Topics Started by Spook
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Atheists/Theists: What is the best argument FOR theism (a God's existence) you have heard?
by Spook ini have lived for the last 3 years with two phd philosophers as roomates, both in the last year of their dissertation at reputable institutions (notre dame, penn/uic respectively).
they are both moderate semi-christian theists after having been fundamentalists as youths.
i have a sceince and engineering background and am a naturalist atheist former jw.
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The World Can't Wait, DRIVE OUT THE BUSH REGIME!
by Spook inwant this regime to be stopped.. .
the world cant wait!
november 2!.
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The Evidence For Evolution (From "why do we say 'I believe evolution'")
by Spook ini started this as a new thread because the orignal was getting rather long and distant from the op.
mad dog and i were circulating what, i maintain (or admit) are some fairly specific grounds for starting the discussion.. he was defending a version of (as i understand it): it is unfounded or irrational to accept the theory of evolution as probably true because either the evidence is insufficient compared to what should be observed according to the theory or the evidence observed, while corresponding to the theory, nevertheless is based on unfounded or irrational assumptions.. he is not saying, as i understand it, the following: there exists some evidence which either falsifies the necessary conditions or some other theory which better fits the data.. i was defending and will defend: it is rational to accept the theory of evolution as probably true because the evidence closely corresponds to and is sufficient compared to what should be observed according to the theory and (if we ever get there) it is irrational to reject or postpone judgement of the theory on these grounds.. i'll certainly leave the last half for now, and cut right to the chase in as terse a way possible to allow a likewise pointed rebuttal.. if the theory of evolution were true.... 1. the necessary condition of variation within a population of organisms should be observed.. 2. the necessary condition of a means of heredity should be observed.. 3. the necessary condition of mechanisms os selection should be observed to act on, within and between populations of organisms.. (these conditions, if proven, satisfy that the theory is at least possibly true, but does not constitute grounds to determine rational belief or disbelief in common descent.).
4. there should be evidence observable in the present and derivable through repeatable analytic means therefrom that life has existed on earth for a long time with respect to the life span of any known organism.. 5. any evidence for the existance of past life forms which is observable in the present should by comparative anatomy, geographical location, computational dating and other methods correspond to the prediction of the descent of species from common ancestors.. 6. the current biogeographical distribution of species alive today should be observed to correspond to the theory of common descent and also fit the evidence in (5).. 7. given genetics, the observable evidence in (6, some of 5, some of 1-3) should be verified to match any corresponding prediction derived from the theory.. (these observations, a posteriori, would constitute strong evidence for the conclusion that probably, evolution is true and may or may not constitute logical grounds for rational belief depending on exactly how an opposing position is developed.
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Circuit Assembly Review: "Be guided by the 'wisdom from above.'
by Spook ini just got back from the circuit assembly.
some interesting perspectives:.
9 people out of 2500 got baptised.
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28
My DA letter!
by Spook inthe moment arrived.
i have sent out my first three letters: one to the local congregation, one to the governing body (right, right, like i'll get a reply?
), and one to my family.
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73% of JW's leave "The Truth." Jehovah's Witnesses 2008 statistics revisted
by Spook ini participated in several discussions on this forum regarding the self reported statistics of jehovah's witnesses and the deep fundamental flaws in their methods.
after arguing with my jw family about these issues, i encountered today a new independant religious survey from the pew forum on religion and public life.
this survey was huge in scope of test group when compared with other similar surveys, including more than 35,000 u.s. adults.
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Taxes, tea-parties and the economy
by Spook ini've jumped in on several threads about the issues contained in the title and not gotten real responses.
i'm not attributing any meaning to this or saying it means the proponents can't defend this.
i still want to know from those whose view entails the following set of propositions just what your arguments are.
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10 Deeper Challenges To Watchtower Theology
by Spook ini have begun preparing an outline for what i think is an untapped market of opposition to the watchtwoer.
i will post part one of an outline after this explanation.
please feel free to pm with additional thoughts.. 1. most criticism of the watchtower in print has either (a) focused on very specific doctrinal issues or (b) socio-theological criticism or (c) apologetics from other christian sources.. 2. there is a pronounced lack of general philosophical arguments directed against the internal logical integrity of the jehovah's witnesses core theological beliefs.
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The Future of WTBTS: A prediction.
by Spook inin light of the recent statistics and change in awake publication, i have the following thoughts:.
1. the work in western lands is steady or decreasing.
2. foreign territory in western lands is increasing proportionately.. 3. therefore, the established, wealthier population of publishers in western lands is decreasing more rapidly, being replaced by foreign/special language territories.. 4. a majority of the financial support for publication comes from the decreasing base of wealthy western culture.. 5. the pressure for material in foreign languages is increasing.. 6. the cost of the preaching work is increasing, due to #5, and the increased costs of transportation due to oil prices, and the economics of electronic transmittals reducing the global demand for shipping.. 7. a large portion of the most zealous young peple switch to foreign territory, reducing the activity of established congregations in western lands.. 8. due to #7, #1-6 will increase in the future.. i predict: (1) further seperation of printing and operations into branches.
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Swine flu and the understanding of science.
by Spook ini've gotten sick of responding to swine flu posts, so i'll say my peace here:.
pandemic is a word with a specific meaning.
words have meanings and it matters.