Posts by CPiolo

14

144,000

by Ephesians6 in

jw
friends

yes it has always put a question in my mind.

why the two different classes?

jesus did not teach two different classes of belivers.

CPiolo

Tina:

Thanks for the hugs. I needed one today.

(((((tina))))) Right back at ya!

CPiolo

59

Beth Sarim Revisited 4 Newbies

by Farkel in

jw
friends

at 4440 braeburn road, san diego, ca., in the rich and prestigious neighborhood of the kensington heights neighborhood sits one of the biggest embarrassments in the long and continuing list of embarrassments the watchtower society has created for itself.. most dubs know nothing about it, and if it wasnt for a few brief comments about it in the proclaimers book in 1993, even fewer dubs would know anything at all about it.. it is the home once known as beth-sarim (pronounced beth-sareeeem), the house of the princes.. it is a house with a history the society has shown by its historical lack of candor, hopes everyone would forget.

in fact, the society has done just about everything it could do to ensure that its history will be forgotten.

in the first book devoted to discussing the history of jehovahs witnesses, this house and its history is not even mentioned.

CPiolo

Farkel:

Either you've moved from OB or you're one hell of a bicycle rider .

CPiolo

The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity. -- Oscar Wilde

14

144,000

by Ephesians6 in

jw
friends

yes it has always put a question in my mind.

why the two different classes?

jesus did not teach two different classes of belivers.

CPiolo

The Age of Reason can be found here:

. http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/thomas_paine/age_of_reason/

and some more fun reading by Mark Twain, Letters from the Earth:

. http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/twainlfe.htm

or the The Theologian's Nightmare, by Bertrand Russell:

. http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/russell3.htm
. http://www.inquiria.com/russell/theologian.html
. http://nightshade.homepage.dk/nightmare.htm

CPiolo

The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity. -- Oscar Wilde

82

Prevalence of JW Suicides - Real or Imagined?

by AMNESIAN in

jw
friends

in one or two recent threads i've seen reference to the possibility of a rising number of jw suicides being another of the organization's very dark realities about which it is vigilant in keeping concealed from its pub populace.

is there anyone reasonably informed regarding this?

is there reason to suppose the incidence ratio among jws is any higher than among any peoples/religion?

CPiolo

As the spouse of a depressed JW, it amazes me to see the prevelance of emotional/psychological problems and suicide among members of JWs. I have seen other posts and some of the other material linked to in this thread, but had absolutely no idea the problem was as big as it seems to be. My wife is currently being treated for her problem, but sees absolutely no connection between her depression and her religion. In fact, she switched therapists after her first therapist pushed the religion button a little too hard. (My wife had mentioned that her religious perspective caused problems in our marriage, and the counseler suggested attending a nuetral church together. Obviously, she knew very little about Witness beliefs, although she told me they are listed as a cult by the American Psychiatric Association.)

I wanted to thank everyone for sharing their personal experiences. It has helped me have a clearer picture of how my wife suffers and what some of the root causes are, as well as helping me have a little more compassion for my wife. This is at times difficult. One's patience is taxed enormously living with someone continually negative and depressed, and I often become short-tempered and irritable with her.

Thanks also to larc and lady lee for the insight and source material. Maximus, It's great to see you back and contributing.

CPiolo

36

Blood, Watchtower, Deceit, Aretaeus

by hawkaw in

jw
friends

the watchtower provides a comment on the writings of aretaeus in the pamphlet how can blood save your life?

in part 2 - titled blood--vital for life, what of using blood as medicine?

CPiolo

Hawkaw:

Thanks for the link. I'm working on the Priestley stuff now and should send it to you within the next couple of days. I do this stuff during my down time at work, so it doesn't always go as quickly as I'd like. And yes send me the Aretaeus stuff and I'll work on it as well.

CPiolo

36

Blood, Watchtower, Deceit, Aretaeus

by hawkaw in

jw
friends

the watchtower provides a comment on the writings of aretaeus in the pamphlet how can blood save your life?

in part 2 - titled blood--vital for life, what of using blood as medicine?

CPiolo

Hawhaw:

As usual, your research is impecable and thorough. Thanks.

Above you speak of NGO and DPI. Could you fill me in as to what these are?

CPiolo
(waiting to be "dumb" with the wife)

8

A Texan and Totalitarianism

by GinnyTosken in

jw
friends

congress is now reviving a proposal killed last year by senator phil gramm, the texas republican who was then chairman of the senate banking committee.

the bill, introduced by the clinton administration, would give the treasury secretary broad power to bar foreign countries and banks from access to the american financial market unless they cooperated with money-laundering investigations.

it was strongly opposed by the banking industry and mr. gramm.. "i was right then and i am right now" in opposing the bill, mr. gramm said yesterday.

CPiolo

And where does the Taliban get their money?

A few months ago, the Bush administration handed the Taliban a subsidy of $43m, in abject gratitude for the assistance of fundamentalism in "the war on drugs".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,555446,00.html

You'll have to cut and paste to properly link to the article.

CPiolo

20

A voice from Sweden

by Norm in

jw
friends

the swedish paper expressen september 20, 2001.. we were ordered to become americans.

the other night swedish fighter planes patrolled our skies.

according to the defense ministry this was a link in our heightened readiness towards terrorism.

CPiolo

Norm:

Sorry, I should have said the article Norm presented.

CPiolo

20

A voice from Sweden

by Norm in

jw
friends

the swedish paper expressen september 20, 2001.. we were ordered to become americans.

the other night swedish fighter planes patrolled our skies.

according to the defense ministry this was a link in our heightened readiness towards terrorism.

CPiolo

A European (British) counterpoint to Norm's article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,554291,00.html

CPiolo

P.S. Sorry, but your going to have to cut and paste the address to link directly to the article. I think it has something to do with the commas used in the address.

Edited for P.S.

11

Taliban, Lot, and Men of Sodom

by GinnyTosken in

jw
friends

reading an article in the new york times, i came across a description of the taliban and mullah omar, the man who started the movement:.

isolating the taliban has been easy but ineffective because they insulate themselves.

television is banned.

CPiolo

Wasasister:

My wife, much like your daughter, is a kind, gentle, and loving person, but when it comes to the WT, its beliefs and dogma, she is unbendable. It really is chilling, but it does give one some insight as to how seemingly rational human beings perform such irrational acts, and into the power of religious fervor.

CPiolo