

Wouldn't you say that everytime the WTBTS tells the rank and file that something is a conscience matter, it really means that everyone else's conscience will be bothered if you do it? Any statement from the society regarding topics of civic responsibility are always worded so as not to forbid the particular activity, yet phrased in just such a way that the members know it's a no-no.

I think jury duty is one of them. My mom sure created all sorts of drama and turmoil for herself trying to get out of jury duty when I was a kid. She got a lot of armaggedon points from her cohorts for being so persecuted about the matter. (Too bad they expire every three years, eh ma?)

Shoshana

6

Local JW teen spotlighted in the paper

by La Capra in

jw
friends

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=/20070306/news04/703060412/-1/special&themes=lifestyle

someone is going to have to clean up my link, because i'm on my mac at work.

(and give me some paragraphs, too, please).

La Capra

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070306/NEWS04/703060412/-1/SPECIAL&THEMES=LIFESTYLE Someone is going to have to clean up my link, because I'm on my mac at work. (And give me some paragraphs, too, please). The editor's e-mail is [email protected] There are a few child molestation law suits pending in our region ("The Wine Country"), in Petaluma, CA and Napa, CA. This newsaper has carried the stories. Also in nearby Sacramento another case is going through its motions and hearings. If you are familiar with the facts of these cases, some letters to the editor could "witness to the witnesses" about the problem, paricularly since this boy (a child) is being touted for his religious involvement. Our local Catholic Diocese is currently under public fire for delaying a report, allowing a child molesting priest to escape out of the country. This is a hot topic around here. Thanks, Shoshana (who appreciates the irony of a "teen" being celebrated for his activity in a religion that hides and protects molesters)

19

Green light on higher education since 1995

by Fatfreek in

---if you believe what oroborus21 (aka -eduardo leaton jr., esq.

) claimed on an earlier thread in a different section.

that statement actually was off topic and that thread is so long i didn't have the patience to wade through and challenge him on it.

La Capra

The article is the black and white "legal" document that can be held up in court in a custody battle. It documents an "official WTBTS" position, while the reality of the matter was, is, and will alwyas be that those who pursue real higher education will become social outcasts in the congregation (unless they belong to an "in" family that has multiple layers of elders, pioneers, and active bethelites). Hard to establish that as fact in court. Shoshana

40

Would you submit to a "voluntary" search?...

by Justice-One in

jw
friends

example....a cop pulls you over for a broken taillight or some other very minor infraction.

he says he is just going to give you a warning, then says something like...."hey, you don't have any rockets or explosives in your trunk do you?

" you of course say no, then he says "mind if i look?

La Capra

When the cops start asking questions that have nothing to do with the initial purpose of the traffic stop, and if they saw nothing that would give rise to a reasonable suspicion that criminal activity was afoot, they have unlawfully strayed from the purpose of the stop. This is called unduly prolonging the detention (a traffic stop is indeed a detention). Once they do this, consent is vitiated and the search is unlawful. When I clerked for the public defender, I got contraband suppressed all the time when a traffic stop turned into something else. But still, my job is easier if you just say no. (But be prepared to have the crap beaten out of you....) They can't make you wait for the k-9 unless they have that reasonable suspicion (articulable fact, not a hunch). Shoshana

53

Where did the universe come from?

by Blueblades in

jw
friends

if it was always here, how did it get here?

let's leave god out of the equation for now.. blueblades.

La Capra

Don't question from where the univers came, you should wonder from where the source of the universe came (and from where the source of the source of the universe came)...

27

Is it wrong to be proud of achievements?

by free2beme in

jw
friends

i don't want to have this come across as bragging, but i have to explain this to ask this question.

okay, where i work is a call center and i do sales, along with customer service.

for the last five years, out of 2500 representatives online nationally, i have been number one in sales for all months and years.

La Capra

Start by moving the trophies, one a week until there are only two or three. Then, when a new one arrives, movee out the oldest one still on the desk. Ever consider letting management give one of your trips to the second place finisher? Bet it be just enough of a gesture to garner some support form your peers. Quit talking about the pay cut already, too. Simply say that you don't have the guts to be a manager. They are telling you what you should (and shouldn't) do, politics-wise. If a sales person out-earns managers, then the managers complain. They will side with each other. The head doofus wants happy managers. Your head doofus currently has unhappy managers. Got it?

7

Help -Legal rights of Witnesses?

by sammielee24 in

jw
friends

the very name - jehovahs witness - would imply that when a person is one of that religion, it is his belief that in order to be part of the religion he must give witness.. why is it then that a person who was baptized as a jw, but then da'd or df'd by the organization is not allowed to practice his faith?

to witness?

people are cast out and told that the privilege of witnessing is no longer theirs, but given the 'freedom to worship' in the usa, is this not against the right of all people to practice freedom of their religion if they so choose?

La Capra

Those civil rights are protected only when the GOVERNMENT tries to impede them. Private citizens, religions, individuals, etc. can infringe away. The courts will step in only when the government is acting (or a case can be made that private action was for the government-like company towns keeping the JWs from going door -to-door.). There is quite a bit of expansion into the private sector here, but mainly through education (private schools) and through private employers (but the courts make it government action through the Interstate Commerce Clause).

The WBTS can infringe away, since it is not acting as an agent for the government. The only thing the constitution prohibits an individual from doing is owning a slave. Everything else in the constitution is prohibitions on what the GOVERNMENT can do.

Hope this clears up why people can't sue WBTS for infringing on free exercise of religion.

Shoshana

55

A Jehovah's witness - Pioneer

by Fly in

it was a waste wasting 15 years of my life on this false religion.

i've cried when i find out that this religion is bull shit and are false prophets.

i'm a pioneer still and supposed to meet up in service with this brotha tomorr but i'm not going.

La Capra

Fly,

I left when I was 19, not much younger than you. In the 19 years since I did that, I built a fabulous life for myself. I went to college right away (before burdening myself with a "comfortable" lifestyle). I developed my career as a high school teacher, and then eventually went to law school. Now I'm a lawyer. I built relationships with people who are my family, now, and I am closer to them than I was my own JW family members. Now that you really know that in 20 years, you, this world, your family and everything else will essentially still be here, "in this system," there is no reason not to plan for it.

Keeping busy with work and school will help you to keep your mind off of everything you think you are leaving. You will make new friends and, if necessary, make your own family. Now that you know they aren't right, it is so hard to pretend.

And get help-stay here, talk to a counselor, and know that they can't be right. It really is impossible for them to be right.

Love to friend,

Shoshana

32

Learning Guitar - What is a good beginner guitar - (sell me yours?)

by confusedjw in

i've been learning to play for the last 3 weeks and would like to buy myself an acoustical guitar.

i've borrowed two, one is a wonderful yamaha and the other is a fender made in china, plywood and it sounds not so good.

those of you who have gone through this - what would you recommend to me if i were your favorite poster?.

La Capra

I studied music in college and learned many instruments to get my degree. One thing that I discovered the hard way (through injury) is that of all musicians, beginners need good instruments with good action, playability and tone. Otherwise, musicians learn on a poor instrument and pick up bad habits, positions and techniques to compensate for a poor instrument. Beginners get more satisfying results and are more likely to stick with it when they start with a good instrument.

Whatever you learn to play, get a good instrument. Buy a used one from a local music store that is run by musicians that play themselves. If you change your mind, you can always sell it back and consider the "loss" as your rental cost on the instrument.

Shoshana (who had to give up playing her instrument because years playing on an inferior model caused permanent neck injuries.)

37

Famous lines from the toons? Got any?

by AK - Jeff in

.

"phineas j whoopee you're the greatest".

.

La Capra

Whimpy disguises himself as Popeye to get hamburgers. Bluto beats the crap out of Whimpy, thinking he's Popeye. Olive Oyle says, in that nasal Olive Oyle voice, "serves you right for looking like Popeye." My brothers and I saw this ancient cartoon one time and immediately adopted the phrase when something bad happened to another one of us. It is in our family lexicon. Even my mom says it every once in awhile... (You have to say it like Olive Oyle). Shoshana