Leolaia, I am actually coming from Marin going down to Cupertino. If you are on the way or close enough let me know.
Markfromcali
JoinedPosts by Markfromcali
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73
San Jose, CA to Texas - via IH-10
by Jim_TX inokay... this is _sorta_ a 'reunion' - so i posted it here.. i will be flying out to san jose tomorrow (april 27th), and then driving back to texas via ih-10.
(i think we are going to start off by coming through part of los angeles.).
this will take me through all sorts of interesting places that i have never been... (i've been to san jose, ca - but not out ih-10).. anyway... i think that it would be really really really cool if i could meet (even if just over the phone) some of you folks - who might be in this 'path'.. so... if you feel 'brave' enuf to want to meet up with a nerd - and trust that i am not psychotic... neurotic, or any of those other 'otics', then perhaps... if you could pm me... i can give you my e-mail addy, and we could then exchange a phone number or something.. i leave tomorrow... i know this is pretty sudden-like... so... you will need to make a 'coin-toss' decision - and pm me tonight... or no later than tomorrow am.. i hope that i can at least talk to... or meet... one person from this forum in the next few days.
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73
San Jose, CA to Texas - via IH-10
by Jim_TX inokay... this is _sorta_ a 'reunion' - so i posted it here.. i will be flying out to san jose tomorrow (april 27th), and then driving back to texas via ih-10.
(i think we are going to start off by coming through part of los angeles.).
this will take me through all sorts of interesting places that i have never been... (i've been to san jose, ca - but not out ih-10).. anyway... i think that it would be really really really cool if i could meet (even if just over the phone) some of you folks - who might be in this 'path'.. so... if you feel 'brave' enuf to want to meet up with a nerd - and trust that i am not psychotic... neurotic, or any of those other 'otics', then perhaps... if you could pm me... i can give you my e-mail addy, and we could then exchange a phone number or something.. i leave tomorrow... i know this is pretty sudden-like... so... you will need to make a 'coin-toss' decision - and pm me tonight... or no later than tomorrow am.. i hope that i can at least talk to... or meet... one person from this forum in the next few days.
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Markfromcali
I'm relatively close to SJ, and go down to the south bay on Wednesday nights anyway. Maybe a few of us might get together if that works for your schedules.
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44
What Is YOUR Concept of "God"?
by minimus inis he/she "real"?
are you now unsure of "god's" existence?
do you ever pray to "god", anymore??
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Markfromcali
I was just working a new age show this past weekend doing massage for my school, (which btw is not new agey) and on my way out I saw a little plaque thing hanging on one of the booths that says "The quest for God is everything." It occurs to me that you can understand this statement in two ways: First and probably more common, would be an assumption on some level that this quest is all that matters, either to you or God, maybe to "me" as a spiritual person, and that being spiritual and a seeker, whatever your path is the way to go. But apparently far less common is the more direct understanding that this whole 'quest' thing IS literally everything - in other words it's not about you or God as separate from each other or other non-spiritual people, or a spiritual life as distinguished from a non-spiritual one. This thread is about concepts of God - imagine just approaching the subject with a completely blank slate, with no idea of what God is or what religion says - and getting the answer that it's just about Everything.
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13
Undergoing Hypnosis
by dh in.
having thought about it a few times and talked to another member here when i first joined, i think i would like to be hypnotised and asked some questions about things, life, previous life, early memories, repressed memories and a whole bunch of other stuff.
have any of you ever undergone this procedure or know anything about it, would you do it?
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Markfromcali
We all go into and out of trances every day.......... every day.
The "trance" if you want to call it that, is no different then the natural "trances" you experience every day.
Sure, the question is do you actually know that? It is easy to acknowledge this point intellectually on the logical basis, an intelligent JW will even agree with you - but the faithful one will not see that they are in fact 'under the influence' when it comes to the religion. Incidentally, when it comes to religion it becomes like self-hypnosis in a way doesn't it? Yet this is not limited to those who are religious. The same could be said regarding our sense of self, this is basically the same as what I call the religious consciousness. To me a mind that is healthy and vital just doesn't have much need for such states. It can use different states, but that intelligence is totally free from these states.
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9
A religion of doing nothing
by Elsewhere ini keep noticing how most of the problems with jws is that they have a habit of doing nothing in many different situations.
they are a religion of doing nothing, unless it serves the organization.they let themselves and their children die... because they don't take bloodthey do not take action to stop abuse... leaving it in jehover's hands (tm)they don't serve in the militarythey don't votethey don't get involved in the community... unless it is for helping the organizationthey don't make charitable contributions... unless it is for helping the organizationthey don't help non-jws... unless there is a surplus from helping jwsthey don't talk to family and friends who are not jw's... shunningthey don't interact with non-jw's... unless it is to serve the organization by preachingthey don't observe holidays or birthdays.
it seems like the only actions they ever take are things related to selling more books..
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Markfromcali
Although i agree with some of the things that you have said we also need to realise that if everybody led 'their lives' then ideally it would be a perfect world. Although we all know this is impossible, they strive to in a way 'convert' people because they believe that they are doing what is right and helping people.
Hey Laura,
Well I just say on the first note first start living our own lives, then maybe be concerned with other people, whether they happen to be close to us or whatever. The thing with witnesses believing they are doing the right thing is it's just a belief. If they can do it consciously, I say cool - I can respect that. (I don't see why you would want to but.. I do respect conscious choice) The whole thing from my perspective is just a matter of being free - then if you choose to do it, hey, it's your choice. Of course even if they don't know what they're doing it doesn't make them bad people or anything.
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44
What Is YOUR Concept of "God"?
by minimus inis he/she "real"?
are you now unsure of "god's" existence?
do you ever pray to "god", anymore??
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Markfromcali
Well one thing is for sure, whether or not God exists your concept of God is just a concept, isn't it? You can put the emphasis on either the word your or concept, but the point is a concept is essentially a different thing from the reality it points to - it is only a thought in your mind. What happens when you drop all such thoughts? What's left?
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13
Undergoing Hypnosis
by dh in.
having thought about it a few times and talked to another member here when i first joined, i think i would like to be hypnotised and asked some questions about things, life, previous life, early memories, repressed memories and a whole bunch of other stuff.
have any of you ever undergone this procedure or know anything about it, would you do it?
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Markfromcali
I wouldn't be interested myself, but I can see how it could be useful. I think it also depends on the intent and how you use it - if you go to someone you can trust and you know they are good, no-nonsense and it is done in an effort to uncover things that are hidden, that serves to bring things into awareness. It should be noted though that even if you become aware of it, you might still have the tendancy to cling to things - and that just creates suffering regardless.
However, sometimes people do hypnotherapy in an effort to quit smoking or whatnot, and while that might help you with an immediate goal you have to keep in mind you are essentially functioning under a trance, I've had enough of that kind of unconscious living. By the way, this would of course be dangerous to the JW identity - you have sort of an alternative trance, and heaven (well, the JW heaven) forbid you come out of trance living altogether.
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9
A religion of doing nothing
by Elsewhere ini keep noticing how most of the problems with jws is that they have a habit of doing nothing in many different situations.
they are a religion of doing nothing, unless it serves the organization.they let themselves and their children die... because they don't take bloodthey do not take action to stop abuse... leaving it in jehover's hands (tm)they don't serve in the militarythey don't votethey don't get involved in the community... unless it is for helping the organizationthey don't make charitable contributions... unless it is for helping the organizationthey don't help non-jws... unless there is a surplus from helping jwsthey don't talk to family and friends who are not jw's... shunningthey don't interact with non-jw's... unless it is to serve the organization by preachingthey don't observe holidays or birthdays.
it seems like the only actions they ever take are things related to selling more books..
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Markfromcali
I would look at it from the other side: They actively avoid doing those things. And aside from serving the organization, the overall behavioral pattern serves to reinforce the collective trance they live in. They are actually very busy doing things to reinforce the JW identity, that frame of mind. You have to with a way of living that is essentially unnatural.
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15
How can jws be so stone hearted?
by kls ini am sure the jws do moniter these and other places, but if they are so human and they read all the heart breaking stories on the sites they pry in , how can they live with what they have done to people,i mean just us here get choked up reading what people are and did go through.
jws always say they are human they make mistakes, then how can they not have human emotions?
sorry if i am just rambling , but i can't understand how they can be just stone but say they are human.
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Markfromcali
Hi XQ, by that reply and one on the thread about evolving beyond religion I gather you are speaking about religious experiences. I tend to look at it simply from the perspective of actual love of neighbor in terms of all aspects, although I want to emphasize that it's really just different aspects and not actually separate. In short it's a matter of the sheer humanity that comes through on all levels you might say.
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How can jws be so stone hearted?
by kls ini am sure the jws do moniter these and other places, but if they are so human and they read all the heart breaking stories on the sites they pry in , how can they live with what they have done to people,i mean just us here get choked up reading what people are and did go through.
jws always say they are human they make mistakes, then how can they not have human emotions?
sorry if i am just rambling , but i can't understand how they can be just stone but say they are human.
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Markfromcali
Thanks Kls. I've actually been here before, used to go by Introspection but didn't see a need to announce that in a banner.
Robot is a fair metaphor, it kind of reminds me of those science fiction stories where the android wants to grow past it's programming.