by heathen 50 Replies latest jw friends
Is there really a person that rides around on a motorcycle with fire coming out of their body, able to ride up and down skyscraper buildings...?
Eric Von Daniken. I have a video of him doing just that. It is a little blurry, but definately him and in the background you can clearly see a giant glowing Bruno Magli handbag full of Masonic symbols landing on John Travolta's lawn.
HS
To doubt is to question and to question is to think
The JW experience should teach the value of healthy skepticism if it teaches nothing else,
I'm skeptical about being smarter then the rest of you.
Kwin
Eric Von Daniken
author of Chariot of the Gods?
I've seen a fair amount of arrogance on both sides, though for different reasons. There have been plenty of theist threads that were blatantly intended just to rile the rest of us up or to lash out. Like this one, for instance. The truth is that both sides can sound pretty arrogant to one another much of the time. Half the time we can't even agree on simple things like terminology, science, or the state of recorded history.
Still, this forum is--in my experience--better than most where the two factions mix. I am here because I want to hear from people who don't always see things as I do, but who know something of my experiences. Perhaps both sides could cut down on the knock-the-chip-off-my-shoulder threads and we can all enjoy ourselves a little more in here. The best of us never intentionally start such threads in the first place, whether it be under the guise of reasonable discourse or other blatantly "you arrogant bunch of jerks" kinda threads. The other problem is that this isn't a very good means of communication. The voice and tone we hear in our heads as we read these posts may not be the one intended. I've got into plenty of trouble over that one myself. Some on both sides may seem condescending when we're really just being matter of fact. Believe it or not, it does happen and quite a lot.
But even if it doesn't improve in here, I'll keep hanging around. It's simply the best thing going. So long as it doesn't degenerate into a constant series of flame wars and angry debates, which I've seen elsewhere. Blowing off steam is understandable, but be happy you found this place, too.
IsaacJ
I think in this world there are many beliefs and as we have seen from being a witnoid, it is possible to live in a fantasy world and have ones fantasy beliefs appear very real to the believer. Up to a point where the rubber hits the road. For example, I'm pretty sure armegeddon did not come in 1975. So I guess, if I cant see something, I am going to be somewhat skeptical. Unless of course what I cant see can be proved like the results of radio waves, and ex rays. The way I have found to be wiser after my JW experience is with any belief follow the money. Who is proffiting and marketing the belief to make money or gain power. I have pretty much concluded that life has no meaning. No meaning other than what we each give it. That can be a beautiful or ugly thing. But its up to each one of us what we want from our time on this earth. Hopefully after escapting watchtower land no one will jump out of the frying pan into the fire.
The point of my post being, this is a "discussion board". The point of this website is to have informative and interesting *discussion* on a wide range of topics. When things come to the point of arrogance (on EITHER side) and posting on threads simply to dismiss someone's beliefs out of hand with no room for discussion, the board then becomes useless.
Disagreement is a beautiful thing. Arrogant ass-hattery is not.
FMZ
Hey FMZ!
Remember the discussion we had last summer on near death experiences and watches/computer etc not functioning around those that have had the n.d. experiences?
That was a good discussion between 2 folks who had opposing views and I believe we both learned a little about the other "side".
-K
Kudra :D great to see you.
Yup, I remember it well. Those kinds of discussions can be invaluable to *both* sides of the fence, even if at the end of it no-one ultimately changes their viewpoint on the matter. After such an interaction, one can hopefully at least see things from someone else's viewpoint, and if you ask me, that's a great thing. It means that we can stand in someone else's shoes for a moment, see what they see, feel what they feel.
Good times, good times.
Oh yeah, and I learned you dated a guy with his left nut lower than his right. :D
FMZ
