Brenda: Thanks for your reply. You mentioned that you have percieved these things and that they never leave behind any factual evidence (no physical or human explanation) so I would submit that what you were seeing was a mental construct. And I do not deny how real it must have appeared. I do submit however that by placing yourself in that "haunted hotel" you very powerfully self-implanted a predisposition to see something stange. And perhaps a certain emotional atmoshere of fright, adrenaline, etc. may have helped to precipitate the vision/experience you have had. However you must not deny the plain truth that there is no factual evidence that what you saw existed anywhere in external reality. I personally choose to acknowledge as true only those things which can pe proved or disproved with factual evidence, because I do not trust my human perception. The scientific method can help us to know what is really there, based on reason and evidence, and this in conjunction with our own perceptions can help us to know how the world really is. For me the world I see is clean and without devils, demons, satan, ghosts or evil charms.
toby888
JoinedPosts by toby888
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24
Ghost, Spirits and the Dead
by free2beme ini always had a hard time as a witness, accepting their view on death.
i actually think they offer a sad view on death that leaves an empty and depressing view for those left behind.
i remember the comments, "they are asleep now," all so well.
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Ghost, Spirits and the Dead
by free2beme ini always had a hard time as a witness, accepting their view on death.
i actually think they offer a sad view on death that leaves an empty and depressing view for those left behind.
i remember the comments, "they are asleep now," all so well.
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toby888
The human mind is very suggestible. I have noticed that in all cases of so-called "sightings" they are all eyewitness accounts only. There is never any hard evidence such as a picture or video taken under scientifically controlled circumstances. There has never been any physical evidence left behind. Nor, despite the supposed "great powers" of Demons have any verified predictions of important human events ever been recorded from so-called "spirit mediums". This all provides evidence that what you have both seen are merely creations in your own minds. Please don't be offended, because I used to be enslaved by "fear of demons" etc.and I know how easy it is to maybe think I saw someything "not right". Indeed, many completely rational people including yourself can under the correct circumstances and suggested thoughts, see things that didn't happen. I pride myself now as being a free-thinker so I don't want to be dogmatic on the issue one way or another but I have decided that in leiu of the total lack of factual evidence for these creatures (ghosts,etc) that they do not exist.
Perhaps try adopting this approach yourself, and , like me, you may eventually notice that you simply don't see stuff like that anymore. Thanks for the post!
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toby888
Welcome!! You feel quilty for a number of reasons: fear and guilt are used on you through the Watchtower publications to discourage you from "independent thinking" which really means rational thought. When you read the publications, note how they use subtle means to implant fear (life outside the org is bad, you will die at armaggeddon, you will degenerate into an amoral hedonist, etc) . Anyway you are here, feel free to look at our posts and see what we have been through. You can whine, cry, share your ups and downs, we are all here for you.
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Tobby888 is now "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses"
by toby888 ini finally did it.
my da letter was short and sweet, so i gave them nothing to use for potential ammunition.
they announced me last night.
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toby888
I finally did it. My DA letter was short and sweet, so I gave them nothing to use for potential ammunition. They announced me last night. For those of you who have read my posts, I came to the point where the slow fade was not an option. My wife threatened to "go to the Elders" unless I resumed a Family Study so I explained to them what I have learned about evolution and that there is no such thing as Demons, it is something used to make people afraid and enslave their minds, and that in my view the Bible is discredited. Earlier I worried how my son would take it. I was encouraged on this forum to have faith in him and I am so happy to say he is doing fine so far. He sees me more happy and confident now and I am sure this will be a great help for him.
With my chat with an Elder I explained to him in great detail that I am rejecting all non-falsifiable belief systems and explained Carbon 14 dating, potassium argon dating, how human remains have been reliably dated to 42,000 years BP, the gradual change of complexity of life over time as found in the fossil record, and reasons why Evolution is not a "scientific religion" but is a falsifiable model, which can be disproved with factual evidence.( to which I owe a great deal of gratitude to Talkorigins.org). I also explained about how the eye was made all wrong and so I don't buy the "Intelligent Design" arguments either. Went on to say that the faith of everyone in the hall is suspect because of the psychological coercion of shunning. Perhaps he now has something to cause him similar headaches like what I went through.
The house is now in peace because everything is done. For me the DA letter has provided peace in the house and my dear wife who is still in says I am a great guy with lots of wonderful qualities.
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Toby 888 is "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses"
by toby888 ini finally did it.
my da letter was short and sweet, so i gave them nothing to use for potential ammunition.
for those of you who have read my posts, i came to the point where the slow fade was not an option.
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toby888
I finally did it. My DA letter was short and sweet, so I gave them nothing to use for potential ammunition. For those of you who have read my posts, I came to the point where the slow fade was not an option. My wife threatened to "go to the Elders" unless I resumed a Family Study so I explained to them what I have learned about evolution and that there is no such thing as Demons, it is something used to make people afraid and enslave their minds, and that in my view the Bible is discredited. I have faith now in my son, I am confident that when he sees how relaxed, relieved, happy and self-confident I am that he will come around.
With my chat with an Elder I explained to him in great detail that I am rejecting all non-falsifiable belief systems and explained Carbon 14 dating, potassium argon dating, how human remains have been reliably dated to 42,000 years BP, the gradual change of complexity of life over time as found in the fossil record, and reasons why Evolution is not a "scientific religion" but is a falsifiable model, which can be disproved with factual evidence.( to which I owe a great deal of gratitude to Talkorigins.org). I also explained about how the eye was made all wrong and so I don't buy the "Intelligent Design" arguments either. Went on to say that the faith of everyone in the hall is suspect because of the psychological coercion of shunning. Perhaps he now has something to cause him similar headaches like what I went through.
The house is now in peace because everything is done. For me the DA letter has provided peace in the house and my dear wife who is still in says I am a great guy with lots of wonderful qualities.
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Is your congregation on medication?
by toby888 in.
over half my cong.
members have mental issues and are taking prozac or some other medication for depression or other mental problems.many are going or have gone to therapists... anyone have a similar situation?
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toby888
But still I wonder why Watchtower publications continue to assert that Jehovah's Witnesses are "the happiest people on earth" since there is apparently the same amount of antidepressant use as the general population, in the most conservative case? I would assume that a truly "healthful teaching" could have some statistics to back it up. I know of no Watchtower articles which have featured scientific peer-reviewed studies on the rates of mental illness among Witness adherents. Indeed, such a study would provide a very "good witness" for the skeptical world. I suspect I will never see such data.
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In a fear- inspiring way I am adequately made
by toby888 inwhat i have learned from evolution, heh heh.
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toby888
What I have learned from evolution, heh heh.
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39
Is your congregation on medication?
by toby888 in.
over half my cong.
members have mental issues and are taking prozac or some other medication for depression or other mental problems.many are going or have gone to therapists... anyone have a similar situation?
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toby888
So, since Jehovah's Witneses are the "happiest people on earth" then why are they following the same trends as the "unhappy worldlings?"
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39
Is your congregation on medication?
by toby888 in.
over half my cong.
members have mental issues and are taking prozac or some other medication for depression or other mental problems.many are going or have gone to therapists... anyone have a similar situation?
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toby888
Over half my cong. members have mental issues and are taking prozac or some other medication for depression or other mental problems.Many are going or have gone to therapists... Anyone have a similar situation?
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Embarassing situation
by ColdRedRain inthe other day, my mom foun pictures of me getting a lapdance.
i was very embarassed when i saw it, but now she wants to read the bible to me so i won't go to strip clubs anymore.
can you say "pure hell"?
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toby888
Those pictures are from the Devil. Burn them now or you'll have Deemonz Deemonz Deemonz! Hail Watchtower!