Bungi Bill

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Posts by Bungi Bill

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  19

  Jerusalem's destruction.....

  by Unstuck in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  hello all - so me and stuckinarut2 are at the state library proving to ourselves that wt has it all wrong re: 607. i've read at length jwfacts, jwsurvey and crisis of conscience that all go into the subject and i've just downloaded gentile times reconsidered.. while it is fabulous to have someone else compile all the research and evidence for you, it is quite another to see it in print for yourself - and so, here we are.. while we wait for our array of books i couldn't help but share with you how the state library has catalogued jewish history - 586 bc to 70 ad.

  no mention of 607 as a key date as far as the library's catalogue is concerned!!

  evidence before we have our books!!.

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  Bungi Bill

  David_Jay,

  Further interesting stuff - and of a depth that is a little uncommon these days!
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  23

  Muslims are not the only terrorists

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  david goldman's hongkong based (and web published) media journal, the asia,times describes what may be the world's longest running terrorist insurrection in india.

  their latest success was an attack on india's state security forces, in which they killed 26 members of the security force.. you can read the at's attempt to analyse the origins and causes of the naxalite (they are also called maoists) rebellions at: http://www.atimes.com/indias-maoist-violence-must-resolved-dialogue/.

  the hindustan times has a table detailing the dead in this rebellion.. finally, i saw nothing about the latest attack (april) in the aussie media.

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  Bungi Bill

  I know that this is a little aside from the OP, but still rates a mention.

  There are a number of modern countries that would not exist were it not for terrorism.

  These include the Republic of Ireland, Israel and Cyprus; all of whom achieved independence after waging a terrorist campaign against the colonial power, the British Empire. Algeria, too, was granted independence after fighting its colonial occupier, France, to a complete standstill during a protracted campaign that included terrorist tactics.

  Ironic now that these same countries can project a "Mr Good Guy" image when it comes to such matters as terrorism! (Particularly in the case of Israel),
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  133

  Why is the white race so different?

  by Crazyguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what i'm saying is the white race is the only one that has a verity of eye and hair colors , so what gives?

  is it that this race was influenced genetically by a group of pre humans that didn't mix with other races?

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  Bungi Bill

  That there are differences between the world's major racial groups should come as no surprise when you consider the differences that occur even within one racial group; or often, even within the same country.

  For example, when we first arrived in Papua New Guinea (where the expatriate community of 25,000 was dwarfed by the local population of over 5 million), all Papua New Guineans looked the same. However, before very long, one got to be able to identify by their appearance which part of the country a person came from. (The capital city, Port Moresby, contained people from all over the country, with the customary land owners - the Motu people, being quite marginalised).

  These regional differences include hair colour; one whole tribal group - the Tolai people of East New Britain - are often blond haired, as are their neighbours across the channel in New Ireland (Only the nose gives the Tolais away. Theirs is a typical flat, broad, Melanesian nose - while the people of New Ireland have a straight, almost aquiline nose). Amongst other Papua New Guineans, red hair is by no means uncommon. And before some smart-@$$ suggests that this all came about because "Granny went out with sailors", blond-haired people were already resident in Papua New Guinea when the first sailors arrived there.

  Other physical differences include size and shape, from the sturdily built people of Enga Province to the pygmy-like Watut peoples of Morobe. These differences aren't all physical, either. People also vary considerably in nature . Those, however, could fill a book, and I won't start now! Then there is the tremendous variety of languages spoken in that country. By the last count that I heard , these number at least 806.

  So as to whether there are greater variations within the white races than any others, I am not at all sure.
• 
  19

  Jerusalem's destruction.....

  by Unstuck in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  hello all - so me and stuckinarut2 are at the state library proving to ourselves that wt has it all wrong re: 607. i've read at length jwfacts, jwsurvey and crisis of conscience that all go into the subject and i've just downloaded gentile times reconsidered.. while it is fabulous to have someone else compile all the research and evidence for you, it is quite another to see it in print for yourself - and so, here we are.. while we wait for our array of books i couldn't help but share with you how the state library has catalogued jewish history - 586 bc to 70 ad.

  no mention of 607 as a key date as far as the library's catalogue is concerned!!

  evidence before we have our books!!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bungi Bill

  David_Jay,

  Thanks for sharing with us your inputs on these matters, to say the least, these are very interesting:

  - particularly to those of us who only ever heard the WTS (read Crazy Fred Franz) version of things!
• 
  37

  Which Watchtower publications did you keep?

  by Schnufti in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'm currently cleaning up our bookcase and need to decide what goes into the trash.

  i'll keep the watchtower books that are not available online anymore (e.g.

  the brown "reasoning" book).

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  Bungi Bill

  Not one.

  Glad to rid myself of every last one, and man alive, did that feel bloody good!
• 
  23

  Muslims are not the only terrorists

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  david goldman's hongkong based (and web published) media journal, the asia,times describes what may be the world's longest running terrorist insurrection in india.

  their latest success was an attack on india's state security forces, in which they killed 26 members of the security force.. you can read the at's attempt to analyse the origins and causes of the naxalite (they are also called maoists) rebellions at: http://www.atimes.com/indias-maoist-violence-must-resolved-dialogue/.

  the hindustan times has a table detailing the dead in this rebellion.. finally, i saw nothing about the latest attack (april) in the aussie media.

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  Bungi Bill

  Yet another long-running conflict that never receives a mention in our media.

  How to keep yourself informed?
• 
  68

  What was it like being a JW in the 1960's and 1970's

  by UnshackleTheChains in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this is obviously a question for the older generation.

  i'm really curious what it was like to be a witness in the 60's and 70's?.

  was the society as strict as it is today?.

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  Bungi Bill

  Up until the early 1970s, the WTS used to set specific goals for "Regular Publishers" , which included 10 hours per month, 12 magazines , so many "back calls" (now "return visits"), and at least one bible study. Those failing to meet these goals were classed as "Irregular Publishers", and would have received some "encouragement" in the form of a cattle prod!
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  45

  What do You Think About Hybrid and Electric Cars?

  by Village Idiot in

  1. social
  2. current

  battery technology has been making leaps and bounds in affordability and energy output throughout the past decade.

  while pure electric cars currently have limited range, the near future holds prospects for longer ranges.

  hybrids, and recently plug in hybrids, have a mileage of up to 50 mpg* giving them a range of 500 miles from a ten gallon gas tank.

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  Bungi Bill

  VI,

  Sadly, that is the case in many places (Auckland, New Zealand, being one!)
• 
  68

  What was it like being a JW in the 1960's and 1970's

  by UnshackleTheChains in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this is obviously a question for the older generation.

  i'm really curious what it was like to be a witness in the 60's and 70's?.

  was the society as strict as it is today?.

  1. 
  2. 
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• 

  Bungi Bill

  For a few years, beginning 1973, the WTS started saying a lot about the role of ones conscience in making everyday, personal decisions.

  This was firstly introduced at the elders schools that were (and probably still are?) periodically conducted at the branch offices. I can recall a newly-appointed Circuit Overseer in 1973, straight out of Gilead and quite horrified that people were asking the elders for guidance about matters were (to quote) "up to ones conscience". Then, either late in 1974 or early 1975, there were a series of articles in The Watchtower that dealt at length on this matter. These articles came over as quite definite that it was not "The Society's" (or the congregation's) role to impose anything that resembled a Talmud when it came to personal matters - including dress and grooming.

  Scuttlebutt has since had it that this was done, looking ahead to the "Tribulation" - which of course, was about to happen "at any moment". After all, every bloody fool new that the Great Tribulation was no longer "just around the corner". No, instead we were now staring down the home straight at the thing! (Apparently). Story has it that the WTS was preparing the congregations for the "persecution" that was to follow, in which we would be cut off from Brooklyn - and likely from the local branch office, too. All this would make it impossible to ask "The Organisation" for guidance, so it was important instead to have a well developed "conscience" to make these calls for us. So the story has it after the event. I don't know if it really happened that way, or if it is just another product of the Great JW Rumour Mill !

  Anyway, all this about the matter of conscience (whether spoken or written) was interpreted differently from congregation to congregation. Some took an approach that was noticeably more relaxed. One congegation in Australia (Newmarket, in Queensland) became quite renowned for this. A number of the ministerial servants wore beards, jackets or suit coats were not required wear a the book studies, and - unbelievably, women were permitted to wear pants suits, both at the hall and while out in field service.

  In mid-1977, the new circuit overseer (those in Australia may remember "Cyclone Rex" Mainwaring?) nearly blew a gasket when he saw the line-up of bearded ministerial servants. However, the body of elders got its way, and no action was taken against those brothers. They retained both their beards and their positions!

  However, a few years down the track, the Governing Body realised what a genie it had released from the bottle when those articles about conscience were published. By the early 1980s, things had reverted to the legalistic regime of beforehand.
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  45

  What do You Think About Hybrid and Electric Cars?

  by Village Idiot in

  1. social
  2. current

  battery technology has been making leaps and bounds in affordability and energy output throughout the past decade.

  while pure electric cars currently have limited range, the near future holds prospects for longer ranges.

  hybrids, and recently plug in hybrids, have a mileage of up to 50 mpg* giving them a range of 500 miles from a ten gallon gas tank.

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• 

  Bungi Bill

  A good rule of thumb when evaluating motor vehicles is to note which ones are commonly used as taxis. Taxi operators very quickly get to know what vehicles work okay, and which ones are not so good.

  The majority of taxis that I have travelled in over the last nine years have been hybrid vehicles, with the Toyota Prius being the most common of these. Without exception, the taxi drivers spoke highly of their hybrid vehicles. (I did a lot of travel by taxi while working on a Fly-in / Fly-Out basis in such places as Queensland, South Australia, the Pilbara and Papua New Guinea).

  Simon does make a very good point, however, that in urban areas at least, mass-transit systems make by far the most sense. (Particularly rail).