Carmel

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Posts by Carmel

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  60

  Sincere?..Bible-Believers-Can Your Beliefs Be Supported Without The Bible?

  by nvrgnbk in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does your real-life experience and what you observe in nature lead you to the same conclusions that are presented as fact in the bible?

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  or do you believe because of the power of suggestion?.

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  Carmel

  When the Borg and I parted company in my youth, I assumed there was a "god" and that I could look in the usual (churches) places to find Him. Loo and Behold, the more I investigated the various representative of Churchianity the less I could believe in the god they all beleived in. The bible became more of a stumbling block as well. Unlike most, majoring in biological science and the supporting physical sciences, not to mention the softer social sciences lead me to be open to a new paradigm, one that gnawed at me and pushed me to take another look at religion as it is represented by other faiths and to begin to see patterns that others discovered before me. I vowed that I would not be involved in a religion again unless it was in complete harmony with contemporary science, that it abandoned the rituals and meaningless trappings I saw in church services to which I'd been exposed. My "faith" has been restored but not in the blind fashion of my childhood. My skepticism has done me well, so to answer your question, yes I can and did become a believer in spite of the bible. Proof, however, is in the mind of the beholder. What validates an idea for one, simply raises more questions for others. Carmel
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  16

  BIG About.com on Dfing and "Fading"

  by DannyHaszard in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http:www.atheism.about.com/od/jehovahswitnesses/a/witnessfade.htm here we can comment at the article and file this for evidence value as about.com is considered expert witnesses http://atheism.about.com/b/a/069061.htm comment belowfrom jehovah's witness to atheist: how & why jehovah's witnesses fade from congregations7 hrs ago | about.com

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  Carmel

  My personal experiance was that if I remained an agnostic (most JWs can't distinguish between that and atheism) I was one class of DF'd that was less tolerable than if I became a member of another religion. Kind of like in a divorce. You get another spouse and you're twice the villian. So my point is that shunning is not limited to those ex Jdubs that become athiests. carmel
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  9

  Thoughts while mowing the yard

  by Undecided in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was mowing the yard this morning and as usual i was thinking about life and such.

  there were weeds with pretty little flowers and some cherry trees trying to grow.

  i just mowed them down because i like the way grass looks better.

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  Carmel

  Did you drink some Weed n' Feed tea? carmel
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  3

  New Releases 2007?

  by Badger in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  once again, i've been urged to go to the convention for all the exciting new releases.

  what is being released this year, anyone?.

  also, i leafed through a few of the 80's/90's books.

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  Carmel

  Stilla, you need to put that title in quotes! I just about took you up on your offer!!! carmel
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  91

  FORGED (!?!?) ORIGINS of the NEW TESTAMENT (!?!?)

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  iii, p. 712).

  vi, p. 137, pp.

  cit., pp.

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  Carmel

  Sorry Terry but my eyes just can't handle the small a font for more than a paragraph or two... Fascinating read, (obviously written in a condemnatory fashion)! Any chance you could send it to me as a document at [email protected] and I can blow it up to readable porportions? carmel
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  16

  JW's compared to other religions

  by concerned x in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  a conversation with a po this week led to a request from him to make a comparison of of jw's to other religions.

  for ex: their preaching work, their growth, their brotherhood, their building projects, their assistance in times of natural disasters, etc.

  the search engine in jwd is not working and i would appreciate any information written about this subject in the past..

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  Carmel

  "Are any other religions politically neutral?" Yes! Baha'is are forbidden to participate in partisan politics. That the JWs are in volved in the UN does not make them partisan, just hypocrits! The UN and its affiliates are not technically "political" in that there are no party affiliations or such divisions between political or economic systems. All countries can apply for membership and be represented in the General Assembly providing they agree to the principles adumbrated by the UN Charter. carmel
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  15

  I'm being hounded again

  by Frequent_Fader_Miles in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  my mom's bugging me again about "considering going back to meetings".

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  Carmel

  I think you'll find lots of parents just never stop parenting and JW parents have the additional pressure of thinking they have to "save" you from falling off the cliff that leads to distruction, blah, blah, b lah! I often have discussions with my wife to let our kids live their lives as they will without her needing to voice an opion about so many things. She and her sisters are all a little into being in control, so I find myself the lightening rod at times trying to interrupt the process. I don't give my advise unless requested.. and that ain't too often! carmel
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  36

  Study ended because he asked too many embarrassing questions.

  by bronzefist in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  nothing new here just a reminder to those who havent been to hall for awhile.. a workmate just had his study cut off.

  there were some things he was being taught that he agreed with (trinity) some he didnt (faithful and discreet slave being a group of old men in ny).

  here are a couple of interesting facts:.

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  Carmel

  I know of a religion that welcomes questions so much it even titles one of the months of the year "Questions"! carmel
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  15

  How Far Out of Mind Control Do You Want to Go?

  by frankiespeakin in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  many of us have come a long way out of the wt imposed "mind control" some much further than others, some still beleive in the judaochristian god and the bible, while other have gone much futher.. but how far have you gotten out of government mind control?

  most of us have been indoctrinated from birth by our parents and then when we went to governement subsidized schools and were further indoctrinated there.

  how far out of this form of mind control have you been able to get out of?.

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  Carmel

  8.6 Of course it would be folly to claim a 10! carmel
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  26

  Hello

  by SAMSONTHESTRONG in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been reading posts here since long time.hope to have nice and productive conversations.

  i have been a jw for a long time.

  there some interesting issues that have developed here.as time permits i will participate in some of those issues.take care you all.one thing,english is not my first language,so patient with my grammar.thanks.

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  Carmel

  Hey welcome sam.. don't worry, my grammar died a long time ago so we're in the same boat. carm