Posts by Inquisitor

32

Dinner with moderate Muslims

by peacefulpete in

my wife has a classmate that recently married a pakistani man.

he's here only on a student visa and is faced with returning to pakistan as soon as he graduates.

he has an application for greencard pending but the wheels turn slow.

Inquisitor

Peacefulpete

You poor thing. Trying hard to be a gracious and yet aching to point out the hypocrisy.

Your Pakistani friend sounds like a man who is moderate in his actions but by no means moderate in belief. Yet, it chills the spine to contemplate what a mob of people with his worldview would do to a gay person in a dark alley. He calls himeself a moderate Muslim only to project himself as a thinking, progressive Muslim, a migrant much preferred by Western democratic countries. Yet his ideas betray his true colours.

Having said that however, one should not dismiss the existence of genuine progressive Muslims as if they were a myth. They are few by comparison, but they exist. Try reading works by Irshad Manji, Farish A. Noor or Scott Siraj Al-Haqq Kugle. It would be tragic if the world should become complacent towards this minority simply because of imposters. These reformers are not those who suck up to Western authorities to get themselves a green card. They are genuinely concerned about the stagnation of Muslim thought and culture.

While a Muslim fundamentalist may go to great extremes to be heard by the world, I find it reprehensible to give pats on the back of Christian fundamentalists to the effect of saying "These kids of ours aren't nearly as bad as the ones next door. You're alright sonny".

Xian fundies target abortion clinics and funerals of dead soldiers. But they do more.

Who killed Matthew Shepard?

For whose favour is Bush clamoring by appealing TWICE for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage?

The delusional representative of which religion made a passing threat of assassination to a South American president?

Why do so-called secular-thinking politicians oppose stem-cell research?

Which group is trying to silence lessons on science and evolution by replacing it with Intelligent Design?

None of these wrongs can compare with strapping yourself with dynamite and killing Israeli civilians. But don't trivialise the mistakes in your own backyard simply because there is something worse in someone else's.

Christianity is no more a religion of peace than Islam. It depends on who's the spokesperson and what is his/her agenda.

INQ

11

"comic" strip

by richard in

.

i don't know if it was ever posted before:.

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0026/0026_01.asp

Inquisitor

I didn't like this comic when I was an active Witness ( I was given one at the doors and couldn't control my curiosity) and I still find it reprehensible now.

What puts me off about this comic is:

1) It portrayed the Witness elders as controlling buffoons who are out of their depth. Look at the bald head, the fat noses and the sloppy chins. That is unfair. Not all elders are as incompetent as that (or that ugly for that matter). Neither are all Witnesses insincere about their faith. Not all Witnesses put in hours out of fear of destruction at Armageddon. A good number of them do it because they genuinely believe they have the Truth. The stereotype is offensive. No Witness who realizes this would proceed to pay any heed to the message of the cartoon. I didn't. It was the main reason I burnt it in disgust so many years ago. But then again this comic wasn't made FOR a JW was it? (see point 3)

2) The good stranger is drawn with serene eyes, spouting off expose's on JW doctrine with sagacious calm. I didn't realize the signifance then, but isn't this the same kinda imagery the WTS employs in their publications? Should we applaud this same technique at influencing people's opinions?

3) The aim of the cartoon is not ONLY to prove the JW doctrines are wrong. No. It seeks to influence the reader to accept mainstream orthodoxy. For instance there is a pro-Trinitarian tone about it towards the end. There is nothing wrong with accepting mainstream Christianity, but I feel that the one should prove the JW beliefs are wrong on their own merit, and not because something else is the TRUTH. This comic reeks of the same kinda fundamentalistic antagonism and blind-faith that the JWs live by.

Sorry to tear this down to pieces, Richard. My annoyance is directed to the cartoonist(s), not you.

INQ

3

JWs are planning on Inviting every one in Richmond...

by Priest73 in

jw
friends

great (note the sarcasm.

) .

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/satellite?pagename=rtd/mgarticle/rtd_basicarticle&c=mgarticle&cid=1149188215810

Inquisitor

Did any of our fellow apostates go picketing in that vicinity? That would have been fun.

INQ

19

Flood Legends

by Inquisitor in

the account of noah's flood has had its credibility beaten black and blue by current understanding of ancient history, geology and biology.

yet staunch christians, including jws, continue to assert that the existence of the many flood legends from all over the world proves that a global catastrophe must have occurred.

how would you respond to this line of reasoning specifically?

Inquisitor

Uh, NO it hasn't. You are just reasoning from the evolutionary presupposition. The 'proofs' of the scientific data at present can be successfully defended from either viewpoint!

Link me up with "scientific data" that you feel has successfully defended the Noachian Flood account. I'm always open to new information, Shining One. Don't just tell me it is so. Your word is not Law.

Oh and btw, I have not only considered arguments presented from the evolutionists' point of view. I've also looked at some geological and archeological points against the Flood. Don't YOU "presuppose" my alleged "presupposition".

>Yet staunch Christians, including JWs, continue to assert that the existence of the many flood legends from all over the world proves that a global catastrophe must have occurred. That is only one observable fact and is not the 'whole enchilada'.

What exactly is your issue with my statement (in italics)? You're not required to chime in at every full stop you know.

>How would you respond to this line of reasoning specifically? You've just seen the answer to that!

No, YOU'RE the only one who can see YOUR answer to my question. The rest of us are still tapping our feet for you to drop the forced metaphorical speech and try-hard witticisms and get down to dispensing some substantial information; especially when you seem to be the only person on this thread to disagree with the prevailing views. Like I said before, link me up with the information that you think I've neglected in my conclusions about the Flood. The ball is in your court, Shining One. INQ

63

July 15 2006 WT - Uncleanness - disfellowshp?- details

by BluesBrother in

.

hope the scans show up ok.. the article is presented as it comes, for your own assessment.

you could not make this stuff up!

Inquisitor

Gee, sounds like a JW youth could now get into some serious trouble if he is caught choking his chicken one time too many.

It used to be safely tucked away as "not an unforgivable sin", but now it sounds like a d/f-able offense.

Better start zipping em up boys!

INQ

20

Young witness disfellowshipped for having a mental illness

by What-A-Coincidence in

jw
friends

this is was very hard swallow.

i know of a family who has suffered tremendously when their son (15) came down with a mental illness - he cuts himself, has intended suicide 5 times.

he hard a hard time dealing with so many issues that he at one point told the elders i don't want to have anything to do with the jehovah's.

Inquisitor

Good form, WAC.

19

What are some Watchtower rules and customs that have no biblical basis?

by jwfacts in

there are a lot of customs that jws cant do without any clear scriptural backing (off course there is always some infered scriptural principle to back up what they say) .

when i was a teenager my study conductor disciplined me for burning incense, reading me some mosaic laws that obviously do not apply to christians.

though this was a personal opinion not a watchtower ruling.

Inquisitor

In the exceptional circumstance where a meeting has to be conducted by sisters (there is no baptized male present), the JW custom is to have conducting sister wear a head covering. *** w02 7/15 p. 26 Questions From Readers *** In what situations is it appropriate for a Christian woman to wear a head covering for spiritual reasons?

"Every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head," wrote the apostle Paul. Why? Because of the divine principle of headship: "The head of a woman is the man." Praying or preaching in the Christian congregation is normally the responsibility of a man. Hence, when a Christian woman cares for matters pertaining to worship that ordinarily would be performed by her husband or by a baptized man, she should wear a head covering.—1 Corinthians 11:3-10.

Paul was explicitly critical of the woman who "prays or prophecies" without a head-covering. The scriptures say nothing about a woman wearing head cover to lead a congregational meeting. Of course, a fast-thinking JW would quickly defend the Watchtower Society saying that they have successfully discerned that the spirit of the Law is for a sister to show respect by wearing a head covering.

But they forget that Paul outrightly FORBIDS a woman from teaching, head covering or not.
1 Timothy 2:12 states," I (Paul) do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence."
So if we're being true to scriptural authority (Pauline authority anyway) and we regard leading a congregation meeting as a form or teaching, the inevitable conclusion is that sisters may not conduct meetings at all, ever, nadda. But we know that it is in the Organization's interest to keep the show running by making concessions to our much opressed, sheep-like sisters. Concessions that have no biblical basis. INQ

21

Dubs and witchcraft

by kittyeatzjdubs in

does anyone remember the awake (or was it watchtower?

) article that the borg put out about witchcraft?

i remember the picture of the women dancing on the front cover in front of the alter w/ the pentagram and everything on it.

Inquisitor

Has it got a few ladies, wearing flowers around their heads, dancing in a circle?

INQ

42

Judah Ben Schroeder NOT finishing law school

by Seeker4 in

a few weeks ago there were a couple of threads about the wts and higher education, and some stated that judah ben schroeder (son of the late governing body member al schroeder) was attending law school at columbia university.

i got an e-mail from a very reliable source today about some inaccuracies in those threads.

here are some quotes from the e-mail, which the writer asked me to share anonymously on jwd:

Inquisitor

looking_glass : I cannot imagine higher ed is really that frowned upon because she is doing it and so are some of her other friends and from what I understand it is not a big deal.

Did you mean it is not a big deal to your Mum? To you? Or to JW's all over the world?

Your Mum is fortunate that she is with a congregation which could care less what people do with higher education. However, that is most certainly the exception, not the rule. After all, those who stick to what the society says can easily tell that the tone of recent articles on this issue has been anything but positive. Can you deny that there are Witnesses who will pick up on this "silent directive" and take issue with any aspirations for higher education?

Besides, on principle alone, it should be a big deal. Consider this analogy: the WTS policy on 2 witnesses to prove sexual abuse. If your Mum's congregation is staunchly litigatory towards those knowingly guilty of sexual assault, would you then ask why the WTS "2-witness-rule" is such a big deal? Would you question people's interests in the issue simply because you don't have a problem?

The WTS should not be allowed to get away with giving the public and the R&F the impression that their's is a "balanced view of education" when it isn't. The WTS should be held responsible for the way it has played on their youth's loyalty to Jehovah, causing them to forsake their secular careers. This should be a big deal to everyone, including those not directly affected by it.

INQ

8

Tract and DC (AUS)

by Inquisitor in

does anyone here have the dates and venues for the australian district convention?

i understand that a tract was released to invite innocent people to this dc.

anybody got scans?

Inquisitor

Thanks for trying, serendipity

INQ