Ex-JW Baloney Detection Kit

by Mindchild 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  D wiltshire

  Larc,
  The need for disclaimers, I think should be used judiciously.
  I only feel the need to point out that a little more honesty in areas where great leaps of faith our concerned.
  As I'm sure there are many respected scientist that have opposing theories originating from the same accepted facts that lead some to the most popular theories of evolution.
  I don't know about you, but the longer I live, and the more I learn the more I realize I, or anyone else don't have all the answers. When I was young I felt more sure of things that today cause me to laugh at myself.
  Being a JW for almost 30 years and then to find out I've been had is a real eye opener.
  This CULT experience has caused me to examine more what people tell me, and what I will keep as good, and throw away as bad, or maybe save for the future to examine when it's time.

  I no longer accept on weight of Authority something as true.
  There is a certain joy that comes from trying to be a free thinker.

  My mind wants answers but not in the form of your stupid if you don't beleive this, but in the form of this seem reasonable at least for now until I find out other wise. Scientific theories change as more facts come to light, and even old facts are understood differently in time, sometimes the old facts are disguarded because they were not facts at all but observation that were faulty.

  Take junk DNA it is been taught as fact.
  True it seems very probable to me that it may truly be junk DNA.
  The question is: Is it really junk? Do we know enough about DNA to read it correctly and make that statement with 99 to 100% accuracy?
  Well we have to start some where, so base our conclusion on the supposed fact that it is junk.
  Then 100 years latter along comes more facts that debunk this junk DNA fact.

  Larc, I have a question for you and other scientifically minded persons: Do you beleive or at least conceed, that there could be life far more advanced than ours, from other parts in the universe, that caused the miracles that are reported to have happened in ancient times?
  Or what about the possibility of a life form more advanced than ourselves that started life on earth in the form of a single cell that could evolve?
  Are these theories to ridiculous to be even concidered? If so why?

  Part of me wants to know definitly and part of me says life is so interesting because, there is so much you don't know.

  If someone lived a trillion X longer than you, and had a billion X more reasoning ability would he come to the same conclusions as you?
• 

  larc

  DW,

  You raise some very valid points. I agree with you that it is important to critically evaluate and question ideas. We were sold a bill of goods once, and we should be wary of being conned a second time.

  Regarding your questions to me. Yes, I believe that there is intelligent life on other planets circling other stars. Some planets may have simple life forms. Others may be far more advanced than us. I our own history, we really did not advance that much, in terms of technology, until the last 200 years. As a percent of our time in this planet, that is a very short time. Therefore, the progress on another planet could way ahead or way behind us in terms of their progress over their own history. Also, if another planet has conditions identical to ours, but managed to figure out how to prevent wars, they could be 2,000 years ahead of us. Many of our present technical ideas had their seeds in the golden era of Greece, but they were obliterated.

  I don't believe that we have been visited by creatures from other planets. The distances from other planets is just too great for that to happen - my opinion - not doctrine. What kind of simple organism may have floated in from outer space, I have no idea.
• 

  Yerusalyim

  Skipper,

  Where'd ya move to?

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  Lady Lee

  lots of interesting info here. I have heard of this thread but it is the first time I have seen it. So bttt
• 

  seven006

  Lee,

  If you like Shermer, check out one of his books Why People Believe Weird Things. It's an interesting read. When I read it I also read Sagan's Demon Haunted World at the same time. These guys are science junkies but I enjoyed their perspective. They both play in same sandbox.

  Dave