Ranchette

Joined

• started 41 topics
• posted 762 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Ranchette

• 
  28

  Why atheism?

  by Skimmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on varieties of atheism:.

  can we even speak of clear and distinct ideological borders among atheists, agnostics, and theists?

  absent any commonly accepted scientific proof of the existence of god (or gods), we must consider that the labeling is based on an individual's personal interpretation.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Hi Comf!

  Nice to hear from you again.
  You said,

  Amen, alleluyou, sister! Tell it, tell it! Dass right, mm-hmm, dass sho right!

  Were you dancing when you said that?

  Anyway glad you've had the same experience as I have on this.

  Ranchette
• 
  21

  Reasons for Leaving JWs/Fatal Flaw

  by patio34 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i ran across this in "river out of eden" by richard dawkins (pgs 131-132) yesterday and it accurately sums up why i left jws 9 months ago and, essentially, belief in a creator:.

  re dna survivial: 'when the utility function-that which is being maximized--is dna survival, this is not a recipe for happiness.

  so long as dna is passed on, it does not matter who or what gets hurt in the process.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Eyebrow,
  That sounds familiar to me too. I do know that is what they taught about man but I'm not sure about animals.
  But I think they taught that about animals too because that would explain why they taught us that the meat eating animals would eat straw in the new world,implying that things would go back to God's original pourpose.

  Pat,
  Very interesting thread.

  Ranchette
• 
  4

  WTS Labs

  by cyrano in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  watch tower bible & tract society clinical laboratory of brooklyn.

  21 clark street brooklyn ny 11201 .

  watch tower bible & tract society clinical laboratory of patterson 100 watchtower drive patterson ny 12563-9204 .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Anthrax?

  Ranchette
• 
  28

  Why atheism?

  by Skimmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on varieties of atheism:.

  can we even speak of clear and distinct ideological borders among atheists, agnostics, and theists?

  absent any commonly accepted scientific proof of the existence of god (or gods), we must consider that the labeling is based on an individual's personal interpretation.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Skimmer,

  I’m really not crazy about labels because like others have pointed out they are up for different interpretations but I will try to describe where I am at now.

  If I understand this correctly an Atheist just flat out denies the existence of God or a creator.
  That’s not comfortable for me because I don’t have proof that God exists anymore than I do that he doesn’t.

  I think Agnostic would be closer to where I’m at. If there is a God I see absolutely no evidence of him being involved in our lives.
  At best he set things in motion and lets nature take it’s course.

  To imply that he is involved would make him a very partial, prejudiced, and unloving God in my opinion.

  Most religions teach that God has the power to solve mans problems and end suffering.
  Many also teach that the reason he hasn’t done any thing yet is because Satan caused Adam and Eve to sin, then Adam, Eve, lost their everlasting life and all their offspring suffer terrible things to this day because of their mistake. Meanwhile Satan who caused the whole mess in the first place gets a six thousand year or more party!
  That is not the work of an all powerful, loving and just God.

  Here is a recent example why I cringe at the thought of an almighty God.
  When the WTCs fell thousands perished. Then we have people who escaped or were late to work or decided not to go that day saying that it was God that saved them.
  Well I’m glad they are alive but what makes then so much more f*****g important than the thousands that died!
  God had nothing to do with it.
  God and religion is a fantasy to me, just a warm fuzzy feeling because of mans fear of death.

  I didn’t choose to believe this way. In fact it would be so much easier for me to go with the flow since I live in the “Bible Belt”.
  Here non- belief is considered non patriotic as well as a one-way ticket to Hell!

  How did I get here? Tons of time, research, experience, logic, thought and evidence or rather a lack of it.
  We were taught that we must have God, Jesus, and religion in our lives in order to be persons with strength of character, morals, and values. I believe this to be false.

  Without the crutch of God and religion I found a feeling of intense responsibility and appreciation of life. I also love others and myself so much more now that I don’t have guilt, fear, and the constant message that I’m not living up to his expectations.

  I was a JW all my life and when I lost trust and respect for the organization I started my journey, looking for answers.

  I started by reading the Bible from cover to cover and comparing between several translations. That alone was enough to convince me that it is not divinely inspired book. The war God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are not the same.
  I did much more research and I could go on and on but this is getting long so I’ll close for now.

  Ranchette
• 
  6

  "Band of Brothers" & "Why We...

  by Nathan Natas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  wwii was my father's war, my uncles' war.

  my dad was with the army in germany, and my marine uncle returned from iwo jima.. being raised as a 'dub, i had no connection to any of that until it was too late.. for that reason the hbo series "band of brothers" holds special interest for me.

  these were the 18 year old kids my dad and his brothers went to school with.. anybody else following the series?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Nathan,

  My husband and I are watching it too.
  I wasn't too much in the mood for war stories at the time it started but I quickly got hooked before the first epesode was over.

  Ranchette
• 
  30

  A Note From Maximus To You All

  by hillary_step in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  many of you have wondered where maximus has been the past while and i would like, with his permission, to fill you in on a few details that will shed a light his recent sabbatical.. maximus and others have been working for some while on his book which i can assure you will bring some very interesting information regarding wts issues into the public arena.

  without giving too much away, the book will be unique in the sense that it will embody theology with personal experience and present a helping hand through the process of challenging wts theology in a practical way, to establishing a meaningful and fulfilling life after the wts, if a person so chooses to walk this path.

  many who know maximus personally will validate the fact that he has a vast fund of knowledge and experience of wts life and that he wishes to use this to heal rather than to further enflame.. the book which is still in its embryonic phase, will be the first of a number of projects developed by a new publishing company to aid those who are undergoing crisis in their lives, whether theologically or emotionally.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Thank you so much for updating us.

  Many here have been missing Max.

  Please send him and his wife my love and tell them that I hope they get well soon.

  Ranchette
• 
  19

  For Any JW Who Doubts The WT/ UN Connection

  by Ranchette in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  we've all seen the scathing things wt has printed about the un over the years but in the last few yrs there has been a change in tone when they speak of the un at times.below i provide an example of this courtesy of dec 8,2000awake.. i made some quotes bold print.as you read notice the complimentary tone and the spots where un photos appear.those were probably obtained as a perk with their membership.. ask your self,is this any way to speak of the scarlet colored wild beast?

  part of saten's org?if you can look at the magazine.it looks like a propaganda piece.. the problems of children.

  the solution at last .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  and another one,

  *** g99 5/8 31 How to Avoid a Global Tragedy ***
  How to Avoid a Global Tragedy
  THE UNITED NATIONS CALLS IT A “GLOBAL TRAGEDY”—AND RIGHTLY SO. WORLDWIDE, EVERY MINUTE A WOMAN DIES AS A CONSEQUENCE OF PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH.
  Most of these deaths occur in developing countries. While only 1 woman in 10,000 dies from pregnancy-related causes in Europe and 1 in 12,500 in the United States, the odds rise to 1 in 73 in Latin America, 1 in 54 in Asia, and an appalling 1 in 21 in Africa!
  Since many of these 600,000 pregnancy-related deaths each year could have been prevented with the help of skilled birth attendants, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are now stressing the training of women (and men) as professional midwives.
  In countries where doctors are scarce, trained midwives can mean the difference between life and death. UNICEF’s Dr. France Donnay and WHO adviser Anne Thompson told UN Radio recently that giving trained midwives more authority is already bringing results. They said that in several African countries, for instance, maternal mortality dropped dramatically when midwives received permission to remove placentas that were not expelled after birth. Similar progress is being made in Indonesia, where a project aims to train two midwives for every village. So far, 55,000 trained midwives have been sent out.
  “In developed countries, too, midwifery is alive,” noted the UN Radio program Perspective. Such countries as France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom never abandoned the tradition of midwifery, and in the United States, it is enjoying a revival. These countries value midwives, said Anne Thompson, a trained midwife herself, because they offer personalized and continual care. “A labour after all goes on for anything up to 24 hours and physicians don’t have time to sit around for 24 hours.” Yet, she added that one of the factors contributing to safer childbirth is “the presence of somebody who is sympathetic, knowledgeable, understanding and can reassure the woman.”
  Perspective further noted that “each year 60 million deliveries take place in which the woman is cared for only by a family member, an untrained traditional birth attendant—or by no one at all.” The UN is striving to change this. For starters, WHO focused the 1998 World Health Day on the theme “Safe Motherhood.” “We know it will not be achieved in the next 2 or 3 years,” said Dr. Donnay. Their goal, though, is to have “a professional attendant for each woman at delivery.”

  My comments,
  These articles may not seem like that big of a deal to you but it is when you see the pattern for yourself.
  I have the 1999 WT CD, and I researched 1998 & 99.
  The awake magazine for those two years are chock full of positive or neutral information about the UN.

  For example the 1/8/99 Awake has FOUR articles in it along with a comment in the Watching the world section that contains some UN info.
  If you have the CD just type in Uninted Nations and see for your self.
  It continues from there.Almost every awake in the yrs of 98 & 99 contain something from the UN.

  If you are still saying "so what" then think about this.
  The society has ripped the Catholic Church up for years. When they mention them it's always negativly even though we all know the Church also acompolishes some good things.
  You would never see the org printing positive news about Catholics on a regular basis!That's part of Babylon the Great.
  Something is very wrong with this.

  Shouldn't it strick you as very strange when you see WT printing UN info on a regular basis.I mean that's the Wild Beast for God's sake!
  There is too much for me to copy and paste but I will continue to do research when I have the time.

  Please think about this and research for yourself if you can.

  Ranchette
• 
  19

  For Any JW Who Doubts The WT/ UN Connection

  by Ranchette in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  we've all seen the scathing things wt has printed about the un over the years but in the last few yrs there has been a change in tone when they speak of the un at times.below i provide an example of this courtesy of dec 8,2000awake.. i made some quotes bold print.as you read notice the complimentary tone and the spots where un photos appear.those were probably obtained as a perk with their membership.. ask your self,is this any way to speak of the scarlet colored wild beast?

  part of saten's org?if you can look at the magazine.it looks like a propaganda piece.. the problems of children.

  the solution at last .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Here's another on for you.

  *** g99 9/22 5-6 What Is the Future of War? ***
  Global Efforts to Bring Peace
  The desire to end war is expressed in the preamble to the charter of the United Nations.There we read of the determination of the member states “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime [with the two world wars] has brought untold sorrow to mankind.” That determination to save future generations from war was expressed in the notion of collective security—the idea that nations should unite against any state defined as an aggressor. Thus, if any nation wanted to start a war, it would face the wrath of the international community.
  Though the idea is simple and logical in theory, applying it has been another matter. The Encyclopædia Britannica states: “Although collective security, in somewhat different forms, played a prominent part in the League of Nations Covenant and is embodied in the United Nations Charter, it has completely failed in both cases. Failing an international government capable of ultimately determining the issues, nations have not managed to agree on an unequivocal definition of aggression, have not in practice accepted the principle that aggression must be acted against independently of the identity of the perpetrator, and, therefore, have not established the international collective security force envisaged in the Charter.”
  Nevertheless, the idea of creating a supranational body to promote peace was something new in human affairs. To many who yearn for peace, the UN peacekeeper, in blue beret, remains a symbol of hope. They share the sentiments of the journalist who applauded “the concept of the soldier of peace, who is sent to an area of conflict, not to wage war, but to promote peace, not to fight enemies, but to help friends.”
  For decades the Cold War divided the UN into two power blocs, each inclined to thwart whatever the other wished to do. Though the end of the Cold War has not eradicated conflict, distrust, and suspicion between nations, many believe that the political landscape now offers unprecedented opportunities for the UN to act as it was intended to.
  Other developments of the 20th century also give hope to those who yearn for peace. For example, the goal of international diplomacy is to resolve conflict peacefully. Humanitarian aid helps nations to rehabilitate other nations and helps peoples torn by war. Peacemaking and humanitarianism have both become components of foreign policy. Those who promote peace are honored.

  PROPAGANDA!!!!!
• 
  39

  IBSA AND WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

  by JEMIMAH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  something came across my desk, today indicating ibsa's association with the wcc.. i can't reveal what at this moment, as this would reveal my id.. however i know that there are posters out there who will verify my credentials.. what is needed is someone willing to carry out some digging in the info about the wcc.. let's just say that the scarlot beast isn't the only one to be ridden by the society.. once this is out in the open, more can be revealed,.

  any info much appreciated.

  regards to all, especially max and oz.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Logi,
  Back to the top.

  Do you know what Flag means?
  I've seen Hawk youse that and I just figured it was the same thing.

  Ranchette
• 
  39

  IBSA AND WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

  by JEMIMAH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  something came across my desk, today indicating ibsa's association with the wcc.. i can't reveal what at this moment, as this would reveal my id.. however i know that there are posters out there who will verify my credentials.. what is needed is someone willing to carry out some digging in the info about the wcc.. let's just say that the scarlot beast isn't the only one to be ridden by the society.. once this is out in the open, more can be revealed,.

  any info much appreciated.

  regards to all, especially max and oz.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranchette

  Jem,
  Bttt for you.

  Ranchette