Posts by simon17

109

Feb. 15 Study WT - More creationism and stupidity - A response

by eric356 in

well, the wt is back on it: "today, there is a rising tide of atheistic and evolutionist propaganda dependent on flawed and baseless reasoning.

we should not let this flood of faulty thinking confuse or intimidate us.

" (pg.

simon17

One day we'll all look back and laugh about this; that we (the human race) really believed what we did about how all living things came to be. Reminds me of this great conversation. I'm not sure of who it was (someone like Kepler and just another scientist)

GUY: It really is a shocking and amazing discovery to find the earth revolves around the sun instead of being the center of the universe

KEPLER: I don't find it that shocking at all; only strange we did not figure it out sooner. Why would we have believed the earth was the center so strongly?

GUY: Well it really did look that way.

KEPLER: Tell me, what do you suppose it would have looked like if the sun was the center?

I think you'll find it similar with life. "Well it really looked like it was created..."

59

BrotherDan's POV

by PSacramento in

jw
friends

brotherdan seems to have left and before he did he psoted this:.

so this is goodbye.

thanks for the help in getting out of the cult.

simon17

I think the WAY things are being said is important.

Example: "That stupid, shmuck coward God in the Bible" vs. "In my reading of the Bible, God's actions appear cowardly"

I think we can argue against things we dont' believe without being disrespectful or abrasive. I think this should go for JWs too. Do we really need to call them names and call them evil heartless.... the faithless and demented slave or whatever name people are making?

I think the arguments and facts, respectfully presented, should be strong enough to speak for themselves.

89

Thanks and Goodbye

by brotherdan in

jw
friends

i really do appreciate all the help you guys have given me in this process.

but it's time for me to leave.

it was time for me to leave the wt (at least in my mind) when it became damaging to me.

simon17

I wish you the best and that you find peace.

I might say that having an unmoveable feeling that all religions are wrong aside from christianity does make it difficult to tolerate a place where people are discovering what their beliefs really are. In many cases those beliefs are wildly different from your own. Threads irreverant towards "God" are no less offensive than one saying that all muslims/hindus/JWs are wrong in their beliefs. But... if facing that is personally or emotionally harmful, then by all means, find a better way! But I just don't think its fair to blame it on the site being intolerant of your beliefs; just your sensitivity about them.

Quite honestly, I enjoy reading your threads, especially the recent one about prophecy fulfilled. I would hope you'd tough it out and add your unique viewpoint on matters. It is all worhty food for thought.

64

Biblical Prophecies written BEFORE fulfillment

by brotherdan in

satan and nvl recommended that i start this thread.

i'm not sure anyone will have interest.

but one of the things that proves to me that the bible is accurate is the prophecies that were written before the fullfillment, in detal.

simon17

eh, formatting got messed up. sorry (deleted it)

48

God created all things. Does that mean he is worthy of respect?

by sabastious in

revelation 4:11 - 11 you are worthy, our lord and god, .

to receive glory and honor and power, .

for you created all things, .

simon17

Brotherdan,

But don't you realize that JWs would be sitting here saying the same thing about God's organization to you. How God's organization has helped them immeasurably and they pity that you have strayed and offended it. And the JW organization is tangible. Yes it has tangible flaws, that are ignored by its memebers, just (perhaps) as you are ignoring tangible flaws in your belief system.

To suggest it is fact that we were born with inherited sin from God is as absurd as suggesting that the faithful and discrete slave deserve our unwavering obedience. It is a belief that YOU have. Hindus feel moved by their god(s). Muslims feel moved by their prophet. JWs feel moved by their god and organization. Christians feel moved by Christ. You feel moved by a single all-powerful God. Its hard to believe that you would be judgemental of people with different beliefs as your own!

26

"Before the Generation ... of 1914 Passes Away"

by doinmypart in

jw
friends

that quote must be embarrassing for the wts, so i figured i'd post it.

it appeared on the inside cover of every awake magazine until a few years ago.. a few weeks ago i attended the funeral of someone born in 1916, she was 94 years old.

i don't know anyone born before or on 1914.. governing body are you ashamed?

simon17

Evidently, the passage refers to a 118 year old women who is still alive in the mountains of Tibet and clearly was capable of understanding the events of WWII.

43

It's only a fight if he has a chance to win...

by notverylikely in

jw
friends

since he doesn't, it's just entertainment and a bare minimum of mental stretching for me :).

lock away, i'll be good now..

simon17

I thought this thread would be about why the Challenge of Universal Sovreignty is inherently a flawed and pointless confrontation....

nm

48

God created all things. Does that mean he is worthy of respect?

by sabastious in

revelation 4:11 - 11 you are worthy, our lord and god, .

to receive glory and honor and power, .

for you created all things, .

simon17

I would say, yes, if God created all things, he is worthy of respect.

Any creator of something impressive should be respected for his skills. There have been some geniuses of music/art/film/industry/inventions etc that created some brilliant things and were otherwise deplorable human beings. That doesn't take away from the respect I impart to them for their ability to create.

Its not a fair analogy to talk about regular parents because they didn't CREATE anything by creating a baby. They had sex. End of story. They could be completely without any knowledge, appreciation, understanding or plan when their act of "creation" happened. They might not even remember it. If a God created life, obviously it was somethign quite different.

Second, if God was the creator, I think you should owe it to him to hear his admonition on how his creation best works. If the Bible was his word, it is worthwhile to consider it. I think that is only fair and respectful on one who created you.

But lastly, after giving due consideration, the behavior of that creator will determine if your respect for his talent will transcend into respect as a ruler, as a being, and as a moral compass.

So I guess my issues overall are twofold: #1: I don't believe God exists and see no logical or factual evidence to support it. #2: if the Bible is God's message to us, then I find it hypocritical, immoral, and cruel of the creator to act the way he has, and I would then conclude that my respect would stop at his physical abilities and power.

28

left and now lost

by serein in

im luke warm and dont know what side im on, i dont mix well and i dont want to be worldly if u know what i mean,im a good person with morals and nowadays thers not many of us left., not were i live anyways,its so hard leaving it behind cos now i duno what to do with myself, and i dont want to go out and live it up or go on face book or go meet loads a worldly people and be like everyone else, and i dont wana celebrate pagan hols even thoe i might do xmas i still feel weird doing that.i dont feel right with myself one bit..

simon17

"i dont want to... be like everyone else"

This is the main thing in your case, I think. You've lived your live "special" and "priviledged" and "unique" because of what you thought God was going to do with you. Its hard to become "like everyone else". But thats what you're going to be... just another human being. Time to figure out what makes YOU "special" and "unique". You can still be special and it doesn't have to come from being part of a chosen group; It can come from within.

15

The Greatest Gift (no one is guaranteed tomorrow)

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

i was watching a movie on cable this week, and was impressed.

it was about a woman who chose prostitution, in part to live out a life of lust.

the movie is more about her journey to learn about herself.

simon17

I think there is a lot of truth to living your life to be happy and not becoming embroiled with resentment and regret about the past. Buuuuut... how does the saying go? If we don't learn from errors of the past we are doomed to repeat them. And the fact of the matter is, we did lose out on some things. And at the same time, we probably avoided some bad things because of our being Witnesses. Try to take all those lessons and help people in the future (most obviously our own children) to do better than we did.