Thank God (I mean that in a purely colloquial way) for PBS and NPR.
Nova and Frontline are two of the best shows ever.
Alex
Alpaca
JoinedPosts by Alpaca
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Any "Nova" fans?
by Dagney inhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/microraptor/.
tonight's show on a four winged dinosaur.. fascinating.
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Alpaca
Hi All,
I used to believe when I was a Dub -- but it was always belief with a heavy duty dose of doubt (which, of course, I could never express to anyone). Now, on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 = no doubt / total belief and 100 = total skeptic / atheist, I am probably at a good, solid 98.5 % skeptic.
I think that religion, belief in God and the attendant belief (usually) in an afterlife is a superstitious hold over from our species' primitive past. For those who are raised with a belief in God, it is scary to think that this life may be all there is. Yet, there is more empirical evidence to suggest that this is all there is, rather than the some fanciful ideas about God, an afterlife, and divine intervention in the earth's affairs.
The history of the earth tells us that species appear and disappear throughout time. Many people think that humans are somehow special -- but we are not. We are just another species that has been here for a relatively short time and at the rate we are going won't be here too much longer.
Why am I not at 100% on my scale? Because, now I structure my belief system(s) on a continuum from false to true in the same way that the scientific method works. As evidence piles up, things / beliefs are driven toward one end of the continuum or the other. All of the available evidence indicates to me that there is no God, but there does seem to be some kind of energy that connects things (maybe science will eventually peel back those mysteries). Additionally,I would be just as dogmatic as the hardcore fundamentalists, at the other end of the continuum, to categorically declare that God does not exist. In formal logic you cannot prove the non-existence of anything. The best we can do is to deal in probabilities and at this stage the probablities are that we are on our own, which means we better wake up as a species and start caring for the earth in responsible way.
Thanks for considering my view.
Alex
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Moral Values of an Atheist
by hamilcarr insome thoughts spinning through my head .... what does it mean to be an atheist?
it means you cannot imagine your homosexual neighbor being slaughtered by a loving god at judgment's day, it means you don't consider the primitive tribe described in numbers 31 that slew midianite men and raped innocent virgins to be god's first covenant people, it means you don't believe mankind is so perverted that it is in need of salvation through a man who came 'not with peace, but with a sword', it means you have high moral values that apply not only to the members of your denomination but to all men.. h. .
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Alpaca
Hi All,
Good thread.
It worth remembering that it was secular humanists / atheists who first spoke out against slavery in the 18th and 19th centuries, while religion condoned the practice. It was also the secular humanists and atheists who spoke challenged what Hitler was doing, while religion largly turned a blind eye to what was going on.
I was raised as Dub and was active until I was 41 years old. One thing that I learned from the Borg that is an immutable truth is that religion is a hoax that has been foisted on the human race. I agree with some of the other posters that those who make a conscious, reasoned decision to reject religion and walk down the path of agnosticism or atheism, are generally the most moral people I know. I belong to several secular humanist organizations and the atheists and agnostics in these organizations are among the finest people I've ever met.
As was previously mentioned by a previous poster, you do the right thing simply because it is the right thing. And while we're on the subject, probably 99% of the atheists are liberal and care deeply about social issues, wealth distribution, and how the shenanigans in politics have ensured that poverty will never be eradicated in spite of the astounding wealth in this country (USA). And, I might add, the staggering wealth that the richest individuals and families have accumulated at the expense of everyone else.
Thanks for listening to my vent.
Alex
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God of the OT - not so gentle with gentiles genitals
by Gregor inwhat was the significance of all the focus on the foreskin?
the wt has tried to make a case that it was god's wisdom for humans health to remove it, even though god created man with it.
a design flaw followed by a manufacturers recall?
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Alpaca
LMAO
Kinda reminds me of the joke about how to circumcise a whale.....
Of course, you send down four skin divers.
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Have a great 08 everybody!
by changeling init's new year's eve where i live and i want to wish all of you peace and happiness in 2008!
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changeling (((((((((((((((((jwd)))))))))))))))))
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Alpaca
Changeling....
Sorry, I misspelled your name....
Alex
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Have a great 08 everybody!
by changeling init's new year's eve where i live and i want to wish all of you peace and happiness in 2008!
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changeling (((((((((((((((((jwd)))))))))))))))))
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Alpaca
Hi Changling and everyone else,
I don't post very often, but I do hang out here at least several times a week and enjoy reading your observations and comments.
So, I just wanted to return the good wishes for a Happy New Year.
Mary, I have followed your some of your trevails in your postings. You sound like a positive person in spite of it all. Keep on troopin'...it'll get better.
Cheers,
Alex
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Is the world really getting worse?
by Wordly Andre ini don't have to tell you how jw's use the line about how the world is just getting worse and it's a sign that we are in the end times.
what is your thought on the world?
is it really getting worse, or does every generation say that?
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Alpaca
Is the world getting worse? In order to address the question, we need to define what “worse” actually means – as in, worse than what? Some of the previous posters have made comments that accurately reflect significant improvements in the overall condition of humans over the past (pick a time period). Unfortunately, we are in completely uncharted waters as a species, as the population of the earth has more than doubled in the past 50 years (& the doubling time is shrinking rapidly). The human family is literally at a crossroads. Humans have kept one step ahead of Mom (Mother Nature), by creating an artificial and ultimately unsustainable way of life based on a voracious consumption of non-renewable energy resources (and the renewable energy sources are no where close to filling the gap). Additionally, we are playing roulette with pandemic disease on a global scale. We are not special and we are not immune to Mom’s solution to out-of-control population and exploitation of the earth. Remember, in the game of life, Mother Nature always plays the last hand and she ain’t too happy right now. Is the world getting worse? Yes… for humans. If we don’t wise up as a species, is the world getting worse? It doesn’t matter… the earth and life will persist with or without us. Therein resides the choice. What are we going to do? In geological/evolutionary terms we are a juvenile species. The irony is that we have the mental capacity to deal with these issues, but we apparently lack the collective wisdom to find a solution. Is the world getting worse? We may be able to exercise control... but time will tell. Alex B.S. Geology, U. of Akron, Akron, Ohio
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Who else is finishing up their semester ??
by Kudra inwell, i just got done with my final term paper!
(maybe even the last one of my school career!!
aaaaargh my neck hurts from typing.
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Alpaca
Yupper, Just finished up finals on Friday… One more semester and I’ll be completely finished. I bailed on the Borg in the middle of 1997 and started back to in January of 1999. So, when I am finished I will have spent 9 ½ years in school – I can’t wait to be finished. I’ll be graduating with a geology masters and a law degree. Congrats to all of you who have chosen education over that BS the WTS tries to shove down everyone’s throat. Happy Winter Solstice to All, Alex
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The Steps Between JWism and Atheism
by compound complex ingreetings, friends:.
i recently put up a thread entitled "when can i comment?
" new to the thought process of critical thinking, i have felt overwhelmed by the wealth of information now available to a mind opened up to society-banned material.
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Alpaca
CC, On a scale of 0 to 100%, with 0% being total faith/no doubt and 100% being total skepticism/atheist I am probably at about a 98%. I was raised by JW mother (custodial) and an atheist father (visitation). I spent most of my life believing the things the WTS taught and eventually became an elder. For me, the doubts were always percolating just below the surface, sometimes at a simmer and other times at slow boil. I always kept abreast of science issues and ultimately I just could not deny the scientific evidence for the age of life on earth. Eventually I realized that the WTS line that life on earth began just 28,000 years ago (based on counting using the 7 creative days) was pure fantasy. The doubts were no longer percolating – they were a roiling, unstoppable boil and I had to be true to myself and my mind and “TRUTH.” It was time to leave. It’s essentially incontrovertible that humans evolved just like every other species on earth. The need to believe in a god or gods is rooted in the ancient human need to explain things. There is a level of comfort in believing that there is a divine plan and that there is a life hereafter (whether it the JW version or some other version). When I yielded to the truth of how we got to be here it was downright scary to think that I (and everyone else) was on my own to figure out what life is all about. I went back to school and majored in geology, which confirmed my thoughts about life and humans as a species. Now, there is an indescribable sense of mental peace that has come from accepting the truth. My journey has gotten me to the 98% mark but as of yet I cannot get to 100% because it seems like there is something going on (a whole different subject) that we haven’t grasped. I don’t think that it is a single supreme being and, in fact, it might just be a vestigial need to “believe” that is based on criteria that may also yield to science. Nevertheless, the early part of the journey to agnosticism was very frightening but the longer I stayed on course the more comfortable I became with where I was going. I hope this helps. All the best to everyone on this board and happy Winter Solstice to All, Alpaca
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Anyone from Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood?
by Alpaca inthis is the 10th anniversary month for my departure from the misery of being a witness.
just wondering if anyone on this board is from the fort lauderdale or hollywood area in south florida.
i was associated with the las olas cong.
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Alpaca
Hey everybody, Thanks for the responses. CJ, I remember that design studio (Y,T, & T) -- I had a yacht canvas & upholstery business during the 70s & 80s and I was always on Las Olas Blvd. I moved to Ohio in 1999 (after being a life-long Floridian) to go to school (almost finished). When I left the BORG it was time for a big change. Lawrence, sorry to hear about the negative experiences at the Kingdom Halls. Actually, in all the years I was a Witness, I met many very kind, genuine people. It is unfortunate that the BORG and the lemmings (rank & file -- including the elders) are so misguided. It's really a sad waste of human potential. All the best to everyone. Alpaca