Posts by peacefulpete

20

So Let's Say Bigger Change Happens

by peacefulpete in

if a change in the blood policy happens, who will be more upset, jws or former jws?

i suspect the latter.

when the beard thing went down, jw's seem to immediately embrace it, whereas many former jw's have been brooding about it.. did it take away a pet gripe we had?.

peacefulpete

After a collapse or during one, people leave as exiles. There is freedom, but for a while people are emotional refugees. That is a bit different...Some of us might still be in that "refugee" situation, where we are affected by where we left. So when we hear news of what happens in the Watchtower world, it can affect us based on our particular situation and loss.

Great comment. Great analogy.

Longhairgal.....Do you really believe former JWs "feel" upset because of 'critical thinking'? Your words suggest the reason rests in the second half of your comment. (above not supposed to be in quotes)
"I was judged over this issue because I worked…"

Does the fact that JWs now are judged differently than you were still a source of irritation, despite your being 'long-out'?

I'm not insensitive to your experience, having been emotionally beat up myself, I'm suggesting you stop living like a 'refugee'.

20

So Let's Say Bigger Change Happens

by peacefulpete in

if a change in the blood policy happens, who will be more upset, jws or former jws?

i suspect the latter.

when the beard thing went down, jw's seem to immediately embrace it, whereas many former jw's have been brooding about it.. did it take away a pet gripe we had?.

peacefulpete

If a change in the blood policy happens, who will be more upset, JWs or former JWs?

I suspect the latter.

When the beard thing went down, JW's seem to immediately embrace it, whereas many former JW's have been brooding about it.

Did it take away a pet gripe we had?

Do we feel jealous of JWs living now?

Does this change make you question if you made a mistake in leaving the church?

I personally try to parallel such things in a way similar to how people react to past loves or lost friends. Do you hear of good news in their lives, maybe they became a better person, lost weight or got recognition for an accomplishment, and become disturbed by it? Or might you be the person who genuinely feels 'good for them!' (freudenfreude)

Are we happy the people, still under the WT's influence, can exercise a small but greater measure of control over their life? In matters of greater importance, wouldn't we be delighted to hear that social and legal pressures resulted in life-and-death choices being returned to the people?

I wonder, in the end, if most of us would be better off not spending time following the WT's shifting policies/doctrines. Much like we don't 'stalk' or shadow past lovers or former friends online for our mental health's sake.

56

Can God Change his Mind?

by peacefulpete in

is 31:yet he also is wise and will bring disaster and does not retract his words.. 1 sam 15: furthermore, the eternal one of israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.. numbers 23: god is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes his mind.

does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?.

when the god you worship pronounces judgement, is he, really just issuing a warning or has the matter been determined through all the godly powers of insight, foresight and perfect judgement?

peacefulpete

Once again, I appreciate your sharing your progressive Jewish outlook. The notion of identity, piety and charity apart from fear of deity, is a foreign concept for many. As you have previously mentioned, there is no singular formulation of Judaism, and how to read these ancient texts is a large part of that diversity.

You and PioneerSchmioneer bring a welcome modern, if I may add, Minimalist perspective to these topics. I'm engaged in fresh research regarding some newer approaches to Source Criticism as a result of your contributions.

8

It's that time - 'When Uranus and Jupiter meet' - how long before WW III?

by was a new boy in

it took 117 days in 1914 from when uranus and jupiter met on march 4, till the start of ww i on june 28,1914.. another conjunction today; 117 days from today is aug.16, 2024.. .

https://www.astropro.com/features/tables/geo/ju-ur/ju-000-ur/ju000ur6.html.

https://avoidjw.org/archive/magazines/1900-1909/.

peacefulpete

Member the adage, "Keep your mind open, but not so open your brain falls out. "

46

New light: the GB are infallible

by AEnEm in

amazing new light in the latest morning worship by gary breaux.

the gb "never lie or deceive us.

we can have absolute trust in the governing body".. he then makes a very helpful point, so as to avoid being deceived and avoid lies.

peacefulpete

deleted

46

New light: the GB are infallible

by AEnEm in

amazing new light in the latest morning worship by gary breaux.

the gb "never lie or deceive us.

we can have absolute trust in the governing body".. he then makes a very helpful point, so as to avoid being deceived and avoid lies.

peacefulpete

Another thread quoted the July WT with words that laid it out quite clearly.

Being prideful could lead us to consider our personal opinions to be just as valid as Scriptural principles and direction from Jehovah’s organization.
Jehovah will help us put his thoughts, which he provides through his Word and his organization, ahead of our own.

YOUR opinions are 'invalid and prideful', the GB's 'directions' are "God's thoughts".

If I told a JW I had joined a religion in which I am encouraged to stop thinking for myself and let a dozen old men pass "God's thoughts" to me, they would immediately think I had joined a cult.

Somehow through years of repetition and doublespeak, they no longer hear it when it comes from the WT.

56

Can God Change his Mind?

by peacefulpete in

is 31:yet he also is wise and will bring disaster and does not retract his words.. 1 sam 15: furthermore, the eternal one of israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.. numbers 23: god is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes his mind.

does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?.

when the god you worship pronounces judgement, is he, really just issuing a warning or has the matter been determined through all the godly powers of insight, foresight and perfect judgement?

peacefulpete

This also points, then, to the conclusion having been instinctive. A conclusion that originates at the very beginning of mankind and manages to stand the test of time till today despite all the advances in comprehension.

What conclusion? Surely you are not suggesting that Animism? Many gods, Two gods, three gods, one god (but with an archnemesis), belief in ghosts, slender man, the Jersey Devil, Chupacabra, etc. are "instinctive". All these examples demonstrate a tendency for the human mind to draw conclusions on inference, with incomplete evidence, reinforced through culture. None of these "conclusions" are "instinctive", they are demonstrations of all-to-common flawed decision making.

Many ideas and memes have survived for millennia. Tribalism, racism, sexism, war to name a few. Surely these ideas are not the result of a creator's programming? If so, then hopefully he's changed his mind.

56

Can God Change his Mind?

by peacefulpete in

is 31:yet he also is wise and will bring disaster and does not retract his words.. 1 sam 15: furthermore, the eternal one of israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.. numbers 23: god is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes his mind.

does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?.

when the god you worship pronounces judgement, is he, really just issuing a warning or has the matter been determined through all the godly powers of insight, foresight and perfect judgement?

peacefulpete

There have always been two sides to the religion coin. One side is how to manipulate, flatter the spirits to ensure prosperity, like abundant animals to hunt or wheat in the field, the other how to avoid angering them to prevent having lions eat your child or rain not fall. Survival until recently was a crap shoot. Our species barely survived until our technology gave us some edge on nature. Any way to improve the odds would be embraced, logical or not. As was also said, there is a community element to cult. Your gods protect you, my gods protect me. Like was said, tribalism. This would have had some survival advantage at a time when subsistence farming or nomadic lifestyle were the norm. It also has an element of group kinship bonds. There is no need to imagine someone planned this all out and decided to invent spirits and religion. As was also said, useful ideas stick around if they offer some survival advantage. Memetic evolution.

56

Can God Change his Mind?

by peacefulpete in

is 31:yet he also is wise and will bring disaster and does not retract his words.. 1 sam 15: furthermore, the eternal one of israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.. numbers 23: god is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes his mind.

does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?.

when the god you worship pronounces judgement, is he, really just issuing a warning or has the matter been determined through all the godly powers of insight, foresight and perfect judgement?

peacefulpete

They depended upon them but they were mysterious. They could not understand how or why these things acted the way they do. The unknown inspires imagination.

56

Can God Change his Mind?

by peacefulpete in

is 31:yet he also is wise and will bring disaster and does not retract his words.. 1 sam 15: furthermore, the eternal one of israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.. numbers 23: god is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes his mind.

does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?.

when the god you worship pronounces judgement, is he, really just issuing a warning or has the matter been determined through all the godly powers of insight, foresight and perfect judgement?

peacefulpete

This is precisely an instinctive (inferential) thing to have done. Why did man have to see a spirit in the fire or the water? Why not leave it at "it's hot" or "it's wet"?

Why does my dog bark at the wind? Why when the floor creaks does my wife immediately suspect someone is in the house? It's a product of mind and experience.

When she wakens alarmed, her rational mind usually takes over...."I should have heard the door open, we live in a safe rural community, the floor sometimes creaks when the cat walks on it"...etc. IOW she applies critical thinking and suppresses her primitive inference.

As to why fire and water and planets/sun etc. were endowed with spirits, things that move and exert force are easily thought of as animate or animated by someone animate. Combine that with the importance things like water, fire, wind, sun have to human survival, they were concerns playing on the mind all the time.

Animate vs. inanimate are innate concepts in all but the simplest of organisms. Yet the mind of my cat seems to enjoy imagining/pretending her stuffed ball of feathers on a string as a bird.

Believing and make believing are sisters. Religion makes no effort to separate them.