jgnat

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Posts by jgnat

• 
  48

  A few questions for believers

  by keyser soze in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when confronted with all of the inconsistencies and atrocities of the bible, many believers invariably claim that they don't base their faith in christ on what's written in the bible.

  so what is the basis then, if not scripture?.

  and please don't tell me "the lord has revealed himself to me".

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  jgnat

  I'll put my big-girl hat and give it a shot. As you well know, however, I don't represent all believers.

  Jesus did not write down his teachings. He gathered a small group of followers and they learned at his feet, as it were. He then sent them out to practice what he preached. I would say then that a Christ-like life is learned by example not just by way of writing.

  So how have these teachings come down through the ages? By way of example and word of mouth, one Christian to another.

  I also personally think that Jesus has changed through the ages to suit modern mores. He drinks and curses less, and loves more.
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  2596

  The Pastor of my Old Church Tried to Re-Convert Me Yesterday

  by cofty in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  yesterday evening my wife and i were invited to friends house for new year's eve.

  we met them when i was a christian and we have kept in touch.

  they had a few other friends there as well, including the new church pastor and his wife.

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  jgnat

  Is a destructive or negligent god worthy of worship?
• 
  2596

  The Pastor of my Old Church Tried to Re-Convert Me Yesterday

  by cofty in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  yesterday evening my wife and i were invited to friends house for new year's eve.

  we met them when i was a christian and we have kept in touch.

  they had a few other friends there as well, including the new church pastor and his wife.

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  jgnat

  https://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_how_common_threats_can_make_common_political_ground

  http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_h_cohen_for_argument_s_sake
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  2596

  The Pastor of my Old Church Tried to Re-Convert Me Yesterday

  by cofty in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  yesterday evening my wife and i were invited to friends house for new year's eve.

  we met them when i was a christian and we have kept in touch.

  they had a few other friends there as well, including the new church pastor and his wife.

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• 

  jgnat

  There's a way to approach people with differing views that opens dialogue rather than polarizing them. I agree with much that Cofty is saying. I confirm that I understand by reflecting back what I heard. Covey speaks of "Seek[ing] first to understand....", and I swear it works.

  https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit5.php

  Where I challenge Cofty is that his conclusion does not invalidate faith altogether. Religion is not necessarily harmful or dangerous.

  To reach a meeting of the minds, there has to be movement towards each other. Cofty has a point that has wide-reaching implications. Respect that.

  This is the danger of apologia. In fierce defence of their god, the defender may inadvertently throw the innocent under the bus. ("They deserved it", "Undeclared Sin", "Not enough faith", or "It makes us more compassionate.")

  http://www.cicministry.org/commentary/issue55.htm
• 
  47

  Watchtower/Telecom Ownership Agreement!

  by Atlantis in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  watchtower-qcstelecom ownership agreement.. .

  re: petition to transfer ownership of qcstelecom, inc., to watchtower bible and tract society.

  http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/common/viewdoc.aspx?docrefid=%7b57614a3f-7101-408a-8b25-b3499530db5a%7d.

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  jgnat

  So we've got this arrogant professor who think he's all that when it comes to computers and telecommunications. He's got a worthless company and he's got an old boy relationship with the powers that be in the Watchtower Society. I think we are simply seeing a back scratching exercise.
• 
  30

  1914 or 1934 ?

  by Chris Tann in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i have thoroughly researched the watchtower doctrine of 1914, and am convinced it is neither biblically or historically correct.

  but every now and then i wonder how ironic it is that world war 1 did start in that year, also pestilence and famine perused.

  maybe, just maybe the witnesses are correct.

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  jgnat

  I'd vote for the period between 1333-1337 where a famine wiped out untold population in China, and the Black Death decimated Europe.
• 
  24

  One Day Assembly Costs How Much, WTF?

  by NoMoreHustle in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the recent circuit assembly day cost get this... $17,0000 in an assembly hall that they own!

  this was announced during the assmbly at the 3/4 mark of days activities.

  after he said how much the assembly cost, he then proceeded to say that we have recieved $6,000 in donations up to this point of the day.

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  jgnat

  Apognophos, there's a fee paid to the head office for the visiting speakers. These assemblies are revenue generators.
• 
  24

  One Day Assembly Costs How Much, WTF?

  by NoMoreHustle in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the recent circuit assembly day cost get this... $17,0000 in an assembly hall that they own!

  this was announced during the assmbly at the 3/4 mark of days activities.

  after he said how much the assembly cost, he then proceeded to say that we have recieved $6,000 in donations up to this point of the day.

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  jgnat

  Here's the tax return for a full-time assembly hall in Okotoks, Alberta.

  http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/t3010form22quickview-eng.action?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%3A80%2Febci%2Fhaip%2Fsrch%2Fbasicsearchresult-eng.action%3Fk%3Djehovah%26amp%3Bs%3Dregistered%26amp%3Bb%3Dtrue%26amp%3Bp%3D1%26amp%3Bob%3Dprov&fpe=2012-12-31&b=107282014RR0001&n=EDMONTON%20ASSEMBLY%20HALL%20OF%20JEHOVAH%27S%20WITNESSES

  Financial Details:

  http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/t3010form22sched6-eng.action?b=107282014RR0001&fpe=2012-12-31&n=EDMONTON+ASSEMBLY+HALL+OF+JEHOVAH%27S+WITNESSES&r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%3A80%2Febci%2Fhaip%2Fsrch%2Ft3010form22-eng.action%3Fb%3D107282014RR0001%26amp%3Bfpe%3D2012-12-31%26amp%3Bn%3DEDMONTON%2BASSEMBLY%2BHALL%2BOF%2BJEHOVAH%2527S%2BWITNESSES%26amp%3Br%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%253A80%252Febci%252Fhaip%252Fsrch%252Fbasicsearchresult-eng.action%253Fk%253Djehovah%2526amp%253Bs%253Dregistered%2526amp%253Bb%253Dtrue%2526amp%253Bp%253D1%2526amp%253Bob%253Dprov

  Occupancy costs for the year, $130,000.

  Revenue, $794,000.
• 
  34

  Is truth relative?

  by Pinku in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  seeing various/changing laws on the same action, some may feel truth is relative, and there is no such thing as right and wrong.. yet a closer look at beneath the details would show that truth is not relative, and everyone knows what is right and wrong.. driving in the night by putting the head-light off is wrong, but right when country is in war with another country.

  behind both the conflicting laws, the truth is same: safety and welfare of the people.

  this is true of notion about what is right and wrong:.

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  jgnat

  Such confidence. So little substance.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/284677/1/What-is-a-morally-upright-life

  Claiming that belief in relative truth on the difference in laws in different countries is a strawman argument. There are principles for living that are pretty well "universal" for people, but there are also cultural differences. The questions are complex and should not be over-simplified.

  Whatever contributes to the welfare of all is right. Whatever contributes to the harm to person/s is wrong. - pinku

  This relates to Haidt's care/harm moral foundation, and yes, among people it is pretty universal. Except for instance, if someone threatens us from another "tribe". Then people are quite willing to dispose of the "threat".

  http://moralfoundations.org/

  Communication with spirit world is no longer a grand-mother tale. - pinku

  Yes it is.

  What does that have to do with relative truth?
• 
  35

  Autumn...

  by new hope and happiness in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've just glanced out my window and i saw the most picturesque countryside.

  i do believe we're entering autumn.

  so summer has had its day and like an old friend slipped away and we moves on...how do you feel about entering autumn?.

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  jgnat

  My granddaughter tells me that fall is her favourite season. The cooler evenings, the blazing colors. I remember feeling like that, too.

  I am getting older, and our cold harsh winters are ever less appealing. It takes some of the gloss off fall, knowing what comes next. But I can't complain this week. Yesterday it was 29C (84 F). I am compensating by soaking up as much sun as I can.