Lets hope so. Poor kids. I bet half of them were baptized before the age of 14. That is the saddest part of all, that irrevocable vow and committment taken from a child before he or she understands what it means.
AllTimeJeff
JoinedPosts by AllTimeJeff
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25
CONVENTION PHOTO !!
by elder-schmelder ini found this picture on facebook.. but i wanted to ask everyone a question.
how many people here remember a moment in their young adult life at the conventions like this?.
[picture removed - it's unclear if this is publicly available or copied without permission - simon].
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38
My growing opinion about religion
by AK - Jeff inwhen i walked away from jw's i thought that i would find other religions more comforting, less controlling.
what i found was more of the same.
religion acting like a 'prophet'.
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AllTimeJeff
Jeff, as you and I have sometimes discussed, I call myself Christian, but purely in the cultural sense. Certainly not in the religious.
I think anytime you have an expectation, if it isn't met, there will be disappointment. I took it a step further long ago. I totally ruled out finding any compelling "truth" among religions at all. It took the pressure off. On the rare occasion I do enter a church, it is totally for me, not for "god".
If anyone dares judge me because I don't believe as they do, they will hear about it. Otherwise, if someone has privately held beliefs but respects me and where I come from, he can be as "religious" as he wants.
I don't look for anything from religions at all anymore. Why set myself up for disappointment?
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AllTimeJeff
The idea that ex JW's are bitter is to somehow suggest that "bitterness" is an inappropriate reaction to a traumatic, unwelcome experience.
1. having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes. 2. producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt. 3. hard to bear; grievous; distressful: a bitter sorrow. 4. causing pain; piercing; stinging: a bitter chill. 5. characterized by intense antagonism or hostility: bitter hatred. 6. hard to admit or accept: a bitter lesson. 7. resentful or cynical: bitter words. Bitterness occurs when a bad experience happens. I can be bitter that I bought a Chrysler 2 weeks before they went into bankruptcy. I can be bitter about many things that cause pain.
At times, Christians who are in apology mode miss the mark on those who leave JW's. The fact is, to be bitter is an appropriate response.
Does that mean that being cynical and less trusting is just as good? Yes and no. Anything to an extreme is a bad decision. However, you don't get hurt as much when you learn some life lessons.
Christians being nice and helpful (as long as they aren't condescedning) would seem to help, but think of it this way. A Christian who is nice and "Christlike" doesn't prove a thing to me about their god. It just means that you are being nice. I know several nice people are atheist, agnostic, and yeah, muslim.
Being nice to me won't cause me to not be bitter. Telling me not to be bitter won't help either. Telling me being bitter is wrong and hurtful is not only not helpful, oftentimes, it isn't true.
When JW's say that apostates are bitter, I don't even give that the time of day. Are you kidding? That is tantamount to running over a persons leg and then telling them not to limp. Screw them.
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WHAT HAST THOU DONE? ...THY BROTHER'S BLOOD CRIETH UNTO ME!
by Perry inand he said, what hast thou done?
the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
- gen. 4: 10. starting in 1973 the united states started allowing the murdering of it's children.
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AllTimeJeff
Well Perry, I strongly suggest that if in your church someone is promoting abortions, that you take your Constitutionally protected rights of freedom of religion and make sure that no one who professes your faith is either promoting or engaging in it. Of course, you left out some scriptures on stoning those who disobeyed god, etc etc etc.
Now, thanks to the separation of church and state, many, myself included, are able to have the right to our own beliefs, and that includes giving women the option to have an abortion under certain circumstances. I support a womans right to choose. I also support anyone who would differ and reject your beliefs. Sadly, you imply that the scriptures you supply above should be edicts in our democratic (read: not theocratic) system of government.
However, that isn't the point. You are making a direct connection between the national debt and abortion.
I would call you an idiot, but I don't want to take away anyone else's fun.
Perry, this entire premise is ridiculous. Maybe you didn't catch the bible's drift, but your god has yet to put a government into operation that actually works. See, YHWH got so pissed off at his people that he killed them as often as he could. Nice god you worship. Then Jesus came, and the best he could do is die 2000 years ago, and leave it once again in the hands of men to administer what Jesus and you both say he is best suited for, which is ruling us. Except he hasn't, he isn't, and he won't.
Meanwhile, your beliefs delude you into thinking that god somehow will bless the United States with a debt free governemnt, if only we didn't allow abortions.
Get a grip man. Did Jesus tell you to write this pious, self righteous puke?
Hey, you are allowed to say this. And I am allowed to respond.
On a happier note, Merry Christmas. Tell Jesus, if he needs to kill people, to start with me, and work down to abortion doctors, and muslims. Tell him thanks for the love.
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Pedophiles should have the death penalty
by Leprechaun inpedophiles should have the death penalty .
too many, wonderful children are being wasted by these filthy low life sobs, why are these pigs from hell not put on death row in this country i will never know.
shame shame shame!.
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AllTimeJeff
There is no right answer to this. Living (and thankfully so) as I do in a civilized society where punishments typically are meted out after consulting laws (usually made during a slow and methodical legislative debate and process), I think its important to realize why we got "here".
First of all, can we all agree that there is no perfect judiciary anywhere in the world, no perfect punishments where investigators must examine evidence after the fact? (unless there is video tape. Hello there Rodney King)
Secondly, why do we in the United States take such pains about having evidence, and protecting the rights of the accused? Because people in other parts of the world allow their emotions to rule, and those are mistakes that aren't easy to reverse. Here's an example:
"Yeah! We killed that pedophile. Oh wait. It wasn't him? Sorry. We finally caught the right perpetrator? GREAT! Uh, sorry to the family of the other guy. But hey! At least we don't tolerate pedophiles!"
This could easily turn into
"Yeah! We killed that car thief. Oh wait. It wasn't him? Sorry. We finally caught the right perpetrator? GREAT! Uh, sorry to the family of the other guy. But hey! At least we don't tolerate car thieves!"
My point is, on that one, where do you stop? At what point is the line drawn?
This isn't in any way an implication that pedophiles should have easier punishment. I would suggest that where we sit today, pedophilia is a way worse crime to have on your record then drug dealing or murder.
I know that at times our judicial system, flawed as it is, has punishments that are too harsh or lenient for the crime committed, yet the laws are on the books, and that is what we have to work with. For all its warts, our judicial system does have the virtue of being generally purposeful and civilized.
You see, we tried the "hang em high" approach for a while, and it didn't work, because passions ruled instead of the law. It's hard for a government to say that it respects life when in its judgements, it will take the life of a criminal who hasn't taken another life.
Now, for lifelong damage of a person via pedophilia, should there be some kind of lifelong punishment, including having to register as a sex offender? That doesn't seem cruel or unusual to me.
Where the law rules, justice is oftentimes much slower. But without those checks, all sorts of mistakes and prejudicial judgements would be rendered. Is it perfect? No, but it is way better then a potential mob violence mentality that could have unintended consequences for other crimes.
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I Have a New Method for Dealing With Ridiculous Assumptions
by AllTimeJeff inmy one disclaimer is this: to my theistic friends, i am not saying the following to be disrespectful of your beliefs.
however, since i don't believe as you all do, it is only honest of me to present this.. i bring this up because i have been caught up lately in debates that i normally don't involve myself in.
i have been left a little drained and confused as to why i allowed myself to argue a point till its beaten to a bloody pulp.
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AllTimeJeff
What, me take myself or this forum too seriously? Never!
We'll have to see how long this moment of sanity lasts.....
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I Have a New Method for Dealing With Ridiculous Assumptions
by AllTimeJeff inmy one disclaimer is this: to my theistic friends, i am not saying the following to be disrespectful of your beliefs.
however, since i don't believe as you all do, it is only honest of me to present this.. i bring this up because i have been caught up lately in debates that i normally don't involve myself in.
i have been left a little drained and confused as to why i allowed myself to argue a point till its beaten to a bloody pulp.
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AllTimeJeff
JeffT said
Actually, I keep getting caught up in some of those threads (I may be one of the guys you've been arguing with). The problem is, I AM interested, and I'm trying to understand opposing points of view.
Compared to Judge Dread
You just need to stop getting caught up. Don't make it sound SOOOOOOO complicated.
The balance I should try to strike more often is discussing and knowing when to walk away. (or even when to involve yourself in the conversation) The other extreme to avoiding conflict is to not involve yourself in other people's lives and points of view. That isn't a great idea either, and its one reason why I really like this board.
If you don't get caught up in people, you are a loner. Which is great news if you don't want to argue. Far too often though, to be interested for former JW's means also that we HAVE to express ourselves. It's a lesson of leaving the cult. Right or wrong, you will hear from me! I will not be silenced. Why else come to an internet board?
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I Have a New Method for Dealing With Ridiculous Assumptions
by AllTimeJeff inmy one disclaimer is this: to my theistic friends, i am not saying the following to be disrespectful of your beliefs.
however, since i don't believe as you all do, it is only honest of me to present this.. i bring this up because i have been caught up lately in debates that i normally don't involve myself in.
i have been left a little drained and confused as to why i allowed myself to argue a point till its beaten to a bloody pulp.
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AllTimeJeff
Crap! I forgot all about werewolf! Sorry.... I am packing for a Christmas trip right now...
Really, there is only one person on this board who has ever really got under my skin. (BTS may be happy to know it isn't him, lol) I know and accept that theists are going to do as they do. I have no qualm with that. Other then that, I know better then to try to argue and prove points when people are polarized. And I admit, I am polarized on many issues too, so whats the point really?
Scully, you are cool... :)
Flipper, I am with you on exposing cults, one especially comes to mind.....
And now, I am going to briefly close my doors and try to get some zzzzz's.....
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I Have a New Method for Dealing With Ridiculous Assumptions
by AllTimeJeff inmy one disclaimer is this: to my theistic friends, i am not saying the following to be disrespectful of your beliefs.
however, since i don't believe as you all do, it is only honest of me to present this.. i bring this up because i have been caught up lately in debates that i normally don't involve myself in.
i have been left a little drained and confused as to why i allowed myself to argue a point till its beaten to a bloody pulp.
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AllTimeJeff
Scully, that means that I aspire to reach your level of maturity.
Believe me, I am trying!
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I Have a New Method for Dealing With Ridiculous Assumptions
by AllTimeJeff inmy one disclaimer is this: to my theistic friends, i am not saying the following to be disrespectful of your beliefs.
however, since i don't believe as you all do, it is only honest of me to present this.. i bring this up because i have been caught up lately in debates that i normally don't involve myself in.
i have been left a little drained and confused as to why i allowed myself to argue a point till its beaten to a bloody pulp.
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AllTimeJeff
Cookie Monster.. Was killed by the Mafia..
Actually Outlaw, I am interested in that. Won't you come in and share what you know?
I have Molson!