Posts by freeman

91

Reality check: World less happy about America

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

facinating results from a global poll relating to public opinions of america in various countries around the world.. [url] http://www.torontostar.com/nasapp/cs/contentserver?pagename=thestar/layout/article_type1&c=article&cid=1035775217105&call_pageid=968332188854&col=968350060724[/url].

a major survey on international opinion released in washington yesterday shows u.s. popularity has plunged across much of the world amid mounting perceptions that the united states is running roughshod over other nations.

the planet's sole superpower commands only tepid affection, just as the u.s. government struggles to win international support for a possible military incursion against iraq as the next stage in its war on terrorism.. in fact, the prospect of a u.s.-led offensive aimed at overthrowing iraqi dictator saddam hussein has become a major irritant between washington and even its closest allies.. .

freeman

Realist,

Let me get this straight because sometimes Im a little slow especially before I have had a sufficient amount of coffee. The reason we dont take over oil rich countries such as Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc. is because we are afraid some people (the world community) may say bad things about us if we did.

Is this the same world community that mostly condemns us for our staunch support of Israel? Is this the same world community that did nothing for years and years in Bosnia as an entire people were being systematically cleansed. Remember the little ethnic cleansing thingy they had going on there? Whose lives were we saving again, oh yes Muslims, no wonder they hate us so. Sorry I got side tracked, anyway I am having a hard time understanding this.

My education is mostly technical so I dont have a whole lot of background on world affairs and economics, but as a freshman I was required to take lots and lots of courses that I didnt think I would ever put to good use. One of the business courses they made me take and that sticks out in my mind was Global Economics. If I recall correctly, Dr. G. made us use the CIAs world fact book to learn about the exports of many nations. (BTW today you can get the CIAs world fact book online for free, pretty useful info)

Dr. G. made me learn a lot of stuff I thought I would never put to good use, looks like maybe I just found a use because I dont recall Bosnia or for that matter Israel being a big exporter of oil. So Im wondering, exactly what is it that we do get from them, I mean besides grief and a lot of complaining from the world community? Im wondering just when the USA will conquer these nations in an elegant way as you have put it.

Again, Im no expert on this type of stuff, but I just have a hard time seeing some of the actions the US takes as totally mercenary, perhaps I need more coffee.

Freeman

Edited by - freeman on 6 December 2002 9:58:54

91

Reality check: World less happy about America

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

facinating results from a global poll relating to public opinions of america in various countries around the world.. [url] http://www.torontostar.com/nasapp/cs/contentserver?pagename=thestar/layout/article_type1&c=article&cid=1035775217105&call_pageid=968332188854&col=968350060724[/url].

a major survey on international opinion released in washington yesterday shows u.s. popularity has plunged across much of the world amid mounting perceptions that the united states is running roughshod over other nations.

the planet's sole superpower commands only tepid affection, just as the u.s. government struggles to win international support for a possible military incursion against iraq as the next stage in its war on terrorism.. in fact, the prospect of a u.s.-led offensive aimed at overthrowing iraqi dictator saddam hussein has become a major irritant between washington and even its closest allies.. .

freeman

Realist,

I like you handle, it fits you well. You are of course correct when you say:

freeman,
i think you grossly underestimate the US government...they are not morons...
the don't do anything without order and approval of the different lobbies. 
they give a shit about human rights and certainly don't do anything because they 
want to bring freedom to the world.

No they are not morons, not by a long shot and indeed they

do care about  human rights, and no its not just about oil

as some so simplicity believe. Oil is only one factor.

If we were greedy for oil, what would it take to take over

Kuwait? Like maybe an afternoon perhaps? And what do you think

it would take to take over Saudi Arabia, like about a day

to level the palaces perhaps? No the US government wants free

flowing oil at market prices and not in the hands of a nutcase

like Bushs friend in Iraq.

I love it when I hear people call Bush a moron, it means he

has successfully fooled yet another one. Did it ever occur to

these same people that the moron is the most educated person

to ever occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and that this jerk holds

 an MBA from Harvard and also degrees from Yale? Could you get

 into Harvard or Yale with your SAT AP scores? Think money or

 who your daddy is will get you in? Think again, it doesnt

 work like that at these institutions. Do you know what the

 Laffer curve is? Ill bet GW knows, and thats why cutting

 taxes to increase revenue overall makes sense, again

confounding his detractors, but then most of his detractors

are not self made millionaires, are they?

That said however, lets get one thing straight, GW Bush is a

cowboy in the true sense of the word. Is that a bad thing?

Maybe, maybe not. He says what he means and he does what he

says. He is very simple that way, he also mangles the English

language like few others can, but when push comes to shove,

he will kick ass. Some will not like that, others will

applaud it. Again Im not offering overt praise or ridicule

of our government or its leaders, just what I believe to be a

balanced and realistic viewpoint based on what I know.

Freeman

91

Reality check: World less happy about America

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

facinating results from a global poll relating to public opinions of america in various countries around the world.. [url] http://www.torontostar.com/nasapp/cs/contentserver?pagename=thestar/layout/article_type1&c=article&cid=1035775217105&call_pageid=968332188854&col=968350060724[/url].

a major survey on international opinion released in washington yesterday shows u.s. popularity has plunged across much of the world amid mounting perceptions that the united states is running roughshod over other nations.

the planet's sole superpower commands only tepid affection, just as the u.s. government struggles to win international support for a possible military incursion against iraq as the next stage in its war on terrorism.. in fact, the prospect of a u.s.-led offensive aimed at overthrowing iraqi dictator saddam hussein has become a major irritant between washington and even its closest allies.. .

freeman

Realist,

You said:

freeman,
very good post...however, i don't think the idea behind intervening in foreign countries is genuinly good...its not most of the time...its aimed at protecting US industry interests and NOT to help the poeple in the respective country or the average american!
do you really think the US freed kuwait to help the kuwaities? or bombed vietnam to help the vietnamese? or put sanctions against japan before 1942 to help the chinese and koreans? in all these cases it was not the main intention to help people but to protect the US industry and US influence in the world.

Realist,

By your statement I perceive that you believe the following:

Intervening in the affairs of foreign countries is not good.

2. Protecting American industry interests, the interest of the Vietnamese, Kuwaitis, Chinese and Koreans are mutually exclusive.

All I can say is that IMO the American government believes they have some responsibility (some of it for generally noble reasons and some it self-imposed for political ends) to interfere in world affairs and sometimes they run roughshod of world sentiment when they flex their muscles. What some fail to see is the truly simplistic mindset of our American government. The mindset is so simplistic that its almost unfathomable to some. In a nutshell it is this what is good for America is also good for the rest of the world.

When they bombed the crap out of North Vietnam and North Korea, they thought they were protecting the world (and themselves) from the advancement of communism. When they bombed the crap out of Iraq and forced the Iraqis out of Kuwait, they believed they were protecting the worlds oil supply from the dictates of a madman. We are going to do it all over again.

Think of it as a cowboy type attitude, because that is more or less what it is. Im not defending it, nor am I condemning it, but that is what it is. Of course I may be completely off base because these are only my thoughts.

Freeman

12

Why the fixation on the Nazis?

by eyeslice in

jw
friends

is it just me but do the society have a fixation on the nazis and the relatively few witness martyrs?.

i was skimming through the jan 15th 2003 watchtower, and came across a couple of photos of brothers who were in concentration camps that i must have seen a 100 times before.

then, on the back there something about ones who died at the hands of the nazis in hungary.. now dont get me wrong, i know that what happen at the hands on the nazis was truly awful, and that many of those who died were people whose faith at least i can admire.

freeman

Oh yes, the Dark Tower likes to play the Nazi card as often as then can. I remember reading a write-up on how the Tower of Evil expanded the numbers of slain or imprisoned Nazi era JWs whenever they needed to make the numbers look good; playing it for all it was worth. I think maybe it was Allen F. that penned this gem.

It seems their own paper trail has always been their worst enemy. I only wish the people that ran the Holocaust museum could have read the words of the Tower before making the JWs part of the exhibit. IMHO the Declaration of Facts gives a pretty good insight into the mindset of Nazi era Tower leaders.

Freeman

91

Reality check: World less happy about America

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

facinating results from a global poll relating to public opinions of america in various countries around the world.. [url] http://www.torontostar.com/nasapp/cs/contentserver?pagename=thestar/layout/article_type1&c=article&cid=1035775217105&call_pageid=968332188854&col=968350060724[/url].

a major survey on international opinion released in washington yesterday shows u.s. popularity has plunged across much of the world amid mounting perceptions that the united states is running roughshod over other nations.

the planet's sole superpower commands only tepid affection, just as the u.s. government struggles to win international support for a possible military incursion against iraq as the next stage in its war on terrorism.. in fact, the prospect of a u.s.-led offensive aimed at overthrowing iraqi dictator saddam hussein has become a major irritant between washington and even its closest allies.. .

freeman

Unfortunately this is probably a fair assessment.

American foreign policy is without a doubt a large contributor of much of the anti-American feelings. Having held a security clearance higher then that of most military personnel, and having several friends in the intelligence community, I can tell you first hand that the United States has VERY dirty hands that would shock the average citizen should such become common knowledge, but it wont however. We are not always the good guys most Americans think we are, but from everything Ive read and heard, we are the better of the bunch and the intent is genuinely good, but as for the results, well ... its not always so good. That little tidbit aside, what the average American knows even about there own OVERT foreign policy is abysmal let alone the secret COVERT operations.

American ignorance about the rest of the planet is astonishing to say the least. When visitors from other countries come to the states, they invariably do their best to observe local customs and even try their best to speak the local language. On the other hand, Americans visiting foreign lands assume the populace should adapt to the superior American ways, and funny as it may sound, they think that if they say the words s-l-o-w-l-y anyone can understand their brand of English.

Other things to consider are that there is indeed some amount of jealously because we are who we are; the lone so-called superpower, God I hate that term. Our very existence IS A THREAT to some who wish to keep their people living in the 16th century. The current ruling class would loose much if not all of its power should their citizens become Americanized, which is why we are a threat to some. Yes some people hate us for what we are. Some hate us for what we do. Some hate us for what we dont do, as in not doing enough.

IMHO, overall the world IS a better place because America exists and has great power and influence, however there is MUCH room for improvement not only in the way our government operates, but also how our citizens look at the rest of the planet and how they act when we visit other nations.

Freeman (Being serious for a change and not inciting a flame-war as I like to do now an then).

4

Freeing your family from a cult through family cou

by freeman in

jw
friends

freeing your family from a cult through family counseling.

i believe a wonderful opportunity was just handed to me by wife, maybe.

she thinks thate my younger son should get some professional counseling because he is not doing his schoolwork and is displaying some classic early signs of depression.

freeman

Freeing your family from a cult through family counseling.

I believe a wonderful opportunity was just handed to me by wife, maybe. She thinks thate my younger son should get some professional counseling because he is not doing his schoolwork and is displaying some classic early signs of depression. She said she has other issues and thinks she knows why he is depressed but that it only gets her in trouble if she brings it up.

I know exactly what she is thinking, she is thinking because I now forbid my son to attend meetings (over the blood and shunning issues) this is now affecting his schoolwork. I suggested instead of putting my son on the spot and pointing the finger of blame at him, why dont we all go for family counseling and air anything that is on our mind. She is thinking about it.

Oh boy I cant wait!

Doctor: So tell me Mr. Freeman, just why do you forbid your son to attend these religious meetings, what is your objection?

ME: OK Doctor, since you ask, this is what they are instructing my son to do, read the highlighted portions of this Watch Tower literature and see what you think.

Doctor: Mrs. Freeman are they actually teaching your son that he must have a deep loathing for anyone that has left the JW faith, are all these children on the cover of this magazine really dead because they refused a blood transfusion?

MY WIFE: Well Ohmmm Aaaaa .. Yada Yada Yada, Psalms 83:18, Yada Yada

ME: Ask her what she would do if her son was bleeding to death, ask her what parts of blood are OK and what parts are not, ask her who makes the rules about which parts are OK or not OK Doc.

I hope she goes for it, I know it will do us all a lot of good!

Freeman

Edited by - freeman on 4 December 2002 15:3:6

29

Anybody seen a UFO?

by SpannerintheWorks in

jw
friends

the concept of life on other planets really fascinates me.

the thought of intelligent life even more so.

so, whenever i read headline.

freeman

Im not ready to go on Jerry Springer yet, but it is a fact that I had sex for the first time because of a UFO.

Yep its a fact.

I guess I was maybe 17 at the time and I was out on a date and the girl I was with spotted something in the clouds. I pulled over for a better look and now we both saw it. A slow moving round thing hovering and up quite high, obscured much of the time by the clouds. After a while we found the source of the UFOs power. It was a giant arc spotlight and generator aimed on a large tethered balloon floating in the clouds above us.

As it turns out, it was in fact an advertisement stunt done by a local car dealership. On the way back to drop my date off one thing led to another and well..., I was one happy camper.

So I dont want to hear anybody say anything bad about UFOs or the little green guys, they got me laid for the very first time. Sorry for being so crass, but how often do I get to tell this story. Just dont let my wife know because it wasnt her in the car.

Freeman

Edited by - freeman on 22 November 2002 11:57:5

18

Governing Body! Worshiped like Kings!

by Alligator Wisdom in

i can't get over the fact the the gb of the wt society are treated like kings.

aren't they supposed to be "one of the brethren"?

the wt always accuses others of being guilty of "idol" worship when it comes to people of fame (i.e.

freeman

True story illustrating the fact that the GB or at least some of them are indeed worshiped like kings.

Dateline 1977

I just got back from a tour of Bethel. Told a few folks how nice it was to meet and share lunch with brother Franz. Ears perked up, crowd gathered around and all of a sudden I was now the center of attention. What was he like? Could you sense the Holy Sprit when you were in his presence? Did he say anything about how much longer this system would go on? These were some of the questions that stood out in my mind.

As I talked about him, then they got the idea that the guy I met was RAY FRANZ not FRED FRANZ. Know what happened then? They turned away in disappointment and I was made to feel like a jerk.

Im not sure why the younger Franz was not as revered as the elder Franz, anyone know? It is my understanding that they were both GB members. Anyway the crowd walked away disappointed and I was made to feel like a jerk and if I had any sense about me, I should have left the cult right then and there.

Freeman

18

My Wedding Uninvitation

by LB in

jw
friends

well the lovely young sister let my wife know today that only she would be invited to her wedding.

i'm not in the least surprised.

i know she really likes me and that her first inclination was to have me attend regardless of my daing myself recently.

freeman

LB, You are total class all the way!

Freeman

13

Ultimate Conundrum Update

by SYN in

jw
friends

an update on my present situation with my dub friend!.

it's a bit of a pickle, to be honest.

he's a great guy, and his wife is a lovely girl, i just can't stand to break their bubble.. let me get you guys up to date with events that occurred recently twixt him & i.. we all spoke at a recent event at microsoft, and i pretty much had to coach him through all the things he would say, make sure he got it right.

freeman

SYN,

The greatest gift any person can give to another is life. Some do it through blood donations, or upon their own death by way of organ donations. Some do it by pushing someone out of the way of an impending disaster. Such people are heros.

You have a wonderful opportunity before you to give this person life. Yes a real life, just by sharing the truth about the truth with this person.

And you are obviously a good-hearted person just dying to do so. Please find the best way and the proper time and do so.

Freeman

Edited by - freeman on 22 November 2002 9:19:51