Posts by Phantom Stranger

59

Back in the meat raffle of life!

by joannadandy in

of late i have been rattling on about my new boy toy- .

it was a wonderful summer romance that began with the kick off of memorial day fireworks, peaked on the fourth of july--and fizzled out before labor day.

oui?

Phantom Stranger

Jo, you have always seemed like a very sweet, nice person who looks lovely in all the photos I've seen.

I am terribly sorry that this man did what he did. You deserve much much better - truly.

I am now going to say something that may result in some of the members of this board wanting to have me neutered.

I had several relationships in a row end badly - all in about the same amount of time, all for the same basic reasons, and all with the same basic type of partner. I didn't change this cycle until I really started searching out the reason I was picking these people. Yes, many men are pigs, and I am not apologizing for them or making their actions the fault of someone else - and the fact remains that what all my exes had in common was that I had picked them!

I suspect that when you discover what it is that appeals to you about this type of guy (since you say that it has happened before) - whatever it is - you will shift it and create a wonderful relationship that is worthy of you. There is nothing "wrong" with you - you are wonderful. You may be able to improve how you pick men - this will involve looking at what you are attracted to, and why.

I strongly recommend If the Buddha Dated by Charlotte Kasl. It's a great book.

And by the way, say the word, and I'll kick his ass.

40

Does God Exist?

by Tashawaa in

i came across this on a different board.

i haven't taken the time yet to read it, but its being "heralded" by a christian as a debate in which a christian minister won via logic over a minister-turned-athiest on the topic "does god exist".

i'm curious how sound the arguments are, and with some of the sharp minds around here, if an argument is faulty, i'm counting on it being discussed.. http://www.theologyonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=cbb686d85bd2e5fa727074241ddc0181&threadid=7709.

Phantom Stranger

These folks are attempting to prove something using language that was not created to do what they want it to do. It's like trying to send quantum physics mathematics on your short-messaging cellphone.

In other words, it's so much wanking.

You might want to read this short excerpt, by A.J. Ayer, in Language, Truth, and Logic.

History does not record anywhere at any time a religion that has any rational basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the unknown without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it. Robert Anson Heinlein.

33

The Return of Rush Limbaugh

by RubaDub in

jw
friends

coming to a radio near you, the return of rush limbaugh.

for those of us missing our daily fix (opps, better not use that word anymore) of rush limbaugh, it was announced on his show thursday that he will be sober enough to return to the air on monday the 17th of november.

i'm buying my popcorn now and want to get a good seat.

Phantom Stranger

But that would defeat the purpose of Hannity and Liberal to Be Determined... Alan Colmes is a spinal donor.

I hope Rush joins Bill Bennett and Newt as "hypocrites who marginalized themselves - next on Behind the Right...".

"Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be
convicted and they ought to be sent up."
-- Rush Limbaugh. October 5, 1995 show transcript.

"What this says to me is that too many whites are getting away with drug use, too many whites are getting away with drug sales, too many whites are getting away with trafficking in this stuff. The answer to this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river, too."
-- Rush Limbaugh. October 5, 1995 show transcript.

"It's kind of like sentencing. A lot of people say that we have a heavy sentence for this crime and a light sentence for another crime, and what we ought to do is reduce the heavy sentence so it's more in line with the other. Wrong. In most cases we ought to increase the light sentence and make it compatible with the heavy sentence, and be serious about punishment because we are becoming too tolerant as a society, folks, especially of crime, in too many parts of the country."
-- Rush Limbaugh. October 5, 1995 show transcript.

11

Do you want to BE right or do we want to DO right?

by logansrun in

jw
friends

i'm not a christian.

all the same, i do believe there are some very good biblical principles to live by.

here's a good one: .

Phantom Stranger

When we are concerned with being right, we are inward-focused.

When we are concerned with right action, we are looking at the effects our actions have on others, ourselves, and the world around us.

We were taught to be right and do little - I, for one, couldn't care less about being right if the right results are obtained. Being right is about how we look, not who we are.

3

Pie in the Sky.

by Blueblades in

jw
friends

.

scripture and tradition habitually put the "joys of heaven".

into the scale against the sufferings of earth,and no solution of the problem of pain which does not do so can be called christian.. is this a "pie in the sky".either there is pie in the sky or there is not.if not ,then christianity is false,because the doctrine of heaven is woven into its whole fabric.. are we afraid that heaven is a bribe,do we really desire it or is it an illusion.some of c.s.lewis's thoughts in the problem of pain,a knotty subject indeed.. blueblades.

Phantom Stranger

The Preacher and the Slave

by JOE HILL

Long-haired preachers come out every night,
Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right,
But when asked about something to eat,
They will answer in voices so sweet:

Chorus:

You will eat bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky.
Work and pray, (work and pray),
Live on hay, (live on hay),
You'll get Pie in the Sky,
When you die, (that's a lie!)

And the starvation army they play,
They sing and they dance and they pray,
Till they get all your coin on the drum,
Then they tell you when you're on the bum:

CHORUS

If you fight hard for the good things in life,
They will tell you to stop all the strife,
Be a sheep for the bosses they say
Or to hell you are surely on the way!

CHORUS

Workingfolk of all countries unite;
Side by side we for freedom will fight
When the world and its wealth we have gained,
To the grafters we will sing this refrain:

Last Chorus:

You will eat, bye and bye,
When you've learned how to cook and to fry;
Chop some wood, 'twill do you good
And you'll eat in the sweet bye and bye.
(That's no lie!)

80

This is why I'm Disappointed....

by Nickey in

jw
friends

it's a public board.

i was still a jw.

i came here looking for answers to my questions and doubts.

Phantom Stranger

XJW or not, every adult is responsible for their actions, and responsible for dealing with their pain in a responsible way. I get so tired of being asked to be understanding of somebody's pain and hurt "driving them" to act in a certain way. Grow up! Being non-judgemental is good, but making excuses for people who choose to trap themselves in hateful, victimized thinking is not. If you want therapy, great, get therapy, but don't pretend that talking smack on the internet is a replacement.

BTW, Nickey, that makes you 100% responsible for posting. Your observations about some posters were accurate, but your blaming them (even partially) for your actions is irresponsible.

I got some bad, bad news a few days ago - the kind many here would react to by wanting to beat the living hell out of the criminal sicko involved. I didn't take it out on anyone on the internet, and I didn't go beat the hell out of the sicko - I went to the gym and beat the hell out of the heavy bag, and I talked to a frend who's a therapist, and I proivately journaled about how I was feeling, and I will see my regular shrink on my regular day. I could have taken it out on other people - it may be perfectly understandable, but it sure as hell ain't responsible.

Peace out.

11

Do you want to BE right or do we want to DO right?

by logansrun in

jw
friends

i'm not a christian.

all the same, i do believe there are some very good biblical principles to live by.

here's a good one: .

Phantom Stranger

It's easy to feel a need to be right, or in control, if bad things happened to you when you were not in control of the situation. THis need can easily prevent actions of inclusion, of tolerance and acceptance, and of empathy.

It's easy to feel a need to not be wrong, if making a mistake once had heavy consequences. This can easily lead to exterme risk aversion, a reticence to make decisions, and missing out on spontanaeity and fun.

Both of these needs result in artifically limiting how effective we can be. What's even worse is if we begin a career of serving these needs, instead of taking bold steps towards the future.

Many, many XJWs have said that leaving the WTS was like a new lease on life. Great! What will you do with it?

18

Are You Hooked On a Soap?

by Sentinel in

i can't believe they still refer to these shows as "soaps", but yes, i'll be the first to admit that i tape one soap show regularly, and am quite up on all the goings on.

and, sometimes, i suppose i can even admit to being obsessive.

this is especially so, if the story line is at a very good place, and the power goes off during my day at work, and it doesn't get taped.

Phantom Stranger

I'm hooked on ESPN's Playmakers, about a fictional NFL team. I realized the other day that it's a soap - but it's well acted, so I'll justify it that way...

9

Does anyone have a copy of God Makers?

by shotgun in

jw
friends

it's about mormons but is supposed to be an excellent way to show dubs the similarities in thinking and control.

if you have a copy i'll send you money for shipping.

pm me.....thanks .

Phantom Stranger

Sorry, I thought you were looking for the book.

28

Black and White Thinking

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

one of the characteristics of mind control, whether it exists within an abusive relationship between two people or in a cultic group, is "black and white thinking".. .

black and white thinking means seeing the world only in terms of extremes, with no middle ground.

things are portrayed as either perfect or terrible, right or wrong, good or evil.

Phantom Stranger

You know, I re-read this, and while I agree with the prices and effects of black and white thinking, I see it pervasive in American culture - doesn't seem tied to "mind control" to me. My mom was looking for support for her B&W worldview when she found the witnesses.

Seems that B&W thinking is an oversimplification of the world preferred by any group or individual who doesn't want to make hard choices that require thought and might have to be made with foggy data.