Posts by Rod P

30

Does Devil Talk Irritate You?

by love2Bworldly in

jw
friends

i enjoy reading the bible on my own since i left the jw's.

i get extremely irritated when other people talk to me about how satan is causing certain things in my life--example is if i'm not getting along with a coworker or anything like that.

(my husband also blames satan).

I would be the first guy to stand up and say we need to take responsibility for our own actions, rather than just blaming it on the bad ol' Devil. People are all too willing to put the Devil where the Devil is not.

And yes, I agree that the religionists use the Devil as a crutch, or maybe I should say "weapon", warning you about how the Devil keeps deceiving us, so don't do this, and don't do that, cuz the Devil is leading you astray, and God won't love you anymore, and you will be cast into hell, and all that kind of nonsense.

On the other hand, how many of you on this thread are convinced the Devil (and God for that matter) do not exist? If that is how you think or feel about things, then that is where you and I differ.

I do believe that God and the Devil exist, and it has little or nothing to do with the influence of the JW's at the time I was one. And, for the record, I do not belong to any religious organization, do not preach religion, or proselyte anyone to any point of view. I subscribe to the notion that belief is a matter of personal choice, and each one should feel free to choose their own, and neither I nor anyone else should judge or condemn anyone else for their beliefs. I love to discuss and debate any topic with those mutually interested, and will not hesitate to express my viewpoints, and will certainly consider yours. If we do not agree on something, fine, let's just agree to disagree, and move on.

I believe in God, because I do not find it logical or reasonable that this entire, vast, complex universe came into existence from nothing, all by itself, out of shear random chance probability (i.e. the Big Bang, and all that). We could debate God or No God at length here, but this is a thread about the Devil.

Where I am coming from about the Devil has to do with Witchcraft, and I'm talking about the Dark Side, the Black Arts, the Satanic Bible, Necromancy, Witch Covens that worship Satan, and all those who live their lives with Devil Worship as their religion. This is a whole different ball game. There are things going on in that whole world that would make your blood run cold, and frankly would scare the Hell out of you! If you think there is no such thing as demonic possession, I would suggest you examine that subject at greater length, and be prepared for some real surprises along the way. It is too easy to label it as just a bunch of "superstition" and "hokum".

I am aware of the prevailing doctrines of modern psychiatry, and how all this stuff can purportedly be explained away as simply part of the individual's own personality (eg. split personality vs.possession, etc.). And I have no doubt that a lot of things CAN be explained with the tools and insights of Psychiatry and Psychology. But then there are things going on that are pure evil, and which these "sciences" just cannot explain, at least within those frames of reference. Fool around with this stuff, and I believe, in the strongest possible terms, that you are playing with fire, and putting yourself at grave risk, and I don't mean judgment from God.

Another thing, these guys do not want publicity or high profile attention drawn to them. The simple fact is, they would be interfered with and even shut down by the authorities. So they just love everyone just pooh-poohing the whole idea that the Devil even exists. That is part of their strategy to keep themselves incognito, free to carry on with what they do in secrecy and darkness. Spend a few months in that world, and I would venture to say you will change your mind.

And so, while a lot of Devil talk does irritate me, just like a lot of you, I still would argue, there is more to this Devil stuff than meets the eye, and is not to be fooled with. I suppose if we just ignore it, it will go away.

Rod P.

41

Can you solve this paradox?

by Rod P in

jw
friends

you have a bow and arrow.

you shoot the arrow with the bow from point a to point b.. but the arrow will never reach point b, it's destination.

before the arrow can reach point b, it must first travel half way (let's call that point c).. but before the arrow can reach point c, it must first travel half way (let's call that point d).. but before the arrow can reach point d, it must first travel half way (let's call that point e).. do you see the problem?

Rod P

Iggy,

Try this website:

http://www.ftexploring.com

This one will give you a good explanation of what happens with muscles and energy changes.

Force is a Push or a Pull that causes a change in the motion or shape of an object. (eg. Pull of Gravity)

Force = Pushing, Pulling, Stretching, Squeezing, Bending and Falling

Forces can be Equal- eg. Holding a Briefcase up with your hand/arm. Your hand/arm pushes up (using muscle energy) while the Briefcase pushes down (under force of gravity).

Energy is the ability to do work- to cause something to move.

The following has been quoted and extrapolated from the above website:

Food has Chemical Energy which gets converted into Muscle Energy. Actually, muscle fibers, full of muscle cells, are constantly converting the chemical energy stored in glucose into work and heat. The work is used to carry on cell processes like growing, reproducing, moving molecules around, and getting rid of waste. The heat is a byproduct of the fuel "burning" process, and flows from the body to the surrounding air. The muscles meanwhile, contract, converting chemical energy into mechanical energy and heat flow. The energy expended by the muscles holding up the briefcase is offset by the force of gravity, and so there the briefcase sits, being held there in the air.

Rod P.

38

Blondie: You are Appreciated.

by xjwms in

jw
friends

i know that blondie spends a lot of time on the wt review.

she does the best job.

the reviews are right on.

Rod P

I don't know how you do it all, but you do.

I've seen things heating up or being exaggerated or heading down the path of misrepresentation, and you come on and straighten things out. Also, there are many times when posters are groping for information or answers, and Bingo, there you are with the answers.

Cooler heads do prevail, and you are one of them. Hats off to you. Standing ovation!

Rod P.

44

WT inflating their numbers?

by Fatfreek in

there have been posts here that indicate the kh building work may be slowing in the u.s., and that there is consolidation of the congos going on.

if that is true why don't we see the society's published numbers on the decline?

my next question is, heaven forbid, you don't suppose they're inflating the membership numbers do you?

Rod P

Fatfreek,

Thanks much. I have taken a cursory look at them, but will look closer later.

However, we may have to use sources outside the WBTS, combined with the WT Stats.

The other thing, I really need to look at their stats on an Annual basis, going back over a number of consecutive years. The more decades I have to look at, the more significant the resutls. You cannot get a real perspective analysing just one year. I am trying to determine "turnover" factors.

Rod P.

41

Can you solve this paradox?

by Rod P in

jw
friends

you have a bow and arrow.

you shoot the arrow with the bow from point a to point b.. but the arrow will never reach point b, it's destination.

before the arrow can reach point b, it must first travel half way (let's call that point c).. but before the arrow can reach point c, it must first travel half way (let's call that point d).. but before the arrow can reach point d, it must first travel half way (let's call that point e).. do you see the problem?

Rod P

Iggy,

On your problem with the briefcase, I quote information from the following websites:

http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us

http://www.st.agnes.org

Work is defined as Force X Distance (Displacement). More precisely, "Work is defined as a force acting upon an object to cause a displacement. There are three key words in this definition- force, displacement, and cause. In order for a force to qualify as having done work on an object, there must be a displacement and the force must cause the displacement. There are several good examples of work which can be observed in everyday life - a horse pulling a plow through the field, a father pushing a grocery cart down the aisle of a grocery store, a freshman lifting a backpack full of books upon her shoulder, a weightlifter lifting a barbell above her head....In each case described here is a force exerted upon an object to cause that object to be displaced.

So basically, for there to be Work, there must be movement of an object thru a distance. If there is no movement, there is no work, which is the case for your briefcase example.

To understand what is going on here, we must first understand the difference between Kinetic Energy and Potential Energy.

Kinetic Energy is the energy of motion. Kinetic energy is measured by how much is work don to put an object in motion or to rest.

Kinetic Energy = 1/2 (Mass) times (Velocity squared)

On the other hand, Potential Energy is energy due to position or, in other words, "stored energy:. Potential energy is also called gravitational potential energy.

Potential Energy = (Weight) times (Height)

An example of Potential Energy: By stretching a rubber band, you give it potential energy. A book on a shelf has stored potential energy. A briefcase on a desk has stored potential energy. Holding a briefcase up with one's arm muscles also has stored potential energy. A baseball in a glove has potential energy until it is thrown, and it turns into kinetic energy when thrown.

Kinetic and Potential Energy: A waterfall has both kinetic and potential energy. The water at the top of the waterfall has stored potential energy. Once the water leaves the top of the waterfall, the potential energy is changed into kinetic energy.

Gravitational Potential Energy: An object can store energyas the result of its position. For example, the heavy ball of a demolition machine is storing energy when it is held at an elevated position (i.e. potential energy). Gravitational Potential Energy is the energy stored in an object as the result of its verticla position (i.e. height). The energy is stored as the result of the gravitational attraction of the Earth for the object. The greater the mass of the object (eg the demolition ball) the greater the Gravitational Potential Energy. The higher the object is off the ground, the greater the Gravitational Potential Energy. The relationships of these factors are expressed with the following formula:

Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) = Mass X "g" X Height

("g" represents the acceleration of gravity, which is approximately 10 meters per second per second on Earth.)

To determine the GPE of an object, a zero height position must first be arbitrarily assigned. Typically, the ground is considered to be a position of Zero height. But this is merely an arbitrarily assigned position which most people agree upon. Since many of our labs are done on tabletops, it is often customary to assign the tabletop to be the zero height postion; again, this is merely arbitrary.

In the case of the briefcase in your example, I would use the ground as zero height, and the distance the desktop is off the ground is the height for the briefcase. The distance your arm holding up the briefcase is off the ground is the height for the briefcase.

I hope that helps you to explain the situation with the briefcase. There is no work until it is dropped off the desk to the ground, or you let go of it with your hand and it drops to the ground. The potential energy is changed to kinetic energy, when work is then accomplished.

Rod P.

44

WT inflating their numbers?

by Fatfreek in

there have been posts here that indicate the kh building work may be slowing in the u.s., and that there is consolidation of the congos going on.

if that is true why don't we see the society's published numbers on the decline?

my next question is, heaven forbid, you don't suppose they're inflating the membership numbers do you?

Rod P

Ozziepost,

No, I have not read any of Franz's books yet. I will be doing so in the not too distant future.

In the meantime, I would like to get my hands on some of the Annual Yearbook Statistics over the years. I know that these can be analyzed to extrapolate the figures to get a handle on the turnover rate(s) over the years. Anybody know of any stats available online?

Rod P.

44

WT inflating their numbers?

by Fatfreek in

there have been posts here that indicate the kh building work may be slowing in the u.s., and that there is consolidation of the congos going on.

if that is true why don't we see the society's published numbers on the decline?

my next question is, heaven forbid, you don't suppose they're inflating the membership numbers do you?

Rod P

I suspect Classicist may have put his finger on something here.

I am an accountant, and a number of years ago I did was working on a business plan for a "direct marketing" organization. They wanted to know statistics about turnover for sales organizations. So I began a search into organizations like Amway and Shaklee, etc. What blew me away, was that they all basically experienced 100% annual turnovers. In other words, suppose one had a sales organization of 1,000,000 strong worldwide, and they still had 1,000,000 after one year. Then you look at the number of new recruits they took in during the one year period. Let's say it was 1,000,000. That would give you the impression they would have 2,000,000 after one year. Yet the statistics would show they only had 1,000,000 after one year. What this means or implies is that they would have lost 100% of their sales force, but would have had to recruit a new batch of 1,000,000 to replace the ones they lost over the past year, just to keep a level population.This is called "attrition" or "turnover".

I have not studied the JW statistics in many years, but I would bet there has been a high turnover rate in their numbers over the years. People who are recent converts to the JW faith would tend to be more active in the publishing work than those who have been doing it for a while, for the simple fact of their fresh conviction and enthusiasm. After a while, some of that gung ho wears off. Meanwhile others leave, or are disfellowshipped. But they are replaced with the latest crop of converts.

Now in the context of a year, those who reported field service at the beginning of the year would be counted. Then, throughout the year,some would quit, some would die, some would become inactive, while others got disfellowshipped. But to replace them would be the new converts. The question I would have, therefore, is if their time is counted, and each one is statistically counted as 1 person, but the other ones who were there before also reported time and are counted as 1 person (but later in the year quit, etc.), would that not inflate their numbers in terms of the number of publishers? I don't know the methodology they actually use these days, but I do have my suspicions.

(Actually, I was under the impression they counted their "members" in terms of the number of baptisms, but cannot confirm this for sure.)

Rod P.

64

"Unwind" yourself here

by JH in

jw
friends

say whatever bothers you on this thread....let it be the darn weather, or the few pounds you just can't get off your body.... .

this is getting on my nerves....

this has been going on since 2 months now....enough !!!

Rod P

fairchild,

This was around 1962. It is a lot different now, as making payment arrangements are much more acceptable now than they were back then.

A few years previous to that, the Income Tax Dept. was so predatory, that it became a travesty. It was during the First World War that Canada introduced a temporary Income Tax legislation, to help finance the war. Of course, this "temporary" tax turned into a permanent tax to this day.

But because this was not universally known, there were a number of immigrant farmers who could hardly speak and write English, let alone understand about Income Tax obligations. Many farmers were just not aware after 30 and 40 years later, that the income tax legislation applied to them. So then the Income Tax Dept. started to catch up with a number of these farmers, and audited them. Even though these farmers were just getting by, they still earned income, built basic herds, acquired machinery and farm assets, etc. - they were actually in a taxable position. So, if you do not file for 30 or 40 years, you suddenly find yourself owing not only back taxes, but penalties and interest compounded annually over that whole time. This produces financial disaster, given the effect of compound interest.

Anyway, there was this European immigrant farmer who was being audited. At the end of the audit, he was assessed an amount for more than his farm and other assets were worth. With his broken English, he said to the tax auditor "Please mister, what I do. I just hard working farmer. I no have the money....." They immediately put his farm up for auction.

On the day of the auction, the people came from miles around, and bought up everything. The land and buildings were also sold. This poor farmer stood there quietly and watched the whole proceedings of the auction. Then he quietly walked out to the barn and put a shotgun to his head and pulled the trigger. This thing hit the newspapers, and there was a huge public outcry about the carte blanche powers of the income tax department. The politicians enacted new laws to restrict such powers, and they have never dared to treat people like that again. (Fingers crossed.)

Rod P.

26

Pea up his nose!

by pennycandy in

jw
friends

has this happened to anyone else's kids?

my 18 month-old is the only one of my three to ever do this.. he actually stuck 3 of them up there, but i squished the first one out then pulled out the 2nd one with tweezers.

but i can barely see another one way back.

Rod P

pennycany,

Very important the doctor checks this to be safe. You need to be sure the pea hasn't slipped down deeper, which can also cause infections.

I have to tell you about a little boy who put a peanut up his nose. It went all the way up and down the back of his throat, and actually found its way into his lungs. They had to operate on him to remove the peanut from his lung. He got over it ok, but it was pretty darn scary, especially with the risk of infection .

Rod P.

64

"Unwind" yourself here

by JH in

jw
friends

say whatever bothers you on this thread....let it be the darn weather, or the few pounds you just can't get off your body.... .

this is getting on my nerves....

this has been going on since 2 months now....enough !!!

Rod P

Listening to all the Woe is me's on this thread (mainly the weather), I would like to share a true story from here in Canada.

A man got a bill from the Income Tax Department. He could pay it, but it took all the money he had. So he wrote them a nine page letter, telling them all the hard-luck tragedy that had befallen him over the past year. He had been seriously ill, his wife died, he lost his truck in an accident, his dog died, he lost his job, etc. etc. After nine pages of this, he concluded...."And now you want to hit me with this income tax bill that will take all that I have. You might as well just take the shirt off my back. As a matter of fact, enclosed herewith is the shirt off my back."

He used his shirt as a cheque. He wrote everything on the back of the shirt- Pay to the Order of: Revenue Canada. Date. Amount (written in body and figures). And he signed it, just like a cheque. The tax department actually cashed the cheque, and the shirt found it's way back to his bank branch, the money was deducted from his account, and the shirt was included in his bank statement as a cancelled cheque.

There was another actual case of a Cattle Rancher who was having financial difficulties, and had to pay a big income tax bill. The rancher cut off a big steak from one of the cattle he had just butchered, and filled it out as a cheque, and delivered it to the tax department. The tax department actually cashed this "steak cheque" right away. The bank accepted it, but they rushed it to a cooler so it wouldn't spoil. The cheque got cashed and ultimately was charged against his account. (I know this to be true, because I was working for the bank at the time, and it was in our bank newsletter.)

Rod P.