Nickolas

Joined

• started 76 topics
• posted 2,304 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Nickolas

• 
  122

  Refuting the ARGUMENT BY DESIGN.

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it's tiresome and it doesn't add up but it's one of the most popular arguments for god's existence, "the argument by design.

  " jehovah's witnesses and other believers point out a wonder of nature like the eye and compare it to a 'lesser' mechanical wonder of human design like a camera.

  the supposed conclusion is that this natural wonder is evidence of creation by a powerful designer; god.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  I'm still shaking my head.
• 
  122

  Refuting the ARGUMENT BY DESIGN.

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it's tiresome and it doesn't add up but it's one of the most popular arguments for god's existence, "the argument by design.

  " jehovah's witnesses and other believers point out a wonder of nature like the eye and compare it to a 'lesser' mechanical wonder of human design like a camera.

  the supposed conclusion is that this natural wonder is evidence of creation by a powerful designer; god.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  The God I like to believe in is an experimental architect, who had to review quite often his design, hence the various clean-ups. It might not make him a nice personality,

  The mad genius, bumbling god. That's a new one.

  bit I find it more logic.

  I'm shaking my head in incredulity.
• 
  10

  'Silent Witnesses' - JW Pedophilia (Australia) *VIDEO*

  by 3Mozzies in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  thanks to mr monroe, i was able to upload this video from 2002.. .

  http://vimeo.com/25581273.

  'sunday' reveals the extraordinary story of how the jehovahs witnesses in australia routinely cover up cases of child abuse in their ranks and obstruct police investigations.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  Excellent video. Well worth the time taken to view it. Thank you.

  I might hope this thread gets bumped to the top and left there for several days.
• 
  20

  Am I wrong for being angry at my dads funeral last year?

  by shakyground in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  that's the question that i have been thinking about all day for some reason.

  it's 5:30 am and i been in and out of sleep all night.

  let me go into further detail to explain.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  All religious funeral services take advantage of the death event to promote the religion itself. It was ever thus, and not confined to the Watchtower. I was angered by my FIL's Anglican service. His death was very unpleasant and the priest had the temerity to say that what my FIL went through before his death was God's way of cleansing away his sins so that he could enter into His presense. I wanted to get up out of my seat and tell the guy to sit down and let me take over. It was bullshit, just like all the bullshit spewed forth at your dad's service. You had every right to be angry, but it doesn't mean anything. Not worth losing sleep over, anyway.
• 
  14

  settling the issue of evolution once and for all - it's a fact, case closed...

  by just n from bethel in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  discussions on evolution and creation are now completely resolved.

  no further information on this forum will ever be needed.

  so we can all move on.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  I dunno, Nicklaus, Lars is making perfect sense to me....

  All of us are ignorant in some ways. There is nothing wrong with ignorance. Unlike stupidity there is a cure for it.
• 
  122

  Refuting the ARGUMENT BY DESIGN.

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it's tiresome and it doesn't add up but it's one of the most popular arguments for god's existence, "the argument by design.

  " jehovah's witnesses and other believers point out a wonder of nature like the eye and compare it to a 'lesser' mechanical wonder of human design like a camera.

  the supposed conclusion is that this natural wonder is evidence of creation by a powerful designer; god.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  I presume these arguments are covered by Richard Dawkins in his early work "The Blind Watchmaker" which I have not read yet ?

  Quite right, wobble. Dawkins introduces Paley's analogy in Chapter 1 of the book. I'm reading it (and Hitchens' The Portable Atheist) at the moment.

  God designed everything? Like dinosaurs and mosquitoes and other way nasty stuff? Is he a twisted monster?

  And then He caused 98% of every species he created to go extinct. Yes, he is a twisted monster.

  Great OP, nic.
• 
  8

  Cult Free Radio airs tomorrow at 10pm

  by Mad Sweeney in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here's a reminder that cult free radio airs tomorrow, saturday, june 25, at 10pm.. there will be two discussion topics.

  first will be the toes of the image of daniel chapter 2 - the history of the borg's doctrine and the "new light" at this summer's district conventions.

  then we will discuss protesting at district conventions of jehovah's witnesses with a special guest who has done a bit of protesting himself.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  Time zone?

  Edit: Ok, just checked the link. That's 10 PM Eastern Time.
• 
  8

  Is the Bible an idol?

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there is one basic distinction i no longer share with those who adhere to one of the many abrahamic religions and that is the holiness of the bible.

  it seems to be the common thread in the religious beliefs of half the planet (although muslims dismiss the bible as an "earlier revelation".

  sort of like islamic new light taken to a much higher order).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  Thank you, Fernando.

  Something I posted 10 days ago.

  I will follow up, trevor. Good night.
• 
  8

  Is the Bible an idol?

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there is one basic distinction i no longer share with those who adhere to one of the many abrahamic religions and that is the holiness of the bible.

  it seems to be the common thread in the religious beliefs of half the planet (although muslims dismiss the bible as an "earlier revelation".

  sort of like islamic new light taken to a much higher order).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  So as a historical book, it certainly has value.

  I agree entirely. The Bible has tremendous value as an archeological artifact. It's been bastardised into the vernacular over the ages but the oldest versions still provide tremendous insight into the minds of early civilised humans, albeit in only one small part of the earth. But it's time to leave it behind with the other artifacts and live our lives in the modern age. It's wonderful, but it's not everything. The world is bigger than the ancient middle east and Mediterranean.
• 
  8

  Is the Bible an idol?

  by Nickolas in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there is one basic distinction i no longer share with those who adhere to one of the many abrahamic religions and that is the holiness of the bible.

  it seems to be the common thread in the religious beliefs of half the planet (although muslims dismiss the bible as an "earlier revelation".

  sort of like islamic new light taken to a much higher order).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Nickolas

  There is one basic distinction I no longer share with those who adhere to one of the many Abrahamic religions and that is the holiness of the Bible. It seems to be the common thread in the religious beliefs of half the planet (although muslims dismiss the Bible as an "earlier revelation". Sort of like Islamic New Light taken to a much higher order). People seem to worship the Bible, like an idol or some sacred talisman handed down from the distant past and the only way to figure out how to:

  a) get a ride on the UFO that is hiding in the stream of the Hale-Bop comet

  b) be one of the lucky minority who gets swept away in the rapture along with Harold Camping (in October, I think).

  c) believe as a Jehovah's Witness believes (however much what he believes continuously changes) and therefore get to pet lions on paradise Earth forever, and ever, and ever but only after you clean up all the bodies left behind at Armageddon, including those of your most beloved friends and family whose heart conditions were not satisfactory to Jehovah. Those, he'll destroy horribly. But He's a Loving God. He loves you, anyway. All those other billions of people? Forget about them. Bird food.

  d) be one of the lucky majority who just has to recognise all the stuff in the Bible that's bullshit but live according to the parts you can still accept, and most of all just believe in God and everything will be fine. That's the most important thing. Believe in God. The rest you can tailor make yourself. Sort of like picking out the grain from the chaff. There's a bunch of chaff in the Bible, but it's still basically sacred and the key to living in heaven, or someplace like it.

  If you are able to put aside for a moment the message(s) in it, the physical bible itself is revered, as if it is an entity, as if it is an idol. I am sure that any believer visiting the back woods who entered an outhouse and came across a bible with half its pages torn out would be outraged or at least wounded. The Koran's the same way. It's sacred. Hear about some nutjob pastor in Florida torching one and the whole world goes berserk.

  What seems clear to me is the Bible is an ancient work of fiction, as is the Koran. But it and the Koran are both worshipped. Those who worship the Bible think those who worship the Koran are wrong and will pay with their spiritual lives, and vice versa.