How to refute them, you ask?
Bring up the fact that the Bible says humans popped onto the scene 6 thousand years ago, that women were an afterthought only created because the first man got bored so god ripped out one of the first man's ribs and made him a mate only a talking snake duped her and doomed mankind to suffering, that a massive flood wiped out all living creatures and plant life except for 8 people on a boat with two of every species (except for when there were seven of every species) and pushed up all the tall mountains and deepened the oceans just over 4 thousand years ago, that god showed his mighty power by making his chosen representatives aimlessly wander around the middle eastern desert for 40 years until they could commit genocide in his name and steal those sucka's houses and vineyards.
Bring up the fact that god in all his mightiness wanted to be worshiped by killing animals, splattering their blood in ritualistic patterns and burning their remains on an elaborate altar. Bring up the fact that god in all his loving mightiness could not extend forgiveness to the human race until he had his son slaughtered.
If you want to read the bible literally, you deserve whatever you get. (edit) Sorry, I missed the post about no bible-bashing.
marmot
JoinedPosts by marmot
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33
Refute anti-gay Bible verses
by cloudblue inanyone done some research to refute the handful of anti-gay verses in the bible?
i've done a bit of research on the net.
i don't have the links handy, but most of them centered around the assertion that the original words in those passages were mis-translated.
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marmot
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Horrifying report on China/did anyone watch Planet in Peril last night?
by restrangled infrom the most digusting, filthy food growing conditions of which more and more of our own food is contaminated with to abuse and consumption of exotic animals, especially the endangered.
they are the worlds biggest contributors to the decline of endangered animals and are creating more.
750 large bears were shown in cages with huge metal tubes inserted into their stomachs to suction out bile every day for old chinese medicine recipes.
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marmot
Restrangled, I don't consider myself "Canadian" at all (I'm aboriginal) and I make no apologies for ANY government, but I find that getting your dander up over China is going to do diddly squat.
History will run its course. The point I was trying to make was that America and Britain were just as bad in their infancy as China is now, but things evened out somewhat over the course of time. It's not the apocalypse, our planet is not in peril.
The only thing this all means is that we might see a big cultural shift, and this is something that has gone on since humans first got together in large social groups.
Change happens, you've just got to deal with it and adapt or go extinct. -
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Horrifying report on China/did anyone watch Planet in Peril last night?
by restrangled infrom the most digusting, filthy food growing conditions of which more and more of our own food is contaminated with to abuse and consumption of exotic animals, especially the endangered.
they are the worlds biggest contributors to the decline of endangered animals and are creating more.
750 large bears were shown in cages with huge metal tubes inserted into their stomachs to suction out bile every day for old chinese medicine recipes.
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marmot
Skeeter, that report about cardboard buns turned out to be a hoax staged by a chinese journalist looking for publicity.
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151
Just a little Update...(with pictures)
by RichieRich inso today i was thinking... and i haven't posted here in quite some time!
i came and started reading through some recent posts... and boy have i missed a lot.
the whole trevorgate thing... and danny haszard... whew.
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marmot
That's really inspirational. I'm new to this board so I'm unfamiliar with your story, but you've got a truly gorgeous girlfriend and you look absolutely happy in those pictures.
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I'm in a position to make a very difficult decision...
by FreedomFrog inok, here's the thing.... i have a 2004 ford taurus.
it's really nice with sun roof /power seats/heated side mirrors/the works and it's mine but with a payment of $310.
i was just offered to take a 1995 saturn (still runs decent) for the taurus but with the '95 i will not have a payment though there will be more maintenance on it.. i love my taurus, it makes me feel like i'm still human but i'm very much strapped with finances.
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marmot
You've got an '04 and you've already got ALL THOSE REPAIRS!?
Jayzus, you've either got a lemon or you've got dishonest mechanics who enjoy taking you for a ride. I had a 2000 Focus with a 5 speed that I bought used for $5500, drove the piss out of it for 2 years (but always did my own maintenance) and didn't spend a penny more on it aside from the usual brakes, oil, tires and a windshield replacement.
I then sold it for $4500 last month.
Seriously, I have no idea how a 3-year old car like yours should need a new muffler, starter, transmission and clutch (although you say the last 2 were already done.)
Or wait, are you talking about the Saturn? -
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I'm in a position to make a very difficult decision...
by FreedomFrog inok, here's the thing.... i have a 2004 ford taurus.
it's really nice with sun roof /power seats/heated side mirrors/the works and it's mine but with a payment of $310.
i was just offered to take a 1995 saturn (still runs decent) for the taurus but with the '95 i will not have a payment though there will be more maintenance on it.. i love my taurus, it makes me feel like i'm still human but i'm very much strapped with finances.
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marmot
You're driving a Ford, which depreciates like a used condom. I'd say get out of it now and get the most basic form of transportation you can find.
I now drive a car that I bought for $400 and pay under $20 a month for insurance. I do as much of my own maintenance as possible. It's a lot easier than it seems. You only need a few basic hand tools, a jack and some jack stands and you can then do your own oil changes, change your spark plugs, change your oil filter, battery, etc. by yourself instead of paying a mechanic $50 an hour to do the same.
The rest of my money is going towards paying down debt from previous stupidity. -
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Horrifying report on China/did anyone watch Planet in Peril last night?
by restrangled infrom the most digusting, filthy food growing conditions of which more and more of our own food is contaminated with to abuse and consumption of exotic animals, especially the endangered.
they are the worlds biggest contributors to the decline of endangered animals and are creating more.
750 large bears were shown in cages with huge metal tubes inserted into their stomachs to suction out bile every day for old chinese medicine recipes.
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marmot
Guess what, America and Britain used to be like that too. Okay, maybe they didn't have bears with drip-tubes, but think about the history of western culture. Entire species were almost wiped out during various stages of technological advancement and colonial expansion.
Whales almost went extinct so that people could have lamp oil and corsets.
Beavers were slaughtered by the millions to fuel a felt hat fashion trend that lasted more than a century and whose aftereffects shaped North America.
Bison were pushed to the brink of extinction first to supply leather for drive belts during the industrial revolution, and then just as a big f**k you to the plains people to see if they could drive THEM to extinction also.
Up until the early 20th century, the wealth of America was built on the back of child and slave labor.
Industrialization, mass consumption, globalization and a disposable lifestyle has led to America becoming hated among many developing countries.
Now the Chinese are in their own bratty child phase of development and the western world feels threatened.
Karma's a bitch.
(even though I don't believe in it) -
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List Reasons Why YOU Would NEVER Go Back To The "Truth"
by minimus ini recently saw my jw brother and sil and listened to them talk about poor sister sick(o) who has been diagnosed with major mental problems.
she went to the doctor's and the doctor supposedly began to berate her out of the blue because she is a jehovah's witness.
now the family wants to have the doctor formally rebuked for his so called "discriminatory comments".
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marmot
To me, it's chiefly because of the condescending attitude towards anybody who is not one of them. There is a great divide between their professed adherence to the teachings of Jesus and the reality of their cold hearts and attitudes towards "the world".
I mean for crying out loud, I don't even believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible or the biblical god, yet I find the life lessons contained in Jesus' teachings to be of immense value. JWs (my family especially) are incredibly selective in applying these teachings.
I'm much happier as an atheist. -
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Have you changed your mind about ABORTION?
by nicolaou ini'm not after a discussion on the rights or wrongs on abortion, what i'm asking is whether or not your views have evolved over time.. perhaps leaving the watchtower was enough to allow your true feelings on abortion to find expression.
maybe abortion is one of those subjects where you still find yourself in agreement with your old jw self.
did becoming a mother change your perspective in any way or solidify your views?.
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marmot
It's a toughie, for sure.
I'm still morally opposed to it because I think it's a very selfish act (consequences of rapes and incest notwithstanding). I mean face it, sex is an act of procreation. If you don't want to deal with the consequences of that act then take the appropriate measures to prevent it by using birth control. If there IS a pregnancy despite all that, I still think that there are many people who would gladly take that child and give it a good home.
Another tough moral call is the case of abortions following in-utero testing that shows congenital birth defects. Not only is such testing not 100% accurate, but people with disabilities are just as capable of leading full and productive lives as the rest of us.
With advances in genetic testing, this form of pregnancy screening could very well lead to selection based on mere physical appearance or potential personality traits. Already in India and China there is rampant abortion of perfectly healthy female fetuses just because male children are more socially desirable.
To sum up, no I do not personally agree with abortion but neither do I believe in imposing my views on others. If such actions are truly harmful to society, then the effects will manifest themselves with time and the problem will correct itself.
In a sense we can already see these consequences. Much of the developed world is tipping into a population decline because of fewer births and later pregnancies in life. Immigrant populations are exploding because of much higher birth rates and lower numbers of abortions, which is changing the very fabric of western society. -
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Any cigar smokers in here?
by marmot ini don't like cigarettes all that much (even though i actually tried to take up the habit, i found out i don't have an addictive personality - same reason why i'm not a coffee person either) but i do enjoy a nice cigar.
notice i said a nice cigar, not those nasty chemically-flavored things that taste like froot loops and smell like a crotch fire.
i'm talking about a nice cuban monte cristo or a real leaf-wrapped cigarillo.
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marmot
I don't like cigarettes all that much (even though I actually TRIED to take up the habit, I found out I don't have an addictive personality - same reason why I'm not a coffee person either) but I do enjoy a nice cigar.
Notice I said a NICE cigar, not those nasty chemically-flavored things that taste like froot loops and smell like a crotch fire. I'm talking about a nice cuban Monte Cristo or a real leaf-wrapped cigarillo.
I enjoy the aroma and the ritual involved in smoking one, and the little bit of nicotine is relaxing especially if it's combined with a dram of single-malt scotch.
Granted there are health concerns but I believe this is mitigated by simple moderation. If you think about it, a summer barbecue is a cancerous death-trap what with all the carcinogenic charcoal-seared fatty meat and UV radiation and cirrhosis-inducing cold beer, but you don't have a barbecue every single day. Same goes for cigars, IMHO.