Posts by PrimateDave

13

Would (a) less-than-good god(s) be worthy of interest?

by Narkissos in

as i was reading alanf's thread on "intelligent design" (http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/136111/2.ashx) i was stopped at the following comment of his:.

having only got through chapter 3 of behe's book, i wasn't aware that he actually claims that god created the exquisitely designed malaria bug.

for any normal theology, this is completely self-defeating.

PrimateDave

I've read Behe's book.

a God who would create such nastiness is not worth anyone's time, let alone worship.

And yet this is the natural world we live in. If fundamentalists actually took the time to study ecology, biology, and evolution they would understand the function of diseases, predators, and other such "nastiness." There is no "sin" because everything is already "perfect." Except their concept of "perfection" involves a faulty notion of "permanence." Yet nothing in the natural world is permanent. The body dies and decays because it has to. It is supposed to become food for other organisms. Those organisms become food for yet other life forms. The cycle will continue until the environment is no longer favorable for it. By then, of course, the Earth will have become a lifeless desert.

A Designer of the system as it exists would indeed be worthy of interest if said Designer could be proved to exist and directly communicated with by anyone in some reasonable way. There is no reason to believe that this hypothetical Designer would have any system of morality or ethics, as just about anything conceivable and many things inconceivable occur every moment of existence on this planet. This hypothetical Designer doesn't appear to have a problem with any of that. The human desire for "justice," that which would ultimately correct all the perceived "nastiness" in the world, is based on an unfounded notion that the Universe owes sentient lifeforms something. There is no evidence for this. There will be no Day of Judgment. Wishing for it will not make it so.

So, it would seem to me that the fundamentalists have unrealistic expectations for a "good" god based on faulty premises. Their faulty premises color their view of the natural world, which they ultimately refuse to accept as it is.

Dave

24

Universalism

by choosing life in

i was talking to a friend who believes that everyone will acieve eternal life eventually.

she used some scriptures that make sense to me.. 1 cor.

15:22 -for as in adam all die, so also in christ, all will be made alive.. rom.8 :38,39- basically states that nothing can seperate us from god's love.. it was kind of refreshing to hear her talk about everyone being important and worthwhile to god.

PrimateDave

Okay, just for the sake of argument, I'm going to say that no one believes in Universalism. If god could fix everything bad that ever happened, who would care what Hitler and the Third Reich ever did? Deep down we know better than that.

Furthermore, Christians do not believe in eternal life in heaven or on earth. Why? Because murder is always punished and genocide is considered an unfathomable crime against humanity. Deep down we know that a murder victim just doesn't exist anymore, and we want "justice."

If you knew for a certainty that you would go to heaven and "be with god" when you die, why not thank murderers for getting you there sooner. Old age would be a crime, indeed!

Suicide could be more socially acceptable, and Kevorkian wouldn't have gone to prison.

But, no, everyone fears death because deep down they know that the here-and-now is all we ever get. This life is all there is, and everyone already knows it.

Dave

56

Bad biblical names for a child

by erandir in

jw
friends

the practice of choosing biblical names for children is present in many forms of christianity.

in latin america, countless boys are named jesus either as a first name or second name.

there is even that singer jesus jones.

PrimateDave

Onan comes to mind. ;-)

Dave

24

When do you decide that it's time to cut your hair ?

by JH in

jw
friends

when they touch your ears ?.

every given period of time, like every 2 months ?.

when it just doesn't look right anymore ?.

PrimateDave

Since I stopped going to meetings a year ago, I haven't had a hair cut. I'm going for terminal length! lol

Check out the Men's Long Hair Hyperboard!

Dave

10

Jephthah's Sacrifice of his Daughter - real or figurative "burnt offering?"

by B_Deserter in

while reading richard dawkins' book "the god delusion," he talked about jephthah's sacrificial slaughter of his own daughter.

i was utterly shocked.

after all, "my book of bible stories" taught me that he sent her away to jehovah's service, like a nun or something.

PrimateDave

I like the JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society Bible) rendering of the last verse in chapter 11 of Judges:

So it became a custom in Israel for the maidens of Israel to go every year, for four days in the year, and chant dirges for the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

According to the Wikipedia, a Dirge is "a somber song expressing mourning or grief, such as would be appropriate for performance at a funeral."

Seems self explanatory to me.

Dave

68

Assembly Hall shakedown - Columbia SC

by sir82 in

jw
friends

from someone who attended:.

there was a big elders meeting in columbia sc on saturday june 9.. around 240 congregations, 2000+ elders.. the society wants to build a brand new assembly hall in columbia, sc, to handle the huge influx of jws moving to the us southeast from up north.. they expect to have it done in 34 months (finished by april 2010).

total cost estimated to be approximately $8 - 9 million.. they want to have the whole thing paid for by the time the building is done - no long term loans.. they "strongly suggested" that each of the 240 congregations commit to supporting "their share" of the expense.

PrimateDave

Great! Not! My retirement age parents live there. I've already told them to expect and plan for a looong retirement, and who knows what the economy will do once they get stuck on social security. They are just the type to donate for such a thing, being lifers and all.

I think everyone in the Columbia area hates driving two hours or more up to Salisbury, NC and back to attend that assembly hall there. I knew quite a few who put lots of time and money into constructing that one. All the while there are civic centers in Greenwood and Florence that can be rented, but we know the Society is about owning real estate, not renting it.

Funny, I think the rank and file will be all enthusiastic for it while secretly thinking that "someone else" in the congregation will foot the bill. No one ever questions who really owns the place once it's paid for. I was always amazed at how much it cost to use the Salisbury hall for circuit assemblies and special days.

Dave

8

Do you forward "warning emails" ?

by JH in

jw
friends

then i read the warning, and i say to myself, maybe it's only a joke or maybe someone is trying to collect email addresses, so each time you forward, the list gets longer and someone might have many email addresses to send junk to afterwards.. i think that everyone should know that you shouldn't open an attachement from someone you don't know.

anyways here is the warning i received.....so yes i did forward it, but not through emails..... .

better safe than sorry.read the following.

PrimateDave

I forward absolutely NOTHING. I still get "Witness" emails that circulate among family and a couple of friends who still have me on their list. Unless I know the source, I won't even open an email just to see what it is about.

Dave

61

"I"

by nvrgnbk in

jw
friends

.

if this means anything to you, please share your thoughts.. .

PrimateDave

You and I - may kill ourselves
You and I - go straight to hell
Where they have barbeque and beer
Better than they do up here
And you know all the words to the songs

Yeah - we smoke cigarettes
We dance with the dead
They're soft to the touch
We drink way too much

And darling, I think you'll like it here
You might like it here

You and I - we ain't no saints
You and I - we can see our fates
We'll be the faces in the clouds
We'll be a gospel singer's shout
We'll be the lights from an airplane at night

Hey yeah - I can't stay in my skin
I bin in here too long
But I know where to find, a really good time
And darlin' I think you'll like it here
You might like it here

I'm gonna fall in love
With ev'ryone I meet
And ev'ryone I see
And ev'rything I touch
And ev'rything I feel

Isn't that the way (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be? (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be?

I'm the look upon your face
The water on your lawn
The light from distant stars
The wreckage of a plane

The space between your teeth
The itch you cannot scratch
The mentally unfit
The pimple on your lip

Isn't that the way (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be? (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be? (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be? (Isn't that the way)

I'm the ice cubes in your glass
A busted cadillac
A garden of delight
A joker in your deck

Well it ain't in what I feel
No, it ain't in what I say
In the pleasure of a kiss
It never fades away

Isn't that the way (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be? (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be? (Isn't that the way)
It's supposed to be? (Isn't that the way)

You and I

"You and Eye" David Byrne

Dave (not Byrne)

26

What are your favorite countries?

by 5go in

jw
friends

mine are switzerland, germany, japan, sweden, and china.

PrimateDave

Well, America is great. I'm partial to my home state of South Carolina. Southern cooking. Myrtle Beach. Charleston. Table Rock State Park. North Carolina is really nice too. I've been to Arizona and the Grand Canyon. Yep. The USA is a great country.

I went to Japan back in '91. Loved it. I love Japanese food. The people are super. I spent two months in Odawara. I would love to go back some day.

Places I would love to visit:

Brazil, to see Rio and the Amazon.

England, because Needproof has posted such nice things about the country he loves.

Spain, Italy, and Greece.

India and Sri Lanka.

Australia and New Zealand.

Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.

Bali (Indonesia), Hong Kong, and Singapore.

There's just too much to see in one lifetime!

Dave

16

"Straight People" How do you handle it if a "gay" person "flirts" with you?

by booker-t in

before i explain this question let me apologize to any person if this is an "offensive" question but i really am at a lost for an answer.

i work with a very nice guy at work and we have worked together for many years.

but lately i have to admit i have been alittle "uncomfortable" with some of his behavior.

PrimateDave

Okay, I'm not exactly "straight," but I'm not a flaming queer either, no offense intended to those who are because I've had friends like that myself. Why not have a friendly chat. Let him know that you are his friend. Tell him that some things make you feel uncomfortable because you don't understand his intentions. He does know that you are straight, right? If he values your friendship, he'll respect you for being honest with him.

Dave