Coded Logic

Joined

• started 181 topics
• posted 1,465 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Coded Logic

• 
  22

  How smart were the ancients?

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  growing up as a jw, i always thought the ancients were scientific morons who knew next to nothing.

  ashamedly, i used to run around citing isaiah 40:22 as proof of the bible's 'divine authorship' because it talked about "the circle of the earth".

  as though this were somehow an unknowable before spaceflight.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  So sad. Damn Pope Theophilus for his short sightedness!
  

  :(
• 
  22

  How smart were the ancients?

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  growing up as a jw, i always thought the ancients were scientific morons who knew next to nothing.

  ashamedly, i used to run around citing isaiah 40:22 as proof of the bible's 'divine authorship' because it talked about "the circle of the earth".

  as though this were somehow an unknowable before spaceflight.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  Growing up as a JW, I always thought the ancients were scientific morons who knew next to nothing. Ashamedly, I used to run around citing Isaiah 40:22 as proof of the Bible's 'divine authorship' because it talked about "the circle of the earth". As though this were somehow an unknowable before spaceflight.

  But the more I learn about history, the more I realize just how advanced some of the Ancients were. Eratosthenes calculating the diameter of the earth has been referenced in several threads on this site. But someone you may never of heard of is Aristarchus.

  Not a whole lot is know about him but in the year 200 BC Aristarchus' contemporary, Archimedes, wrote a fascinating book called The Sand Reckoner in which Archimedes attempted to calculate how many grains of sand could fit inside the universe. Using parallax and a few assumptions, Archimedes figured the universe was about 2 light years across (pretty astounding for a man of antiquity).

  But even more interesting than Archimedes estimations, is his reference to a man who was putting forth the heliocentric model some 1,800 years before Copernicus formalized and popularized the idea. Here's a passage from Archimedes book:

  You are now aware that the "universe" is the name given by most astronomers to the sphere the center of which is the center of the earth, while its radius is equal to the straight line between the center of the sun and the center of the earth. This is the common account as you have heard from astronomers. But Aristarchus has brought out a book consisting of certain hypotheses, wherein it appears, as a consequence of the assumptions made, that the universe is many times greater than the "universe" just mentioned. His hypotheses are that the fixed stars and the sun remain unmoved, that the earth revolves about the sun on the circumference of a circle, the sun lying in the middle of the orbit, and that the sphere of the fixed stars, situated about the same center as the sun, is so great that the circle in which he supposes the earth to revolve bears such a proportion to the distance of the fixed stars as the center of the sphere bears to its surface.

  Sadly, Aristarchus own writings were lost when the Christians burned down and raised the Library of Alexandria. It kinda makes me wonder what else the ancients knew.
  
  
• 
  44

  A WTF Moment While In the WTS

  by Searching in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  has anyone else had a moment, while still within the organization (and before learning ttatt) that caused them to stop and go, "this is kind of messed up.".

  for instance, back i believe in the early 2000's, i was attending a dc with my family.

  it was announced at the beginning of the convention that there was going to be a special announcement at the end, so for everyone to please try to remain until the very end of the meeting.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  There are two that I remember clearly. The first was when the "What does the Bible Teach" book came out and we started studying it for the bookstudy. It was so mind numbingly dumbed down I found myself getting frustrated thinking to myself "How are we going to become experts on the Bible if we're reading at a first grade level?"

  Grown men and women we're raising their hands and answering "Jehovah" and "Jesus". It was so bizarre.

  The second one came when they had the big announcement at the upcoming convention about "new light" in regards to the statue with a gold face, silver chest, etc. Everyone was a buzz about how big this was and the invitations we passed out even brought this up.

  
  

  They really went all out in selling the "new light".

  Well, low and behold, when we got to the third day of the convention - everything leading up to this and dancing around the "upcoming big announcement" what did we get? Why, a big nothing burger of course. The new light was that the iron and clay feet of the statue - which had always represented the US and the UK - actually might represent the US, the UK, and maybe some unidentified "other countries".

  Ughh. So disappointing. And also the last convention I ever attended.
• 
  6

  ET phones home

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  a nearby star, ross 128, about 11 light years away, seems to be putting out some rather remarkable radio waves.

  discovered by the arecibo observatory in puerto rico (the one shown in the move contact) other observatories like the allen telescope array are set to begin observations in the next couple of days to make sure the signal really is coming from interstellar space and isn't caused by instrument malfunction or radio waves bouncing off satellites.

  it could be anything at this point (but very-very unlikely aliens).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  A nearby star, Ross 128, about 11 light years away, seems to be putting out some rather remarkable radio waves. Discovered by the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico (the one shown in the move Contact) other observatories like the Allen Telescope Array are set to begin observations in the next couple of days to make sure the signal really is coming from interstellar space and isn't caused by instrument malfunction or radio waves bouncing off satellites.

  It could be anything at this point (but very-very unlikely aliens). But the next couple of weeks should be interesting none the less.

  https://www.space.com/37516-strange-radio-signals-red-dwarf-star.html

  http://www.seti.org/signals-from-a-nearby-system

  
  
• 
  191

  Evolution is a Fact - Index of Parts 1 - 40

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  #1 protein functional redundancy comparing the sequences of amino acids in ubiquitous proteins confirms the relationship between all living things..

  #2 dna functional redundancy comparison of the dna that codes for the amino acids of ubiquitous proteins predicts the tree of life with an astonishing degree of accuracy..

  #3 ervs endogenous retroviruses that infected our ancestors are found in the same place of the genome of our closest primate cousins..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  Hahahaha, awesome job Saename!!!
• 
  22

  Do You Hope Donald Trump Makes Jestures Of Mending USA With Russia Relationships?

  by Brokeback Watchtower in

  1. social
  2. current

  i think the problems the us and russia face are mainly ideological.

  the cold war these two countries have been in needs to be stopped and common sense needs to be applied i hope trump can push thing in the right direction and that he has good advisors.

  i'm all for these two major world military powers to put away their differences and find way to work together on common problems they face.. they need to cooperate with each other even in their cyber warfare.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  So long as Putin continues to annex Chrimea, drop bombs on rebels fighting against Assad, interfere with our elections, and murder his political opponents - I'm not really sure the US should start mending relations with Russia.

  Putin needs to start changing his bad behavior first.
• 
  191

  Evolution is a Fact - Index of Parts 1 - 40

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  #1 protein functional redundancy comparing the sequences of amino acids in ubiquitous proteins confirms the relationship between all living things..

  #2 dna functional redundancy comparison of the dna that codes for the amino acids of ubiquitous proteins predicts the tree of life with an astonishing degree of accuracy..

  #3 ervs endogenous retroviruses that infected our ancestors are found in the same place of the genome of our closest primate cousins..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  Perry,

  Have you done any research on the evolution of a caterpillar? Why should Crofty be obligated to do your research for you?

  And why haven't you read any of the posts or links provided by other posters who have answered the question you asked?
• 
  191

  Evolution is a Fact - Index of Parts 1 - 40

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  #1 protein functional redundancy comparing the sequences of amino acids in ubiquitous proteins confirms the relationship between all living things..

  #2 dna functional redundancy comparison of the dna that codes for the amino acids of ubiquitous proteins predicts the tree of life with an astonishing degree of accuracy..

  #3 ervs endogenous retroviruses that infected our ancestors are found in the same place of the genome of our closest primate cousins..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  I don't understand why Perry is being so rude. Checking out what scientists have to say about their respective fields is NOT "going to check with the elders".

  Elders are NOT experts in bibliography nor history nor anything else in which they so confidently make proclamations. They're merely regurgitating WT dogma.

  Conversely, scientists actually do research and analysis in the fields and submit their findings for peer review. And instead of addressing any of this very real science that Crofty and everyone else has brought to the table Perry instead just tries to hand wave it away by falsely equating it to Watchtower BS. He's a total troll who isn't interested in any kind of honest discussion.
• 
  191

  Evolution is a Fact - Index of Parts 1 - 40

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  #1 protein functional redundancy comparing the sequences of amino acids in ubiquitous proteins confirms the relationship between all living things..

  #2 dna functional redundancy comparison of the dna that codes for the amino acids of ubiquitous proteins predicts the tree of life with an astonishing degree of accuracy..

  #3 ervs endogenous retroviruses that infected our ancestors are found in the same place of the genome of our closest primate cousins..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  Alright Perry, I'll take up your challenge. What would it take to change your mind about evolution?
• 
  191

  Evolution is a Fact - Index of Parts 1 - 40

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  #1 protein functional redundancy comparing the sequences of amino acids in ubiquitous proteins confirms the relationship between all living things..

  #2 dna functional redundancy comparison of the dna that codes for the amino acids of ubiquitous proteins predicts the tree of life with an astonishing degree of accuracy..

  #3 ervs endogenous retroviruses that infected our ancestors are found in the same place of the genome of our closest primate cousins..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Coded Logic

  For someone who has zero scientific training, higher scientific education or professional experience in the sciences, I think you have done an excellent job in posting (for the umpteenth time) a synopsis of other peoples' work.
  - Perry

  Why is Perry such a jerk? Instead of addressing any of the issues raised by Crofty Perry instead tries to go after Crofty's level of education.

  It seems that Perry does not know two things:

  1.) The validity of a claim is either true or false regardless of who's making it. Attacking the education of the person making the claim says nothing about the accuracy of the claim.

  2.) Finding a list of people who agree with you in no way makes your claim anymore likely to be true. Simply because I can post a list of people who believe the earth is flat in no way makes the flat earth hypothesis anymore likely.