Marvin Shilmer

Joined

• started 433 topics
• posted 4,004 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Marvin Shilmer

• 
  17

  Would you warn your neighbors if a child molester lived on your street?

  by Stealth in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just found out that someone who lives 4 doors down was convicted of molesting a 4 year old child twice.

  the second time was after he was arrested and released on bond from the first arrest.

  having two 4 year old children living in my home, i am concerned.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  Would you?

  Hell yes!!! Plus more!!! The pervert would not live on my street.
• 
  15

  Malawi CRAP in April 15 2015 Watchtower

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  near the top of page 15 in the april 15, 2015 watchtower shows a photo of the malawi congress party card made the center of jws being severely persecuted in malawi in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

  the lie is furthered in this watchtower article is that the whole issue was over jws refusing to involve themselves in politics.

  readers who want to know the whole story of what caused this persecution are invited to consider evidence in the following article presentations: .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  There was no registry of party affiliation because there was only one party, and it was expected that you would support it.

  Lack of a central membership directory (or any membership directory) means membership was not the issue in relation to the MCP card. What mattered was either having a card when you were asked for a card, or not having a card when you were asked for a card. If you didn't have a card that was a good thing from the perspective of the Youth League because it presented an opportunity for them to get money for compelling you to had over 25-cents for a card.

  But it is clear that many did not and the touchstone was the membership card. The suggestion that this was about the money ignores the nature of African politics and the megalomania exhibited by Dr Banda throughout his rulership.

  When it came to prison camps during the Banda era, it didn't matter if a person had an MCP card on their person or not. If Banda or the Young Pioneers viewed you as a threat for any reason, you ended up in one of these camps. If having an MCP card on the person made the difference between living in one of Banda's prison camps or not, 99-100 percent of the population of these camps would not have been there; they would have forked over the 25-cents and had one of these innocuous cards on their person. But they were in the camp whether they had a card or not, because either Banda or someone in his militarized Young Pioneers viewed the person as a threat.
• 
  15

  Malawi CRAP in April 15 2015 Watchtower

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  near the top of page 15 in the april 15, 2015 watchtower shows a photo of the malawi congress party card made the center of jws being severely persecuted in malawi in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

  the lie is furthered in this watchtower article is that the whole issue was over jws refusing to involve themselves in politics.

  readers who want to know the whole story of what caused this persecution are invited to consider evidence in the following article presentations: .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  The arguments that suggest the card did not indicate nominal affiliation and support for the Malawi Congress Party ignore the fact there were repeated card-checking campaigns in a bid to force party membership on the entire population.

  Not a bid to force party membership. It was a bid to get money. There was no registry of party affiliation. The card-checks you speak of demonstrate this. A person could have been an MCP supporter, but if they didn't have a card on them during a card-check guess what, they had to pony up 25-cents. It was about the money. Insofar as Banda and the then government was concerned, every Malawian citizen was a member of the MCP. The MCP was the government in Malawi.
• 
  15

  Malawi CRAP in April 15 2015 Watchtower

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  near the top of page 15 in the april 15, 2015 watchtower shows a photo of the malawi congress party card made the center of jws being severely persecuted in malawi in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

  the lie is furthered in this watchtower article is that the whole issue was over jws refusing to involve themselves in politics.

  readers who want to know the whole story of what caused this persecution are invited to consider evidence in the following article presentations: .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  That’s all the people of Africa need. Symbolic stands against dictatorships with orders given from one of the most free and wealthy nations on earth.

  I think it helps people to have a cause compelling them toward a productive end. But in this case there was no productive end for the Malawian JWs and Watchtower knew that perfectly well. Certainly it was a cruel hoax for Watchtower to make those Malawian JWs think it wrong to pledge allegiance to the Malawian national government when that is precisely what Watchtower leadership was doing the whole time (toward the United States government). Watchtower saw it as another opportunity to sell the "Look! We are persecuted!!!" card. The whole thing is sickening to think about.
• 
  2

  Rachel Dolezal -- "unexpected firestorm"?

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. social
  2. current

  by now most readers here are aware of the rachel dolezal story.

  (the white woman in "blackface" according to ezra dolezal, the adopted son of rachel dolezal's biological parents) .

  today she resigned from her leadership position inside the naacp.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  I actually feel sorry for this women, ...

  Me too. I hope she finds a productive way forward. People tend to be forgiving, and I'm sure she can move forward if she wants. She might have to find another place to express her enthusiasm other than racial issues. At least for the time being. But she's gonna need some professional help. Something's compelling her to make up all this stupid stuff she's been making up for years, and she'll have to find out what it is and manage it.
• 
  2

  Rachel Dolezal -- "unexpected firestorm"?

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. social
  2. current

  by now most readers here are aware of the rachel dolezal story.

  (the white woman in "blackface" according to ezra dolezal, the adopted son of rachel dolezal's biological parents) .

  today she resigned from her leadership position inside the naacp.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  By now most readers here are aware of the Rachel Dolezal story. (The white woman in "blackface" according to Ezra Dolezal, the adopted son of Rachel Dolezal's biological parents)

  Today she resigned from her leadership position inside the NAACP. This is no surprise. She really had no choice, and I'm sure NAACP leadership made this clear to her over the past few days. Born (or grew up) in a teepee? Hunted food with bows and arrows growing up? Lived several years in Africa? These are among things allegedly asserted by Rachel Dolezal yet each is disputed by family members who should know, and this is not even the serious stuff; this is just stuff that's no more than stupid to invent!

  Then comes today. In her resignation letter she speaks of the recent controversy calling it an "unexpected firestorm"?

  I'm sorry. This lady is sick, and I'm not being facetious. She is really sick. Additionally, she's hurt folks she claims as her own people, and black females in particular. How can this whole thing blowing up in her face be an "unexpected firestorm"? What did she think was going to happen, ultimately? Her own brother (adopted) says a few years ago she told him not to blow her cover. So she knew there was a bombshell there waiting to explode.

  Individuals like this make me wonder what on earth are people thinking these days?
• 
  15

  Malawi CRAP in April 15 2015 Watchtower

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  near the top of page 15 in the april 15, 2015 watchtower shows a photo of the malawi congress party card made the center of jws being severely persecuted in malawi in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

  the lie is furthered in this watchtower article is that the whole issue was over jws refusing to involve themselves in politics.

  readers who want to know the whole story of what caused this persecution are invited to consider evidence in the following article presentations: .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  The doctrine is that a christian should not get involved in politics. What does that mean?

  I realize that question is not asked to know Watchtower's explanation. But explanation and understanding are different. Watchtower's explanation of this issue is so convoluted that it leaves a person's head spinning. But understanding Watchtower's position is as simple as a careful review of history.

  The whole thing is rooted in a doctrinal position Watchtower formed in the very early 1940s and termed "neutrality" doctrine.

  There are thousands of experiences of JWs refusing military induction based on this neutrality doctrine. JWs could register for induction. That was no offense under the neutrality doctrine. JWs could show up for induction into the military if they were called up. That was no offense under the neutrality doctrine. JWs could undergo the physical prior to induction. That was no offense under the neutrality doctrine. But when it got to taking the oath of allegiance to the government, that was the point at which JWs had been taught it would be a violation of the neutrality doctrine and it was at this point that JWs refused. (See United States v Smith 1942) What Watchtower's upper leadership was not telling the rank-and-file JW is that every one of the organization's top leadership had already been pledging the national oath of allegiance to the United States' government, and continued to do so afterward for decades.

  Then Malawi comes along, and the poor JWs over there were being told by leaders in Watchtower that it's wrong to pledge allegiance to any county and that accepting and giving 25-cents for a blank (BLANK!!!) MCP card would be an act of allegiance to the county of Malawi, so the Malawian JWs refused and suffered horribly as a result. During the whole decades long episode top Watchtower leadership were pledging the national oath of allegiance to the United States government. The Malawian JWs had no idea of this gross hypocrisy.

  In Malawi it was most certainly not a political act to had over 25-cents for a blank (BLANK!!!) MCP card. The very idea is ludicrous. It's no wonder that to this day Watchtower has never, ever published the inside of the MCP card for JWs to see what this card is all about. Instead it wants JWs to judge "the book" by its cover alone. That's why we find Watchtower has published the front view of this card on two occasions but never the inside. Then JWs would learn the whole story is a religiously motivated hoax.
• 
  16

  Learners

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  if you were at the watchtower how many times did you hear this idiotic condescending word?

  i think i must have heard it 500 times.

  the learner.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  I noticed this term used over and over again. It's ridiculous. A real learner will research to the nth degree to make sure what he or she is being taught will hold water; that's it's rational. Watchtower doctrine is loaded with irrational ideas and teachings.

  To me the term "learner" was used in this Watchtower to refer to someone who wants to or needs to be coddled and in return wants to like boots.
• 
  15

  Malawi CRAP in April 15 2015 Watchtower

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  near the top of page 15 in the april 15, 2015 watchtower shows a photo of the malawi congress party card made the center of jws being severely persecuted in malawi in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

  the lie is furthered in this watchtower article is that the whole issue was over jws refusing to involve themselves in politics.

  readers who want to know the whole story of what caused this persecution are invited to consider evidence in the following article presentations: .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  Near the top of page 15 in the April 15, 2015 Watchtower shows a photo of the Malawi Congress Party card made the center of JWs being severely persecuted in Malawi in the 60s, 70s and 80s. The lie is furthered in this Watchtower article is that the whole issue was over JWs refusing to involve themselves in politics.

  Readers who want to know the whole story of what caused this persecution are invited to consider evidence in the following article presentations:

  Malawi — Savage Betrayal by Watchtower?

  Malawi and MCP card distribution

  By the way, this April 15, 2015 Watchtower article is the second time the organization has shared an image of the MCP card. In each of the two instances Watchtower shared only the cover of the MCP and has never shown the inside. There is good reason for Watchtower not to show the inside of this document, and how is it was to be completed. To do so would undermine the whole myth Watchtower has constructed around this document (the MCP card). The thing had nothing whatsoever to do with involving oneself with politics. The inside of this document had blanks for the recipient to complete on their own time and in their own way, if they ever filled in the blanks at all. The second of the two articles linked above explains this. The author is Malawian, has no axe to grind with Watchtower, has never been a JW and could not care less about the Watchtower organization.
• 
  305

  McKinney Texas pool party?

  by Marvin Shilmer in

  1. social
  2. current

  so today i was asked my thoughts on the pool party incident in mcminney, texas.

  my response: it shows a clash of expectations.

  i saw police officers who expected citizens to listen to and follow instructions.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  Because the general consensus appeared that he did nothing wrong and that everything he did was justified.

  Because I think the officer at issue didn't do anything worth getting fired over does not mean I think he (and others) can't improve, and that's where I think emphasis should be. This incident is a learning moment.

  But I'm still waiting for more investigatory information before I form a comprehensive conclusion about the matter. For instance, it would be helpful to know what other officers on the scene were running after, and why. Knowing the number of officers on the scene and their order of arrival should prove enlightening too. And that radio transmission made just prior to the bikini gal episode could be very helpful in understanding what was on the mind of the officer and why.

  There could easily have been concealed firearms in that crowd, and probably there was given we're talking about an incident in Texas. Officers realized this. There was report of violence. The crowd was anxious and mouthy. Several individuals were failing to remove themselves from the chaos, which caused needless distraction. I'd have been as loud and as obnoxious as necessary to restore order so I could better focus on whatever presented the greatest danger, if any danger remained. I'm mostly glad that we're not talking about grieving parents.