Dave,
I can see you and I think alike in alot of ways. I do have an open mind to the evidence that is presented, and I can see that it could be warming. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that, but I think the frenzied pontificating and disaster mongering is over the top and borderline religiousity. Why is it so dangerous to say the FACT for example that the earth has historically had warmer periods? I think one very positive thing that will come out of this will be cleaner fuels, and hopefully reduction in oil consumption which is always excellent.
Isn't it funny how a person like you has to feel concerned about posting what they believe since it is controversial? I say we need the controversy. I hate political correct bullshit, that's what I'm mainly spouting off about it, it gets under my skin and makes me feel bound and gagged. I wanna anti-correct revolution. Bring it.
"Besides the alarmism, I see many other very WTS-like tactics in use, guilt and shame come to mind."
You forget the us vs. them. I feel there is a heavy dogmatism as well. Don't forget the villification of the dissident and superiority complex. They should realise that not everyone will completely embrace everything the Scientific community espouses. If I'm not mistaken,,,Scientists have been wrong before??? Or are they infallible gods not to be challenged?
"Temperature goes up, it's global warming Temperature goes down, it's global warming."
I got a sunburn last year. I'm pretty sure it was global warming.
Like I said, I care about the environment, but the zealotry and alarmism really bug me. Hell, you know I'd love to have a hybrid car, but it's new and can't afford it. You know, I'd love to have solar energy powered house. Don't have the capitol for it. Why don't the rich celebrities understand the common people don't have millions to go buy the newest car and completely rework their homes?
"Believe what you will about the issue, but take note of the tactics, anybody who has successfully escaped from the WTS would benefit themselves by recognizing zealotry in any form and resisting the heady satisfaction it can bring for fear of being swallowed whole by another mindset that may not be doubted or debated."
Why forsake honesty and truth for bondage?"
Brilliant Dave. Why forsake honesty? OMG no kidding. Just to illustrate, the modern day Mayans protesting Mel Gibsons Apocolypto. I saw it, and of course it was dramatized, and the Mayans were made into Cinematic villians, because that was their stage the CINEMA. Now, they were saying it was racist or something. It's like, what? How does a movie set hundreds and hundreds of years about a group of people that you are NOT, make it racially motivated against Mayans? Should we change the facts of History? Is a movie made about Hitler portraying him as the mass murderer psychopath that he was an account that is based in history, or an account that was constructed only to relieve a filmmakers radical anti-Germany and German peoples sentiments? I mean, it's beyond ridiculous. That captures it a bit how I see and how you said we forsake honesty,,,so we can be offended.
smellsgood
smellsgood
JoinedPosts by smellsgood
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23
For all you tree hugers out there.
by whereami ini you have some time, this is a very interesting video.
reminds me of the way the wts likes to scare everyone, the sky if falling, the sky is falling!!!!!
enjoy.
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smellsgood
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The wisdom of Metallica---Leper messiah
by Anti-Christ inone of my favorite metallica song.
"spineless from the start, sucked into the part.
circus comes to town, you play the lead clown.
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smellsgood
I know that James Hetfield was raised in Christian Science. A cult.
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Caught Wife Cheating
by roflcopter inso i posted a while back about my marriage problems.... whole new gambit thrown into the mix.
i've had suspicions all along that something like this might be happening... but only just not confirmed that she's been cheating on me... with another jw that she works with!
she could have been more discreet about it rather than leave all the text messages on her phone.
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smellsgood
bum situation rofl, I'm sorry to hear of it.
I am curious why she wouldn't get df'd for fornication? -
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Do you lick the lid of life??
by ilovegravy inok, so there`s a tv ad doing the rounds in the uk about yoghurt and its strapline is "do you lick the lid of life?
" so it gets me thinking.
to my knowledge, and i could be wrong here, but as far as i know, yoghurt in cartons is the only food in which our instant reaction is to lick the lid...i can`t think of any more ...can you?.
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smellsgood
gravy lids from kfc. I would imagine you do the same.
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Anyone here have experience in Native American culture/worship?
by Angry_Kangaroo insince leaving behind jw beliefs, i have been interested in learning other belief systems.
i am really interested in native american beliefs as i have native blood in my background, and i feel more at peace and closer to god when i am in nature.
from what i have read, it is not a set religion with rules and such, but more a cultural/community based faith.
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smellsgood
er..I owned a dreamcatcher when I was 10.
I think it's alot of animism and pantheism. The Great Spirit and the power animals and the ancestors. That's all the information I've collected about it from school and like...Pocahontas. Don't have any personal experience with it though, so why did I bother you with this reply you ask? Because by not adding anything I accomplish nothing. It's so relaxing.
Good luck, you should go google it. There's probably online community somewhere. -
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For all you tree hugers out there.
by whereami ini you have some time, this is a very interesting video.
reminds me of the way the wts likes to scare everyone, the sky if falling, the sky is falling!!!!!
enjoy.
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smellsgood
The 'politically correct' speech codes that silence in the name of professional and perpetual offendedness are far more fascist in nature and do nothing in the service of truth, they only stifle discussion.
excellentness, Dave, I love trees and water and wildlife and all that, but I loathe feigned outrage I see in every politician who feels he needs to get on the bandwagon of every hot button issue and agree agree agree, never offend anyone, appease every one, cover and agree with every point of view. "Perpetual offendedness" love it. We can be such sissies in developed countries. I'm outraged! Don't make a point I could disagree with! Dont' stand for something, because somebody else might have a different point of view and it could *gasp and faint* cause CONTENTION!!!! Oh please, save me from debate and controversy, save me from believing in something contrary to a zeitgeist, save me from every putting my hand out where it might get slapped. I need my valium, I need to ride the wave of everyone elses opinion.
I will mangle and destroy any opposing viewpoints, it might tear a hole in my perfectly knit ideologies that I've knicked off some poll in the NY Times. -
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Why the Watchtower is NOT Christian
by smellsgood inwatchtower, feb. 15, 1983, p. 12. .
" john 6:40 watchtower style .
the watchtower; "12/1/1981, p. 27. .
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smellsgood
Thanks for your kind thoughts. I didn't make myself clear - what bothered me was that I was actually defending the wts and being disloyal to some of the christians on here. But I'm glad you raised the topic as it brought home to me that many of us were JWs because we thought we were following Jesus Christ and it was our love for him that kept us in.
smellsgood: woops, ha ha *ahem* and I thought you were all brokenhearted over giving me stick :) a blonde moment please forgive me, but I still love giving cyber hugs y'know. Yes, there is a distinction between the individual who truly has a "heart for Christ" as the say, and the WT which places doctrines in their path that are Anti-Christ. It's not the individual, but the "spirit" of the WT that is Anti-Christ. They are led to believe Jesus is the head, so it is his instruction being drafted.
My daughter is fading too - we often discuss topics on here.
smellsgood: do you have any other family that is still JW? Congrats to your daughter, did you quit the WT around the same time?
the WTS uses the example the young Isrealite girl who 'witnessed to Naaman' to encourage children to engage in the ministry.
Yes children definitely are coerced and put upon to share in the door to door work. I'm sure householders feel very sorry for the youngsters but witnesses use the presence of children to engage the householders attention.
smellsgood: Wow, I didn't know this aspect very much. I didn't know that the WT actually encouraged it, I thought it was just zealous parents stringing the kid along!! -
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Need help to start Religious Cult, want to have my own kingdom
by Brain Dead inwell actually i was thinking about starting my very own religious cult, i would be king and master over my own kingdom and i would have my very own discrete salves.
and i would live in a big ivory tower so i could stand on top of my tower and look out at my vast kingdom that my discrete slaves had built me........yes.
and once a day i would go down to the financial department and count all the millions that my slaves had brought me....aw millions, millions of pretty little dollars....aw....aw.
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smellsgood
and once a day I would go down to the financial department and count all the millions that my slaves had brought me....aw millions, millions of pretty little dollars....aw....aw
.....L.Ron Hubbard??? -
49
Why the Watchtower is NOT Christian
by smellsgood inwatchtower, feb. 15, 1983, p. 12. .
" john 6:40 watchtower style .
the watchtower; "12/1/1981, p. 27. .
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smellsgood
sweet pea,
ahhhh, bless! Thank you, I'm happy it made a positive impression on somebody! It's worth it then! -
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Why the Watchtower is NOT Christian
by smellsgood inwatchtower, feb. 15, 1983, p. 12. .
" john 6:40 watchtower style .
the watchtower; "12/1/1981, p. 27. .
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smellsgood
I got a bit carried away debating with you and it bothered me all day.
smellsgood: Ahhhh, don't worry about it darling, you must have a really tender heart if the very mild things you said bothered you! That's sweet! Besides, what's life without a little debate now and then hmmm? I say what a privilege to put ideas out there you really believe and give them the once over eh? If I never offend anybody in my life, not you, but just in the politically don't scratch my skin climate we are in, at the end, I will have accomplished nothing because I stood for nothing. ((((bernadette))))seriously, don't worry about it. I admit I rather like debating....I debated some hardcore lifer JW's online for a year or so...so I've cut my teeth really. :) Not of course comparing you to them at all. I did get a kick out of tearing apart their illogic, but they didn't come around sadly.
Personally the wts doesn't practice the spirit of Christ cos imo the FDS are focused on their own survival and importance. They say they rely on holy spirit but in reality they draw their strength from slaving the down trodden, from engaging the service and burdening down people who are already sighing and groaning under the weight of living and from child labour and they show no mercy or compassion
smellsgood: hear hear!
Was talking to my daughter the other day and was wondering how they scripturally justify sending children out in the ministry to bring in new recruits. Any ideas smellsgodd?
smellsgood: Is your daughter a JW? I really don't see it as being scripturally justified. It's just a further indoctrination tool for a very tender and impressionable youth. I don't think Peter was an adolescent, and it doesn't appear in the course of history that there has been at any time a childpreaching army. They are vulnerable, and what they are taught, they take to heart. I'm pretty sure that the apostles for example had children. There is no mention of them traipsing around Israel hut to hut to preach. There is no cause for it, and the householders no doubt look at a child in that situation as being put upon and coerced as it were, which they are in fact. I think children need to be nurtured, not tortured. :)
warmest regards,
smellsgood