Evil Spirits

by LizLA 294 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  tec

  Late to the party as usual but was rofling at the favourite JWN insult - 'asshole'.

  LOL. I think there are two favorites actually. One being the above mentioned, and the other being crazy/delusional... or 'batshit' crazy, as some prefer ;)

  (and now my youngest son - reading over my shoulder - is laughing because I used the word 'batshit')

  I think you're describing confirmation bias in the rest of your post, Q. I also think all people have it, including atheists. Hard for any of us to look objectively, but just as we all have confirmation bias, we are all capable of looking objectively (at least each of us as well as the other guy)

  Meanwhile the rest of us humbly limit ourselves to what actaully can be known, or what we are personally able to understand and get abused by those who are less able or willing to recognise the limits of reality.

  See, this is something I have noticed. Atheists believe that they are attacked. Theists believe that they are attacked. Both can be and are true. But the provocation doesn't always come from the one you are attacking or retaliating against. For instance, taking something out on one person that someone entirely different has done... simply because that person shares the title 'atheist' or 'believer'. Bob, the local pastor/elder/whatever, called you hard-headed and immoral because you are an atheist... so later, you treat another believer who doesn't make that judgment call with anyone, as if she was the one who said it. She, in turn, treats the net atheist she meets as if he is a condescending jerk, because that was just her e x perience. And so on and so on.

  Theists don't like to be accused of being ignorant, stupid, crazy, delusional, needy, what-have-you. Atheists don't like to be accused of being hard-headed, close-minded, immoral, assholes. But the attacks happen on both sides, and feeds the fire and 'us' vs. 'them'. When a lot of that could be avoided if those people pointed a few less fingers, and respected that someone else has chosen a different path that is not ours to judge (as long as it causes no harm). Peace, Tammy
• 

  tec

  Why do you speak about science as if it is a secret world that belongs to others? Its nothing more than a disciplined way of investigating the world.

  I don't think any of that. I love science, and its investigation into the world. There's just a lot of information there, and if you're missing some of that information, then you're often not going to get an accurate understanding of something else. Its a lot to study and to learn, and its constantly changing. So sometimes, to a lay person, it may seem like a secret world.

  It often isn't as difficult to grasp as I think it might be when I look into something. But the math... I don't speak that language. A lot of people don't. I don't have the building blocks to understand it. But it into words and implications, and I'll get a better understanding.

  Peace,

  Tammy
• 

  tec

  Finally, dear, dear tec... again, the greatest of love and peace to you, dear one! Do not worry that some don't understand what you're trying to share with them. As our Lord is recorded to have said, "Looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it." And we know why, dear one: they have not acquired "eyesalve". No point, then, in trying to give sight to the blind... who wish to remain blind. They cannot SEE what is not evident to the flesh... although there is so much, much more beyond that... because they don't WANT to. And we should understand that: how many have taught lies... and used fear... with regard to these matters?

  The greatest love and peace to you also, Shelby!

  I'm not worried. No worries at all, really. I understand. I received what I could understand, and am so thankful for that gift.

  Just chatting. Not getting discouraged at all :)

  I would also not want to be tied down to thinking 'inside the bo x'.

  Peace.

  Your sister,

  Tammy

  (off to toysrus for a spell, since that son of mine has money burning in his pocket, lol)
• 

  AGuest

  I'm not worried. No worries at all, really.

  Yes, I know, of course, dear one (again, peace to you!). Poor choice of words, perhaps, yes. Although, perhaps they will "calm" others who ARE "worried" and/or tend to worry when they witness our exchanges with others. But, no, I know you're "okay", love!

  Peace... and may JAH bless!

  YOUR servant, sister, and fellow slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  EntirelyPossible

  EP, you are a rude son of a bitch.

  It's a shame that facts disturb you. Perhaps you should refrain from calling my dear mother a bitch, however, as you don't know her. Your ignorance really has nothing to do with her. I am sure you would not appreciate me calling your mom names and, trust me, if I want to be, I can make being rude seem like a cake walk.

  You've been calling more than half the people batshit crazy since I've been here. This is what I have a problem with.

  Awesome, that means you've been tracking it and have some kind of analysis of how many times I've called people batshit crazy, who they were, what threads they were on, etc. I would love to see that data. Otherwise, you are just angry, throwing a little tantrum and making things up. Again.

  And, it's not really MY problem what you have a problem with.

  I was attempting to reassure watersprout that belief in spirits is not a delusion. You are a clueless atheist and you cannot even begin to explain what thought is or how it works.

  On a scale of 1 - "Bananas also fit perfectly in your ass", this rates a "plantain in the buttcheeks".

  But you sir, are just an animal.

  We all are. Didn't you take 7th grade science? Well, let me re-phrase, did you pay attention in 7th grade science?

  According to you, science and mysticism will never merge and we will be stuck in the Dark Ages forever.

  I don't think I ever said that. Mysticism, such as the idea that gods cause thunder, will continue to be exposed by science. And let's hope we never enter the Dark Ages again, although with all the backwards, hocus pocus anti-science thinking going around, you are doing your best to get us back there.

  Let's hope you never succeed.

  Stay in your world of ignorance but don't try to keep the rest of the world stuck with you.

  I know, that damn ignorance that got us the industrial revolution, penicillin, MRI machines, antiseptics, the internet, airplanes, TV, cell phones...wait, that was science, not mysticism.

  Feel free to try again. In your line of thought, failure is not only an option, it's an almost statistical certainty.

  You serve the purpose of the Old World Order and I wouldn't be surprised if they're paying you to troll this place.

  Damn, I should have asked for more money. My 2003 Altima really needs to be upgraded to a Illumaserati powered by South American Crystals skulls converting Thor Hammer-power with Kabbalah Torque converters with Chupacabra Chem-Trail scrubbers. It could also have the optional Big Foot leather seats and Thought Powered Radio. It would only play metal, though. None of that Michael Buble shit. That guy clearly worships the devil.
• 

  EntirelyPossible

  I know you weren't addressing me, dear one EP (peace to you and good to see you, dear one!)... but I have to say that my Lord IS recorded (for those who don't have ears... yet... and so need to see the "evidence" that he did so) as having said ...

  Think of what I was saying this way, Shel (BTW, I hope you are feeling better, I know it was a bit of a rough time for you there, and Merry Christmas), is that it's OK to believe in God, or spirits or whatever else you like. But, if you want to start talking about how it compatible with science, then you have to use the terms and methodology of science or else you aren't talking about science.

  I try (not always successfully) to not talk about theology much, I REALLY don't get believing in God. Having said that, if I did partake in a discussion with a beleiver in the Bible, then I should know the Bible and Christian beliefs to even have a framework to understand the discussion. If we are talking about the Bible and I am using Garfield comics as my reference material, what I am talking about is not really germaine to the Biblical discussion, is it?

  To sum up, if you want to talk about science, then you will have to use scientific terms and understand how it works OR educate yourself by asking questions. You don't get to use the parts of it you (not you personally, in the general sense) like and reject the parts you don't.

  For intance, theory in the scientific sense doesn't mean the same as when I may say "I have a theory about why the television isn't turning on." That's means I have a guess, a hypothesis. In science, a Theory is when something has been tested over and over, passed every test and is at the closest it can possibly come to being considered a "fact". Gravity, relativity, evolution, germ theory, all work over and over and over, are repeatable, testable and predictive. We may add more knowledge to them in the future, we will, I hope, but they WORK. That's a theory in science.
• 

  its_me!

  How many pages has it been since LizLA has posted on this thread? Seems fishy.....
• 

  Joliette

  I'm sorry for what you are going through but I just do not believe in evil spirits.

  I would say try talking to a psycologist or what type of food are you eating?
• 

  Qcmbr

  Liz seems to have been spamming for a cd but it started a fun discussion.

  I'd like to throw down a guantlet here - I'll live my life without your god if you live your life without my science and we'll see whose life gets affected the most?

  Is there any doubt that magic thinking has held back scientific study?

  Is there any doubt that it is still holding back scientific study?

  Does spiritualism / belief in evil spirits / acceptance of angels / worship of a god add anything of value to society's stock of actual useable knowledge (I will accept it makes a scary bedtime story as a starter) and if so what?

  Has the scientific method produced real beneficial knowledge that you can see in your life?

  Seems so easy to utterly show the paucity of point in magic worldviews.
• 

  Qcmbr

  sry double post