Today in fact I just received a call inviting me back to the university to discuss the JW religion in a religious studies class. I had to decline due to health, but I was invited to join in a podcast which I might just yet do. I've twice before spoke at that class and one previous in another setting. I discussed the history and basic tenets and how the religion affects the lives of people. I pull no punches regarding the hurt it has caused mine and millions of other families. The students listen surprisingly intently. Questions afterward were usually about the abusive aspects of the religion. I feel I'm only being invited back because of my controlled demeaner and tone. Had I approached the topic with words like "abusive cult" I doubt I would have been received well but be seen as a disgruntled crackpot. Sometimes the "speak softly but carry a big stick" approach is more effective.
peacefulpete
JoinedPosts by peacefulpete
-
18
Subliminal POMO image at JW.org
by Smiles inpomo-c. physically-out-mentally-out... of cult .
.
https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/update-4-brotherly-love-prevails-amid-ongoing-crisis-in-ukraine/.
-
-
-
18
Subliminal POMO image at JW.org
by Smiles inpomo-c. physically-out-mentally-out... of cult .
.
https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/update-4-brotherly-love-prevails-amid-ongoing-crisis-in-ukraine/.
-
-
peacefulpete
BTW Smiles I liked your first thread 19 years ago.
You "apostates" encourage me!
-
18
Subliminal POMO image at JW.org
by Smiles inpomo-c. physically-out-mentally-out... of cult .
.
https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/update-4-brotherly-love-prevails-amid-ongoing-crisis-in-ukraine/.
-
-
peacefulpete
Wow....lots of heat. I encourage you to read the comments in the link you post. I was asking if anyone knew the program and the source of the goods my sick aged parents had received a box from. I have spent 20 years here opposing cult control and uncritical religious thinking. I grew in understanding and as a person during that time as well. My chosen name Peacefulpete is to remind me that people and situations are always more complicated than simple "Black or White". So, while I personally believe the world would be better without divisive and apocalyptic religions, I also know they are attractive to many otherwise nice people. Therefore, IMO the more religions like the WT adapt toward mainstream, charitable churches the better.
Meanwhile those who have left the religion look like humans too.
-
25
Vid obsession
by punkofnice ini'm interested in your thoughts.. the media tells us a lot of agenda driven propaganda.
you're hard pressed to spot truth these days.. however, i'm told that the rona is now just a rotten flu and not the plague we were originally terrified in to believing.
last time i heard it was down in the hit parade to 16th nasty health thing.. all the people and family i know that have had the rona, have been complaining it's a very crappy flu.
-
-
peacefulpete
DD. Your experience is different from mine. Here in Wisconsin USA things are quite normal. We're shopping, eating out, traveling. etc. My wife had a crafting class last night. The only place that requires a mask is the hospital. We gradually reduced the sense of urgency as the situation on the ground changed. The determinant was and will always be, to watch the hospitals. When they filled up, encourage more social distancing and as they normalized, so did everything else. Sorry if your experience was different, not every government has equal emergency management skills.
-
25
Vid obsession
by punkofnice ini'm interested in your thoughts.. the media tells us a lot of agenda driven propaganda.
you're hard pressed to spot truth these days.. however, i'm told that the rona is now just a rotten flu and not the plague we were originally terrified in to believing.
last time i heard it was down in the hit parade to 16th nasty health thing.. all the people and family i know that have had the rona, have been complaining it's a very crappy flu.
-
-
peacefulpete
Everyone else just gets on with life
As life has returned to normal in most parts of the world, (except those parts that have not successfully vaccinated their people).
-
50
WT May 2022: The Seven Headed Beast
by raymond frantz in.
https://youtu.be/wg9-pvxsoqm.
this is my take on may 2022 watchtower on the seven headed beast and its connection to the 4 beasts of daniel 7. what do you think?.
-
-
peacefulpete
As evasive as that last comment was, I respect the spirit of it. We all do well to reexamine our beliefs and do so with humility.
-
18
Subliminal POMO image at JW.org
by Smiles inpomo-c. physically-out-mentally-out... of cult .
.
https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/update-4-brotherly-love-prevails-amid-ongoing-crisis-in-ukraine/.
-
-
peacefulpete
Are you still a little bit mentally-in?
You don't know me obviously. I've been out long enough to no longer feel wounded and angry. I stand by the comment that the optics of mocking and fault finding when they are doing something constructive and helpful are poor, even off-putting. This is a religion, one of countless religions that exert undue influence. If some of that influence is steered toward helping others, I say we encourage it. The best we can hope is that they evolved into a Salvation Army.
-
18
Subliminal POMO image at JW.org
by Smiles inpomo-c. physically-out-mentally-out... of cult .
.
https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/ukraine/update-4-brotherly-love-prevails-amid-ongoing-crisis-in-ukraine/.
-
-
peacefulpete
Religions like the WT truly do as much harm in people's lives as good. We all know that. But why attack them when they are doing good. You look calloused and embittered. It's better to encourage the good, humanitarian efforts being one. Even if you argue the WT is doing it as a PR stunt, the people involved are doing something good for others and only completely jaded people would not believe they care about the suffering.
-
50
WT May 2022: The Seven Headed Beast
by raymond frantz in.
https://youtu.be/wg9-pvxsoqm.
this is my take on may 2022 watchtower on the seven headed beast and its connection to the 4 beasts of daniel 7. what do you think?.
-
-
peacefulpete
Millions of Hindus, Muslims, Jews, even Mormons and thousands of JWs have died for what they believed. horribly tragic all. Wouldn't it have been better if they had been more critical of what they were taught?
-
50
WT May 2022: The Seven Headed Beast
by raymond frantz in.
https://youtu.be/wg9-pvxsoqm.
this is my take on may 2022 watchtower on the seven headed beast and its connection to the 4 beasts of daniel 7. what do you think?.
-
-
peacefulpete
To the contrary, preconceived ideas would pose a threat to scientific method. These could prevent objective reasoning to take place, entice one to tamper with the evidence, cause one to adapt one’s data to suit the occasion or to ignore that which contradicts
Impossible to disagree. So then would not someone like Irenaeus who sought to establish himself as a passionate defender of his branch of Christianity have been susceptible to tamper with evidence? The objective mind is inclined to be cautious and look at motives. He revealed his own by less than subtly saying "true" Christianity has a succession to the Apostles. He forthwith produces one with himself as learning as a child at Polycarp's feet who in turn learned apparently also as a child at Apostle John's feet. To determine the value of this claim we need to see some supporting evidence, but all we find is unsupporting, even contradicting. A forensic scientist would not be impressed with this testimony.
PS. I thought about including some Greek words but then realized how that would come across as trying to impress.