Posts by Roger

7

JWs take on Ice Age?

by Inquisitor in

...not the computer animation!.

when i was a jw kid, i got the impression that jws (like other die-hard creationists) attributed all evidences of an ice age to the noachian flood.

problem is, that point of view seems to think that the polar ice caps are the only natural phenomenon that needed explanation (read "explaining away").. the noachian flood perspective does not explain what large glaciers are doing in places like papua new guniea or new zealand.. the same biblical explanation also does not address the evidence for multiple (~4?

Roger

I agree OTWO, it's not profitable to overanalyze the half-baked attempts to explain scientific phenomenon in line with biblical ideas. And don't forget, if there's ever a conflict, it's god you should rely on and not haughty and arrogant men.

Just last weekend, I was at my (witness) parents house playing Trivial Pursuit with them and a couple of their old friends from the hall (who are all remarkably tolerant of me). We've generally reached quite a civil level of relationship, don't bring up inflammatory topics so much, but this night there came up a question on Quantum Theory, that radiation energy is released in 'discrete packets', not just waves.

My dad was a little tipsy by this point, and obviously forgot our conventions. 'Packets?', he exclaimed. 'Doesn't that imply someone has to package them, like a Designer?'

I have to admit, I was a little surprised, and entirely sober, and didn't want to make an issue there and then, when I felt I could have taken him apart in front of his friends. So I just muttered something about it being an intrinsic property of energy, but wish I could have come up with something a little more punchy. This was MY domain, and I am not having them taking clumsy punches at the mass of scientific knowledge on the back of some crap they've read in the Awake. Their 'science' is nothing of the sort, and they KNOW that, and turn a blind eye to it.

Sorry about the hi-jack, glad I got that bee out my bonnet.

28

Do You Get Any Pleasure Out of the Holidays Since Leaving the Watchtower?

by jayhawk1 in

yesterday was my crappy birthday, http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/20/127389/1.ashx and while the evening went along, i realized something.

i've been out of the watchtower for about 6 years now and i still don't enjoy the holidays or my birthday.

i can't recall one time saying to myself, "wow, that was so much fun.

Roger

I know what you mean jayhawk, but I do derive some pleasure from some events.

I find that when I'm wished Merry Christmas or Happy New Year, it sticks in my throat a little when I return the compliments, I know that's definitely a JW hangover. I have quite like the run-up to christmas and new year, seeing others in a festive spirit. I quite like work parties and the like. The actual days are invariably anticlimatic.

Easter and Valentines Day, couldn't care less about. I do like Halloween, like the darkness and autumness about it all. And I love Bonfire Night, I don't think that travels over the pond though, does it?

Birthdays are for other people. Not so bothered about my own, in fact I get vaguely embarrassed about the fuss, but birthday's are for everyone to have their own special day; a time for others to say 'We appreciate you', and I think that's nice because we don't do it any other time. And if that's their only function, that'll do me.

Oh, and kids. Kids love any holiday.

35

Why animals die?

by EzroJP in

i know why human beings die, but why animals die?.

did they commit anything wrong according to the laws of god, so they have to die?.

Roger

The doctrine that the "wages of sin is death" fails upon close examination, doesn't it?

Pretty superficial examination even, Nathan

It amazes me that this is a point the simplest child can pick up on, yet adults can accept these bizarre doctrine through some sort of orwellian doublethink and tortured theological reasoning. And ideas like 'animals have to die otherwise the earth will be over-run' is kind of circular, isn't it? Presuming everything alive is immortal by default. If bacteria die, worms die and dogs die then humans must die.

107

Can we talk? . . .

by exwitless in

hey, this is under jokes and humor, so don't get too offended.

i just wanted to vent about how people say things incorrectly, such as pronouncing things wrong or saying phrases wrong.

i'll start, and if you have any to add, please feel free.

Roger

Brilliant, I've thoroughly enjoyed this too. Of course, I take it all in the spirit in which it was intended.

A few of my own; when someone says they've 'learned' someone something instead of teaching them, or 'lent' an item when they borrowed.

Or when they 'won' someone else in a race instead of beat them.

And what about 'pacifically' instead of specifically.

And my point of the moment is 'less' instead of 'fewer'. Lynn Truss says she refuses to patronise supermarkets which have tills for 'ten items or less' when it should be fewer. [The rule is it's 'fewer' when there's more than one item (such as 'fewer people') but 'less' when it's a smaller amount of a single item ('less of a crowd'). It took me a little while to get the hang of, but once I did, it stick's out like a sore thumb.]

I'm terrified now about getting this post accurate, and realise that those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, but just can't resist it. I would never correct someone I didn't know well, and make sure they always know the spirit I offer it in.

And I LOVE prostate for prostrate, but sometimes have to correct myself before it slips out .

10

My most favorite commercial ever...

by kittyeatzjdubs in

jw
friends

i'm normally a somewhat cynical person and tend to be annoyed by commercials....but the first time i saw this commercial, i dropped what i was doing and had to watch it.

then i had to get on the internet and find the extended version.

i don't know if it's the music, the color, or just the beauty of it all combined, but this is the only commercial that can bring tears to my eyes everytime i watch it.. oh....and the song is ''heartbeats'' by jose gonzales.

Roger

Lovely tune, that 'Heartbeats'. Nice ad too.

This here is one of mine, certainly in the top three. It's an Australian ad for Carlton beer, and it was on TV during my time in Oz last year, so loaded with good memories too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZslkC4y2qY

Hope that works.

14

apostafest uk?

by pobthespazz in

jw
friends

to all the folks in the uk, will anyone be organizing a fest any time this year , perhaps an apostacurry or apostachinese?

Roger

I would love to go to an apostafest, and have two brothers (real brothers, not that kind) who would come too. I'm up in the north east (that's your territory, Gadget) but am prepared to travel. I've been wanting to go to one for a long time, but have only recently started posting again after a bit of a sabbatical,

10

Try a few 'finger ' exercises of your own!!!

by Gill in

do you remember the talks about meeting attendance?.

the meetings were likened to the five fingers of the hand.

with these five fingers, a person was able to grip their spirituality, represented by the brother giving the talk holding his bible firmly and it would be a good sign of their spiritual strength therefore that they attended all five meetings.. however, if one meeting was missed, the grip on the bible/spirituality would be weaker.

Roger

I remember that analogy too, I think I was quite impressed at the time, though now I truely wonder about the relevance. I mean, can't you make an analogy mean anything? I remember one talk about 'bouncing your sack', refering to the fact you can get more, rubbish say, in a bag if you bounce it up and down. And this was used to ask if you were getting out on the ministry enough, could you do more, even if you think your 'sack is full'. I mean, what is the relevance in that?

11

Over eating yes, smoking no...why?

by Justice-One in

jw
friends

why does the society hate smoking so much?

because it is "defiling" the body?

if that is the case, what about drinking coffee, or over-eating?

Roger

From a medical point of view, there's no such thing as 'safe' level of tobacco consumption, where there is for food and alcohol. I believe the WHO say that cigarettes are the only legally available product that will kill half of it's users if used in the way it is meant. So tobacco is definitely the worst of those vices.

That's an interesting point on spiritism, I didn't realise they linked tobacco to that (but do remember the threat about drugs from the Paradise book, Crumpet. A catch-all threat, akin to the Catholic Church's love of hell).

22

WERE YOU A SICK WITNESS???

by minimus in

jw
friends

while you were a jw, were you generally feeling ill?

------did you know of persons that were initially pretty healthy but got depressed and sick because they never felt they could do enough??

?

Roger

On the topic of mental illness, we had a lot of people in the congregation who were 'bad with their nerves' (not sure if this is a British or north-eastern expression), which generally meant they were anxious, depressed or both. These people would often come to the Hall with the classic triad of neck collar, dark glasses and walking stick, which nearly always implies a psychosomatic component to their physical symptoms. In retrospect, we had a lot of quite seriously (mentally) ill too, schizophrenics and bipolar plus a whole range of other problems. I never worked out though, how much of this was induced, how much inherited and also how many ill people were attracted to the witnesses, or actually encouraged to the hall as vulnerable 'interested' ones, people who just needed some support.

10

An Overdue Return

by Roger in

jw
friends

dear all,.

hi, i'm roger, and it's been about two years since i posted on here, though i've kept an eye on the forum to keep up with the zeitgeist.

i've been reading a lot recently, and have felt i'd like to add some points of my own, but when it's been so long i felt it difficult before making some kind of apology for my absence.

Roger

Thanks for the welcome guys.