Posts by TonusOH

173

Is the tide turning against covid vaccines?

by slimboyfat in

have you seen this video about the covid vaccines?

have you got any views on the information?

i find it worrying at least.

TonusOH

slimboyfat: Have you read about the Vioxx case?

I think Vioxx is covered by my previous statement: "I'm aware that companies do sometimes take shortcuts that cost lives, and that might even be part of the calculus in some cases." Merck may have come out ahead overall with Vioxx financially, though they did pay out $5 billion in settlements, which doesn't count any fines and lawyer costs. Their example doesn't seem like the sort that would incentivize other companies to take similar shortcuts.

The system is explicitly constituted to prioritise profit over human life and well being.

Kind of, yeah. But I don't agree that it's explicit. You do have to develop a market and find people to sell to and get them to keep coming back, and they can't spend money when they're dead.

I don't see this as an either-or scenario. If I don't trust conspiracy theorists, I'm not obligated to trust politicians and corporations. Hence why I said I'm a pragmatist. The logical and practical explanations may not always be the right ones, because people are capable of being almost comically blind to the consequences of their plans. But they work more often than not, in my experience.

8

Illinois Elders as mandatory reporters must undergo training

by Diogenesister in

illinois now requires all elders as mandatory reporters to undergo state approved training every three years to ensure they fully understand their roles as mandated reporters.

this will include a pre training assessment, 60 - 90 mins of self paced, interactive training with a final assessment to ensure reporters understand their responsibilities.

following the course, mandated reporters must make a declaration that they understand their status as a reporter and will fully comply with mandatory requirements.

TonusOH

The WTS prides itself on the many laws and rights that its legal cases were responsible for in the past. I wonder how they feel about a local government having to create a type of RICO statute for religious entities, thanks to their miserable handling of CSA cases.

173

Is the tide turning against covid vaccines?

by slimboyfat in

have you seen this video about the covid vaccines?

have you got any views on the information?

i find it worrying at least.

TonusOH

slimboyfat: Drug companies want to make money even if that costs lives.

I'm thinking that they make much more money if they save lives. Or, at least, if they do not kill people instead of helping. I'm aware that companies do sometimes take shortcuts that cost lives, and that might even be part of the calculus in some cases. Laws that require certain levels of transparency have led to drug companies being forced to offer disclaimers in their ads, explaining all of the possible outcomes of use, including death.

And I'm sure it's possible that the vaccines have unknown or unexpected dangers that the quick rollout would exacerbate. I also know that there is no shortage of self-styled internet whistleblowers who will raise false alarms constantly over every possible issue they can find. There are a lot of young boys shouting "WOLF" every minute of every day. They've become background noise. Lots of shouting, very few wolves.

I'm a skeptic, but I'm also a pragmatist.

8

A Great Life After Leaving

by Lost in the fog in

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/shunned-jehovahs-witnesses-life-now-7613921.

TonusOH

Under the right circumstances, getting free from the oppressive environment they create is amazing. I faded slowly and had a support system outside of it by the time I stopped going to meetings regularly. Since I have not been DF, the one or two JWs who I have friendships with are able to communicate with me without guilt. Most of my family are out, and the few who remain have cordial relationships with me, and that's fine.

So I was able to walk away and enjoy the freedom that comes from getting out, without having any of the stress and anxiety and difficult times that can come when you don't have a support system around you. And they will use your misery against you, making it seem as if leaving is the cause, instead of the way they treat you when you want to leave. And the worst part is that it is often the people you care about most who are leading the persecution against you. The emotional damage can be very bad.

But not having to rush home from work so that I can shower and change and get right back out the door to go to a meeting and then get home and scarf down a meal and go to bed... it's just amazing. To this day, I feel a bit of urgency when I am going home from work, even though there is no meeting to go to. And it has been around 15-20 years since I was going to meetings with any regularity. So it did leave some lasting marks on me.

86

Is most of the promotion of creationism, not just that by the WT, charlatanism?

by Disillusioned JW in

is most of the promotion of creationism, not just that by the wt, charlatanism?.

https://www.fullmoon.nu/sources.bak/chapter%2010/part%202/gish%20exposed.html [which has an article called "creationism: bad science or immoral pseudoscience?

- (an expose of creationist dr. duane gish)"] says the following.. 'a look at the "scientific" creationist movement and a close examination of the tactics of a well-known and influential creationist will reveal that the creation "science" movement gains much of its strength through the use of distortion and scientifically unethical tactics.. .... with the facts explained and the lawsuits won, scientists declared victory and returned to their labs and offices.

TonusOH

I believe that in science, the working definition is "descent with modification." In other words, as organisms reproduce, the new organisms are not exactly the same as the 'parent' organisms. Each successive generation is changed in very small ways, and the accumulation of those changes leads to gradual change in the population of those organisms. Enough time and enough changes, and you have a different species of organism. Or a different genus. And so on.

The definition covers what some refer to as 'micro-evolution,' which describes minor changes within a species or sufficient changes to produce a new species which is still close enough to the original, though by definition they cannot interbreed. It also covers macro-evolution, though a significant amount of work needs to be done to demonstrate it, which is where the gulf between science and religion exists on the issue.

I think Aron Ra's YouTube channel does a good job of explaining evolutionary concepts and responding to many of the attempts to discredit the theory. For me, the question is moot from an existential point of view, but I do like science and find the work done so far to be fascinating, if a bit science-fictiony to someone lacking in the higher levels of biological education. The scientific method isn't perfect, but over the long haul I think it does the best job of finding answers. If evolution doesn't work as explained, we'll learn in time.

173

Is the tide turning against covid vaccines?

by slimboyfat in

have you seen this video about the covid vaccines?

have you got any views on the information?

i find it worrying at least.

TonusOH

I got Covid at the end of August. Knocked me for a loop for a day-and-a-half, where I was really tired. But after the second day I recovered pretty quickly and haven't had issues since. I had gotten the Phizer vaccine back in May/June 2020 and no boosters. I don't know if the vaccine helped or not, since the idea behind boosters is that the effectiveness of the vaccines fades (which doesn't sound like any vaccine I ever heard of, but that's another story).

I usually get the flu shot each year, so I will probably get a booster soon, since my doctor recommended that I wait until they have a new one out. I don't worry about it one way or the other. If the alien lizard men wanted me dead, I'd be dead already.

28

Would you still be angry with Lloyd Evans ?

by BettyHumpter in

jw
friends

if instead of thailand, he had gone to a place where its legal and (supposedly) has some sort of oversight to prevent exploitation?

like nevada in the u.s or amsterdam in europe?

would the being unfaithful part still be a deal breaker as far as supporting his channel?

TonusOH

The organization has also been very aggressive in having their work translated into as many languages as possible for a long time. Which means that people in a lot of countries all around the world are acquainted with 'the people who knock on doors and talk about Jehovah.' I think they have had members in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. For a religion that has only had its name for less than 100 years, that's pretty impressive.

Too bad they've wasted that outreach on a message of "everyone around you is going to be killed by God very soon. Be one of the very few survivors!"

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

TonusOH

It depends on what you are using. On a PC, when the list of suggested videos is displayed, you can hover over a video and there will be a three-dot icon under the preview. Clicking it displays a menu with a number of options, which includes "don't recommend this channel."

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

TonusOH

I would not be surprised if they aren't aware of it. Evans is a big fish in a very small pond. I doubt he has any reach beyond that, and his recent efforts don't seem promising. I also wonder if anyone from those shows/podcasts who have dealt with him found him to be as unpleasant as so many in the exJW community did. He might be better off if they have forgotten him.

13

Are Venus and Serena Williams baptized?

by inkling in

has anyone heard actual evidence that they are or are not?.

(besides the absurdity of thier actions that the local elders would have to let slide).

do they even claim to be witneses anymore?.

TonusOH

I don't think a non-JW would care. JWs might want to know, because if they're baptized then at least one of them should be DF, as Diogensister pointed out. If they are not, then I would suspect that many JWs would see their association as potentially a good thing, helping to spark more interest in their teachings. Unfortunately, these days it's much easier to hop on the internet and search than it is to ask a JW. So the story many people get is the unvarnished one that the WTS really wishes no one knew about.