kicotan

Completely irrelevant to my point, but thanks for your contribution anyway. For your further consideration: Remember the court clerk in Kentucky that wouldn’t issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples? How’d that work out for her? or Jerry Falwell’s Liberty Baptist College that didn’t agree with the federal law regarding desegregation? Thats where I’m going with the ridiculousness of granting folks and entities tax exempt status. The clerk was jailed for invoking her personal religious belief as a reason to deny providing services for folk according to the law. Jerry Falwell’s church lost their tax exempt status until they got on board with allowing African Americans on campus. Why should Dignity Health be able to deny healthcare that is discriminatory towards non-Catholics and not face similar consequences?

I don’t know for sure but I think it is highly individual. For example, I started my period at 11 and shortly after that my libido and I couldn’t stop thinking about making out with boys by the time I was 13. I fought long and hard to hang on to my virginity after having so much fun just making out, but my resolve was destroyed by the time I hit 15. On the other hand, my sister didn’t even date until after college. Walked down the aisle at the age of 35, a virgin, to the first and last guy she ever dated after meeting him on a computer dating site. They’ve got 5 kids and been married for 22 years. Go figure.

Just to be clear, I’m not advocating for, supporting or endorsing Scientology. My stance is that regardless of belief system or historical existence, NO religion should get special treatment from the government by way of the IRS unless they can PROVE and document it by the same standards as Leah & Mike’s Aftermath.org does. I couldn’t care less about some sentimental attachment to a specific sect that’s been around longer and has ended up apologizing and settling lawsuits to the tune of millions of dollars. Currently, Dignity Health, owned and operated by the Catholic Church, routinely denies specific aspects of legal reproductive system healthcare to ALL community citizens based on religious beliefs, even if they are the ONLY hospital in a 50 mile radius. I don’t think they deserve to enjoy tax exempt status when they monopolize healthcare and simultaneously dictate their own religious dogma standard of healthcare regarding the entire community they serve. Especially when they are the ONLY option for folks who can’t afford to book an out of town stay at a non-Catholic owned, tax-exempt facility. Back in the 70’s/80’s, there was an alternative, a Community Hospital that didn’t have “religious” obligations that superseded treatment options. Unfortunately, they couldn’t compete with the tax-exempt organization that was their only competition so they closed.

Indeed, the Roman Catholic Church has made themselves very acceptable and accessible since Vatican II. However, their history of abuses and money-grubbing in comparison to Scientology is only diminished by the fact that they’ve been at it MUCH longer and reigned themselves in within the last century. The Supreme Court recognized Scientology as a “religion” in 1997, 22 years ago. 22 years into St. Peter’s version of Christianity(Modern Day Roman Catholicism) , adherents were considered belonging to a cult, persecuted, martyred, etc.

Indeed, they don’t. However, they still have to meet the requirements and many choose to be federally recognized because as a result, their parishioners will feel safer about their tax deductible donations. “...Theproblem is that Scientology makes it difficult to leave both personally and financially...” Catholic convents have been accused of the same thing when a nun leaves. “...The overwhelming evidence is that many former nuns experienced enormous practical and psychological problems, at the time of departure and later. Where they did not fairly quickly go on to long-term, well-paid employment or where they did not marry (and many did not) or where they were in poor health, physically or mentally, funds typically received on departure were in no way commensurate with their requirements then or later...” https://www.vwt.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Paradox-of-Service.pdf

I’ve not been able to find any indication online as to what course of study she will pursue. Given that her family is very supportive and her other siblings have gone on to college I would imagine she’ll figure it out once she is there.

I read online somewhere that thanks to online schooling, Jazz will not only graduate from high school but also earn an associate’s degree at the same time thanks to taking community college courses while she’s been doing online school. Way to multi-task! Re: the valedictorian thing Typically, the valedictorian has the highest GPA of the graduating class AND has been invited to speak at graduation. Some schools don’t automatically invite the highest GPA to deliver the valedictorian speech at graduation and there are even some schools who have more than one valedictorian. Since her online school is in conjunction with the public school system in her area and not a private or unaffiliated school, they may have asked her to be the valedictorian (or one of several) invited to give a speech based off of her activism as well as her academic achievements. The boyfriend? I firmly believe it’s scripted, except for the part about her having no libido.

Mormonism and it’s fundie factions are a queer lot. They kind of resemble the Protestant model in they all have that one common thread but then after that it is all over the place on what the rules are, depending on the sect. The top 12, according to Wikipedia are: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Community of Christ (RLDS) The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) Church of Jesus Christ with the Elijah Message Apostolic United Brethren Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) Restoration Branches Church of Christ (Hedrickites) Fellowships of the remnants Church of Christ (Fettingite) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) Plus there are many more, very small, family centered sects similar to how the Westboro Baptist Church fits into being considered a Protestant or Baptist sect~pretty much just family members and only a hundred (or maybe 400) folks at most. I could never be a Mormon of any stripe, but I find them and their history fascinating.

When Kody was lamenting about his “persecution” to Mariah, I almost held my breath waiting for him to make some sort of comment about how her “lifestyle” is legal and his “lifestyle” isn’t (complete with stomping his feet and whining about how it isn’t faaaaair like a 3 year old). But no. It must really chap his hide that Mariah can legally marry her girlfriend (Big Mormon No-No) yet he can’t legally marry as many women as he wants (Government denial of his Fundie Mormon proclivities). When Aspyn said that she told Mitch “we can’t plan a future together unless we are engaged” I heard “we can’t shack up and have sex unless we are engaged” while Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” softly played in the background... Having an alcoholic beverage (or 10) surely makes watching the show at this point more enjoyable!

@Absolom I apologize if you thought I was comparing modern day Catholic financial obligations to Scientology financial obligations based on scale. Scientology can’t hold a candle to the $$$ donated, historically, to the Catholic Church. Heck, Protestantism might not even exist if Martin Luther didn’t get as pissed off as Leah Remini is about the amount of $$$ folks spent on what they perceived as attaining a spot in “heaven” (CO$speak=Clear) that in reality both devised as a means to milk it’s adherents right and left. I was merely responding to another poster who asked a question about “churches”, other than Scientology, that include a financial obligation to the church in their dogma. I’d be hard pressed to find one that doesn’t, to some degree, currently.

Indeed, many have the same experience. Unfortunately, once a “Church” has been granted tax exempt status, they get the added benefit of the “don’t step on my religion” clause guaranteed by the first amendment. They could require every parishioner to take out a credit card and pledge the credit limit with impunity at that point because there is no oversight, they don’t have to submit financial reports like a non-religious based tax-exempt entity, That’s sort of the whole point of how the CO$ is gaming the system.

I’d like to offer examples, first by way of The Roman Catholic Church, which considers itself to be the One True Christian Church: The Fifth Precept of the the Catholic Church, from the Catechism: “You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church” means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability. Canon Law says this: Can. 222 §1. The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers. §2. They are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor from their own resources. Sounds like a financial obligation to me. Secondly, how about the LDS? “Money may be the root of all evil, but, for Mormons, it also provides a pathway to the highest heaven. That’s because to gain access to the sacred spaces and saving rituals of a Mormon temple, LDS believers must donate 10 percent of their income to the church. No payment? No entrance. You can earn [a place in the presence of our Father in Heaven],” LDS apostle Marion G. Romney once said, “by observing faithfully day by day, and year by year, the law of tithing and the other requirements of the gospel of Jesus Christ...” https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2018/03/26/does-tithing-requirement-for-entry-into-lds-temples-amount-to-mormons-buying-their-way-into-heaven/

Hi DC GAL IN VA. I was checking out a site that has compiled information on Scientology statistics. It has such things as lists of Individual Scientology Service Completions, indexed. https://www.truthaboutscientology.com/ I feel sorry for anyone that gets sucked into the CO$, especially people like Mike who must have a lot of guilt.

It’s just a guess but I’m going to say that since the government doesn’t keep stats on the number of members of any religion, it is up to the religion in question to self-report.

When Jessica and Jeanette were chatting on the bench outside, Jeanette told Jessica that Jazz’s “whole vagina fell off...well, the face of it”. Didn’t Dr. Ting say her vagina was doing just fine and intact? It’s so annoying that Jazz and Jeanette can’t just say the word “vulva” when that’s what they are talking about.

“...There are different types of drug testing including: Pre-Employment testing that occurs after a conditional offer of employment is extended; Reasonable Suspicion testing that is based on the employer’s reasonable suspicion that the employee is under the influence of drugs, based on objective and observable factors, such as employee appearance, speech, and/or behavior in the workplace; Post-Accident testing following a workplace accident; and Random or Periodic Testing during employment. State laws on drug testing in the workplace vary considerably so it’s important to review and comply with applicable state and local laws...” https://1sthcc.com/4-laws-that-impact-drug-testing-of-healthcare-employees/ If he would have shown up for his shift visibly impaired, or caused an accident, then yeah, he’d definitely have cause for concern!

I’d like to see them take it a step further = ALL religions stripped of tax-exempt status, then let them re-apply under the same secular conditions that organizations like Leah and Mike’s Aftermath.org have to comply with. Which is exactly why no cult/religion should get special treatment/IRS designation. They will game the system as it is set up, to their advantage. Changing the system is the only way to stop them.

One’s mileage most definitely varies depending on how different strains affect them, how long the effects would last, the remedy they are seeking and the dosage they are taking. According to California Cannabis regulations-each one of those edibles was 10mg. California Cannabis Regulations and Safety Act (SB-94) requires all edibles products (total packaging) are restricted to a maximum 100mg THC content. Edibles must also be scored clearly into accurately dosed 10mg (or less) servings. Adult-Use and Medical patients alike. Before the retail regulations kicked in, the medical cannabis patient community could purchase such things as a Korova Black Bar. It was one large brownie, maybe 3x4 inches with 1,000 mg of THC. I used to cut them into 9 cubes for a 9 day supply of garonteeeeed anti-insomnia/anti-anxiety/anti-nausea/appetite stimulant 4-in-1 wondermed for the ridiculous low price of $45. It is not allowed to be legally manufactured for retail/dispensary sales that way anymore, even to those who have their medical paperwork in order. No Health Insurance will cover cannabis but most likely it isn’t an issue for Dr. Glassman to pay out of pocket. Shaun can’t “pick up a prescription of cannabis edibles” for Dr. Glassman, sick at home, the way one might be able to pick up a prescription for antibiotics for a child sick at home. Unless Shaun was designated in Dr. Glassman’s State of California Medical Marijuana paperwork as his “Primary Caregiver”, or Shaun has his own State Medical Marijuana Card so that he can access the benefits for Dr. Glassman, Shaun is merely a retail customer, buying whatever Glassman wants. Not much different thanShaun going to the Liquor Store and buying a bottle of wine, then having a glass of it while Glassman drinks the rest. Typically, folks who take a medication for a desired result or to correct a chemical imbalance experience that medication’s effects differently than an otherwise healthy person or one for whom the medicine is contra-indicated. For example: insulin shots to a non-diabetic, aspirin tablets to someone with an allergy or sensitivity to ASA. Glassman taking it for the very much studied and confirmed benefit of nausea/pain relief for many is a bit different than Shaun experimenting on his Autism with it.

My brother and I were DES babies in 1963 and 1966. It was still prescribed by some doctors for pregnant women past 1971. The either didn’t get the memo or didn’t believe it was harmful so they kept on prescribing it. Some pediatricians in Australia didn’t stop prescribing it to girls they deemed “too tall” until 1975. It was also included in some prenatal vitamins that required no prescription. The FDA didn’t get around to officially withdrawing it’s approval for use in pregnant women until 2000. Studies have been and are being conducted on 3rd generation’s (sons and daughters of those exposed to DES in utero) reproductive systems. Granted, these days it would be a rare thing to see the kind of structural abnormalities DES passed along, but we really don’t know how many were exposed nor the extent of it’s reach to the 3rd generation.

To: All the Officers on LivePD ”female” is an adjective, not a noun. Thank you

There is another situation where it might be of concern. Diethylstilbestrol exposure in utero. “...DES is a potent teratogen, and prenatal DES exposure can disrupt the differentiation of estrogen target organs, mainly the reproductive organs. DES is known to have adverse consequences including clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina or cervix and genital tract abnormalities such as transverse cervical and vaginal ridges, vaginal adenosis, and hypoplastic and “T-shaped” uterus...Between 1947 and 1971, the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) was prescribed to pregnant women to prevent spontaneous abortions. Many studies have demonstrated adverse consequences of prenatal DES exposure. This report describes a DES daughter treated for uterine cancer who presented with a foreshortened vagina of 4 cm and stage III pelvic organ prolapse. She underwent successful vaginal native tissue reconstructive surgery with uterosacral colpopexy and anterior and posterior repair to lengthen her vagina and treat her prolapse. She then developed stress incontinence and underwent periurethral bulking 5 months later. She has been followed for 2 years with no recurrence of prolapse or incontinence...” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5468016/

I would hazard a guess that blocking puberty might have something to do with it. Puberty doesn’t naturally happen to everyone at the same age. Some young women get their periods at 11, others don’t get it until they are 16 and every age in between. It also doesn’t just affect us physically, there’s a mental component to it as well. If one is hormonally blocked from puberty, the genitalia isn’t the only thing that ends up not advancing in sexual maturity. Even those of us that didn’t purposefully block puberty don’t have identical turn-ons/offs or experience the same level of mental/emotional impulse of sexual desire as teenagers. Some chicks wait to engage in anything sexual, including masturbation, until they are 30 and married without batting an eyelash. Some just don’t hold out that long no matter how hard they might try and there are even some who don’t give a crap about social conventions of “appropriate” age or marital status and enthusiastically engage in masturbation and consensual sex as a teenager. Regardless of stereotypes, experiencing puberty is highly individual. Plus, not every woman has to masturbate to achieve orgasm, some do so spontaneously. Ever heard of Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder? “...Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a phenomenon, in which afflicted women experience spontaneous genital arousal, unresolved by orgasms and triggered by sexual or nonsexual stimuli, eliciting stress...” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4980903/

In Jeanette’s defense, she’s got Jacky as a role model. At Jacky’s age she definitely shouldn’t be wearing any off-the-shoulder numbers, drawing attention to her eyes with eye make-up and that wig is like Cher’s Wig and Dolly Parton’s Wig had a baby. Yes, I admit, I’m shallow as well.

Add to the mix that pesky constitutional thing about government not establishing religion nor preventing it’s citizens from freely participating in their religion of choice and the line between cult and religion becomes very thin. However, not all cults or religions are granted the special designation Tax Exempt. There are rules to that game. I ran across an article that gives some good information as well as links to some of the court cases involved in the adjudication and enforcement of the IRS Tax Exempt Status Rules of The Game that entities such as CO$ enjoy. From the article: ”...The most fundamental thing to understand is that no group and no church is “owed” a tax exemption. These exemptions on various taxes are in no way protected by the Constitution — they are created by the legislatures, regulated by the legislatures, and can be taken away by the legislatures. At the same time, tax exemptions — including those for religious groups — are not prohibited by the Constitution... ...The only restriction on how the legislatures act when it comes to creating and giving out tax exemptions is that they are not permitted to do so based upon preferences for content or based upon a group’s failure to take certain oaths. In other words, once tax exemptions are created at all, the process for allowing certain groups to take advantage of them is restricted by constitutional rights... If a tax-exempt group — religious or secular — promotes ideas which contradict important public policies (like desegregation), then the group’s tax-exempt status may not be granted or extended. Tax exemptions are provided in exchange for groups’ providing services to the community; when the groups undermine important goals of the community, then the tax exemptions are no longer justified...” https://www.thoughtco.com/religious-tax-exemptions-overview-249595 HBO also has “Going Clear” in their lineup. I watched it the other night. The girl they matched him with is an actress currently on the Starz show “Counterpart” ~ Nazanin Boniadi.

“...Police charged the driver with misdemeanor marijuana possession, DUI and failure to yield. Nemeth took her to jail. It probably seemed a routine arrest. But the woman was Denise Gentile, and in her world, this was anything but routine. Gentile, of Clearwater, is a well-known Scientologist and the twin sister of the church's worldwide leader, David Miscavige...” http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/twin-sister-of-scientology-leader-miscavige-arrested-for-marijuana/2129224 ETA “...Denise Gentile, a sister of David Miscavige, chairman of the church's Board of Religious Technology Center, did not appear at Monday's hearing in Pinellas County, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The plea bargain calls for her to undergo an alcohol evaluation, attend classes for drunk drivers, pay $800 in court costs and meet with victims of drunk driving...” https://www.upi.com/Sister-of-Scientology-head-spared-drug-DUI-conviction/45101373399564/