I like NeckBeard's idea. Started a new thread here for the "picture edition" of the watchtower:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/209186/1/New-Watchtower-Picture-Edition
Posts by pirata
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64Can We Please Stop Referring To The Simplified English Watchtower A The Dumbed Down Version
by Philadelphia Ponos ini really shouldn't have to say any of this but as someone who is in the process of learning a second language, i can tell that simple language makes things a lot clearer when you are not familiar with the language.
everyone on here started out reading simplified english while they were learning, including you native speakers.
i'm sure no one here was reading on a college level in elementary school.
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64
Can We Please Stop Referring To The Simplified English Watchtower A The Dumbed Down Version
by Philadelphia Ponos ini really shouldn't have to say any of this but as someone who is in the process of learning a second language, i can tell that simple language makes things a lot clearer when you are not familiar with the language.
everyone on here started out reading simplified english while they were learning, including you native speakers.
i'm sure no one here was reading on a college level in elementary school.
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pirata
journey-on, how can you guarantee that they have absolutely nothing to do with helping ESL people? How do you know they have no desire to educate or teach anyone? Just because we think they're misguided doesn't mean they have evil motives.
I have learned a second language, and I greatly appreciated having material with a simpler vocabulary set that served as a stepping stone to every-day reading material.
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edit: I just realized the irony of my post. Here I am saying not to impute wrong motives in regards to the printing of the first simplified edition (July 15) which goes out of it's way to demonize and impute wrong motives on the part of "apostates"....
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Hello Everyone! Heres my story!
by OneDayillBeFree ini'm new here, and although i have been a lurker for several months now, its nice to finally dive in and join you all.
i hope that i find some friends as thats what i'm really looking for, i've seen enough proof that theres real love outside of this religious prison that i've biult for myself over the years, but i would like to feel it firsthand.
it's been a little hard to post anything since it's not easy being around in websites like these when you're still in and theres other jw's around sticking their noses everywhere, but now that i've found the time, i would like to share a bit about my story.... this is an email i sent paul grundy, (creator of jwfacts.com) and it basically sums up the story of my life... so i thought it would be good if you all had a read as well.
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pirata
Do you have any advice as to what I should do with my life? Should I wait a couple years, or should I just leave now?
OneDay, welcome to the forum! I have not finished reading your story, but I will when I get a chance.
I am still an actice JW, having discovered the history behind this religion, that not all our doctrine is solidly based on the Bible, and that there is limited freedom of conscience or speech in this religion. I still have tough decisions ahead, but for now I am not making waves as all my immediate family and my mate are JWs. I don't know what to do yet either. I understand how hard it can be at times.
If you are still living at home, I suggest getting an education first. Even if your parents are opposed to university, perhaps you can take a two-year course that will allow you to get a decent job, move out, and then further your education later (if you want).
Looking forward to hearing further from you.
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317
Inviting djeggnog to discuss the blood doctrine
by jgnat indjeggnog invited me to start a new thread about the blood doctrine, which i am happy to do here.
his objection was my statement,.
"i've seen the blood video, a deceiving mix of scripture, fearmongering and pseudoscience, with plenty of lab coats in view.
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pirata
Only an imbecile like Rutherford would have made the sort of blunder that the borg is now obliged to defend at all costs.
The 4 Presidents book gave the impression that Rutherford was opposed to banning blood transfusions, and it wasn't till after his death that Knorr was convinced to ban them. The very first article opposing blood transfusions was in 1945 (3 years after Rutherfords death in 1942).
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317
Inviting djeggnog to discuss the blood doctrine
by jgnat indjeggnog invited me to start a new thread about the blood doctrine, which i am happy to do here.
his objection was my statement,.
"i've seen the blood video, a deceiving mix of scripture, fearmongering and pseudoscience, with plenty of lab coats in view.
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pirata
@cofty, great thread on jwsupportforum. I came to a similar conclusion after gathering and tying together every single verse in the bible that talks about blood and animal meat;
After reading through all the articles written in the Watchtower on Blood, the reasoning was all over the map as to why one must abstain from blood transfusions (Acts 15:28,29 a reiteration of Noah's laws, eating, organ transplants, cannibalism, sustaining one's life, the donor's personality being transferred to the recipient's, the kidney and heart containing emotions that would be transferred in an organ transplant, fractions okay, fractions not okay); I got the impression that all manner of reasoning was being used to prop up a previous decision, instead of a conclusion being drawn from a fresh analysis of all the relevant scriptures.
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pirata
I went! It was the same as last year.
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Truth - How obvious does it need to be?
by Nickolas inhey folks.
i've been on this board for just under seven months and i thank all of you who have contributed so generously to my education on things watchtower, and quite a few other things too.
not all of it was on here but it was through this board i've been directed to sites like freeminds and jwfacts.
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pirata
leavingwt, great post!
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55
Truth - How obvious does it need to be?
by Nickolas inhey folks.
i've been on this board for just under seven months and i thank all of you who have contributed so generously to my education on things watchtower, and quite a few other things too.
not all of it was on here but it was through this board i've been directed to sites like freeminds and jwfacts.
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pirata
I believe people tend to weigh evidence objectively, but inversely proportion to the amount of emotional investment the have in it.
The more sacrifice a person has made for their decision, the less likely they want to accept or even see any evidence that they may have been wrong.
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Truth - How obvious does it need to be?
by Nickolas inhey folks.
i've been on this board for just under seven months and i thank all of you who have contributed so generously to my education on things watchtower, and quite a few other things too.
not all of it was on here but it was through this board i've been directed to sites like freeminds and jwfacts.
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pirata
It does not matter how obvious it is if you are not prepared to accept the possibility that you are wrong.
Highly recommend adding the book Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts. A good summary (and application) of cognitive dissonance theory. It's also a good book to discuss with a JW because it doesn't touch on religious issues. Has a nice application to marriage to, and understand how we justify our beliefs can either strengthen it or destroy it.
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49
Did you watch R rated movies when you were in it?
by ldrnomo inlast night, i watched an r rated movie that featured violence.
at least 30 people were shot in the first 45 min of the movie.. while i was in and an elder, i watched r rated movies all the time just didn't talk about it.
so how many of you watched r rated movies even though "mother" said not to?.
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pirata
No. I remember being kind of disturbed when Elders would go up and give talks about not watching violent, immoral, spiritistic entertainment, but then socially talk about movies they saw that featured these. They'd make up for it by bashing other movies that they didn't want to see (That being said I always rationalized watching Star Trek, even thought it was occasionally denounced at the Assembly).
Looking back I understand them a bit better know. You can't say what you really feel about things as a JW. You say what you are expected to say, especially on the platform.