Posts by garyneal

89

Mouthy Grace is not well. Please send love.

by return of parakeet in

jw
friends

in another thread, mouthy said she was "not well" and mentioned "kicking the bucket.

i believe she needs some encouragement and well wishes.. mouthy, you don't need to respond to this thread if you don't feel up to it.

just consider it an exceptionally long get-well card..

Is the U.S. headed toward financial ruin? Your opinions please....

by tresdecu in

jw
friends

not trying to sound like a conpiracy nut...but just read this article:.

http://www.moneynews.com/archives/trump-aftershock-american-economy/2012/11/06/id/462985?promo_code=103fc-1.

is this just a lot of talk?

garyneal

I think the money system needs to be replaced. The only real benefactors now are the super rich, everyone else is just struggling now and falling behind. Something is going to give.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oBo8CJxatQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqvKjsIxT_8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPtt7JC2TiA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P7izAUe3ZM

20

Bachelor's Degree

by mamamo in

jw
friends

i finally graduated with my bachelor's degree last saturday.

i really wish i hadn't taken as long as i did.

my high school graduation was 30 years ago.

garyneal

Congratulations! I hope you do find a better paying job. -- and look for one that has a pension.

In the states, your best bet is a government job if you need a pension. I will give this one to my dad, by the time he reaches retirement age he will have a pension from two jobs (the army and the prison system) plus his social security. All with no college degree to boot.

Me, I will be lucky if I have a decent sized 401k to live on and I have a BS in Engineering. My how times have changed.

At any rate, congrats on the degree, may it take you where you want to go.

33

How much do you pay for your internet service?

by JH in

jw
friends

a few years ago, i had dial up internet with netrover, and cost about 18$ a month, unlimited use.

but it was slow.. then i had videotron here in quebec, low speed internet (cable) for about 29$ a month which was about 3 to 4 times faster than dial up.

now i upgraded it to high speed for about 45$ a month plus tax of course.

garyneal

About $40 per month. Got to give this one to my wife as she negotiated that price for the service we got. Otherwise, we'd be paying $52 / month for the same service. We have Cox cable Internet and no cable tv, we tried the bundled plan but it ended up costing us nearly $200 / month for it for many channels we do not watch. Netflix and over the air TV is all we watch now.

45

It got to be hard being a JW today!!!!

by jam in

i can understand why they think the end is near.. in the old days, one was proud to be a jw (well maybe.

not for you young ones) but for us that came in the 60,s.

and 70,s, we felt no shame in our game.

garyneal

It certainly has to be hard for my wife. Trapped between two worlds. She goes out of her way to plan a wonderful birthday party for my oldest daughter. The first one that she plan in the four years since she decided she was 'done celebrating.' A lot happened for the both of us in the last four years. Yet, she still attends the meetings on Sundays, occassionally goes witnessing on Saturdays, and every once in a while wonders what her life should really be like and where she should fit in.

I share with her some similar struggles I have with Christianity so at least we have some common ground, but unlike her I can have a faith in God and celebrate the holidays and birthdays too.

15

How to play the PYRAMID INCH game

by Terry in

here is how you play the pyramid inch game.. .

now, back to the pyramid inch..... .

(25.0265 inches) x (365.25636 days) is approximately the length of one side of the pyramid.

garyneal

The year 1948 is the year Jerusalem became a nation and the generation who witnessed it will by no means pass away until Christ returns.

The beast is Ronald Wilson Reagan because it was the number of his name which all three of his names have exactly 6 letters. (now old light)

The B.E.A.S.T. is a supercomputer in Belgium and no man may buy, sell, or trade unless he or she has its mark. This mark, by the way, is a barcode tattooed on you right hand or forehead with your social security number on it. (old light) microchip implanted in your skin on your right hand or forehead because 666 somehow means to prick your skin (new light correction).

86

How to Recognize Counterfeit Christian Religions

by smartwater in

by their fruits you will know them.

a good tree (religion) does not bear bad fruit, neither can a rotten tree bear good fruits.

true faith is followed by good fruits/works.. dead faith is followed by bad works or no works at all.. 30 bad fruits/works of counterfeit christian religions.

garyneal

I like number 15, Interfaith Worship and not becoming unevenly yoked with an "unbeliever." Comments like that create so much division amongst Bible believers of all stripes. How can anybody claim they have the 'true' religion when everyone is off by one teaching or another?

29

Are Western values compatible with Christian values?

by garyneal in

jw
friends

i was going to say judaism, christianity, and islam but since i know little of judaism and islam so i decided to stick primarily with christianity.

i have found myself thinking that the values preached in the bible are not compatible with western (ie american) values.

however, it all seems to depend on who you really talk to and what he or she believes.. for example, the jehovah's witnesses preach a lot about how women are suppose to be submissive to men and yet at the same time preach how this does not mean that women are suppose to be seen as inferior to men.

garyneal

Thanks for the responses, everyone. Interesting responses all and kind of illustrates what I am referring to. There are indeed a lot of things in the Bible that no believer today would agree is humane or even allowable today. And yet, we're suppose to believe that it came from God. Of course, since no believer will ever adhere to things like killing your own children if he or she smites you or selling your daughter to her rapist, the question comes down to "does any Christian truly follow the Bible?"

Western views have obviously changed over the past 200 years. Americans no longer tolerate the ownership of slaves and say it is supported by the Bible but when the ownership of slaves were tolerated, proponents of slavery would also use the Bible to support it. Depending on a person's point of view, the Bible either says that women are to be in subjection to men or the Bible says that women and men are suppose to be treated equally. Interesting perspective, by the way, villagegirl.

But I guess if you take the Bible for what it literally says (not through the lens of someone's interpretation) it is hard to conclude that the Bible is in 100% harmony with Western values. Some parts yes, but not all. Those passages that refer to slaves remaining obedient to their masters, for example, have been reinterpreted by a church I use to attend to mean employees being good workers for their employers. While I really enjoy listening to preachers who can find practical applications of these scriptures that fit our modern way of life, I can't help but to wonder where they get their ideas from. Either God is still speaking, or these people are just (consiously or unconsiously) taking the text and making it fit into our modern values.

29

Are Western values compatible with Christian values?

by garyneal in

jw
friends

i was going to say judaism, christianity, and islam but since i know little of judaism and islam so i decided to stick primarily with christianity.

i have found myself thinking that the values preached in the bible are not compatible with western (ie american) values.

however, it all seems to depend on who you really talk to and what he or she believes.. for example, the jehovah's witnesses preach a lot about how women are suppose to be submissive to men and yet at the same time preach how this does not mean that women are suppose to be seen as inferior to men.

garyneal

talesin,

Excellent, yes it does seem like Western values and Christian values (particularly those espoused by the Christian right) do go against what Christ taught. I find this quote from Ghandi suitable to your statements.

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

29

Are Western values compatible with Christian values?

by garyneal in

jw
friends

i was going to say judaism, christianity, and islam but since i know little of judaism and islam so i decided to stick primarily with christianity.

i have found myself thinking that the values preached in the bible are not compatible with western (ie american) values.

however, it all seems to depend on who you really talk to and what he or she believes.. for example, the jehovah's witnesses preach a lot about how women are suppose to be submissive to men and yet at the same time preach how this does not mean that women are suppose to be seen as inferior to men.

garyneal

I was going to say Judaism, Christianity, and Islam but since I know little of Judaism and Islam so I decided to stick primarily with Christianity. I have found myself thinking that the values preached in the Bible are not compatible with Western (ie American) values. However, it all seems to depend on who you really talk to and what he or she believes.

For example, the Jehovah's Witnesses preach a lot about how women are suppose to be submissive to men and yet at the same time preach how this does not mean that women are suppose to be seen as inferior to men. Churches do this too with many of the Bible teachings. They either gloss over the bad teachings or avoid them altogether. There's the God who will order the genocide and the killing of men, women, and children and the God who despises murder. Depending on what church you go to, you either protest gays and lesbians and tell them that God hates them or say that God loves everyone and everyone is imperfect.

Really, the Bible can pretty much say, anything you want it to say.

So what do you all think, are the values being taught by religion compatible with Western values? If so, please explain why and if not, please explain why.