Posts by Introspection

34

One question that would make you think....

by Dawn in

jw
friends

no jw's have been to my door for years because they all know where i live - my mom drives by with her "car group" and points out our house, even stops to use the potty or get a pop.

silly - i know, but mom doesn't seem to care about the shunning thing (thank goodness).. anyways - hubby and i have bought a new house and will be moving out of this congregation's area soon.

it's a brand new house in a new area so i'm sure it'll get worked fairly quickly (new blood on the block).

Introspection

They will fear and defend against anything that question their belief system. To me it's simple: Why do you need this belief system? (not how you'd approach it, but just the gist of what you'd ask) This works on a deeper level because the basic reason why JWs and so many other people with religion is because it's a kind of security blanket, the specific contents of the belief system is not that important. If you want them to open up without being defensive or feeling threatened, offer them something that will free them from that fear. So I wouldn't so much point out a flaw in the bible, but point to something from the bible that indicates they don't need this crutch. If you take a step back and look at the typical mind set of JWs, you know the bible is going to be a biggy, it doesn't make a lot of sense to try to take on the bible atleast as a first step. Just turn it around. Go with the teachings that basically amounts to "all you need is love" - the good samaritan, etc. You say you don't want to beat up on them, so offer them support instead. Use something that's already within their belief system, strengthen that so they can overturn the other parts of their belief system.

One thing to keep in mind is the witnesses come to your door with an agenda - any results you're going to get is dependent on whether they're willing to put that aside and actually openly discuss with you. If they're not, I am not really interested in getting them to stop being a witness. The thing is, with a certain attitude it is irrelevant if they are witnesses or belong to some other religious group, so details about doctrine is really meaningless to me at that point. If they are so puffed up as to be beyond reason, maybe they need to crash in order to wake up. But on the other hand, if they are already kind of tired and actually WANT to leave on some level, you supporting them as a fellow human being can make all the difference. What I propose is that you work some biblical stuff in with that support so they can connect with you. You don't have to believe the rest of the bible, just use that as a language in which to communicate with them.

3

Phytochemicals for Cancer Prevention

by Introspection in

here are some quote from the february issue of life extension magazine, there is a lot of good info in this one.

i don't think this issue is available online yet, but if you want to check later their website is http://www.lef.org.

i plan to add more to this thread later.. studies show that people who eat a lot of red, orange, green and yellow vegetables have a significantly decreased risk of various cancers.

Introspection

Hi Rem,

LEF does provide all references, and from what I've seen they cite reputable journals and have all the their past issues online, if you're interested you can take a look at their website.

Of course, my purpose for posting this information is not to point to their words as fact, but just for the sake of information itself. My personal approach to health care is to include all aspects: nutrition and exercise, self care along with good professional care, including both objective and subjective approaches. It doesn't make any sense to totally disregard how you feel when it comes to your health, even if the signals might be misinterpreted sometimes. For that matter, I don't believe in relying on any single factor, after all good health is dependent on many different factors. Although I've found nutrition to be helpful in this regard, it would be foolish to think any single thing is the "cause of good health." Each of us needs to determine what specific combination of things work for us. So thank you for pointing that out, I would certainly encourage anyone reading this information to look at the overall picture and what it might imply in terms of good nutrition rather than drawing specific conclusions. Needless to say, if you already have cancer and are contemplating a course of treatment, you're going to want information that is much more specific.

3

Phytochemicals for Cancer Prevention

by Introspection in

here are some quote from the february issue of life extension magazine, there is a lot of good info in this one.

i don't think this issue is available online yet, but if you want to check later their website is http://www.lef.org.

i plan to add more to this thread later.. studies show that people who eat a lot of red, orange, green and yellow vegetables have a significantly decreased risk of various cancers.

Introspection

Here are some quote from the February issue of Life Extension magazine, there is a lot of good info in this one. I don't think this issue is available online yet, but if you want to check later their website is http://www.lef.org. I plan to add more to this thread later.

Studies show that people who eat a lot of red, orange, green and yellow vegetables have a significantly decreased risk of various cancers. The protective effect is due to carotenoids. Most people are familiar with the carotenoid beta-carotene, found in carrots. There are, however, hundreds of other carotenoids--some not even discovered yet. There is lutein in spinach, zeaxanthin in corn and lycopene in tomatoes.
Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in humans. The prostate gland alone contains 14 to 18 different metabolites of lycopene in people who eat tomatoes or other vegetables that contain it. . . The two largest studies [of lycopene and cancer risk] involve 14,000 Seventh-Day Adventists (lacto-oco vegetarians) and 47,894 American physicians. In the physician study, men with the higher level of lycopene in their blood had a 20% reduction in risk. In the Adventist study, eating tomatoes more than five times a week reduced risk of prostate cancer by 40%. Lycopene is good at protecting lymphocytes from DNA damage. In an Italian study, 7mg/day of lycopene reduced DNA damage 50% in the first week.
Carotenoids work synergistically. Taking several together is better than taking one alone. In the now infamous study where smokers took beta-carotene supplements and nothing else, risk of lung cancer actualyl rose. But a 30% reduction was found in a study of 100,000 people who ate a variety of carotenoids on a consistent basis rather than just one. A 60% reduction was found in the same study for non-smokers. It appears that alpha-carotene, not beta-carotene, is the best carotenoid against lung cancer.
-----
[Folic acid] has been involved in so many important cancer studies that it stands in a class of its own. Folic acid (the vitamin version of folate) is a B vitamin typically found in certain green vegetables and legumes. Meat contains very little of it. A serving of steak, for example, contains 3% of the RDA, while a serving of broccoli contains 50%.
Folate has powerful cancer preventive effects through its role in maintaining methylation. Methylation has two powerful roles in preventing cancer. First, it is crucial for the repair of mutations. Second it is crucial for the activation and deactivation of genes involved in cancer. . . Abnormal methylation is present in all cancers, no matter the type. The critical importance of folate, then, becomes apparent.
Lung and colon cancer are the first cancers to be linked to folate deficiency. Breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer involve the deficiency as well. Alcoholism, folate deficiency and breast cancer go together. The same is true for colon cancer--alcoholism exacerbates folate deficiency.

32

Dilemmas......What is their Purpose?

by Siddhashunyata in

jw
friends

.

what is the purpose of moral dilemmas?

do they point us to god or to ourselves?

Introspection

Quite a conclusion.... and we know dilemma's by dualistic thinking? Ummm, dualistic thinking is the premise for dilemmas...Really?... there is way too much assumption going on here...

Well, I'm not sure what dualistic thinking sounds like to you, but it sounds to me like the definition you provided:

Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.... Dilemma - 1. a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives. 2. any perplexing situation or problem. 3. a form or syllogism in which the major premise is formed of two or more conditional propositions and the minor premis is a disjunctive proposition, as "If A, then B; if C then D. Either A or C. Therefore, either B or D.

Maybe it's worth pointing out that it's not so much the obvious fact that a dilemma requires you to choose between two equally undesirable alternatives, but rather the hesitation to choose because one cannot choose that which is undesirable, yet the situation forces one to act in such a way since that which we desire is simply not possible. Denying this is simply denying the reality of the situation, and that is very much dualistic in that it's a polarization toward a desirable outcome against one that is undesirable, even when you realize there is no way to completely win. Reality is just what it is, whether you find it acceptable or not. In other words, the duality is not so much in the situation or reality, it is in your mind and your emotional state. I think atleast part of what Sidd is getting at is this emotional attachment which might incapacitate one in such a situation, whereas I'm sure we'd all agree that some decisive action is much better than just sitting there being frustrated over the fact that you can't save everybody or whatever, because then you're just wasting time and energy on your own feelings, and nothing gets done then. Of course it is only natural to be emotional in such a situation, but if the focus is not on your self (the usual focus in dualistic thinking) then that is basically just a byproduct - atleast there is no time to worry about it in the moment. We can just imagine a doctor in the ER losing it when there's people to be saved. I believe that was Farkel's point - shit happens in life, you're not always gonna get what you want. Denying that fact doesn't do anybody any good, but if you stop fighting against reality it brings you a measure of peace.

7

Morality etc.

by Introspection in

jw
friends

from what i can tell there are atleast 4-5 members who might appreciate this and others may find it interesting.

even if you've read it before maybe you haven't read this particular translation.

a quote from tao te ching, 38:.

Introspection

Have you ever read that book that the society put out several years ago which pretends to "explain" other religions? Their treatment of the TTC is truly abhorent...and ignorant beyond belief.

Francois, I have the Search book, but like much of the Society's literature I never read all of it, and those I did read was probably covered in bookstudy. I can't say I'm surprised to hear that, then again that's probably why I never read the whole thing, even before I knew better. Isn't it funny how much effort you had to put into reading those things? Yet those literature is just about shorter and more simplistic than all other books, but it just does not hold your attention.

151

Intro's quote-o-rama

by Introspection in

i guess i've been inspired by stephen's quote threads, so i'm going to start one myself.. not one particular author here, just whatever i can find:.

q: why do you think that people are so protective of their egos?

why is it so hard to let go of one's ego?.

Introspection

Hi Seven!

Are you still checking on the little sancuary? I do see your posts on this board here and there. Here are a couple of quotes I pulled from a stack of non-dual cards made by a friend:

Nothing is wrong with you, but the ideas you have of yourself are altogether wrong.
----
Give up the tendency to define yourself.
-Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

7

Morality etc.

by Introspection in

jw
friends

from what i can tell there are atleast 4-5 members who might appreciate this and others may find it interesting.

even if you've read it before maybe you haven't read this particular translation.

a quote from tao te ching, 38:.

Introspection

Good question Siddha. I think we might use the example of the good religious person, or more specifically a religious person who is not driven by the ego or outlandish beliefs but is limited by that framework - basically someone with good intentions that puts in a lot of effort because they think in dualistic terms, so they are out to put in a lot of hard work to help the world, that kind of thing. Making a fuss basically means efforting - or using force against force, rather than taking the non-dual view of working with the Tao or nature where the real power is. Besides that, it's just more effective because you are at one with change, as opposted to trying to affect change from a static position.

7

Morality etc.

by Introspection in

jw
friends

from what i can tell there are atleast 4-5 members who might appreciate this and others may find it interesting.

even if you've read it before maybe you haven't read this particular translation.

a quote from tao te ching, 38:.

Introspection

Ok I can just see the blank looks out there so here is a bit of explanation. I did leave it off the original post because I didn't want to put thoughts in your head but it's been a while..

You might look at it this way:

Tao = Nature
Virtue = way/power of Nature
Humanity = Human nature
Morality = Some rules humans made up because they seem like a good idea for everybody
Ceremony = Being a poser, trying to look good, "going through the motions", parroting the party line

Hope that helps. Anyways, in view of this I think the phrase about having private ends to serve becomes very telling, because the scope becomes ever more narrow until it becomes just the appearances.

19

5 Secrets Women Need to Know

by ESTEE in

ladies!

here are 5 secrets to a great relationship that every woman needs to know

1. it is important to find a man who works around the house, occasionally cooks and cleans and who has a job.

Introspection

Regarding batchelor #2 - do you care if you laugh with him or at him?

7

Morality etc.

by Introspection in

jw
friends

from what i can tell there are atleast 4-5 members who might appreciate this and others may find it interesting.

even if you've read it before maybe you haven't read this particular translation.

a quote from tao te ching, 38:.

Introspection

From what I can tell there are atleast 4-5 members who might appreciate this and others may find it interesting. Even if you've read it before maybe you haven't read this particular translation. A quote from Tao Te Ching, 38:

High Virtue is non-virtuous;
Therefore if has Virtue.
Low Virtue never frees itself from virtuousness;
Therefore it has no Virtue.
High Virtue makes no fuss and has no private ends to serve:
Low Virtue not only fusses but has private ends to serve.
High humanity fusses but has no private ends to serve:
High morality not only fusses but has private ends to serve.
High ceremony fusses but finds no response;
Then it tries to enforce itself with rolled-up sleeves.
Failing Tao, man resorts to Virtue.
Failing Virtue, man resorts to humanity.
Failing humanity, man resorts to morality.
Failing morality, man resorts to ceremony.
Now, ceremony is the merest husk of faith and loyalty;
It is the beginning of all confusion and disorder.

*note: "ceremony" is basically the idea of propriety