Nickolas

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Posts by Nickolas

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  111

  When God breaks his own laws

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if one assumes that god made the universe it follows that he made it according to a very complex set of physical laws that determine how things work.

  the quest to identify and understand those physical laws is at the very forefront of science and great strides have been made over the past few centuries, in particular during the last century.

  we have known for only a few centuries that the earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun along with a number of other planets, more recently that the solar system is located in a radial arm of a spiral galaxy swirling around some enormous black hole.

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  Nickolas

  Actually, those who commit atrocities because of their faith believe it is entirely reasonable to do so.
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  33

  I want to get baptized...but how and why should it happen?

  by Joliette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...and not saying that i have to get baptized as a jehovah's witness.

  i was an unbaptized publisher, but i had to step down because of some confessions i made to the elders about two years ago.

  (yes, sexual confessions, i told them that i wasnt a virgin).

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  Nickolas

  I have a jaundiced perspective on baptism. I was baptised as an infant (so I'm told, I really don't remember) because my parents were told if I wasn't I'd end up in limbo with all the other unbaptised infants. One has to wonder how that little bit of bullshit tortured the minds of mothers and fathers whose infants died before they had the opportunity. Baptism, in short, meant nothing to me. My nephew was baptised at the age of 13, an age when he could not have had the slightest clue what it was all about, and as a consequence was DF'ed and shunned by his family when he went astray, while his unbaptised siblings living perhaps looser lives are unaffected. The common element in both stories is that the person being baptised was baptised at the behest of others. The answer to your question is, if you don't know how or why it should happen then you should not get baptised. If at some point you think you just might understand the how or why, think about it again because you've probably got it wrong.
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  111

  When God breaks his own laws

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if one assumes that god made the universe it follows that he made it according to a very complex set of physical laws that determine how things work.

  the quest to identify and understand those physical laws is at the very forefront of science and great strides have been made over the past few centuries, in particular during the last century.

  we have known for only a few centuries that the earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun along with a number of other planets, more recently that the solar system is located in a radial arm of a spiral galaxy swirling around some enormous black hole.

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  Nickolas

  That's where I stumble. There are those whose faith is absolute to the extent that they will do incomprehensible things (like pilot 767s into skyscrapers, for example) but that doesn't mean what they believe with all their hearts is true. Faith and truth are mutually exclusive and that is why I depend entirely on evidence to shape my perception of reality.
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  30

  How many have you gotten out of the Borg?

  by TweetieBird in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i'll start -.

  i have officially gotten 2 out so far, which is more than i ever got into it, with the exception of my son that i begged not to get baptized.

  he, however, is disfellowshipped now and wants nothing to do with the organization.

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  Nickolas

  None, but I'm working on it.
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  33

  I want to get baptized...but how and why should it happen?

  by Joliette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...and not saying that i have to get baptized as a jehovah's witness.

  i was an unbaptized publisher, but i had to step down because of some confessions i made to the elders about two years ago.

  (yes, sexual confessions, i told them that i wasnt a virgin).

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  Nickolas

  Jesus waited until he was 30, one would think for a good reason. So why not follow his example? Maybe by then you'll figure out what you really want to do.
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  51

  Ghosts and Spirits

  by Cold Steel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've been watching the bio channel lately and hearing people relate their stories of ghosts and the supernatural.. although i think some people do experience demonic presences, i think some people (for whatever reason) find it difficult to move on.

  jws believe everything is caused by "demons," but there are many near death experiences where people clearly seem to see family members who have helped them and who have manifested themselves with feelings of peace and serenity.

  since i don't believe that satan can duplicate these feelings of well being, i was wondering what you think of such manifestations, good or bad.. also, have you ever had any experiences, again, good or bad, in your lives?

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  Nickolas

  Also, have you ever had any experiences, again, good or bad, in your lives? Do you believe in hauntings? Possessions?

  No, no, and no.

  I do, however, believe in mindless piffle. Lots and lots of evidence everywhere.
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  111

  When God breaks his own laws

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if one assumes that god made the universe it follows that he made it according to a very complex set of physical laws that determine how things work.

  the quest to identify and understand those physical laws is at the very forefront of science and great strides have been made over the past few centuries, in particular during the last century.

  we have known for only a few centuries that the earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun along with a number of other planets, more recently that the solar system is located in a radial arm of a spiral galaxy swirling around some enormous black hole.

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  Nickolas

  Thing is that God is NOT "constrained" by the "laws" of nature that have never applied to him and that MAY ( in the future) not even apply to us.

  Can you tell me how you know this thing you assert with such absolute certainty?
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  3

  Grandma Jones is Amazing

  by laverite in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it wasn't long ago at all when grandma jones entered jwn in a panic.

  in no time at all, her panic turned to thinking more clearly.

  now grandma jones is an important part of jwn helping give advice to those who need it.

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  Nickolas

  Take a bow, girl.
• 
  111

  When God breaks his own laws

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if one assumes that god made the universe it follows that he made it according to a very complex set of physical laws that determine how things work.

  the quest to identify and understand those physical laws is at the very forefront of science and great strides have been made over the past few centuries, in particular during the last century.

  we have known for only a few centuries that the earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun along with a number of other planets, more recently that the solar system is located in a radial arm of a spiral galaxy swirling around some enormous black hole.

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  Nickolas

  God is NOT subject to the laws of science that we have in our universe, since he is "oustide" those very laws. Of course those "Laws" in of themselves were "created" by Man and there is no reason to believe that they can't be "suspended". Just because ancient man thought they saw something, doesn't mean THAT something was WHAT they saw. The point, I suppose, is that there are mechanisms that govern the behaviour of matter in the physical universe. These mechanisms were not created by mankind, rather ostensibly by God, but mankind attempts to understand them with the intelligence it has, ostensibly provided by God. Drive a speeding car into a wall and it suddenly stops and the laws of physics take over. Big mess. If the earth suddenly stopped rotating it would set up a chain reaction of catastrophic events that would destroy the planet and alter the solar system clockwork. To assume that God could simply suspend those mechanisms at will argues that they're not really required at all, so why did He bother to set them up in the first place? And how does He accomplish the suspension of these mechanisms anyway? Magic? In the present context, wouldn't it have been a whole lot easier just to give Joshua and his troops night vision so they could smote those pesky Amorites in the dark? If God wanted to make sure it was a fair fight, He could have given the Amorites night vision, too. Much simpler solution. I do, however, agree entirely with your last statement. I have no doubt it applies to ancient man seeing burning bushes, talking snakes, parting waters, raining frogs, walking dead, multiplying fishes and loaves, etc. etc.
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  111

  When God breaks his own laws

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if one assumes that god made the universe it follows that he made it according to a very complex set of physical laws that determine how things work.

  the quest to identify and understand those physical laws is at the very forefront of science and great strides have been made over the past few centuries, in particular during the last century.

  we have known for only a few centuries that the earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun along with a number of other planets, more recently that the solar system is located in a radial arm of a spiral galaxy swirling around some enormous black hole.

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  Nickolas

  Ah, but the point of Joshua 10:13 is that there would be earth shattering consquences if it really happened. All that other stuff you guys posted is just standard sideshow stuff. (Except for Baltar's contribution, that is, which is the closest to reality).