IT Support

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Posts by IT Support

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  6

  Stephen Bates, "Demob Happy"

  by IT Support in

  1. social
  2. current

  in another thread someone recently mentioned that stephen bates is no longer the guardian's religious affairs correspondent.

  (stephen bates wrote the articles that exposed the scandal of wt's un affiliation.

  ) so, when i came across this article yesterday, i was interested to see what he said.. in this article he wrote for new humanist, stephen bates explains why he gave up this job:.

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  IT Support

  ozzie,

  Stephen, for a while, was a fairly regular poster here on JWD during those heady days when the WTS was being exposed for its 'big lie'.

  I joined JWD after that excitement had passed, but I read all his posts and emailed him for clarification of a couple of points he raised. He replied very fully and we had an extended exchange of emails for a few weeks. it turned out we knew some folks in common.

  Incidentally (and I'm going from memory here, so this may well be wrong!), in one of his posts here on JWD I think he was none too complimentary of the truthfulness of Paul Gillies, London Bethel's official spokesman!

  It would be really great to 'hear' from him again.

  I've just checked and he's still writing for The Guardian, so you should still be able to contact him on his old email address.

  Ian,

  IT, Stephen doesn't anywhere say he's now an atheist.

  You're quite right, not explicitly, but I came to that conclusion because:

  • he wrote the article for New Humanist, an atheist magazine;
  • while he says he still 'regards himself' as a Catholic, that doesn't mean he's practicing;
  • he wrote, "What faith I had, I’ve lost, I am afraid – I’ve seen too much, too close."

  Maybe it was just the way I read the piece. I certainly wouldn't come to blows with you if you arrived at a different conclusion!

  He actually says he still considers himself a Catholic.

  Yes ... ?! So ... ?!

  Since when is being a Catholic and an atheist incompatible ... ?!

  Or am I getting mixed up with Anglicans again?

  besty,

  Happy days.

  Never was a truer word(s) spoken in jest!
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  6

  Stephen Bates, "Demob Happy"

  by IT Support in

  1. social
  2. current

  in another thread someone recently mentioned that stephen bates is no longer the guardian's religious affairs correspondent.

  (stephen bates wrote the articles that exposed the scandal of wt's un affiliation.

  ) so, when i came across this article yesterday, i was interested to see what he said.. in this article he wrote for new humanist, stephen bates explains why he gave up this job:.

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  IT Support

  stilla,

  has been independently and simultaneously witnessed by two elders, NOT QUITE ACCURATE EITHER

  Which just goes to show how badly JWs get their message across, even with someone as well-informed as SB.

  (Sorry for not responding sooner, I'm in the middle of a short but hectic project ... )
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  10

  Calling all GB biographers....

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  how many of the current gb have been or are currently married?

  how many of the gb have had children?

  <not in the alleged teddy j sense> .

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  IT Support

  whats your view on family accession to the GB?

  I don't think it would ever happen.

  I think all the others around the GB are so ambitious, greedy and envious for position themselves (in the nicest 'theocratic' way possible, you understand!) that they would never let it happen.

  IS JB Schroeder at Brooklyn?

  No, he left a number of years ago, probably around 5-6 years ago now.
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  10

  Calling all GB biographers....

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  how many of the current gb have been or are currently married?

  how many of the gb have had children?

  <not in the alleged teddy j sense> .

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  IT Support

  So Albert Schroeder has at least one son Judah Ben Schroeder who is either in or has done law school sponsored by WTS

  Judah Ben is not sponsored by WT.

  Also Guy and Penny Pierce have a family.

  I only knew their son Mont: he may have brother(s) and/or sister(s).
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  34

  Apostate Presence Rattles World Conference on Religion

  by SickofLies in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i know many of you probably never saw my post a few days ago inviting everyone to the world religions conference where i was a key note speaker.

  i'd like to send a big thank you to kwintestal and mincan for showing and giving their support, surfice to say it made quite an impression that the three people standing up and defending atheism at the event were all ex-witnesses.

  the theme for the event was on the topic of morals and modesty.

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  IT Support

  SoL,

  Great experience, well done.

  How about posting the full text of your speech?

  I'm sure most of us would find it very interesting!
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  27

  Just another meeting - the lack of "occasion" and "grief" at JW funeral

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i recently attended the witness funeral of a sister who lost her mother.

  she lived to a good age.. most of the congregation were there.. if the truth be told, it was one of the most disrespectful funerals i have ever been too.

  no one did anything wrong, but everyone was happy - a little too happy.. it was just another meeting to the dubs who attended.

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  IT Support

  I agree with most of the comments here.

  Many years ago when still a JW, I was at an old sister's funeral and two of her non-JW relatives were sitting in front of me. During the talk, one of them turned to the other, and with disgust and total contempt in his voice, said, "They're even trying to convert us here."

  Apart from making me think about what others really thought about us, and I went home and modified my funeral talk outline to cut most the 'preaching' and talk more about the person.

  Still took a few more years for me to fully open my eyes, but it was one nail in the coffin ...
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  "God almighty PLC," the big business of religion

  by IT Support in

  1. social
  2. current

  while browsing the new humanist web site, i came across this brilliant article.

  some might agree.. .

  .

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  IT Support

  While browsing the New Humanist web site, I came across this brilliant article. Some might agree.
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  6

  Stephen Bates, "Demob Happy"

  by IT Support in

  1. social
  2. current

  in another thread someone recently mentioned that stephen bates is no longer the guardian's religious affairs correspondent.

  (stephen bates wrote the articles that exposed the scandal of wt's un affiliation.

  ) so, when i came across this article yesterday, i was interested to see what he said.. in this article he wrote for new humanist, stephen bates explains why he gave up this job:.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  IT Support

  In another thread someone recently mentioned that Stephen Bates is no longer the Guardian's religious affairs correspondent. (Stephen Bates wrote the articles that exposed the scandal of WT's UN affiliation.) So, when I came across this article yesterday, I was interested to see what he said.

  In this article he wrote for New Humanist, Stephen Bates explains why he gave up this job:

  A couple of points I thought of interest.

  • He views JWs as "bizarre and malign":

  "Some religious doctrines are much more bizarre and malign than this. They occasionally come blinking into the light. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, for instance, believe that those outside their inner circle will be ground to dust on the last day (remember this the next time you open your front door to them) and will only cooperate with the police in child abuse cases if the molestation has been independently and simultaneously witnessed by two elders, which may be setting the bar a little high."

  • He's now become an atheist:

  "Now I am moving on. It was time to go. What faith I had, I’ve lost, I am afraid – I’ve seen too much, too close."

  Interesting.
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  13

  At the risk of Outing myself...

  by BONEZZ in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...oh wait a minute, i'm out but my daughter is still in...anyway all this talk about gas prices and electric cars, etc made me want to mention my newest venture.

  (apologies for this being so long but here's a little background).

  i used to produce a classic car tv show that ran for many years on pbs across the nation and was syndicated in several countries.

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  IT Support

  This is the Lightning's web site:
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  5

  Skeptics Guide to the Universe

  by catbert in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  do any of you listen to the "skeptics guide to the universe" podcast?.

  http://www.theskepticsguide.org/.

  its a great podcast that encourages critical thinking.

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  IT Support

  It's excellent, I've been enjoying it since soon after it started.

  Highly recommended.