KLS,
I've seen your monkey face so often now, I just have to stop by real quick and say "Way to go! That is one heck of an achievement." All the best.
Rod P.
Posts by Rod P
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62HURRY ,HURRY ,YOU GOT TO SEE THIS,,,,,,,,,
by kls ini knew i would get you to look.
congratulations to me.
congratulations to me.
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21
DO YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF ASPERGER'S SYNDROME?
by Terry inthere is a general impression that asperger's syndrome carries with it superior intelligence and a tendency to become very interested in and preoccupied with a particular subject.
most children with asperger's disorder have difficulty interacting with their peers.
they tend to be loners and may display eccentric behaviors.
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Rod P
I have never heard of Asperger's Syndrome until now. Very interesting.
However, it appears to me that a lot of these symptoms are similar to certain other conditions:
1) Savant's- who have one particular skill that is virtually genius level (eg. playing piano, painting)
2) Extreme Shyness- Some people are so shy that they withdraw from the world and then internalize their reality modality. They then focus on a particular subject and become immersed in it, sometimes to the point of obsession. They grow up totally lacking in social skills, and as a result, cannot interact with other people. This then intensifies their inner world, their safe haven. They do not have to face the horrifying prospects of rejection or ridicule. An example is in the case of some of those individuals referred to as "Computer Geeks". I even wonder about this generation of young people where an inordinate number of them seem to be addicted to the internet to the point they cocoon themselves in their rooms and spend every spare moment on the internet, sitting in chat rooms and interacting with people all over the world from a keyboard, and yet not having any friends at school, and not even interested in real life friends.
I am not so sure about concluding that a reasonable profile of R&F JW's or other Cultic Groups being characteristically "Asperger'ous", or suffering from such symptoms, although I am sure they would all have their share of such personalities. On the other hand, I find it significant, (and a lot of professionals who specialize in this area have commented on this) that most people who join cults seem to have a predisposition towards belonging to an organization where the leadership does their thinking for them, and which creates expectations for certain behaviors, and all they have to do is practice obedience. They are followers in the strict sense of the word, and feel safe under the umbrella of a strong hand, where they do not have to risk being the centre of attention, and having to make decisions on their own. If they had to be the leader, they would flounder in indecision, and feelings of vulnerability. This is not to say that there are no effective leaders in cults; however, when it comes to following the Organization that feeds them, even these leaders are exceptional followers. After awhile, they become conditioned to unquestioning loyalty, no matter what the inconsistencies and insanities at the top.I believe this is one of the reasons it is so difficult for a converted JW to leave. The world out there is just too scary!
This does not account for all the JW's who were born into the faith, which has little or nothing to do with why they would become baptized members. However, they learn from the examples of their parents from infancy what it means to be a good JW, and that conditions them to all the right responses and behaviors.
I certainly do not have all the answers here, but sure do want to learn more about this whole subject matter, including Asperger's Syndrome. Thanks for sharing.
Rod P.
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31
in about fifty-two minutes time...
by zaphod in...my gran, who has been a jw since the 1950's will be reproved publicly for speaking to her grand-daughter who is disfellowshipped.
she is 77 years old and i am worried that it will be the death of her.
the"truth" has been her life for nearly fifty years and she is still a regular publisher.. if she continues to commit this gross sin she will be disfellowshipped.. her daughter and son in law are to be disfellowshipped for the terrible sin of allowing their daughter to live under their roof since she left her husband.
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Rod P
Zaphod,
There are none so blind as those who will not see. These so-called leaders of the congregation are mere puppets in the hands of the GB/WBTS propaganda machine. They have no sense of perspective or proportion, meting out such severe punishment to an elderly woman, after 50 years of dedicated service, just for reaching out to a family loved one who happened to be "branded" by the same organization the created this mess in the first place.
This whole empire is just plain SICK. And it's all based on a misinterpretation of Scripture to begin with.
That poor woman! Maybe this thing will serve as a useful catalyst to wake her up to just what she has been serving all these years. I just hope she can hold herself together in all this, no thanks to them.
Rod P.
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Frightening experiences
by greendawn inmy most frightening experience occured about 12 years as i was driving in a safari park with wild animals like tigers around.
there was suddenly a very loud explosion under the bonnet and that really frightened me and my two passengers, if there is to be a fire what do we do with tigers outside?
fortunately it soon became clear that there was no fire only a lot steam came gushing out, the cooling system had over heated and a pipe got burst asunder .
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Rod P
It was scary when I left the JW's. My wife's parents came to pick up their daughter and take her away to their home. That left me alone in the house. When everyone left, I sat there on the living room couch, thinking about what was happening. Suddenly I heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen. (I was thinking about being at the mercy of Satan for having left the JW's. Now the demons are going to take over.) I got up to examine the kitchen. Nothing! Went back and sat down. After a bit, same strange noise. Now I was really gettin' scared. I tiptoed to the kitchen. Nothing! "Oh my God! What have I done?" (I had just joined the Mormon Church). After another short while, another noise in the kitchen. I went to check it out. I stood there in the kitchen with no sound or movement, and I waited. Suddenly, this little mouse came out of nowhere and ran across the floor. He was more scared than I was.
I vowed that never again would I fall for that one. And I never did! Devil be gone.
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Rod P
Gumby,
Well, if there were no carnivores until after the flood, then what about the dinosaurs BEFORE the flood? Everybody knows Tyrannosaurus Rex was a meat eater, and they were before the flood. Right?
So, first we got some herbivores and carnivores, then we got Adam and Eve, where all the animals are herbivores, until the flood, and then after the flood, a bunch of herbivores turn into carnivores. Is that how it went?
Rod P.
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49
The Money Is Drying Up In The Organization!
by minimus inmy mother told me that the congregation has been pretty much begging for money for the local kingdom hall.
after the presiding overseer expressed the state of debt and severe lack on contributions, he then asked the congregation to approve a resolution to send mor money to the society!!!
i don't know how they are able to function.
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Rod P
Speaking about money. Years ago in Canada (Calgary, Alberta) I was at a District Assembly. Since I worked in Banking, I volunteered to help out in the back room counting all the money from the contribution boxes as well as the proceeds from the sale of meals and beverages. Whole beef carcasses had been donated, as well as tons of food, so I would say the food costs were minimal.
So there we were counting and sorting the coins and the bills. In walked the "poor" DO and began exchanging all the U.S. coins in the pile for Canadian dimes and quarters. This was a big pile of coin, let me tell you. It was interesting to see him exchange coin for coin, and not bills for coin.(I think he wanted it to look good.) U.S. money was worth a lot more than Canadian money, and there were a lot of Americans at that assembly. All he had to do was roll it all up in wrappers and take it to the bank and cash it in for paper money. He got to pocket the difference in Exchange between the currencies. He did this wherever he travelled to different assemblies. I don't know how well he did, but I would say he did pretty well personally.
I felt I was in a "Shock and Aw" campaign. At first I was shocked that a DO would be that dishonest in such a sneaky way. Then I said to myself "Awwwww!......He didn't!....Did he?........Yes, he did!....." Damn!!!
Rod P.
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woot im no longer a newbie
by Es inhey all just realised i am now a junior member dont know when it happened but hey im a little excited es
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Rod P
Hey! I just noticed I'm a Junior Member now! Must mean 100 is the magic number for Newbies.
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woot im no longer a newbie
by Es inhey all just realised i am now a junior member dont know when it happened but hey im a little excited es
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Rod P
Hey you guys,
How do you move up the ladder? What does it take to get beyond Newbie status. And how much for the other levels? I have been wondering about this for some time now.
Rod P.
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Interactive Map of Worldwide Work
by purplesofa in.
http://www.freakypixel.com/service_year/
this interactive flash map offers an alternative way of viewing the annual service year report of jehovah's witnesses to the flat, tabular format of the watchtower and yearbook of jehovah's witnesses.. purps
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Rod P
Wow! I'm impressed. Definitely in my library of "Favorites" Thanks much.
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X-JW , X-Mormon & More OR: Around the World's Religions in 60 Years!
by Rod P inhi people!
i am new here, but started out on the topic of "high rates of depression in org.
" there are 3 posts, one of which has been pasted below on my new thread.
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Rod P
Kenneson;
My take on this is that:
1) If the basis for the Authority of the Catholic Church is Political and not Spiritual (i.e. from God), then forgt about Peter and Apostolic Succession.
2) If the basis for the Authority of the Mormon Church is all a myth because the Joseph Smith story and the Book of Mormon is all a myth, then forget about Mormonism and the Priesthood, no matter how many scriptures they quote from the Old and New Testaments.
3) If the basis for Authority is the Bible as the Word of God (like so many Protestants believe), then that is a problem for me, as the dilemma of the Bible is the ability of so many scholars from so many different Churches and Denominations all interpret it diferently. If we cannot know with certainty what is the correct interpretation of Scripture in all its fulness, then we cannot understand God's Will from the Bible.
So what are we left with? IMHO, we are left with the fact that only God knows who is a True Christian or not. Therefore, leave all Religious Institution out of the equation. And also leave the incomprehensible Bible out of the equation. We must not build a relationship based on the "God of the Book". We must not build our relationship based on the "God of a Church or Organization" which is based on External Connections. The answer does not lie in external form or symbolism or ritual. These are simply tools or mechanisms or "compasses" to lead us to turn inward to find God and Spirituality. "The Kingdom of God is within you." (see also the Gospel of Thomas) Authority is a kind of "permission" from God to do things in His Name. What better Authority than to go within, connect with, and be touched by God, and then from this "spiritual genuineness" go forth in the world. Then by your fruits they shall know the true disciples, and even true miracles can become manifest.
"Be still, and know that I AM God."
Having said all this, if Jesus' words to Peter are true: "...And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. And the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it (my Church)." I do not see the Church as being an Organization, but rather the "body of believers", who have this genuine, authoritative, spiritual connection with God. God knows who they are, and they have existed since the time of Christ in unbroken succession since then until now. I also will go so far as to say that there are "True Christians" even inside all kinds of religious organizations professing Christianity, even the JW's and Mormons. I believe in my heart of hearts that the God of the Universe gives us all the freedom and free agency to love God each in their own way, and within the great diversity of belief systems, for the simple reason that the outer form of dogma and ritual and political structure has little or nothing to do with what is in the heart of the true believer. God knows His Own, no matter where, or what station he or she occupies. This is the same as saying God will love and bless and authorize us regardless of race, colour, creed or religion. My God is big enough to handle and contain all this in our humanity! Amen.
Narkissos;
Nice to hear from you. You are a man of few words. I wish I had your talent.
Montanism taught a universal priesthood of believers, but also went overboard when they began to impose their will on the less "spiritual" Christians. They also went overboard in their prophesying (i.e. as a doomsday cult), and they predicted that they were living in the last days. The Lord was going to come in a few years, and begin the 1000 year reign in Pepuza. They also believed in "New Prophesy" and lived by the "Rule of Faith". They kinda died out when their prophesies did not come to pass. The Catholic Church declared them to be "heretics".
The Donatists preached a "Moral Authority". They insisted the moral worthiness of a minister affected the efficacy of the sacraments he administered. They refused to accept the spiritual authority and sacraments of the bishops and priests who had fallen away from the Church. They also taught that a small regional church had the right to determine the standards of holiness, regardless of the consensus of the rest of the Church.
I see the "Moral Authority" of the Donatists as being deficient in that it appears to me to be a case of those claiming to be in authority judging those who they deemed to be apostate or unholy. It is an authority that starts from the bottom "Man", from which judgement is made and announced, which then proceeds upwards to God. Who are they to judge? Only God can be the Judge.
The Montanists too, it appears to me, set themselves up as judge and jury. Those who saw themselves as more holy judged those who they saw as "less spiritual". Their fruits became manifest when the false prophecies were exposed for all to see, well-meaning though it might have been. Personally, I think God, knowing their hearts, may forgive them for that, because they too face the problem of "Interpretation", and so it is not too difficult to be wrong. Instead of worrying about when the end of the world was going to come, they should have been concentrating on their relationship with God. That is what really mattered.
Qcmbr,
Glad you visited this thread. You and I could have some interesting discussions on Mormonism.
I have some real difficulty accepting the Old Testament at face value, especially when I discover that the account of creation in Genesis was actually borrowed from earlier cuneiform Chaldean or Babylonian texts. I have similar problems with the story of Noah and the Flood, and also the accounts about Abraham and Job, to mention a few. Then there is the account about Moses in Egypt. Remember how he was raised in the Pharoah's household. Obviously he would have been taught the Egyptian belief system growing up. Now we have the first five books of the Bible- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy which are attributed to Moses, for which scholastic research has had to question this premise. The point I am making is, all of the O.T. scriptures you quote proving how "Authority and the Priesthood" work must stand subordinate to the overriding question of how much you can accept of the O.T. authenticity, given its various backgrounds and origins respecting the different books over hundreds of years. There are also some huge questions of the same nature when it comes to the New Testament. The Egyptian connection is a real problem for the Bible in terms of its claim to Divine Inspiration.
Again, I see the whole problem in this light: Does the God of the Universe really care about all these documents, words and assertions made by man in the name of God over the centuries? Don't you find it significant that Jesus Christ appears not to have written a single word of Scripture? To me that says one thing: Finding God and Spirituality does not depend on the written word. The written word is only supposed to lead you to go inside yourself to find God. Nothing else. When it says that "there is no other name under heaven whereby man can be saved" I believe it means that we must follow the spiritual pathway and example that Jesus set for us to follow. He is the "Wayshower".
I will have much more to say on these subjects along the way.
Regards,
Rod P.