Posts by slimboyfat

70

Are we in a computer simulation?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

jw
friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znmk2viuqba.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/simulation_hypothesis.

consequences of living in a simulation[edit]some scholars speculate that the creators of our hypothetical simulation may have limited computing power; if so, after a certain point, the creators would have to deploy some sort of strategy to prevent simulations from themselves indefinitely creating high-fidelity simulations in unbounded regress.

slimboyfat

Really? I thought it was pretty clear.

Um, care to elaborate?

Experiments increasinly confirm that reality does not exist independently of observation.

http://www.nature.com/news/2007/070416/full/news070416-9.html

Reality seems to exist in pixilated form. It consists of thoughts rather than bits of matter.

Additionally computer simulations become more realistic over time. Logically at some point simulations will become indistinguishable from reality.

Which raises the question are we already in a simulation?

Given that when civilisations reach a level of development they will tend to produce simulations as we do, it follows that simulations probably outnumber real worlds many times over. So it follows that our reality is more likely a simulation.

But then we hit the problem of infinite regress as simulated worlds in turn create simulated worlds.

A simpler and more elegant explanation is that the world is not material at its base but is a projection from a superior being or God.

Atheists often complain that God has not revealed himself. Maybe he is doing just that, just now, in these very cutting edge discoveries in physics that point to a non-material base of reality.

Interested to know when you think the argument falls down.

28

What a fader can say to a sleepy witness?

by Darkknight757 in

i have a question.

yesterday while the wife and i were hitting garage sales we seen a house selling tools.

this house happened to be a witness couple getting rid of some old stuff.

slimboyfat

You could ask if they think Jesus might have been married.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5762343623458816/how-wind-up-jw

70

Are we in a computer simulation?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

jw
friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znmk2viuqba.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/simulation_hypothesis.

consequences of living in a simulation[edit]some scholars speculate that the creators of our hypothetical simulation may have limited computing power; if so, after a certain point, the creators would have to deploy some sort of strategy to prevent simulations from themselves indefinitely creating high-fidelity simulations in unbounded regress.

slimboyfat

How the simulation argument proves God.

https://youtu.be/v2Xsp4FRgas

13

How baptism rate at conventions relates to yearbook growth rate (Discussion)

by bohm in

jw
friends

we had a number of posters report on the baptism rate at conventions which is usually less than 1% and rates lower than 0.5% is by no means uncommon.

despite this there is still a positive growth rate in the us (0.71% according to the yearbook) and i wonder how these numbers relate.

i wonder if anyone can help me out if these assumptions are true:.

slimboyfat

When I attended regularly (1996 to 2002) the number baptised was around 15 to 40 at district conventions and 0 to 15 at circuit assemblies.

I doubt there is any way you can collect enough anecdotal information to provide any meaningful comparison with official figures. As others have pointed out, "total number of baptised JWs" is not a statistic that has ever been published anyway.

What are you trying to work out?

Are JW statistics generally reliable? Yes

Have they made some mistakes and is there some evidence of falsification? Yes

Nevertheless the official statistics are generally reliable.

In any case I would argue that the single most important statistic for giving a picture of growth, vibrancy, or decline over the long term is the number of congregations. And the great advantage of this statistic is that it's very hard or impossible for JWs to falsify since congregation meetings are individually listed publicly.

18

Moral indignation against "faders" shows JW apologists are morally bankrupt

by slimboyfat in

i came across this weird blog that castigates fading jws for their "cowardice" and "hypocrisy" for not making themselves vulnerable to shunning.

apparently in the view of this blogger jws who discover it's not the truth are morally obliged to play by the watchtower rules and face the consequences of shunning.. http://jwresearchblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/fading-faking-and-lying-as-unbelieving.html#comment-form.

what is absent from the blog post is any discussion of the statement in the july 2009 awake!, that no one should be made to choose between their beliefs and their family.

slimboyfat

I came across this weird blog that castigates fading JWs for their "cowardice" and "hypocrisy" for not making themselves vulnerable to shunning. Apparently in the view of this blogger JWs who discover it's not the truth are morally obliged to play by the Watchtower rules and face the consequences of shunning.

http://jwresearchblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/fading-faking-and-lying-as-unbelieving.html#comment-form

What is absent from the blog post is any discussion of the statement in the July 2009 Awake!, that no one should be made to choose between their beliefs and their family. If JWs actually stuck by that statement there would be no such thing as faders and no moral dilemma to grapple with. The problematic situation is entirely of their own making, and the failure of JWs to stick by their own pronouncements against making people choose between beliefs and family. The moral deficiency is with the Watchtower and those who help implement its hypocritical stance toward those who realise the religion is faulty, not with those who are trying to extricate themselves in the least damaging way.

70

Are we in a computer simulation?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

jw
friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znmk2viuqba.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/simulation_hypothesis.

consequences of living in a simulation[edit]some scholars speculate that the creators of our hypothetical simulation may have limited computing power; if so, after a certain point, the creators would have to deploy some sort of strategy to prevent simulations from themselves indefinitely creating high-fidelity simulations in unbounded regress.

slimboyfat

Sounds like a good argument for God to me.

Heidegger was right that existence and consciousness are linked in a deeply mysterious way.

17

Change(s?) to revised nwt

by Saltheart Foamfollower in

i don't think this has been picked up anywhere yet.

the revised nwt released in 2013 is already out of date.

the second half of psalm 51:4 now reads "therefore, you are righteous when you speak, you are right in your judgment" in the online version where the printed version reads "so that you might prove righteous when you speak, and be right in your judgment".. fairly unimportant in itself, but i wonder what else has been changed without telling anyone..

slimboyfat

22 words cut to 15 words and then cut down to 13 words.

Is there any way to keep track of these changes?

31

Brexit...

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

the london stock exchange up, every share index up, the pound up against the dollar.

where is the fire and brimstone?.

the rebel..

slimboyfat

I can't believe what England has done. I'm still in shock.

36

Very dark and confusing info...

by sp74bb in

jw
friends

some internal sources in jw.org has brought me attention to the following data:.

- in which european country, not member of the eu, and well known for their banking industry, jw.org and some affiliated structures do maintain some business incorporated structures and companies?.

- which is the purpose of these business and company structures?.