Posts by Rod P

Been around the block a few times, so kinda wary about a lot of things. Still, I prefer to give someone or something the benefit of the doubt, unless they give me a reason to think otherwise.

As long as I can remember, I have been what you would call "The Questioner". Never satisfied with just one answer. Always wondering what I haven't discovered yet. Always thinking I have overlooked something, so wait a while and do a little more searching. I suppose part of it is the "Once bitten, twice shy." syndrome, having been a JW first, and a Mormon second, and losing two marriages over them. Kinda kicks the starch outta ya! Ain't about ta go tru dat again!

And then I became "The Searcher". Well, I thought I had the ultimate answer twice in my life! Turns out they were only pipe dreams and myths packaged with warm, fuzzy feelings about God and love and brotherhood and all that. So now what? Well, just because I hadn't found the Fountain of Youth yet, didn't mean I shouldn't keep looking. And that's what I've been doing ever since.

So now I know that in all of my searching, I realize that I know more and more about less and less. But keep the faith! Cuz in the end I'm finally gonna know all there is to know about nuttin!

Kinda shy at first, especially in Group situations. But not really an introvert. I know many accountants like me are the introvertive type, but that is not really me. Just need to feel safe before venturing out into the social climate.

Most times I would rather listen to what others have to say, and keep my mouth shut so that I won't be thought of as a fool, rather than to open my mouth and remove all doubt!

I'm a pack rat collector. Every ten years or so I have to clean out my closets and storage of all the junk I've accumulated that I never used but thought I should get it in case I might need it some day.

I'm and Aries (the Ram). An Aries rushes in where angels fear to tread. We scare the hell out of loved ones, always gettin' into things that most people think you should stay out of. I could tell you some stories....!!!

I have an acute sense of fairness and justice, and if I see someone being treated unfairly or unjustly, or being ripped off, I will jump right into the middle of it and try to defend the victim. I'm basically a peace-loving guy, but won't put up with some of that crap. I hate vilolence, and I don't believe in spanking kids. I would, however, make an exception for those child molesters, because I would love to string them up by the you know what!

I laugh at most jokes, but really get off on telling them to others. The only problem is, when I get into it, I find myself laughing so hard, I can hardly finish telling them. When that happens, the people around me end up laughing at me instead of the joke. That's why I usually tell short ones to get it over with quickly, rather than those long ones when I crack up in hysteria. Don't worry, I will spare you all on this thread by not sharing some of these....

I'm a bit on the intellectual side, getting into deep issues and profound questions. That's one of the things I love about this forum, because I feel like I've kinda met some fellow "mates" here where we can get into things. At the same time though, I do try to speak in "plain English" so as not to come off as some kind of "pretentious snob". I don't do this to play games, but rather it is all part of my drive for "Searching". I've got way more questions than answers. Besides, the answer is, "There ain't no answers! It's the search."

Made lots of mistakes. I guess it goes with the territory, being human and all. Nothing mean and nasty though. More like foolish and gullible, and sometimes just plain impatient and impulsive. Spur of the moment, and then those damn consequences. Ouch!!! Didn't know I could go down so many wrong paths. Someone told me once that I had used up all of my nine lives, so better be more careful from now on.

There is a pretty good profile of my personality (at least one I can identify with) in a song written by Kris Kristofferson:

The Pilgrim:

See him wasted on the sidewalk, in his jacket and his jeans,

Wearing yesterdays misfortunes like a smile.

Once he had a future full of money, love and time,

Which he spent like they were going out of style....

And he keeps right on a searching, for the better or the worse,

Searching for that shrine he never found,

From the rockin' of the cradle to the rolling of the hearse,

All he ever gets is older and around,

Never knowing if believing is a blessing or a curse,

And if the going up was worth the coming down.

Chorus:

He's a Poet (he's a Picker), he's a Prophet (he's a Picker),

He's a Pilgrim and a Preacher and a Problem when he's stoned,

He's a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,

Taking every wrong direction on his lonely way back home.

(There's been a lot of wrong directions on that lonely way back home!)

And the other one is: "I Did It My Way" - by Paul Anka, written for Frank Sinatra and sung by many.

You all prolly know the words, so won't repeat it here. But man, that's me!

Rod P.

5

Do Mormons have "History Studies" with new potential converts?

by hubert in

the history study subject has come up lately concerning j.w.

's, which got me to thinking, is there a history study for mormons?

if so, do they have a "history" book that they use?

Rod P

Hubert,

The Mormons are big on their Church History. They have many volumes about Church History. They offer courses in Church History at their Brigham Young University. (I have been out of the LDS Church for some time now, but it would not surprise me if they had all kinds of material available online respecting Church History.)

The thing is, though, you would be well advised to also read non-Mormon source materials on Mormon Church History for some different perspectives, as the Mormon Church writes all of their materials from a perspective that supports their viewpoint only. There is also evidence that a number of things have been kept out of their Church History, or that their history has been re-written and edited in a number of places that are pretty embarrassing to the Church, even incriminating.

Public libraries often have a good cross-section of books on Mormonism. The Internet will lead you to all kinds of sites on Church History, both pro and con, which is readily available.

Rod P.

30

Does What You Believe In REALLY Matter All That Much???

by minimus in

jw
friends

whether you are a witness or a muslim, a believer in democracy or theocracy, a liberal or a conservative-----does it ultimately matter??

?

Rod P

What we believe can have serious consequences, because it is usually the driving force, the underlying motivations for doing what we do in life. Our actions follow our beliefs, and those actions have consequences, both good and bad.

On the other hand, IF (for Terry's benefit) there is a God of the Universe, and there is life after this one, then I don't think He/She/It is going to judge us in eternity merely because we chose one religion or scripture or philosophy over another.

"Truth" is complicated. Words and meanings and concepts are complicated, precisely because they are ambiguous, are capable of more than one interpretation, and can be put in many different contexts, making them even more difficult to draw absolute conclusions from. One man's opinion is just as good as another's, or, in other words, what you believe all depends on how you interpret things.

In one sense, I cannot really "prove" anything to you, and you cannot really "prove" anything to me. In the end, there is only "opinion". I suspect also, that these words, meanings and concepts are all man-made, the by-products of another man's thinking, to which we the readers or listeners are but "spectators".

Therefore, I think that what we think matters in terms of this life, but does not have eternal consequences in the hereafter, at least in terms ot things being irreversible.. After all, in the next life, we could always change our minds, and suddenly we would have a whole different perspective and lifestyle. I even think we probably have to live many lifetimes, because we cannot live long enough in one lifetime to make all the mistakes that are possible, and learn all of the lessons that are necessary to learn.

And, if this life is all there is, and there is no God, then all I can say is, NOTHING MATTERS, PERIOD! We're all just a bunch of insects on a small planet in an obscure part of the universe, waiting for our turn to die. Squish! Aaaaahhhhhh! It got me!

Rod P.

20

A VERY PECULIAR FEELING (and a pleasant one at that)

by Terry in

jw
friends

i work at a bookstore that buys books for cash directly from the public.. we get maybe eighty or ninety people a day lugging in horrendously filthy boxes filled with roach droppings, mold, ancient dust and, oh yes, books.. among these books there is the occasional "find".. but, mostly (and disappointingly) it is 97% garbage.. today a fellow brought in three boxes full of typical dusty and unkempt books to sell his aunt was "getting rid of" that he thought he'd convert into easy cash.. i took his i.d.

and phone number and then looked at the boxes.. they were all jehovah's witness books!

bound volumes going back to the 50's, all the booklets, books, concordance, interlinear, bibles, etc.

Rod P

Way to go, Terry.

This is not about making money by selling old JW publications. It's about making sure they do not get into the hands of the unsuspecting public who become potential converts.

Somebody buys one of these apparently innocent books about the Bible, and takes it home and actually reads it. The next thing that could happen, he/she starts thinking, "Wow, I didn't know the Bible taught all that. How can I learn more?"

Then, out of interest, he/she contacts the JW's, which then leads to Bible studies in his/her home and invitations to their meetings. Then this leads to conversion and dedication to Jehovah and field service.

And Voila!!! Out the other end comes another JW convert.

The world doesn't need another newly converted "JW Propaganda Robot" walking around trying to make more "JW Propaganda Robots". Let us spare the world from this by not indirectly and unwittingly supporting their cause (i.e. enabling access to more of their publications, all for the sake of a few dollars on ebay or wherever).

Terry, you did the right thing, and I say "Hooray for the Apostate Home Team! To the extent that you have done it for you, you have done it for the rest of us too!"

Rod P.

58

Is the Watchtower hurting financially?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

while surfing e-watchman's paradise forum, i clicked on one of the topics i never go to, "our meetings & assemblies" and found an interesting post on the wt bleeding financially.. it was posted 3 months ago.. http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/viewtopic.php?t=2888&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0.

in my neck of the woods (which shall remain anonymous) the do and co have been circulating the rumour that the watchtower society is in financial straights and is being bled dry.

this must be very pressing.

Rod P

Well, if the Society is really having financial difficulties, all they gotta do is come up with some "New Light" and introduce "Tithing" into the mix. Then they could back off all these complicated literature schemes and scams.

The Mormons and the Catholics have been tithing their memberships all along, and they have prospered.

There would be no question that these are simple donations, and hence not taxable.

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

Rod P.

13

Scientists create blood from human stem cells

by seattleniceguy in

.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=585&e=2&u=/nm/20050616/sc_nm/health_australia_stemcells_dc

.

Rod P

I think one of the results will be that scientists would be able to take stem cells from an individual's own body, from which they would be able to manufacture blood in volume. This would mean it is blood from an individual's own body, so it should be OK to use, even from a JW perspective.

However, there would not be enough time to do this in the case of an emergency. Which then suggests they may have to produce blood from an individual, but then store it for possible future use by that individual. Here come the "blood banks" and a whole new industry with storage facilities.

Rod P.

54

Does the idea of a bodyless soul make sense? Could the 'soul' stay sane?

by IronGland in

as i lay in my pod yesterday i began to think of the following.

in many religions-christianity, hinduism, and buddhism, as well as greek philosophy-attempts are made to mortify the body, to respond as little as often to it's carnal needs and what-not.

this is possible to be prepared for a new existence as just a disembodied soul, in some heavenly spirit realm or what-not.. .

Rod P

Tetra,

Very sorry, but something came up in the course of the day, and I have to forego a reply until tomorrow.

Rod P.

54

Does the idea of a bodyless soul make sense? Could the 'soul' stay sane?

by IronGland in

as i lay in my pod yesterday i began to think of the following.

in many religions-christianity, hinduism, and buddhism, as well as greek philosophy-attempts are made to mortify the body, to respond as little as often to it's carnal needs and what-not.

this is possible to be prepared for a new existence as just a disembodied soul, in some heavenly spirit realm or what-not.. .

Rod P

Tetra,

Thank you for posing those questions. I am in the middle of a work day, so will not be able to get back to you for about another 8 hours or so, and will do so.

Pole,

I hear you.

But on the other hand, how do you explain Savants? How do you explain the gifted people who seem to produce super-human results that you and I can't seem to accomplish? Yet, at the same time, they are operating thru a severely "handicapped" body.

Rod P.