Posts by cellomould

18

When Did Cultism Start in Christianity?

by onacruse in

as i salvage and reformulate my beliefs, i'm exploring all possibilities.

one that i've pondered lately: could it be that cultism actually started within a mere 20 years after jesus?.

consider the first 20 years: jesus's message was very very simple (2 "laws" and a handful of "directives").

cellomould

Hey Craig,

I'd postulate that the cult was alive and kicking as soon as Jesus died, if not sooner.

I think the resurrection was simply that his followers kept sensing his presence in strangers... Why did 'doubting' Thomas not recognize him at first?

How many people saw him? At first, only a few...then he kept 'appearing' to various people.

I think the early disciples had reincarnation or spiritual presence in mind more than bodily resurrection. Needless to say, I think they were all operating under the influence of powerful suggestion and/or other factors.

cellmould

{edited to add this link: http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/maccoby.htm

read that article, it's quite insightful...about what Jesus' objective just may have been.}

Edited by - cellomould on 18 January 2003 6:29:17

75

Name Something Positive About Being A Witness

by minimus in

jw
friends

can you do it?

cellomould

It is the TRUTH!

4

Fear of the Dark

by cellomould in

jw
friends

we fear that we are more likely to be victims of crime at night...what do the statistics say?.

well, check out this website for starters:.

http://www.syz.com/rasc/lp/ncrime.html.

cellomould

We fear that we are more likely to be victims of crime at night...what do the statistics say?

Well, check out this website for starters:

http://www.syz.com/rasc/lp/ncrime.html
A whole industry has sprung up around "security" lighting, feeding on the public's fear of darkness, foisting poorly designed, glare-prone, overly bright light fixtures on a public that has blended its justifiable concern for property and personal safety with a misplaced fear of darkness. Feelings about darkness are so entrenched that the words "security lighting" are accepted unquestionably as a positive description of these light fixtures. Yet, think about the very similar "security blanket." This conjures up images of youngsters with a misplaced faith in the protective properties of their favourite "blanky" or Charles Shulz's famous Peanuts' character, Linus, and his indispensable fabric. Remember laughing at the trouble Linus' "security blanket" got him into with the rambunctious Snoopy? Charles Shulz loved to remind us of the difference between belief and actuality with these antics.
"Security" lighting is primarily about making the purchasers feel better - not necessarily improving their odds with criminals.

By the way, I was walking home at around 12:00 midnight the other day when a guy in a white car tried to pick me up. I am a guy too, in case anyone was wondering!

Well, I wasn't feeling as lonely as he was that night, so I told him off. ( I guess my reaction would have been different if he was twice my size...probably would have run!)

cellmould

280

UN FINDS WMD...OK saddam lovers, what now?

by dolphman in

ok lets hear your pathetic excuses.

c'mon now don't be shy.

let's hear what you have to say.

cellomould

Why do people keep talking about 'Saddam killing his own people'?

One thing needs to be made clear: U.S. foreign policy isn't interested in ending genocide all around the world. A good example was the continued support of Indonesia despite that governments' very sinister deeds in East Timor. Read about how the U.S. and other nations frustrated the goals of UN resolutions. http://www.officeoftheamericas.org/books/genocide_in_paradise/genocide_9.htm

Back to the subject of Iraq...here is a good article from an insider at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS)

http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/other/unleash.htm

It describes the circumstances under which Saddam would be most likely to use and/or sell to terrorists weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

cellmould

7

another strange quote.

by greven in

jw
friends

i found another strange quote (the other one is located in satan's gospel) in the finished mystery:.

*** the finished mystery 296-7 (not yet on cd-rom) *** .

that the lord made no mistake in selecting the locust as a symbol of the methodist system of blindly following leaders is clear from the following extract ()these locusts always hopped straight ahead, deviating neither to the right nor left, and on coming to a house went up its stone walls, over it and down it, as if it were a level place, and in such inconceivable numbers that an american resident described the noise of the great host passing over the roof as like to that of a tremendous hailstorm.

cellomould

That is a real keeper, Greven...what year was that book published, by the way?

cellmould

24

Apple Pie

by Vivamus in

jw
friends

i really, really dislike making apple pie.

after two or three of those things, my kitchen looks like a warzone, my hands are greasy, my clothes covered in smears of butter and melted sugar.

i really dislike making them.

cellomould

Viv,

Save me some apple pie! My birthday is this Thursday.

I am going to have a HUGE BIRTHDAY PARTY!

cellmould

81

Whats your favorite music?

by Stefanie in

jw
friends

whats everbodys favorite band, or song?

i like rock.

favorite song of all time is jumper from third eye blind.

cellomould

Hi Heaven,

Yep, it's been a long time. I have been busy, as I am sure you have, so I am usually more of a lurker here.

Well, playing my cello sounds like a darned good idea.

I would like to buy myself a pickup and amplifier to do cool effects for my cello. It is my birthday this week, so maybe I'll surprise myself. (look what I forgot I bought for me!)

how have you been?

cellmould

19

Onacruse and Bikerchic Experience Landmark Forum

by onacruse in

jw
friends

katie and i just finished a 3-day marathon "the landmark education forum.

let me just say, our "cult" red lights began flashing big-time within the first 1/2 day.

cellomould started a jw.com thread about this "forum" last year http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=22167&site=3 nobody came back about any experiences with landmark.

cellomould

I tried to explain to the forum leader at Landmark (which was about two years ago) how involvement in the Forum was helping me get over my previous religious 'cult' experience. Needless to say, she seemed unflattered by my comments. I suspect she was hiding her reaction to what I was saying, as she tended to avoid direct eye contact with me or anyone else. (Did you guys notice this?)

As much as I saw through everything the entire time, I still enjoyed the experience. I understood human nature a good deal better afterward. I understood the difference between myself and my JW friends and family.

And overcoming inhibitions (by sharing experiences with strangers, for example) was cool.

But I absolutely hated the crass salesmanship.

I think the worst thing about it is that you are promised success through independence, but in reality you are offered success (acceptance in disguise) through dependence.

One other thing...there is always someone at these types of seminars who is adamantly opposed to being actively involved...then they make a 180 and say they loved it so much and they were so sorry they got angry. Kinda fishy, I'd say.

thanks for your comments (and e-mail)

cellmould

81