Posts by Disillusioned JW

99

If not the WT/JW relgion where else are 'we' to go? Why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism?

by Disillusioned JW in

sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?

' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?

' what do you folks say?.

Disillusioned JW

I had the major bleeding problem a few times before, but never this severe. This was the first time I went to the hospital because of it. The doctors did not identify the location of the former bleeding, but a future colonoscopy (after a more complete cleanse of my digestive tract) might reveal where the bleeding came from. The colonoscopy I had revealled that I have diverticulosis. That health condition consists of pockets called diverticula which form in the walls of the digestive tract (see https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-is-diverticulosis and https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2009/1101/p977.html ). I was told I have numerous such pockets. Sometimes an artery (near or in a pocket) can break and bleed into the colon. The doctors told me that the gastroenterologist suspects that is what caused my bleeding, but the view of the inside of right side of my intestines was partially blocked (due to my intestines not being flushed out well enough).

The health problem might happen to me again and a doctor told that it happens again I might need a transfusion again. https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-is-diverticulosis says the medical field does not know for sure what causes diverticulosis. That web page also says the following.

"Possible Complications

...

You can get a diverticular hemorrhage. This is rare. It happens when your arteries wear through the intestinal wall. It causes massive bleeding and requires hospitalization and blood transfusions."

https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2009/1101/p977.html says the following. "Diverticular bleeding is the source of 17 to 40 percent of lower gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage in adults, making it the most common cause of lower GI bleeding.1 In one study of 1,593 patients with diverticulosis, severe life-threatening diverticular hemorrhage occurred in 3.1 percent of patients.2 Most diverticular bleeding is self-limited, although it should be suspected in patients with massive and painless rectal hemorrhage."

62

NASA: Humans Back to the Moon

by Gerard in

nasa plans return to moon by 2020

"this vision aims to return humans to the moon, and then to use it as a staging point for a manned mission to mars.

i wonder if jws will be required to canvas those areas too.

Disillusioned JW

NASA is now only about 1.5 hours away from a launch attempt of the Artemis I rocket to the moon. The details of the launch status may be read at https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/ .

99

If not the WT/JW relgion where else are 'we' to go? Why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism?

by Disillusioned JW in

sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?

' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?

' what do you folks say?.

Disillusioned JW

Interestingly while I was in hospital (even before accepting the transfusions) I was not afraid to die, though I wanted to live. It surprised me that I was not afraid to die, despite noticing my life rapidly becoming increasingly in danger of ending. While I was in the bed in the hospital I felt completely fine physically. Furthermore, during the whole time of my poor health I had no physical pain. [However a moment before passing out while at home, before going to the hospital, I was very afraid since I physically felt I was in great danger.]

Probably my very strong conviction that there is no conscious existence after death contributed greatly to me not being afraid of death (except for the brief moment mentioned above), despite me wanting to live. During the time I was passed out I had no awareness of what was happening and I even didn't notice that I was beginning to pass out while I was passing out. Likewise while I was under anesthesia during a colonoscopy I had no awareness of what was taking place. Such lack of awareness will also be case when I am eventually dead.

Folks, being convinced of atheistic scientific naturalism can be comforting. Do you see that?

I need to finish writing pro-atheism book and get it published. People need to have a chance to read it. If I had not received the transfusion and thus not had my life saved a few days ago, the book would never become finished. Now the possibility once again exists for it to become finished. I need to finish the book and get it published. Doing such will likely be best contribution I will ever make to humanity.

99

If not the WT/JW relgion where else are 'we' to go? Why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism?

by Disillusioned JW in

sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?

' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?

' what do you folks say?.

Disillusioned JW

Hi peacefulpete. That is too bad you have cancer.

A few days ago I came very close to death.

Starting nearly two weeks I began having profuse bleeding from an undetermined location in my intestinal tract. I eventually went to the ER section of a hospital. Over the course of more than a week (starting a few days before the hospital visit) my hemoglobin levels dropped rapidly to 5.7 gm/dl (14 gm/dl is the normal level for men, according to doctors I spoke to). The doctors warned that it put me in a very very dangerous situation and I noticed (while in the hospital) that my pulse became extremely high when I would stand up. I also passed out during one day before before going to the hospital, and I passed out during one day while at the hospital while taking a laxative to flush out my digestive tract). I had resisted blood transfusions for days and I had opted for other kinds of infusions and received the alternative infusions/injections, but the alternatives by themselves were not enough to save me.

In order to save my life and my health I accepted two transfusions of packed red blood cells. I did not tell my JW family (nor any other JWs, not even the JW elders I talked to about alternative treatments) that I accepted them, but I told my mother and the elders that the doctors on multiple times urged me to take a transfusion of red blood cells. The doctors said it was the best treatment and had lower risk than the alternatives. I felt much better very soon after each of the two transfusions. The bleeding stopped and my hemoglobin count went up dramatically. I went home two nights ago. The donor blood was very carefully matched with samples of my blood for compatibility and tested with it see if it would case any adverse reactions. [The doctors said that is now the standard procedure before giving a transfusion.] The donor blood tested safe in the lab, and knowledge of that greatly contributed to me accepting it.

My mother doesn't want me to tell her if I accepted a blood transfusion. She and the elders also had told me it my decision to make. My sister told me an elder (one whom I had talked to) told her I made the right decision. The two elders were very nice to me. I thus don't anticipate getting disassociated. I do need to avoid telling (for the rest of my life) every co-worker of mine at work (and every personal acquaintance) that I took it, since one of them (including people I meet in the future) might be a JW.

Fortunately while was an independent minded Christian (years ago), I had concluded that the WT was scripturally wrong in concluding that transfusions of human blood (extracted from a willing human donor) are wrong. If I had not learned that the WT position on transfusions of whole blood and of red blood cells was scripturally wrong (if I had remained a believer in Jehovah and the Bible), then I would have turned down the life saving transfusions I had this month and thus I would very likely be dead by now (or end up suffering very serious organ damage).

Regarding Pterostilbene I read about it hours ago today at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29210129/ . The article is called "Effect of resveratrol and pterostilbene on aging and longevity - PubMed". I am might take it. In fact I might even already be taking it. That is because the Trans-Resveratrol supplement I am taking also includes Polyphenols from red wine extract, and Pterostilbene is a Polyphenol.

Sinclair says that a tremendously higher percentage of Resveratrol is absorbed when it is taken with fat, compared to when it is not taken with fat. He says he takes with yogurt in the morning. Research I read says that Trans-Resveratrol is more absorbed than cis-Resveratrol (the primary kind of Resveratrol).

I am thinking about taking a vitamin K2 supplement (besides the multti-vitamin multimineral supplement I already take, which has a tiny amount of vitamin K in it).

99

If not the WT/JW relgion where else are 'we' to go? Why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism?

by Disillusioned JW in

sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?

' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?

' what do you folks say?.

Disillusioned JW

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Sinclair makes the following claim of David Sinclair. "He has expressed the view that advances in aging research could enable humans to live to be 200 years old." An article published on February 11, 2019 (located at https://www.tampabay.com/health/medical-news/scientists-may-be-closer-than-you-think-to-an-anti-aging-pill-but-beware-of-the-hype-20190212/ ) says the following.

'Renowned Harvard University geneticist David Sinclair recently made a startling assertion: Scientific data shows he has knocked more than two decades off his biological age.

What's the 49-year-old's secret? He says his daily regimen includes ingesting a molecule his own research found improved the health and lengthened the life span of mice. Sinclair now boasts online that he has the lung capacity, cholesterol and blood pressure of a "young adult" and the "heart rate of an athlete." '

However a CNN article of this year says David Sinclair "has a biological age of 42 in a body born 53 years ago".

99

If not the WT/JW relgion where else are 'we' to go? Why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism?

by Disillusioned JW in

sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?

' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?

' what do you folks say?.

Disillusioned JW

Sadly there is an article dated today which is called "FDA says NMN cannot be sold as a dietary supplement in the US" (at https://longevity.technology/news/fda-says-nmn-cannot-be-sold-as-a-dietary-supplement-in-the-usa/ ). I am upset with the FDA saying NMN cannot be sold as a dietary supplement in the US, and as a result I might try to buy it this week from a local vitamin store before it is too late!

99

If not the WT/JW relgion where else are 'we' to go? Why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism?

by Disillusioned JW in

sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?

' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?

' what do you folks say?.

Disillusioned JW

Article about longevity: "The Science Behind NMN–A Stable, Reliable NAD+Activator and Anti-Aging Molecule" (at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7238909/ ). The article says in part the following.

"In June of 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases, and for the first time added aging.1 The classification of aging as a disease paves the way for new research into novel therapeutics to delay or reverse age-related illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and neurodegeneration.2,3 Nutrient sensing systems have been an intense focus of investigation, including mTOR (the mammalian target of rapamycin) for regulating protein synthesis and cell growth; AMPK (activated protein kinase) for sensing low energy states; and sirtuins, a family of seven proteins critical to DNA expression and aging, which can only function in conjunction with NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a coenzyme present in all living cells.4

Across the kingdom of life, an increase in intracellular levels of NAD+ triggers shifts that enhance survival, including boosting energy production and upregulating cellular repair.5 In fact, the slow, ineluctable process of aging has been described as a “cascade of robustness breakdown triggered by a decrease in systemic NAD+ biosynthesis and the resultant functional defects in susceptible organs and tissues.”6 Aging is marked by epigenetic shifts, genomic instability, altered nutrient sensing ability, telomere attrition, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and dysregulated intercellular communication.7,8

By middle age, our NAD+ levels have plummeted to half that of our youth.9 Numerous studies have demonstrated that boosting NAD+ levels increases insulin sensitivity, reverses mitochondrial dysfunction, and extends lifespan.10,11 NAD+ levels can be increased by activating enzymes that stimulate synthesis of NAD+, by inhibiting an enzyme (CD38) that degrades NAD+, and by supplementing with NAD precursors, including nicotinamide riboside(NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN).12,13 A conceptual framework called NAD World, formulated over the last decade by developmental biologist Shin-ichiro Imai, MD, PhD, of Washington University School of Medicine, posits NMN as a critical, systemic signaling molecule that maintains biological robustness of the communication network supporting NAD+.6

Taken orally, NMN is rapidly absorbed and converted to NAD+.14 In numerous studies, supplementation with NMN has increased NAD+ biosynthesis, suppressed age-related adipose tissue inflammation, enhanced insulin secretion and insulin action, improved mitochondrial function, improved neuronal function in the brain, and more. Here, we look at the science behind NMN, its stability, possible pharmacokinetics, transport, function, and ability to induce biosynthesis of NAD+.15 Supplementing NMN may be an effective nutraceutical anti-aging intervention, with beneficial effects on a wide array of physiological functions.16"

I plan to start taking NMN supplements. The scientist who authored the book called Lifespan: Why We Age-And Why We Don't Have To" says he takes NMN and resveratrol supplements and has reduced his biological age by 10 years. I started taking resveratrol more than a month ago, but I have temporarily paused my intake of it.

99

If not the WT/JW relgion where else are 'we' to go? Why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism?

by Disillusioned JW in

sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?

' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?

' what do you folks say?.

Disillusioned JW

News article: Those in the USA who don't believe in God are a fast-growing force in politics – and they’re typically even more politically active than white evangelicals, according to an article! See https://theconversation.com/americans-who-arent-sure-about-god-are-a-fast-growing-force-in-politics-and-theyre-typically-even-more-politically-active-than-white-evangelicals-193073 (published on October 27, 2022). The article was written by an Assistant Professor of Political Science.

The author defines atheists and agnostics as follows. "Atheists believe that there is no higher power in the universe, while agnostics contend that a higher power may exist but it’s impossible to know for certain." He next says the following. "By 2021, that share had risen to just about 12%. But atheists and agnostics are often left-leaning in their political persuasion, and their rapid ascendance in the American religious landscape is proving much more consequential to the Democratic Party than the GOP." According to the political scientist who wrote the article the following is the case.

"Just 4% of people who align with the Republican Party say that they are atheist or agnostic. That same figure was 3% when Barack Obama won the White House in 2008.

However, according to my analysis of the CES data, 1 in 5 Democrats today are atheist or agnostic, an increase of eight percentage points from 2008.

... when it comes to political protests, there’s no doubt that secular Americans are more politically engaged. In 2020, 18% of atheists and 16% of agnostics said that they had gone to a march or rally about a political issue, versus just 5% of white evangelicals, based on CES data. When it comes to donations, the gulf is even wider. In 2020, half of all atheists made a political donation, along with 43% of agnostics. In comparison, only about a quarter of white evangelicals made a political donation to a candidate or party."

The growing proportion of non-God believers who are very active in voting and funding in USA politics might have been a huge factor why the Democratic party did so much better in this month's mid-term USA elections than what the Republican party expected.

I became a voter in political elections (in 2008) after I stopped considering myself a believing JW. About two years after casting my first political vote, I ceased believing in God/god and in everything supernatural. Since becoming a voter I have been very active in voting. All of the Democrats (and all or nearly all of the ballot measures) I voted for in the primary and general elections of this year (in both the partisan races and in the nonpartisan races) won in my state! I voted very progressive.

146

Science News article: ‘Case closed’: 99.9% of scientists agree climate emergency caused by humans

by Disillusioned JW in

a news article has the headline of " ‘case closed’: 99.9% of scientists agree climate emergency caused by humans"; see https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/19/case-closed-999-of-scientists-agree-climate-emergency-caused-by-humans .

the article says in part the following.. 'the scientific consensus that humans are altering the climate has passed 99.9%, according to research that strengthens the case for global action at the cop26 summit in glasgow.. the degree of scientific certainty about the impact of greenhouse gases is now similar to the level of agreement on evolution and plate tectonics, the authors say, based on a survey of nearly 90,000 climate-related studies.

this means there is practically no doubt among experts that burning fossil fuels, such as oil, gas, coal, peat and trees, is heating the planet and causing more extreme weather.. a previous survey in 2013 showed 97% of studies published between 1991 and 2012 supported the idea that human activities are altering earth’s climate.. this has been updated and expanded by the study by cornell university that shows the tiny minority of sceptical voices has diminished to almost nothing as evidence mounts of the link between fossil-fuel burning and climate disruption.. the latest survey of peer-reviewed literature published from 2012 to november 2020 was conducted in two stages.

Disillusioned JW

Vidqun, just because CO2 makes up only about 0.04% of Earth's atmosphere that doesn't mean it has an insignificant effect on the global air temperature. My study of science books and my own experiences with human made greenhouses makes that very clear.

If you have a car think of how hot the air in the car gets inside of the car (relative to the air outside of the car) on a sunny hot day when the windows are closed and sunlight is entering the car through the closed glass windows. The glass is much thinner (less than half an inch) than the several foot length of air in the car, but it is enough to let in UV waves (which are later converted into infrared waves) and to trap in infrared waves, and that results in the air within the car becoming considerably hotter than the air outside of the car. That is the greenhouse effect in work.

Likewise in greenhouses in which plants are grown, the length of air from the ground to the top of the greenhouse is even much greater than the length of air in a car, though the thickness of the glass is about the same as that of the car, yet the greenhouse effect is still produced. Some greenhouses used to grow plants, don't even use glass, using only plastic sheets (and thus much thinner than glass panes) yet a greenhouse effect is still produced, allowing the plants in the greenhouse to grow.

In my metropolitan area I have personally noticed that the summers and early portion of fall have become hotter over recent years, and that the winters have become warmer over recent years. I have also noticed that wildfires in my state have increased dramatically over recent years, resulting in the smoke from the distant wildfires getting into the air of my metro area on several days of each recent year. I don't remember such smoke every being in the air of my metro area prior to a few years ago, except on extremely rare occasions.That is extremely alarming to me. Furthermore, when I watch the televised news I see that such warming of the climate and increasing frequency of wildfires are happening across much of my nation and in many other nations.

I thus see the very clear evidence from my personal experiences. I also see the data presented in scientific sources about the Earth's climate. It is undeniable to me.

Whether global warming needs to be limited to 1 degree Celsius, 1.5 degrees Celsius, 2 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degrees Celsius, 3 degrees Celsius, or by some other amount, over pre-industrial levels, it is very clear to me that is needs to be limited in order for the human species (and numerous other species) on the planet to survive and in order for it (and them) to continue to thrive. [Life on Earth is interdependent. For example, the continued existence of our species is dependent upon the continued existence of numerous other species.] It also very clear to me that humans need to do more to reduce their CO2 emissions, in order to limit increases in the global temperature.

12

How strong is our faith on this issue of the Blood?

by wannabe in

how strong is our faith on this issue of the blood?.

what is it we need more than anything else, if we are told by a member of the medical profession that we will die if we do not accept a blood transfusion?

i myself have heard those word spoken, so i know how scary a life threatening situation like that is, and of course that would frighten anyone half to death.

Disillusioned JW

Something which the NT attributes as a saying of Jesus might indicate that the biblical Jesus would be fine with a human receiving a transfusion of blood which came out of the body of a willing human, in order to save the life of a human. See John 6:53–57:

'53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.'

Whether or not these words attributed to Jesus are meant to be understood literally or only metaphorically, it would seem to indicate that according the gospel writer that Jesus didn't consider it forbidden under God's law for a human to ingest human blood which was donated by the human whose internal organs made the blood. In other words, if according to Bible (and the writer of the gospel named John) God prohibited every situation of a human ingesting another human's blood, then surely Jesus wouldn't have said, even with a metaphorical meaning, the words mentioned in John 6:53-57.