Posts by La Capra

38

Insensitive talk assignments

by Steve Lowry in

jw
friends

i once was assigned a talk on masturbation when i was about fifteen or so.

the theme of the talk was to discourage masturbating (actually to forbid the practice), as it was considered by the society a no no.

looking back on it, it offends me to this day that they would give a kid such a sensitive and embarrassing talk assignment like that.

When I was a senior in high school, we had a "special needs" demonstration in the service meeting. A single mom (whose sister was married to an elder, so she was an ''eldress by proxy") and her daughter (a junior in high school) gave it. The setting was a "mother-daughter chat." Daughter goes to mom to talk about how all the kids are going to prom, and how she knows she's not going to be going. There wasn't even any conflict about the daughter wanting to go and the mother/society saying no. All the right references to scriptures and articles were made.

What was so hypocrtical was that just a few months before, I had danced with the daughter, and daughter's boyfriend (and my onw boyfriend too) at a high school dance in the gym after a football game...

I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. Later, I muttered to her about what a hypocrite she was, but I never did sell her out. I didn't even tell my mom that I had seen her at a dance (my mom knew I was at the dance, but her mom didn't know we were there).

Shoshana

10

wts is a false prophet

by headmath in

*** awake!

quote.

if you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things.

La Capra

I just returned from a brief visit with my folks, and one of my brothers. At the fireworks, he and I chatted about the "friends" from our kid days. They are all really old, or dead. the very ones who get on that platform and tell us we didn't need to be in school, we didn't need good jobs, and we didn't need to plan for our retirements.

My brother ran into one his childhood chums at the local festivities earlier in the day. The friend told my brother that he and his wife had moved into his parents old house (mom has died, dad is now elderly). He asked how the dad was, and the wife said, "Oh he won't talk to us, we're evil...." Then his friend said yeah he just moved into [former p.o., who recently died from Alzheimer's]'s mobile home.

And in other news on the "'millions now living will never die' my ass" front, another witness couple who married in the late 70s and waited until the mid 80s to have kids (because armageddon, you know), just buried their 22 year old daughter, who killed herself last month. (She was the granddaughter of the above mentioned former p.o.).

In 1969, I was one year old. The former p.o. and his wife were in their 40s raising three teenagers-none of whom went to college.... They not only grew old, they died....

Shoshana

87

Napa Valley, CA Child Abuse Court Case Victories

by AndersonsInfo in

napa wt child abuse case.

two important court decisions, which came out of napa valley, ca, are now available for us to post on jwd.

these significant rulings overturn objections regularly made by the watchtower in recent lawsuits and may serve as a precedent for future lawsuits.

La Capra

In most states, when an entity registers with the state as a corporation, the incorporation documents must inclued the name of the registered agent and the address of the registered office for the purposes of being served with legal process. In some states, a plaintiff may sue a corporation and serve process with the attorney general or the secretary of state, and this satisfies the constitutional requirements for due process. Attorneys general don't take kindly to corporations that don't have registered agents at the registered offices to accept service.

I know I have seen the WTBTS's articles of incorporation somewhere. I wonder if I saw them here.

Shoshana

87

Napa Valley, CA Child Abuse Court Case Victories

by AndersonsInfo in

napa wt child abuse case.

two important court decisions, which came out of napa valley, ca, are now available for us to post on jwd.

these significant rulings overturn objections regularly made by the watchtower in recent lawsuits and may serve as a precedent for future lawsuits.

La Capra

You see, I can still check in with JWD AND study for the bar exam (21 days, and I think I can say I now have personal jurisdiction down. Thanks for the Civil Procedure review Barbara )

Shoshana

23

Diary of a mad Jdub woman.

by jojochan in

my cousin is at end of her rope..... even though she tells me how she does not want to marry a "worldly" man she can't help but to conclude that that's what's gonna happen.

she's now "talking" to a brother that's in her words "brokeback" but o.k in her opinion.

she's also frustrated that he although enjoys sneaking over her house and fooling around with her, he has made no effort to say, "roll with me, i wanna be your man.

La Capra

All of her options result in the same thing

1) She waits and finds a "brother" to marry. It isn't going to happen-and if it does, it won't be a love match-she'll be stuck in a lousy relationship, in which she is relegated to the "helper" and is treated as a second (or third) class citizen by her life partner.

2) She remains single-holding out for Brother Right. As a female, she is of no use to the congregation, and as a single female she is a liability as a friend to the married sisters (she might try to steal their husbands), and competition for the unmarried sisters. Her frienships (if she has any) will be unauthentic and colored by jealousy and politics.

3) She dates and marries a worldly guy. She won't be treated too much differently than if she stayed single as in option number 1. She may be reproved, or even disfellowshipped. Once "reinstated" she will still be treated as an outcast. However, on the plus side, she will have a love match, and a rocking husband that treats her better than any "brother" would. And she has access to the "world" whenever she wants escape from the religion.

As a woman, unless her dream is to be a pioneer, the practical result of her marrying a worldly guy is no different than if she stayed single, and not that much different than if she married another JW, but the benefits would far outweigh any slight change to her "status" (which sounds like it isn't too good anyway).

I'm glad I realized the irony of this when I was in my teens. I saw the process in action with a couple of gals in their late twenties--both went outside to get spouses (and one the daughter of an elder, too). And these were stunningly beautiful women, too. They have great marriages and were never treated that well in the congregation anyway, since they were hot, single women.

Since she doesn't have a Y chromosome, it really doesn't matter what she does-in the practical sense.

Shoshana

7

I could-a...but I didn't

by HadEnuf in

jw
friends

there i was, on my way to the post office and right ahead of me, jay-walking no less, is our po.

(well...our former po).

all alone...in his nice gray suit and little folder under his arm (what happened to book-bags...are they obsolete?

La Capra

Can't you just see it...

Experiences:

One afternoon, the presiding overseer of a growing congregation was crossing the street while in field service alone. Unbeknownst to the elder, an apostate was driving on the very same street the elder was crossing. Determined to murder him, the apostate started to accelerate her car by pressing on the gas. But, thanks to the protection of Jehovah, this fine elder, while in Jehovah's sacred service, was spared because Jehovah caused the conscience of the apostate to reconsider her decision.

Brothers and Sisters-aren't we grateful for Jehovah's fine protection? (applause, applause)

Brothers and Sisters-aren't we secure in knowing that no matter what, if we are doing Jehovah's will, he will take care of us? (applause, applause)

Brothers and Sisters-isn't it good that we stay off the internet, so as not to fall into the evil hands of Satan and his earthly army of apostates? (applause, applause)

Blech.

Shoshana

8

Anyone else raised in a "divided" household?

by dinah in

hey folks!.

i've noticed there are many here who were raised "in the truth".

are there any who were raised in a divided household--where one parent is not a jw?.

La Capra

Dinah,

That's me exactly. My mom was baptized when I was a few months old....

My dad's position gave me a tad more freedom, under my mom's tight reign....

My dad was SO MUCH NICER that the men at the hall...

If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be college educated,well settled in a teaching career for 15 years, and having a relatively normal life (for someone who was raised like we were).

It made it that much easier to leave when I got old enough.

And just the other day, when I received my doctorate, there he was, telling me how very, very proud he was of me, with tears in his eyes. My mom was proud too, but her praise was, well, underwhelming, to say the least.

Shoshana

26

Well, they finally came to my door

by Wolfgirl in

jw
friends

we've lived here for nearly 2 years now, and this is the first i've seen them, and i'm home most of the time.

they caught me as i was taking the rubbish out; i didn't even realise they were in my front garden.

anyway, it was the first warm saturday we've had since last year, and here comes a mother with her young son.

La Capra

You will never see her again, but don't be surprised if a pair of elders will be showing up soon, completely armed with all your "vital statistics," just as soon as this woman asks a question or to, trying to refute your claims.

Your address will also be listed on the territory call as "do not call." That's so's no unsuspecting "publisher" gets "gets apostized to."

But they will really leave you alone after this.

Shoshana

20

Did you use to shun family members or friends?

by M.J. in

jw
friends

.

have you since re-established contact with them?

i wonder if the act of shunning someone you love actually strengthens your resolve that you're following the "right" course.

La Capra

Only the people I wanted nothing to do with. Their status as a JW had (and still has) nothing to do with whether I associate with someone. When I was a kid, some DFed people didn't want to get in more trouble and wouldn't talk to me, but not all of them.My haridresser was DFed but I refused to go to anyone else, because she was a hair genius--the best in town. I didn't keep that a secret.

Shoshana

17

interesting experience....

by hallowedbethyname in

hello all.. just wanted to pass along an experience that i had about a month or so ago.

i was invited to a jw wedding of a friend of mine.. also invited was a 'marked' brother who is a very close friend of the bride.

he was recently marked after the invitations were sent out, so he came along with his 'worldly girlfriend'.. anyways, long story short, about 10 upstanding jw's decided to make a stink just before the bride and groom were to enter the reception hall to do their first dance.

La Capra

I thought "marking" was an individual decision, and that you really weren't supposed to announce to others if you were marking someone. (Even though everyone knew, because of the "special needs talk, and the subsequent gossip.) I s'pose you could tell the person you were marking, but, then you would be braking your own private shun-fest, now wouldn't you....

If he was on public, or even private reproof, he would have been accepting of his punishment and would not have attended the reception, thus manifesting his contrition.

Or are things really this snotty these days?

Shoshana