AlmostAtheist

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Posts by AlmostAtheist

• 
  11

  A funny thing happened on the way to the Hall...

  by Uncertain in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  somehow, i wound up at a local baptist church.

  folks were friendly and welcoming, the hyms made musical and verbal sense (mostly, one was about praising his name but never actually used a name except lord)) and the public talk (umm sermon) was taken from luke 13-34 inclusive.

  there was no jumping to unconnected verses and no buzz words instead of logic.

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  AlmostAtheist

  >>I hate to have her spend too much more time with me, but I am still interested in the official stand on some stuff.

  Just for interest's sake, ask the baptist minister what would happen if you joined his church, then said you disagreed with the church on a teaching. For instance, you think Hell is simply a disconnection from god and not an actual place of torment. Find out if your membership would then be revoked, would the other members be forced to shun you, etc.

  Then ask the same question of your JW study conductor. What if you decided that blood transfusions were ok, or celebrating Christmas was ok?

  After comparing their answers, I'll bet your "uncertainty" will fade!

  Dave
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  31

  Which screen name is your fave?

  by Mum in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please post your favorite screen name on jwd.

  there are many clever screen names of jwd posters.

  i had to narrow down my list of favorites to arrive at my overall favorite, which is "abaddon.

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  AlmostAtheist

  One I only saw just recently caught my eye: OBVES
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  7

  Experts study out-of-body experiences

  by rebel8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2007-08-23-out-of-body-experiences_n.htm .

  usa today .

  experts study out-of-body experiences .

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  AlmostAtheist

  I thought the article was quite interesting, and helped to explain how people have these experiences. After all, your mind is not your body, is not contained in your body, and has only its "sensors" to tell where the body is. Trick the sensors and the mind will believe anything.

  I doubt it will sway anyone that feels they've had an out of body experience, or near-death experience. But it was very interesting.

  Dave
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  20

  Anniversary...

  by tall penguin in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i posted this on my blog: .

  http://www.tallpenguin.com/2007/08/anniversary.html .

  but i wanted to post it here as well.

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  AlmostAtheist

  (((TP)))

  Never forget...

  

  Hang in there. Clouds part. They always do.

  Dave
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  5

  Scully's "Ballad of the Watchtower Hillbillies" Too funny

  by AWAKE&WATCHING in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  found this on freeminds.

  before reading, kindly set your banjos to "the beverly hillbillies".

  the ballad of the watchtower hillbillies (by scully).

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  AlmostAtheist

  Soooooo nice!
• 
  5

  Does any ex-Elder have a document...

  by sweetface2233 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  from the wts that proves that the "2 witness" rule applies to victims of pedophilia and that matters of this nature are to be handled w/in the congregation?.

  thanks in advance for your help!.

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  AlmostAtheist

  Not an ex-elder here, but this is from the book "Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock", the secret elder's manual: (Pages 108-109)

  "Other cases of serious wrongdoing require special atten- tion by the elders in order to determine what is needed to help the repentant wrongdoer and to preserve the spiritual health of all in the congregation.

  These include such sins as adultery, fornication, apostasy, and drunkenness. (See Unit 5 (a), pages 92-6.)

  Before forming a committee, elders determine if the accu- sation has substance.

  It must Scripturally be an offense serious enough to result in disfellowshipping.

  There must be either two witnesses or a confession of wrongdoing."

  Hope it helps!

  Dave
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  31

  Which screen name is your fave?

  by Mum in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please post your favorite screen name on jwd.

  there are many clever screen names of jwd posters.

  i had to narrow down my list of favorites to arrive at my overall favorite, which is "abaddon.

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  AlmostAtheist

  cognizant dissident

  Aw, you took mine! I also like the ones with "free" and "freedom" in them. There are so, so many -- says alot.

  Dave
• 
  37

  Need Your Opinion and Why...

  by brunnhilde in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  backstory: i just moved out of the house my soon-to-be-ex and i own together.

  he's staying until the house sells.

  in the meantime, i'm paying half the mortgage and half the utilities.

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  AlmostAtheist

  Just my opinion.

  Calling first would make sense, and the call would to some extent be asking for permission. It really is someone's home, not just a house. It's possible that this would be a really bad time to pop in, even to retrieve something that belongs to you.

  Think about the kids. You both have the right to see the kids, but you don't have the right to drop by unannounced whenever you want to. Nor the right to call and say "I'm coming" without regard to what the other party says.

  In the end, I'd bet your sense of fair play is telling you this isn't fair. YOU'RE paying for the house, but you have to ASK to get into it? On its face, that doesn't sound fair. But in reality, it probably isn't going to be much of a hardship on you. There will be plenty of other battles to fight, this one will wind up not being worth it.

  Dave
• 
  32

  Just to let you know

  by Rethinking in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i've decided to cut my ties with jws.. i don't post here much as i've stated before, but you all don't realize how much i appreciate this forum and the support it gives..

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  AlmostAtheist

  Sounds like "Rethinking" has hit upon some "good thinking"! Congrats to you!

  Fav quote: "I'd rather have questions I can't answer, than answers I can't question."

  Dave
• 
  72

  Are you an a-xenist?

  by AuldSoul in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "xeno" is a common taxonomical designation for aliens (strangers) including extraterrestrials.. are you someone who lacks belief in intelligent extraterrestrial beings?

  do you believe it is possible that such extraterrestrial beings exist?

  do you think it is possible or likely that our planet has had interactions with extraterrestrials?.

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  AlmostAtheist

  >>you don't have a philosophical understanding of what it means to exist as an individual. Being unique escapes you as well as the importance.

  Don't read too much into what I was saying, Terry. You said the earth is unique, and I agreed with you. But I also asked if every one of its unique qualities were necessary in order to spark and sustain life. I used myself as an example. I'm a dad, a programmer, a JWD poster, a friend. No one could fill those roles EXACTLY like I do, but there are people who could fill them adequately. That doesn't demean my uniqueness, it just points out that the exact person I am down to every quirk and freckle isn't what fills the roles.

  >>I'm not criticizing you so much as nudging you to take a step back and give this a big rethink.

  I don't agree with your application of this to the earth, but I take the advice on a personal level and thank you for it.

  >>there is something in this Universe that ONLY YOU HAVE THE POWER to do and---dammit! YOU AREN'T DOING IT!

  Again, thank you. I will consider it.

  Dave