Carmel

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Posts by Carmel

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  13

  This is better than Disfellowshipping

  by purplesofa in

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  2. friends
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  Carmel

  abandoned,,,, it's called "peck order". carmel
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  17

  religion sells hope

  by Omegaman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  karl marx had it right when he said religion is opium (drug) for the people.

  think about it, when a person is on drugs they feel wonderful, they would appear happy if you asked them how they feel they would say on top of the world very happy..but the reality is they may have lost their home, bank accounts, family and have nothing tangible to show for there lives.

  does this sound familiar?.

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  Carmel

  Historically religions have focused on "personal salvation" especially Christianity. One can see clearly that Islam went beyond that and focused more on interrelationships, collective affairs, etc. The religion of my chosing goes further by emphasizing the reciprical relationship between the individual and society. Neither can progress without affecting the other. For society to advance, the individuals therein must adhere to new standards of ethics and widen their sence of "belonging" so that all humanity is seen as one family. No longer is the old paradigm of "saved vs damned" usefull or appropriate. So for me there is no "hope" unless my community and the whole world shares in a collective "salvation", but I do have complete certitude that eventually humanity will make the right choices, (most likely only after exhausting everything else) and the issues facing mankind will be addressed if for no other reason but to avoid pain. Is that "hope" or wistful thinking? In any case it doesn't end in continuous bliss, no, just the awareness that I am part of a process with which I can choose to be a part of or not. So I think religions of the past and certainly some sects and cults did and do dwell on the "candy" of false promises and vain imaginations, but that diet is without nutrition and results in bewilderment and resentment. That's not the case with ALL religions though. carmel
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  31

  I feel like bitching! :)

  by onacruse in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i laid 1500 sf of sod thursday (approx 2,000 #), and unloaded 1500 # of sand yesterday, and did a whole lot of roto-tilling and raking and dog-turd scooping, not to mention the idiot "helpers" at home depot.. anyway, my poor old body (54 years old) foolishly listened to my 18-year old brain and said (like that little devil on the shoulder): "sure, you can do it, you can do it!!!".

  lol.

  pain is life, and life is pain.

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  Carmel

  Craig, qitcherbitchin! Last week I singlehandedly dug up and piled over two hundred tree stumps, fell twenty alder trees, piled them, dug a 100 ft by 50 ft by 5 ft pond, and am working this week on digging a eleven foot wide by five foot deep ditch 195 feet long. Gotta admit my right sholder is a little weary from operating the right joy stick on my excavator!! carmel
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  16

  IS THERE EVEN A SINGLE, VERIFIABLE EXAMPLE OF.........?

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...the fulfillment of a prophecy made in the old testament?.

  http://www.infidels.org/library/magazines/tsr/1991/1/1land91.html.

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  Carmel

  Terry, You might chech out "Thief In The Night' by William Sears. Don't know if is available on line or not, but it puts a different twist on biblical prophecy. Just a thought! carmel
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  26

  Getting nervous

  by FourMs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i feel like i need to spill my feelings.

  after lurking on the site, i realize my story is like many here.

  the reason i am feeling nervous is that i have not broken the news to my parents yet about my inactivity as well as my standing as to what i think about this whole thing.

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  Carmel

  Hi 4ms, and welcome! I left the borg at age 14 and the first thing I learned was that pleasing parents or siblings has to be discarded if one wants to rid themselves of the guilt tripping and coersion. Family are the most effective in emotional sabotage as they will always see you as a person to be influenced. Funny, that's using a power for negative purposes instead of positive ones. I hope you can find the words and strategies to keep them from shunning you, but then the elders will want to make you pay for what they see as a rejection. Likely as not they will df in spite! God bless. carmel
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  16

  Two Elders at the door today; I wonder what they want?

  by MinisterAmos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i partook last night at my new congo and get the two elder visit today from my former congo.

  actually it still might be my current one as jehovah is in the process of "re-arranging" the bros. and i'm pretty sure the change is not yet "official".

  i didn't answer the door and already left orders at the gate that no freaking jws are to be admitted under any circumstances unless the homeowner specifically requests so.. anyone want to guess why they need me?

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  Carmel

  What some people will do to get a free drink!! hope the cracker was tasty!! carmel
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  18

  The first time Jesus was on Earth

  by purplesofa in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have been thinnking today, where in the bible does it say that christ will come the first time.

  and i really wonder why there was such a long wait for his arrival.

  what purpose did it serve?

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  Carmel

  So purps, are you saying you are ready for a new paradigm? The JW literalism runs into the same dead ends as that of many other sects and denomination of Xtianity.. carmel
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  18

  The first time Jesus was on Earth

  by purplesofa in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have been thinnking today, where in the bible does it say that christ will come the first time.

  and i really wonder why there was such a long wait for his arrival.

  what purpose did it serve?

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  Carmel
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  13

  It's just....oh I don't know...Werid!

  by rosiegurl in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  ok so i've been reading thru the posts here for the last week or so since i found it.

  and i just am amazed i think or i don't know...i feel something that i can't quite put my finger on.

  i was raised in 'the truth' as many here were.

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  Carmel

  mr. madman, the solution is not to consider all humans are screwed up! That's another of the JW falacies based on the old "inheritance of sin" idea that permiates Christian and cult thinking. The solution is to realize that we are all born noble THEN some screw themselves up with dubious doctrins that are self-distructive. Not all humanity, however, is stuck in that rut. carmel
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  14

  What do you feel is your greatest achievement?

  by avidbiblereader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  something simple as raising your kids?.

  schooling?

  leaving the witnesses and breaking tradition?

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  Carmel

  Truthfully, I think keeping an open mind even though I was brainwashed early on first by JWs then later on by college professors that want you to believe everything they do. Being skeptical and open minded to me are the hallmarks of true scientific thinking. It's helped me to be tolerant of all kinds of folks that only see their own world view as valid. carmel