I just wanted to thank everyone who participated in this thread (even though it's not mine.) As a still-attending JW, it's so nice to talk to people who don't mind debating and are openminded. Can you imagine this conversation or anything like it happening at a Kingdom Hall?
under_believer
JoinedPosts by under_believer
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25
Evolution and Self-Sacrifice
by IW indoes the theory of evolution supply the genetic answer to the self-sacrificing nature of many animal parents as well as that of many men and women in general?
when a man or woman risks their life to help someone in danger is their response simply a response to the natural processes at work due to evolution's effect on their dna?
if so, can this self-sacrificing gene be isolated?
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100
WERE THERE ANY `YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS,MAN' moments in KH
by badboy indid something say something like that po who said`cats represent the beast' so you shouldn't stroke them'
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under_believer
When I was told that Dinosaurs were vegetarians, that made me ask "You can not be serious, right?"
That one is funny because they need it to be true for the rest of their perceptions about the Garden of Eden to work. If Dinosaurs ate meat, it gives lie to the idea that no creatures ate meat in paradise, lion lies down with lamb, etc etc.
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What is the power the Internet has against the WTS, and how best to use it?
by jwfacts init has been discussed that the internet is bringing the wts to its knees far quicker than ever hoped for several reasons:rapid access to research of old publications through databasesanonymous nature of finding informationease of which a person can stumble accross information.
another powerful reason is interactivity with other people.
the ability to rapidly see many ideas on a board like this, ask questions and get answers allows personalisation to the individual needs of every truthseeker.
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under_believer
As to the faithful Witness slimboyfat's wishful thinking about the internet being good for the Society, I can only point to the non-scientific, highly anecdotal, but overwhelming number of people who testify that the Internet was key to freeing their minds and getting them out of the Org. EDITED TO ADD: I fall into this category. Studying evolution online was key to my finally breaking free from the Org.
As far as there being less apostate meetups: this is probably true. This is because they are now superfluous, with the internet. It's GOOD that apostates can communicate so freely and cheaply now, without long distance phone bills, postage costs, or air fare. This SPEEDS UP the work, not slows it down. -
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Did we really believe in Armaggedon?
by james_woods ini got jolted into a forgotten realization by arthur's world events and time of the end thread.. my personal "truth" was and is - i never even really believed in it!!!.
and, yet allowed myself to get brainwashed into following around like a robot and talking to other people like i did...unbelievable now that i think about it.
but in the back of my mind (what little part was still working on its own) i was just thinking - yea sure.
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under_believer
As I posted in the other thread, occasionally they could scare me into doubting myself, but usually, no I didn't believe it would come in my lifetime.
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Did You Believe "The End" Was Going To Come In Your Lifetime?
by minimus inwhen the society came out in 1966 with the info that 6000 years of man's existence would come to an end by 1975, i thought it was a crock.
for 9 long years, all jws did was speculate about "when" the great tribulation was going to begin.
i always thought of jesus' words about "nobody knowing the day or the hour"----yet jehovah's witnesses figured it out?
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under_believer
They were occasionally able to scare me into a state of great anxiety about it with their "deep, deep in the time of the end" and their "peace and security," but my default setting, even as a faithful JW, was to disbelieve it.
How could I believe it? My mom would say things like "I never thought I'd get married in this system, then I thought I'd never have kids, then I thought my kids would never be in school, then I thought my kids would never graduate, then I thought they'd never get married." Life milestone after life milestone was faithfully "never thought," and yet they just kept coming.
My mom's own example (even though she's faithful to this day) was one of the major reasons I never believed it. -
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A little of my story; by request
by Fleur ini wrote this years ago now...and i will add an update to the end.. essie.
i believe it was about five years ago i wrote that.
there is no name on it so i don't know who wrote it.
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under_believer
Essie, I read your story. I have no specific response to it; it's too emotionally raw and too far outside of my own experience for me to presume to comment. I have nothing but sympathy for your past difficulties and am glad that you are in a much better life position now.
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100
WERE THERE ANY `YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS,MAN' moments in KH
by badboy indid something say something like that po who said`cats represent the beast' so you shouldn't stroke them'
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under_believer
That reminded me of a brother who said that 75% of the earth is covered with water, so maybe in the new world Jehovah would change some of us to breathe underwater and live at the bottom of the ocean!
Doubleyou tee eff. That is insane.
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Try to make it to your meetings!
by moomanchu in.
keep trying to get to your meetings remember the sister who walked 2 hours one way to feast at the spiritual banquet , or the bro who crossed crocodile infested waters to get to his meeting.. anyone remember any other guilt trip inducing illustrations?
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under_believer
Though missing one leg from the knee down, he would cross a lake in a dugout canoe and walk four hours to get to the meeting place.
hop... hop... hop... hop...
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under_believer
Looks like Long Beach CA doesn't have any kind of gag reflex. God--TEH MONEY TEH MONEY! WRITE A PRESS RELEASE DISGUISED AS A NEWS ARTICLE!
It wouldn't surprise me at all if that article is part of some kind of complex contractual negotiations the Society got pushed through as a condition of bringing the undereducated Witness masses to descend on Long Beach like a bunch of grinning, badge-wearing harpies.
This is officially the least coherent post I have ever written on JWD. -
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Revelation It's Grand Climax at Hand! - bookstudy
by TheListener ini was reading e-watchman today and someone there is saying that after studying the what does the bible really teach book at bookstudies the next book will be the revelation book!!!.
there isn't any real proof, but the poster claimed a letter from bethel stated this.
perhaps some here can dig around and confirm or deny this new rumor.. we've studied it 3 times in the past and it's been awhile.
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under_believer
For the average dub the information goes right over their head or in one ear and out the other. All they really get out of the study is that the society "understands" revelation much better than any other religion and it all fits together so nicely.
Totally hit the nail on the head, there. Nobody understands this stuff--NOBODY. I had an elder tell me about the Daniel book "don't worry about who was actually the king of the north and the king of the south. Just remember that there always was one of each down throughout all history." It's exactly what you just said--don't worry about trying to piece it together. If you don't understand it, that's your fault. The Society will take care of everything.