Posts by done4good

36

What is your purpose or what do you wish to accomplish while a member of this board?

by Tenacious in

jw
friends

when i joined this forum i was seeking more people who felt the same way i did in terms of seeing the jehovah's witness organization for what it truly was; a false prophet.. once i found like-minded members i slowly started to open up and participate more in trying to help others that were also exiting mentally and physically.

today, i offer support to anyone who desires it regardless of what they believe or not believe.. so what is your purpose on this board?.

support?

done4good

I have been on here over 9 years, not long after leaving the JWs. It started out as mostly a place to have my thoughts validated. I had already read CoC by that time, and Timothy Campbell's Beyond JW site by then.

I would have varying degrees of input over the next 3 years or so, with little contribution between 2009-2013. Last year, a very hurtful personal event brought me back, as I really needed to cathartically express my thoughts about the situation, and still do from time to time. I am also concerned with what goes on in JWdom for the sake of two people I still dearly love.

I now try to help others to the degree my small amount of insight might be beneficial to them.

d4g

73

An 11-year-old boy is in custody for murder for shooting and killing an eight-year-old neighbour girl with a shotgun . . .

by nicolaou in

.

because she would not show him her puppies.. nobody has to tell you what country this happened in, you already know.. source.

done4good

Simon - US politics is simply dysfunctional - everyone knows what needs to be done, the majority support it ... but the laws still cannot be passed
There is something fundamentally wrong with our congressional makeup. It mostly has to do with House districting.

House districts are geographically significant, not populationally significant. There are more districts that represent rural areas in Washington, than those that represent well populated areas, hence more votes representing those interests. Rural areas are generally very conservative in the US, as opposed to well populated areas that are generally much more liberal, and therefore these rural areas are over-represented in Washington. This accounts for the deadlock we see in our system. A Parliamentary type system, such as like that of Canada or the UK is far more efficient when stark differences of political ideals exist from one geographic area to another.

This was not always a problem, however with societal change taking place at the pace it currently is happening, conservative types tend to dig their heels in deep, resisting change. This takes place in fiscal, as well as social matters. Gun control is just one of many things that are affected by this. This is also why the Supreme Court is being called on to play such a significant role in affecting legislation.

d4g

73

An 11-year-old boy is in custody for murder for shooting and killing an eight-year-old neighbour girl with a shotgun . . .

by nicolaou in

.

because she would not show him her puppies.. nobody has to tell you what country this happened in, you already know.. source.

done4good

anything that requires a constitutional amendment to own and use should be questioned to some degree.

Books?

Abortions?

As to realistic solutions, I would start with intense training, in schools, in the safe use of firearms. We're teaching kids to put condoms on bananas, they should also learn how to check the action on a gun. Requiring safe storage is not unreasonable. In the case in the OP, the parents should be charged with negligent homicide.

Notice I said questioned to some degree, not abolished.

There are practical limits that can be applied to gun ownership/use that would still fall within the constitutional allowance. The problem is, the second amendment is treated as an absolute. Even the first amendment does not quite have the reach the second amendment is allowed, let alone have an organization to make sure it is upheld on those absolute terms. The NRA does their damnest to make sure NO gun control is passed. Any sane person can see something is wrong with that.

d4g

73

An 11-year-old boy is in custody for murder for shooting and killing an eight-year-old neighbour girl with a shotgun . . .

by nicolaou in

.

because she would not show him her puppies.. nobody has to tell you what country this happened in, you already know.. source.

done4good

I'm very attached to my guns

Some of my comment was deleted so it made no sense.

In any case, I get being attached to something, (I am to my records, stereo, etc.), but anything that requires a constitutional amendment to own and use should be questioned to some degree.

This isn't Tombstone anymore folks.

d4g

23

How Jehovah's Witnesses could become a huge mainstream religion without harming people. Any thoughts?

by JWchange in

if jws did the following, i believe they would grow exponentially and become one of the largest 'religions' on earth : .

1. no more dfing or shunning......its up to your conscience who you like or don't like.

in the same way if i was catholic living in ireland, i wouldn't hang out with my neighbor if she was a drunk fornicator, just had an abortion, had a taliban boyfriend and also supported liverpool soccer club.

done4good

They would cease to exist as JW, plain and simple.

FWIW, the organization in current form cannot withstand that type of change without serious repercussions to its business. It is structured to depend upon control of its membership. In a very real way this control aspect is part of its business model. Any removal of those attributes would cause major disruption, as members would leave for two reasons: 1. Many don't really want to be there anyway, and once the controls are removed, they will walk; 2. Many others would find the changes very disturbing, and leave because the changes themselves would be enough indication the organization is not the "Truth".

Things are slowly reaching a critical mass, however. Change may be forced on the organization to survive for the long term. This will basically be the equivalent of hitting the reset button however, and require serious fallout before things begin to level off. Nothing will be the same for the organization after that, as they will basically be little more than a minor sect, comparable to what happened with the Christadelphians.

d4g

21

You have to admit, the carrot is pretty alluring.

by John Aquila in

there were several families that were visiting my mom today and i was sitting in and just listening to all of them talk..

they started talking about the recent shooting at the university.

and its so easy for them because all they have to say is;.

done4good

no-zombie - As a consequence, my new tactic is to only attack emotionally.

While I do not know that I would consider it an attack, I agree with your reasoning. The current crop of JW will not respond to logical arguments formed against their beliefs. This is actually true for most people who have deep ideological positions on matters, including all religious fundamentalists. Their beliefs are not based on fact and reason to begin with, so using such as "proof" as to their beliefs being false is a fool's endeavor. It is an argument that cannot be won. Put another way, "belief" is one of those areas where people create their own reality. Nothing else is "real" to them. I was actually told this personally in so many words by a JW friend not too long ago.

Using an emotionally angled position can work, however this can also backfire, so be careful.

d4g

21

You have to admit, the carrot is pretty alluring.

by John Aquila in

there were several families that were visiting my mom today and i was sitting in and just listening to all of them talk..

they started talking about the recent shooting at the university.

and its so easy for them because all they have to say is;.

done4good

You may right be with respect to the "have nothing else in life" type of JW. Religion has always preyed on these types of people, and some religions, (like JW), do their very best to make sure people stay in this state of misery.

For any JW with a career, a family, and all of the "normal" things in life, any reference to the "new system fixing things" is nothing more than a way to resolve their cognitive dissonance.They really don't want any such "system" to be a reality.

People naturally learn to accept that the world has problems, we eventually die, etc. When one has a normal and realistic view of such things, he/she will attempt to make the best life possible for themselves, and likely others as well, to the degree they can. No fantasy world needed.

d4g

138

My Mother Died Two Weeks Ago

by Perry in

jw
friends

none of my jehovah's witness relatives called to tell me or my family.

just found out this morning.

done4good

Perry-

That is just awful for them to treat you that way, yes even for them...

Sorry for your loss.

d4g

8

When was the last time he had a dream you were chased by Demons???LOL

by James Mixon in

i have had dreams being chased by gang members, chased by jw's, my experiences.

in vietnam, not one single horn chasing demons and the end of days..

done4good

Demons??? Well..er...never...

Hordes of beautiful women...well a few times, I think.

16

Is Watchtower beginning to buckle

by Truthexplorer in

is wt beginning to buckle under the weight of everything that is happening?

heavy criticism from the media and the plethora of websites and youtube videos popping up; and now the obvious issues with finances clearly evident.

the pressure for change must be immense and therefore necessary!

done4good

It is more about long-term sustainability than anything else, but...

1. Negative legal pressure and bad PR is hurting them.

2. Money is a problem. The 25 year old "donation" arrangement is very long in the tooth, and beginning to show real signs of stress. JWs are not big donators to begin with, (most don't have much money to give), and those that do have the means are smarter than to give away money they see has no purposeful use.

3. The are rapidly becoming irrelevant in a better informed society.

They will be around for a while, but I am, (almost), convinced a real corner has been turned. The WTS does not like to appear to capitulate easily, and it is clearly appearing to be very desperate.

d4g