Raunchy Prince was actually a conservative Christian who reportedly opposed gay marriage

[MADem]

Now, this is news to me....am I alone in my surprise?


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/04/21/raunchy-prince-was-actually-a-conservative-christian-who-reportedly-opposed-gay-marriage/

Raised a Seventh Day Adventist, Prince later became a Jehovah’s Witness, and the story of his conversion became public in a rather remarkable way. The Guardian wrote in 2004: “A newspaper in his hometown reported how a married couple had answered their door to find Prince proffering a copy of the Watchtower. Though they were orthodox Jews, and it was Yom Kippur, they were also Prince fans. They welcomed him into the house.” ..... Here’s Moyer on Prince’s faith and how the singer apparently intended his intense, bawdy expressions of sexuality to be linked to the worship of God. This excerpt begins with Prince talking in 2009 with Tavis Smiley, and explaining why he — Prince — didn’t vote for Obama, the first black president:

“The reason why is that I’m one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses,” Prince said. “And we’ve never voted. That’s not to say I don’t think … President Obama is a very smart individual and he seems like he means well. Prophecy is what we all have to go by now.”

Indeed, though Prince is famous for writhing around naked in purple bathrooms and writing songs with titles like “Sexy M.F.,” religion — okay, “prophecy” — has guided much of his music. For every filthy song like “Darling Nikki,” it seems, there is a track like “The Cross.” The Purple One’s religiosity became even more apparent after he turned to Jesus in 2001......Then there was the time Prince came out against gay marriage. In a New Yorker profile in 2008, he slighted Republicans and Democrats — “neither of them is getting it right,” he said — but singled out same-sex marriage as part of the Democrats’ notion that “‘You can do whatever you want.”...

Much more at the link...

Who knew????

[Hugin]

1. Anybody who saw purple rain.

It was obvious.

I liked his music and respected his genius, anyway.

An open mind is nice to have.

[MADem]

18. I never saw that film. I'll bet it will be on TV soon. nt

[Hugin]

25. Until it comes on, start by looking up, "I'd die 4 U". n/t

[MADem]

29. I've heard his music--just never saw the film. nt

[Hugin]

95. For the record, he thought very highly of ellen degeneres, too.

She has been one of the few people to bring him out of his shell into the public sphere over the years.

[MrScorpio]

2. Really? nt

[MADem]

19. So sez the WAPO--it's news to me. nt

[m-lekktor]

3. Nope I knew of his views, it's been reported before. I was waiting to see how long it took

for somebody to bring it up. It has been mentioned in the gay press off and on quite a few times in the past actually!

[MADem]

13. I never followed the guy that much. I was aware of his music, I was aware of Charlie Murphy's

wonderful "shirts and blouses" basketball story, but I wasn't an aficionado of the details of his personal life.

So this is a surprise to me. I'm betting I'm not alone, either.

[m-lekktor]

15. Nope I am sure this is news to many people not just you! nt

[Go Vols]

67. When I think of "Prince"

I think of that vid.

https://vimeo.com/8712558

[MADem]

69. Apparently he actually WAS a badass basketball player!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/prince-basketball-player_us_57190bc9e4b0d0042da87993


How good a pancake maker he was, well, we'll have to rely on Charlie's memory!

[Stellar]

104. So true, and also his album cover of Dave Chappelle..."Breakfast can Wait"...

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. I'll never listen to Purple Haze the same way again.

https://m.

[Hugin]

5. ...

You win.

[BuelahWitch]

7. Wolf Blitzer's been in a Purple Haze all his life!

[MADem]

10. LOL--Good old Wolf! Now that's a funny fuckup!! nt

[HOPNOSH]

12. Wolf is such a fuckin' tool

A Nimrod tool.

[m-lekktor]

6. Let me add, a majority of my facebook friends are gay and all of them are sad and posting Prince

videos and not a one has brought this up yet.

[MADem]

11. Maybe they haven't looked at the WAPO yet. It was news to me, too. nt

[m-lekktor]

14. well i have seen it mentioned in the gay press over the years

I suspect some of them might have as well. I just saw that another gay DUer mentioned it on another thread. who knows.

[beaglelover]

21. I'm gay and knew this about him. Didn't change my opinion of him as an artist. I am

devastated today by this news. I had the great fortune to see him live many times and hearing him perform 20 minute versions of Purple Rain was a life altering experience. RIP Prince! I will miss you dearly!!!

[m-lekktor]

23. I feel the same! I am sad over his death as well. nt

[NYCButterfinger]

8. So what? It was his beliefs. His music was great.

[MADem]

16. Why are you "so what"-ing me? It's new information to me, as I said (several times, now).

smh.

Would you prefer to be ignorant of these facts about him?

It looks like he died of an overdose too--should we keep calling it the "flu?"

[NYCButterfinger]

22. No, but it was his views.

[rockfordfile]

86. Well he was a bigot

[npk]

9. Lots of people were at one point against gay marriage

President Obama was against it until 2012, not that long ago.

[MADem]

17. President Obama didn't die of an overdose in a home elevator.

He wasn't a Jehovah's Witness/7th Day Adventist, either.

These are details that are news to me. If you don't want to hear about them, hit HIDE THREAD.

[Scootaloo]

26. Your attempt to find an excuse to grave-dance are pretty sad, MADem.

[MADem]

34. Wow--aren't you behaving in a sorry fashion, name calling me like that! Why are you doing that?

What's wrong with INFORMATION that is carried in the mainstream press?

Why are you trying to make ME the bad guy for bringing a link IN A NATIONAL NEWSPAPER to the attention of DUers?

This is a DISCUSSION board--if you don't want to discuss, and instead, want to name call, go stand in front of the mirror and call YOURSELF names. That would work just fine, because you are "pretty sad" and way outta line.

Otherwise, hit HIDE THREAD and step the fuck off.



I thought REPUBLICANS were the people who stuffed their fingers in their ears and screamed NANANANANANANA! Who knew the WILLFULLY IGNORANT were closer to home?

[Scootaloo]

46. I called you by no name other than your own.

I am, however, calling our your actions as an attempt to find an excuse to grave-dance over Prince passing on. That's what I'm calling "sad" both because it's a pretty sorry attempt, and because it actually makes me a little sad.

[MADem]

51. You characterized me as a grave dancer for wanting to discuss an article in a major newspaper.

Last edited Fri Apr 22, 2016, 12:28 AM - Edit history (1)

And you're doing it again as you sanctimoniously double down--as you do.

So push off if you don't like the conversation, but before you go--here, let me call YOU a name or two: You are a thread derailer, a bully, a net-nanny, a disruptor, and a goader as well as a baiter.

I see you. You're as transparent as glass.

Now hit HIDE THREAD if you don't like the conversation.

I don't particularly enjoy talking to negative whiners who play the bullshit "sad" and "sorry" cards when they're actually trying to high horse and look down their nose. Get over yourself, and get out of this thread if you don't like it--otherwise, we'll know what your game is--you could care about Dead Prince, you're just looking for a good derailing shitstir.

This isn't new to you--you do it with me all the time. I wish you'd tire of it, because I'm tired of the way you come after me routinely in this fashion. It's not a very mature approach.





Finally got a win, didja? You had to alert every damn post I made to do it:

Automated Message
AUTOMATED MESSAGE: One of your posts has been hidden by a DU Jury
Mail Message
On Fri Apr 22, 2016, 12:08 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

What is wrong with you?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7773402

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Personal attack, profanity laced rant. "Goddamn net nanny." Offensive and insulting.

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Fri Apr 22, 2016, 12:18 AM, and voted 4-3 to HIDE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Hiding for the personal insults, over the top invective, and ignorant mischaracterization of opioid addicts.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Not a personal attack. What's more, poster explains the basis of heroin addiction pretty well.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Was on the fence, read it a couple times, it is just really rude in my opinion.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: alerter seems to want the jury to take a side, no thanks
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: OTT
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given

CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DECISION

You will no longer be able to participate in this discussion thread, and you will not be able to start a new discussion thread in this forum until 1:18 AM. This hidden post has been added to your <a href="/?com=profile&uid=152137&sub=trans">Transparency page</a>.

I'm reporting you to the admins for abuse. Probably won't do any good--but everyone should see you for just what you are. Now everyone knows what is wrong with you.

[Go Vols]

59. seldom agree with you,

voted leave on this tho.

[MADem]

71. Damn, gotta wonder who "hit the button?"

If I had to guess, I'd come to the obvious conclusion.

Thanks for the LEAVE.

[Go Vols]

74. results

On Fri Apr 22, 2016, 03:26 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

You characterized me as a grave dancer for wanting to discuss an article in a major newspaper.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7773490

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Name calling is rude and over-the-top, the other poster was being civil, no need for this kind of personal attack.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Fri Apr 22, 2016, 03:51 AM, and the Jury voted 1-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Pretty damn close to the line, but I'm voting leave it..
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: The post which this one responded was doing the name calling, telling lies in an alert is not acceptable, wrong use of the jury system. Stop the name calling.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Prince wasn't Elvis,don't get too tore up over this.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: I think sometimes people spend just a little too much time here. Personal attack - clearly
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This day of mourning probably wasn't the day to post and want to discuss an article stating the personal beliefs of Prince that might be controversial. Too soon. BUT...people have the right to reply to scolds.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[MADem]

77. Thanks!!

LOL-- "the other poster" called me a "grave dancer" twice! How civil!

To all who voted leave it alone, thank you--I appreciate it.

[Action_Patrol]

103. One more for you.

AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service
Mail Message
On Fri Apr 22, 2016, 07:20 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Wow--aren't you behaving in a sorry fashion, name calling me like that! Why are you doing that?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7773380

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

No comments added by alerter

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Fri Apr 22, 2016, 07:33 AM, and the Jury voted 0-7 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Can't even comment on your own alert? This doesn't come even close to being a disruptive post.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: If the person who sent the alert can't say what the violation is how is anyone else; I'm not a mind reader
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Not hide worthy...just passionate.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: probably would have been best to leave out the "step the f*k off" part, but otherwise OK
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Nothing rude here. It's passionate but it's discourse.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Scootaloo]

76. I said that you're looking for an excuse to grave-dance

Which is pretty plainly the case. You're grabbing at the most sensational, negative spin you can get on Prince's death, and are pointedly arguing with other people who are dubious of that spin. You're not reporting, you're editorializing, trying to push a particular outlook. A plainly negative outlook, in a clear attempt to demonize the man. And here you are, flipping your lid 'cause I'm calling you on it.

I see you too, MADem. Very clearly.

[MADem]

79. And I said you were looking for an excuse to disrupt, and here you are, CONTINUING to do that.

If you don't like the thread, back out of it. You've turned down opportunity after opportunity to do just that. Why do you think you have authority to tell people how to behave here? Pro tip--you don't.

You aren't the Board Monitor. Stop acting like it. And stop chasing me around trying to get my posts hidden--it's tiresome.


This thread is about a a WAPO HEADLINE--if you don't like it, too bad for you. HIDE THREAD IS YOUR FRIEND.



And with this comment--everyone here can see you too.

cootaloo
76. I said that you're looking for an excuse to grave-dance
View profile
Which is pretty plainly the case. You're grabbing at the most sensational, negative spin you can get on Prince's death, and are pointedly arguing with other people who are dubious of that spin. You're not reporting, you're editorializing, trying to push a particular outlook. A plainly negative outlook, in a clear attempt to demonize the man. And here you are, flipping your lid 'cause I'm calling you on it.

I see you too, MADem. Very clearly.

Keep digging, if you must--you're just making it all the more obvious what your intent is, here. The one doing the lid flipping isn't me.

[Scootaloo]

82. I haven't told you how to behave at all.

You've been the one trying to tell me what to do. Pro tip - it doesn't work.

No, I'm telling you my opinion of your attempt to throw up as much negativity on Prince as you can, before his body has even reached room temperature. "Obama didn't die of a heroin overdose in a home elevator," is that our discussion? If so I feel I'm actually elevating the discourse, if anything. You posted in an open discussion board, looking for discussion, well, not all of that discussion is going to revolve around agreeing with you and your opinions and the spin you're throwing up.

I happily stand by everything I've said. You're throwing up a lot of sensationalism and negativity about a beloved artist who has died. I find that shameful. if you don't like other people finding your actions shameful, well... tough, I guess.

[classykaren]

102. I agree she is acting shameful

[bvf]

98. Isn't he just a piece of work, though?

[Scootaloo]

100. You could say that...

[Rob H.]

111. So is the ability to edit posts in a thread you've been locked out of a bug or a feature?

Admin should change that. It lets people who have been kicked out a thread for getting a hide continue to post by editing existing posts, ffs. That's just wrong.

[cwydro]

66. Whoa, is that the case?

I hadn't heard that news yet.

I've heard it rumored, but didn't know that was confirmed.

[MADem]

72. TMZ "I'm a LAWYER" usually doesn't get it wrong, and that's what they've got. nt

[TeeYiYi]

20. Fuck the Washington Post!...

Is the body even cold yet? So fucking tacky!

TYY

[MADem]

24. Why is it tacky? It's not like he was trying to conceal this information.

Just because it's news to some (like me) doesn't mean--obviously--it's news to all.

Apparently, he was a very complicated and religious individual. He was also fighting the dragon, and he lost.

When people die (young, especially), there is a tendency to do a retrospective on all aspects of their life to see if there's any "reason" for the early departure. This was obviously a troubled guy, who felt a need to escape via opiates.

[TeeYiYi]

30. Are you seriously...

...trying to suggest that Prince was escaping anything besides actual, debilitating pain in his hips?... and you're here, helping to disparage Prince...in the hours immediately following the announcement of his premature demise, MADem, for what purpose,...exactly?...

TYY

[restorefreedom]

63. we don't know it was heroin

we actually don't know anything, but if tmz is correct, he recently received a dose of narcan. narcan is used to treat od of opioids, including the prescription painkillers. he may have been on drs meds for pain and something went wrong.

he was purportedly very anti drug and quite devout. so he may have been struggling with prescription painkillers, something that is becoming quite a plague in this country.

but we will know more soon.

[MADem]

75. You're entirely right--or it could have been a Nurse Jackie addiction.

...but what's the difference, really? At the end of the day, it got him.

He obviously wasn't getting appropriate medical care if he could overdose himself at least twice in a matter of days, and the last time end up dead.

Usually, with pills, it's easier to control the dosages (see Limbaugh, Rush), unless they're getting crushed and cooked and injected. Then, we're in sketchier territory.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman chased the dragon, too. His death was the result of a bad batch...one can't help but wonder if he got something that was stepped on in a bad way.

Sorry I can't continue this conversation, Scootaloo got me booted out of my own thread. I will take it up with the admins--that kind of disruptive bullshit deserves PPR, IMO.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

91. I think the case with PSH, and I could be mistaken, was quitting and starting back up too strong.

There have been several high profile cases of celebs going to rehab and then falling off the wagon with a lowered tolerance. Bad combo.

I think that was the case with the kid from the show Glee. Cory M?

[cleanhippie]

109. "Scootaloo got me booted out of my own thread". No, YOU got you booted from your own thread.

No one puts your words on the screen but you.

[braddy]

27. Jehovah's Witnesses are not actually considered Christian by Christian churches.

[MADem]

28. I don't really know that much about them, save that they've disturbed my sleep on occasion. nt

[braddy]

37. I don't either, I know a lot about Mormons because of Romney and research, but not the Witnesses.

[MADem]

40. I don't think they're political, so we'll probably have no reason to learn about them in the context

of a candidacy.

I don't think they vote, or serve in the military, or celebrate holidays.

Doesn't seem like much fun to me...!

[braddy]

60. True what you said, as a note, Eisenhower was born into a JW family, but some think it may have been

Mennonite, but whatever it was, he became a Presbyterian, although not baptized until he was 63 years old, at least as a Christian.

[Go Vols]

65. lol

[islandmkl]

31. those might be true facts...which does not make them 'news'...

they just serve as gossip which some people will delight in passing along...under many guises...

"I never knew.."....well, why the hell would you...was it some kind of business of yours?

[MADem]

38. It's news to me. If you aren't interested, hit HIDE THREAD and move along. nt

[tralala]

32. Who cares? He was an artist, not an authority figure

[MADem]

39. I do.

I never knew any of this about him--the drug issues, the religiosity, none of it.

[rockfordfile]

88. of course in the end it matters. It seems that the guy was a bigot

Did he change? I don't know yet

[Kelvin Mace]

33. All our heroes have some flaw

Just like the rest of us. Gay people certainly loved him.

[MADem]

41. Well, he's not really a "hero" to me, though I thought he was a talented musician. nt

[Kelvin Mace]

48. Well, "hero" was too broad a word,

I am searching for a word meaning "people we admire". And of course, there are people we like, and people we REALLY like.

[ScreamingMeemie]

35. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, who were part of "the Revolution"

and collaborated with him on many songs, including Purple Rain, were lesbians. He might have been against gay marriage for his religious reasons, but he was accepting. Wendy even called him a fancy lesbian once upon a time.

[glinda]

89. His alter-ego was Camille.

[Recursion]

42. He used to go door to door proselytizing between tours

But would never mention who he was.

[MADem]

44. Now that's .... fascinating. Wonder if I slammed the door on him?

I've done that a time or ten.

[Recursion]

45. Right? Even funnier is imagining the guy who listens but keeps side-eyeing that one missionary

"wait... is that...?"

"I mean... that can't be..."

[glinda]

90. Do you live in Chanhassen?

[kwassa]

43. I heard this years ago ....

That he and Larry Graham would go door-to-door selling the Watchtower.

Graham was the bass player for Sly, and a major figure in the development of funk, as he invented the slap bass style of bass that was widely imitated.

[MADem]

49. I guess you can't always escape your childhood...or maybe you don't want to....?

It just doesn't seem like a fun way to spend a day--but it must have been programmed into them that this "expression of faith" brought reward of some sort.

Who knew? I can imagine the double takes he must have gotten on occasion.

[kwassa]

52. I think it was a later-life conversion. .

Rather than representing his earlier musical life. Sex and spirituality can get mixed up in popular music. Many black singers learned to sing in church, but they didn't stay there.

[MADem]

54. I'm not really clear on the timeline, but I think his childhood was as an Adventist, and

he switched to Jehovah as an adult.

I'm not really sure, though.

I will imagine that in the biographies that will pop up, online, in print media, and on TV, that we'll learn more.

[kwassa]

64. Rev. Al Green

Incredibly great soul singer that left pop stardom to be a minister, but came back. Many of the greatest soul singers have deep church roots. Aretha. Marvin Gaye.

[redstateblues]

80. Doesn't he still have a church in Memphis?

I know several people who have made the trip to hear him preach and sing. He is one of the best.

[OriginalGeek]

115. whoa really?

I'm an atheist who was raised in a fundamentalist home. Haven't been to church in over 30 years but I'd give Rev. Al's a shot if he was there singing and preaching.

[Iggo]

47. Jeez.

[polly7]

50. He was one of the most talented musicians and performers I've ever seen.

I can only imagine how electrifying his live performances would have been.

No-one is 'perfect'. He was who he was. He'll be missed and remembered with the same amount of profound loss as Freddie, Whitney, Michael, David and all the others who left much too soon. So sorry for his family, friends and the millions of fans so sad today.

Leave him alone.

[MADem]

53. Why don't you leave this thread alone instead of telling people what to do?

Did someone send you a PM?



You'd better hurry up and write to all the major media outlets and give them a piece of your mind, too, because they're all talking about this.

Get busy, now!

[polly7]

55. Why would someone have to send me a pm for me to post on this thread?

I loved his talent, he was amazing .................. what's your problem?

[MADem]

57. Mmm hmmm. nt

[polly7]

58. No idea what you're moaning about. nt.

[Zen Democrat]

56. When Prince Got Political

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/277162-when-prince-got-political


Great article with lots of stuff I did not know.

3. Secret White House concert

Prince played a secret show at the White House on June 13, 2015, for President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and 500 of their friends.

Music legends play at the White House all the time, of course. But this one was different, in part because it was so secretive.

According to Rolling Stone, the president is a big Prince fan. The musician just happened to be playing a couple of shows in Washington, D.C., at the time, so Obama made the White House event happen.

Rolling Stone also reported that the celebrities and others in attendance had to sign non-disclosure forms to not talk about the secret concert.

[MADem]

62. OMG, that's not the most surprising thing about that article, either...!!!!!!!!

Prince’s donation to a Republican

In one of many strange footnotes to his career, Prince gave $2,000 to Minnesota Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, a Republican, in 1990.

It does not appear the Republican was close at the time to perhaps his state’s most famous citizen.

“It’s safe to say that Rudy’s not familiar with Prince’s work” Boschwitz campaign manager Tom Mason said at the time.
Boschwitz ended up losing to Democrat Paul Wellstone in the 1990 campaign.

At least all's well that ended well!!

I guess it's just as well he wasn't a voter!

[glinda]

92. Even some non-Republicans liked Rudy though in MN.

[bkkyosemite]

61. JW's and SDA's have similarities. They think the rest of us are with the devil literally they do.

JW's do not believe in a lot of things. I was one 30 years ago for ten years my husband for 20 years. His girls are still JW's. We knew the inner workings pretty much. It's a cult....they don't dare come to my door as I know what they will say and if Prince would have come to my door I would have used the scriptures to get him to think about his religion. He thinks he is in the ground waiting for Jehovah (Jesus) to resurrect him...sometime....Armageddon was supposed to happen in 1975 many sold their homes, their belongings, got their kids out of school...what a travesty and a brain washed experience. I now research much before I jump into any thing. (one of the chapters in their so called truth book is the clincher or the entrapment for vulnerable people)

[MADem]

68. I knew this guy who was, for lack of a better term, a grifter. He was raised Roman Catholic, but

he wasn't really religious. He did make a career out of being a user, though.

Towards the end of his life he hooked up with the JW's, and they always wanted him to go out banging on doors with them. He'd always have an excuse; his feet hurt, the doctor told him take it easy, bad heart, etc.

I knew this guy because he was always cadging rides, and I help people who need help on that score. This guy could easily afford taxi fare, though, so I stopped helping him out quite so much once I figured out he was just a user. I'd take him along if I was taking someone else who really needed the help, but I didn't go out of my way for him.

Anyway, he used those JW people six ways to Sunday. He'd always go to any event that had food, and take a plate home, but he'd be slow on contributing to the cause. I think he told them he was gonna leave his "fortune" to them, and when he died they had a service for his ashes, but the will gave what he had to his brother--LOL. I imagine the church peeps were pissed when they found out.

Takers getting took, I guess...!

[bkkyosemite]

70. They have many blue collar workers they use to build their Kingdon Halls and they make them

pay for literature. But use the fact they don't pay their elders. They makes millions on the buildings their congregations build for them and then they sell them later at a big profits....free labor. I know much....but don't want to bring it to mind...

[MADem]

73. HOLY SHIT!

So THAT's why they move around so much. The one this guy went to moved a time or two, and the buildings got sold. Now, I think they were flipping properties!

This is all rather fascinating.

[bkkyosemite]

78. I can start on the Mormons LOL..nah...

[Mnpaul]

87. In 2012

He was 1.3 million in arrears to our county in property taxes. He may have been a talented musician but he always came off as a smug ahole to me. We were even threatened by his thugs with guns when we were having fun on the lake behind his home in the winter. We were out jumping moguls in my friend's Eagle and they came out and flashed their weapons. We flipped them the bird and continued with our fun.

[Lucinda]

81. His camp claimed right after the 2008 interview that he never said

anything anti-gay and that he DID say he was following the non judgmental, and living through love, teachings of the bible.

[morningfog]

83. Shameful post.

[Euphoria]

85. Totally agree.

[ronnie624]

93. Certainly transparent,

but I find that one's posts, to be among the most fascinating on this forum.

[uriel1972]

96. I disagree,with all the hagiography around (St. Ronnie of Reagan for example)...

It is important to remember that people remain human and have(had?) warts.
If I disagreed with someone in life, their death isn't going to suddenly make me change my mind.
Think of it this way, is Dick Cheney's death going to change your opinion of his life?
I'm not saying Prince was like Dick Cheney, just that he had his share of 'warts' and that they should be remembered, as well as his music. Otherwise we aren't really remembering a whole person.

[BuelahWitch]

97. No, but you can maybe, possibly avoid shitting on them for awhile

when they unexpectedly die. And if his fans jump on your ass when you do, don't cry "poor me!" If you can't take the heat stay out of the damn kitchen.

I don't know anything about Prince personally, but I did like some of his music and admired his talent. He was only 58 fucking years old, far too young to die. He was a big part of my youth, and I'm sorry he's gone.

[EllieBC]

99. I was always impressed by the talent he had and the ability

to learn and master so many instruments.

My mother used to poke at me to do my piano practice with, "That musician you like? Prince? I read he can play nearly every instrument. So if like his music so much you should go honour that and PRACTICE PIANO.".

[DisgustipatedinCA]

110. But no one is surprised at the post.

[840high]

84. Thanks for the info. All

new to me.

[rusty fender]

94. You have to be sick

In the head to be a Jehovah's Witness!

[Meteor Man]

101. Enquiring Minds

Shocking!

And did you hear that Elton John caught his husband cheating on him?

And Drew Barryman is going through the unbearable angst of her third divorce?

OMG!

[Bluenorthwest]

105. Wendy?

Yes Lisa
Is the water warm enough?
Yes Lisa
Shall we begin?
Yes Lisa

Where is my love life?
Where can it be?
----------------------------------------------

Some people, they will never get it and that's ok.
Dear OP....it's ok that you don't get it. You don't have to. Love you, peace to you.....

[LanternWaste]

106. I'm glad I've gotten into the habit of separating the art from the artist.

I'm glad I've gotten into the habit of separating the art from the artist.

[mr_liberal]

107. ... probably why he didnt like Lady Gaga. nm

[GoldenThunder]

108. Could U actually imagine...

Prince showing up at your door some random afternoon with those pamphlets and salvation speeches. He actually did that stuff.

Would you turn him away?

[FSogol]

112. People are complicated.

[Bettie]

113. Doesn't change his talent, his great music, or

the fact that he was also apparently a really decent person.

Personal beliefs that are kept personal are fine.

The fact that most people didn't know about these beliefs means that he didn't try to make others adopt them, he didn't advocate for enshrining them into law, he simply had beliefs that are different from those of many of us.

[gollygee]

114. Prince was something that you'll never understand

"I'm not a woman. I'm not a man. I am something that you'll never understand."