humbled

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Posts by humbled

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  71

  Theism Makes Science Impossible

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it is not impossible to be a great scientist and a theist - kenneth miller and francis collins are good examples.. however, science depends on methodological naturalism - a working assumption that there are natural causes for observed effects.

  please note that methodological naturalism is not the same as ontological naturalism.

  in other words scientists may believe in a spirit world or not as long as god is never invoked as an answer.. contrast this with theism which, unlike deism, declares god to be immanent and active in the world.. consider a scientist who is also a theist doing research into the efficacy of a new drug that cures heart disease.

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  humbled

  Being a sloppy theist may be how to avoid being delusional. I think that may even be true of scientists.
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  44

  So what are you up to?

  by Xanthippe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  anyone else bored with religion versus atheism or is it just me?.

  i'm planning to go to greece in may.. i'm thinking about planting rocket and beetroot in my garden this year because they are getting rather expensive to buy.. this week i want to make chocolate refridgerator cakes.

  some for my daughter who is coming home from uni this weekend and some to take in to work to give away with free tea and coffee because it's national libraries day on saturday.. i just finished reading the humans by matt haig which was brilliant.

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  humbled

  Wellll-- I found the backroom where all the visiting goes on. I will comeback tomorrow--It's getting late, we've built up the wood in the stove. Going to be a cold night here in NW Arkansas.

  Goodnight. Maeve
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  6

  Mrs Brown orders Italian! :-)

  by clarity in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  laugh & the world laughs with you.... .

  my way of beating depression!!!!.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2nrumklcao&list=rdh-vxi0rs0ba.

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  humbled

  Clarity,

  You put me on to Mrs. Brown a few days back on another thread--I laughed until the dogs got worried.

  I have spread the news.

  Mrs. Brown forever!

  THANK YOU, Maeve
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  71

  Theism Makes Science Impossible

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it is not impossible to be a great scientist and a theist - kenneth miller and francis collins are good examples.. however, science depends on methodological naturalism - a working assumption that there are natural causes for observed effects.

  please note that methodological naturalism is not the same as ontological naturalism.

  in other words scientists may believe in a spirit world or not as long as god is never invoked as an answer.. contrast this with theism which, unlike deism, declares god to be immanent and active in the world.. consider a scientist who is also a theist doing research into the efficacy of a new drug that cures heart disease.

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  humbled

  150 years ago a slave child was born who became an agricultural chemist whose work was world renown. George Washington Carver was a non-denominational theist who was ridiculed even years ago for saying that he talked to God about his work.

  Asked why he even looked for the hundreds of uses for the lowly peanut, Carver said he had once asked God to tell him the "mystery of the universe" and god said "that is for me alone". Carver then claimed to ask god to reveal to him"the mystery of the peanut"; a question more his size. Essentially asking"why did God make the peanut?"

  Carver said such an approach opened his mind. He invented hundreds of uses for the peanut, the sweet potato, soybeans. and in so doing saved the U.S. southern farmers whose crops wear being destroyed by a growing plague of boll weevils.

  His was a very open theism. And he avoided becoming a member of a church.

  His is a truly really remarkable story.
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  65

  The yuk factor and others

  by jgnat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  will you share with me an interesting discussion on what morals we all may have in common?

  my recent reading has resulted in a fundamental shift in my worldview.

  it feels like my house of cards have reshuffled themselves yet again, and everything i see, hear and smell is put in a new context.

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  humbled

  Right! and a born-in will hardly ever know the dirty lolly from the gutter the same lolly as their own.

  Because:

  They are first told never touch, never taste the "other" lolly.

  And later they are warned to loyally ignore anyone who claims the JW lolly is as dirty as any!

  Doubts are swept away because they are told the JW lolly is perfectly fine because of who made them(eight man-slaves of Jesus).

  They are taught never to sit in an unauthorized group and truly examine the clean JW lolly lest they become critical of the true lolly.

  Of course in the U.S. they are called JW"suckers".
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  16

  Anyone else having a bad few weeks??

  by quellycatface in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i seem to have a really crap couple of months with stuff going wrong.

  people being nasty to me.

  i saw a neighbour of mine today (who i fell out with 18 months ago), to whom i've since apologised for losing my temper with, but today, when i smiled at her, she looked at me daggers!!!

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  humbled

  quelly,

  What a room full of good people have gathered to you!

  Oh, kitty, it is rough some times. For your neighbor? some have said it already--but she may have had something else cause her sour-puss. Do you have a posie or a little pie to share? Take it to her and say you noticed her mood. You feel the same!the results will amaze you--both for you and for her.

  And if she decks you---WRITE US!

  I have a streak of black humor I pull out of my box for the worst of times.

  No, not true. The worst of times are just that. I hope you feel better soon.

  Love to all, it was great to see and hear from the friends gathered 'round.

  For me? It's snow and ice in the country. I take care a few days a week for a woman with Alsheimer Disease. she doesn't talk and wears disposable briefs (diapers/nappies). I wear cleats and walk up these days and they need more help since the "regular" lady can't drive the bad roads.

  I often wonder about the balance of good and bad in some periods of time. It seems like we need some time to catch our breath when bad times are on--Faithful Witness, sounds like that wasn't on for you for a long time. Quelly, if you can punch ahole in these bad weeks, good luck on it. And let us know back on the thread.

  I'll be listening!

  Maeve
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  13

  Besty + Sweet Pea = Its A Family Affair

  by besty in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  what a few days!

  this time last week i was not even considering the big chat with sweet pea.

  seven days on and:.

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  humbled

  So--- you are not a "DIVIDED HOUSEHOLD", Besty?

  all the best!

  Maeve
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  65

  The yuk factor and others

  by jgnat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  will you share with me an interesting discussion on what morals we all may have in common?

  my recent reading has resulted in a fundamental shift in my worldview.

  it feels like my house of cards have reshuffled themselves yet again, and everything i see, hear and smell is put in a new context.

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  humbled

  " UN-BELIEVER "

  is the cult title for a non-JW spouse. It is emotionally destructive.

  That raw descriptor referred to my husband and though I would not call him that to his face, he heard himself called that from the platform at a Circuit Assembly in Iowa where my newly-baptized 14 year-old daughter gave one of those 3-minute "experiences". Being back in Arkansas at the time,I was unable to attend.

  You know the kind of part it was--It was intended to be an inspirational example of the adversity young witnesses triumph over in "divided households(tm)" to serve Jehovah.

  My poor husband. He had gone to Fort Dodge on the week-end to support this single one of all his children who had continued going to meetings with me in spite of the household trend toward resistence. Sat through the interminable boredom of it all and was hit with this.

  I heard about it immediately. His anger was easier to deal with than the pain. And this man was pained.

  In spite of my own efforts to mitigate the harshest aspects of the Armegeddon teaching of the Society both in my home and without, he told me that the full implications of JW theology was not lost on him. He could see the poison and he could feel it.

  These years out I can say he was right. Dead right

  I feel for you, Jgnat. To get that mindset out, root and bough, is hard. And it does affect feelings between spouses--unless you are in a strictly utilitarian arrangement like roommates sharing rent.

  The Society talks of divided households? They use a scripture to justify what they do, but they are not kind and do not care about the wrongs they commit.

  The family had a rough go through the Witnesses. (He and I may have had a rough go anyway). But, honestly, most the time when he was angry, he was really just hurt, badly hurt. Maybe he felt like in a way, he --not I--was the one kissing a corpse.

  Maeve
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  65

  The yuk factor and others

  by jgnat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  will you share with me an interesting discussion on what morals we all may have in common?

  my recent reading has resulted in a fundamental shift in my worldview.

  it feels like my house of cards have reshuffled themselves yet again, and everything i see, hear and smell is put in a new context.

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  humbled

  "The Paradox Called Gay Republicans" is an interesting read, Great Teacher.

  I was raised by a conservative Republican father. I actually am grossed-out by blood pudding. Yet I deal much with blood when I butcher meat.

  I have over-come a fairly low threshhold for disgust through necessity. I submit that all of us will avoid the unpleasant when we can. I know I do.

  However.

  Everyone knows that sometimes shit happens. It's not like anyone embraces it or likes it.

  It's only this: when shit happens, some of us who would like to walk away---well, we can't. So we have learned to get along with it somehow. It usually involves gagging, avoidance and finally looking at it square, closely and somewhat philosophically. It's not about being brilliant or being brave.

  We just learn to deal with it.

  I believe we can think. We can get a hold of our emotions. We can change our feelings if need be--even about things that are yukky.
• 
  65

  The yuk factor and others

  by jgnat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  will you share with me an interesting discussion on what morals we all may have in common?

  my recent reading has resulted in a fundamental shift in my worldview.

  it feels like my house of cards have reshuffled themselves yet again, and everything i see, hear and smell is put in a new context.

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  humbled

  I am wary of a judgements that can't discern between what is apparently clean and what is apparently dirty:

  When people believe that it is cleaner to excrete every imaginable toxin, pathogen and chemical into the water supply via flush toilets (then drink and bath in what can only be partially removed) think an outhouse is a laughable option to a basic human problem.

  Sparkling porcelain is only a problem deferred.

  When people believe that the best care for delivering a baby is found in a hospital amongst stainless steel and staph germs they are abhorred by a woman baking her birthing sheets and baby clothes in the oven before birthing at home with intelligent oversight of a midwife.

  The sparkling hospital may send you home with a bundle of trouble not just a bundle of joy.

  But the Yuk factor keeps us from thinking very deeply about such things.

  Home butchering is a dirty work but so is commercial butchering. In both instances animals loose their life. If a person is considerate of the animal(I grant you, this is a delicate part) and clean--which is better? For the animal, I assure you it is better.

  I submit, much of the yuk factor is to do with conditioning. I am NOT condemning modern plumbing,hospitals and their role in obstetrics nor the need for large scale meat factories.

  However,if just because a person who takes care of their own bathroom, birthing and butchering and are obviously involved to a high degree in Yuk Factors, this does not make them any dirtier ultimately than the person who doesn't.

  I'm just saying that intelligent people choose to live both ways.

  We need to be careful to pick the yuk out of our own eye before picking the "Yuk" out of our brother's.

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  Sorry---it took so long to write this the thread probably went in another direction.. I'll catch up