Posts by Amazing1914

73

Einstein Theory of Relativity

by VM44 in

jw
friends

long ago, in 1969, awake!

published the one and only article they ever published about einstein's theory of relativity.. einstein's theory is in the news now as the gravity probe b has recently been launched in order to measure the "frame dragging" predicted by general relativity theory as the probe orbits the earth.. if i remember correctly the 1969 awake article questioned whether einstein's theory was correct.

i doubt very much that there was anyone then, or even now, at bethel who was even remotely qualified to question einstein's theory, but, then again, lack of qualifications hasn't ever held the wt back from writing articles.. the wt library cds only have awakes going back to 1970, so i will have to find a bound volume if i want to read that article again.. anyone else here interested in einstein's theory of gravitation?.

Amazing1914

myauntfanny,

See, now what I never understood is this simultaneous action at a distance thing.

Imagine a rod of steel one millions miles long out in space (four times the mean distance between the earth and the moon, or about, or about 5.4 light-seconds long) ... you have a watch mounted at each end with the same exact time. The watches are designed to stop as soon as motion begins. At one end of the rod you move it in the same exact direction as its axis toward its other end. Does the opposite end move at the same time? Would there be a time difference between the two watches? OR would there be simultaneous action? If the rod is only a foot long, the action measures as simultaneous, and likewise for various longer rods ... so at what length does simultaneous action cease? That is the mass of the rod and the watch at one end at short lengths move together in a single simultaneous action. So, when would this convert to some time-warped-relativity where one end of the rod moves before the other end does? If simultaneous, then the energy to move the mass one million miles away was transmitted 5.4 times faster than light. And the watches will show the same exact time as they stopped at the start of motion.

73

Einstein Theory of Relativity

by VM44 in

jw
friends

long ago, in 1969, awake!

published the one and only article they ever published about einstein's theory of relativity.. einstein's theory is in the news now as the gravity probe b has recently been launched in order to measure the "frame dragging" predicted by general relativity theory as the probe orbits the earth.. if i remember correctly the 1969 awake article questioned whether einstein's theory was correct.

i doubt very much that there was anyone then, or even now, at bethel who was even remotely qualified to question einstein's theory, but, then again, lack of qualifications hasn't ever held the wt back from writing articles.. the wt library cds only have awakes going back to 1970, so i will have to find a bound volume if i want to read that article again.. anyone else here interested in einstein's theory of gravitation?.

Amazing1914

drwtsn32,

Are you sure about this? I read that the experiment that appeared to speed up light was more of an "optical illusion." I'll have to see if I can find the reference.

I need to review older references. However, it is been observed in astrophysics that the movement of galaxies, light emissions, etc. has shown that some objects are moving relative to one another faster than light ... also, light slowing down over time. Further, if you read Hawkings (well known physicist who sits in Newtons chair at the university) he discusses light bending and slowing around black holes, and being sucked back into a black hole after it initially escapes ... this means it has to slow and then be bent back toward the black hole - toward singularity.

73

Einstein Theory of Relativity

by VM44 in

jw
friends

long ago, in 1969, awake!

published the one and only article they ever published about einstein's theory of relativity.. einstein's theory is in the news now as the gravity probe b has recently been launched in order to measure the "frame dragging" predicted by general relativity theory as the probe orbits the earth.. if i remember correctly the 1969 awake article questioned whether einstein's theory was correct.

i doubt very much that there was anyone then, or even now, at bethel who was even remotely qualified to question einstein's theory, but, then again, lack of qualifications hasn't ever held the wt back from writing articles.. the wt library cds only have awakes going back to 1970, so i will have to find a bound volume if i want to read that article again.. anyone else here interested in einstein's theory of gravitation?.

Amazing1914

Gerard,

Your are partially correct. Einstein was looking for a "unified theory" to explain gravity, light, electromagnitism, and nuclear forces. Your point about Gravity is also true of other forces in that they are all poorly understood. Gravity, however, is the least understood. - Jim W.

73

Einstein Theory of Relativity

by VM44 in

jw
friends

long ago, in 1969, awake!

published the one and only article they ever published about einstein's theory of relativity.. einstein's theory is in the news now as the gravity probe b has recently been launched in order to measure the "frame dragging" predicted by general relativity theory as the probe orbits the earth.. if i remember correctly the 1969 awake article questioned whether einstein's theory was correct.

i doubt very much that there was anyone then, or even now, at bethel who was even remotely qualified to question einstein's theory, but, then again, lack of qualifications hasn't ever held the wt back from writing articles.. the wt library cds only have awakes going back to 1970, so i will have to find a bound volume if i want to read that article again.. anyone else here interested in einstein's theory of gravitation?.

Amazing1914

Craig,

Einstein's theory presents a verifiable explanation of the physical universe that is inconsistent with the deterministic/apocalyptic sociological goal of every religion.

I am not sure how any of Einstein's theories would do this. Maybe you could explain.

I recall that the Society has even made vague inferences to the Special Theory of Relativity by stating that Jehovah operates outside the normal boundaries of space-time.

Yeah, right. Big J is at it again!

73

Einstein Theory of Relativity

by VM44 in

jw
friends

long ago, in 1969, awake!

published the one and only article they ever published about einstein's theory of relativity.. einstein's theory is in the news now as the gravity probe b has recently been launched in order to measure the "frame dragging" predicted by general relativity theory as the probe orbits the earth.. if i remember correctly the 1969 awake article questioned whether einstein's theory was correct.

i doubt very much that there was anyone then, or even now, at bethel who was even remotely qualified to question einstein's theory, but, then again, lack of qualifications hasn't ever held the wt back from writing articles.. the wt library cds only have awakes going back to 1970, so i will have to find a bound volume if i want to read that article again.. anyone else here interested in einstein's theory of gravitation?.

Amazing1914

Hi VM,

" ... qualified to question Einstein's theory ..."

Normally, a statement like this bugs me, because no one should have to be "qualified" to question something, otherwise, we would never have questioned the Watchtower and left it.

BUT ... in this case, you make a valid point, not so much because the Society is not qualified to question matters of science, but more likely they will twist, bend, and spin questions and answers into something that makes no sense.

In recent years astrophysics has questioned aspects of Einsteins theory, because it appears that light speed is not constant. The special theory of relativity may be more of a measurment problem than a phenonmenon of time warp.

28

Should People With Mental Health Problems Be Given More Leeway?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

my knowledge of mental health difficulties is confined to my own experiences with depression.. thankfully, i feel that i was able to eventually identify it's source and deal with the problem.

i read lot's of books and camne to the conclusion that i was suffering from a neurosis.. apparently, neurotic people recognise that they have a problem and often seek to remedy that problem.. i read also that there are people who suffer from a psychosis.

psychotic people think that the problems they encounter are everyone elses fault and don't take responsibilty for their situation.

Amazing1914

I think it depends on how harmful them become to themselves and others. If they pose a serious threat, then they should be confined to a mental health facility. If they so not pose a serious threat, other than a nusiance on say a discussion board, then this presents some serious challenges - to balance between the needs of the majority vs being flexible with a mentally ill person who needs love and understanding ...

Although ... sometimes, I think mentally ill poeple are not always as bad off as they may appear, and will take advantage of people's kindness. But this is one of those tough judgment calls.

As far as behavior goes, I think they should be held to the same standard as everyone else ... but in enforing that standard, perhaps some creative but kind methods can be employed.

25

Intellectual Honesty vs Spiritual Claims

by Amazing1914 in

jw
friends

our fellow poster, aguest, made the following comment in her recent post titled: hearing god/christ - not "rocket science":"because we are such physical creatures, drawn to the empirical, we have great difficulty understanding, believing or even imagining anything that is not physical or discernable by our physical senses.

"empirical" refers to that which is realized by the five senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing.

to the pure empiricalist (or, experientialist, if you will), that which cannot be seen, touched, tasted, smelled or heard... with one or more of the parts of our physical bodies that perceive these... it does not exist.".

Amazing1914

Hi AGuest,

1. The "sword" that my Lord spoke about was the truth of his voice and words (that's why he's referred to as a "two-edged sword," and why the Revelation mentions one protruding from his mouth. By means of his voice and word, then, men would be divided, starting with family. You can see that in the dividing of the [Body of] Christ by religion.

This is not what I had in mind, but rather other comments Jesus made.

2. The King James version is just as much a "devil Bible" as the WTBTS. The NWT was originally taken from the KJV... which was taken from the Latin Vulgate... which was taken from the Septuagint... which was in "print" when my Lord was on the earth in the flesh. And yet, he said, even of the "scriptures", of which the Bible includes SOME:

Nope, you are in error. The NWT only 'organized' its verse structure and book collection in accordance wiht the AV. Rather, the NWT claims to use older manuscripts than the AV used, thus implying that older means better. Thatr is not a valid criteria, and furthermore, the AV is a far superior version, even considering its old English.

The issue with the NWT is that it spins and twists its translation to fit Wactchtower doctrine. The verse at Heb. 11:1 quoted should have made you take serious notice of the extreme difference between the two Bibles, ESPECIALLY given your degree in English!!!

We can search the scriptures, dear one, the Bible and all sorts of writings, holy, historical and what have you. But it is not until we come to the One who speaks for God.... His WORD (John 1:14; Revelation 19:13)... and hear HIS voice... just as he said he sheep would... we will not know life. Why? Because we will not know God.

I am well aware of these issues ... and we agree on many issues ... My points are focused on certain specific issues.

I look forward to "speaking" with you more on this... and again, bid you peace!

That's good.

(Oh, and the spirit of my Lord has directed me to ask you to check YOUR honesty, intellectual or otherwise: you were indeed addressing me... and my particular belief... and "hoping" for (well, actually, provocating) a response. Which you... received.

Not so. As I stated, it was comments in your cited post that caught my eye and led me to make a specific point. I clearly stated that my post was "not" an attack on you. And my post was not directed at you, but at a certain type of thinking that I take exception. I did not anticipate your response nor any intent to have any particular exhange ... but since you did respond, then I am willing to have some dialogue as you are kind and respectful.

As for what you are TRULY seeking... some kind of manifestation from him as whether what I am saying is true or not... whether I am indeed another Russell, Smith or Jones, he says all you need do is ASK... HIM... and he himself will reply to you. His spirit will bear witness with your spirit... and you will KNOW... whether I am his servant... or a fraud. I would advise you, however, to ask in the manner of James 1:5-8, as there is a reason for such... ummm... protocol.)

I have been praying and asking God for understnading, insight, wisdom, help, answers, etc. for about half a century ... since I was 3 years old ... although, most of my more complex prayers started when I was a teenager. So I am no stranger to this issue. I have read and studied the Bible many times over ... intellectual honesty demand that I admit certain hard realities ...

I will look for your responses when you can get to it. I am currently in school as well as working full time ... so, I may not always be able to respond right away either.

Thanks, Amazing

297

What 'exactly' changed in Adam when he sinned?

by gumby in

according to the dubs, and other faiths, adam was created with no defects of any kind.

he was created with no sin.

then adam sinned.

Amazing1914

Roman Catholic theology does not deal with the "physical" attributes of Adam ... rather, they do as AlanF cited above by using "special pleadings. The Catholic Church teaches that it was Adam's perfect "soul" ... (the invisible spirit inside each human) that suffered the consequences of sin, so that upon his death as a human - which would have taken place anyway - he would not be allowed into heaven, but would go straight to Hell forever and ever. Catholic teaching is that only "God" is perfect and that physical humans can never be "perfect" ... but rather, it is their "souls" that were once perfect and permitted to heaven upon leaving this world. To Roman Catholics, salvation by Jesus death allows a person's "soul" back into heaven.

The Watchtower created a problem for themselves by denying the "immortal soul" theory as taught by most of Christian religions ... because once they linked the "soul" and the "body" as one and the same composite person, with the "soul" as nothing more than life force that is equal to electricity in some way ... they then had to move all of Catholic teaching to the physical body. This creates problems in any reasonable standard of justice. At least the "immortal soul" theory kept the Catholic Church in the realm of safe belief, and did not subject them to arguments of justice.

Anyway, this is unprovable, unknowable, and has absolutely no evidence of any kind to support such a belief. Interestingly, however, the Catholic Church many years ago cited the discovery that when a person dies there is a sudden and measurable weight loss as "evidence" that the "soul" left the body ... this was talked about for a time, especially among Catholics, but soon died out. This "weight" loss, though measurable is bery small, and has since been accounted for physically.

The story of Adam and Eve seem to have ended up in the fable bin, save a few fundamentalists like the JWs. Many Christians accept it in principle but will avoid making a big issue out of the story ... and, most interesting to me is that my Jewish family have told me that Jews have viewed the story of Adam and Eve as fable for thousands of years. I don't know, I can only cite what they say is the case ... but, if so, then this brings into question what the Apostle Paul and other Christian Bible authors wrote regarding Jesus being a corresponding ransom for Adam.

Catholic teaching is a safe harbor for the present for those who cling to such theories and do not want to face serious challenge. The Watchtower theories never were, nor are now, safe from serious criticisms ... for their theology is riddled with holes big enough to drive tanks through them.

I believe that the Christian "Faith" must be anchored on other aspects of our knowledge and views, rather than relying on such antiquated myths ... but exactly what shape and form such "Faith" takes is a topic for another day.

25

I'm so sad...

by Country Girl in

jw
friends

i don't think i'll be coming to the aposta-chili-fest.

my son is facing so many felonies in texas, and it makes me so darned so sad and embarrassed.

i've been accused of being a bad mother.

Amazing1914

CG,

You need to go and be with support from people who care. You are not a bad parent. As parents, we love our children unconditionally ... even if they make unfortunate choices. Your support for your son will help him get through this ... in the meantime, be assured we all care ... and your Texas ex-JW friends care as well ... be there, and soal up the support .. Jim W.

7

The Hidden Pain of Prayer

by Amazing1914 in

jw
friends

this post is intended as a follow up to my earlier post about intellectual honesty v spiritual claims: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/71155/1.ashx.

prayer is an integral part of faith, as it is the very expression of faith and belief in the existence of god.

when people bow their heads (or raise them up, whatever the custom) ... they approach an invisible being they call god, and attach various names to him/her/it ... and as they pary or talk to god, they do so in a one-way session ... with no feedback, input, or indication from god that he is listening, hearing, when or if he/she/it will ever answer.

Amazing1914

This post is intended as a follow up to my earlier post about Intellectual Honesty v Spiritual Claims: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/71155/1.ashx

Prayer is an integral part of faith, as it is the very expression of faith and belief in the existence of God. When people bow their heads (or raise them up, whatever the custom) ... they approach an invisible Being they call God, and attach various names to him/her/it ... and as they pary or talk to God, they do so in a One-Way session ... with no feedback, input, or indication from God that he is listening, hearing, when or IF he/she/it will ever answer. I would love to expereince something like this:

ME: "Lord, my 12 year old child is dying of cancer, and I just lost my job, and with it the needed medical insurance. But, most of all I don't want my child to die. Will you help Lord? Will you take this awful disease from her?"

GOD: "Well, son, I see what is going on, and I am concern for you and your daughter. I am thinking about what is best for you, your daughter, and everyone concerned. So, give me a few days and I, or one of my angels, will get back with you with a firm answer. In the meantime, take comfort in that she will not die while you are waiting, and I will ease her pain. Oh, and by the way, a new Job offer is coming in tomorrow, so hang in there ... keep the faith.

Now, was that so hard for God himself to say, and not make me go through a big guessing game, trying to interpret what his will is for my life?

Instead, here is what some Christian Preachers say:

PREACHER: "When you prayed to God, and he did not grant your request, why do you think he did not answer you? YOU were NOT listening to GOD!!! He answered you alright. God said NO to you! Now, what part of NO do you NOT understand?"

Oh come on, get serious! Yet, this is typical logic I hear from the best of sincere and moderate preachers and fellow Christians. The truth is, God did not say No. This speaking for God is a form of blasphemy, because it is lying for God! In truth, God was dead silent ... now, God may have intentions of answering someday, someway, somehow ... and in a way that I don't know it comes from him ... but, does that build Faith and a Relationship?

How would anyone like to be engaged to marry someone they have never met, never talked to, never exchanged correspondence, and never seen? Yet, people of God, whether Isalmic or Christian, etc. all believe that someday they will live in heaven (or paradise earth as some Islamic people believe) in an eternal blessed relationship with God. How can this be when there is no honest evidence now of any real relationship? Faith, anchored in hope and love is all we have.

Two children from different families are dying of cancer. Both parents are Christian, and even attend the same church. They both pray the same way to the same God. Their support groups hold prayer vigils for both families, honoring many prayer requests over many months.

One day, one child is discovered to have no cancer ... it went into remission and appears to have disappeared. The doctors do not understand this, as it was an incurable type. The parents are elated, and rejoice in the Lord. They tell everyone about this miracle! They join ministry groups to help other parents. They praise God and declare their faith to all.

On another day, the other child dies from a long and painful death. The parents are in total grief, and have nothing to rejoice over. They quietly beg God for the strength to cope, and ask God, "WHY?"

These are not situations that humans have any power to change the outcome. These are very real and everyday situations where people of faith see what they interpret as answers to their prayers, while others are left in silence to greive with the most serious and painful loss a person can experience. We are told of the good results in testimonials to faith and the power of prayer ... while we seldom hear of the majority who grieve in the background ... with the same faith, but their prayers went unanswered.

Did God say YES to one family, but NO to the other? Was one family more faithful than the other? Was one child more deserving than the other? Could it be the failure of one family to do something right? Did God forget to notice, and the Devil slipped in and killed one child? Is God testing one family but not the other? OR ... Was it simply the unpredictable odds that caused one child to go into remission, but the other to die? What is the truth? Who can rightfully speak for God in these matters, and not risk being a liar?

Am I losing my faith No. I am trying to reach a level of honesty about God when it comes to matters of faith and prayer. I am finding that in all honesty, God is silent ... I cannot in truth assume he speaks inside my mind, for it is only my own voice and wishful thinking that I hear ... I cannot presume that he speaks through other humans, as they could be unwitting liars, albeit, most sincere. Even if every word in the Bible were inspired, it still does not help, because it addresses global and historical issues, and not my specific concerns in the 21st century. Yes, the Bible implies God will answer and grant requests made in faith ... but in PRACTICE an honest Christian will be forced to admit that they simply don't know and it seems God is silent.

When I was dying from my Heart Attack ... I was in severe pain for over 3 hours ... I was going to die unless something was done to save me. I was facing death in the most real sense I have ever faced it ... I had an uncertain time to think, to pray, to contemplate my life, and my relationship with God. If there was ever a moment for long bright tunnels, songs in the melodies of angels, and the kind inviting voice of God ... this was IT! BIG TIME!!! ... I did not ask God to let me live ... I no longer cared as I was in too much pain ... I told God that I was not going to make any last minute pleas for anything ... except to stop the pain ... it mattered not if I lived or died ... I got a little mad at God too ... I did not want to die, not like this at this time ... but, I was not going to fight death ... rather I told God that he knows all that I am as a human ... I cannot add to my life anymore ... and he will have to judge me and do his God stuff ... but I was in too much pain to talk to him anymore.

I lived. Albeit, with a time-bomb attached to my life ... but, alive nonetheless. Well, more has been added to my life ... but, here is where I found God and discovered my faith in a way that could never have been invented by a religion or the Bible or anything else ...

Stay tuned for Part 2: Finding Faith over Fantasy ...