Posts by Hortensia

43

DF'ed and Confused...

by Stumbeline in

so i think the title pretty much says it all.

i have a tendancy to be long winded about things, so i'll just give a general introduction and maybe tell things as i go along.

i don't even really know what i want from this site (ironically i remember jehovahs-witness.net mentioned from the platform as a site not to go to).

Oh goodness, I'm sorry you're going through this. It will pass. You'll find a new life and you'll enjoy it more than you ever would the JW life. Have you finished college? Make some plans -- where would you like to go, what would you like to do in life and what would it take to get there? Don't do dumb things like drugs and unprotected sex, that will just make life harder. But get out, join groups doing things you like or are interested in. Do some traveling, get as much education as possible.

Also, make sure you exercise outside every day - the daylight and the exercise help you keep from getting depressed while you make all these changes in your life.

One of the best things I did after getting out of the wtbts was get counseling. I am still amazed at how much I didn't know about real life that I learned from my psychologist.

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Hortensia

Apognophos, I looked at the thread you linked. It's a good example of the kind of stuff that makes me want to bang my head against a wall.

30

what to do when you have a crazy friend?

by losingit in

jw
friends

it's hard for me to start this topic bc i feel like i'm being judgmental, a quality i don't like in others and one i try to stay away from as much as possible.

i really do try to be an understanding, caring person.

i essentially believe that all people are good and i am shocked to my core when i am betrayed.

Hortensia

Back slowly away from this person. Become too busy to spend time with her. She's nuts and likes drama, and she has a dangerous person in her life. You don't want to be around when her life explodes -- you might get hit with shrapnel.

10

I think it's remarkable

by Old Goat in

i think it's remarkable that real watch tower history exists, despite the watchtower society's attempts to control the message.

by now, everyone who reads my posts knows i'm a fan of the truthhistory.blogspot.com blog.

and of the new book, a separate identity.

Hortensia

OK, just the old edit/rewrite coming out in me.

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Hortensia

It seems to me that many threads about science or atheism turn into attacks on cofty. There's nothing wrong with cofty -- he's intelligent and well-read. He articulates his position well and he doesn't back down when he's abused, as he often is on this forum.

If he can take the heat, why can't all of you who are complaining about him?

It's funny; I started the thread and cofty gets called names.

I did make a generalization based on personal experience; I get that. Not all religious people are evangelical, and some atheists are evangelical. But how did it become christians vs. cofty? It's interesting to me that I'm probably one of the more obnoxious atheists around here with some true contempt for religion, but I don't get attacked like cofty. I think that's because he's much more articulate and really hits the nail on the head, which makes people nervous and upset because they don't have any answer to what he says.

Oh well, carry on!

10

I think it's remarkable

by Old Goat in

i think it's remarkable that real watch tower history exists, despite the watchtower society's attempts to control the message.

by now, everyone who reads my posts knows i'm a fan of the truthhistory.blogspot.com blog.

and of the new book, a separate identity.

Hortensia

While Russell did not take collections, Paton accepted fees and collections throughout his ministry. His income depended on his intenerate ministry.

You might tell them "intenerate" means "to soften." I think the word they want is "itinerant," which means "traveling."

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Hortensia

Jgnat said: I get quite evangelical about immunization shots because the factual information is that immunization saves lots of lives. I persist even when populist opinion runs to the contrary. Because I see that some beliefs are dangerous to the well-being of our societies, to the vulnerable and weak.

Yes! Some beliefs are dangerous, to individuals or to society in general. Sometimes you just have to speak up and call a fairy tale a fairy tale!

47

Hi Guys, I'm new here...

by Mikado in

jw
friends

been lurking for years, but couldn't log on.

for some reason, my email spam filter is inaccessable, and ended up having to open another account, simply to become a member... wonder how many others have had a similar problem.. its been an eye opener reading everyones life experiences, often so similar.. i was almost a born in, with a hardcore family.

abusive stepfather who was one of the original jws in the area, so much so, that it was called the xxxxx family religion.... been out for 25 years, am glad every day for that!!.

Hortensia

Hi Mikado, nice to have you here!

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Hortensia

While I have no problem and enjoy decontrusting the idiocy of the WBTS claims to absolute truth, I do not agree that the same approach should be adopted for mainstream religions.

Why not? Those religions affect our daily lives, by getting laws passed to support their dogma, for instance, and by insisting on preferential treatment such as tax exemption. If it affects us, we have a right to challenge it.

I reread my original post and don't see it as "holier than thou," more just a reflection of my impatience with people who live their lives by patently false fairy tales, and who insist on sharing those fairy tales with me. I'm especially impatient with the ones who expect me to believe the way they do, with absolutely no evidence to support their beliefs.

Still, this has been an interesting discussion.

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Hortensia

Hortensia - you seem to be an ultra-rationalist to the point that it is almost an ideology.

Not sure what that means exactly. I hope I'm a rationalist, I know I'm mostly pragmatic and a realist. I like learning new stuff as much as possible, but I've gotten to an age and level of experience that makes me question everything. I want to know why you believe something, what is the evidence that convinces you. "I believe" isn't evidence, faith isn't evidence, it's just wishful thinking.

It's funny that a thread I started really as a bit of whining has lasted several days and gotten so many comments.