Posts by eclipse

i think posting on a discussion board can tend to come across in a certain way, personality wise.. i'm the type of person "in real life" that is usually considered quite funny.

i have a very quick wit and i can usually disable someone rather quickly with a facial expression, smile or definitive body language.

of course, you can't see those things here but you might notice a person's humor (or lack of it) by how they post.. so what tickles your funny bone?

eclipse

I am unintentionally funny - sometimes.

Wish I could define the humour I have, but I can't.

I do know that I find alot of things funny, and I laugh alot.

38

Faith vs. Reason- Watchtower "apostate" quote+refutation by atheist author

by nvrgnbk in

jw
friends

please read.

it mentions the watchtower and has some interesting things to say about it.. thoughts in captivity.

faith versus reason in religion.

eclipse

This now presents a new difficulty: if you promise something you cannot deliver, people will likely abandon you. But there is a way around that problem as well. Rather than promise your followers they will be rewarded immediately for their allegiance,

move the reward to somewhere where its existence can never be disproven.
One particularly clever way to do this is to perpetually keep the payoff in the distant but not too distant future, always just over the horizon, always soon but not yet.

This will inspire people to keep chasing it, to always be working just a little harder, doing a little more in anticipation of that day.

Another solution, not mutually exclusive with the other, is to

place the reward after death, in another life beyond this one. Not even the most skeptical examination can conclusively disprove it then.

Again, this will encourage your followers to work for you their entire lives without ever becoming discouraged.

It might also be helpful to counterbalance this promised great reward with an equally great punishment for those who will not believe,

and safeguard this from disproof using the same methods. This will provide strong incentive for believers not to stray, by appealing to their sense of self-preservation as well as their desire for happiness.

That's exactly what the Watchtower does.

Excellent article, Nvr. Great read

30

Where have you turned to?

by Robert7 in

jw
friends

i am very curious, since i am myself trying to figure out where to turn to, if anywhwere.

(i am still debating if i am truly an atheist at heart and religion in general turns me off at least as of now) where have you turned to since you left the wt?

i would imagine that many people who became witnesses had spiritual needs (which is ironic why i am feeling atheist, lol) but have you gone to other churches, stopped going to church, become atheist, etc?

eclipse

I have turned to learning about reality

learning my perception of reality

seeing other's perception of their reality

learning to understand and accept differences of personalities

learning to understand history and patterns of human behavior

seeing our future and what possibilities it holds, the far future and my tomorrow...

learning to live in the moment, sharing and giving love to family and friends

appreciating all that I have...

all because I learned that there is no reason to worship a deity

free as a bird....free as the wind...freedom from fear....I do not feel alone at all anymore...

because I am whole and complete.

32

Dear Wife, so sorry I checked out and drank too much last week, and thanks

by oompa in

jw
friends

for the encouraging wt article you printed for me.

it also referenced an article about getting help from the elders in your congregation.

this is the very first thing it says: .

eclipse

*raises hand*

I have a question for truthsearcher - what is it exactly that you don't chew? - food? meat? body parts?

34

Tell me your problems, I'll tell you mine..................................

by Warlock in

jw
friends

since everyone is venting about their problems, and rightfully so, i decided to start this vent thread.

i'll start:.

as i told mary, i spent $1100.00 to have a car in my household repaired.

eclipse

Barbie,

If you feel you are being taken advantage of, then you are probably correct.

If you don't receive a thank you, then you probably should not give them money a second time.

And no, a thank you card is not too much to ask.

78

A fair and reasonable question for Jehovah's Witnesses

by Gregor in

your organization has always been intently focused on "witnessing" and this includes going right up to strangers homes, knocking on their door attempting to engage them in a discussion of their beliefs.

you come prepared to point out the error of whatever faith they hold.

doctrines such as immortality of the soul, the trinity and eternal torment in hell you declare as false teachings and can back up your assertions with scriptures and skilled argument.

eclipse

It made me cringe when I read on this board that someone was showing a sister the child abuse issues and her reaction was to bring a list of questions to the CO. This sister is naive, not that I fault her, because im sure she is not fully aware of many of the problems that will cause. I fear if she does this, unless its a reasonable CO, she will have a faith shattering experience. - yourmomma

Welcome Yourmomma,

I too, hope you continue posting.

Just a reply /question to your above comment.

Why would it make you cringe that this sister is bringing legitimate questions to her CO?

She has already received unsastifactory answers from her local elders, is not the logical thing to do is go to the next ''higher-up'' elder in position?

She is fully aware of the hornet's nest she is about to poke a stick into.

I for one, am hoping that this will be an eye-opening experience for her to show her just how man-run, untheocratic this organization really is.

You yourself have seen the evidence of the treachery many men in the organization have caused all in the name of protecting the JW name.

Why would her faith hinge on something man says?

(perhaps that has something to do with MEN claiming to be annointed telling JW's what to believe?)

If she is a believer in god, she will continue to believe, and not let any disillusionment (reality) of the ''elder arrangement'' take away her faith.

If her faith is tied up in believing that the men are spirit appointed, then perhaps a faith-shattering event will take place,

but I prefer to call it a much needed reality check.

12

Well, Am I just a coward or what?

by rache31 in

jw
friends

i've made mention in a couple of recent posts how some witnesses have come to my house.

i wasn't home but received a note.

in the development where i live, there are a couple of families that go to the local kh.

eclipse

Unless policy has changed, not attending the meeting is NOT a disfellowshipping offence.

Unless they have seen you openly celebrating holidays, then I am not sure why you are worried about getting DF'd...

Don't give them any more power over you or your life.

If they leave a note, throw it in the garbage without even reading it.

Trust me, they are not worth a second of your time or your emotion.

If they come around, just tell them,

''Thank you for your concern, but my meeting attendance is between me and Jehovah,

and should that ever change and become any of your business, I will inform you.''

I know it's easier said than done, but you can do it.

139

Youtube Music thread tonight, anyone?

by purplesofa in

snowy white~bird of paradise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbxtnadvgki.

guitar sounds sooooo good !!!!!!.

eclipse

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YU7LZts87Zg

Wicked tune, nvr

Reminds me of the 2 hour drive to go fishing in the summer....good times.