Posts by Hold Me-Thrill Me

99

Golden Rule: Pure Garbage?

by willmarite in

on another thread a poster made the comment that the golden rule was garbage.

she said it was arrogant and made assumptions.. i didn't want to derail that thread so i started another wondering if this is a common thought about this belief on this forum.

i guess i naively thought the value of doing to others as you want them to do to you was generally accepted as positive.. i understand people have different opinions of jesus as a person but i don't want to get into that here.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Loving our neighbor is a good thing.

4

New KH design announcement?

by StarTrekAngel in

has there been any official announcement made regarding the new kh design?

i am asking because i know some publishers on my cong that already seen the pics from elders who attended the presentation.

also made me wonder how long would it be before they have to dedicate a section of the meeting (local needs?

Hold Me-Thrill Me

In the 50's the Kingdom Halls in the U.S. I attended were simple meeting places. No formal entryways with mirrors and flower arrangements just clean and functional. The floors were linoleum tiles, the chairs folding, and thanks to God...windows on the side walls.

I do not like the strip mall office look of the new halls but I do think it good to go back to a more simple meeting place where murals, pillars, etc. are not the focal point and where infants can be bottle fed without worrying about the seats getting stained. We went into a material stage and if this change can do a little turn around on that I'm for it.

Simple is good.

10

Theories on the increasing appearances of the new GB aide?

by Lemonp in

i have noticed that younger guy appearing more and more on jw tv and in special talks.

can't remember his name but he is middle aged, greying, but has a business exec look about him.. is this guy the next gen of gb members?

or is he just an aide to help them about etc?

Hold Me-Thrill Me

I believe the current GB is not up to the task. They are using the next generation to keep it all together. They appear to me to be hanging on by the skin of their teeth. They do not have the same strength of purpose or vitality present in Knorr's day. New ideas are the thing today, new gadgets and videos, not spiritual strength.

I'm expecting them to add non-anointed brothers to their ranks as the so called overlapping generation ages. They are stuck in time, Fred Franz time.

99

Golden Rule: Pure Garbage?

by willmarite in

on another thread a poster made the comment that the golden rule was garbage.

she said it was arrogant and made assumptions.. i didn't want to derail that thread so i started another wondering if this is a common thought about this belief on this forum.

i guess i naively thought the value of doing to others as you want them to do to you was generally accepted as positive.. i understand people have different opinions of jesus as a person but i don't want to get into that here.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

It seems that if someone should say the pages in his Bible are black print on white paper a few here might accuse him of being arrogant for actually believing he is capable of seeing the true colors of the ink and the paper. Adding that since his Bible is trash anyway why even bother to notice the colors...

I came here to understand my wife's thinking a little better. How it was that she became who she did and why it caused her to turn from me so quickly simply because I could not follow her in her disbelief.

It appears to be a ricochet kind of thing. She would ricochet away from almost everything I said even if I said something small or ordinary like- Honey how about going out to breakfast this Saturday- she would reply- why Saturday, why not Sunday, because you want to go to your useless meeting! It was relentless. Always a dart, always being bitter and angry. I did not oppose her. I just wanted to keep doing what I had done all my life and what she also had done all her life until she decided not to. And that was fine she could stay home and leave the Witnesses if that was her choice I just wanted peace at home but after she left the Witnesses there was no peace.

My short time here has helped me to understand what caused her to change into someone who did not enjoy life unless she was "fighting" the Watchtower. Which in reality she had nothing to fight over because she led a rather quiet life never suffering those things that would naturally cause someone to be angry in our religion. She was a crusader for the sake of being a crusader. She enjoyed the anger I think. The anger at the Watchtower made her blood flow. It was a strange aphrodisiac. The Bible became an abhorrent thing to her.

To me it seemed as if she had found a new religion. A new god that she would give her life to and the reward? What was the reward? I still ask myself this question. The reward was a miserable family life and lung cancer.

If I can say one thing that I hope will be something considered worthwhile here it is this: If you have started smoking STOP! Please stop. And thanks for listening.

Frank

59

How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

by EdenOne in

i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

I know. Your aim is higher than God himself but then he does not exist so there's no problem.

59

How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

by EdenOne in

i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Cofty, There are many Christians who are maintaining their spiritual beliefs and life outside of mainstream churches. There are also Christian churches which have always been on the moderate side with the Presbyterian church in the U.S. recently deciding to perform same-sex marriages having already accepted gay and female pastors. And then there is the Catholic Church which by no means is fundamentalist in their beliefs. The CC believes in evolution, God guided evolution, but evolution nonetheless. And they surely do not take a scriptures only view of religion.

24

Impossible conversation: Jesus and Nicodemus: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

by Terry in

i am a member on new testament scholar bart ehrman's blog, and the professor is currently outlining a new book he is writing about false memory and the life of jesus.. an interesting post occurred today in which he gives an example of a very famous scripture,.

example of a false memory of jesus teaching i turn to a famous passage in the gospel of john, jesus dialogue with nicodemus (john 3:1-15).

nicodemus is said to be a jewish leader who comes up to jesus and affirms that jesus must come from god because of the great things that he said to have done.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

It could also be that Jesus used the aramaic word for "again" and Nicodemus answered accordingly. The word play in the Greek is interesting but that in itself does not mean Jesus did not say what Nicodemus understood him to be saying. Bart sometimes makes things more complicated than they are.

Just as a side note in my opinion with the current atmosphere here in the U.S. Bart may be making a mistake in his new book by including negative criticism of Abraham Lincoln. Just my opinion. I like the guy. Do not agree with him but I like him nonetheless. He is at least sincere a trait becoming more and more valuable these days.

59

How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

by EdenOne in

i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

EdenOne, I found the following quote a good example of using the beliefs of fundamentalist Christians to paint all Christians the same color.

And yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures. People process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set. Even what they count as evidence is different. And they are motivated differently, based on what they conclude.

I myself believe manmade global warming is at least partly responsible for the climate changes we see. To be a Christian one does not have to leave all common sense and their brain in the trash. There are many moderate Christians and liberal Christians around but they are for the most part ignored by vitriolic atheists.

All Christians cannot be, should not be, painted with the same brush just as Christians should not paint all atheists with the same brush. We are adults and as such can find things to respect and to love about one another. We can find common ground and work together to help others or to make this world a better place.

Many Christians do just that and so do many atheists. Bart Ehrman's site requires that members give to his selected charities and this is good. We can all work together to make the world a better place rather than promote divisions which in reality will not make either religion or atheism go away. They are here to stay until death or someone other than ourselves says otherwise.

Frank

44

God & JW can't exist without "evil"

by thedepressedsoul in

i was thinking the other day that so far jw's and god have always needed or relied on "evil" to get items done or taken care of.

almost every bible prophecy and jw teaching would not exist without "evil".. let's take the prophecy of jesus for example, it would not have been fulfilled without evil.

when you think about it, he was a needed evil in order for prophecy to be fulfilled.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Viviane, I figured there was a shoe coming my way. Your use of condescending insults betrays an inability to simply address what is being discussed in a manner worthy of respect.

Your gruff manner detracts from your posts and thus your arguments. Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot, pun intended.

44

God & JW can't exist without "evil"

by thedepressedsoul in

i was thinking the other day that so far jw's and god have always needed or relied on "evil" to get items done or taken care of.

almost every bible prophecy and jw teaching would not exist without "evil".. let's take the prophecy of jesus for example, it would not have been fulfilled without evil.

when you think about it, he was a needed evil in order for prophecy to be fulfilled.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Viviane: The fact that, when called out on your shameful dishonest behavior, is the first think you thought of, shows that you are indeed a typical Christian. Intellectually dishonest with threats of violence as your backup.

Dear lady I did not threaten you with violence. You are inventing something in your own head. Stop inventing what is not there!