Posts by Onager

33

Using history as a means to pinpoint possible future events.

by HealthySkeptic in

the purpose of this thread is to share some history with the community.

i am an active jw.

the reason i picked this forum is due to the openness and ease with which information can be accessed.

Onager

Hi HealthySkeptic,

Just addressing your topic "Using history as a means to pinpoint possible future events":

Have you read the second epilogue of Tolstoy's War and Peace? In it he expounds on his theory of the tides of history and how it's the infinite minutiae that dictate it's future course. That idea runs through the whole book actually, which is well worth a read, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Have you also considered the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov? These books explore the idea of predicting the future by examining the past and then going on to try and manipulate it.

72

What was the biggest thing that convinced you that

by Ponyo in

.....the truth was not the truth... ?

.

Onager

What was the biggest thing that convinced me that the Truth was not the truth?

FACTS! :)

If you have a moment, please look up a youtube video titled: "Bertrand Russell - Message To Future Generations."

it is a wonderful summary of how to approach your question and, indeed, all questions.

74

The Watchtower's Real Crisis

by JeffT in

jw
friends

when discussing the watchtowers financial problems, i've generally been of the opinion that they probably are not in a real financial crisis.

i've come to believe that money may be something of an issue, but its wrapped up in a much larger problem.

this came to me this morning when reading about the annual meeting.. i think the society's leadership is just plain out of ideas.

Onager

Morpheus, I think you have different definition of failure and collapse than you are assuming Slimboyfat has. I think that if you asked SBF if there will be people who identify as Jehovah's Witnesses in 50 years time then they would say yes.

It's the monolithic organisation that faces imminent demise and the fact that there'll always be some fanatics who cling to the wreckage and claim that it's still a working ship is irrelevant.

I think there will be many splinters, all proclaiming that only they are the true JW's, in fact I think you can see signs of that now. I have relatives that are against all blood products and I know JW's that would accept fractions. Some accept what they call Micro evolution (don't get me started) and those that reject any form of evolution. They're already not listening to "Mother" and choosing their own beliefs and this will just accelerate when the society, as a corporation, collapses.

(I made a lot of assumptions about other posters in this post. I hope I didn't get it too wrong).

26

Is there anything good JWs taught you still benefit from?

by venus in

some years ago, i attended a jw wedding.

marriage speaker said something which changed my life for the better, and it helps me even now.

he told the couple: “the very make up of man and woman is such that conflicts can often arise between you.

Onager

Buying two TV's to resolve conflict can't be a JW teaching because this would conflict with their primary teaching of giving all your money to the organisation.

19

Debating a Christian at work.

by pseudoxristos in

a christian at work has been after me for more than a year to go to his church and be saved.

i like the guy and consider him a friend and have been politely trying to avoid the subject.

i have recently decided that enough is enough and i told him i would discuss religion with him.

Onager

I think you could be on a hiding to nothing here. Even though he has agreed to a rational discussion, rationality will not get a look in.

11

Are We In A Computer Simulation?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

elon musk believes we are and he's a pretty smart guy that runs spacex, a lot black hole physics may seem to present the 3 dimentional space as a hologram of a 2 dimentional sphere.. i think this is open for serious debate.

what are the pros and cons?.

Onager

Are we in a computer simulation?

I am programmed to respond: "No".

11

Has Watchtower been hacked?

by FatFreek 2005 in

"there are two kinds of companies in the world: those that know they've been hacked, and those that have been hacked and don't yet know it.

" robert hackett, fortune.

but how about watchtower?

Onager

The problem is that the of the 80,000 people that leave the org each year hardly any will have the skills and knowledge necessary to hack the org. You can't hack a computer network by hitting it with a soapy mop or a squeegee...

Of the small percentage that do have the skills, most of those won't have the knowledge of the systems required. What you need is an Ex-JW who was at Bethel, in an IT related position and has hacking skills. That combination of traits might not exist though. :(

64

Free to sin but still cannot bring myself to do it

by sinboi in

have da'd myself nearly 3 months ago.

now i am part of this world but i feel myself the odd one out.

something inside me is still blocking me to do the things i have been longing to do while i was still a jw, such as attending birthday parties, sex, etc.... just last nite, i was on the way to attend a birthday party.

Onager

Hi Sinboi, you have DA'd from the Witnesses, but you are still using their definitions of what constitutes a sin. Why would you do that?!

They are a false religion, their teachings are false. Their list of sins is unscriptural and immoral. Do you still consider it a sin to talk to a family member who has left the JW organisation for example?

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet, but you should check out JWFacts.com. Research on that site will show you just how wrong the JW religion is and how worthless and harmful it is to continue clinging to their beliefs.

18

I love heavy metal!!!

by ironsnake656 in

probably you noticed that my avatar is a photo of steve harris, bassist of iron maiden.

i have quite a few years that i started to listen this kind of music, even when i was in the jwland.

although it was a "no-no" in the borders of jwland, i knew a lot of brothers and sisters that listened and loved this kind of music.

Onager

Can I roll out my old anecdote of seeing Iron Maiden play at Twickenham? Twickenham is(was?) the main assembly venue for the UK's regional assemblies. It was brilliant to be singing "Run to the Hills" in a *packed* stadium where the last time that I had been there I had been sitting in a suit writing poems along the lines of "The Seagulls are more bored than we."

I must say that I do love Rammstein as well though. It's actually the total lack of analysis, because I don't speak German, which makes their songs a purely auditory\emotional experience.

15

Is it alright for a Disfellowshipped Jehovah's Witness to Date?

by preacherman in

it is said that a dfed is handed over to satan and left alone in his or her gross unrepentant conduct.

however, you'll agree with me that not all dfeds are living that way.

the truth is that some have actually repented and stopped their bad conducts but have fallen victim to the legalistic and procedural expediences of the wbts which makes it very difficult for some to come back in the shortest period of time.

Onager

What you call gross unrepentant conduct, I call Friday night out...