Posts by believingxjw

18

Do you cherry pick your science?

by cyberjesus in

believingxjw

Cyberjesus,

"However when science contradicts religious or theistic beliefs most religious people stop trusting science and become skeptical of its findings.

Why is that? why do some people cherry pick their science?"

On this site much is made of people using their conscience, their own decision making capabilities, and being free to choose for themselves what to believe and not believe. Now you ask, why some people become skeptical of some scientific findings, why they cherry pick? My answer is because we are free to use our consciences as our hearts and minds dictate and do not blindly follow every wind of thought in the scientific community merely because it is promulgated by the minority or the majority. We are free to disagree with the whole or any part of the whole that in our view is faulty! :)

184

At what point did you realize JW's were a Cult?

by Think About It in

most of us x-jw's at one point no doubt defended the jw's when called a cult.

althought being out since 95', when i first came here it took awhile before i could use the cult word to describe the jw religion.

finding out about the pedophile scandal was disgusting, but it was probably finding out here about the wts history and terrible personal experiences of some on this board that made me finally admit that the jw's were a cult.

believingxjw

Undercover,

"But the continual indoctrination and programming of the WT ideals and beliefs robs the individual JW of their ability to think and reason...to use their own conscience.

I agree. Though many JWs do exercise conscience, they see and remain.

"The member becomes a controlled arm of the group, obeying and working at the behest of the leadership to keep the leadership in power...with nothing but empty promises in return."

What you wrote above can be said about many religions and governments, it's true. The common factor is people, and in every segment of society most people who seek an abundance of power or riches will in varying degrees overrippen and rot out. The JWs are not unique in that regard except for the fact that we were once members of that religion.

I once carried the "suicide" card, my daughter still does. I knew what I was doing so does my daughter. Will she die for it? I hope not but if she left the Witnesses and joined the military or Greenpeace or a myriad of difficult causes in the so called world that would put her at risk her choice would be the same, "join the cause and risk death or injury," or not join. She knew the risks of refusing blood before her baptism and went ahead with it. So did I. I am not a fatalist, I'm a realist. Life ends and as adults we choose how we want to live that life and until our children are grown we also choose how they should live theirs, for the good or the bad. Life is full of risks and choices. She loves her religion, I love her. We are both happy to allow the other their right of conscience and risk. I smoke.

77

THIS IS MY 1000th POST!

by VampireDCLXV in

jw
friends

one thousand!

one thousand posts!

believingxjw

I appreciate your common sense approach in your posts, V665. I hope to be here when you reach 1500 posts! :)

184

At what point did you realize JW's were a Cult?

by Think About It in

most of us x-jw's at one point no doubt defended the jw's when called a cult.

althought being out since 95', when i first came here it took awhile before i could use the cult word to describe the jw religion.

finding out about the pedophile scandal was disgusting, but it was probably finding out here about the wts history and terrible personal experiences of some on this board that made me finally admit that the jw's were a cult.

believingxjw

I don't brand JWs a cult. They're a fundamentalist conservative religion but to use the word cult, imo, is too dismissive and narrow. It's a neat way to box in 7 million people who are, in reality, not that different from many other groups who, believing strongly in their faith, expect their members to adhere to the rules and principles most knew and accepted at their baptism.

The military expects loyalty and obedience and if a soldier refuses to give what is expected he is punished. Boot Camp does a very good job at training the minds of young men and young women to conform and for some it is a type of brainwashing in that they must become the man or woman the military trains them to be and in a way leave behind the person they were before joining the military.

11

Is God so small?

by Doug Mason in

if a grieving muslim prays to her god, does he refuse to listen?

does god refuse to provide comfort because she did not say yahweh?.

if a person who believes in god calls him/her "allah", does god turn his back like a petulant child?.

believingxjw

Doug,

"If a grieving Muslim prays to her God, does he refuse to listen? Does God refuse to provide comfort because she did not say Yahweh?

If a person who believes in God calls him/her "Allah", does God turn his back like a petulant child?

How small is God?"

Most moderate Christians would not say, nor do they believe, that a sincere man or woman who prays to God is not heard merely because the name of their God is different than theirs or their beliefs are too off the mark etc. Focusing on the fundies leaves out the majority of Christians who, while not as loud and bad mouthed as some fundies are, do exist and in truth are the backbone of Christianity.

77

THIS IS MY 1000th POST!

by VampireDCLXV in

jw
friends

one thousand!

one thousand posts!

believingxjw

CONGRATULATIONS! V665

40

Why do people defend monsters?

by AK - Jeff in

the 'god' of the jw's is a god that will kill billions at armageddon.

the christian 'god' in general is a god that [according to their own holy book] already killed millions in the ot.

this 'god' ordered the slaughter of innocent virgins and children and old men and old women so that his people could take the land.

believingxjw

AK-Jeff,

"Now - in spite of some posters who call me a 'hater' of Christians - I am not."

I did not think you were, Jeff.

Thanks for expressing your thoughts I did appreciate reading what you wrote. I don't think, though, that Christians are that unique when it comes to believing in, or working for, or giving their life or money, for causes that others do not understand or agree with.

For instance, American patriotism. Many get emotional when the flag is raised and the politicians stand up before the crowd and bless America. It feels good, it swells the heart with pride and of course feeds the sincere belief that no country is like our country. Yet, the U.S. government, like all governments, has committed atrocities and has and will continue to send young men and women to their death in the military not always for self-defense but at times for purely political reasons. All governments do. But, no way, no how, will most Americans not stand and pledge allegiance to the flag that represents the very republic that has taken away their jobs, killed their young, experimented on them, and has almost ruined the country. That too would appear to be a blindness and a refusal to see the whole picture, the real picture. But they love their country! Citizens of other nations may point the finger at America and put her down and drag her sins before her but most Americans will love her nonetheless. She is home, her sins, though many, do not outweigh her worth. Americans will die to defend her though they know she at times has let them down.

It is love that moves sincere Christians. Just as love moves sincere patriots.

5

CTR was prepared to accept either 1914 or 1915 for the end of troubles

by Doug Mason in

ctr was aware of difficulties with his dates.

but while he was not prepared to move his babylonian dates of 536 and 606, he was quite prepared to move the 1914 terminus by a full year to 1915. with its fixation at maintaining 1914, the gb shifted ctrs babylonian dates back by one year, to 537 and 607 respectively.. .

but russell was not so concerned with the accuracy of 1914 and was quite prepared to move the terminus to 1915. he wrote the following in 1912, where he expected the end of the troubles on the gentiles to take place by either october 1914 or october 1915. it also shows that ctr was fully aware of that there was no zero year, which is the wts's excuse for shifting in 1942, the fall of babylon from 538 bce to 539 bce:.

believingxjw

Are you saying you agree with Russell's chronology? Just asking.

9

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 10-17-10 WT Study (TONGUE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

let the law.

safeguard your tongue.

13. where in particular should the law of loving kindness.

believingxjw

Thanks for the review, Blondie.

The Watchtower is a storefront window with the word "Organization" scrawled all over it. Through which the publishers must try to see the wares of the Bible being sold inside.

Everything they write is colored by that mystic thing called the "Organization" and what she demands from her worshippers.

17

Been There, Done That, Please Shut Up!

by metatron in

jw
friends

i read a ton of posts on this site that basically follow the same form: somebody has an argument with a close relative about the "truth" and long, angry e-mails follow thereafter - or heated phone calls - or face to face conversations - and the kitchen sink gets thrown into the mix.. you name it: child molestation, 1914, false prophecy, everything and anything that comes to mind.. no, no, no!

unless you are really committed to losing your witless family or friends, don't hit them with both barrels while you are angry and upset about a lifetime of being duped by the 'truth'.. here's a piece of ancient wisdom - and it applies regardless of whether you are a an agnostic or atheist:.

"i have many things yet to say to you but you are not able to bear them at present" john 16:12. yes, that principle of gradualism still works with people.