Topics Started by lifelong humanist

8
Children Learning to Think Critically Aged Six!
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. experiences
yesterday, i started a thread about learning how to thinking critically.. so, imagine my surprise when last night my eldest son phoned to say that his son, my grandson, wanted to speak with my wife and i about a project he had to do at his school.

he has just turned 6 years old.

the project involved asking his parents and then grandparents questions about how things when they were a similar age.. i said that i'd be happy to speak with him, and answer his questions as best i could.
66
Could Teaching Critical Thinking Abilities, End Cult Mind-Conrol Forever?
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. experiences
in my mind, every child that undergoes an education system, whether it be a within the family, a basic pre-school kindergarten type structure, within a monitored school curriculum environment itself, or, as part of a further education programme, the emphasis should be on teaching people how to think critically, and for the common good of all.. if this was indeed the case, probably very few would succumb to mind-control techniques later on in life.

cults would struggle to dupe and recruit new members.

the cult leaders themselves, would derive little benefit from their evil mind games.
20
What's Your Favourite Way to Treat a Bad Cold?
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. friends
i've been suffering from a really bad cold, with flu-type symptoms, for almost a week now.

very unusual for me.. it couldn't have come at a worse time, as i've just started working as a self-employed person, working outdoors in all weathers.

no sick pay, so no money coming in.. i expect that i'll be ok for monday, though.. i'm right in the middle of making a homemade lamb curry.
45
What was the first single you ever bought, and what are your memories?
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. friends
some light relief!.

even now, i can vividly recall buying my very first 45 rpm single in 1967.. i was only just 15 years old.

i worked as a 'paper boy', delivering newspapers to people living nearby.
26
Would you buy a 2 cylinder, 875cc petrol car that returns almost 70mpg?
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. friends
i've bought lots of cars over the last 35 years or so - mostly fiats and alfa romeos.

i'm a dedicated italian car fan.. my very first car was a tiny fiat 500 with a tiny air-cooled motor in the rear (trunk).

it was a 1967 car - they first appeared in 1957. it was cheap to run, slow, and very basic - but i just loved it!.
12
Any Petrolheads Here?
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. friends
my still-in jw wife thinks that i'm crazy to have just bought a new top-of-the-range mazda mx-5 2l roadster (miata, eunos for other countries).. i'm 58 years old.

too old for a 'fun car', i'm told!

i used to sell subaru's, so i've driven a lot of very fast, responsive 4 wheel drive cars.
4
How Many Humanists in your country?
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. friends
many on this forum already know that i'm a member of the humanist society scotland.. at our annual conference last month, i was happy to collect a bumper sticker that had been produced for a special capaign earlier this year to raise awareness of humanism issues within scotland.

our population is very small - just over 5 million people, so the simple message was bound to create quite a stir:.

two million scots are good without god.
10
Saying 'grace' at meal times
by lifelong humanist in
1. jw
2. friends
long before i dad myself in 2003, i used to feel really bad offering up 'grace' prior to eating a meal with family and/or friends.

it felt totally weird.

i never quite understood the concept.
8
Is this why the WT always has to have an answer?
by lifelong humanist in
1. watchtower
2. child-abuse
i was brought up to reply to a question that i didn't understand, or know the answer to, in a modest, humble manner - true, sometimes it was embarrassing, but if i didn't know the answer, i'd (usually) admit it, and then start trying to find the answer.

this was time consuming, and required work - sometimes, a lot of research.

but, it has usually stood me in good stead.
5
Anything thelpful at this year's DA to help free my wife from the cult?
by lifelong humanist in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
i haven't posted here for about 5 or 6 months.

i've looked through previous threads in an attempt to find out about the sort of stuff issued at the das this year, but without success.. my wife still attends some jw meetings.

at present she's in attendance at the big da in perth, scotland.. can anyone on this board comment on any talks, demonstrations, experiences, etc.