Posts by Steve Lowry

I would love to have the chance to raise a few q's , but they would have to not know who I was. .. I would listen a bit . Then raise a few pertinent Q's, "So you mean to say that....." Try to get them thinking, you just never know

Yep, this is also one of my tactics. It works pretty well too!

But after a while I stopped because it felt like shooting duck in a barrel, they're just too confused to be worthy opponents in an argument.

True, but not only is it fun to see the wrinkle of confusion on their foreheads when challenging them, it also serves the purpose of rocking their little JW world and hopefully get them thinking. Never miss a chance to plant a seed of thought into a JW mind.

22

How Do You Handle Dubs At The Door?

by Elmer J. Fudd in

jw
friends

it seems as though i'm never prepared.

i would love to have a simple statement to present to them.

any suggestions?.

Steve Lowry

Why not have fun with it?

Sadly, JW?s don?t come to my door anymore. But when they did, I would act innocent as a dove while asking questions that would make them uncomfortable and look silly when they attempted their answers. Once I had this young JW fellow (who I thought was a real nice kid by the way) so turned around he finally said he didn?t know and would bring back an elder with him on his next visit to help answer my questions. True to form, when he returned he was accompanied by this middle aged tough guy elder type of JW. But I saved the really tough questions for him. Soon he started wanting to know how I could know so much about the JW religion, but I wouldn?t give it to him. I just kept hitting him with logic to his illogic. He got so pissed his lips began to twitch and became beat red. I looked at the young JW several times as if to say, "This is what you want to be like?" He just looked down, embarrassed. Finally the elder guy gave up and had to go to another "commitment". I insisted he stay longer but he said he couldn?t as he walked backwards all the way out of my driveway back to his car. It was almost like he thought I might shoot him in the back or something. LOL

Oh, how I miss the door knocking . . .

6

try this site

by galaxy7 in

jw
friends

.

this place is so funny.

http://www.cryptoclast.org/opinion/religion/create/nt_lib.htm

Steve Lowry

How do you populate the (plural) noun boxes?

27

What truths have you come to embrace?

by Steve Lowry in

jw
friends

by this i mean, what general basic truths or principles have you acquired in your life that you can use to better understand human behavior as it unfolds before you?

(it doesn?t have to necessarily be human behavior.

here are two i have learned:.

Steve Lowry

All of these responses have been great! And I will take some time to ponder on them. Thank you for your input.

Now, as to my observation on the truth or principle, if you will, concerning how it is impossible for anyone to do anything for someone else without some element of selfish motivation attached, allow me to expound. I came to this self-realization some years ago and know this to be true for everyone (regardless of status). I have gotten friends (especially Christians) really going at dinner parties with this statement. People automatically join a negative association with the term selfish motivation. We have all been trained to think of it as "bad" or negative behavior to act "selfish". However, to think I can do something for someone else without some selfish motivation attached to the act, is self-delusional. The following are two examples use to help illustrate:

1. A homeless person on the street asks a man walking by for money. The man refuses and walks on. By not giving money to the homeless person, we believe he acts in a selfish manner.

2. A homeless person on the street asks another man who is walking by for money. The man gives him a dollar. By giving money to the homeless person, we believe he dose not act in a selfish manner.

But the truth is that both men acted out of selfish motivation. For one it is not important to help but to keep his money in his pocket, and selfish motivation is satisfied. For the other it is important to help others and by giving, selfish motivation is satisfied. He fills well that he gave money to the needy person. This isn?t to say that both are equal, for they are not. One satisfies selfish motivation without benefiting his fellow man. While the other satisfies selfish motivation while benefiting his fellow man. I call it negative verses positive selfish motivation (or gratification). One is egocentric and the other is symbiotic or synergetic. Negative/positive, but both selfish in nature. This may seem like "hair splitting" but it is actually a very important distinction. When we realize that what we do (whatever it may be) primarily satisfies US and not who we envision we are intending the "good" act for (even though they may benefit as well), then no frustration is necessary when our "good deed" goes un-thanked or unappreciated.

You will always do that which satisfies you (first), even if it seems as if your act of kindness has no self-seeking motivation. To believe otherwise, is not a true principle.

To embrace your selfish nature is OK. Acknowledge it, and do something with it that benefits others

27

What truths have you come to embrace?

by Steve Lowry in

jw
friends

by this i mean, what general basic truths or principles have you acquired in your life that you can use to better understand human behavior as it unfolds before you?

(it doesn?t have to necessarily be human behavior.

here are two i have learned:.

Steve Lowry

By this I mean, what general basic truths or principles have you acquired in your life that you can use to better understand human behavior as it unfolds before you? (It doesn?t have to necessarily be human behavior.)

Here are two I have learned:

No one is capable of doing anything for another without some element of selfish motivation attached.

and,

Ultimately, you wind up doing whatever it is that you want to do the most.

I believe these two basic truths are important in helping to understand the ?whys? of what people do (including myself) and how they interact with each other.

What have you learned?

13

Do jws provide care and conselling?

by badboy in

jw
friends

.

in some of the description given to the charity commission,they give care and conselling as one of the things they do.. any details appreciated.

Steve Lowry

The Watchtower Society never does anything without it furthering its own agenda. Any benevolence is strictly coincidental.

19

One prayer that works for you.

by Steve Lowry in

jw
friends

admittedly, this thread is for believers.

is there a prayer that when you pray it, you feel that it gets answered faithfully?

for example, maybe when you?re afraid you pray for courage and you?re given it.

Steve Lowry

Brad,

That?s an interesting perspective. I wonder if we both can?t be right? I dunno.

I also pray (not everyday) that I can resolve the problems I encounter today effectively and efficiently at work and at home and that my day flows together so I can get the most done in the time given. Now while not every time I pray this prayer does it happen as I wish, most days when I take the time to pray ?over the day? I see the difference. Honestly, I don?t think there is an inner power that I can connect with that effects the events in my day of which I have little or no control over simply because I ask or wish for it (following with your dream "prayer" concept). Generally I have forgotten about the prayer early into the morning. Its at the end of the day that remember, "Oh yea, I prayed today".

Sham,

I don?t understand how the beginning of my paragraph comes off cryptic to you? Seems rather evident in its meaning to me. Folks who don?t believe in God usually aren?t interested in discussions about praying to Him.

Talesin,

This spring a family of birds took nest in my bedroom wall. At first I was a little irritated at hearing the screams of baby birds for food at dawns light. But now I lay there and listen in my mind's eye, to momma putting her morning goodies into their hungry little throats. In a short while the screams for food quiet down and I know all is right in the world, at least in that little space in my bedroom wall. I was gonna close the hole in the wall after graduation day, but I think I?ll leave it alone for the next family looking for a little real-estate.

Onacruise,

We are of a mind, you and I.