apostate
creationist
konceptual99
JoinedPosts by konceptual99
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37
What words has the WT redefined?
by Splash inthese days, virtually every public talk speaker thinks it's interesting and intellectual to include a dictionary definition of some word.
often the word is in common use and needs no explanation, such as 'exercise', or 'knowledge', or whatever.. now contrast that to all of the words that the wt has it's own meaning for, and referencing a dictionary for the common understanding of it would be viewed unfavourably.. words like 'generation' or 'men' (as in jesus is mediator between god and 'men' - 1tim 2:5-6).. what words have the wt redefined that you know about?
- i'd like to compile a list if possible.. splash.
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54
IS Science Absolute Truth
by seekchristonly inif we have faith in science and scientific claims about the universe, origins of life etc.
is that absolute truth.
if so then if they declare that god exists with evidence then do all those who believe in science then believe in god or a creator.
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konceptual99
But of course: If reality pointed to the existence of God, then the scientific consensus would take God into account.
This is a very good point. For years I believed, thanks to WT rhetoric, that science was being disingenuous and deliberately ignoring "evidence" that would counter their theories and suggest that God has a hand in things. I also believed that disagreement amongst scientists was proof they knew nothing and could not be trusted.
As I have read and understood more about the scientific process I came to realise that whilst you have to look at the sponsors and context of some reasearch, there is not some global conspiracy to deliberately remove God from every bit of scientific research. There is simply no compelling reason to factor the supernatural whether that be God, unicorns, Thor or anything else that is similar in any form into research.
Even when the science has to admit it does not know enough there is still no reason to fall back to the position that "it wos God wot dun it". They simply wait until there are ideas and/or technology sufficent to be able to form and test hypothesis.
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15
How Did "Shepherding Calls" Go For You?
by minimus indid you loath them?
did you feel it was a "privilege" to have the elders care deeply about your spiritual well being?
if you were an elder or ministerial servant, did you enjoy going to the homes of the sheep?.
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konceptual99
I think this is one area that the WTS and elders are completely missing the point. Instead of inviting themselves round to share a point of encouragment why not just go on the ministry with someone (note this is from the viewpoint of someone "in"), invite that single parent and her kids around for a meal, arrange a social activity with ones you want to encourage and do it regularly. Shepherding is about being a friend not a visitor.
Sure there might be times that there is a specific point that needs discussion but generally it's about being friends. I have been in my current congregation over 30 years. I can count on one hand the number of times an elder has invited me and my family for a meal or out socially in the last 20+ years. I was until a short while ago a ministerial servant and remain nominally in good standing. It's no wonder eveyone (elders included) find shepherding such a chore.
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98
The world cup
by Laika in4 weeks of football and wimbledon tennis in between!?
life is beautiful.. aaahhhh!
i'm so excited!.
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konceptual99
Is nothing safe from conspiracy theorists?
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"Worldly" P.R. and Marketing Firms ???? ...
by TTATTelder ini have noticed a few comments lately about worldly pr firms and marketing companies being used by the wt.. does anyone have any information confirming this to be the case?.
for many jw's this would be borderline scandelous considering the venom constantly spewed about satan's world.. if i missed any threads about this topic, please give a link.. thanks for any input.. -te.
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konceptual99
I don't know if external PR agencies are involved but I know from personal contacts that there has been a number of commercially experienced high profile elders involved in special commitees related to the ongoing reorganisation and change mangement process.
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56
A Mormon becomes a JW in the Feb 2013 Watchtower...
by cedars inglancing through the feb 2013 "public" watchtower edition, an interesting article appears on page 8.. here is the pdf download link.... http://www.jw.org/download/?fileformat=pdf&issue=20130201&output=html&pub=wp&langwritten=e&option=trgchlzrqvnyvrxf&txtcmslang=e.
it's interesting how, in the story, the young man's jw aunt and uncle switch him from mormonism to the jw faith using third-party material (the nov 8, 1995 awake!
article), and he ends up becoming a jw after confirming on the official mormon website that the claims in the awake!
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konceptual99
@podobear...
Mormons have openly gay members who choose not to follow a gay lifestyle in terms of sex - essentially remaining celibate. You can find examples of this on the web. I also note that there are LGBT groups for Mormons.
JWs have nothing of the sort. Although it is recognised that individuals may have homesexual desires an individual could only remain an approved witness if they remained celibate. It is the rarest exception for an individual to be known as gay, the only examples being where one has become a witness (or been reinstated) after openly practising a homosexual lifestyle. It is essentially unknown for any "born in" to openly come out as gay but remain celibate. There are 0 official or even unoffically tolerated groups for ones who may be gay but wish to remain a witness.
No one can have homesexual relationships and remain a witness. They would be disfellowshipped. This includes a relationships where the law allows gay marriage. So even if an individual did not have sex until after marriage to their partner they would be disfellowshipped.
The only way of being gay and remaining an approved witness is to suppress any sexual desires. The other way was to go to Bethel and be abused by one or two of the top bods but they seemingly have even got rid of that now.
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Ad Gefrin - The Ancient Capital of Northumbria
by cofty inlast sunday my wife and i went walking in the cheviot hills in the beautiful northumberland national park not far from our home.
we have walked a lot of the cheviots in recent months and intend to get around a lot more over the summer.. this week we decided to go up a few of the smaller hills in the north of the park so we headed for a peak known as yeavering bell.
it was used as a hill fort since the iron age.
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konceptual99
Top post. I love places like this and would love to come up to Northumbria as it's the one part of our great island that I've not been to.
It reminded me of a verse from one of my favourite songs by one of favourite bands - "Sell Out" by The Levellers...
Do I belong to some ancient race
I like to walk in ancient places
These are things that I can understand
Well, I don't believe in your modern way
Don't care about the things you say
Your policies have failed the test of time -
75
American Rantings About World Cup Soccer (Football)
by RubaDub ini try ... i really try to watch football (soccer) ... it's world cup time ... i really do try.. i just don't get it ... i really don't.. yes, it's a world-wide sport.
in most countries it is the number 1 or number 2 sport ... no doubt about it.
it's maybe number 5 in the usa for professional sports.. from an american's perspective (i think i speak for many), we just wonder if these guys actually have testicles.
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konceptual99
Don't waste your time Cofty. You'll get more mileage convincing the GB that evolution is true...
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144
Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.
by cofty inthe unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".
persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.
"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.
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konceptual99
VG - it is true that hypothesis lacks the verifiable evidence but ultimately a sound theory will be evidence based. Would I have faith (trust) in a hypothesis? I may possibly find the notion plausable however faith (or trust or acceptance) in it's veracity would only come once sufficient evidence had been collated and verified.
I certainly wouldn't have confidence in the ability of an aeroplane to fly if the science around powered flight was purely hypothesis.
As expressed by other posters, there is also a big difference in how science views stated positions on a matter than how religion tends to.
We all, especially the less scientifically knowledgable we are, place confidence in some things without knowing the full detail (the example of flight once again). That is not the same as religious faith. It is easy to find the information as to exactly why a plane flies. The same cannot be said for pretty much anything I had deep faith in as a Jehovah's Witness.
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Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.
by cofty inthe unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".
persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.
"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.
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konceptual99
"Faith" in one's friends and family is trust based on experience. Funnily enough the amount of trust one has in their family depends very much on the relationship one has with their family. It's not blind faith.
"Faith" in the ability of an aeroplane to safely fly 11 hours is trust based on the knowledge that science and engineering have been able to develop technology that takes advantage of an understanding of the natural laws that govern the physical world. It's not blind faith.
JWs would argue that faith in the interpretation of the Bible as presented the WTS is not blind faith. They would argue that it is trust built up on experience. The issue is that if you are talking about the modern day claims of the WTS then you cannot name one thing they have got right, especially in advance of the event. If you use the Bible to validate your claims then it is impossible to prove. For example, claiming trust in the prophecies that humans will be resurrected because Jesus resurrected people is not trust based on experience. It's trust based on an unprovable claim made 2000 years ago.
As a Witness I made the claim many times that the Bible basically had special dispensation on this matter. Somehow, the more claims I believed the more the evidence stacked up. All it really is, however, is a fallacy. Being able to demonstrate many self referencing claims of authority does not increase the level of verifiable evidence.
It WT world, however, the more you accept the fallacy, the more you claim to have this type of bogus faith, then the better Witness you are. It's then a small jump to having to demonstrate the depth of your faith through the level of the your JW approved works.
Trust (faith if you wish) based on fallacy is dangerous regardless of who peddles the fallacy.