Posts by Half banana

9

Today is my two year shuniversary

by kairos in

jw
friends

glad it isn't the 1200's...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbtad2c08xu3-25-89 to 9-10-15.. today is my two year shuniversary since they executed me for apostasy..

Half banana

At least you were not burnt at the stake like they used to do....... And I agree Voltaire's Candide makes for a hilarious stage production (English National Opera was fantastic) as is the original book. He mocked the "spiritual advisers" mercilessly.

If only the GB saw how futile their efforts are as the Lord's appointed "spiritual advisers". They demand total obedience but completely mislead the flock and have done so since the Watchtower began. They would be funny if it wasn't so tragic.

Hope you are adjusting to the real world Kairos.

40

What really should be the role of Women in the congregations?

by Old Navy in

the presumably "biblical" practice of limiting the way women participate in congregational matters of the wtborg cult inc. (as well as certain other sects of christendom) may be a gross mis-interpretation of what paul meant.

i'm inclined to agree completely with this account of what paul really meant.. thoughts anyone?

aren't women more deserving of greater participation and respect?.

Half banana

I think that Old Navy is hinting that there should be an improved status for women in JW congregations.

The best thing for women is the same as for men; get as far away as possible from crackpot, mind controlling religions with out-dated gender roles and get a sound secular education. At least then you can then base your life on factual things not Bible mumbo jumbo.

41

How much do you think the internet has hurt JW growth?

by HereIgo in

the internet is what helped bring me and so many others out of this evil organization or at least confirmed our doubts.

i have to say, i have seen quite a few youtube videos recently of ex jw's secretly recording their interactions inside of different congregations, halls, etc and see how empty the halls are!

so many people comment on how the attendance is so low, far more emptier than when i was in 6 years ago, even on a weekday meeting.

Half banana

I had an elderly but hearty couple call at my door a year or so back. The woman had been a JW since the 1930s, a real trooper.

I explained to them what I had learned about their religion including the UN fiasco. The woman asked where the information came from and I told her the internet.

"The internet!" she scoffed and shook her head and nearly spat her dentures out, she was as cross as a cross thing could possibly be!

Long live internet freedom of information!

61

The "circle" of the earth

by stillin in

a fair bit of time was spent discussing the (one) scripture in the bible that "proves" that when the bible touches on scientific subjects, it is absolutely correct.

this was at the most recent clam meeting this past week.

from isaiah, the reference to the "circle" of the earth.

Half banana

The old Hebrew for "ball" sounds like "dur". The only Biblical example supported by the context of the ball being thrown, is at Isaiah 22;18. This word like most words in most languages has extended meanings including "encirclement."

Isaiah was written in the middle Iron Age after 700 BCE.The true perception of astronomical bodies was unknown at that time.

Pythagoras was credited with speculating on the matter of spherical heavenly bodies about a century and a half later but the reality was understood and proved by the Greeks in the third century BCE. I think-- but can't prove it yet that the Babylonians and probably others, possibly the Persians had cracked the problem before 400 BCE.

I have to say I always thought that if there was a God he would have been able to know a thing before humans got the hang of it! But no, the Bible is a human text.

28

JW critically injured after being electrocuted in assembly hall

by Anders Andersen in

jw
friends

a newspaper reports that in bornem, belgium, a jw volunteer was critically injured after being electrocuted:.

bornem - a man was electrocuted while performing maintenance on a high voltage installation in the assembly hall of jw in bornem friday afternoon.

the man was critically injured.. possibly the man, who is a volunteer with the jw, tried to clean the installation with a vacuum cleaner.

Half banana

Tragic for the man involved but I do know of a rich religion that will not be rushing to give him financial assistance.

26

Prayers ,are they answered ? or is it just self delusion ?

by smiddy3 in

after 33 years as a jw and leaving 25 years ago i think prayer can be summed up with the jews praying at the wailing wall.. all they are doing is talking to a brick wall ,and getting no feed back.

and they expect an answer to their prayers ?!.

christians /other beliefs might find that funny but they are no better off.. prayer is always a one way street you talk either vocally or mentally to god however you never get the same back .. if god " so loved the world that he doesnt want any to be destroyed but have everlasting life " then whats the problem with him audibly answering his servants prayers ?

Half banana

Talking to a wall, who are you kidding Smiddy?

Jehovah always answers each and every prayer, but he consults Santa Claus and the tooth fairy first.

39

JWs Among the Least Educated in the US

by jp1692 in

september 6th, 2017: a just released research survey shows once again that jehovah's witnesses are among the least educated people in the united states: .

america’s changing religious identity.

it is also interesting to note how jws rank in the categories of: income, insurance coverage and homeownership.

Half banana

The GB says "Keep 'em dim, they don't ask so many awkward questions that way".

4

Archaeological evidence

by ironsnake656 in

one of the many books that helped me to question about the bible narrative is the one from israel finkelstein, the bible unearthed.

archaeology is one of the fascinating sciences and complicated, since you have to interpret/reinterpret the history based on the artifacts, remains, ruins, relics, paintings, sculptures, etc.

that is found in certain area where a civilization existed.

Half banana

I agree with you both, Finklestein and Silberman's work is a breath of fresh air. This is especially so as they are Israeli archaeologists working in Jewish territory.

Fundamental to Jewish nationalist identity is the myth of divine deliverance from Egypt at the Biblical exodus. The authors show exactly how this story came about, not from reality but from geographical proximity larded with wishful thinking and not a small dose of the art of telling a good yarn. They also note how the Egyptians never knew they had enslaved the whole of Israel and never noticed their miraculous departure either!

The authors have managed to take the "holy" out of Holy Land by modern scientific thoroughness. JW org please take note.

23

Translating accurately is really f*&%$ing hard!

by TTWSYF in

i wanted to relay an example that i heard about translating difficulties.

take the 5 word phrase.

"i didn't eat your sandwich".

Half banana

And while translating something as accurately as possible at the nuts and bolts level, it would be very easy to overlook such things as allegory, irony, spoof etc, let alone determining whether the matter is truthful or mere propaganda.

The world has moved on since the Bible was put together. Nevertheless it remains an iconic collection of literary texts but we now have an infinitely better understanding of the world than they did in the fourth century.

The Bible has long been superceded by scientifically tested reality. It's time it went into retirement.

9

DEFEND JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES website

by Vanderhoven7 in

i googled the question "do jehovah's witnesses do charity work?

" and up popped the above website designed to counter virtually all wts criticism.

anyone know about this website?.

Half banana

I loved the bit (on Pete Zahut's blog reference) that "90% of donations are spent on disaster relief, printing Bibles and Bible aids".

What a distortion of the true spirit of the organization! You would think from this that the JW org is a charitable humanitarian movement which also promote Bibles. Like most information generated by JWs this is misleading and very far from the truth. Note the priority here; ostensibly it spends most of its donations on charitable causes! In reality "disaster relief" translates "JW org property protection" in disaster areas.

The poor lobotomised zombies who write this stuff should get the chance to have a balanced external view of their organization and the world in general. Alas! JW zombies are not permitted that luxury.