Posts by dothemath

8

2016-03-11 US BOE Re: 2016 Bethel Visitors Information

by wifibandit in

march 11, 2016 to all congregations in the united states branch territory re: 2016 bethel visitors information

dothemath

Thanks for all the letters from headquarters! Glad I never wasted my time (or money) going there.

21

Suppose I ought to introduce myself.....

by Andy Dufresne in

jw
friends

i've left a couple of semi-"humorous" remarks, but not yet said a proper hello....but firstly thank you, to all, for this site and all its comments.i have been lurking on this site for 4-5 years, awake for 5-6 years and seriously fading for the last 4 years.

i am now "out" and widely considered "out" by the congregation but due being very cautious and playing a very long game, (and having a wife who understand the repercussions of blowing the whistle on the few viewpoints i have discussed with her) i have not been df'd of da'd.

this forum has been a crutch and guide as well as helping me wake - and the humour many on here use has been a welcome relief.

dothemath

Hi and welcome! This site has been fascinating to me, and I think many on here study the bible more than most witnesses.

i personally think the "handwriting is on the wall" for the Borg but it will be a long decline.

congrats on the successful fade!

23

Happy Pi Day

by dothemath in

tomorrow is march 14 (3.14), so its known as pi day, to honour the all-important constant.. incidentally, the bible has been criticized by mathematicians because the scriptures give a very poor value of pi.. the scripture is based on 1kings 7: 23 and reads as follows:.

"and he proceeded to make the molten sea ten cubits from its one brim to its other brim, circular all around; and its height was five cubits, and it took a line of thirty cubits to circle all around it".

now that shape is actually mathematically impossible to construct, because if the diameter is 10 cubits, the circumference would have to be 31.4159 cubits.

dothemath

Tomorrow is March 14 (3.14), so its known as Pi day, to honour the all-important constant.

Incidentally, the Bible has been criticized by mathematicians because the scriptures give a very poor value of Pi.

The scripture is based on 1Kings 7: 23 and reads as follows:

"and he proceeded to make the molten sea ten cubits from its one brim to its other brim, circular all around; and its height was five cubits, and it took a line of thirty cubits to circle all around it"

Now that shape is actually mathematically impossible to construct, because if the diameter is 10 cubits, the circumference would have to be 31.4159 cubits. (circumference = pi x diameter)

Other nations did come up with fairly close approximations of the value of pi, but it was Archimedes who really nailed it in the 3rd century bc.

Just another item in the Bible that doesn't add up I guess.

Anyway, its a fascinating constant, and I hope you enjoy "Pi day tomorrow"!

11

New way to fade?

by dothemath in

a brother in a local congregation has successfully faded, no announcements or judicial hearings that anyone has heard of.. his immediate family are all out, but they have lots of family still in.. if he had joined another religion, or the army, or put up christmas lights, likely the elders would be hounding them like crazy.. but no, he has accepted evolution(it seems to be common knowledge).. i would have thought this would be a disfellowshipping offense, but lots of time has passed, and they just leave them all alone..

dothemath

A brother in a local congregation has successfully faded, no announcements or judicial hearings that anyone has heard of.

His immediate family are all out, but they have lots of family still in.

If he had joined another religion, or the army, or put up Christmas lights, likely the elders would be hounding them like crazy.

But no, he has accepted evolution(it seems to be common knowledge).

I would have thought this would be a disfellowshipping offense, but lots of time has passed, and they just leave them all alone.

17

Ex elders vs. Current elders

by dothemath in

in our congregation there are now more ex-elders than current ones.

(probably very common).

what i notice most of all, is that the ones who were the best speakers (we actually had some good ones) are the ones who have all stepped down.. i'm of the opinion the better teachers recognize its all a joke, and can't be bothered to reach out again.. so the ones left who are taking the lead are the most boring ones available.

dothemath

In our congregation there are now more ex-elders than current ones. (Probably very common)

what I notice most of all, is that the ones who were the best speakers (we actually had some good ones) are the ones who have all stepped down.

I'm of the opinion the better teachers recognize its all a joke, and can't be bothered to reach out again.

So the ones left who are taking the lead are the most boring ones available. Is it similar in other congregations?

2

The Influence of Hellenism on Early Christianity: Dionysus as a Template for the Jesus Gospels

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

the influence of hellenism on early christianity: dionysus as a pattern for the mythical aspects of jesus..

the palestine in which the young jesus grew up was strongly influenced by hellenic mythology.

for some 600 years the jews had been subjects of first the persian empire and then the empires of alexander the great, his hellenic successors (the ptolemies and the xxxx), and eventually the romans.

dothemath

Fascinating to see so many similarities. I've read how many think John's gospel was influenced by Greek philosophy ( regarding the "word" ) from the first chapter.

22

Tv's in Kingdom hall

by dothemath in

so now that the borg has taken all of the congregations money, there was just a resolution to get all new tv's, etc for the stage for the new meeting format.. i wasn't there, but it was a large sum.

somebody mentioned over 3000$.. all the congregations in the city are likely doing the same thing, and are getting all the equipment from bethel.. i was wondering if this was happening all most everywhere?.

can't see it in third world countries( might not even have internet).

dothemath

So now that the Borg has taken all of the congregations money, there was just a resolution to get all new tv's, etc for the stage for the new meeting format.

i wasn't there, but it was a large sum. Somebody mentioned over 3000$.

All the congregations in the city are likely doing the same thing, and are getting all the equipment from Bethel.

I was wondering if this was happening all most everywhere?

Can't see it in third world countries( might not even have internet)

17

Congregation average

by dothemath in

a while back at our co visit, he commended the cong.

because our average hours had gone up.. we went from around 7.3 to about 7.5. i recall the days when anything less than 10 was considered awful.. of course now, they don't even print the hours in the km or anywhere.. i was wondering how these numbers compared to other congregations?.

dothemath

A while back at our CO visit, he commended the cong. because our average hours had gone up.

We went from around 7.3 to about 7.5

I recall the days when anything less than 10 was considered awful.

Of course now, they don't even print the hours in the km or anywhere.

I was wondering how these numbers compared to other congregations?

19

Noah's ark

by dothemath in

for those that believe in the flood story as genesis says, then they also are forced to accept a huge amount of evolution, way faster than any evolutionist would propose.. from a basic selection of "kinds", to the several millions of land species there are now, and in only about 4000 years.. not to mention the many types of birds that made it to remote islands, and then somehow lost their ability to fly... not even possessing wings( ex- dodo bird, moa).

scientists agree this was a process that took eons of time.. i was thinking of this because we just had a public talk on noah.

i sure couldn't make a fool of myself on that subject, going on how "factual" it all is..

dothemath

Enjoying all your analysis, and also the in- depth research Anders Anderson.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere the idea from an awake that after the flood, the increased ultraviolet light (that water canopy was now gone) caused more variation.

Basically endorsing the idea of mutations......they should just give up and use some "discernment" and "wisdom".

19

Noah's ark

by dothemath in

for those that believe in the flood story as genesis says, then they also are forced to accept a huge amount of evolution, way faster than any evolutionist would propose.. from a basic selection of "kinds", to the several millions of land species there are now, and in only about 4000 years.. not to mention the many types of birds that made it to remote islands, and then somehow lost their ability to fly... not even possessing wings( ex- dodo bird, moa).

scientists agree this was a process that took eons of time.. i was thinking of this because we just had a public talk on noah.

i sure couldn't make a fool of myself on that subject, going on how "factual" it all is..

dothemath

For those that believe in the flood story as genesis says, then they also are forced to accept a huge amount of evolution, way faster than any evolutionist would propose.

From a basic selection of "kinds", to the several millions of land species there are now, and in only about 4000 years.

Not to mention the many types of birds that made it to remote islands, and then somehow lost their ability to fly... not even possessing wings( ex- dodo bird, moa)

scientists agree this was a process that took eons of time.

I was thinking of this because we just had a public talk on Noah. I sure couldn't make a fool of myself on that subject, going on how "factual" it all is.