wasasister

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Posts by wasasister

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  38

  Another loss...we love you Mulan

  by Princess in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my mom's cousin sharon passed away at 1:30pm thursday september 6, 2001. she was a lovely person and was always more like a sister than a cousin.

  mulan held her hand every step of the way through a battle with breast cancer and she was with her when she died.. mom's birthday is tomorrow.

  now she will celebrate sharon's life along with her own every year at this time.. i wish there was some way to ease your pain mom.

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  wasasister

  Edited link: Race for the cure.
  How about it? Anyone want to walk with me on Sunday?
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  38

  Another loss...we love you Mulan

  by Princess in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my mom's cousin sharon passed away at 1:30pm thursday september 6, 2001. she was a lovely person and was always more like a sister than a cousin.

  mulan held her hand every step of the way through a battle with breast cancer and she was with her when she died.. mom's birthday is tomorrow.

  now she will celebrate sharon's life along with her own every year at this time.. i wish there was some way to ease your pain mom.

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  wasasister

  Mulan and Princess:
  I too lost a dear friend to breast cancer. I'm so sorry for you loss.

  I plan to participate in the "Race for a Cure" in the city on Sept. 23rd. You two want to join me? There's a 10K run or a 5K walk. I figured it's about time I start giving back to some of the agencies who have helped breast cancer patients and their families. The Susan G. Komen Foundation is among the best-run non-profits around.

  Please check this link for any who want to do something positive: http://www.raceforthecure.com/
  I'll be wearing my pink ribbon pin today.

  Happy Birthday, Mulan.
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  13

  The DAY AFTER [Dateline]

  by biblexaminer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what will happen the day after?.

  i have a recent personal experience from "field service" that may shed a little light on this subject.. first, i do believe that many of my "bros and sises" will see this.

  they are all dateline watchers, and just knowing their personalities, if they are able, they will watch.. will they talk about it amongst themselves?

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  wasasister

  This is actually quite interesting, and would make a far more interesting wager than the slam-dunk one You Know proposed. (No, YK, I won't tell you which way that one will go.)

  Who would wager there will be both a feature article on Child Abuse AND some unoffical gossip to discredit Mr. Bowen and Mrs. Anderson, perhaps before Dateline airs? They certainly have enough lead-time to accomplish both of these preemptive measures.
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  76

  I Said Goodbye

  by Farkel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my father was rushed by ambulance from his rest home to st. marks hospital in salt lake city, utah friday, but i only just heard about it.

  i received a call from the floor nurse and she told me he is not expected to live.

  his lungs are filled fill up with fluid and are continuing to fill u with more fluid: he has pneumonia.

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  wasasister

  Many of us are with you in spirit. Please take comfort in the fact that you have gained so many fine and loyal friends since leaving the JW's. We're here to help in any way we can.

  May you have the peace which comes from the knowledge that you have done all you can.

  Affectionately,
  Was
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  29

  draft letter - editorial comments?

  by wasasister in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the following is the first-draft of a letter i would like to send to the society.

  any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

  (don't worry, i've developed a thick-skin.

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  wasasister

  Dear Seeker:
  I think I forgot how to be "obsequious" somewhere along the way out. If I had even used the word obsequious in commenting, some elder would have told me I was being a show-off.

  Anyway, thanks to all who offered to lend their signatures. I am sincerely moved by your offers. If any of you want to, use the letter as a template and modify it to suit your circumstances - then sign your own names and send it.

  I have decided to use my first two initiats - Seeker, then how will they know my gender? - and my last name, which is quite a common one. I will probably also mail it from another location.

  This letter may do no good at all in changing the attitudes or conduct at Brooklyn. However, it was a cleansing experience for me to be able to express these thoughts and hear what all of you thought.

  Thank you, thank you, for the freedom to express myself openly. Darn, it feels good to be free.

  Was
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  28

  MAXIMUS - Don't Ever leave

  by hawkaw in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  max,.

  i just read another thread where someone took a "shot" at you with the f__k word etc.. go hug your wife and remember what happens in october with your family.. you may meet 10 idiots on this board but i assure you, you will help save at least one life and another one's freedom.. hawk

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  wasasister

  Max: When I first arrived on the old H20 DB, I was newly "out", about to end a 25 year marriage, all alone save one or two loyal people in my life, and hurting badly. Not long after my first post, someone called me a "viper". For some reason, it really stung me that the place I had come to for refuge - and hopefully a place I might help someone else - could hurt me in this way.

  Since then, I've been called a lot worse. Once or twice something I've posted has touched someone enough for them to say so. I'm not here to make any earth-shattering changes, but if occasionally I can make someone laugh, encourage someone with a pat on the back, or help someone to understand they are not alone, it's worthwhile.

  I hope you stay. If nothing else, there are some great drink recipes on another thread.

  Affectionately,
  Wasa The Viper
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  52

  Need new drink!!!

  by tattoogrl333 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok this has nothing to do with being a jw or anything of that nature but it is important to me and i need some help:.

  here goes i have been drinking rum and coke (bacardi) since i can remember and finally realized that maybe it is contributing to my severly harsh hangovers.

  so i went on a quest in search of a new drink.

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  wasasister

  Finally! A topic I can contribute something meaningful to!

  First of all, I do not, in any way, condone misuse of alcohol, drunkenness, or irresponsible behavior of any sort. That having been said:

  You may have gotten off to the wrong start with the vodka and cranberry juice idea. It's not like you can just slosh one over the other and call it a drink.

  You need a good cocktail shaker. One can be purchased at your local Target, Walmart, or other cheesy retailer for under $20 US.

  Buy decent vodka, never bottom shelf stuff. I prefer a "lite" cranberry juice, as they tend to have less sugar.

  Cut a fresh lime into quarters; muddle one quarter in the shaker with a wooden spoon. Fill the shaker with ice, put in two shots of vodka and an equal amount of cranberry juice. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is too cold to touch. (It should ice up on the outside.)

  Strain the contents into a pre-chilled martini glass.

  If you really want to be fancy, rim the martini glasses with super-fine suger.

  This version is called a Cosmopolitan.

  Do not drink and drive.
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  29

  draft letter - editorial comments?

  by wasasister in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the following is the first-draft of a letter i would like to send to the society.

  any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

  (don't worry, i've developed a thick-skin.

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  wasasister

  sorry to bump my own post, but for those who asked, here is final version:

  Dear Brothers:
  I have been deeply troubled over the Society’s policies in dealing with child molesters in the Congregation. Having been an active Witness for over 35 years, I have had occasion to see the tragic results of this policy. In most cases, a person accused of such a crime would likely not be found guilty by a judicial body unless there were two witnesses to an individual act of molestation. If not found guilty by a judicial committee, the accused could keep their privileges within the congregation; the accusation would be kept secret; and the victim’s family would be discouraged from - or even ordered not to -speak of the incident or report it to worldly authorities.

  Recently, the following letter from you brothers came to my attention and I quote:
  

  There are, however, many other situations that are connected with the abuse of a child. For example, there may be just one eyewitness, and the brother denies the allegation. (Deuteronomy 19:15; John 8:17)... In these and similar cases no entry will be made on the Child Protection List. Rather, information should be kept in a sealed envelope in the congregation’s confidential file as described below. When such individuals move, the Congregation Service Committee should write a letter addressed to the Society’s Legal Department seeking advice as to whether to communicate the details to the new congregation.]

  
  I find the foregoing very troubling. Although your letter appears on the surface to express concern for protecting children, you again refer back to the same criteria for establishing the truth of the accusation.

  I do not see how the “two witness” rule from the Mosaic Law applies to Christians, or to any sex crime, especially where children are involved. Even in the Mosaic Law, there were to be exceptions. Sex crimes, are by nature, secret. Your letter quotes Deut. 19, but just three chapters later, we read this about the crime of rape:

  *** Rbi8 Deuteronomy 22:25-27 ***

  25 "If, however, it is in the field that the man found the girl who was engaged, and the man grabbed hold of her and lay down with her, the man who lay down with her must also die by himself, 26 and to the girl you must do nothing. The girl has no sin deserving of death, because just as when a man rises up against his fellowman and indeed murders him, even a soul, so it is with this case. 27 For it was in the field that he found her. The girl who was engaged screamed, but there was no one to rescue her.

  So, the girl in the field did not have to cry out…why? Because no one would be able to testify as to whether she did or did not scream. Where are the two witnesses? Keep in mind, this was a capital offense and the accused was subject to execution.

  Brothers, as a parent and as a long time member of several congregations, I can testify that this policy has brought harm to children and their families. Sexual predators victimize children because they know little ones can be threatened into silence. Often, these young victims keep quiet until they become adults. This is why the secular authorities in many areas have dropped the statute of limitations in such cases. Also, it has been well established that those who molest children will often repeat their conduct, moving to different areas should they come under suspicion.

  Your long-time policy has been to let the congregation handle such matters internally and ONLY if a judicial committee finds the accused guilty is any action taken. I respectfully suggest that this is a criminal matter and is part of the authority granted to “Caesar” to deal with. Our poor overworked elders are frankly not qualified to discern the truth of such crimes. Remember, those who use children in such a way are often master manipulators and skilled at deception. Let the governments deal with these individuals; let their trained investigators determine the validity of a complaint; let their psychologists assist the child victim. Unlike other judicial matters, such as adultery or homosexuality, the secular authorities view the act of molesting a child as a crime. Would the elders risk interfering with an investigation, possibly tainting material witnesses?

  The scripture comes to mind in Philippians 4:8:

  Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are loveable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.

  Yes, we should be “considering these things” NOW. What could possibly be of more serious concern that attacks on our precious children? Should we not put their interests and well being ahead of any possible reproach on a congregation or organization? Is this not what a Loving Shepherd would require?

  I offer these comments in the sincere desire that you alter your approach to dealing with accusations of child molestation. Warn families who might be exposed to these individuals; turn such a person over to “Caesar” to be dealt with; be supportive to families who choose to seek outside help in dealing with the trauma; and most importantly, admit that your past conduct has been in error and try to make amends.

  Most sincerely,
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  29

  draft letter - editorial comments?

  by wasasister in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the following is the first-draft of a letter i would like to send to the society.

  any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

  (don't worry, i've developed a thick-skin.

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  wasasister

  Pat: yes, my final copy is much more concise. My first drafts all tend to be verbose. I think brief letters are more often read, rather than skimmed.

  Zev: take whatever you find useful. I may just sign my last name (a rather common one) and use my first initial. I may have someone in another state post it.
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  29

  draft letter - editorial comments?

  by wasasister in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the following is the first-draft of a letter i would like to send to the society.

  any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

  (don't worry, i've developed a thick-skin.

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  wasasister

  I agree with Amazing, AF, and Francoise: A signed letter would have much more import. However, perhaps the GB are counting on the fact that JW's know full well the reprocussions visited upon anyone who is known to harbor such ideas. They must understand the fear they have long inflicted on us of losing our families.

  It's interesting that at the time I wrote this letter, I was not aware of the use of the "Superior Authorities" argment in the UK letter. Not that I am taking credit for being a sage, but if I can come up with scriptural reasoning along these lines, wouldn't the elders world-wide be able to follow the same reasoning?