AlmostAtheist

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Posts by AlmostAtheist

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  32

  Let's ask a question about Jesus

  by hamilcarr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  why are some of the pivotal events of jesus' life as recorded in the gospels shamelessly borrowed from pagan predecessors?

  the following list is not supposed to be exhaustive: immaculate conception, son of god, death and resurrection, the last supper celebrated with bread and wine, an incarnate god who dies on a cross to redeem all sins, .... h. .

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  AlmostAtheist

  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there aren't parallels. And I'm not saying the Christ myth wasn't influenced by other earlier myths. I'm just saying we don't need a long list of unsubstantiated "parallels" that turn out to be false. There's a popular list about Mithra that claims he had a "virgin birth" for instance, among a bunch of other claims. While technically true, his "birth" was from a rock that he sprang from. Calling that a virgin birth and claiming it's a parallel with the virgin birth myth of Jesus isn't intellectually honest.

  It's that sort of "duck's quack doesn't echo" non-fact that I was hoping wouldn't wind up in your list.

  Why not start us off with a few good ones?

  Dave
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  65

  The Atheist's Book of Bible Stories

  by RunningMan in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  over the years, i have posted all of the chapters from my atheist's book of bible stories on this site.. however, since the original posting, many of the chapters have been polished and updated.. the complete book is now available for downloading, if anyone is interested: http://www.sendspace.com/file/qwpjol.

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  AlmostAtheist

  >> Your book continues to be one of my favorite reads.

  Mine too! It's not at all a dry listing of what's wrong with the Bible. It's a funny, irreverent look at some of the more absurd items. You don't have to be an atheist to appreciate it.

  Dave
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  22

  "Encouraging" Emails

  by Not Feeling It in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  maybe you still get some "encouraging" email forwards with cute stories and anecdotes.

  this one i saw really hit a nerve with me.

  i think so-and-so needs to read that.

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  AlmostAtheist

  >> This probably is used by all the churches that lack a creative imagination

  Yep: http://jokes.crossmap.com/all-jokes/13.htm

  Appropriately, it's on the "jokes" page!

  As much as JW's deride ol' "Christendom", they sure don't mind stealing her schmaltzy crap, adulterating it to their vocabulary, and regurgitating it all about the place.

  Dave
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  31

  I have been Labeled

  by The Doc 58 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  it has finally happened after a year of not attending meetings and so forth.

  my cousin emailed me and said that he heard i was an apostate.

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  AlmostAtheist

  6 million JW's label you "apostate".

  6 billion non-JW's label you "free".

  I think you win!

  Dave
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  32

  Let's ask a question about Jesus

  by hamilcarr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  why are some of the pivotal events of jesus' life as recorded in the gospels shamelessly borrowed from pagan predecessors?

  the following list is not supposed to be exhaustive: immaculate conception, son of god, death and resurrection, the last supper celebrated with bread and wine, an incarnate god who dies on a cross to redeem all sins, .... h. .

  .

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  AlmostAtheist

  You have to be careful in building a list like this. There are many such lists roaming the internet that are less-than-well-documented and ultimately false. My advice would be to very carefully research each point, validate it, THEN post it.

  A list of 100 things, 90% of which prove to be false (or even just dodgy), is counter-productive. The same list culled down to just 10 true items would be valuable.

  Dave
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  50

  Roll Call - Muster Time ...

  by snowbird in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who's on the board right now?.

  snowbird checking in.. sylvia.

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  AlmostAtheist

  >> Almost- wouldn't that be Jedi MIND thingy?!

  Well NO WONDER it never works for me! You need a mind to do it? Yeah, pretty much puts me outta the running...

  Dave
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  50

  Roll Call - Muster Time ...

  by snowbird in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who's on the board right now?.

  snowbird checking in.. sylvia.

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  AlmostAtheist

  I'm not here -- I'm working from home.

  Jedi hand thingy: "This is not the poster you're looking for."

  Dave
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  13

  In the News -- What Do YOU Think?

  by Octarine Prince in

  1. social
  2. current

  click!

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  AlmostAtheist

  Interesting! A fireman loses his job because he can't stand the sight of needles, and the job description changed AFTER he was hired, requiring him to have full paramedic training including inserting IV needles. (He faints when he sees the needle, presumably when it's used, so he can't pass the training.) He is suing to be reinstated, and for back pay.

  I can see the guy's point -- From his perspective, he puts out fires. He helps people out of burning buildings, hands them off to the needle-people, and goes in for more people. He's not a needle-man, he's a fire-man.

  From the department's perspective, they need versatile people that can do whatever is required to save the lives of the people they serve.

  My knee-jerk reaction is to side with the fireman, as I would seriously doubt he would find himself in the position of being the only hope for a person needing a needle inserted. But the department would argue that he very well may be in that position at some point.

  Hmmmmm.... I really don't know where I stand on that one. It's quite a conundrum.

  Dave
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  8

  Just found this website, Is it Real or Not??? LOL

  by Velvetann in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  good morning everyone, here is something funny though a bit distasteful as its full of racial slurs etc.

  wow it exceeds the watchtower crap.

  it refers to armageddon lol.

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  AlmostAtheist

  It is very funny, but it is also satire. They are poking fun at the religious idiots that act so hateful out of their "love for Jesus". The "god hates fags" crowd and their ilk.

  Good find, lots of fun to be had on their site!

  Dave
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  19

  Why won't US media talk about what's really going on?

  by dinah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  c'mon people!.

  puppy abuse and a pga golfer facing criminal for hitting an endangered bird?

  gimme a freakin' break.. if you watch any news on television, you might as well just turn on e!

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  AlmostAtheist

  Interesting that there are no voices of dissent on this thread. Is that because we all "get it"? That doesn't seem likely. On the other hand, I've only met a few people that genuinely believe they are ever getting the whole story from the "free press". So if a majority do in fact "get it", why is it still this way?

  If we all see the man behind the curtain, why is there still a curtain?

  Dave