Posts by crownboy

145

Analyzing evolution through Laws of Probability

by pomegranate in

jw
friends

any of you evolutionists ever crunch the numbers?

crownboy

pomegranate, this link should answer your question about the probabilities you presented:

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/abioprob/abioprob.html

Basically, the first self replicators were alot simpler than you propose, so what you raised was a moot point.

And Zechariah, the reason we link to articles is because it is entirely unnecessary and time consuming to retype something that has already been discussed. I already know what I speak of, I'm mearly trying to show you the same thing. Plus if you asked for "references", you already know where to go, since the articles contain footnotes for you to do further research on.

As for the "angry at dad" thing, once again you are wrong. When we talk of god in such language it's mearly to point out the absurdity of the concept, not because of anger issues. If you point out that God has deliberately killed off 99% of his creation, then calling him "inefficent" (in the hypothetical) is mearly an observation that a guy who has to get rid of 99% of the things he initially declared "good" is, well... inefficent.

I guess you also believe that people who would have a heated debate with a Holocaust denier secretly shares his views?

33

help! my son is going to the th. night meeting...

by kaykay_mp in

...with my mom!

a) grab his left arm tightly while my mom grabs his right arm, with me saying, "over my dead body!"?.

b) not even care, since i would like one evening without hearing, "mine!

crownboy

I say let the child go, he's only 2 years old for Christ sake.

Of course, I'd make it perfectly clear that this does not give grandma the license to bust out My Book of Bible Stories, or otherwise indoctrinate your child, but if you just need a night off, I'm sure the child won't remember the experience 10 years from now .

145

Analyzing evolution through Laws of Probability

by pomegranate in

jw
friends

any of you evolutionists ever crunch the numbers?

crownboy

So Zechariah, God teaches us lessons by killing of 99% of the species? Aren't there way more responsible ways to get a point across?

And how could God have created all the species if there are obsevered instances of speciation?

See:

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-speciation.html

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/speciation.html

4

The Upbuilding Psalms

by Norm in

jw
friends

the watchtower society has this raving review of the psalms:.

*** si 101 bible book number 19-psalms ***.

the book of psalms was the inspired songbook of true worshipers of jehovah in ancient times, a collection of 150 sacred songs, or psalms, set to music and arranged for the public worship of jehovah god in his temple at jerusalem.

crownboy

LOL Osarsif (great site, BTW)

This is a good topic. I found the Psalms to be pretty vindictive, too. For every nice one, there were too many involving David calling for the gruesome death of people he did not like (assuming David wrote them ). It was not very "upbuilding", but kept in line with the usual violent theme of the OT, though.

17

Anyone here a vegetarian?

by crownboy in

jw
friends

how many of you guys are vegetarians?

in my personal experience, i've only known of two jw vegetarians, and both were so for health reasons.

so i'd like to see how the x-jw community compares.

crownboy

How many of you guys are vegetarians? In my personal experience, I've only known of two JW vegetarians, and both were so for health reasons. So I'd like to see how the x-JW community compares. If you are one, did you become one after being a JW, if so why?

Personally, I'm not one, but I respect vegetarians anyway .

39

Which "APOSTATE" Site Helped You Out ...

by minimus in

jw
friends

h2o and watchtower observer were the ones that helped me the most.

of course, jwd is the best discussion forum on the net.

crownboy

Beyondjw.com was the first site I went to. I was still a very strong JW and did this just out of pure curiousity. I read like two essays and got out of there fast! I was literally cold sweating and my heart was beating so fast . Even then I thought my reaction was a bit irrational, but promised myself not to ever go on apostate sites again.

The real breakthrough came when I accidentally went on to Quotes' website (I was actually looking for the Societies website). I found it strange that he had a warning about finding it dangerous to read watchtower quotes, but now I know why . It didn't take me long to realize that it ws an "apostate" site (not very subtle with the red and green highlights, Quotes ), but since this was stuff from the magazines, I felt compelled to read since I felt I had a right to know. This really shook me up to do some research, which eventually led me to Freeminds, Beacon, Watchtower Observer, and of course, JW.com (I lurked for a good while before I registered and started posting). Ray Franz's books eliminated any thoughts I had about the JW's being "the truth".

20

If You're No Longer An Elder Or M.S.-- You're Zero

by minimus in

jw
friends

one of the most interesting things about no longer being a m.s.

or elder is that when the circuit overseer comes around to visit, no mention is ever made of the person.

it's like they never even existed!

crownboy

LOL JT

Those were some wild rumors man. Would it have been ok if you ran of with another black woman? Or with a white man?

12

Evidence of God's existence :)

by crownboy in

jw
friends

(2) therefore, god exists.. .

of us.. (2) therefore, god exists.. .

(3) therefore, god exists.. .

crownboy

Do you see these often?

1. TRANSCENDENTAL ARGUMENT

(1) God exists.
(2) If God exists, then if reason exists then God exists.
(3) Reason exists.
(4) Therefore, God exists.

2. COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT

(1) If I say something must have a cause, it has a cause.
(2) I say the universe must have a cause.
(3) Therefore, the universe has a cause.
(4) Therefore, God exists.

3. ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (I)

(1) I define God to be X.
(2) Since I can conceive of X, X must exist.
(3) Therefore, God exists.

4. ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (II)

(1) God exists.
(2) Since God exists, God must be perfect.
(3) That which is perfect must exist.
(4) Therefore, God exists.

5. MODAL ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT

(1) God exists.
(2) God, existing, is either necessary or unnecessary.
(3) God is not unnecessary, therefore God must be necessary.
(4) Therefore, God exists.

6. TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT

(1) Check out that tree. Isn't it pretty?
(2) Therefore, God exists.

7. ARGUMENT FROM MIRACLES

(1) My aunt Helen was most likely to die from cancer.
(2) She didn't.
(3) Therefore, God exists.

8. MORAL ARGUMENT (I)

(1) Person X, a well-known atheist, was morally inferior to the rest
of us.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

9. MORAL ARGUMENT (II)

(1) In my younger days I was a cursing, drinking, smoking, gambling,
child-molesting, thieving, murdering, bed-wetting bastard.
(2) That all changed once I became religious.
(3) Therefore, God exists.

10. ARGUMENT FROM CREATION

(1) If evolution is false, then creationism is true, and therefore God
exists.
(2) Evolution can't be true, since I lack the mental capacity to
understand it; moreover, to accept its truth would cause me to be
uncomfortable
(3) Therefore, God exists.

11. ARGUMENT FROM FEAR

(1) If there is no God then we're all going to die.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

12. ARGUMENT FROM THE BIBLE

(1) [arbitrary passage from OT]
(2) [arbitrary passage from NT]
(3) Therefore, God exists.

13. ARGUMENT FROM INTELLIGENCE
(1) Look, there's really no point in me trying to explain the whole
thing to you stupid atheists -- it's too complicated for you to
understand. God exists whether you like it or not.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

14. ARGUMENT FROM UNINTELLIGENCE

(1) Okay, I don't pretend to be as intelligent as you guys -- you're
obviously very well read. But I read the Bible, and nothing you say
can convince me that God does not exist. I feel him in my heart, and
you can feel him too, if you'll just ask him into your life. "For God
so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son into the world,
that whosoever believes in him shall not perish from the earth" John
3:16.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

15. ARGUMENT FROM BELIEF

(1) If God exists, then I should believe in Him.
(2) I believe in God.
(3) Therefore, God exists.

16. ARGUMENT FROM INTIMIDATION

(1) See this bonfire?
(2) Therefore, God exists.

17. PARENTAL ARGUMENT

(1) My mommy and daddy told me that God exists.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

18. ARGUMENT FROM NUMBERS

(1) Millions and millions of people believe in God.
(2) They can't all be wrong, can they?
(3) Therefore, God exists.

19. ARGUMENT FROM ABSURDITY

(1) Maranathra!
(2) Therefore, God exists.

20. ARGUMENT FROM ECONOMY

(1) God exists, you bastards!
(2) Therefore, God exists.

21. BOATWRIGHT'S ARGUMENT

(1) Ha ha ha.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

22. DORE'S ARGUMENT

(1) I forgot to take my meds.
(2) Therefore, I AM CHRIST!!
(3) Therefore, God exists.

23. ARGUMENT FROM GUITAR MASTERY

(1) Eric Clapton is God.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

24. ARGUMENT FROM INTERNET AUTHORITY

(1) There is a website that successfully argues for the existence of God.
(2) Here is the URL.
(3) Therefore, God exists.

25. ARGUMENT FROM INCOMPREHENSIBILITY

(1) Flabble glurk zoom boink blubba snurgleschnortz ping!
(2) No one has ever refuted (1).
(3) Therefore, God exists.

26. ARGUMENT FROM AMERICAN EVANGELISM

(1) Telling people that God exists makes me filthy rich.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

27. MITCHELL'S ARGUMENT

(1) The Christian God exists.
(2) Therefore, all worldviews which don't assume the Christian God's existence are false and
incomprehensible.
(3) Therefore, God exists.

28. ARGUMENT FROM BLINDNESS (I)

(1) Atheists are spiritually blind.
(2) Therefore, God exists.

29. ARGUMENT FROM BLINDNESS (II)

(1) God is love.
(2) Love is blind.
(3) Ray Charles is blind.
(4) Therefore, Ray Charles is God.
(5) Therefore, God exists.

30. ARGUMENT FROM FALLIBILITY

(1) Human reasoning is inherently flawed.
(2) Therefore, there is no reasonable way to challenge a proposition.
(3) I propose that God exists.
(4) Therefore, God exists

Edited by - crownboy on 12 October 2002 14:27:34

41

My Dumb Ass JW Brother

by Reborn2002 in

jw
friends

as some of you know from my sharing portions of my story on this board before, i disassociated myself from the jehovah's witnesses in 2001. my family, including my mother, sister, and brother, remain jehovah's witnesses.

i have an extremely limited relationship with my mother and sister.

i possess no relationship whatsoever with my brother, his wife, and their now 1 yr old son.

crownboy

larc, what you just stated there is the basic reaction of most religious people, not just JW's. If something goes right, it's because of God (totally disregarding the people involved), if something goes bad, then it's someone else's fault, or it's Satan's fault. Basically, God has the greatest CEO job in the universe. This type of thinking always bothered me as a believer, too. I was more of the type who thanked God for general stuff like health or life (though I should have thanked myself and my parents, respectively ), but if I studied my butt off and got an A on an exam, or my parents gave me something, I knew who not to acknoweldge .

41

My Dumb Ass JW Brother

by Reborn2002 in

jw
friends

as some of you know from my sharing portions of my story on this board before, i disassociated myself from the jehovah's witnesses in 2001. my family, including my mother, sister, and brother, remain jehovah's witnesses.

i have an extremely limited relationship with my mother and sister.

i possess no relationship whatsoever with my brother, his wife, and their now 1 yr old son.

crownboy

Reborn2002 said:

In short, my brother is a fucking idiot.

Seems about right given the situation. I'd have to believe most JW's in his situation would have taken this job and found a way to work meeting and field service around it (they'd look at this as "Jehovah providing" ). As larc suggested, perhaps your brother simply has an aversion to work, otherwise he's just a really devoted JW (the type who give demonstrations at conventions to guilt people). BTW reborn, is your father a JW? If he is, your brother is an even bigger idiot than you've stated.

kelsey007, I think reborn is simply stating his disgust at this situation. Since no one in his family is going to read this board, this is hardly making a "public declaration" in any meaningful sense. I see the point you are trying to make, but I'm absolutely sure that reborn has done or attempts to do the things you've suggested. Also, your relationship with your family seems to be less acrimonious than Jason's with his.