What are your experiences, interests and areas of expertise?

The upper-crust forum for scholarly, polite, and respectful discussions only. Heavily moderated. Rated G.
_Jersey Girl
_Emeritus
Posts: 34407
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:16 am

Post by _Jersey Girl »

Miss Taken:
Great thread, huh Jersey girl! Some pretty great people posting here!!! I pick up things gradually. I know the Dude has a background in DNA studies? Dale (of course) in the early history of the church, Mak's indicated his area of expertise. I just learned from another thread that Shades has an English degree.

Hopefully some more people will post, cause I think we all benefit from knowing a bit more about each other. (nothing too detailed of course..)


Yes, it's a great thread and a great mix of posters. I'm mulling over whether or not to add a little something to it about myself. Maybe general stuff? I missed reading about Mak's area of expertise. Care to fill me in?

Jersey Girl
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
_marg

Post by _marg »

I'm 55, 2 kids in their 20's, married 34 years. My husband retired a few years ago at 55. University degree which focussed mainly on business, economics, finance, accounting. Worked in finance when younger. Discovered religion as an interest via the internet approx 6 years ago. Never previously took any interest, had no idea the seriousness that people took in their religious beliefs. My parents brought up 5 kids with a laid back attitude, no indoctrination of religion and I did the same with mine. My husband has a science degree and not brought up religious. People we associate with tend to not be religious, most are scientifically minded. Currently there are a few who are religious as our social group is changing with retirement. We are currently involved with a group of people whose interests are music. Some of them tend to be a bit artsy, flaky..believe in the supernatural that sort of thing. I now have a better appreciation of religious individuals, how and why they think as they do due to the internet. I find Mormonism interesting because it is rather extreme. As Bill Mayer said something along the lines of 'religions are wacky but Mormonism is really wacky'..I tend to agree with that assessment. But I could just as easily have looked into J.W's or Scientology or some other religious group which I might view similarly, I've just chosen to limit it to Mormonism.
_Jersey Girl
_Emeritus
Posts: 34407
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:16 am

Post by _Jersey Girl »

I started researching Mormonism on account of a rather heated debate/argument I got into with my own Pastor on behalf of a friends child. Discovered the internet about 7 years ago. Started with the stories on RFM, tripped right into a good debate/discussion board, moved over to ZLMB, FAIR and now here. I think that's all I'd like to say.

Jersey Girl

(Edited to remove some information/wigged me out too much)
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
_Mary
_Emeritus
Posts: 1774
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:45 pm

Post by _Mary »

Jersey Girl, you can't do that to me!!!

I missed it. Appreciate your desire for privacy though.

:)

Mary
_harmony
_Emeritus
Posts: 18195
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:35 am

Post by _harmony »

Jersey Girl wrote:I started researching Mormonism on account of a rather heated debate/argument I got into with my own Pastor on behalf of a friends child. Discovered the internet about 7 years ago. Started with the stories on RFM, tripped right into a good debate/discussion board, moved over to ZLMB, FAIR and now here. I think that's all I'd like to say.

Jersey Girl

(Edited to remove some information/wigged me out too much)


There was nothing there that would lead anyone to you, my friend. Rest easy.
_Jersey Girl
_Emeritus
Posts: 34407
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:16 am

Post by _Jersey Girl »

Okay, get me while I'm defiantly hot ;-)

Grew up in New Jersey, (listening to Bon Jovi right now, rock on) daughter of a truck driver who departed the scene and raised by a single parent mother (in relative economic poverty) who thought the sun rose and set on me and to whom I credit the mere fact that I am alive much less functional today. Considering my early experiences, I should be 6 feet under as are many of my peer group. Lucky for all of you, I'm right here bugging the heck out of you!

Raised up surrounded by people from all sorts of backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, differing abilities who taught me that people aren't labels. Many examples of strong women along the way. Thank goodness.

Baptised (sprinkling) Presbyterian as an infant. Family switched to a neighborhood church, raised up in it, baptized by immersion at age 11. Non-attending member of a SB church. If you ask me what my religious affiliation is, I'd say I was Protestant and not a very good one. ;-)

Spent my childhood largely scared out of my mind and due to life experiences you mostly couldn't scare me now if you tried. ;-) When presented with the choice to stand or run, if I feel the cause is just, I typically stand. People who know me think I'm strong and soft. Both are true.

I am an early childhood professional of 20+ years now serving as a teacher/mentor Area of expertise: observing/interpreting/guiding children's behavior, applying teaching methods and strategies largely based on principles of constructivism (Piaget/Vygotsky). Child advocate, emphasis on economically disadvantaged children. Would throw myself between any child and adult who wished to do them harm, and have.

Love Shakespeare, Frost, philosophies developed and expressed by Thoreau (want me to quote any of them? ;-) Thanks for asking!

"Remember thy creator in the days of they youth. Rise free from care and greet the dawn. Let the moon find thee by other lakes and the moon overtake thee everywhere at home."

See? Thoreau describing how everyone's life should be. :-)

I think I come off kind of schizo on boards like these because people have described me as: a Mormon sympathizer, anti- Mormon, a Mormon, atheist, Buddhist, pit bull and other terminologies that I can't post in this particular forum ;-)

The truth is, that I'm almost always looking for things to poke holes in and if I become uh....strident it's usually because I think someone has misrepresented me or that someone is hurting.

I'm here because I like to play with my brain and yours.

Jersey Girl

(okay, Jackson 5 is on the IPod now...gotta dance!)
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
_Bond...James Bond
_Emeritus
Posts: 4627
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:49 am

Post by _Bond...James Bond »

About Bond: (Your getting this information because I'm an insomniac and can't sleep at the moment....consider yourself lucky ;)

20s, American, not married. Former non-denominational Christian currently figuring out what the heck I believe about God and stuff. This Mormon thing is something of a tangent in my spiritual journey (which is far from over or decided). The Mormon interest came about from living on the edge of Mordor (the Corridor) for a few years. I had several LDS friends and they sparked an interest in the Church, which I have thus studied (far more than I probably should have). Needless to say, they didn't like what I had to hear about some of their beliefs. Life.

I'm way to curious for my own good and tend to throw myself fully into whatever interests me at a given time (example: what the heck is a non-Mormon doing with 700+ posts?). I'm sure one day I'll wake up with a fetish to learn about Swiss chocolate making and you'll never hear from me again.

I'm a huge introvert who enjoys reading (I would guestimate I have....well way too many books. I'm money poor but literature rich!), working out (mostly free weights and basketball), writing (mostly poetry--it works on the ladies :), music of many varieties, and enjoy selected TV and movies. I'm about to get my BA in History and already have two AAs in History and Political Science. I'm an expert on MASH, Star Wars, Bond films, and Roman history. I try to be as eclectic as possible and have read somewhat on a wide variety of topics (History, Political Science, Archaeology, and mostly other Social Sciences). I try to stay busy.

If you've read any of my posts you'll hopefully realize I don't take life too seriously and try to look for the comedic part of any situation. I'd like to think Jesus was a standup comedian when he wasn't saving the world.

Save this to your hard drive because I'll probably delete it when I wake up and realize I've spilt my guts.

Bond
"Whatever appears to be against the Book of Mormon is going to be overturned at some time in the future. So we can be pretty open minded."-charity 3/7/07
_Ray A

Post by _Ray A »

Taxi driver, former truck driver. No degrees. Failed in primary and high school. Hard of hearing and slow to catch on to things. Awarded dunce cap in kindergarten (where they all gather around you and sing, "he's a dunce...he's a dunce!)

Excelled at sport, but never broke any world records (though my much more talented brother did).

I'm currently working on a cure for the hangover, and if successful could be very rich. So far I think I have a magic formula: Don't drink the night before. I haven't patented this yet, though, so it's quite possible someone could have beaten me to it.
_gramps
_Emeritus
Posts: 2485
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:43 pm

Post by _gramps »

Ray A wrote:Taxi driver, former truck driver. No degrees. Failed in primary and high school. Hard of hearing and slow to catch on to things. Awarded dunce cap in kindergarten (where they all gather around you and sing, "he's a dunce...he's a dunce!)

Excelled at sport, but never broke any world records (though my much more talented brother did).

I'm currently working on a cure for the hangover, and if successful could be very rich. So far I think I have a magic formula: Don't drink the night before. I haven't patented this yet, though, so it's quite possible someone could have beaten me to it.


Waking and baking works quite well for me. Can I patent that, do you think?
I detest my loose style and my libertine sentiments. I thank God, who has removed from my eyes the veil...
Adrian Beverland
_Dr. Shades
_Emeritus
Posts: 14117
Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:07 pm

Post by _Dr. Shades »

liz3564 wrote:
Dr. Shades wrote:
It's the 21st Century, Liz. There's no such thing as a "surprise" anymore. :-)


He was a surprise for us! After I had a miscarriage 10 years ago, I was told that the chances were slim to none that I would be able to have any more children, due to some other medical complications.


Seriously, though: Have you ever heard of a woman who, after being told by a doctor that she'd never be able to have kids again, didn't have another child? I'm being completely serious here!

Forget expensive treatments: Simply being told by a doctor that one can't have any more children is the ultimate fertility drug.

But back to the topic:

Miss Taken wrote:What about you Dr Shades. You have always been a bit of a mystery (to me anyways!).
Any chance of (just a little) background!!!


Jersey Girl wrote:Oh, I kind of like the mystery of Dr. Shades!


If you want the full scoop on me, look no further than "Mr. Itchy" and his repulsive stalker-blog. But in the meantime, I suppose I can indulge a few tidbits.

I'm 37 years old. My mother converted to Mormonism when I was about four years old, and I started going to Primary after that. I hated every minute of it, since that was back in the days that Primary was held sometime during the week. For that matter, church in those days was split into two blocks with two-hour breaks in between, so I hated Sundays as well, gruelling ordeals that they were.

About the time I became a Deacon, however, I did a 180˚. I began taking the church and my membership therein very seriously. I would pull LDS reference books off the shelf to read just for fun. Priesthood meetings were great, since whenever there was a Bible quiz sort of game, I'd always be the first one chosen for teams.

My devotion must've gotten noticed, since I eventually was tapped out for nearly any sort of leadership position available to kids that age. I ended up being set apart as the co-chairman of the Stake Youth Council, so my Sundays were very busy. All those callings, responsibilities, etc. squelched any and all ambition for further leadership positions. Having "been there, done that," I was content to be nothing more than a worker bee for the rest of my life.

I of course wound up on a mission (to Japan, in my case). That was where I learned, firsthand, that the fairy tales you read in the Ensign about missionary work were just that--fairy tales 99% of the time. I began assuming that it was the same with any other aspect of the religion--that the church only focuses on the 1% positive and ignores the 99% negative. I could go into detail, but let's just say I was somewhat shocked and appalled by how dramatically some of my idealistic delusions were shattered. Even so, I remained faithful.

Years later, another major shock came during the "I don't know that we teach that, I don't know that we emphasize it" fiasco. But I shelved it and slogged on.

I finally learned the truth about Mormonism at age 28. I've been out ever since. I see no reason to continue with the church in any way, to "make it work," etc., since something is either true or false. It's fun to debate and discuss, but that's about it.

So much for the church angle. As for me personally, I'm a bigtime World War II buff. My second-to-last class in college was a "History of World War II" class. It was funny, since by the end of the first week I was the hero of the class. Everyone wanted to be in my study group. It finally got so ridiculous that I had to force myself to shut up, since if I didn't I'd be answering every question and talking almost as much as the teacher. For that matter, once I tried to sign up for a community education class about WWII, but had to drop it after the first day when it became painfully apparent that I knew more than the instructor. Oh my gosh, how did I get off on that tangent?

For my final digression, I was on cloud nine when "Letters from Iwo Jima" came out. I thought I'd never see an American movie from the Axis point of view, where the Germans or Japanese were the heroes. It was fantastic to finally see a movie which depicted the other side as human for a change.

In other news, I run another website at http://www.mormoninformation.com.

That's about it for me.
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"

--Louis Midgley
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