Posts by TonusOH

95

Trump Tariffs started today, Some Countries Caved in early morning.

by liam in

usa politicians in charge of the economy for the past 50 years were too stupid to understand how the economy works.

this just proves my theory, that an education on the top tier universities just sucks and means nothing in the real world, unless its in the stem education.

for 50 years usa had zero tariffs on other countries.

TonusOH

A point of clarification: Trump's public actions and proclamations are not an example of insider trading, which is done behind the scenes to benefit a specific few.

His actions are better categorized as market manipulation, including both his on/off threats about tariffs and his tweet about how it was a great time to buy. This isn't good. This is a multi-trillion-dollar behemoth and he is the leader of the world's wealthiest nation. If he were on the outside looking in, he would likely be outraged by it.

That said, I agree that it's a good time to buy during any downturns, as the market is being volatile but should ultimately continue its long-term upward trajectory... eventually.

53

What is really Babylon the great?

by Halcon in

for believers of god and christ, it seems that it should be obvious that babylon the great of revelation should be all religions and spiritual practices associated with the one true enemy of christ...the devil, satan, the snake etc.

essentially any group or individual practicing and promoting witchcraft, sorcery, devil worshipping etc.

all things practiced in ancient babylon (the nation presumably used as the model for the one in revelation).. or is this too simple of an explanation?.

TonusOH

If it is a group of religions, can any of them be definitively identified?

If it is a range of practices, can those be identified?

This is important if the description is accurate and true, since it means that there is an organization/religion (or many of them) that is working in direct opposition to God himself and which God advises his followers to flee from. Without knowing who it is, how many might be following the wrong religion and dooming themselves to an eternity of suffering?

95

Trump Tariffs started today, Some Countries Caved in early morning.

by liam in

usa politicians in charge of the economy for the past 50 years were too stupid to understand how the economy works.

this just proves my theory, that an education on the top tier universities just sucks and means nothing in the real world, unless its in the stem education.

for 50 years usa had zero tariffs on other countries.

TonusOH

Balaamsass2: Who IS Trump listening to?

I am curious about that, myself. The people advising him this time around are definitely not the same people who were with him his first term. The question is, did they convince him that tariffs are a way to make money directly, or that they are a way to force negotiations?

If it's the latter, we are in for a continuous rollercoaster of on-and-off-again threats for at least a few more months. If the former, then the constant hemming and hawing is only the beginning of a potentially huge disaster.

57

Who will Survive Armageddon?

by Vanderhoven7 in

breaking news....there is hope for good hearted non-jws!!!.

according to sergio:.

are jehovah's witnesses the only ones to be saved during the end time?.

TonusOH

I'm not convinced that a god that is as harsh as the WTS thinks, would be convinced by people who are deliberately faking it in the hopes of fooling him. Something tells me that they would be getting the worst punishment, since they tried to take Jehovah for a fool.

14

Narcissist challenges culture ingrained with the concept of “saving face” to perform humiliating retreat

by slimboyfat in

oh yeah, this is going to end well.

hold on to your seats, folks, we’re on the front row of history for, as the chinese might say, “interesting times”.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8rgkkl7v8lo.

TonusOH

I'm curious to see where it all goes. So far, there has been a pattern: Trump threatens tariffs, the target of the threat puffs up its chest and makes threats in return... and then steps back and asks to sit down and talk. China decided to raise the stakes, and Trump is holding his ground. It's basically a game of chicken, and it should tell us a lot about where each nation really believes that it stands economically.

The USA is insanely wealthy and --in spite of our constant attempts to set fire to our own future-- still buys a heck of a lot of things from around the world, which helps other nations to keep money flowing in. It's no accident that there has been such an unbalance in tariffs all this time-- the default setting, as it were, heavily favors the US. Trump is seeking to upset that balance, which will happen one way or another with effects that won't be seen right away (aside from predictable stock market fluctuations).

Thus, the question is... do the economists who are advising him know what they are doing, or are they in for a very painful lesson? They have a fairly short time to learn and --if necessary-- correct course, if they want to avoid a rebalancing of congressional control in 2026.

25

Special Talk just prior to the Memorial

by Acluetofindtheuser in

is the sunday special talk prior to the memorial just an introduction of a new outline for the sunday public talks?.

is it an attempt to get the faders back to the meetings?

they present in a way like some new light is going to be presented at the special talk..

TonusOH

The funny thing is that the WTS often turns to cranks and nutters for their "Bible is scientific" articles. There are organizations and sites that offer a more up-to-date take on that concept, but I doubt the WTS would want to associate itself with them. So they turn to "ceramics engineers" for guidance. LOL.

23

3 Changes The Watchtower Made on Babylon The Great in the Last 6 Months

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/vpws6ncqpla?si=dqnf7-hupfr4pdta.

for decades, jehovah’s witnesses have been banging on about babylon the great—the so-called world empire of false religion—being on the brink of collapse.

any day now, they assured us, churches would empty out, priests would be left twiddling their thumbs, and humanity would collectively bin organised religion.

TonusOH

I was under the impression that the WTS taught that the war in heaven happened in 1914, with the banishment of Satan being directly responsible for World War I. Do they still teach that?

15

What "message" does the J.W Org. have to offer that will attract new members ?

by Phizzy in

the message they have been pushing for 150 years or so is "the end is near !"..

in the educated, civilised world, people think " yea ?

maybe because of economic meltdown exacerbated by climate change, but not from some intervention by a non-existent god".. "would you like a free bible study ?

TonusOH

The JW message is a form of Pascal's Wager, which has a time-limit attached. They will explain that they are the only path to salvation and that the end is imminent, which creates a sense of urgency. Join now and submit, or risk losing out.

Without the 'imminent end' part, the message is unappealing. Lately, they have been making changes so that being a JW doesn't feel so onerous, but that also must make you wonder why you are still a JW. The more mainstream the WTS becomes, the less reason there is to be a member, as opposed to joining a much more relaxed church that doesn't require such fine control of your life and provides a more human (and humane) social experience.

99

What the new JW light position really is 👍

by ElderBerry in

i’m still an elder and i consider myself jw light.

as my fellow elders are.

we don’t throw our weight around like elders used to in the past, it’s all very easy going these days.

TonusOH

ElderBerry: I Know for a fact that many if not most members of all belief systems including atheist and theists do not claim they know the entire truth without any doubts.

That is not what you were saying before.

And this is not a response to what I said, either. So I will repeat it: if you truly are agnostic about the origins of the universe, you should not belong to any religion. You don't have to be atheist, either. Not knowing means not knowing. Taking a stand by joining a religion is the opposite of claiming to be agnostic.

ElderBerry: I can pick a lane and that’s exactly what I am doing

I don't think you understand what I am saying. You continue to go on about the ultimate truths of the universe, when that is not what is being challenged by several posters here. And, once again, you gloss over the actual challenge. You can't join a religion and then shrug off the real concerns about its policies and doctrines. You are supporting those by remaining a member.

99

What the new JW light position really is 👍

by ElderBerry in

i’m still an elder and i consider myself jw light.

as my fellow elders are.

we don’t throw our weight around like elders used to in the past, it’s all very easy going these days.

TonusOH

ElderBerry: They don’t have the whole truth whatever your belief system whatever religion or non-religion.

Two things:

1- If this is your view, you should not belong to any religion. You cannot claim to be unsure and then remain in a group that follows a specific set of beliefs.

2- This must be the fourth or fifth time that I have to point out that I am not talking about the ultimate truths of the origins of the universe. I am referring to specific doctrines and policies that you can absolutely make judgments about. Your continued avoidance of this part of the discussion makes me think that you don't have an answer for it and are deliberately ignoring it. But this flies in the face of your claims that you're just agnostic and no different from anyone else.

You cannot not pick a lane.