Posts by StephaneLaliberte

11

Another Gem of a conversation with my PIMI Dad

by joe134cd in

the following is a conversation i had with my pimi father regarding a news segment on tv dealing with csa.

joe: that’s terrible the incidences of csa happening in the community.

dad: yes it is.

StephaneLaliberte

I had a conversation with my dad who’s in. He understood that the WT is facing, and will face, financial repercussion for the way they handled abuse. He doesn’t stand behind the WT for this type of mishandling that he’s seen, and, to some extent, participated in. He knows that the victims suing the WT are doing it for a just cause and that they (the victims) deserve to win. The only thing though is that he was afraid that this could mean the end of his religion.

I told him that even if the WT lost all of its assets, including kingdom halls and assemblies, this would not translate to the end of the religion. The members would still be able to connect (through teams, in parcs, in community centers, etc), share their beliefs and live their faith. With time, they would be able to start new, build new halls, new bethels and go on. Financial penalties imposed on a corporation are not the same as straight up persecution as it is the case, for instance, with Russia. The religion, the belief system is not banned, but specific organizational policies are no longer accepted. These financial restitutions can and has resulted in change within the internal policies of the organization and we’d only assume that they would fix this thing if they are starting from scratch. But it wouldn’t be the end of the religion.

20

Strong female characters in film before the 'Woke Era'

by LoveUniHateExams in

since about 2015, hollywood has congratulated itself and circle-jerked over the 'strong women' characters they've written.

i'd say this roughly began with rey in the force awakens (2015).

what hollywood forgets is that strong characters have to have a personality, otherwise audiences don't really relate to them.. well, hollywood should really stop patting themselves on the back as if they've done something special.. strong female characters have been a staple for decades.. here's one: private vasquez, from aliens (1986).

StephaneLaliberte

20

Strong female characters in film before the 'Woke Era'

by LoveUniHateExams in

since about 2015, hollywood has congratulated itself and circle-jerked over the 'strong women' characters they've written.

i'd say this roughly began with rey in the force awakens (2015).

what hollywood forgets is that strong characters have to have a personality, otherwise audiences don't really relate to them.. well, hollywood should really stop patting themselves on the back as if they've done something special.. strong female characters have been a staple for decades.. here's one: private vasquez, from aliens (1986).

StephaneLaliberte

Marry Poppins

18

In History Who Is The Most Influential Person To You?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i think jesus christ was the most influential person in history.

of course some people think he never really existed but everyone has an opinion.

who do you think made the most influence on you?.

StephaneLaliberte

When reading "Hitler" in one of the answers here, I was like "What????" But come to thing about it, yeah, he's been very influential in terms of what not to do and how things can slowly get into a nightmarish state even in a civilized world. So, often, we thing: Don't do this or don't do that, cause that's how the nazi's started!

Interesting really.

35

Go Bag and Catastrophes

by StephaneLaliberte in

i live with my parents in law and yesterday, my mother in-law was very nervous about an email she got from the brothers in her congregation.

it was asking if she would be able to receive people over at our house should there be a catastrophe.

so, she asked me if i would agree with this.

StephaneLaliberte

That's the thing, a part of me wanted to calms my mother in law, but I know she's been conditioned to reject anything that remotely sounds contradictory with the WT. Instead, she'd be even more worried that we would not pass armagedon, so I played the game, for her, so that she may find some peace in believing that we might have a chance.

35

Go Bag and Catastrophes

by StephaneLaliberte in

i live with my parents in law and yesterday, my mother in-law was very nervous about an email she got from the brothers in her congregation.

it was asking if she would be able to receive people over at our house should there be a catastrophe.

so, she asked me if i would agree with this.

StephaneLaliberte

I live with my parents in law and yesterday, my mother in-law was very nervous about an email she got from the brothers in her congregation. It was asking if she would be able to receive people over at our house should there be a catastrophe. So, she asked me if I would agree with this. I said sure. However, we’d need to prioritize our family and close friends before we would welcome others. But if all our close ones were safe, then, yes, it would be our pleasure to provide shelter to others in trouble. She told me she would say “no” on the form, but that she would convey our message to the brothers.

She than told me that lately, the WT has talked a lot about the “go bag”, that they can sense something, and we should get ready just in case. To put her mind at ease, I’ll set up bags for my family as well. I mean, no harm in it. But what got be concerned is how stressed she appeared about the topic, as if catastrophe was at our door.

I then discussed with my wife about all this and my wife said that her mother made the right choice to say “no”, otherwise, it would give some “managing” power to the brothers about who would get shelter at our house. They would likely want to prioritize brothers and sisters over some of our close ones who are ex-jws or non-jws.

I have to say that the “fear” card that they are playing lately, I don’t like it, I don’t like it one bit. I don’t mind getting people prepared in case of emergency, but it’s the fact that they’ve been “talking a lot about it” that gets me annoyed.

39

The First Time I Went Over 120mph (193kph) I Was In A ____________ ,

by Sea Breeze in

honda vfr 750.

StephaneLaliberte

A 2001 Chrysler Neon, thought I think it was topped at 190. I was a stupid kid back then. Today, I still often drive above the limit, but not in a stupid way. For instance, back than, I'd drive 100 km in the city on 50km/h streets filled with parked cars; no idea if anyone will come out between two cars! Today, in such places, I go at 50, sometimes even less, minding the surroundings. But then again, on some select wide boulevards, I can drive 110 even if the limit is 70.

As for the highways, I've driven on "no speed limits" high ways in Germany that weren't much different then many of the highways we have here in Canada. So, I don't always agree with the posted limits in Canada. I believe it comes down to the experience of the driver and what they are driving. For instance, with my vehicle today, I never pushed it further than 165.

44

Poll: Atheists overwhelmingly oppose the death penalty, but most Christians favor it

by Disillusioned JW in

see https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2021/06/16/poll-atheists-overwhelmingly-oppose-the-death-penalty-most-christians-favor-it/ .

i am an atheist and i disapprove of the death penalty.

i remember michael dukakis, when he was a usa presidential candidate, saying i he was opposed to the death penalty - even for rapists and murderers.

StephaneLaliberte

I consider myself an atheist and have no problem with the death penalty when it is proven beyond any reasonable doubt about the guilt of the person charged with the crime.

I feel that way to. The problem is that I have seen 12 jury all agree that someone deserved the death sentence with nothing more than circumstantial evidence.

44

Poll: Atheists overwhelmingly oppose the death penalty, but most Christians favor it

by Disillusioned JW in

see https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2021/06/16/poll-atheists-overwhelmingly-oppose-the-death-penalty-most-christians-favor-it/ .

i am an atheist and i disapprove of the death penalty.

i remember michael dukakis, when he was a usa presidential candidate, saying i he was opposed to the death penalty - even for rapists and murderers.

StephaneLaliberte

Their is a myth going around that prison sentences are to rehabilitate the criminal. [...] Some people who commit very serious crimes are beyond rehabilitation

To me, if someone committed a crime that would have been deserving of death, than, they should be considered un-redeemable and spend the rest of their lives in jail. However, the moment you know you plan to free someone from Jail in 2, 5 or 10 years, you need to seriously consider a rehabilitation plan for them, otherwise, they'll make more victims until they get caught again.

44

Poll: Atheists overwhelmingly oppose the death penalty, but most Christians favor it

by Disillusioned JW in

see https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2021/06/16/poll-atheists-overwhelmingly-oppose-the-death-penalty-most-christians-favor-it/ .

i am an atheist and i disapprove of the death penalty.

i remember michael dukakis, when he was a usa presidential candidate, saying i he was opposed to the death penalty - even for rapists and murderers.

StephaneLaliberte

I do not understand the high tolerance for crime among atheists

Being willing to pay for 100's of killers and serial rapists to stay in jail for the rest of their natural life so that absolutely no innocent is killed by a government that represents me, I don't see how that shows tolerance for crime. Its no tolerance for injustice.