hillary_step

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Posts by hillary_step

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  365

  Richard Dawkins Gets "Expelled" by Ben Stein!

  by Perry in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i just got back from seeing the new movie release "expelled" which is a documentary exposing the militant culture of supression regarding intelligent design in the scientific community.

  in a "million years", i never would have imagined that ben stein could get the author of "the god delusion", richard dawkins to speak favorably about i.d.

  (intellignet design).

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  hillary_step

  AudSoul,

  I was very pleased that he directed his comments toward angry Christians. I very much doubt he would have said the same to the millions of unassuming Christians who don't presume to condemn anyone to any unfavorable destiny at all, and who are not burdened by their faith. It does seem that the most personally obliged "Christians" are the ones most ready to impose burdens on others, as well.

  .....And I directed the link to the growing number of angry Christians on this thread, trading insult for insult with Godless, imooral athiests.

  HS
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  61

  Is anybody out there....

  by wings in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ....that is not sure if you believe in god?

  i envy those of you who have moved through this space.

  wings.

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  hillary_step

  Wings,

  I sympathize with your struggles.

  The reality is this. We will all die, and that soon enough, without ever having answers to the questions of our existence, or for that matter God's existence. If you find that hard to believe, look at the lives of the greatest thinkers, the philosophers, the scientists, the theologians during the past thousands of years. What empirically sustainable answers did any of them leave that truly answers questions regarding the mystery that lies at the root of human existence? None.

  You will die, as all of us on this Board will without answers, and become part of this earth, gradually solidified into a rock mass on which future generations will stand and wonder too about these questions. We come from a WTS background in which every question was answered for us, and presented to us manicured and lifeless. The problem is that all the answers were and are suspect. and have proven unreliable. That is why the WTS teachings of today are so vastly diffeent from even fifty years ago.

  The fact that we have no answers is liberating because it allows you to concentrate on the moment. To enjoy the rhythm of a hummingbirds wings, to take to heart the strangers smile, to delight in the joy of moments. Life is made up of moments. Add together the moments that an average human is truly happy in their lives and what do you have. Three weeks? A month of true happiness? The rest is drudge and turmoil - UNLESS we control life rather than have it control us.

  Just for a year, stop expecting answers and focus on living the moment and enjoying the moment for what it is. Time is the currency of life. The moment I stopped expecting answers regarding the existence of God, and the afterlife, whether Christ really existed or not, was the moment that I truly felt that I was living.

  HS
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  365

  Richard Dawkins Gets "Expelled" by Ben Stein!

  by Perry in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i just got back from seeing the new movie release "expelled" which is a documentary exposing the militant culture of supression regarding intelligent design in the scientific community.

  in a "million years", i never would have imagined that ben stein could get the author of "the god delusion", richard dawkins to speak favorably about i.d.

  (intellignet design).

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  hillary_step

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atTSwau9fwM&feature=related

  HS
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  137

  What is the best way to help BurnTheShips...

  by nvrgnbk in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to grasp that the basic purpose of science is to produce useful models of reality.

  how to help him understand that trying to make observable reality "fit" around a collection of writings designed in its first half to inspire the oftentimes persecuted jewish people and in its second to consolidate the fragmented roman empire is an exercise in futility?.

  sorry, burn.. i couldn't resist.. hope you're having a wonderful day,.

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  hillary_step

  Maybe that's what you need, somebody to bite your balls. I would offer but I am sure they smell like asshole.

  ....can't we ....all....just get .....along. HS
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  108

  The JWD stigma about being "nice"

  by changeling in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm back from a little jwd break and i'm happy to see that things are not as volatile as when i left.

  however, some things never change.

  and one thing that seems to be a constant around here is the mentality of some very intelligent and knowledgeble ones (in their own minds at least) that if you are "nice" you are some how emotionally needy and/or not too bright.. i don't think the "happy people" on the board have anything against people with high iq's.

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  hillary_step

  Changeling,

  A song to cheer you up a little.

  In the Land Of Grey And Pick

  HS
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  75

  The fallacy of 'spirituality'.

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  leaving the watchtower does not mean leaving god.

  many here have been able to maintain a relationship with god without the need for a set of beliefs or a creed or any organised system of worship at all.

  no churches, meeting halls or study groups are necessary just a deeply held conviction in the goodness of god and the value of a personal relationship with him.. such believers often stress 'spirituality' over religion.. now i don't mean to denigrate anyone's beliefs and no offence is intended but really, is a 'spiritual' approach to life any better for our mental and emotional well-being than being part of an organised religion?

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  hillary_step

  Nark,

  As an example of the way that religious minds have hogged the whole concept of spirituality I present a link from the Kriya Yoga site, which to me defines the abuse that this beautiful word has been subjected too. I deliberately avoided a Christian definition lest I be accused of 'hating Christians', a nonsense that has been atrributed to me more than once. I could not disagree more with this definition.

  http://www.kriyayoga.com/english/encyclopedia/spirituality.htm

  Couldn't we all get along?

  lol...Your wish is my command Rodney.

  HS
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  75

  The fallacy of 'spirituality'.

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  leaving the watchtower does not mean leaving god.

  many here have been able to maintain a relationship with god without the need for a set of beliefs or a creed or any organised system of worship at all.

  no churches, meeting halls or study groups are necessary just a deeply held conviction in the goodness of god and the value of a personal relationship with him.. such believers often stress 'spirituality' over religion.. now i don't mean to denigrate anyone's beliefs and no offence is intended but really, is a 'spiritual' approach to life any better for our mental and emotional well-being than being part of an organised religion?

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  hillary_step

  Burn,

  Og and Mog and the rest of the Neanderthal clan were burying their dead with religious ritual a long time ago....

  My point exactly, Though arguably lacking in aesthetics and morality, they had a dimension that was not of the material in their psyche. Religion has hogged the word 'spiritual' and made it its own. It has even driven the many flavored Terry from the word. ;)

  HS
• 
  75

  The fallacy of 'spirituality'.

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  leaving the watchtower does not mean leaving god.

  many here have been able to maintain a relationship with god without the need for a set of beliefs or a creed or any organised system of worship at all.

  no churches, meeting halls or study groups are necessary just a deeply held conviction in the goodness of god and the value of a personal relationship with him.. such believers often stress 'spirituality' over religion.. now i don't mean to denigrate anyone's beliefs and no offence is intended but really, is a 'spiritual' approach to life any better for our mental and emotional well-being than being part of an organised religion?

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  hillary_step

  Narkissos,

  I really wonder what is left of the concept of "non-religious spirituality" once those two elements are distinguished.

  Probably very little, though even by dictionary defintion aesthetics and morality are very much involved in the meaning of 'spirituality'. I resent the way that religions take ownership of words that existed both in form and essence before they even existed.

  Spirituality is a word that is much wider in concept, I would suggest even universal, than the religious context into which it finds itself crammed. It needs to be re-liberated.

  HS
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  137

  What is the best way to help BurnTheShips...

  by nvrgnbk in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to grasp that the basic purpose of science is to produce useful models of reality.

  how to help him understand that trying to make observable reality "fit" around a collection of writings designed in its first half to inspire the oftentimes persecuted jewish people and in its second to consolidate the fragmented roman empire is an exercise in futility?.

  sorry, burn.. i couldn't resist.. hope you're having a wonderful day,.

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  hillary_step

  Journey,

  You stupid ignoramus!

  Keep this up and you will be stripped of your Cuddly Club Membership.

  My own club, the Slice and Dice Association is always looking for new members, if you qualify that is. Initiation involves an honesty and lack of hypocrisy test though. Be warned.

  HS
• 
  137

  What is the best way to help BurnTheShips...

  by nvrgnbk in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to grasp that the basic purpose of science is to produce useful models of reality.

  how to help him understand that trying to make observable reality "fit" around a collection of writings designed in its first half to inspire the oftentimes persecuted jewish people and in its second to consolidate the fragmented roman empire is an exercise in futility?.

  sorry, burn.. i couldn't resist.. hope you're having a wonderful day,.

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  hillary_step

  I fail to understand why you repulsive sons of bitches just cannot get along with one another.

  Come on, play nice.

  Best regards - Rodney King