Posts by Sara Annie

34

Spying On Your Kids

by rocketman in

on last night's installment of 20/20, there was a segment that dealt with parents who use modern technology to spy on their children.

one dad used a gps installed in his car to track the movements of his daughter.

another dad installed spyware in his computer and monitored the e-mails and im chats of his daughter.

Sara Annie

As a parent, I reserve the right to do whatever I think is in my child's best interest. That will definitely mean monitoring ALL internet access, and my son will NOT have a computer in his room. He will have one in a central location where anyone can walk by and see what's on the screen. This is a recommendation from law enforcement, and one I am happy to follow. I doubt I would ever install a camera in my home, definitely not in his room, he gets dressed in there, and that leads to too many privacy issues. However, I would have no problem going in his room and looking around if something caught my attention, or if I felt there was something going on I needed to investigage. On average, I do think children have too many liberties, and I think that it has been a huge detriment on our society. As Yeru stated earlier, if the Columbine children's parents had been more active in looking in their children's rooms, a tragedy could have been avoided. And believe me, parents frequently think their kids are "normal" when in actuality they are into alcohol, drugs, and worse. I am my son's mom first and foremost, and I will do that job to the best of my ability, even if it sometimes makes me unpopular.

I meant to type out a thoughtful reply, but happyout already said pretty much everything I wanted to.

42

given that your wts has frequently warned its members to stay away from the internet, and that bad association spoils useful habits, why is it that you persist in posting on this site, which is quite obviously populated by those that are disfelloshipped, disassociated, or, at the very least, spiritually weak?

if you lived near one of the more vocal posters would you willingly be seen by your body of elders having a conversation with them?

or, is it the ease of anonymity that allows you to be such a hypocrite and flaunt the rules of the organisation you pathetically claim to follow?

Sara Annie

sword is a girl???

I got that distinct impression at some point, it seems. I can't put my finger on where, and I could be mistaken.

42

Question for SwordofJah

by happyout in

given that your wts has frequently warned its members to stay away from the internet, and that bad association spoils useful habits, why is it that you persist in posting on this site, which is quite obviously populated by those that are disfelloshipped, disassociated, or, at the very least, spiritually weak?

if you lived near one of the more vocal posters would you willingly be seen by your body of elders having a conversation with them?

or, is it the ease of anonymity that allows you to be such a hypocrite and flaunt the rules of the organisation you pathetically claim to follow?

Sara Annie

I tend to think a little differently about Sword of Jah and her ilk.

You know that very common tale of a young man who begins to realize that he may be a homosexual, and is so bothered by the prospect that he pours himself into being 150% heterosexual? You know, nailing chicks, lifting weights, crushing beer cans on his head, engaging in manly athletic pursuits, etc. It's like he is trying everything he can to prove to the world, and himself, that he is the absolute opposite of whatever it is he's afraid that being gay is. Truly a case of "Methinks he doth protest too much".

Seems similar with SOJ, to me. She picked a pretty hostile environment in which to vehemently defend her views. What better place is there in which to stand up as the model JW, extolling your faithfulness than this board, where it's totally unlikely you'll meet another zealot in the process? You can stand amongst the apostates and affirm that you are NOT like them, not really, because see what a steadfast and staunch witness you are! You can't be 'spiritually weak', you are loudly proclaiming your faith for all to hear!

A little too loudly, it might be said...

45

Would you take blood now that you are not a JW and why?

by Joyzabel in

i have a friend, xjw, who is having medical problems and no matter what i seem to say to her, i can tell she has not gotten over the issue of <gasp> no blood.

since the no blood stand was so ingrained in us as jws (almost like the unforgivable sin) my friend just cant seem to let go of that thinking.

i know i get too clinical at times, so i need some help with reasons why taking blood is or is not an issue for you anymore.

Sara Annie

Yes, I would. Not frivolously, mind you, but if my life or the life of one of my children was in peril, then yes, definitely.

And what exactly are 'friviolous' blood transfusion situations? It's not like upon admission to a medical care facility they immediately shove a tube in your arm and start drippin the red stuff.

43

John 1:1 - Good information

by Dansk in

i came across the following information at this site, where there's a lot more :

http://www.letusreason.org/jw38.htm

english bible - "and what god was, the word was".

Sara Annie

I for one, have never been able to really understand the Trinity and this is probably one of the few points that I actually agree with the Borg on............how can God go from being "One" in the Old Testament, to being three in the New Testament?

It always amazes me when religious debates delve into the intricacies one how fantastic thing can/should be interpreted as yet another fantastic thing, and the validity of each viewpoint. Debating these issues and coming to an 'educated understanding' of what is and isn't possible where God is concerned is highly amusing to me. I mean, if we buy the whole "God is the almighty and all-knowing entity in the Universe" shtick, then why are we always seeking to limit his powers to those that are 'reasonable' or 'possible' in the human realm? This is GOD, for heaven's sake. If he, tomorrow, wanted to split himself into 4 entities, two of which were lop eared bunny rabbits, he could. If he wanted to appear to his followers in the form of a dancing banana, he could. The biggest problem I have with fundamental Christianity (read: The Bible is inspired, God exists only within it's constructs) is that they seek, on a daily basis, to LIMIT the very deity they turn around and exalt as the infinitely powerful creator of the universe.

It's stupid. There's not a 'nicer' way to put it. Just stupid.

7

My New Religion (from the Onion)

by openminded in

jw
friends

well, it's been a long, hard road, but i'm finally almost finished with cosmysticism, the new religion i've been working on for the past year or so.

and i must say, i'm pretty proud of how it's turned out.

it's a delicate blend of love and wrath, mystery and science, history and fantasy.

Sara Annie

Number 1: I love the Onion! I commend you for your choice of source, great stuff.

Number 2: Great humor is generally a reflection of truth. What I love about pieces like the one you posted is that it's a pretty fine illustration of just how damn silly any religious belief looks at inception. I often wonder about how the rest of the world viewed the disciples of Jesus. I imagine that, had the mass media machine existed, they would have been seen as just as wacky (if not MORE so) than the followers of this century's "messiahs". In two thousand years, Christianity may be out the window and the story of Jim Jones and his kool-aid cocktail drinking Jonestown citizens may be the basis for an entire system of belief. Huge statues of his dead body will be displayed on Altars and congregations of followers will all celebrate the day that Jim Jones took the faithful to eternal life. Down the street, another established religion's followers will be re-enacting the burning of the compound in Waco, TX with tears in their eyes as they remember how David Koresh was persecuted and killed, the names of his loyal followers that also perished that day whispered with saintly reverence. Don't think it could happen? I'm willing to bet my right arm that most of the people in Jesus' time thought the same thing about those who followed him.

I'm almost ashamed of how cynical I've become. It's a pity, really. I want to believe.

18

I like my pillow

by kenpodragon in

jw
friends

when ever i travel to different locations around the world, or just down the highway.

i have to bring my own pillow.

it is just the right size, just the right shape and i even like the smell.

Sara Annie

Deeper point of your post totally aside, I have to weigh in on the "Love my pillow" side too.

My favorite pillow was recently destroyed by my husband in a housecleaning fit (he put in the washer and it didn't survive it's final spin cycle). I bought two new pillows and they're still not fully broken in. I haven't slept well in two weeks!

Sara of the "High Maintenance and Knows It" class.

25

Serious Concerns About Asparagus

by JamesThomas in

jw
friends

does anyone else have problems with this little vegetable?

if you do, you'll know what i'm referring to.

they say it's a heredity thing.

Sara Annie

For the record, I'm an asparagus lover from way back... I always figured the odiferous urine was just the price we pay for loving the stuff. My favorite ways to prepare it are oven roasted with fresh cracked black pepper & finished with a splash of balsamic vinegar, and grilled spears brushed with an emulsion of sesame oil and roasted garlic, then tossed with roasted red pepper strips and topped with toasted sesame seeds.

The thing that always makes me worry is the neon-chartreuse your pee turns when you take certain multi-vitamins...if they are all coming out of you---how many of them stayed in? I read somewhere that most vitamins are made so hard to avoid crumbling in the bottles in shipment that they pass right thru you whole and never dissolve enough to give you any benefit anyway! Well some of them dissolve enough to give day-glo pee!

This made me laugh... I have a friend (a pharmacist) who always says that people who buy and consume expensive vitamins usually end up with nothing to show for it except very expensive urine.

31

Is politeness out of style?

by JH in

jw
friends

many years ago people seemed more polite to woman, by tipping their hats or holding a door open to let them in.

even in busses, men gave their places if a woman was standing.

does a person look stupid if he is too polite today compared to years ago?.

Sara Annie

when that happens I usually say "Yes, thanks a lot, no problem" aloud so they get the message. they mighte turn around and say thanks, or they'll ignore you and feel very uncomfortable.

I don't think it's ever a good idea to follow up rude behavior with more rude behavior.

While we have taught our children to be respectful and polite, we have also taught them that there are a lot of people in this world who are anything but. As they have gotten older, its second nature for them to use please and thank you appropriately. They also realize that if someone doesn't thank them for a kindness, it is not in the scope of polite behavior to call attention to the slight.

25

Does anybody know how to establish Credit?

by Nomad Soul in

i'm 19, i'm in the real world now.

i went to the dealership to buy a car, but was turn down, no credit history.

i have tried to apply for credit cards, but been turned down.

Sara Annie

It is absolutely possible to have NO credit. Bad credit is a totally different story.

If you have no credit, you will need to obtain at least one reportable credit instrument and maintain it for a period of time. The key word here is "reportable". Simply getting an apartment and paying your rent on time will do nothing for your credit rating. The only items that affect your rating are those that are actually reported at least one of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). While your options for obtaining reportable credit are limited, there are a few ways you can do this:

1. Open a regular checking account, and a direct deposit savings account: Many banks will be willing to allow you to open a checking account even if you have limited (or non-existent) credit history. In addition, set up a savings account at the same time, and have a regular amount (a small amount is fine) transferred into in from your checking account. You may be required to keep a minimum balance in the account and may not immediately qualify for a debit card, but being able to list your checking and savings accounts (assuming you keep them in good standing) on a credit application is a mark in your favor. Also, your bank may be much more willing to extend a loan to you in the future if you've built a favorable history with them.

2. Apply for a Secured Credit Card: A secured credit card is an arrangement by which you pay the credit issuing company a specific sum of money (the minimum is usually around 300 dollars but can that can vary) which they hold as a form of collateral. In return, they will issue you a credit card with a credit limit generally equal to the amount of your deposit with them. You can then use the card to make normal purchases up to your credit limit. It is very important that you pay AT LEAST your minimum payment on time (preferably, your payment should be posted to your account day or two earlier than the due date) Using this card prudently for a period of six months to a year will raise your credit score by as much as 50-75 points.

3. Purchase a vehicle through the financing company of a major car manufacturer: Generally, while your local bank branch may decline your loan application based on lack of credit for an automobile purchase, you can still have credit extended to you by the financing department affiliated with major dealerships. (For example, if you are purchasing a car from a Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealer, GMAC may be willing to loan you the funds for your purchase) Be warned that your interest rate will undoubtedly be higher than traditional standard car loan rates, but the extra percentage points are worth it if you build a favorable credit history as a result. Additionally, after a certain amount of time (2 years is recommended) your newly established credit history may allow you to refinance the loan at your local bank at a lower interest rate (and thus a lower monthly payment).

These are the three best ways to build/improve your credit rating. One other important factor that will affect whether a lender will extend credit to you without a good history is whether you have a consistent job history. You're much more likely to get a loan if you've been with one company for a period of time, and have lived in the same place for an extended period of time as well. It's also wise to stay away from offers that scream out "Repair your credit!" or "We loan to anyone". These deals are generally not worth the higher rates, fees, and hidden costs--and your favorable credit behavior may not even reported to the bureaus for consideration in your score.

The most important factor in building a credit history is TIME. Yes, it's going to take a while. At the VERY least, you'll need 6 months of favorable (even outstanding) credit behavior before you'll have new credit opportunities extended to you. Since you don't have any unfavorable credit items on your history, and are simply building new credit, you're already ahead of the game. Good luck, and remember to spend wisely. Your credit rating will follow you and impact you for the rest of your life.