ballistic

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Posts by ballistic

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  62

  Probability of Earth and life being how it is

  by ballistic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are some things we don't know about existence and whether the earth is a simulation or even a creation.

  but we can do some statistical analysis on it.. the probability of a planet like earth existing in the goldilocks zone and having a moon that perfectly eclipses the sun is extremely low, but it's not impossible.

  the habitable zone (or goldilocks zone) around a star is the region where a planet could potentially support liquid water on its surface.

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  ballistic

  HereIam60 This is somewhat close to me current beliefs even though I didn't mention it in the question. A kind of existentialism which sounds like Eastern Philosophy where we are not separate from creation, but creating by looking, and when you look for yourself in this reality / dream, we find there is no self.
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  62

  Probability of Earth and life being how it is

  by ballistic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are some things we don't know about existence and whether the earth is a simulation or even a creation.

  but we can do some statistical analysis on it.. the probability of a planet like earth existing in the goldilocks zone and having a moon that perfectly eclipses the sun is extremely low, but it's not impossible.

  the habitable zone (or goldilocks zone) around a star is the region where a planet could potentially support liquid water on its surface.

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  ballistic

  There are some things we don't know about existence and whether the Earth is a simulation or even a creation. But we can do some statistical analysis on it.

  The probability of a planet like Earth existing in the Goldilocks zone and having a moon that perfectly eclipses the sun is extremely low, but it's not impossible.

  • The habitable zone (or Goldilocks zone) around a star is the region where a planet could potentially support liquid water on its surface.

  Add to this the possibility that an intelligent civilisation has existed which builds knowledge of science to understand such concepts in an evolving universe is even more unlikely. (The moon is slowly moving away from the Earth).

  The Earth's moon is unique in its ability to cause total solar eclipses.

  The probability of a moon having the right size and orbital characteristics to cause total eclipses is considered low.

  Why choose the Moon's eclipses as part of this? Because it is our only moon, and clearly visible to everyone on the planet. If you wanted to design a planetary system and put a "signature" out there for everyone to see (more visible than the pyramids for example), choose the moon.

  By the way this is just a thought experiment.

  Using AI to work out some probabilities for me, the result came in (not entirely complete) but as follows:

  • Let's assume the probability of a planet being in the Goldilocks zone is 1 in 100 (a rough estimate based on the size of the habitable zone relative to the total space in a star system).
  • 
    Let's assume the probability of a moon causing total solar eclipses is 1 in 1000 (a rough estimate based on the complexity of the moon's orbit and size requirements).
  • Let's assume the probability of intelligent life developing science is 1 in 1000 (another rough estimate).
  • 
    Multiplying these probabilities: 1/100 * 1/1000 * 1/1000 = 1 in 10,000,000,000 (or 1 in 10 billion).
  • However, this is a very rough estimate and doesn't account for the dependencies between the events.

  I'm not entirely happy with AI's calculation, for example, if the moon is moving away from us, our evolution would have to start at exactly the right moment (complete with various extinctions and so on) that we came to a scientific knowledge of the solar system and eclipses right when we did. This would make the chances even more remote.
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  6

  Changed View of Post Armageddon and Paradise Conditions ?

  by HereIam60 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  when i first came into contact with jehovah's witnesses they were talking about god's kingdom bringing about a peaceful new world.

  the scripture used being psalm 37:10,11 "just a little while longer and the wicked will be no more.you will look at where they were and they will not be there., but the meek will possess the earth and they will find exquisite delightin the abundance of peace..".

  i took this to mean, then, that when jehovah intervened, at his appointed time, it would be instantly, invisibly, and painlessly.

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  ballistic

  Many years ago there was a free leaflet with people restoring paradise on the front and in the picture, a JCB!

  I remember feeling cheated with that, because everyone knows that a JCB is a product of it's time and relies on numerous industries, processes, knowledge, manufacturing capabilities. To build one JCB, you would require literally hundreds of advanced industries and the educated people to run and work in the factories and facilities.

  Hardly paradise. Back to the grind.
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  37

  News of fires out of control in California

  by ballistic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hope everyone near to the region affected in california is ok. it's shocking to hear of the destruction.

  these affected areas are some of the places i visited when i came on a tour of the us.

  malibu, santa barbera, la, santa monica, hollywood and so on..

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  ballistic

  Hope everyone near to the region affected in California is ok. It's shocking to hear of the destruction. These affected areas are some of the places I visited when I came on a tour of the US. Malibu, Santa Barbera, LA, Santa Monica, Hollywood and so on.
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  13

  Elders, Jews and Dead Bunnies

  by KalebOutWest in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i thought i would give my personal experience on who i am, how i came into the world of watchtower, why i left, etc.

  this would explain a lot about the answers i give and why they don't directly reflect my personal convictions (like a normal person--and i do mean that literally, kinda).

  i cannot put everything here, but i can start bit by bit.. when i was 17 years old, my mother was on her third marriage and kinda starting her fourth (as she was dating this surfer dude-like guy who wasn't even 5 years older than me).

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  ballistic

  I would have called this...

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  "2 Elders, Jews and Dead Bunnies, four weddings and a funeral" ;)
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  30

  Experiences After Leaving

  by Freeatlast2024 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i am writing to ask if anyone cares to share their experience and/or offer advice for people leaving.

  i was raised in the religion, and both my parents died when i was very young.

  i recently stopped associating because my conscience no longer allows me to preach or support the organization.

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  ballistic

  It's one hell of a journey and I didn't come through it unscathed. I lost my father at age 13 and saw a pioneer brother as a role model and followed that. But I found myself torn between trying to get a solid job and pioneering, everything seemed to be a choice of those two completely different things, and my now step dad made life at home intolerable, and even showed me the door literally, at age 15. I left home and moved congregations at age 17, but I found I lost the gel I had with all the congregation at the previous hall where our efforts were on rebuilding the hall every weekend. About that time I started to drink (always a little bit more than everyone else) and found temporary relief from anxiety. I married the first girl who came along who was stalking me, and things really went downhill from there. The marriage lasted two years.

  Things are fine from me now. I do still have a few mental health gremlins, but I have a wonderful partner and am bringing up two boys 5 and 6 and attempting at every moment to be the father that sadly, I didn't have.
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  73

  JWN, 23 years posting Blondie

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  can i call you friends, i think so after 23 years posting here.

  i am dismayed how jwn is being "dominated" or taken over by a few posters, peppering the comments.

  in the past, the admin did not approve of this and did remove some posters from jwn.

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  ballistic

  Will have to look up how long I've been posting... :)
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  17

  Research project: A study designed to explore the experience of leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses

  by Researcher2023 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as part of a psychology msc research project, i am looking for participants to take part in a study designed to explore the experience of leaving the jehovah’s witnesses.. former witnesses who were raised in the organisation will be asked a few questions about their reasons for leaving, their experience of leaving, and how their life has changed since leaving.. taking part involves completing an interview over the internet.

  according to research needs, the number of questions asked in each interview may vary.

  the interview will take between 5 – 90 minutes depending on the questions asked and the level of detail you wish to provide.. your participation will remain confidential and anonymous, and it is completely voluntary so that you may withdraw at any time up to two weeks after the interview.

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  ballistic

  I volunteered to take part in this.
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  39

  ALL babies are "little enemies of God"...

  by BoogerMan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  straight from the horse's gb's mouth - from the 2022 convention broadcast.. it's at the 38 min.

  30 secs.

  point of the jw broadcast: https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/2022convention/pub-co-r22_1_video.

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  ballistic

  In a meditative state, it is possible to experience that love is what connects everything in the Universe and if you believe like I do that the Universe is God, then indeed, God is love. The Universe loves all creation in it's infinite forms and the process of creation. It's easy to see that God is love in this context. How far removed from that repulsive video and the statement made therein!
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  13

  Random thoughts on the Jubilee in the UK

  by ballistic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  saluting the flag was something not encountered very often here in the 1970s uk, in fact that kind of nationalism or patriotism was something i'd been warned about as a young boy, being brought up in the jehovah's witnesses from age 4, through meetings and the publications.

  at some point, i don't know when, i decided it was more american, whether rightly or wrongly.. but even so, there was a large black and white photo of our entire school in panoramic format right outside my classroom on the wall saluting the flag, and i think this was the 1977 25 year jubilee of queen elizabeth ii.. now as a young person attending a fairly religious school in the 1970's, you were used to "making a stand" for things, letter in hand first day in a new class, and being ushered into one room or another to avoid religious assemblies and other xmas, and other seasonal celebrations.. one day the teachers, in their abundant wisdom, stood myself and a younger witness in the corridor right outside the assembly hall where the children would filter past.

  every second or third child that filtered past would ask, "why are you standing there?

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  ballistic

  I remember the Silver Jubilee though, I was in junior school at the time and we all got a commemorative coin

  I do remember the whole class finding a set of the decimal coins 1p - 50p in a wooden plinth. I thought at the time it was because we were all born in the year of decimalisation, but I'm not sure. There was one on each desk apart from mine.

  Anyhow, I went to the teachers desk (picture Oliver Twist, "Please Sir can I have some more") and was told, that she didn't think I would want one because it's a celebration. And there was in fact, no coin set forth coming for me.

  You might as well have just slapped me and said, "I'm gunna stitch you up boy!"

  The teacher had never made alternate arrangements for my benefit with regard to celebrations before.