Mad Sweeney

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Posts by Mad Sweeney

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  33

  "It's Like Scientology for Black People"

  by SixofNine in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hah!

  samantha bee on the daily show just recommended that tiger woods become a jehovah's witness (they were playing off brit humes suggestion that tiger needed to become a christian to achieve redemption for his infidelity); "serena williams, prince, ... it's like scientology for black people".. .

  the clip should be online soon @ the daily show site..

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  Mad Sweeney

  Jermane Mayberry, former Philadelphia Eagle and New Orleans Saint is also a JW.
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  83

  Any Buddhists here?

  by John Doe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what do you believe?.

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  Mad Sweeney

  Plants are a renewable resource. And pollution will slow down a great deal when we run out of oil, so that problem will be solved one way or another. Should we take care of our home? Sure. Is it counter-productive to destroy forests without replanting? Absolutely. But environmental extremism is dangerous, as well. Balance is the key. Balance.
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  8

  Is God losing his power?

  by goldensky in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear all,.

  around three weeks ago, one of you (i think it was bohm) posted a link with a superbly written thesis attempting to prove yahweh as depicted in the old testament doesn't exist.

  i'm nearly through with it (it's thick and parts of it are beyond my understanding, but it's fascinating).

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  Mad Sweeney

  Perhaps God is just letting us grow up as a race by allowing us to go through and solve our own problems and by letting us suffer the consequences of our actions. Putting all the responsibility for cleaning up the mess on Him is abdicating the responsibility for ourselves and He's having none of that. Maybe.

  I don't know any more than anyone else about this. I'm becoming more agnostic each day. I can't believe everything came from nothing; there is a consciousness that began it all and still exists somewhere, I think. But I don't think He's correctly defined by any of man's religions. Maybe He is a unique entity with a distinct personality or maybe he's some sort of universal mind shared by everyone and everything collectively.

  I don't think he's necessarily old and weak but if you like reading fiction Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy for young adults depicts him as exactly that. Good read.
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  83

  Any Buddhists here?

  by John Doe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what do you believe?.

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  Mad Sweeney

  Lisa Simpson announced that she's a Buddhist on last night's Simpson's episode. Bart called her a Hindu and she shouted at him, "Buddhist! I'm a freaking Buddhist!"
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  3

  Steve Hassen book

  by zions watchman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i read on one thread were it outline what is a cult" by steve hassen i am having trouble finding it to share with my friend..can anyone help me out.. i do wish there was a way of filing topics we find interesting in our on filw thanks.

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  Mad Sweeney

  Here's a list I like. It's kind of a "best of" from many experts and sites. I've bolded the stuff that stands out to me as JW:

  1.The organization displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leadership and regards the belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
  
  2. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
  
  3.Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work/service routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leaders.
  
  4.The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members need permission to date, change jobs, marry, or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
  
  5.The organization is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leaders, and members (for example, the leader(s) is often considered to be a Messiah or other special being, or the group is on a mission to save humanity).
  
  6.The organization has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

  7.The leaders are not accountable to any human authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders, or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
  
  8.The organization teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
  
  9.The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
  
  10.Subservience to the leaders or the organization requires members to cut ties with non-member family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
  
  11.The organization is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
  
  12.The organization is preoccupied with making money.
  
  13. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
  
  14. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
  
  15.The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the organization. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

  16.The organization fosters continued dissatisfaction with the present world, encouraging members to participate in more and more time-consuming organizational activities that promise to lead to a better future.
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  7

  Excellent quote from "Millions Now Living Will Never Die!"

  by sd-7 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...i know that seems hard to believe.

  but hey, who doesn't love the happy prospect of never dying?

  certainly the folks in 1920 who received this book are still looking forward to that day with bright, beaming eyes!

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  Mad Sweeney

  "But ideally, I'd rather not engage them at all, simply because as a born-in there is just too much programmed fear inside me to attempt to explain reality to anyone on the inside in a logical manner. Fear takes away my intellectual flexibility. "

  >>>>>>>>>

  This is where I am, also. I'm practicing on a DF'd relative of mine who is considering going back in. I may not be able to rescue anyone who's in but I'm sure going to try to help others maintain their freedom.
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  24

  What is "Present Truth?"

  by garyneal in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  thought i'd share this little bit of 'research' with you all.

  i remember sometime back when i was visiting my wife's kh, they sang a song from the song book that contained the words, present truth.

  i did a quick search on google to see what people on the internet were saying about this phrase.

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  Mad Sweeney

  To a JW, "present truth" is whatever the current flip or flop might be. Example:

  When I was a little kid, it was no blood transfusions of any sort and no organ transplants.

  When I was a little bit older kid, it was no blood transfusions of any sort unless you're a hemophiliac and transplants are just fine.

  Then, present truth became that blood fractions are ok, but no whole blood or any of the four fictional primary components.

  (Note: I probably missed several present truths in-between)

  The great thing about a present truth is that it isn't necessarily true; it is quite subject to change.
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  15

  My Book of Bible Stories--extremist?

  by sd-7 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in lands where there is no love of god or freedom, jehovah's witnesses are being persecuted for speaking about the good news of the kingdom.

  why are these lovers of peace being persecuted?

  god's word tells us: "all who are living in godly devotion in association with christ jesus will also be persecuted.

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  Mad Sweeney

  This is one of the best posts I have ever read here. Thanks!
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  54

  Anybody Know What Presiding Overseer's are Being Told at Bethel School ?

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess there is a special training school going on for presiding overseers according to my jw mom.

  my elder brother went back there for a week training session .

  he explained that they are doing this training first in the united states only for presiding overseers and if it works out well - they'll implement it across the world in other countries.. apparently he stated that the training they are getting is very detailed and to the point.

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  Mad Sweeney

  COs have been harping on Internet pron at elder/ms for the last several years. Apparently it is considered a problem. JWN has never been mentioned, though, interestingly.
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  15

  3/09 Study WT- new light on 'annointed'??

  by isaacaustin in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my mom got a call from a friend who told her the 3/09 study wt has new light on the annointed.

  anyone in the know?

  ?.

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  Mad Sweeney

  I see nothing Noo there either.