Posts by AllTimeJeff

491

What is your opinion of the news media?

by minimus in

to me they have an agenda and they really don't care about professional journalism.

most are untrustworthy and that's a shame.

AllTimeJeff

Having no free news media is the same as having the most biased media (because presumably it's state run).

I just totally disagree with this. What? Is CNN run by the government? NBC? No they aren't. Do they report what is inconvenient to the right wing mind? It would appear so. History shows that the right usually doesn't like the news media because they portray change, show the plight of minority and fringe groups that are in need or suppressed (see: Civil Rights movement of the 60's), and point out abuses of power. (See: Nixon) And do they do that to Democratic Presidents? (See: Clinton, Bill)

The difference is, one is potentially a crime and she had a responsibility, the tax return is something that most recent candidates have done but isn't a requirement.

That is a convenient side stepping of the issue to the right wing mind. Taxes are released precisely to demonstrate where a candidate has been playing and who they have been playing with. It is legit. If Trump had any dealings with the Russian government (and through surrogates, he has) and if he has business dealings with ANY foreign government, there are all kinds of potential conflicts of interest. Will he do what is right for his business or the American people?

I call him President Small Hands to make a point. He is volatile. Instead of embracing accountability and our democratic traditions, he attacks them. That is bad. And frankly, the fact that others support a belief that the media should just leave him alone should be met and debated in a forum like this and others. While I respect your right to your point of view, I believe in the grand scheme of things that attacking the media in this manner is wrong and bad for the future of democracy.

Attacking a news story is one thing on the merit of facts. But clearly, a President who has surrogates on the record asking that their "alternative facts" be considered causes less of an alarm then Jake Tapper? That is flat out wrong. He doesn't want to be accountable. I don't care if he is a Democrat, Republican, or Martian, that should be rejected soundly. As McCain said, censoring the news media is the first step toward a dictatorship.

491

What is your opinion of the news media?

by minimus in

to me they have an agenda and they really don't care about professional journalism.

most are untrustworthy and that's a shame.

AllTimeJeff

So without a lot of time to delve in here, (I will try later on) I'd like to point out that it seems we are mistaking the forest for the trees.

It occurred to me that this whole thread is saying that potential news media bias is more dangerous than having no free news media at all? Would that be fair?

History demonstrates that dissent by the citizenry is the last thing from refined or at times, smooth.

History without fail teaches the mistakes that happen when the citizenry is not informed. No free press, no access to real information, no accountability in a democratic government.

The thing I find backwards about this argument is that Clinton was a major focus of the media. In fact, both the email servers and Benghazi matters, she received not just media attention, but Congressional scrutiny.

Trump hasn't released his tax returns.

There is more than enough evidence, circumstantial or otherwise, to show that he is at the very least friendly with perhaps THE mortal enemy of the United States.

Whenever the media points this out, the non-democratic, communistic/dictatorial response of President Small Hands is to say that all facts are fake. Very JW of him.....

This is somehow the free media's fault?

You can say the media has bias, but that doesn't mean the evidence they present isn't true. And in the case of President Small Hands, it is.

And you can complain all you want about media bias, but frankly, that makes you less of a democrat and more than susceptible to power grabbing by the powers that be. Whether you see it this way or want to admit it or not, such rhetoric just makes it easier to take freedoms away.

Let's hold ALL the government accountable. Starting with President Small Hands.

1

I finally updated my @!#$* avatar. It's really Truthy...

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

i am officially into truthiness.

colbert never presented a more prescient commentary than this one..... i remember when i first joined, i saw colbert's "truthiness" and laughed.

i had no idea that the small bands of truth and facts were actually held together by the large fog of "belief".. no matter what you or anyone chooses to believe, i hope for all our sake, and especially in this context, for jw's who have left or have considered leaving, that we leave room in both our heads and hearts to facts, not just what feels good, but what is true.

AllTimeJeff

http://www.cc.com/video-collections/ha9eov/the-colbert-report-the-word/63ite2

Watch it and weep....

1

I finally updated my @!#$* avatar. It's really Truthy...

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

i am officially into truthiness.

colbert never presented a more prescient commentary than this one..... i remember when i first joined, i saw colbert's "truthiness" and laughed.

i had no idea that the small bands of truth and facts were actually held together by the large fog of "belief".. no matter what you or anyone chooses to believe, i hope for all our sake, and especially in this context, for jw's who have left or have considered leaving, that we leave room in both our heads and hearts to facts, not just what feels good, but what is true.

AllTimeJeff

I am officially into Truthiness. Colbert never presented a more prescient commentary than this one....

I remember when I first joined, I saw Colbert's "Truthiness" and laughed. I had no idea that the small bands of Truth and Facts were actually held together by the large fog of "Belief".

No matter what you or anyone chooses to believe, I hope for all our sake, and especially in this context, for JW's who have left or have considered leaving, that we leave room in both our heads and hearts to facts, not just what feels good, but what is true.

We have come too far to jerk back to darker times, when what we wished was true was actually valued more than what is actually true...

491

What is your opinion of the news media?

by minimus in

to me they have an agenda and they really don't care about professional journalism.

most are untrustworthy and that's a shame.

AllTimeJeff

Trump is brazen, and feels entitled. What concerns me is that he has no interest in furthering democracy, just his own power.

Btw, both parties are open to this criticism in the past. However, even at their very worst, I have never seen a Republican speak against the ideals of the founders the way Trump has. He has no respect for a very democratic institution, the free press. A press that has a proud tradition of over-reaching and promoting agendas at times. True. But within those confines of a free press comes the ability to hold the elected leaders accountable.

Trump must be held accountable by the press, or this isn't a democracy. That is the very FIRST amendment.

491

What is your opinion of the news media?

by minimus in

to me they have an agenda and they really don't care about professional journalism.

most are untrustworthy and that's a shame.

AllTimeJeff

Simon, I have no issue with you or anyone not trusting Hillary. I get that. And I voted for Hillary. Because she wasn't The Donald.... Because I don't trust him...

Biases exist everywhere. But having said that, let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. Without a free press, much would be at stake. And that is my biggest beef with Trump. He is a genuine p***y who can't handle the press. And that smacks against EVERYTHING the founding fathers wanted for this nation.

May I say that when I read your ops, it seems to me a bit naive to not recognize Putin's extreme interest in getting Russia back on a more even super power playing field with the United States. He is former KGB and by all accounts is a master intelligence operative. It isn't far fetched at all to surmise his attempts at influencing this past election. To what extent the influence worked, no one will ever agree. But there is no doubt, he was an influence...

Trump isn't Hillary. Message received. I get that. However, I worry that Trump's early supporters are turning a blind eye to the legit evidence that Trump is in bed with Putin. Do I think WWIII is imminent? No. Do I think Trump has a lot to hide? Hell yes I do! Just release the damn tax returns. That will start the healing, a healing he has demonstrated no interest in starting. And who can at all expose that if not a free press?

There does come a point where a leaders interest in governing a democracy comes into play. He has not engaged Congress. All of his actions are executive orders. Even more dangerous than trying to ban guns, he is attacking the very 1st amendment! Again, this is contrary to the intentions of the founders, and indeed, what caused the United States to become a super power in the first place.

What Senator McCain says IS true: a free society is free so long as there is a free press. Dictators always suppress dissent. You don't have to like what they say, but they are free to poke holes in the powers that be, until they are no longer allowed to by the powers that be. That is what should worry us all, imo.

12

Self Brainwashing

by OnTheWayOut in

so i would love to hear and make more comments here on how "self-brainwashing" is done in jehovah's witnesses and how it becomes a problem when trying to wake up our loved ones.leah remini was on bill maher's show on friday, feb. 17th.

she had some great comments about things said on her series about scientology.

one was how members are "self-brainwashing" because they spend some hours every day doing self-study.

AllTimeJeff

For me, this resonates!

I think they called it "Personal Study". (do they still call it that? lol) No one came to a meeting once I bought in with a more marked up piece of literature than me. Every scripture looked up and noted. Color coded. I was every bit self brainwashed.

Then I would read those damn life stories in the WT about missionaries and CO's. When that is your reward system, of course you're going to set that as a goal. And to think I did it to myself...... :(

26

Hit by a car evacuating due to oroville dam. Ever been hit?

by Wasanelder Once in

went back to get info from driver who tapped our car in line of cars exiting the area.

after getting her info, she waited till i walked back to our car and punched the gas, hitting me.

then drove off.

AllTimeJeff

Got hit by a Cadillac STS crossing a downtown intersection at approx 25 MPH in 2007. Flipped in the air twice and 25 feet later, landed soundly on my @$$. I am pretty sure that's where I landed, because I don't think landing on my head would have bounced...

Sorry to hear dude. Hope you recover. As they say, people are crazy.

26

Does Paul preach a fundamentally different religion than Jesus?

by Yesu Kristo Bwana Wangu in

controversy has arisen regarding jesus versus paul as scholars debate the different emphases and messages of jesus and paul.1 jesus preached the kingdom of heaven.

paul did not.

paul preached justification by faith alone.

AllTimeJeff

Read the Gospels. Have a notebook and take good notes. Note what speaks to you. repeat for the Pauline letters. Compare what is the same and what is different. Draw your own conclusions. Anyone who can read is just as entitled to your conclusions as "scholars".

Then, live with your conclusions. Hopefully, they won't hurt your neighbor.

36

In Your Opinion Do Today's Elders Recognize That The Religion Is BS?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i always wondered that while i was in especially when i was an elder.

i recognize that some people,elders included are brain-dead.

but do you think that the average older today knows it's all nonsense?

AllTimeJeff

I think that this question illustrates that beliefs are more important than facts. My JW elder experience taught me that elders accepted their "appointment" for different reasons. Some were going to be loyal to the SS Russell/Rutherford/Knorr no matter what bearing. Others wanted to help people. Some thought they were worshiping ~~Jehovah~~ Jesus. Others just wanted to reach their goal....

To me, what tests most elders are the pedophilia cases. You have to be totally bought in to support the GB bullshit on that. And yet, some sincerely believed that is what YHWH wanted. Sooo, their bullshit tolerance was clearly higher.

I think the average elder is below average, but, having said that, it just depends if you are looking for the nonsense. If you aren't, you won't see it. If you are willing to be honest to even a small extent, you can see it. I have no idea to tell who sees what or how they interpret it.

My gut tells me that if you're a youngish elder, there is a fair amount of ego involved. If you're older, there is a fair amount of time involved. For both, a certain amount of nonsense would likely be tolerated...