What do you know? And, How do you know it?

by Terry 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • myauntfanny
    myauntfanny

    The things we think we know, we don't know. The only things we know are things we don't know we know. That's so annoyingly cryptic you probably won't even bother asking me expand, but I couldn't expand anyway, so that's okay.

  • bikerchic
    bikerchic

    Terry:

    Could you clarify a bit for me? I'd make sense of your statement the following way. (Correct me if I am wrong in stating it this way)

    The only correction I see is that I am not SheilaM, although thanks for the compliment.

    I said:

    Simplistic as it may seem and I've said it before the knowledge comes from within, the change comes from within and you achieve that by doing the self work of learning.

    You asked:

    My mind is like my kitchen. I bring ingredients in from OUTSIDE. Once inside I take those ingredients and combine them with a recipe of my own choosing and create a meal fit for consumption; delicious and nutritious.

    Or, are you saying you are born with your kitchen already stocked with ingredients?

    If the latter, could you expand on that for me? Thanks.

    Okay my mistake you/I do the self work of learning FIRST, then you develop the belief system that works for you which becomes within, but then that's what I thought I said anyway.

    For me it was replacing the old recipe and trying newer more exciting, tastier dishes because my new ingredients of thinking and experimenting were far superior to the mundane WTS food for thought, which fed the drones. How's that?

    Kate

  • Terry
    Terry

    Bikerchic, thanks for clarifying.

    I was curious because of your word choices. It is the mystics who claim knowlege comes from "within" and, unlike yourself, deny anything worthwhile comes from outside first. Your description is, of course, rational.

    You test new recipes and that is sanity. People stuck in a mindset merely defend their worn out and tired beliefs from every disproof.

    When I was an active JW, I now know, It was beyond my capacity to listen to a disproof objectively. I went into my refutation mode and defensive systems were on high alert.

    I can't tell you how much this disturbs me as I look back on it. It is like seeing myself as insane. I cautiously examine everything now for fear I'll become complacent once more.

    I started this thread to, mostly, find out how people who are here on this discussion group protect themselves from falling for another shovelfull of horsie poop.

    So, tell me, is it biker sheek or biker chick? Are you in the Harley Owner's Group?

  • bikerchic
    bikerchic

    Terry:

    Bikerchic, thanks for clarifying.

    Well sure, I think it would have been rude of me to not clarify my beliefs for you since you asked. It also helped me;

    When I was an active JW, I now know, It was beyond my capacity to listen to a disproof objectively. I went into my refutation mode and defensive systems were on high alert.

    Yes me too! It's a new skill for me this thinking for myself and a new freedom to be able to speak about how I really believe. Most of my time as a JW was spent "keeping my mouth shut!" I didn't always believe what the main stream JW's taught and learned early on to not question and to stifle my inner voice (oops there's that word again). This led me to silence my thoughts which was the great travesty because I stopped learning and became a drone of the WTS.

    I can't tell you how much this disturbs me as I look back on it. It is like seeing myself as insane. I cautiously examine everything now for fear I'll become complacent once more.

    I know exactly what you mean, been there, done that and have the silly T-shirt to prove it. But no more am I shackled by such an attitude. Live, learn pass it on! That puts me back in the drivers seat of action and is a great way to overcome my past behaviors. I'm sure you've found that out for yourself as well.

    I was curious because of your word choices. It is the mystics who claim knowlege comes from "within" and, unlike yourself, deny anything worthwhile comes from outside first. Your description is, of course, rational.

    No I have a saying "happiness is an inside job" but I know it takes hard self work to get to that place has nothing to do with mystic teachings. I have however been reading Tao and Buddhist stuff, it intrigues me but not to the point of belief.

    horsie poop.

    LMAO! Well it's a process, some make it some don't but it's their life and no longer am I held responsible for getting the good news ? to the masses! Yeah freedom!

    So, tell me, is it biker sheek or biker chick? Are you in the Harley Owner's Group?

    I would love to be so eloquent as to say it French-like bikersheek but I was given that handle by my biker buds and it's bikerchick without the "k" (I was doing training rides with a group of my gay friends for the Aids Ride 2001) The handle came about when they learned that I rode a Harley for years with my X and instead of getting a new Harley like my X wanted me to I had a custom road bicycle built, whoooohoooo! So I'm a cyclist, or rather a wannabe cyclist cuz I've been very lazy lately.

    Oh and btw I always spell it with a small "b" and no "k".

    Sorry for the lengthy reply but I must tell you last night I took the time to read your bio on your profile on freeminds. Wow what a story! We grew up during the same time period the 60's, I graduated in '69 a year ahead of my class so I'm not that old.lol I do want to tell you I enjoyed the read and the song you wrote sounded awesome. My son is an inspiring musician or I should say is going for his degree to be a music teacher and I'm sure he got his musical interest from me, his tallent from my Mother's family side they were all musicians and singers.

    It's been great Terry and I look forward to reading more from you as you are one of the people who challenge my thinking.

    Regards,

    Kate

  • Terry
    Terry

    Kate,

    Thanks. Your son, if he loves music, will simply continue until he finds a way to do his music. There are a thousand voices who will tell you how impossible it is to earn a living at music. But, it is not impossible. You have to find your own way in. I think of it as grass growing up through a sidewalk.

    The Eastern religions (and Deepak Chopra) seem to say alot. But, if you very carefully hold them to the standard of defining their terms you'll say they say nothing at all.

    On of my biggest gripes is words without meaning. The word ENERGY is thrown around by mystics as though we all KNOW what it means. It means nothing. Energy is the motion of subatomic particles. So what? SPIRIT is another rubber word. If you put enough words together that have ___vague___meanings you can convince people you are really saying something.

    Try this. The next time you read a sentence that "seems" to have a profound and mystical meaning just substitute the definition for the word and read it again aloud. You'll find it is all a pig's bathwater.

    Deepak Chopra likes to say "There are no coincidences". In other words; everything happens for a REASON! Oh really! Whose reason? Children born without brainstems, wasps that lay their eggs in caterpillars to eat their way out, child molestation, rape, starvation all have a reason, right? If somebody or something made up a reason to let those things happen I'd spit in their face; be they god or devil.

    It's not the things we don't know that will hurt us, it's the things we know for sure that ain't so.

    Yogi Berra

  • onacruse
    onacruse

    Terry, you and Kate and I have much in common...

    except that she's 6-11, 375#, and will gladly kick both your ass and mine.

    Otherwise, a perfectly lovely lady. LOL

    I'm p/m-ing you our number.

    Craigster

  • bikerchic
    bikerchic

    Craig!!!!!

    except that she's 6-11, 375#, and will gladly kick both your ass and mine.

    Am not! I'm 412 if I'm an ounce and in my spiked heels I'm nearly as tall as Craig who is 6' 6", he's such a kidder!

    Sheese men!

    Kate

    edited to add:

    Try this. The next time you read a sentence that "seems" to have a profound and mystical meaning just substitute the definition for the word and read it again aloud. You'll find it is all a pig's bathwater.
    That's a very good suggestion, thanks Terry!

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