General Discussions #5

[Timex]

My bet on Raven...

1) He is ADHD...always has been.

2) Although often on a team of some sort, he has never really been part of a team.

3) As a child, he was the class clown

4) Although bright, I would bet his grades never reflected it. Most likely an average student at best.

5) Cannot tell the difference between people laughing with him, and laughing at him.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

I think that you are right-on with your assessment, Timex.

 

[golfmom]

I still think that it's very odd that we've not heard from any of Raven's team mates. He's played since he was a child ... what about high school soccer buddies, college soccer buddies, adult league soccer buddies.

 

[tiffany]

Home-Teaching is a Mormon chuch thing.

 

[SouthEastSleuth]

Home-Teaching is a Mormon chuch thing.

So, when Raven refers to preparing his "home teaching lesson," that's affiliated with LDS somehow? Can you explain what that means exactly Tiffany? I guess I always thought he was referring to some work-related computer thing or something...

Thanks!!

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

NC_VX
03/02/2005
07:57 AM

I'm not one to complain for those who choose to part with their vehicles as I am selling my 99 as well...

Dude, I was in your shoes a dozen times thinking of reasons I made a bad choice. I bought my 99 brand new and a year later was thinking... Damn, I could have gotten a 4 door grand cherokee for the same price I paid for my VX.... Five years later I am now so glad I didn't get rid of the VX or go with a "traditional SUV".... Then again, I like being different.

ANYWAY... If you wanna sell, I'm sure someone out there wants to buy, but don't give the VX a bad wrap by saying it can't do what you want it to, cause it can, you just have to take the time to make it happen!

 

[Timex]

I still think that it's very odd that we've not heard from any of Raven's team mates. He's played since he was a child ... what about high school soccer buddies, college soccer buddies, adult league soccer buddies.

The only ones I would even expect to hear from are current soccer teammates. I just dont see him as having any "high school buddies".

Secondly, if I were a buddy of his, Im not sure I would be using the internet to speak up for him at this point.

Although not everyone has decided Raven is guilty, many folks are leaning that way. Speaking up for Raven isnt going to be a popular thing to do. I base this opinion on other cases. Once a majority has formed an opinion on a case, being on the opposite side is a very difficult place to be.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

NC_VX
06/08/2003
08:58 AM

Thanks for ALL THE GREAT REPLY's
I can't thank you all enough for the pic's, details, etc. I have always heard that the VX Owners are like family. Although I have been riding my VX for 3 years, I have not taken the time to become part of the family and meet many of you at future Isuzu outings...(ramblings about parts here)...LAST NOTE: I live in NC and would love to follow someone wheelin' sometime. I have taken a jeep and truck through pretty narly trails, and have taken the Isuzu on small little test runs (like bouldering, for any rockclimbers out there). I can learn fast! IN ADDITION TO THAT< I will soon be moving to Utah> I hope to interact with you VX lovers in Moab or something. My wife and I are looking forward to all the fun.


NC_VX
06/24/2003
01:24 PM

I DID IT THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE, FOR THE GREAT FEEDBACK

Dude, I just picked up the VX. I don't have my camera with me (wife took it out of town) and so I Can't show you, but man it looks good. So, I have the O.M.E 912's, RS9000 shocks, and BFGoodRich 285/75R/16 A/T. I went with the All Terrains because of the high-miles I put on it in the city and travelign to fun places....

The shocks are so sweet. I feel like I am hovering, not driving.... I did have to shave a tiny corner inside the wheel well of the front, but that was it. I will post pictures soon.

Thanks everyone. I still have a lot of work to do, I can only wihs I would have done this years ago!!! My VX IS ALIVE AGAIN!!!!

************************************************************

So it seems that June 2003 is when he finally reached out to the VX "family". How many months after this did he and Janet begin to have problems? Was he getting in touch with his boyhood again through his VX interactions, and it made him crave to be single again? I wonder if it was difficult for Raven to separate the VX board and family from real life. Like the old Dungeons & Dragons crimes mentality, (not that I see anything wrong with D&D - used to play it myself once in a while - just that some people got so involved with the character that they made themselves out to be that they couldn't separate it in real life).

 

[Timex]

Or..he had no real life friendships, so turned to the internet. We see this all the time. People using the internet to fill a need that isnt being met in their real lives.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

That's a good point, Timex, and reminds me of something I wanted to say earlier. Raven repeatedly posted excitedly about how he would "definitely" be attending one function or another but it seems that all but one time, he cancelled for one reason (or excuse) or another. Did Raven ever really plan on attending these things? Was there some reason WHY he cancelled so often? Could it be that he was afraid that the Raven he was in person wasn't going to measure up to the VX board Raven? I'm not implying that such is true, only wondering what might have been going on in his own mind, and judging by some of the personality factors that seem to be there, it seems like a possibility.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

I'm looking for one more post to link to this whole theme that I've got going on right now ... it's the post about the VX'ers being a part of something unique. If anyone finds it, can you please post it here? Thanks.

 

[Timex]

I think it's more along the lines of...he honestly intended to go...but didnt think things thru before saying he would. This is pretty typical of ADHD types. The do and say things on impulse, without stopping to think about how they would do it.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

I think it's more along the lines of...he honestly intended to go...but didnt think things thru before saying he would. This is pretty typical of ADHD types. The do and say things on impulse, without stopping to think about how they would do it.

That's almost a given, IMO. But at the same time, it seems that he really, really wanted to be one of the boys. But whenever it came time to do it, he never did. If the reason was that Janet was always telling him "We don't have the money; we have to move;", etc., was it something for which Raven resented her?

I don't know ... the whole situation is so sad. Even if Raven did not do this, from what we've learned, you can almost see their family unraveling before your eyes. And it's just plain sad.

 

[SouthEastSleuth]

So, when Raven refers to preparing his "home teaching lesson," that's affiliated with LDS somehow? Can you explain what that means exactly Tiffany? I guess I always thought he was referring to some work-related computer thing or something...

Thanks!!

I would still like some direct confirmation of the "home teaching lesson" as it relates to LDS from someone else. But, I did find the following, which I think is interesting:

Re: What do you miss about being LDS?
Actually, it may not be that hard to do. Talk to your parish preist about it, maybe set up Catechism classes after mass, 1 for children, 1 for teenagers and 1 for adults because when you think about it, that's all Sunday school really is. http://forums.catholic.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

The Home Teacher program is wonderful. It's just 2 Church members, most frequently a husband and wife but sometimes singles get paired off (in which case it's 2 men or 2 women) who have signed up for it first of all, they are then assigned a family who are also church members, and then once every month they come by and you fellowship and discuss that months home teaching lesson (which is printed in the church magazine), your home teachers will see if you need anything (like if you've fallen on hard times and need help buying groceries or if your ill and need something etc.) or if you end up in the hospital or something you call your home teachers and they'll call the pastor etc.

Most home teachers have 2 or 3 families that they look in on every month but never more than they are able to actually handle. It's a wonderful calling and really does really magnify that feeling of fellowship.

I remember when I was about 15 and one of the members had lost his job and his family was really having a rough go of it. Their home teacher got a bunch of us together, we went to a grocery store and filled up 2 big plastic laundry baskets with food and staples, left them on their front porch and wisked away http://forums.catholic.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif We were not going to knock or anything but they must have heard us drive up because we no sooner got in the car than the door opened ha ha. Busted http://forums.catholic.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif But it was great.

I'm rambling now, but it definatley is something I'll miss. http://forums.catholic.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

God Bless.


This if from a catholic site, where they had asked the question about what fo you miss most about LDS, and this was one person's reply.

As I said earlier, I has assumed (UGH) that when Raven captioned that picture from April 24, 2005, referring to Kaiden helping with Daddy's home teaching lesson, that he was referring to some work-related thing... perhaps not, now that we have the LDS link, at least to that phrase.

So I still wonder what, if anything, was Raven doing, as far as employment, at the time of Janet's murder.

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=57315

 

[golfmom]

The only ones I would even expect to hear from are current soccer teammates. I just dont see him as having any "high school buddies".
.

2) Although often on a team of some sort, he has never really been part of a team.

I really meant it as a reference to your statement above. That he was not really ever part of the team. I know what you mean about how hard it would be for friends/family to swim upstream here. But, we have seen a vx/motorcycle kindof buddy show up. I'm surprised that we haven't seen anything from soccer friends ... good or bad ...

 

[golfmom]

The home teaching thing has me very puzzled. Was he devout or not? Embezzlement, affairs, financial irresponsibility ... maybe he felt like he hit rock bottom and turned to the church.

 

[newkid]

I would still like some direct confirmation of the "home teaching lesson" as it relates to LDS from someone else. But, I did find the following, which I think is interesting:

The description you found is pretty close. It can vary by area and the make up of the congregation, but everywhere we've lived home teaching is handled by the men. Very occasionally have we run into husband and wife teams.

Home teachers do exactly what you found posted, visit with each of their assigned families at least once a month, give the lesson out of a church magazine (which is also available online - maybe what Raven was looking at) and see how each family is doing. They report back to their leaders at the end of each month, or sooner if there is a problem with the family that needs immediate attention.

 

[SouthEastSleuth]

The description you found is pretty close. It can vary by area and the make up of the congregation, but everywhere we've lived home teaching is handled by the men. Very occasionally have we run into husband and wife teams.

Home teachers do exactly what you found posted, visit with each of their assigned families at least once a month, give the lesson out of a church magazine (which is also available online - maybe what Raven was looking at) and see how each family is doing. They report back to their leaders at the end of each month, or sooner if there is a problem with the family that needs immediate attention.

Thank you newkid! Really helpful.

To clarify a thing or two, if you don't mind - generally speaking, are the "home teachers" more experienced members, etc.? When Raven refers to "preparing his home teaching lesson, " the implication is not necessarily that HE is a home teacher himself, but perhaps perparing in advance of a home teaching visit?

Thanks again!

 

[newkid]

The home teaching thing has me very puzzled. Was he devout or not? Embezzlement, affairs, financial irresponsibility ... maybe he felt like he hit rock bottom and turned to the church.

Could have been that he was turning to the church or maybe it was more vanity, trying to look good in front of others?

I remember hearing Mark Hackings fellow church members saying they felt shocked and betrayed because he had seemed to be such a devout member.

 

[lauriej]

I'm looking for one more post to link to this whole theme that I've got going on right now ... it's the post about the VX'ers being a part of something unique. If anyone finds it, can you please post it here? Thanks.

.haven't found that one...( unique vx'ers....) but hadn't seen this one before..:
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=2569&highlight=NC_VX

12/19/2003, 06:04 PM

... now the secrets out... How are we going to get away with it anymore, the Border Patrol already hangs on this site cause we have been classified as a Cult by Section 21A.459.9A:7 of the Homeland Security Act....
__________________
-The Rave-
North Carolina