kid-A

Joined

• started 81 topics
• posted 2,938 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by kid-A

• 
  18

  Why didn't someone warn me?

  by slimboyfat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my god i thought i was going to have a heart attack!

  why didn't someone warn me there was going to be a talk on "how to identify an apostate" tonight?.

  well i am just lucky the brother didn't mention the tell tale signs of firstly, clutching your chest at the surprise when you hear title of the talk, then grabbing hold of the seat like you are on a nose-diving airplane for its duration.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  "Any other apostates out there caught out by tonight's talk? Think it was a deliberate ploy to flush us out? "

  If you're sitting inside a Kingdumb Hall you are already INSIDE a toilet bowl, so "flushing you out" would be a mechanical impossibility.
• 
  20

  As An Atheist: Finding Real Spirituality After JWs

  by Seeker4 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've written on here several times about how the witnesses have a really shallow spirituality.

  remember how there were spiritual activities, "sacred service" as it was often called - bible study, prayer, meetings and field service - and everything else was considered not a spiritual activity, not sacred service?

  they toyed with expanding the 'sacred service' definition for a short time.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  "It is strange that it was only when I left religion and stopped believing in a god that I began to fully begin to understand the true spiritual nature of humankind."

  Given that all human experiences, real or imagined, are ultimately reducible to neurochemical synaptic communication, I would be curious if anybody could provide a non-nebulous, meaningful definition of "spirituality" that can be demonstrated beyond mere sociocultural conditioning. We have now even identified the precise regions of the cerebral cortex responsible for generating so-called "religious" experiences.

  IMHO, "spirituality" is just the ugly cousin of "theism" and spirituality by its very definition necessitates a belief in the supernatural, which would make a believer in said phenomena a "pan-deist" or possibly "agnostic" but certainly not an "atheist".

  I would certainly agree their is a collective, sociocultural "spiritual" trait present in human culture, but I strongly disagree that there exists any intrinsic "spiritual" nature in modern homo sapiens that cannot be explained by cultural conditioning.

  I would further add that those insisting on using terminology such as "spritual" or "divine essence", etc etc, are simply replacing one form of psychological anesthesia (belief in a sky-god) with another (belief in some ill-defined, nebulous "force" that represents some hypothetical "pure" essence)......
• 
  171

  The vote is in: SCIENCE vs RELIGION......who won?

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  history has demonstrated:.

  religion is following orders by implicitly trusting someone or something.. science asks questions.. religion purports to answer questions.. science seeks to disprove its own conclusions.. religion seeks to reinforce its own dogma.. science is error-correction toward adjusting for realities as they unfold.. religion internalizes against reality by mocking up a substitute.. science is the most recent development of the human mind.

  technology proves science to be successful in advancing human progress.. religion disdains human progress and waits for the end.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  Psychology is not a science. Psychiatry is not a science. There are behavioral studies, experiments and data involved but no predictability as in the REAL sciences.

  LMAOROTFL !!!! I think you've been reading too much "Scientology" literature Terry, or perhaps watching too many Tom Cruise interviews.

  Both Psychology and Psychiatry are UNEQUIVOCALLY hard scientific disciplines that strictly adhere to classic modes of experimentation requiring hypotheses, experimentation, null hypotheses, dependent AND independent variables. ALL research findings in BOTH fields are submitted to peer-reviewed journals. If you have any lingering doubts about this simply take a look at any of the following independent journals: American Journal of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry, Journal of Clinical Psychology, Molecular Psychiatry, Psychiatric Genetics, and I could add HUNDREDS more. Since I have personally published my work in TWO of the above journals, I can assure the editorial and review process is as rigorous as those found in any other field of scientific inquiry.

  Your comment regarding "predictability in the REAL sciences" betrays a fundamental misunderstanding about the scientific method common amongst those who have never performed a scientific experiment or had their research peer-reviewed and published. We DONT make "predictions" a priori....this would be the opposite intellectual approach one would make when designing an experiment. We ALWAYS assume our results are UNPREDICTABLE, which is precisely why we use the concept of the "null hypothesis". "Predictability" falls within the domain of Tarot card readers, not scientists formulating an experimental program.
• 
  37

  The Governing Body and the Anointed

  by greendawn in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  according to jw theory all those taking the memorial emblems are part of the body of christ and therefore should participate in the status and functions of the anointed.

  if we are to say that some of these "anointed" are just fruitcakes or spiritually immature, what about all the rest?

  why are they so invisible, nowhere heard or seen contributing to these anointed functions?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  "frannie, and greendawn, just to clarify: I'm not saying that I haven't shared, and even may now share, your feelings about the motives of the men who lead the WTS...but, at least for myself, what I see in these feelings about those men, and those who preceded them, is nothing more than my mere conjecture. Having met some of them, I could just as easily assert that they are completely sincere in what they believe, and in what they do...and I'd be equally without evidence for such."

  And so what? Greendawn and Frannie have simply stated their opinions based upon their experiences and the data they have available. I've met a couple of them too, and in my opinion, they came across as arrogant pricks with messiah complexes. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you're wrong, but we are all free to create our own estimations. Ultimately, we must base our opinions of others motivations on conjectures we derive from observations and evidence.

  These individuals, COLLECTIVELY, oversee policies and enforce doctrines that have led to the deaths of thousands of innocent children and adults over decades, a scandalous cover-up of sexual abuse due to the 2-witness judicial doctrine not too mention the destruction of thousands of familial relationships.

  I have no doubt they are "sincere" in what they believe, and in my estimation the nature of these beliefs more than justifies ad hominen attacks on these self-proclaimed "spokesmen for god".....
• 
  37

  What drives you nuts?

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i hate anything too complicated.. i,m mr. simple.

  .

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  "Kid-A, try a Sears Kenmore product or Frigidaire."

  Thanks Frannie, I'll check them out.
• 
  49

  Professed Atheists who have helped society

  by RWC in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there seem to be quite a number of atheists who comment here.

  when they argue how bad religion has been for society they point to actions done in the name of religion that are indeed horrific, such as the inqusitions.

  there are also examples of course of non believers who have done great damage to society.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  Authors

  Asimov. Bierce.

  • Douglas Adams (1952–2001): British radio and television writer, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. [17]
  • Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914?): American writer, author of The Devil's Dictionary. [18]
  • Vardis Fisher (1895–1968): American writer, scholar. Author of atheistic Testament of Man series. [19]
  • Jan Guillou (1944–): Swedish author and Jounalist. [20]
  • Sam Harris (1967—): American author, researcher in neuroscience, author of The End of Faith. [21]
  • Harry Harrison (1925—): American Science Fiction author, anthologist and artist whose short story "The Streets of Ashkelon" took as its hero an atheist who tries to prevent a Christian missionary from indoctrinating a tribe of irreligious but ingenuous alien beings. [22]
  • Christopher Hitchens (1949—): Author, journalist and essayist. [23]
  • Michel Houellebecq (1958—) : French novelist. [24]
  • S. T. Joshi (1958—): American editor and literary critic. [25]
  • Ludovic Kennedy (1919—): British journalist, author, and campaigner for voluntary euthanasia. [26]
  • Stanislaw Lem (1921–2006): Polish science fiction novelist and essayist. [27]
  • Primo Levi (1919–1987): Italian novelist and chemist, survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp. [28]
  • Pierre Loti (1850–1923): French novelist and travel writer. [29]
  • Joseph McCabe (1867–1955): English writer, anti-religion campaigner. [30]
  • China Miéville (1972—): British Science Fiction author. [31]
  • Camille Paglia (1947—): American post-feminist literary and cultural critic. [32]
  • Terry Pratchett (1948—): English Fantasy author known for his satiricalDiscworld series. [33]
  • Philip Pullman (1946—): CBE, British author of His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy for young adults. [34]
  • Ayn Rand (1905–1982): Russian-born American author and founder of Objectivism. [35]
  • Ron Reagan (1958—): American magazine journalist, board member of the politically activistic Creative Coalition, son of former U. S. President Ronald Reagan. [36]
  • Salman Rushdie (1947—): Indian-born British essayist and author of fiction. [37]
  • Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822): British Romantic poet, contemporary and associate of John Keats and Lord Byron, and author of The Necessity of Atheism. [38]
  • Warren Allen Smith (1921—): Author of Who's Who in Hell. [39]
  • Ibn Warraq (1946—): Best-selling author and secularist scholar of Islam currently living in the United States. He is a Muslim apostate and an outspoken critic of Islam who has written extensively on what he views as the oppressive nature of Islam. [40]

  Business

  Carnegie.

  • Sir Richard Branson (1950—): British entrepreneur, founder of the Virgin Group. [41]
  • Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919): Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist, sometimes described as the wealthiest man who ever lived. [42]
  • Larry Flynt (1942—): Founder of Hustler Magazine. [43]
  • George Soros (1930—): Hungarian-born investor, philanthropist and writer. [44]

  Comedians

  Allen

  • Woody Allen (1935—): American film director, actor and comedian. In a column in The New Yorker entitled "My Philosophy," Allen wrote: "Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends." [13]
  • George Carlin (1937—): American comedian, actor and author. Outspoken atheist, described religion as having "the best bullshit story ever told", that "there's an invisible man living in the sky." [45]
  • David Cross (1964—): American actor and comedian. [46]
  • Kathy Griffin (1963—): American comedian. [47]
  • Patton Oswalt (1969—): American actor and comedian. [48]
  • Penn Jillette (1955—): American actor, comedian, and Magician
  • Julia Sweeney (1961—): American actor and comedian. Alumna of Saturday Night Live, author/performer of a one-woman autobiographical stage show about finding atheism: Letting Go of God. [49]

  Film, radio and television

  Buñuel (caricature) .

  • Phillip Adams (1939—): Australian broadcaster, writer, film-maker, left-wing radical thinker, iconoclast, Australian Humanist of the Year 1987. [50]
  • Brannon Braga (1965–): American TV producer and writer, creator of Star Trek: Enterprise. [51]
  • Luis Buñuel (1900–1983): Spanish-born Mexican film-maker, activist of the surrealist movement. Known for his one-liner, "Thank God I'm still an atheist." [52]
  • Stanley Donen (1924—): American film director, best known for his musicals including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Singin' in the Rain; awarded honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement. [53]
  • Ricky Gervais (1961—): British actor, co-creator of the original version of The Office; appears as the Curator in the 2006 film, Night at the Museum. [54]
  • Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003): American actress, who appeared in 53 films from 1932 to 1994; winner of four Academy Awards for Best Actress. [55]
  • John Humphrys (1943—): British radio and television presenter who hosted a series of programmes interviewing religious leaders, Humphrys in Search of God. [56]
  • Jamie Hyneman (1956—): co-host of MythBusters. [57]
  • Skandar Keynes (1991—): English actor (Chronicles of Narnia films). [58]
  • Tom Leykis (1956—): radio talk-show host. [59]
  • Paul Mazursky (1930—) American director, producer and actor [60]
  • Gene Roddenberry (1921—1991): American scriptwriter and producer, creator of Star Trek. [61]
  • Robert Smith (1972—): former Minnesota Vikingsrunning back and NFL Networkfootball analyst. [62]
  • Teller (1948—): American magician and co-host of Bullshit!. [63]
  • Joss Whedon (1964—): American screenwriter and director, most famous for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer. [64]

  Music

  Rimsky-Korsakov

  • David Gilmour (1946—) English guitarist and vocalist with Pink Floyd. [65]
  • Kathleen Hanna (1969—): front woman of the 1990s band Bikini Kill and currently Le Tigre. [66]
  • Stephan Jenkins (1964—): Musician, lead singer for the American rock band, Third Eye Blind. [67]
  • Lemmy (1945—): English rock singer and bass guitarist, most famous for founding the heavy metal band Motörhead . [68]
  • Gary Numan (1958—): British New Wave and industrial musician whose albums Sacrifice (1994), Exile (1997), Pure (2000), and Jagged (2006) mock and condemn religious beliefs. [69]
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908): Russian Nationalist composer, member of "The Five", best-known for the tone poemScheherazade. [70]
  • Ned Rorem (1923—) American composer [71]

  Philosophy

  Diderot. Marx. Nietzsche.

  • Mikhail Bakunin (1814–1876): Russian philosopher, writer and anarchist. [72]
  • Albert Camus (1913–1960): French philosopher and novelist, a luminary of existentialism. [13]
  • Benedetto Croce (1886–1952): Italian philosopher and public figure. [73]
  • Daniel Dennett (1942—): American philosopher, author of Breaking the Spell [74]
  • Diagoras (5th century BCE): Ancient Greekpoet and sophist known as the Atheist of Milos, who declared that there were no Gods. [75]
  • Denis Diderot (1713–84): editor-in-chief of the Encyclopédie, who succeeded in bringing about "a revolution in men's minds." [76]
  • Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach (1804–1872): German philosopher whose major work, The Essence of Christianity (1841), maintains that religion and divinity are projections of human nature. [77]
  • Claude Adrien Helvétius (1715–71): French philosopher whose ethical and social views helped shape the school of utilitarianism later made famous by Jeremy Bentham. [76]
  • Baron d'Holbach (1723–89): French philosopher and encyclopedist, most famous as being one of the first outspoken atheists in Europe. [78]
  • Karl Marx (1818–83): German-Jewish author of Das Kapital, known for his assertion that "Religion is... the opium of the people." [79]
  • Jean Meslier (1678–1733): French village Catholic priest who was found, on his death, to have written a book-length philosophical essay, entitled Common Sense but commonly referred to as Meslier's Testament, promoting atheism. [80] [81]
  • Julien Offray de La Mettrie (1709–51): French physician and philosopher, earliest materialist writer of the Enlightenment, claimed as a founder of cognitive science. [82]
  • Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900): German Existentialist philosopher who wrote Beyond Good and Evil, which attempted to refute traditional notions of morality. Nietzsche is forever associated with the phrase, "God is dead" (first seen in his book, Die fröhliche Wissenschaft). [83]
  • Piergiorgio Odifreddi (1950—): Italian mathematician, philosopher and science writer. [84]
  • Bertrand Russell, (1872–1970): British philosopher and mathematician. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950. Though he considered himself an agnostic in a purely philosophical context, he said that the label atheist conveyed a more accurate understanding of his views in a popular context. [85]
  • Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980): Frenchexistentialistphilosopher, dramatist and novelist who declared that he had been an atheist from age twelve. Although he regarded God as a self-contradictory concept, he still thought of it as an ideal toward which people strive. [86] He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964. According to Sartre, his most-repeated summary of his existentialist philosophy, "Existence precedes essence," implies that humans must abandon traditional notions of having been designed by a divine creator. [87]
  • Peter Singer (1946—): Australianutilitarianphilosopher, proponent of animal rights, and Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. [88]

  Politics and law

  Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891): A political activist and one of the most famous English atheists of the 19th century. [89]

  • Robin Cook (1946–2005): Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs of the UK 1997–2001, whose funeral service was held in the High Kirk of Scotland, where he was described as a "Presbyterian atheist." [90] ;
  • Mikhail Gorbachev (1931—):Former Soviet president and 1991-Nobel-laureate in Peace. [91]
  • Aleksander Kwasniewski (1954—): Former President of Poland (1995-2005). [92]
  • Alexander Lukashenko (1954—): President of Belarus, self-described "Russian Orthodox atheist." [93]
  • Joseph Stalin (1879–1953): Soviet head of state. [94]

  Science and technology

  Curie. Dawkins. Freud. Watson.

  • Paul D. Boyer (1918—): Americanbiochemist and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 1997. [95]
  • Francis Crick (1916–2004): 1962-Nobel-laureate co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, who described himself as a skeptic and an agnostic with "a strong inclination towards atheism." [96]
  • Marie Curie (1867–1934): Nobel Laureate in Physics (1903) and Chemistry (1911). First woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize, only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific disciplines. [97]
  • Richard Dawkins (1941—): British zoologist, biologist, creator of the concepts of the selfish gene and the meme; outspoken atheist and popularizer of science, author of The God Delusion and founder of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. [98]
  • Richard Feynman (1918–1988): American 1965-Nobel-laureatetheoretical physicist. [99]
  • Sigmund Freud (1856–1939): Father of psychoanalysis. [100]
  • Christer Fuglesang (1957—), Swedishastronaut and physicist, identified as an atheist in a Dagens Nyheter interview. [101]
  • Vitaly Ginzburg (1916—): 2003 Nobel Laureate in Physics. [102]
  • Alfred Kinsey (1894–1956): American biologist, sexologist and professor of entomology and zoology. [103]
  • Frédéric Joliot-Curie (1900–1958): Frenchphysicist and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 1935. [104]
  • Irène Joliot-Curie (1897–1956): French scientist, the daughter of Marie and Pierre Curie and the wife of Frédéric Joliot-Curie, and Nobel laureate in Chemistry in 1935. [105]
  • Harold Kroto (1939—): 1996 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. [106]
  • Sean M. Carroll (1956—): Theoretical cosmologist specializing in dark energy and general relativity. [107]
  • Richard Leakey (1944—): Kenyan paleontologist, archaeologist and conservationist. [108]
  • Jonathan Miller (1934—): British physician, actor, theatre and operadirector, and (latterly) television presenter. Wrote and presented the 2004 television series, Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief, exploring the roots of his own atheism and investigating the history of atheism in the world. [109]
  • Peter D. Mitchell (1920–1992): 1978-Nobel-laureate British biochemist. Atheist mother, and himself atheist from age 15. [110]
  • Paul Nurse (1949—): 2001 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine. [111]
  • Linus Pauling (1901–1994): Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (1954) and Peace (1962). Near-discoverer of the structure of DNA. [112]
  • Steven Pinker (1954—): American psychologist. [113]
  • Amartya Kumar Sen (1933—): 1998 Nobel Laureate in Economics. [114] [115] [116] [117]
  • Claude Shannon (1916–2001): American electrical engineer and mathematician, has been called "the father of information theory", and was the founder of practical digital circuit design theory. [118]
  • Michael Smith (1932–2000): British-born Canadian biochemist and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 1993. [119]
  • Richard Stallman (1953—): Americansoftware freedomactivist, hacker, and software developer. [120]
  • Linus Torvalds (1969—): Finnishsoftware engineer, creator of Linux. [121]
  • James D. Watson (1928—), 1962-Nobel-laureate co-discover of the structure of DNA, identified as an atheist in a Newsweek commentary by his acquaintance, Rabbi Marc Gellman. [122]
  • Steven Weinberg (1933—): 1979 Nobel Laureate in Physics. [123]

  AND THOUSANDS MORE.......
• 
  37

  What drives you nuts?

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i hate anything too complicated.. i,m mr. simple.

  .

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  My piece of crap refrigerator from the fine folks at "GE"....4 years old and the bloody thing has started buzzing like a jet-liner taking off so I have to shell out ANOTHER 2 grand for a new fridge!!!!!
• 
  31

  Question for Believers: How can God be PERFECT?

  by kid-A in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  several weeks ago the issue of god's 'perfect nature' came up on a thread.

  the concept of "perfection" is a persistent in vitually all faith traditions and theological constructs.. jws in particular, have an obsession with the concept of perfection and use it regularly in their propaganda: "live forever in a perfect paradise earth"; "live forever in perfect health"; "humans and animals will live together in perfect harmony", etc etc...... the point was raised about the possibility or impossibility of god being perfect.

  if we begin with the basic judaeo-christian tenet that god created the universe from nothingness, then he is the designer and creator of every single entity, sentient or non-sentient, and object within reality.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  "The point is that if your attempt is to disprove God's existance with logic there is really no point because God is love and love is not logical."

  This is simply a completely circular argument and fails to address any of the questions in the primary post. Regardless of my atheism, the point of the thread is to address the issue as to the possibility of God being "perfect" given his role as "causa sui" of the universe and its contents, including evil.....This really is beyond the question of Gods existence, this is essentially a question directed specifically at believers as to the intrinsic NATURE of Gods essence, if one chooses to believe in said deity.
• 
  31

  Question for Believers: How can God be PERFECT?

  by kid-A in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  several weeks ago the issue of god's 'perfect nature' came up on a thread.

  the concept of "perfection" is a persistent in vitually all faith traditions and theological constructs.. jws in particular, have an obsession with the concept of perfection and use it regularly in their propaganda: "live forever in a perfect paradise earth"; "live forever in perfect health"; "humans and animals will live together in perfect harmony", etc etc...... the point was raised about the possibility or impossibility of god being perfect.

  if we begin with the basic judaeo-christian tenet that god created the universe from nothingness, then he is the designer and creator of every single entity, sentient or non-sentient, and object within reality.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  Theology has debated this one throughout history. Perhaps the Gnostic idea of a radical dualism is the most balanced, but it doesn't satisfy our innate desire that the good guy ultimately wins, while acknowledging that we tend to make mistakes. Hence mitigated dualism would perhaps take account of our deficiencies, leading to the acceptance of a correspondingly "bigger and better" deity.

  Ross, you theological egg-head! Please expand on these definitions of radical and 'mitigated' dualism....I am completely ignorant.
• 
  31

  Question for Believers: How can God be PERFECT?

  by kid-A in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  several weeks ago the issue of god's 'perfect nature' came up on a thread.

  the concept of "perfection" is a persistent in vitually all faith traditions and theological constructs.. jws in particular, have an obsession with the concept of perfection and use it regularly in their propaganda: "live forever in a perfect paradise earth"; "live forever in perfect health"; "humans and animals will live together in perfect harmony", etc etc...... the point was raised about the possibility or impossibility of god being perfect.

  if we begin with the basic judaeo-christian tenet that god created the universe from nothingness, then he is the designer and creator of every single entity, sentient or non-sentient, and object within reality.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  kid-A

  "God of course, being Ulitimate Holiness, did not create evil, because in a sense "evil" actually cannot be created. It is the natural consequence of the removal of that which is created, good. This is where semantics breaks down and philosophical concepts become muddied."

  Interesting point Moggy. But please answer, how that which cannot be created, ever "exist"? Clearly, evil exists in the moral universe of the christian, muslim, jew, what have you. In that sense, EVIL is either the "nature" or underlying motivation of an "action", or simply a descriptor for a state of affairs (i.e. the present day world, according to the JWs)...

  Yes, semantics do break down but semantics ultimately define ones moral compass particularly when one relies upon a "holy text" to define ones moral continuum. In terms of the removal of good equation, could I not just as easily state that "good" is what is left when "evil" is removed? The point is, why should "goodness" be a pre-condition for the existence of evil, given that God essentially "blames the devil" (his own creation BTW) for the emergence of evil upon the earth?