Posts by FMZ

35

Contacting the "other side"

by sinis in

jw
friends

i find it very interesting that the bible and mythology are very close, when speaking about god.

also the statement made by god in the bible to worship no other god but him, in effect saying that there are others gods.

has anyone actually looked into the occult, for lack of a better word, and actually made contact with an entity?

FMZ

Sinis...

There are so many belief systems out there, some worship personal deities, some worship impersonal deities, some worship many deities, and of course, some worship nothing but themselves.

My personal conclusion on the matter is that although God is often described as being "personal" (i.e. with a persona) and having a name etc... this is just mankind's attempt to attribute human-like traits to the real God. Polytheism is a great example of this. Polytheistic religions worship and believe in many gods. They note that there are many different aspects to the world, and often attribute a different god to each facet of their lives. Let's take Egyptian beliefs as an example. The sun god made sure the sun came up (Ra), the god of wisdom (Thoth) blessed those who studied and meditated, the god of the dead (Osiris) made sure that people passed to the other side readily.

All of these are simply the separate facets of the real God. When we bring them all together, we see a much more vast, intricate, loving God.

I tend not to pray to a named, personal God any more... I simply pray to God. He know's who I'm talking to.

KJ

P.S. Just as I was about to hit Submit, I noticed I just subconsciously attributed a gender to something that is genderless. I guess some habits are hard to break.

P.P.S. There is a lot to be said for the phrase "God is love" ;)

16

My son retains his super heavy weight title

by rekless in

jw
friends

clearlake's walker retains cage fighting title by staff reports

lakeport -- when you step into the gladiator challenge ring, all the talkin' is over.

collins.

FMZ

Congratulations mate... be proud of him.

Cage fighting is actually a rather honorable sport, albeit violent. A friend of mine does cage fighting, and he introduced me to some of his sparring partners. I was expecting rough guys that would bite off your nose in an instant, but they were nice as can be.

FMZ

7

Mid MO anyone??

by crazyblondeb in

jw
friends

we are trying to put a mini-fest, actually just a get-together for late this month.

so for anyone going to be in the mid-mo area, let me know.

FMZ

I'll be in Dallas at the end of the month (27th through the 30th I think)... but let me know dates and I'll see what I can do :)

FMZ

8

And tonight's recipe is...(I'm home alone for two weeks)

by confusedjw in

jw
friends

1/2 cup of pink lemonade .

1/2 cup chilled water .

1/3 cup of jim beam .

FMZ

Wingman.... sounds like an interestin combo. I gotta try that one someday.

I'll stick to a nice scotch on the rocks for tonight tho ;)

KJ

2

Framingham MA School Knocks Down Another Basic Human Right... Scary

by FMZ in

is it just me, or is this kind of thing going too far?

it's scary that one-by-one, the basic rights of americans seem to be slowly disintegrating.

where and when does it stop?.

FMZ

Is it just me, or is this kind of thing going too far? It's scary that one-by-one, the basic rights of Americans seem to be slowly disintegrating. Where and when does it stop?

Sure, kids shouldn't do drugs or drink, but what business is it of the school to regulate what the kids do after school hours? If they are toking up behind the bike-shed, then suspend them or whatever, but it is the parents' responsibility (and right) to moderate everything else the child does.

This is scary.

FRAMINGHAM -- Fearing their wireless freedom may be in jeopardy, students at Framingham High School were fuming over a new school policy that allows administrators to seize cell phones and search their contents.
The policy, administrators say, is to improve security and stop the sale of drugs and stolen goods, but students said that the edict is an invasion of privacy.
"It's not anyone's business what is in students' cell phones," said Demitriy Kozlov, who will be a senior in September. "If they think someone's dealing a pound of coke or pot, then there is a reason to, but that doesn't happen here."
Kozlov said he believes administrators are overreacting and making the school appear more troublesome than it actually is.
School officials "reserve the right to look through the cell phone," when they suspect a student has drugs or stolen goods, according to Principal Michael Welch.
"People shouldn't get power based on suspicions, people should be considered innocent until proven guilty," said senior Adam Goldberg. "It feels like our rights are stripped away when we walk through the doors."
Scott Siegal is a senior at Newton South High School, where Welch was principal before going to Framingham, and said there is a major difference in Newton South and Framingham's policies.
"We have an open campus at Newton South, and it seems like (Welch) is making things stricter at Framingham," said Siegal, who was a sophomore when Welch was the principal at Newton South. "We would never have had a policy like this."
The rule complies with federal law, which says a school can conduct searches when there is "reasonable suspicion" that a student has contraband.
"It's kind of ridiculous," said Dayna Green, who recently graduated from Framingham, and is headed to Fitchburg State College in September. "They try to make us feel independent, but then they invade our privacy."
The cell phone policy is not the only change at Framingham: Staff will be required to wear identification badges at school. That move is an attempt to keep track of people who should not be on school property.
Green said the policy will only make students feel uncomfortable, and will not stop students from breaking the rules.
"I think it is more of a scare tactic," she said. "Something bad is going to happen everywhere."
From: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=134816
Thoughts, anyone?
FMZ

62

To all who know Scootergirl...

by frozen one in

jw
friends

i just received a phone call from a friend.

she wanted to let me know that scootergirl's husband committed suicide.

i know scootergirl has many, many friends on this board.

FMZ

(((((((((((Scooter)))))))))... my condolences. :(

FMZ

37

OMG Spray Tan Disaster !!!!

by Sirona in

now i wasn't going to share this, but i just have to!

i can't tan (had melanoma skin cancer) so i decided that for the long-awaited bbq on saturday i'd treat myself to a "spray-tan".

for those of you who don't know, its false tanning where you are sprayed with the tanning all over and it lasts about a week.. what a disaster!.

FMZ

Sirona... posting nekkid? Score!

Hope it all evens out for ya in the end ;)...

KJ

28

Survival And Prepardness....

by Justice-One in

survivalist.

these days the word in most cases tends to conjure up images of wild eyed nuts in bdu's, armed to their teeth....all two of them.. but.....this is just not the case.

more and more people these days are seeing the need to be prepared in at least some ways.

FMZ

Good thread Justice.

I agree with your sentiments completely. We never know when disaster will hit. The attitude of "Kid A" was exactly the attitude that cost so many lives and suffering during so many disasters. It's not nutty to want to be prepared in times of need. And, as previously stated, those that haven't made the necessary preparations will be the first ones at your house asking for food.

True, some people take it to major extremes, becoming paranoid every day that there is impending doom around the corner... but to keep food, drink and supplies for times of need is a very wise thing to do.

As for the argument that Justice is on his high horse and that he is just showing off that he has a basement etc. You don't need lots of space to read a book or two on survival, and store a few dried goods. Even a 3x2 box could store enough to tide you over for a week. Flashlight, a few dried meals, some water to be rationed. I live in a tiny apartment, but I know I could be much better prepared for a disaster.

And, although my life doesn't revolve around the thought of an imminent disaster, the world-state right now is so unbalanced, any small nudge in either direction and anything could happen.

FMZ

17

You people are all the same....(dispelling myths about apostates)

by beautifulisfree in

jw
friends

i know you are sick of that phrase by now....because jdubs use it all the time when referring to 'apostates'.

they come on this forum or (people you know) generalize 'apostates' as though we are of different class...that we are no longer human.

they are obviously fed these little tid-bits about 'apostates' from the society since i am sure they don't personally know many.

FMZ

JWD helped me tremendously in leaving the JWs, and in that time I made many great friends that are "apostates".

Since the first apostafest I attended, I was hooked. These are some of the most intelligent, caring, hospitable and understanding people I have ever met in my life, including the 20 years I was a JW.

I now have friends that I know care about me for me, not just because we share a common (dictated) belief system. I have laughed, cried, partied, and learned with these beautiful people. I wouldn't give up this bunch of apostates for the world.

Thanks everyone for being there when I needed you. This is the love that Jesus taught.

FMZ

92

What keeps you from killing yourself?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

every once in a while, the whole "futility of life" thing washes over me and something inside of me mentions the suicide option.

not that it's ever seriously considered, but one of the low-level accounting-types in my head quietly sends around a "worst-case scenario" memo that everyone reads, then dismisses.. after all, things always perk up.

"but," reminds the pessimistic little guy that should've been fired years ago, "they always go back down, too.

FMZ

This is precisely the question I asked myself recently, and this question has been posed by many over the years. From Hamlet:

To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action. - Soft you now! The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remember'd.

To be honest, my personal reason for sticking around in this "mortal coil" is that I believe there is a reason we go through these times, there is always a lesson to learn. No reason to drop a whole class because we don't understand a math problem ;)

FMZ