Posts by ThomasCovenant

54

I am new here too!

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

for a long while i have been coming to this site on a daily basis and i think it is time to introduce myself.

here we go: my parents learned the truth when i was 4 and i don't have childhood memories of how life was before they converted.

i was a model jw child, although quite mischievous at school.

Tribute to Kim Clijsters

by Leolaia in

today is kim clijsters' birthday and a month ago she announced her retirement from tennis.

i remember the week she was born very well.

i have watched tennis since the late '70s, and i remember when billie jean king was a star, when jimmy connors was a hot new thing, and when "virginia slims" matches were shown on wtbs.

ThomasCovenant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfIbH7ssv5Q

49

Do all religions think there's is the only true one?

by Snoozy in

is there any religions out there that actually think that any religion is good as long as you worship?.

or do they all think the other religions are under the control of satan/the devil.. funny, i knew that the jw's felt that way but never really thought about the other religions.. is there any humble enough to admit they don't have all the truth and aren't any better than any other religion?.

that's the one i want to join... snoozy.

ThomasCovenant

If there is a god or gods, surely it is the height of arrogance for any human being to claim that they 'know' how it wants to be worshipped or followed.

To my simple way of thinking, religious people, that is all religious people of all creeds and denominations are by default the most arrogant people on earth.

Many of them are very humble and kind wonderful people, but still, in my opinion, extremely arrogant.

4

Vatican letter on sex abuse from '97 revealed

by Yizuman in

confidential message to irish clergy could feed lawsuits around worldlast updated: tuesday, january 18, 2011 | 6:34 pm et comments264recommend159the associated pressthe vatican intervened in a 1997 letter, obtained by the associated press this week, to advise the irish church against reporting all allegations of sexual abuse by clergy to the police.

(associated press)a newly revealed 1997 letter from the vatican warned ireland's catholic bishops not to report all suspected child-abuse cases to police a disclosure with the potential to fuel more lawsuits worldwide against the vatican, which has long denied any involvement in coverups.. the letter, obtained by irish broadcasters rte and provided to the associated press, documents the vatican's rejection of an irish church initiative to begin helping police identify pedophile priests.. the letter's message undermines persistent vatican claims that the church never instructed bishops to withhold evidence or suspicion of crimes from police.

instead, the letter emphasizes the church's right to handle all child-abuse allegations and determine punishments in house rather than hand that power to civil authorities.. catholic officials in ireland declined requests for comment on the letter, which rte said it received from an irish bishop.. child-abuse activists in ireland said the 1997 letter should demonstrate, once and for all, that the protection of pedophile priests from criminal investigation was not only sanctioned by vatican leaders but ordered by them.

ThomasCovenant

Makes you proud to be a Catholic doesn't it.

My opinion of ALL Catholics even those dear little old ladies that help out with charities is rather low shall we say.

Why don't decent people, who happen to be Catholic, tell it like it is.

Why don't ordinary decent Catholics say, ''Yes my religion stinks and I am ashamed to have any part of it''?

56

If you could ask one question to an active JW to get them to open their mind about their beliefs, what would it be?

by Franklin Massey in

jw
friends

this question was posed to me by a poster named ice cream.

i don't know my answer yet.

it's one of those, "if you could have just one wish.." kind of questions.

ThomasCovenant

As many Witnesses are born into it , ''If you had been born into a Hindu family do you think you would have stayed a Hindu, or joined the Witnesses?''

56

If you could ask one question to an active JW to get them to open their mind about their beliefs, what would it be?

by Franklin Massey in

jw
friends

this question was posed to me by a poster named ice cream.

i don't know my answer yet.

it's one of those, "if you could have just one wish.." kind of questions.

ThomasCovenant

So what was that question again ElPiro? I think I missed it.

22

Ireland: judge orders baby to be given blood after dramatic court hearing

by behemot in

a judge ordered the baby son of a jehovah witness couple to be given a life-saving blood transfusion after a dramatic court hearing in his home in the early hours of the morning.. judge gerard hogan said barristers for temple street children's hospital arrived at his house at 1am on december 27 and argued the desperately ill three-month-old boy needed urgent treatment.. neither the infant nor his parents were identified in the high court judgment, which was published today.. judge hogan ruled that while parents have the constitutional right to raise their children to their own religious and philosophical views, the state has a vital interest in ensuring children are protected.. "but there is absolutely no doubt but that the court can intervene in a case such as this where the child's life, general welfare and other vital interests are at stake," he added.. judge hogan heard that when the baby boy was born in september 2010 he had been a twin, with a sister who did not survive.. on christmas day the infant was suffering from acute bronchiolitis when his condition deteriorated.

at one point he stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated.. he was transferred to temple street the following day where his condition became critical.

his liver was distended and by that evening his haemoglobin level plummeted to the point where a transfusion was necessary.. the judge said while the boy's parents were clearly anxious for his welfare and had allowed the use of blood products earlier that day, as committed jehovah witnesses they were steadfast in their opposition to this procedure.. the hospital made contact with the court's duty register at 10pm that night and the high court hearing was swiftly arranged.. consultant dr kevin carson, clinical director of intensive care, argued the youngster's life was in danger and there were no medical alternatives to a transfusion.. the parents were not legally represented at the judge's house, but were aware of the issues as the court had previously sanctioned a blood transfusion for another child of theirs.. judge hogan continued: "there is no doubt as to the sincerity of the religious beliefs of the parents.. "they struck me as wholesome and upright parents who were most anxious for the welfare of their child, yet steadfast in their own religious beliefs.

ThomasCovenant

''If the baby was in a facility such as in the United States Englewood, NJ Bloodless Center, would the technology and expertise of the medical staff there have been sufficient to save the baby with equal proficieny?''

Yes, that would have been great, but unfortunately the child was, according to Google Earth, about 3,180 miles away at the time.

47

This is perhaps the funniest thing you will ever see on this forum

by Hobo Ken in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phvc_jv6vte.

ThomasCovenant

Respectfully I disagree.

I think it needs a bit more work on it. By my observations I think that the captions are either barely visible or too long, or over with too quickly, or not in tandem with the speech.

I would love something like this, taking the mickey out of the JW's by using Hitler's Downfall, to catch on and be as popular as some of the others in this genre. I think making JW's embarrassed in public over their wacky religion is one of the best ways to slow them up.

Thanks to whoever did it though, it is far more than I've done.

29

I asked my best friend how the GB makes its decsions last night...

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

my best friend does not know about my recent mental defection from the watchtower, but i am having trouble keeping my feelings from him completely....so, last night, i asked my him if he thought the governing body was always in 100% agreement about every policy/doctrine decision they make.

" i asked him how he thought they went about making those decisions and he said that, "they probably discuss it as a group, research it, read the bible together, and discuss it some more until they come to a conclusion...just like a boe would when deciding a judicial matter.

" i said: "don't you think that if they were jehovah's 'mouth-piece' and they are indeed being guided by jesus christ and holy spirit, that there would be no doubt about what the right course of action is?

ThomasCovenant

dontplaceliterature, I wish you all the best in trying to get your wife to see the light. I was very lucky as mine took what I knew all in her stride, and accepted it all. I feel sorry for any in 'divided households'. To not believe in the Watchtower Society but have a partner that still does would be a living nightmare for me.

The stress of the blood issue is the iron girder that broke my camel's back

All the best with the birth.

29

I asked my best friend how the GB makes its decsions last night...

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

my best friend does not know about my recent mental defection from the watchtower, but i am having trouble keeping my feelings from him completely....so, last night, i asked my him if he thought the governing body was always in 100% agreement about every policy/doctrine decision they make.

" i asked him how he thought they went about making those decisions and he said that, "they probably discuss it as a group, research it, read the bible together, and discuss it some more until they come to a conclusion...just like a boe would when deciding a judicial matter.

" i said: "don't you think that if they were jehovah's 'mouth-piece' and they are indeed being guided by jesus christ and holy spirit, that there would be no doubt about what the right course of action is?

ThomasCovenant

''I can't bring myself to pressure her into accepting the Witness doctrine on blood, when I don't fully agree with it.''

Now imagine her about to go into an emergency operation and refusing a transfusion.

Nice.