Don't forget... using the Bible (or any "holy" book) to prove God exists would be like Harry Potter trying to prove HE exists in the pages of one of JK Rowling's books.
DarioKehl
JoinedPosts by DarioKehl
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79
For the board atheists....
by Jack C. inthis is a personal observation and certainly not representative of all atheists.
i enjoy discussions with folks of this persuasion; in general they appear well read and somewhat more educated than many believers.
as a group most atheists cringe and become insensed when discussing the existence of a deity with believers especially fundamentalists.
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79
For the board atheists....
by Jack C. inthis is a personal observation and certainly not representative of all atheists.
i enjoy discussions with folks of this persuasion; in general they appear well read and somewhat more educated than many believers.
as a group most atheists cringe and become insensed when discussing the existence of a deity with believers especially fundamentalists.
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DarioKehl
@ ozbrad: don't forget, the Christians also get to claim the GENIUS of Kent Hovind lol!
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79
For the board atheists....
by Jack C. inthis is a personal observation and certainly not representative of all atheists.
i enjoy discussions with folks of this persuasion; in general they appear well read and somewhat more educated than many believers.
as a group most atheists cringe and become insensed when discussing the existence of a deity with believers especially fundamentalists.
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DarioKehl
It enjoy debating theists by using their own holy books (qua'ran, torah, bible) against them. However, I can see where this can come across as a strawman fallacy if you're simply a diest rather than an apologist for a specific religion.
There are plenty of other means to trample the idea of an almighty creator, though. The evidence for evolution is solid. Fossil records and discoveries in genomes across all living organisms fill in empty spaces exactly where evolution predicts they will be! Vestigal features, the nested heirarchy of species, genetic plagarism, "unintelligent design" arguments and distribution of fossils not only favor evolution by natural selection, but rule out any claims in support of a creator/god.
The unpleasant by product is coming to terms with our own mortality and I'll admit, that's a very difficult thing to face and admit to yourself. At first, I had a very difficult time accepting that the few decades of "being" are all we've got. But, on Dawkin's scale, most Atheists are a 6, meaning that they're not dogmatic. They're open to any ideas that would change their current understanding of things if ever presented with verifiable evidence to the contrary. Much is left to be explored in quantum physics, neurology and the understanding of what consciousness is. I'm open and even attracted to the idea of our awareness being some fraction of a greater thing from another level, but it's important to rely on research and evidence to verify these claims eventually. What better proof than to find the answers when we die? I like to HOPE it's not a mere "acid trip" of dopamine and dimethyltyiptamine at the last microsecond of our lives, but even if that's all it is, it's comforting to know that our brains evolved to provide a pleasant exit for us. If there's more to it, I'm open-minded enough to accept the new reality when I get there. ;)
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What can I do when I feel i can't keep going....
by Free!! ini have been having an awful week/month/year/life and i just feel like i can not move forward anymore... is like life is passing me by and i am just observing from the side lines.... i am so tired, i just want to sleep and never wake up..... has anyone felt like this?
i tried therapy (twice) an it did not work, i tried volunteering and surrounding myself with other people and things to do, and it works until i have to come home, then that feeling of emptiness returns.... .
i am so tired... i do not know what else to do.... .
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DarioKehl
Free!! I've been like this for the last 2 years since I "woke up." I know it will get better once I just man up and tell my family, but my fade has gone successfully unnoticed from afar. However, the guilt, deception, fear, doubt and dread are manifesting themselves by way of fatigue, low appetite, stomach ailments, guilt-ridden nightmares and absolute dread of the future. It's almost paralyzing. Ain't it unreal how such strong, physical effects come from such a stupid concept as not agreeing with the framework of a specific group? The evidence of mind control becomes very real when we hit this fork in the road. Hang in there, you're not alone.
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Child abuse - the emotional kind
by Mickey mouse ini had to complete some mandatory training today for my job on child protection.
one of the types of abuse described was "making a child feel responsible for the abuser's happiness/unhappiness.. then i thought of this:.
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DarioKehl
This picture says it all. "You're on your own TOO, mom and dad!" Where are the elders in this pic? Does the bOrg offer any consolation to the parents when they're suffering so much? Answer: FAT CHANCE! "But dammit, they'd better comply and shun his ass or THEY'RE NEXT. Mwha-hahahahaha!!!"
I bet the GB/FDS gets a chubby when they publish shit like this. The amount of control over millions of personal lives has got to be boner-ific.
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New Ex-JW Documentary To Be Released
by discreetslave inabout filmtruth be told is a feature length documentary that explores the lives of several individuals raised in the jehovahs witnesses religion.
the title of the film refers to the tendency by jehovahs witnesses to regard their beliefs exclusively as the truth.. the documentary is not an indictment of religion but rather a retrospective.
in a series of informal interviews, former jehovahs witnesses discuss life experiences within the organization including the impact the religion had on their childhood and family, schooling, adolescence, and approaches to dating and marriage.
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DarioKehl
*BUMP*
i just found out about this...
amazing!
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What age should you get baptized?
by newcomer1982 inas from today i am disfellowshipped.
my parents cant talk to me and alot of issues have arisen which i have mentioned in my other posts.
i got baptized at 14 and i think it is way to young to make such a decision which will affect your whole life.
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DarioKehl
Even the KKK doesn't allow anyone under 18 to join. No, I'm not a member. Some racist punk who rode my bus in 8th grade was pissed that he couldn't join yet.
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What age should you get baptized?
by newcomer1982 inas from today i am disfellowshipped.
my parents cant talk to me and alot of issues have arisen which i have mentioned in my other posts.
i got baptized at 14 and i think it is way to young to make such a decision which will affect your whole life.
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DarioKehl
It's ILLEGAL to enter a binding contract with a minor. This CORPORATION does just that, but is protected under the umbella of religious freedom.
It's ILLEGAL for a minor to marry, make most on-line purchases, obtain a credit card, go on a field trip, receive medical treatment, skydive, bungee jump, rent a vehicle or stay outdoors past certain hours without WRITTEN CONSENT or SUPERVISION from a parent or guardian.
It should be ILLEGAL for any minor to commit to any religion, group, club or association until they're 18 or 16 with parental consent, especially when they stand to lose if they change their mind later.
How many of us made a decision when we were 7-15 that we still agree with or are bound to? Still have the same boyfriend/girlfriend? Still have the same favorite movie? Favorite food? Future goals? People CHANGE. Adults are at least aware of the ramifications when they enter an agreement. It's ridiculous!
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Your top 5 most irritating doctrines/practices?
by cedars init's clear that virtually everyone on here is infuriated by wt teachings/doctrines/practices, but i would really like to know what is of most concern to people who frequent this forum.. here is my top 5, number 1 being the most significant/infuriating:.
the disfellowshipping practice - expanded to include family members (but not parents) who are old enough to leave home.
wrecks families and creates abject fear once people find out the truth about the organization.the blood issue - another unmerciful teaching, but one that costs lives.unquestioned authority of governing body - a handful of men make life-altering decisions as representatives of a larger group of people who they never see or speak to, and yet they demand unquestioning obedience on pain of being disfellowshipped.failed prophecy - the fulfilment of huge swathes of bible prophecy, including revelation, has been attributed to the events of the early 20th century, and the actions of a small group of men.two-tier christianity - faithful and discreet slave are anointed who go to heaven to whom ransom provisions apply directly, whereas remainder, or "great crowd" stay on earth and form a sub-class, only access benefits of ransom through fds.i realise that many of these issues are inter-related, but that's roughly how i would put them.
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DarioKehl
Seriously, Magwitch! I can't tell you how many times as a kid I experienced dashed dreams and hopes. So many pathways cut off! Think about it:
"I wanna be a cop some day." OOPS. Nope. Can't carry a gun.
"I wanna be a rock star." OOPS. Nope. Can't. Look what happened to Michael Jackson.
"I wanna be a teacher, doctor, lawyer..." OOPS. Nope. Can't. I'd have to go to college. Bad.
"I wanna illustrate books/paint." OOPS. Nope. Bethel could always use an artist though! And signing your own work is BAD.
"I wanna make a lotta money doing SOMETHING." OOPS. Nope. A camel will crawl through the eye of a needle before I'd ever get into the new system.
Glad I went to college anyway and learned allllll about evolution. And I sign ALL of my artwork.
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Just a thought about a WBTS Long-Term Survival Tactic
by DarioKehl ini've been lurking on here for weeks and thinking.... after seeing all the recent noose-tightening in wt rhetoric, it does appear that they are shooting themselves in the foot.
with the miserably low retention rate, burdened and uhnappy elders and the zombified elderly paralyzed in cognitive dissonance, it is inevitable that the numbers are going to dwindle sharply--and soon.
i predict that by 2014, there will be major doctrinal changes that make "overlap" look like a walk in the park.
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DarioKehl
I know of 2 people who are still in but don't believe anything. The only reason they're staying in is because they have a lot of inheritance coming their way. Good thing my parents don't have much! I'd hate to be bound by the fear of losing a fortune. Mark my words... we will see this admonishment in print soon. I can just see it now:
"Although many faithful servants of Jehovah have invested their time building spiritual treasures in heaven, some may have felt it necessary to build a financial savings as they near retirement age. As this system nears its end, it is wise for true Christians not to rely to heavily on their wealth since we will all soon be "throwing our gold into the street." However, many have made a fine witness by willing some assets in their personal or family estates to the WBTS to further the preaching work in the remaining days of this wicked system. In some cases, perhaps a certain beneficiary of an inheritence is no longer a faithful servant of Jehovah. IT WOULD BE UNWISE FOR TRUE CHRISTIANS TO INCLUDE SUCH PERSONS AS BENIFICIARIES IN ANY WILL. Rather than benefiting anyone who chooses to eat at the table of demons, would it not be more wise to forward such assets toward an effort for expanding the kingdom message? Perhaps a donation could be made to the worldwide preaching work or the international building fund."