Saintbertholdt

Joined

• started 24 topics
• posted 880 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Saintbertholdt

• 
  447

  Does Anyone Still Believe in God?

  by LaurenM in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do any of you ex-jw's still believe in god?

  even with the new rebranding/softening of this religion, i still don't see how people can believe in him.

  the god of the old testimate is an angry murderer who approved rapes and slavery and killed thousands of men, women and children.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  Hi Cofty,

  As soon as the person posing the question carefully defines what they mean by "god" we can prove beyond all reasonable doubt that it does not exist.
  

  How about this: An entity that has started a simulation which we know as the universe which is in its n'th iteration for whatever purpose this entity has desired e.g. experimentation with universal parameters/sadism/personal pleasure etc. This entity is all powerful/impersonal and does not care about individual sentient outcomes but only the simulation outcome.
• 
  447

  Does Anyone Still Believe in God?

  by LaurenM in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do any of you ex-jw's still believe in god?

  even with the new rebranding/softening of this religion, i still don't see how people can believe in him.

  the god of the old testimate is an angry murderer who approved rapes and slavery and killed thousands of men, women and children.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  Hi again Millie,

  The one thing that still sticks with me that the Watchtower organization gave me is a vision of paradise. I think that is where humanity should be heading. And I do not mean a theocracy or some such thing, just a world in which we would all want to live and when we go to our rest we would be sure that things would be ok.

  
  
• 
  13

  Why zombies?

  by FadeToBlack in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just saw ww-v with brad pitt the other night (i know i am behind the times, still trying to catch up on movies i missed the last 30 years) and it struck me- why are we always fighting zombies?

  is it just easier to justify the carnage?

  it seems to me, that the most horrific carnage seems to be neighbor-vs-neighbor.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  Hi Zimon, FungalZteeen, Village Ghoul and DecomposeToBlack,

  My neighbor has an obsession with the Walking Dead.

  We discussed the series extensively over several sessions.

  Our conclusions were as follows:

  Humanity has a secret death wish.

  It is a vicarious release to see what would happen if everything went to hell.

  Seeing the transformation of humans exposed to barbaric circumstances over a prolonged period of time results in good character arcs. (Specifically referring to five seasons of Walking Dead)

  There were other conclusions but during every session we had some beers...and so I forgot the other points.

  Greetings

  SaintBrainzzzzz, I Want to devour some Brainzzzzzzz
• 
  447

  Does Anyone Still Believe in God?

  by LaurenM in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do any of you ex-jw's still believe in god?

  even with the new rebranding/softening of this religion, i still don't see how people can believe in him.

  the god of the old testimate is an angry murderer who approved rapes and slavery and killed thousands of men, women and children.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  Hi Millie,

  When I first began participating on this site, I realized there is a formula that is supposed to be followed of leaving, poking fun at the religion, look to science and lastly, become an atheist.
  

  Not at all Millie...do your own thang girl. Oh you answered that already with "I want to have my own experience - something the JWs do not allow."

  Well yes do what you think is the best and you definitely don't have to become an atheist. Those like me that arrived at the realization of atheism, got there through our own catharsis. The best advice I saw online regarding the leaving process was (I am paraphrasing): Take some time off after you leave the organization. God understands perfectly. Then when you are good and ready, then start looking for that which (or for whom) you seek.

  I do wish there were more opportunities for friendly discussions about the topic but the folks here that believe in God are pretty quiet and the atheists are as zealous as the JWs.
  

  It is true many atheists are very zealous but those enthusiastic objections only really came to the fore after a group of religious folks decided to drive airplanes filled with fare paying passengers into some tall buildings. It dawned upon atheists that these people meant business and if religion went unchecked, well heck maybe we'd all be back herding goats and stoning rape victims in no time at all. Since then religion has become somewhat of a sticky topic for atheists where before they would have shrugged and returned to their crossword puzzle.
• 
  447

  Does Anyone Still Believe in God?

  by LaurenM in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do any of you ex-jw's still believe in god?

  even with the new rebranding/softening of this religion, i still don't see how people can believe in him.

  the god of the old testimate is an angry murderer who approved rapes and slavery and killed thousands of men, women and children.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  I am an atheist however I cannot positively say that God does not exist.

  However if she does exist, she's very different from the stories and myths we've constructed.
• 
  9

  Offended by JW letter targeting obituaries

  by betterdaze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  local father offended by jehovah's witness letter, claims its writer is targeting obituariesjacksonville, fla. a local father who wishes to remain anonymous sent action news jax a copy of a letter sent to his family's church.. the letter read in part: "sorry about your loss.

  i read about it from the obituary.

  jehovahs witness literature was attached to the letter.. in a time when a family is grieving they need to be surrounded by family and friends.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  “In a time when a family is grieving they need to be surrounded by family and friends. That's not a time for a person to proselytize their views,” the father said.
  

  Ooh, ooh I've done that. And now I feel sad.

  
• 
  1

  Article: Zambia: Jehovah's Witnesses Deserve Pat On the Back

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://allafrica.com/stories/201508310529.html.

  zambia: jehovah's witnesses deserve pat on the back .

  times of zambia, august 28, 2015. by alfred mlenga.

  1. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  Critics may be quick to jump to the unfair if not irrational conclusion that Witnesses are probably doing this to swell their ranks in the face of increased competition from other religious organizations.

  I fully agree with this statement...Please continue.

  But I am focusing on the subject of kingdom halls because it seems to a new development by the Witnesses who were seen as trouble or rubble-rousers by the colonialists.
  

  Alfred, Alfred, Alfred...A political party leader in Zambia just asked the for the Watchtower organization to be banned. So its not just the imperialist swines that do this you know.

  "National Revolution Party leader Cosmo Mumba has appealed to the Register of Societies to force Jehovah Witnesses to start singing the national anthem and participate in national elections or be banned." - Lusaka times June 4, 2015 (courtesy Orphancrow)

  I had an uncle, a staunch Witness, who would not allow anyone to use the sign of the Cross

  Easily explained, Jehovah's Witnesses are actually spiritual vampires. They suck the marrow, spontaneity and life out of new converts.

  
  

  In conclusion Alfred, I guess you're right, they're clean and tidy.

  
  
• 
  64

  E-Mail, Just recived. About Bethell adjustments.

  by DwainBowman in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i just read an email from a friend, and she shared some very interesting emails from her friends about information on changes now happening at the bethels around the world.

  here is the email: .

  ---------------------------------thanks sally, jesus is directing the org and all decisions and instructions to us may not seem practical from now on, neither will we understand the reasonings behind many of the changes that the organization makes.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  Hi Millie,

  "At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. ALL OF US MUST BE READY TO OBEY ANY INSTRUCTIONS WE MAY RECEIVE, WHETHER THESE APPEAR SOUND FROM A STRATEGIC OR HUMAN STANDPOINT OR NOT. (4) Now is the time for any who may be putting their trust in secular education, material things, or human institutions to adjust their thinking. The elders must stand ready to help any who may now be wavering in their faith."
  

  The Governing body knew very well...

  
  
• 
  8

  Pope praises the Wild Beast (UN)

  by Quarterback in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the pope stated at his un address that, "if it wasn't for the un's work on the world's conflicts, the world would be alot worse".

  i just wonder how that statement will be taken in jw land.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  Religion and Politics, should they mix?

  I thought that was what a Jehovist theocracy meant: A one party state which you had to worship.

  
  
• 
  113

  World Wide Construction comes to a Shuddering Halt - Jehovah's Blessing has Evidently been Suspended!

  by Slidin Fast in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  the chelmsford project in the uk has already come to a halt and every one has been sent home.

  the bethel family in london is to be cut by several hundred.

  my impression is that most ambitious youngster in the org dream of being involved with the building program.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Saintbertholdt

  The stress now is on getting as many people in the truth as possible before the end!
  

  The end for whom?