Posts by PrimateDave

8

What's the point?

by Chalam in

jw
friends

so i had a knock at the door this morning.

had a late one on here last night so i was still asleep.

ran down stairs thinking it was a delivery as i was expecting a couple of packages.

PrimateDave

Stephen, I suppose you are to be commended for your attempt to have a discussion with them. As to the futility of the effort, well who is to say?

In my own position when I finally left the org, I simply refused to discuss my reasons. I already knew that to a Witness, discussion is often a one way affair. They tell you what to believe, and you're supposed to agree unconditionally. Giving them points that you disagree with is just an opportunity for them to show you the error of your way.

Now it isn't always like that because there are many Witnesses who have doubts. Perhaps the key is to somehow determine your prospects for success early on in order to not waste time with well indoctrinated persons.

Dave

49

Why should I believe the Bible?

by wobble in

jw
friends

i don't ask for myself,but my son said last night that he sees no reason to take any notice of a book written by men over many centuries.. could the believers on here give me some ammunition to shoot across his bows to at least get him to consider the bible's merits?.

i am familiar with the arguments against he bible,and my son is familiar with the wt defense of the bible and is not convinced.. thanks in advance,.

love.

PrimateDave

Wobble, you are most welcome. I'm glad I could help.

Nice to see you posting here, Narkissos! As always I am in awe of your knowledge.

Dave

17

FAT joints

by TheOldHippie in

have i smoked fat joints while being a jw?.

yes!.

have you?.

PrimateDave

I only want to because I'm not supposed to. Otherwise, I would probably not be interested since I never have used tobacco and rarely drink alcohol.

Dave

91

Is the USA about to become the new Palestine?

by Gill in

jw
friends

do the zionists, (not thejewish people but their real leaders such as the rothschilds,) plan to do to the usa what they have done to the palestinians?.

are the american people about to be wiped out of existence to give the fabled land 'merica' of the freemasons / illuminati, to the zionists as their real, in their opinion, promised land?.

the freemasons were promised, if they went west that they would find their promised land of merica.. .

PrimateDave

"I know this may sound bizarre to anyone who has not studied this topic....."

Occupation 101

Actually there are some very well considered and even scholarly discussions on the topic of the Palestinians, the West Bank and Gaza. Noam Chomsky (Jewish but definitely not Zionist) among others has lectured and written extensively on this topic.

Neither The US Nor Israel Is A "Genuine Party To Peace."

Israel is a Terrorist State by Definition: Chomsky

Avram Noam Chomsky, 80, is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, political activist, author, and lecturer. He is an Institute Professor emeritus and professor emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Chomsky is well known in the academic and scientific community as the father of modern linguistics.

In other words, he is not a part of the lunatic fringe, foil-hat-wearing crowd. I think those who promote so-called Illuminati-NWO conspiracy theories do a disservice to real activists who are trying to overcome deeply entrenched political systems that are causing major damage to people around the globe.

The very fact that the Palestinians still live in their homeland despite decades of pressure from Zionism shows that there is yet hope. It is incorrect to believe that any one group no matter how powerful can unilaterally impose its will on others with unimpeded success. Entire nations have successfully resisted the most powerful empires known to exist.

Therefore, in answer to the topic question: It is ludicrous to even think that the population of North America would idly watch as a mass extermination began.

Dave

3

"If This Is An Improving Economy, We're In Trouble"

by leavingwt in

if this is an improving economy, we're in trouble.

several important economic people have publicly stated they see the economy getting better.

over the last several weeks, larry summers said he has heard anecdotal information that things are improving.

PrimateDave

Some similar "words of encouragement" over at Financial Armageddon.com:

Awfully Familiar

I like one of the comments left on the above blog: "none of theses imbeciles saw it coming,how do they know its over ?"

Dave

19

Did anyone see "Earth without people"?

by hubert in

jw
friends

it was on the history channel tuesday night.. if you kept in mind the j.w.

theory of a "paradise earth", you'd see it would be absolutely impossible for 6 or 7 , even 20 million people to "maintain" the earth to keep it in liveable condition, never mind a "paradise earth".. all that time i was watching it, i was hoping my daughter and son-in-law was looking at it, too.

i wanted to call them and tell them about it, but i am not allowed to "talk about anything that has a religious agenda" for fear of losing them.. did anyone else see it?.

PrimateDave

Just watched it on Google video, once I figured out that it is called "Life After People." Fascinating stuff for a hypothetical scenario. In all reality though, I think it highly unlikely that all humans would simply die off simultaneously. Difficult as the future may be for humanity, and that includes the possibility of a major die off, human life and civilization in some form will go on for thousands more years.

When I started getting into "doomer" material on the internet back in 2005, I began to realize what amateurs the WTBTS really were in this area. I think it was healthy for me to go through this phase because it helped me to get a grasp on the temporary nature of all things natural and man made. One of the greater myths of our modern culture is that the "empire lasts forever," a belief that groups like Jehovah's Witnesses exploit along with utopian fantasies (Live forever on paradise earth in God's empire, anyone?) to gain followers.

Whereas religious groups rely on ancient texts (Bible) for their authority in the eyes of some people, modern doomers look to the internet, documentaries, and some scientific studies (Final Empire (Koetke), Limits to Growth, "The End of Suburbia," DieOff.org, etc.). However, I feel that some of the more prominent doomers have moderated their approach as time passed as a result of healthy debate (theOilDrum.com). Personally, I am looking at the future with an open ended sense of curiosity. No matter what happens, I just want to live as long and healthy a life as a human can. The only thing I know for a certainty is that there will be no Biblical "End Of The World As We Know It."

Dave

49

Why should I believe the Bible?

by wobble in

jw
friends

i don't ask for myself,but my son said last night that he sees no reason to take any notice of a book written by men over many centuries.. could the believers on here give me some ammunition to shoot across his bows to at least get him to consider the bible's merits?.

i am familiar with the arguments against he bible,and my son is familiar with the wt defense of the bible and is not convinced.. thanks in advance,.

love.

PrimateDave

Unless I am misunderstanding the question, then this doesn't have to be so much about god, atheism, agnosticism, evolution, creation, etc. It is just about understanding the Bible itself within the context which it was written, and perhaps as a result having a new found appreciation for it as a significant part of our human cultural and historical heritage.

I think he would enjoy reading Richard Friedman's fine scholarly book Who Wrote the Bible? It is an excellent introduction to the Documentary Hypothesis that is quite readable by lay persons. About the only unfounded criticism this book has received to my knowledge is from Fundamentalists who refuse to examine the scriptures in light of "higher criticism" and archeological evidence.

That said, this book is very respectful of the Bible, and I think it would by enjoyed by Christians and Jews who do not feel threatened by honest Biblical scholarship. It gives greater insight into the origins and history of one of the most important literary works of history. Whether or not that leads to "belief" is up to the individual.

Dave

47

Have you joined a new religious organisation since leaving the JW's?

by Wee John in

since leaving the jw's did you actively seek out another organisation, or did it find you?.

.

have you found yourself apathetic to all religions?.

PrimateDave

No.

Dave

56

Triblulation is upon us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by unbaptized in

the signs are becoming more and more clear.

violent crimes are increasing and lawlessness is the thing of the day.

people are starting to lose their minds due to the increasing job loss and economic hardship.

PrimateDave

Each denomination has a copy of the Holy Bible and the prophecies state the same thing. So it doesn't matter what your christian belief is your still going to see the same signs as everyone else. If you read your bible.

The Bible, is it? Sorry to inform you, the real good doomer stuff is over a Die Off.org!

Enjoy!

Dave

49

beards are from satan!

by Adrianoblue in

jw
friends

it is illegal to wear a beard.

(matthew 24:45-47).

but it is legal to wear a mustache.

PrimateDave

Every child learns that Adam didn't have a beard.

Not only that, men obviously only have short hair. And Adam and Eve were white people.

Not.

Dave