Phantom Stranger

Joined

• started 57 topics
• posted 1,554 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Phantom Stranger

• 
  51

  (unaided by God)Things we can not do!

  by Deputy Dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the world today (especially in america) we believe that we can do what ever we want or will to do, but god still rules the universe, and according to his word there are some things that we can not do.

  unless god wills!

  i thought i might list a few things that (unaided by or apart from god) we can not do.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  <whoooop whoooop> abandon ship abandon ship.

  Dawg, if I wanted to read the Bible, I have one, OK? What's your darned point?
• 
  51

  (unaided by God)Things we can not do!

  by Deputy Dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the world today (especially in america) we believe that we can do what ever we want or will to do, but god still rules the universe, and according to his word there are some things that we can not do.

  unless god wills!

  i thought i might list a few things that (unaided by or apart from god) we can not do.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  I think the point we're making is this:

  Long version: each "Bible-based" religion has to determine which of "God's words" are accepted as such, which are determined to be someone else's, and which were God's words at one point and now are not (such as most of the OT). Most here are saying they don't buy that.

  Short version: He did not!

  Aside: Are we being trolled?
• 
  95

  Run, Sir Clark, Run...

  by teejay in

  1. social
  2. current

  if he runs, he will be the most qualified of all those who now aspire to the office in 2004. if he runs, general wesley k. clark (ret.

  ) will be the second most qualified person to ever seek the presidency of the u.s. over the past 100 years, second only to the great william jefferson cliinton.

  what follows are excerpts from an article about him in a recent esquire magazine.. he is a remarkable man with an unassailable integrity -- the kind of man that has all the little bushites shaking in their boots.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  I've got five says he's veep candidate to Dean...
• 
  2

  JW's oversimplifying the complex

  by Phantom Stranger in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  according to mike kropveld, director general of (of info sect), this decrease in popularity could be due to, among other factors, recent accusations of negligence in sexual assault cases that have given jehovah's witnesses bad publicity... recruitment seems to have been fruitful at the last international convention of jehovah's witnesses, which took place at the olympic stadium this past june 26-29. close to 35,000 members, from canada, the united states and several francophone countries gathered there.

  "people join the ranks of these groups mainly during transitional periods of their lives, when they have existential questions," explains mike kropveld.

  "they need to have something to believe in, to belong to a group.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  According to Mike Kropveld, director general of (of Info Sect), this decrease in popularity could be due to, among other factors, recent accusations of negligence in sexual assault cases that have given Jehovah's Witnesses bad publicity... Recruitment seems to have been fruitful at the last international convention of Jehovah's Witnesses, which took place at the Olympic Stadium this past June 26-29. Close to 35,000 members, from Canada, the United States and several francophone countries gathered there. "People join the ranks of these groups mainly during transitional periods of their lives, when they have existential questions," explains Mike Kropveld. "They need to have something to believe in, to belong to a group. They need to simplify a life that has become too complex." (Italics mine)

  The quote above is from Scully's fine post of a translated article. Kropfeld's final quote here seems to mirror my feelings about why people come, and stay, in the WTS.

  I welcome all comments on this topic, and...I am especially curious about those who have been out for five years or more. It seems that there are many newly-ex JW's who post here, and I enjoy reading many of their posts... and based on my own experience, it takes a while to re-invent an existential belief system from the ground up. It's possible that many here can benefit from hearing about the process of value-system invention. OK, you veterans, with your hard-acquired perspective on the above quote, whaddya think?

  Speaking personally, I find that life is far more complex than I was raised to believe. I regularly have to resolve paradoxes, take positions with incomplete data, and flexibly deal with changing realities - none of which seem to get taught to JW kids :)
• 
  51

  (unaided by God)Things we can not do!

  by Deputy Dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the world today (especially in america) we believe that we can do what ever we want or will to do, but god still rules the universe, and according to his word there are some things that we can not do.

  unless god wills!

  i thought i might list a few things that (unaided by or apart from god) we can not do.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  I'll go along with almost every item there as being a null comment to me, given that I decided long ago that I would accept death as the price for not kissing God's holy ass... but I cannot do good? That's the sort of ... tripe (that's for simon:) that makes religions repellent for so many.

  Let's assume for a moment, for the sake of discussion, that we were created by a divine being. Did that divine being create us in such a way that we can do no good at all in our lives without being on the divine payroll? Merde.

  We can do good - we can make a difference - we are amazing, powerful, incredible beings. We do not need to be enabled by an old white guy with a beard. The sooner we take responsiblity for actually doing good, the better off everyone on this ball of dirt will be.
• 
  51

  (unaided by God)Things we can not do!

  by Deputy Dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the world today (especially in america) we believe that we can do what ever we want or will to do, but god still rules the universe, and according to his word there are some things that we can not do.

  unless god wills!

  i thought i might list a few things that (unaided by or apart from god) we can not do.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  Sorry... where did you read this stuff again?
• 
  29

  First dates....what to say....and "all 'dat".....UPDATE, UPDATE

  by logansrun in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  yeah....see below....

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  Seriously dude, it's simple:

  1) Be respectful (without being a kissass).

  2) Ask questions about her, and listen to the answers while looking her in the eye(pick one - nothing worse than switching back and forth from L to R when nervous).

  3) Make sure you don't put more than three sentences together without lots of prompting from her. After three sentences, go back to rule #2.

  You're a good dude, you'll do fine.
• 
  93

  My two week consulting trip to Bethel (the beginning of the end) part 2

  by seven006 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as we entered a door of the administration building we did not head to the elevator to take us up the eight floors to the main administration floor.

  i looked around the room and asked, "what's up with her?

  i was going to work with the elder from hell who ran the photography department.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  Are you typing right now? Or is Han Solo now frozen in carbonite and we have to wait and wait?
• 
  35

  Your Favorite Colloquialisms?

  by Frannie Banannie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  thought we could all share a few of our favorites...here's one i'm fond of....

  "chaps my grits" is a southern colloquialism, referring.

  to.....well, i guess you better know what grits is.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  I kinda like "he's really shot-in-the-head". When I asked for an explanation, ...nah, this is a family board. :)
• 
  31

  What are the three things your coworkers, acquaintances or...

  by berylblue in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...neighbors know about you?.

  1. i have two beautiful daughters whom i love dearly.. 2. i am a huge al stewart fan.

  3. i drink copious amounts of diet pepsi.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  They've done amazing things with foam rubber earplugs, Gum...