Posts by LisaRose

12

Hello everybody!

by roberto avon in

jw
friends

hello everybody,i've been lurking for a while and since i really adore reading the biggest part of the posts, especially this italian ( american) guy about his experiences at bethel in the 70's, i feel a little bit guilty for not participating with my contribute.

i am really so sorry for the people that are suffering because of the wts.my story is a " happy ending " story, i married a jw almost 30 years ago and i am here to tell that we are still very happy.

she is very liberal and our 3 kids are " normal ".

LisaRose

Welcome, I am glad you and your family are doing well.

Lisa🌹

36

Evolution is a Fact #28 - Something Darwin Didn't Say

by cofty in

one of my friends posted an inspirational picture on facebook this morning.

even before i checked i knew that it was a fictional quote.

it was written by somebody who has not grasped a basic fact about evolution.. darwin did not say this.... it is a common misunderstanding that evolution favours individuals who are able to adapt to their environment.

LisaRose

At one time there were vast numbers of dinosaurs of many different species in North America, covering most of the center of what is now the U.S. Scientists are finding fossils of new species every day. This came about because at that time it was a subtropical rainforest, food was abundant and, since they were dinosaurs they didn't have to worry about larger predators. It was a good life for the dino. What drove the evolution into such an incredible variety of species was sexual selection. Since they didn't worry about food or fighting, what made reproduction more likely was simple sexual selection. Those genetic mutations that made a dino more attractive to or noticed by the opposite sex were then more likely to get them a mate and pass down that mutation. Things like ruffled neck frills came about, wildly different coloration, etc. Those genetic mutations that did not make them attractive did not get passed down.

Since food was abundant they didn't have to move around much. That meant that changes tended to stay within a small group, because they didn't travel very far to mate. It didn't take long before groups changed enough from each other than they didn't recognize each other as the same species and stopped mating.

All that variety and complexity driven by a single cause in this case, sexual selection. Is that such a hard concept to understand? It seems quite simple to me.

18

Can I pick up a New World Translation from the JW London head office?

by Camperdown9 in

i'm an anglican and not a jehovahs witness.

what i dislike about lots of church congregations is their readiness to make unpleasant and unhelpful comments about other christian groups.

recently someone in a church tried to tell me a little about the views of jehovahs witnesses.

LisaRose

The Jehovah's Witnesses believe we are living in the last days, that soon God will destroy most of mankind except Jehovah's Witnesses. They believe seven men in Brooklyn represent and speak for God and the only way to survive the coming apocalypse is to do everything they say. Their chronology is based on some complicated interpretation of the old testament that, based on the date of the fall of Jerusalem in 607 that supposedly means the last days started in 1914. They used to think Armageddon was going to be 1914, but when that didn't happen they said it was the start of the last days. They then predicted other dates, most notably 1975, but when that didn't happen they just started saying it was right around the corner. I am 61, but was told not to go to college as I didn't have time for a career in this system. The date for the fall of Jerusalem they use is not supported by any reputable bible scholar. Their New World Translation is just a copy of another translation that has been a altered to fit JW theology. They add the name of God to the New Testament with no justification whatsoever, it's not in the original text.

They are a cult, they use cult mind control and use fear, obligation and guilt to control people. People are not allowed to talk to former member and there is no easy way to leave. If you leave and decide to vote, or celebrate Christmas or any of a number of other trivial, but forbidden things you will be disfellowshipped and your family and friends will not be a allowed to talk to you.

Yes, there is uniformity, but it's not a good thing. You are expected to attend two meetings a week, two hours each. Programs are predictable to the point of boring, there are rote question and answer sessions where there is only one correct answer. You are also expected to preach each week. You must report your time, if you do not preach each month you will be counseled by an elder. You are not supposed to watch certain movies, listen to certain music, go to college or have friends outside the organization. You are discouraged from personal pursuits, wanting to advance in your career, have hobbies or any kind of life that interferes with meeting attendance and preaching

They have a record of hiding and protecting child molesters, they are currently being investigated by the Austrialian Royal Commission. They require two witnesses to do anything in the case of an accusation, since child abusers seldom have extra witnesses it means that most get away with no punishment, the law is not called unless it is required, sometimes not even then. Victims are told to leave it in Jehovah's hands and they are discouraged from saying anything, even threatened. Having a history of child abuse does not disqualify you from being an elder.

They lie about and hide their past, and are constantly changing and flip flopping on doctrine. The Governing body must be obeyed without question, even though some of them seem quite nutty, obsessing over "homosexual tight pants" and spanx, which is an undergarment but which they apparently think are yoga pants. One of them has a very odd demeanor, over enunciating words and having exaggerated facial expressions.

If all that sounds good to you, then go for it, I am sure they will be happy to have you, but don't say I didn't warn you.

5

Second Class Citizenship

by Coded Logic in

can you imagine if a person was refused services because they were black?

or because they were christian?

there would be nationwide outrage.

LisaRose

The kind of thinking that uses religion to justify hatred is hard to fight. People have a right to their religion, but they don't have a right to use it as an excuse for treating others badly. I do not get the pediatrician, no matter what she thinks of the parents, the baby is completely innocent. How far would she go in punishing a child for perceived sins of the parents? If she were the only pediatrician in town would she let the child die rather than compromise her beliefs? What is Christian about that? What about her other patients, if she learns a father committed adultery would she refuse to treat the child? Or is it only homosexuality that is too sinful for her delicate sensibilities?

27

I am losing

by NoMoreHustle in

i haven't posted anything for a bit, but wanted to express how i am losing this battle.

it has been over 3 years now since i woke up about watchtower.

the battle that i am talking about is the tug of war with my wife (i adore her immensely), watchtower is winning, she simply will not give in to my so-called negative thoughts about the religion that we are in.

LisaRose

I recommend reading Steve Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control, if you have not done so. It is very difficult to wake up someone in a cult, the problem is they got there first, they are just trained to think everything against the Watchtower is a plot by Satan to take them away from God.

I am sorry, I know it must be very hard.

127

The people are mobilizing Mr Drumpf

by Simon in

protesters shut down a trump rally.

massive numbers of people are out in chicago and have shut his event down.

there were scuffles inside the event.. despite his lame attempt to pretend the violence he instigates is nothing to do with him it's clear that it is as the cnn quotes during the last event showed only too well.. this doesn't happen at anyone else's events - candidates have even given up the stage to protesters, not called for them to be beaten and punched.. trump is an ugly person and this is just a small taste of what a future under his rule would be like.. shame on the gop for not kicking his ass out.

LisaRose

isarose, you are saying the republicans pick on Obama because of his color. They pick up on him because they disagree with him.nyou are fanning racial flames and I'm calling you out on it.

Obama's policies were no different than many other moderate democrats, yet there was a special level of hatred towards Obama that seems out of proportion to his politics. I don't think all republicans are racist, but it is my opinion that there is that element in the party. I honestly feel that they were opposed to anything Obama said or did no matter what it was.

57

our secret dating got caught...

by trueloveneverfails94 in

we both are 21 years old.

i am almost done with my study and working on to become one of an unbaptized publisher.

LisaRose

If she is determined to stay in the religion, then I think it's best if you break it off until you are baptized. It doesn't sound like you are committed to the religion and you are doing her a disservice to continue with the relationship until you are sure that is what you want. Although I no longer believe in the religion, and think their rules are silly, she does believe in it, she has made a commitment to live by those rules. You don't want her to get into trouble or hurt her relationship with her parents or make her feel bad about her relationship with God, and that is what will happen if you continue in like this. And you should not go forward with baptism just because you want this girl, that's a terrible reason to make a life changing decision.

I was in a similar situation back in the day, I totally get it. I knew a non JW guy, we were so right for each other. But I broke it off because I wanted to live the JW life. Amazingly we got together many years later, but I had to go through a lot and learn some things before I realized that this religion wasn't "the truth". I don't think it would have worked if I had gone ahead with the relationship, I wasn't ready, I would have felt guilty and been miserable. I had to deal with the religion first before I could be a good wife to a non JW guy

Just my 2cents

127

The people are mobilizing Mr Drumpf

by Simon in

protesters shut down a trump rally.

massive numbers of people are out in chicago and have shut his event down.

there were scuffles inside the event.. despite his lame attempt to pretend the violence he instigates is nothing to do with him it's clear that it is as the cnn quotes during the last event showed only too well.. this doesn't happen at anyone else's events - candidates have even given up the stage to protesters, not called for them to be beaten and punched.. trump is an ugly person and this is just a small taste of what a future under his rule would be like.. shame on the gop for not kicking his ass out.

LisaRose

The republican party has no one to blame but themselves for what is happening with Trump. They loved the fact that people hated a black man in the white house, they used it, they encouraged it. They refused to work with Obama, creating gridlock in Washinton, they attacked him, not the issues. They thought they would ride a groundswell of hatred of Obama and everything he stood for right into the white house.

But they didn't count on an openly bigoted candidate like Trump tapping into that to get the nomination. There are simply not enough white guys to get Trump elected and they know that. Trump is playing to the lowest common denominator and it works within the party, but it won't work in a general election. He is a dog turd that they will attempt to polish up and pass off as a viable candidate, but it's a long time between now and Novemer, plenty of time to see Trumps weaknesses, his lack of knowledge of the issues, his petty vanity. Every time he opens his mouth he offends another segment of the electorate. The Trump faithful don't care, they love him and will support him no matter what he does, but I doubt there are enough of them to get him elected.

I very much look forward to the first debate between Trump and Hilary or Bernie, it should be good.

57

our secret dating got caught...

by trueloveneverfails94 in

we both are 21 years old.

i am almost done with my study and working on to become one of an unbaptized publisher.

LisaRose

Do you really want to live the rest of your life in a religion where everything you do is so micromanaged? Do you want to live you life constantly worried that everything you do will be judged? Gossiped about? Reported to the elders? You are both adults, not doing anything wrong, it's silly to have to skulk around like you are in the seventh grade.

Do not think this will be the only time in your life this will happen. Take a hard look at the religion you are planning to join, they are not what they pretend to be. Frankly I am much happier now that I have left. If I want to do something I don't have to worry about what the busybodies down at the Kingdom Hall are going to say about it.

108

Heil Trump. Sieg Heil.

by oppostate in

crowd looking like they're doing the heil hitler salute to trump when he asks for a pledge and swear their support while calling for broadening torture laws.

trump asks backers to swear their support, vows to broaden torture laws.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/05/politics/donald-trump-florida-pledge-torture/.

LisaRose

Although I don't see illegal immigration as being the huge problem that Trump does, I do think it's something that should be addressed. This is a problem that has gone on for years with with collusion of both parties. The democrats don't want to lose the Hispanic vote and the republicans are controlled by big business, who wants cheap labor and a growing economy. There is just not the political will to fix the problem, Trump will not change that, even if elected.

People want to blame the people coming here illegally and punish them, but as long as there are jobs people will come, you can't blame people for wanting to improve their situation in life. We have done them a disservice by letting them come, but not giving them a path to make their situation legal, which creates all kinds of problems for them as well as us. Mass deportations are not the solution, it's not going to happen, it would be a logistical, legal, fiscal and human rights nightmare. Politicians who say they for mass deportations are pandering to people who want to hear this, they know it won't happen, don't fall for it. Decide how much immigration needs to happen, give law abiding immigrants a path to legality, deport the rest.

Although immigrants actually have a lower than average crime rate, it does create a problem for law enforcement. Some cities cooperate with ICE, some don't, it's a mess, inconsistent and unfair. If we gave these people a path to legalization we would have more control over who is here and why and make law enforcement easier. And as long as there are so many people coming here for jobs we will never secure our borders, which gives terrorists an easy path to follow. If we didn't have a flow of illegal immigration, ICE could focus on keeping out terrorists, border control would have an easier time securing the borders and keeping out the drug trade b

Building a wall will not work. As long as there are jobs people will come, so you would just be wasting your money. You don't need a wall to stop illegal immigration, you could stop it by preventing employers from hiring them. A national ID card (with biometric functionality that employers could use to verify), stiffer penalties for hiring illegals and a robust enforcement agency would stop 90% of illegal employment. With no jobs, most illegal immigrants would not come. During the recession immigration stopped, many even went back to their country's of origin.

If there is any good in Trumps bigotry and pandering to people who fear immigrants it's that it has forced the issue out for discussion. If people want this issue fixed they need to start making it a priority, not just in the presidential election, but in every election. If enough people demand a solution this issue could be fixed.