Posts by CPiolo

As the thread demonstrates, cult is a fuzzy term. Unless one clearly defines what they mean by cult, and comes to agreement regarding the definition, it is difficult to have a valid discussion. You dismissed the definitions of Steven Hassan and Margaret Singer because you felt they had an axe to grind. Hassan is obviously a former member of a questionable group, but why did you say this about Dr. Singer?

I was also wondering whether you could/would outline the destructive and harmful behaviors and practices of the WT organization and the possible negative emotional/psychological and behavioral consequences that these could affect in its members. Maybe you could also let us know where you would place the group in reference to other well-known destructive and non-destructive groups, i.e. Jim Jones, Heavens Gate, Nazis, Catholics, Buddhists, Unitarian Universalists, etc.

I ask Larc this because he is a highly-qualified professional.

(. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=29744&site=3)

Some might argue that he too has and axe to grind. However, I dont feel so because of his reluctance to quickly categorize the WT Society.

Thanks,

CPiolo

41

Test: Where do you stand politically?

by JanH in

jw
friends

sometimes political orientation is described through a left-right axis only, which is obviously inadequate as it tends to associate gandhi and stalin, and make pol pot a radical and hitler a conservative.. this is a good, short test that asks you a number of questions and places you on a two-dimensional axis.. take it here: http://www.digitalronin.f2s.com/politicalcompass/.

i took the test and got the following result:.

your political compass:economic left/right: -1.12. authoritarian/libertarian: -6.21. that is, centrist with a slight leftist bent, strongly libertarian.

CPiolo

Economic Left/Right: -4.38
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -5.85

95

Top STUPID criticisms of the WTS

by JanH in

jw
friends

there are certainly enough valid criticisms of the wts and the jw religion, but a significant number of often-repeated criticisms of the religion are, imnsho, just ludicruous and serves to take attention away from the real issues.

significant problems with the wts includes, but are not limited to, the shunning policy, the blood issue and of course the corporate policy of hiding child molestors.. here is a list of criticisms of the wts that i find particularly annoying to see:.

russell was a freemason (or, even worse, the wts is part of some other large-scale conspiracy like the illuminati).

CPiolo

Cult, high-control group, sect...

They're a fascist religious oligarchy.

CPiolo

By the way, this is an excellent thread.

2

Moyers on faith

by CPiolo in

jw
friends

i thought id share this link:.

http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/press.hom/lecturetext/moyerslecture.asp.

it is a lecture by bill moyers about faith that he gave in january at the lyndon baines johnson library in austin, texas.

CPiolo

SingSongBoi:

Moyers is obviously his own man. I am always impressed by people who use their brains, make the effort to validate what they've been told, and take the time to investigate claims, especially those they've been indoctrinated with.

From Southern Baptist to a skeptical mystic is a long road. Many posters on this board have made similar intellectual and spiritual journeys. Whether or not I agree with them, they have my respect.

CPiolo

2

Moyers on faith

by CPiolo in

jw
friends

i thought id share this link:.

http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/press.hom/lecturetext/moyerslecture.asp.

it is a lecture by bill moyers about faith that he gave in january at the lyndon baines johnson library in austin, texas.

CPiolo

I thought Id share this link:

. http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/Press.hom/LectureText/MoyersLecture.asp

It is a lecture by Bill Moyers about faith that he gave in January at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library in Austin, Texas.

For those unfamiliar with Moyers:

. http://www.pbs.org/now/series/billmoyers.html

He is a wellrespected journalist, and was Lyndon Johnsons press secretary. Moyers is the son of a Southern Baptist Deacon, and holds the Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

CPiolo

4

Kids with JW and non-JW parents

by roybatty in

jw
friends

im faced with a situation regarding my kids that im sure someone else out there has also faced.

my kids (11 year old son and 8 year old daughter) split their time with me, a non-jw parent and their mother, a jw.

up to this point, discussing in depth why the witnesses are wrong hasnt really come up.

CPiolo

Roybatty:

I too am a non-JW parent married to a JW parent. We are not divorced so the situation is not exactly the same, but there are similarities. Fortunately, my wife and I discussed religion before being married, and before she returned to the JW organization, and came to an agreement where we are not to raise our children in any religion. My wife has been trying to wiggle out of this arrangement, but I stand firm.

However, eventually our son will have many of the same questions as your children. I have given this some thought and my stategy follows along the lines of the well known:

Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for life.

My plan is to teach my son how to think, not what to think. There are many good books for children that helps them learn to think rationally, and gives them the abilities necessary to discern BS from well-reasoned arguments, and the abilities to test arguments.

Here are a couple:

How Do You Know It's True?: Discovering the Difference Between Science and Superstition
Hy Ruchlis

Maybe Yes, Maybe No: A Guide for Young Skeptics
Dan Barker

I also plan to educate my son about abusive groups. Again, I'm not going to provide a list, but rather explain to him their methods and the warning signs one should look for to determine whether the group is a high-control group/cult or abusive and detrimental to its members.

Best or luck,

CPiolo

11

How Sad: Obie Gonna Die ... And my Kids Too!

by obiefernandez in

for now... luis is her husband.. obie wan cubano says:.

safari chic says:.

CPiolo

Che Obie:

Is your brother-in-law Argentine? If he is, and with the World Cup and the renowned Argentine arrogance , well, it's no wonder he's pro-Argentina. And maybe he's pro-Argentina because it's a very beautiful country, with a rich culture and some very nice people.

Farkel hit the nail on the head, it comes down to my God is better than your God or your version/interpretation of God. With groups like JWs, they carry it to the ultimate extreme and say that any deviation from what they say ends with your destruction/erternal punishment. Some loving God.

Chau,

CPiolo

21

Religion or Family???

by Overseer in

which is more important-religion or family?.

which would you choose if you had to?

if a family member was going to be killed if you carried on 'participating' in the religion-what would you do?.

CPiolo

A no-brainer. My family always comes before any organization, be whatever it may. See W. P. Browns excellent essay for more: http://www.freeminds.org/fishin/ideas.htm. As Elder's Kid pointed out, only high-control groups that use unethical coercive persuasion to manipulate their members ask such a thing.

CPiolo

19

Official England Footy Mourning thread

by refiners fire in

wails of despair .

well yes, ive lived in oz for 35 years, but i still claim my english heritage.my blood was starting to turn blue again, but now it is just flowing in the gutter of despair.

why do i care about sport?

CPiolo

Refiners Fire:

I agree with you that Great Britain has produced some damn fine actors. However, your statement that the U.S. doesn't produce actors of the same caliber is pure bunk. It seems by avoiding American films (and a good deal of them are crap), you've also missed some excellent performances.

Here are a few American actors who've performed excellently as villains:

Kevin Spacey - John Doe in Se7en
Robert De Niro - Taxi Driver, Cape Fear
Edward Norton - American History X
Dennis Hopper - Blue Velvet
Jack Nicholson - The Shining
Bob Gunton - The warden in the Shawshank Redemption
Louise Fletcher - Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Michael Douglas - Wall Street

I leave it to you to discover some more on your own.

Cheers,

CPiolo

Who doesn't limit his movie choices by the country they were produced in.

Edited by - CPiolo on 21 June 2002 20:30:50