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asplendidtime
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 11:17am | IP Logged
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As some of you might know we have strange situation with our landlord... He wants to suddenly return and live in the home for the next three weeks. As we wouldn't allow him to live with us he insisted we leave.
So new things have developed, we still haven't been served with papers to be evicted, which would legally take 90 days. But we were threatened that if we didn't leave because he wants to live here, and not live in a motel, he'll sell the home (legally we have tenants rights which is still 90 days from the day the home is finally sold). So I was served with papers yesterday that they will return on Friday to retrieve personal effects and have the home appraised.
Okay, here's where the moral dilemma comes in. I am afraid that we are somehow being an ugly witness for Christ, by them and the appraiser coming in the home and seeing evidence of our Catholic Faith. I am almost certain he's lied to the real estate agent/appraiser about the situation, he lied plenty to us. And I am pretty sure he's posturing about selling the house, as he wants us to leave so they don't have to spend the next three weeks in a motel. So I am thinking that the real estate agent is coming thinking we are dead-beats and won't leave and this poor old man and his disabled daughter have to live in a motel... etc... KWIM? Uhhhh, I have such a heart for life issues, so I have a heart for the elderly and the mentally disabled.  But we literally have no place to go, and dh had taken time off for the birth of our baby, so we are a little low in funds right now.
So should we pack up things that show we are Christians? Are we disgracing the name of Christ here?
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Rebecca~Mama to
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Mary 14,
Tim 13,
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Josh 10,
Zoe 9,
Will 7,
Peter 6,
Laura-Mae 4,
Emily-Joy 2,
Genevieve & Gabriella 1
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 11:45am | IP Logged
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Rebecca -
As Christians, you shouldn't be out there bullying people, but neither should you allow them to bully you. Part of living a life that models justice is holding others to the standard of treating you justly, i.e., if they are treating you unjustly, unless you are called to some sort of martyrdom, you are totally in the right place to stand firm that they comply with the demands of justice. Right now, justice would demand that you not be unnecessarily unpleasant with the landlord or his henchmen (I know, I just used an inflammatory word), but also that you seek to uphold and enforce your rights under the lease or the terms of the landlord/tenant law. Quite seriously, you need to get an attorney. I know you don't have all sorts of extra funds to use on that, but what is at stake here (the roof over all of your heads; the harrassment by this landlord, which is undoubtedly having a negative effect on your family's peace) is pretty big. If you have a local landlord/tenant grievance-type resource through your local government, you should contact them for advice before you pay out for an attorney, but you should contact them immediately. If you don't know how to go about it, maybe the social concerns minister at your parish could help put you in touch with the right folks. If there is no such agency, then contact an attorney immediately. There is no way at all that a landlord can move in and out of a rented property at his whim (he wants to live in the house for three weeks? what's up with that?)
Praying that all of this gets straightened out quickly and with minimal hassle.
Peace,
Nancy
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SusanJ
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 12:23pm | IP Logged
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Rebecca,
I agree about seeing legal help. There may be a state agency that will give you free or low-cost help. Tenant's rights are a pretty big deal.
Also, is the appraiser on the landlord's side? I mean, are they friends or something? If not, I wouldn't assume that the appraiser is going to take the landlord's side, necessarily. Appraisers probably end up in the middle of a lot of ugly situations. Just be honest and charitable. He may feel sorry for you!
Prayers for you,
Susan
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asplendidtime
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 1:15pm | IP Logged
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We have been in contact with the gov't group which regulates these issues. They have agreed we aren't in any wrong here, they've begun a file to help us when/if necessary. We have followed their advice to the "T", including contacting the Police when appropriate. They also advised us to file a complaint with another gov't agency and we did do that. So we've started a police report etc...
This fellow obviously doesn't want to have to operate inside the law so he's making every effort to try to get us out other ways.
I just was wondering about the morality of leaving around a coffee table book of Mother Teresa and other obvious references to our faith. I don't want the ugliness to turn into "those hypocrite Christians" or something like that. KWIM?
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Rebecca~Mama to
Noah 17,
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Mary 14,
Tim 13,
Jonah 12,
Josh 10,
Zoe 9,
Will 7,
Peter 6,
Laura-Mae 4,
Emily-Joy 2,
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 1:32pm | IP Logged
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Ok, Rebecca, now I know what you were asking. Sorry if I went way beyond my business in my response; just wanted to be sure you're not really getting run over by a situation based on someone else's issues. I stand by what I said earlier, but now will address your actual concern. 
I think you should just leave things the way you normally would have them. If it is a normal thing for you to have a crucifix on the wall, or a Mother Teresa book on your coffee table, then leave it. I think I would bless the house with holy water before anyone comes over, if you have advanced notice and can do that. I would also be praying silently the whole time anyone was in my house. Hey, call on all the allies you can! But I wouldn't go out of my way to place faith-revealing articles around if I didn't normally do that. Whatever impression someone walks away with is in the Lord's hands; as long as you are being authentic in doing what you always do and honestly try not to be ugly with whomever comes in, God will be in control and the outcome will be according to His will.
I'm still praying and will continue! 
Peace,
Nancy
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asplendidtime
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 2:29pm | IP Logged
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Thanks Nancy! Thanks for caring and giving the first bit of advice, I appreciate it. And the second bit too!
We intend to be as kind as we can.
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Rebecca~Mama to
Noah 17,
Katie 16,
Mary 14,
Tim 13,
Jonah 12,
Josh 10,
Zoe 9,
Will 7,
Peter 6,
Laura-Mae 4,
Emily-Joy 2,
Genevieve & Gabriella 1
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Martha
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 2:43pm | IP Logged
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you are not being a bad witness for the faith just because your landlord spreads lies and others might believe them.
you seem to be within your legal rights
not to mention some basic common sense on the issue
most people can't just drop and move
most people genuinely need at least a month or more to find a place to live and another month or more to actually move.
most people wouldn't want to pay rent and have their landlord move in with them!
I'd clean the house as neat as could be and be glowingly enthusiastic about how you hope he sells it and you find another home to move into soon.
basicly, kill with kindness and truth. 
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Martha
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: April 02 2008 at 3:08pm | IP Logged
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I wouldn't strip your home of the witness of your faith. Let how you act to these people support what they see in your house. If anything it may be that they'll be a witness for you NOT being what may be being said about you.
I mean, if you were a bunch of deadbeats.. they wouldn't be expecting to walk into a relatively neat house with relatively well behaved children, with your faith showing as an integral part of your life now would they? 
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Moral Dilemma? Reflecting Christ?
