Posts by Alpaca

16

Will the logic and science of this world apply on Paradise Earth?

by HB in

i feel a little stupid asking this question as i don't for one millisecond believe there is any possibility of a future paradise on earth, but i'm trying to work out how the people who do believe it visualise it and expect it to be.

i suppose it's pointless to expect believers to have rational answers about such an irrational concept, but i'm trying to understand their thinking.

(being a complete newcomer to all things jw, i am learning a lot of fascinating stuff from this website.

Alpaca

HB,

Welcome to the board. Thanks for taking such a wholehearted interest in protecting your friend from going down a very destructive road.

Before I comment on the illogical reasoning of the Dubs, the great boasting sessions probably refers to District Conventions (annual) and International Conventions (every once in awhile, not regularly scheduled). I was a Dub for many years and that seems to be the context in which the other posters use the term.

In any event, you've hit the nail on the head by asking if the Dubs think this stuff through. And, clearly the answer is, "NO!"

It is such a bizarre set of beliefs that denies the reality of the geologic record and the length of time that life has been on the earth. According to the Dubs, each of the creative days in Genesis is 7, 000 years long, and since God didn't start creating life until the 3rd creative day, that means that all life on earth is only 28,000 years old. If you want to read a fascinating and thorough dissection of the Dubs' beliefs about science and evolution, there is a link on Freeminds to Alan Fuerbach's (sp?) commentary.

As far as I am concerned evolution and the history of life on earth is the bottom tier card in the Dubs' house of cards of doctrines and beliefs. It is fairly incontrovertilble that evolution delivered us to this point in time. The Dubs belief in special human creation, the fall from perfection into sin, the need for a savior/messiah to redeem humans, the belief that the earth will be restored to its original perfect state, and that humans will live forever...simply collapses under the scrutiny of critical analysis.

In spite of the occasional intelligent person who gets sucked into the Borg, it is no accident that the Dubs prey on those who are less educated, poor, living in despair, or in some other way beaten down by the world. The message is naturally appealing to those who need to latch onto some way out of their dissatisfying lives.

There is a lot more I could say, but it sounds like you are digging up plenty on your own. No doubt other posters will have their own take on things to share with you.

Cheers,

Alex

40

What kind of a funeral do you want?

by Princess Daisy Boo in

jw
friends

so all this talk at the moment about funerals and stuff got me thinking... what kind of an exit party would i like?.

i reckon i would not want anything too formal, but i would want loads of people saying how great i was - i people to notice that i am no longer around, and be sad about it!

i want people to share good memories.

Alpaca

You guys are all being so silly....considering all this funeral stuff...

Don't you know the GT is going to be here soon, and that we're all going to live forever, and the lion and the lamb will lie down together, and the earth will be a paradise.....blah, blah, blah, blah.....

Can you believe we bought into that delusion at one time in our lives?

Cremation and scatter the ashes at sea is my wish.

Cheers to all in spite of the not so cheery subject,

Alex

9

IF CIVILISATION COLLAPSED

by badboy in

jw
friends

what would wt do?.

new scientist magazine says that in the event of say a pandemic, he things we take for granted could collapse .eg electricity, clean water etc.

Alpaca

Thanks for starting this thread.

This is not so far fetched, when you consider that the bubonic plague wiped out approximately 25 - 50 % of the population is some areas during it's peak in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Dubs and other fundies will suffer equally with the rest of us if there is a truly global catastrophe. The thing that burns my ass, is that many of these extreme religious groups (including the Dubs) abrogate all responsibility for their civic duty as citizens of the earth and contentedly "leave everything in God's hands." Goddamit, there is nothing empirical to show that there is any divine interest in the earth (save the millions who have been slaughtered in the name of religion) or that there is a god who is going to solve the problems humans have created. It's up to us and the sooner we face that the more secure we will be. That said, I am not optimistic that humans have that ability.

The really troubling thing is that we are in totally uncharted waters with regard to population. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries Thomas Malthus and other thinkers began to consider the effects of unchecked population growth. For example, I am 51 and the population of the earth has more than doubled in my lifetime and the doubling time is shrinking. Many scientists think that we are seeing Malthus' predictions play out before our very eyes. The earth is experiencing one of the biggest mass extinctions in geologic history, but outside of academia there is absolutely no sense of how dire things are. We are reaching a point where whole ecosystems may collapse with devastating consequences.

Additionally, there are so many other things coming down the pike at the human family, all at once, that any one of them could be the tipping point. Some of those things include the potential for pandemic, the end of cheap, abundant petroleum, the trend in many countries toward either authoritarian rule or chaotic social and political unrest, the potential for an unidentified NEO (near earth object) to do a repeat of events that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Also, global climate change and sea level rise are going to displace hundreds of millions of coastal residents worldwide over the next century.

Sure, some of these things are more remotely probable than others (e.g., NEO disaster), nevertheless the point is that there is little concerted, unified effort at any political level to solve any of these problems and there is certainly nothing politically promising on the horizon.

All I can say sometimes is that humans (as a species) are pathetic.

Sorry, for the rant.

Alex

32

National Men in Tights Day!

by momzcrazy in

jw
friends

at r.crusoe's suggestion, here it is!

april 3rd, men in tights day!.

momz.

Alpaca

Very phunny stuff!!!

The "Blue Man Group" is doing a bit on codpieces in their current "Mega Rock Star" tour -- same kinda' stuff.....If you guys (and ladies) get a chance, it's a great show.

Momz, that new hot red lipstick and the cleavage you've been sporting lately is keeeeeeeeling me....although I did see in the other thread that it's an "augmented" pic....not really you....that's okay it's still killing me. Looks great!!!!

As for the tights, I am Greek (okay, I've heard all the jokes and I have some good ones of my own, but I digress) and we've had men sporting skirts for centuries, so why not tights? Great thread.

Cheers to all,

Alex

9

A Compassionate Heart.....Do You Still Have One?

by nomoreguilt in

jw
friends

i've just spent a few days considering the posts of sooo many new ones here.

at times i feel overwhelmed by the negative impact that the wtbts has had on many.

the horror stories of families lost, loved ones scorned, youth lost, extreme sexual abuse, my god!!!!

Alpaca

Good topic!

I think I've always had a compassionate nature, prior to being a Dub, while I was a Dub, and even more so since becoming an ex-Dub.

But, I gotta' tell ya', I think the type of compassion that grows from a naturally good heart, is a far cry from the twisted, conditional, narrow brand of compassion espoused by the Borg.

The compassion I feel for people and "the human family," as a whole, is so much more expansive than when I was a Dub. I am free to love and care unconditionally, without regard to whether or not someone is Christian, an non-believer, a Buddhist, a Wiccan....it just doesn't have the artificial restraints that the Borg would impose on my thinking.

Cheers to all,

Alex

87

WHAT if we're wrong?

by shell69 in

jw
friends

i mean, i know i'm bitter.. normally these days quite strong, not feeling so much so much the last few days though.. what i'd give to do the things i was used to.

going doing the weekly shop with my mum, her popping round for a brew in the morning.. a hug from her, just to to know from the way she communicated with me, that she loved me.

i miss her so much.. and what if i'm wrong?.

Alpaca

Shell,

It will pass. You just have to give it some time.

I doubt that anyone on JWD who left the Borg, hasn't had similar feelings. I know I did.

Please have confidence that the feelings will pass.

My Dad who was a WWII Navy salvage diver and did more death-defying living, than most people would do in 3 lifetimes, had a great saying:

No matter how bad things are, they always come to an end -- all things, good or bad, come to an end.

This downer that you are in right now WILL pass.

Hang in there kiddo,

Alex

11

got 7.5 inches last night!

by chickpea in

jw
friends

and you'd think i would be smiling..... except it isnt the 7.5 inches that would make one smile..... .

it was snow!

a mother nature kind of april fool prank gone wild..... wet, thick, heavy, unmovable except by brute force ... .

Alpaca

That did sound a little risque!!!!

May you get what you want the next time.

Alex

23

Are there any gods who actually don't HATE WOMEN

by berylblue in

jw
friends

and base their laws on the premise that we're inherently stupid, weak and evil?.

look at islam, for starters.

(i can't believe a woman would willingly join this sorry excuse for misogynistic laws.

Alpaca

You are so right.

That was one of the things about the Dubs that burned my ass.

The goddesses of Greek mythology, like Gaia and Aphrodite, are pretty appealing characters and certainly no more fanciful than the Bible's God or the Koran's Allah.

Women and men are equal.... period.

Alex

87

WHAT if we're wrong?

by shell69 in

jw
friends

i mean, i know i'm bitter.. normally these days quite strong, not feeling so much so much the last few days though.. what i'd give to do the things i was used to.

going doing the weekly shop with my mum, her popping round for a brew in the morning.. a hug from her, just to to know from the way she communicated with me, that she loved me.

i miss her so much.. and what if i'm wrong?.

Alpaca

Shell,

Your feelings are understandable and I join everyone else in offering words of comfort.

I don't mean to sound harsh, because what I have to say is not meant to be harsh, but ....

You gotta snap out of it!!! Be strong and take control of your life. Don't let the Borg continue to exercise any control over you. They are just men and really greedy, dishonest, deceitful men at that. They are parasites that will suck the life out of anyone they get the chance to. Don't let them do it.

Lean on your friends here ... you'll make it ... and you'll be stronger for it.

All the best,

Alex

11

We've had an influx lately (newbies)

by dinah in

jw
friends

first off, i don't mean "newbie" in a mean way.. do you guys think it might be helpful if we have a "getting to know" you thread started?

let new ones, and long-tme lurkers feel welcome and share stories.. i've been fascinated by what i've read in the last couple of weeks, and frankly, usually too emotional to reply.

it seems the same old story replays.. .

Alpaca

Dinah,

Thanks for picking up on this. I started a thread several days ago that invited those had joined JWD in the last year to comment.

Anyway the thread died, but I am still curious so let's pump your thread up. Nothing like a woman's touch, I guess.

Great idea about a "getting to know you" section. Maybe Simon would consider creating a new section of the board just for that.

Cheers,

Alex