Posts by Coded Logic

18

Will it someday be possible to read another person's mind, without his or her even knowing it?

by Pinku in

scientists transmit thoughts from one brain to another.

sep 7, 2014, 6:27 am et.

column by lee dye.

Coded Logic

The fact that our thoughts go on waves, similar to radio waves

-End Of Mysteries

No, our thoughts do not work similar to radio waves. They're made up of a complex wiring of nerve impulses that travel along a physical medium. Your brain can't beam your thoughts across the room much less out into space. Instead, there is an electric signal that travels along the axonal branches of our synapses using the charge difference between the inside of the axon and its surroundings, like a tiny battery. When the nerve is activated, there is a sudden change in the voltage across the wall of the axon, caused by the movement of ions in and out of the neuron. This triggers a wave of electrical activity that passes from the cell body along the length of the axon to the synapse.

21

How Have You Changed Much In Attitude & Actions Since Leaving The Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

it takes time to stop thinking or reacting like a jehovah's witness.. are you still judgmental?

a know it all?

a person that listens more with their heart instead of their head---like jehovah's witnesses ???.

Coded Logic

I feel I've really toned my need to judge people all the time. Though, to be honest, the inclination still persits. Introspection isn't a one time thing. It's a continuall evaluation of where you stand and why you're behaving the way you're behaving. But by being cognisant of my backround I do find it much easier to accept people for who they are now - instead of just stressing over who I want them to be all the time.

As far as being a "know it all" - well, I can't really say that's really changed too much. But I am much more comfortable with saying the words, "I don't know." And when I find out I'm wrong about something I can now pallet the saying, "Hey you know what, you're right about that." (It's amazing the amount of respect you get when you can admitt you're wrong). More importantly, I have done a tremendous amount of research since I learned the TTATT. And the more I learn, the more I realize just how little I know.

The real problem with being a JW isn't how little you know about everything like the Bible. It's that you think you know everything about the Bible. But when you're a witness you don't know who wrote it, when it was written, how it was compiled, how many versions exist of it, old books that used to be in it, new books that were added later, the metrics to use to tell historical accounts from litterary devices, etc. The JWs just do kindergarten theology. They think they can read a 10 page creationist brochure and become an expert on biology. Or read one of Paul's letters and become an expert on psychology. Or cherry pick Bible versus and become an expert on ethics. The WTBTS discourages higher education, philosophy, research, and evidence based reason. It's no wonder I was so judgmental and opionated - I didn't know what it meant to be rational.

18

Will it someday be possible to read another person's mind, without his or her even knowing it?

by Pinku in

scientists transmit thoughts from one brain to another.

sep 7, 2014, 6:27 am et.

column by lee dye.

Coded Logic

The "wiring" in each and every single persons brain is different. What a particular pathway means to one person wouldn't neccissarly translate to another person. And our neuroplasticity continues changing over our entire lives.

We may be able to learn to send specific commands and controll things with our brains - but that is not the same as being able to read a persons thoughts.

12

WT is obsessed with "Korah"

by EndofMysteries in

korah and the faithful and discreet slave go hand in hand.

korah and sparlock.

if you do a search for the word, "korah" in the wt lib, the wt barely goes a month without showing into a wt or magazine about rebellious korah and applying it to themselves as being moses and if you question the authority of the gb, you'll be destroyed.

Coded Logic

Funny, I can't say I remember seeing the GB part the Red Sea. Or perfrom any miracle for that matter. I also don't remember seeing God's "pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night" leading them. Maybe I just missed it though. Anybody else see ANY reason to think they are devinely blessed or inspired?

250

Biblical Prohecies That Came True?

by Viviane in

recently there have been several claims made regarding prophecies that came true.

i've not personally seen a prophecy that i would consider as having come true.

i would consider the following as the requirements to say something is a prophecy and evaluate whether or not it came true:.

Coded Logic

The problem with Daniel's "prophecies" about the nations is they are so vague and poetic you could pick any century and make them work. Since Daniels time there have always been world leaders, conquerors, wars, new governments coming into power, old governments falling out of power, etc. And there are litterally thousands of ancient cities that are uninhabited to this day. In fact, many more cities of the ancient world are uninhabited then are still around. Fading into history is the norm - not the exception. There is nothing special about Babylon.

The city of Tyre, on the other hand, is something special. It's amazing for a city that was prophecied to be "completely destroyed and never inhabited again" almost 2,500 years ago, it seems to be A.) Not completely destroyed and B.) still inhabited. Weird.

250

Biblical Prohecies That Came True?

by Viviane in

recently there have been several claims made regarding prophecies that came true.

i've not personally seen a prophecy that i would consider as having come true.

i would consider the following as the requirements to say something is a prophecy and evaluate whether or not it came true:.

Coded Logic

There are four basic metrics that a prophecy has to meet:

1.) You have to be able to verify it was made before the event happened.

(I can "say" I predicted 9/11. But unless I can show proof that I did so prior to the event there is no good reason to believe me. You can "say" Daniel prophesied the fall of Babylon but there's no good reason to think his words were written before Babylon fell.)

2.) You have to be able to verify the event actually did take place.

(This one should go without saying but you'd be surprised)

3.) It must be falsifiable and cannot be vauge or open to interpitation.

(Nostradomus anyone?)

4.) It must be a rare or extraordinary event and cannot be self fullfilling.

(Saying that I predict the sun will rise tommorrow or predicting that I'm going to eat at Round Table for lunch is not a prophecy)

Bible Quiz

by Coded Logic in

i think humor is one of the best tools to get around mental barriers sometimes.

and it can be really good at making people self aware of thier own cognitive dissonance.

i really enjoyed this video when i was a believer as its pretty funny but makes some knock down points.

Coded Logic

I think humor is one of the best tools to get around mental barriers sometimes. And it can be really good at making people self aware of thier own cognitive dissonance. I really enjoyed this video when I was a believer as its pretty funny but makes some knock down points.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk

56

My JW mom is now willing to "listen" to our side...Need advice pls

by 2pink in

jw
friends

my husband and i (both born in jws with extended family all "in" except for one of my sisters who left when we did) left the church 5 years ago.

we did not fade, we just didn't believe it anymore, told our families so and left.

obviously, big drama in our family after this, messy feelings, etc.

Coded Logic

Just lifted this from CRAM, on rare occasion they do make some good points:

The 144,000 are mentioned in two chapters in the Bible: Revelation 7 & 14. By looking at the verses it is obvious that the 144,000 are literal Jews of the ancient tribes with no Gentiles among them (7:4-8). They are all males (14:4) and virgins (14:4). If the JW states that the usage of Jewish male virgins is figurative, what gives them the right to state that number of 144,000 is literal?

...

“Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?” ( Matthew 24:45 )

The Watchtower’s interpretation of Matthew 24:45 is extremely problematic. By putting together an array of highly speculative and complex chronological threads, they come to the conclusion that 1914 is the day in which Christ began his rule at the “conclusion of this system of things.” This is contrary to the biblical view that Christ began His rule at His ascension ( Eph. 1:20-22 ). It's also contrary to the fact that the slave class started with Peter when Jesus charged him with feeding his sheep (John 21:15-17).

16

"Who are we to question /god/?"

by LovelyEunie in

jw
friends

has anyone had this line said to them when there was questioning involved?

did it irritate you because when questioning did happen that line was almost always used as a shut down to keep you from going any further and to make you feel guilty in the process?

because we're just idiotic and feeble minded human beings, so surely we can't possibly begin to question the likes of god.

Coded Logic

"I'm not questioning god, I'm questioning YOU. You're saying that this is true, YOU prove it."

-Ongager

Spot on! I've had to use almost those exact words a couple of times.

23

The New World Translation

by Coded Logic in

one of the jws foundational doctrines is their belief in the inerrancy of the bible.

there are several methods they use to try and support this position including their claim that the bible, as it exists today, is the exact same bible that has been around for thousands of years.

they teach that gods word has been perfectly preserved.

Coded Logic

(The Book of Enoch) was not "removed" from anything. Christians don't make commentaries part of their canons either.

- Josh J

Can you please clarify what you mean by "commentaries." The book of Enoch contains the story of the Watchers (Angles that came to earth and had intercourse with women to make the Nephlim), Enoch's journey to the end of the world, and his travel to the heavens. There is also quite a bit of prophecy. I'm not sure why you're calling it a "commentary". I can't find this term attached to the Book of Enoch by any academic source (or anywhere else that matter).

Also, you say it wasn't "removed" from anything. This statement really clouds the issue as there was no official canon it could be removed from. It would be equivalent to a JW saying the book of Enoch was never removed from the NWT. True, it was never in the NWT, but the NWT is not canon. I agree that the Book of Enoch wasn't part of the main stream Jews (the Pharisees and the Sadducees) teachings at the time as it wasn't translated from Hebrew into Greek later on (the Septuagint). However, clearly James, as well as the earlier Essenes (Jewish sect), thought it was part of Biblical cannon. And, if you're a JW, shouldn't James be a more reliable source then the Pharisees and the Sadducees?