dedalus

Joined

• started 29 topics
• posted 929 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by dedalus

• 
  40

  A really ugly warning to all JW's

  by Mindchild in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if u r a dub dont go 2 anymore assemblies!

  it is possible that you will die.

  really.. this is not a nice friendly post to any active jehovah's witness but is something they should read anyway.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  What a stupid ugly thread. Yes, we don't agree with the Organization and its policies. Yes, the Organization has done Bad Things. Yes, it is important to make people aware of those Bad Things.

  But using terrorism as a way of scaring Witnesses away from their conventions -- that's just dumb. You may as well argue that we shouldn't go to football games. Or concerts.

  There is nothing intrinsic about Witnesses that should make them a target for terrrorism, and what bothers me about your post is that it implies that there is. I hate the Organization, but I respect that Witnesses want to meet in large groups for their insipid spiritual goo, I mean food. The "warning" of this thread is unwarranted. It's reaching.

  Dedalus
• 
  6

  Good ol' dress, grooming and entertainment

  by comment in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when did the phrase "dress, grooming and entertainment" become such a mantra for the watchtower society?.

  this may just be my impression, but in the late 1970's and early 1980's, there didn't seem to be a part on every district convention and circuit assembly program about "dress, grooming and entertainment.

  " but in the 1990's, there sure was.. even as a faithful witness, i started to find this emphasis a little embarrassing.. i mean, couldn't there be something more important to worry about?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  Dress, grooming, and entertainment are all outward and pretty easy to evaluate and judge. The cultivation of one's intellect and the careful exploration of one's spirituality, however, cannot be measured with a glance. The Organization, ever concerned with appearances, naturally favors the former.

  Dedalus
• 
  13

  traces of memory and fried eggs

  by refiners fire in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone have flashes of memory from long ago that still recur and affect them very strongly?

  physically?

  even 30 years later?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  RF,

  Have you ever read Remembrance of Things Past, by Proust? Swann's Way, the first book in the series, has a lot to do with the way certain objects and smells -- the dipping of cake in a cup of hot tea, say -- can reinvoke memories long forgotten, that might otherwise remain buried ...

  For me it's the combined smell of chalk dust and pencil shavings. I am seven years old and ascending the rickety wooden staircase of my elementary school, running my hands over the grooved banister, ready to pass through the heavy green doors. There is a library book in my lunchbox that I plan to hide behind my notebook while the teacher drones away, and I can't wait to get out of my goulashes and behind my small desk, behind Genevive Vialobos, whom I am following up the stairs, whose long dark hair will entrance me between chapters.

  I know what you mean: it's powerful, transformative, if only for a moment.

  Dedalus
• 
  46

  Let's See Your Town:

  by Englishman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  heres mine: http://www.scotphoto.com/englishphoto/categories/towns/westonsupermare.html.

  englishman.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  My neighborhood, from above. My apartment building is in the lower left corner ... good luck!

  * http://www.oaksquare.com/images/aerialphoto.htm

  Dedalus
• 
  2

  What Did Jesus Mean?

  by Francois in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  remember this scripture in matthew:.

  [28] come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and i will give you rest.. [29] take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for i am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.. [30] for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.. do you think this refers to labor in terms of heavy work in order to support one's self and family?.

  or does it really refer to those who were heavily laden with the demands of an organized religion, such as the judism of his day, heavy with the burden of the pharisees?

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  dedalus

  It means whatever the hell you want it to mean.

  Dedalus
• 
  31

  I've been away - COME SEE WHY!!!

  by conflicted in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  kaitlyn marie is born

  8 pounds, 5 ounces.

  21 3/4" long.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  LDH,

  Hey, and she's already got a husband lined up! (My little guy is 4 months old)...

  Hey, what is my daughter, chop liver??

  Conflicted,

  Congratulations! Our daughter is almost 7 weeks old -- she's been the most amazing experience of my life.

  Dedalus
• 
  19

  Babette's Feast

  by joelbear in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  interesting movie that culminates with babette cooking a sumptuous meal for a group of devout christians who feel guilty about enjoying anything because of the sinful nature of enjoyment and their fear that enjoyment of life now will diminish their eternal reward so they vow to each other not to show any signs that they are enjoying the meal.. i saw it the other night and it always reminds me of the witnesses i knew back in the 60s.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  Tyydyy,

  And why can't you still talk about babettes feast? Are you trying to whine about something?

  I'm not entirely discrediting the discussion that's off-topic. I'm just pointing out that it's off-topic. I'm not trying to whine about anything -- just comes naturally, I guess.

  Anyway, I more or less agree with you -- Witnesses are Christians. The only reason to insist that Witnesses aren't Christians is if you happen to be a Christian yourself, and are offended at being lumped in with a competing Christian religion. Understandably offended, even. But it all boils down to off-topic semantics, and at the end of the day, I don't even think it matters. The Organization is what it is, whether we call it a cult or a religion or a club or whatever. All of the labels are reductive because they leave something out.

  As for "Babette's Feast" -- has anyone read anything else by Isak Dinesen? Out of Africa is one of those books I've always wanted to read, but always put off reading, because based on the first 20 pages or so, I can tell that, once I'm finished, I'm going to regret that I can't read it for the first time ever again.

  Dedalus
• 
  7

  Another Pathetic Awake -Ap.22

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the april 22 2002 awake has "can i worship god in my.

  " on its cover.. it is an attack on the common viewpoint found in .

  western nations that god can be worshipped in many.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  "Can I Worship God In My Own Way?"

  NO!

  God will only accept your worship if you peddle magazines with stupid articles like "Can I Worship God In MY Own Way?" inside.

  Dedalus
• 
  80

  A sickening example of religious vampirism

  by expatbrit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the link below leads to a webpage for a play entitled it's not too late: a christian drama/musical inspired by the columbine tragedy.. here is the synopsis of the play:.

  the story takes place during one day at a high school.. .

  mr. brooks is the custodian of the high school.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  I can think of nothing to add, Mr. Lentz. I hope your answer will be as specific as Rem's post was.

  Dedalus
• 
  19

  Babette's Feast

  by joelbear in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  interesting movie that culminates with babette cooking a sumptuous meal for a group of devout christians who feel guilty about enjoying anything because of the sinful nature of enjoyment and their fear that enjoyment of life now will diminish their eternal reward so they vow to each other not to show any signs that they are enjoying the meal.. i saw it the other night and it always reminds me of the witnesses i knew back in the 60s.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  dedalus

  Good topic.

  It was a good topic, until it disintigrated into a semantic squabble about whether Witnesses are or aren't Christians. [8>]

  Dedalus