Half banana

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Posts by Half banana

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  85

  My letter to Bethel about the flood

  by Cornbread in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've decided to go full public with a new username on this forum.

  it's been almost a decade since i've been out and i don't care at this point who knows.

  that being said, here's a letter that i'm mailing to bethel.

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  Half banana

  Cornbread, love your post. Speaking as someone familiar with prehistory, an understanding of earth sciences is vital to contextualise the archaeological artefacts and past events on our planet. It so happens that the last 15,000 years of late ice-age and post ice-age geology and geography is very well recorded and understood.

  The ice cores were a fundamental tool used to resolve the accuracy and pattern of ice age events and climate change during the late Pleistocene and present Holocene period. The deep sea sediment cores back in the1970s were even more important but the data is less transparent to the general public. In fact the picture of the Earth’s climate has been determined by the corroboration of quite a number of careful scientific endeavours culminating in a clear framework of historic and prehistoric climate, none of which allow for a global flood (academic references available if you are interested).

  Indeed with a massive scientific data base to the contrary, and set alongside the nature of the account as a mythical narrative and the sheer logistical impossibility of the story; Noah’s flood categorically did not and could not have taken place. It is naive in the extreme to imagine that one took place so recently in the historic period and JWs should feel shamefaced for such ignorance.

  The fact that Jesus and Peter refer to it, is no authority at all since there is little to no evidence that these individuals either existed or were the authors of the words attributed to them. Most certainly what they are purported to have said, was never taken down verbatim and at best could only have been recalled many years later giving the real writer every opportunity to pen precisely what he wanted them to say. A concept alien to the gullible Watchtower organisation and other fundamentalists...who blindly believe any ‘sacred’ thing they want to hear.

  I would love to hear a reply from WT HQ like this: Thank you Bro Johns for your input on the contrary evidence for the Flood. We all agree here that you are right and we had got it wrong all along. We will immediately stop believing in this childish nonsense and dissolve the WTBTS immediately. Your Brothers WTBTS.

  Well you can dream!
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  31

  The Thief of Always

  by YinzerDad in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  prologue... .

  a brief precursor about myself.

  i've been lurking around for almost 2 years.

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  Half banana

  Yinzerdad, thank you for revealing your personal experiences to us. I’m sure your blubbing session at the therapy group was actually cathartic.

  Not everyone HAS to be passionate, many are happy ‘foot-soldiers’ in life who look after their families and thoughtfully support them in every way which is not only valuable for the next generation but is a source of stability and satisfaction to oneself and all loved ones.

  Nevertheless your little break-down indicates that you are aware of the problems arising from a JW childhood. This is a sad consequence of being brought up in a narrow authoritarian cult. The effect for many is that imagination and experiment and normal helpful childhood experiences are sacrificed in the name of “serving God” (in reality serving the interests Watchtower organisation). This leads up to a person who is lacking the needed preparation to flourish in the real world as an adult... but instead is left ideally kitted out mentally and emotionally to slave as another Watchtower drone.

  This harmful JW practice removes the chances of building an integrated and balanced and confident child, at least where the parents blindly follow the dire “theocratic” advice.

  However you have two things which are a sound platform from which to work: You are young... and you have an education beyond the expectations of most JWs. You still have great opportunities in life ahead of you. You are also doing something about your depression, this is very good... and be happy that you have taken the effort to do so. As a JW the only things for which you might have received commendation were to do with the wretched religion. The therapy should help you see who you actually are, not the person you were reared as a pawn in a publishing company’s master plan!

  With freedom from those old constraints nagging in the back of your mind, it is likely that you will find many things that the real you will be passionate about. All the best to you and do keep posting.
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  19

  Too Much Discontent in the Congregation Part 3

  by Simon Templar in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  now, 80-85 years later, we are still here.

  if i was to do the counsel with a brother who had this much experience, i would have just thanked him for doing the talk, and marked him good on the point.

  this is a good way to get money though.

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  Half banana

  @ Kaik, frankly were all bamboozled by the prospect of paradise. If something looks like it's too good to be true then it is too good to be true but that's not the way JWs think and if all your friends think the same way then it's easier and more hopeful to continue believing the unbelievable.

  This is the JW method... it never delivers.

  Wakey wakey Watchtower!

  (Catch phrase to compete with Oubliette...only kidding)
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  Tacky Witnessing

  by Bangalore in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  found this on a pro jw site.. .

  bangalore.

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  Half banana

  Bangalore, on a PRO JW site?
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  24

  Are Jehovah’s Winesses “Fundamentalists” and “Fanatics”?

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  recently ive posted on fb a meme where a two pairs of hands held open a bible and the quram side by side.

  then i wrote on it:.

  (faith + fundamentalism) x (hate + propaganda) = legitimation of intolerance and violence.

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  Half banana

  I agree Eden, JWs are fundamentalists but only some of them are fanatics. Fortunately more and more we encounter passive uninformed Jdubs and let's hope this group continues to grow. Better would be to have informed and educated, reasoning Jdubs who on learning the importance of critical thinking, leave the cult.

  @ Cha ching, do they really sing that sinister phrase...oh hell!
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  19

  Too Much Discontent in the Congregation Part 3

  by Simon Templar in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  now, 80-85 years later, we are still here.

  if i was to do the counsel with a brother who had this much experience, i would have just thanked him for doing the talk, and marked him good on the point.

  this is a good way to get money though.

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  Half banana

  Simon your report seems to show that the bros and sisters are aware of the big confidence trick the Watchtower has played on them. People are responding by not contributing money to the organisation and quite rightly so; they were duped. They know from long experience that the talk of big A coming any moment is losing its charm.

  The Watchtower is a doomsday cult and social club...the club might continue among friends but the doomsday bit has definitely gone off the boil.
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  52

  1914—The Turning Point in History - Really?

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  1914the turning point in history.

  30 from the human standpoint, the world troubles and global wars foretold in the bible were far from the thinking of the pre-1914 world.

  german statesman konrad adenauer said: thoughts and pictures come to my mind, .

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  Half banana

  I agree with your sentiment NN but it could not be said that the WT "always" said that the Kingdom was going to be invisible in the heavens, this was only the excuse when nothing happened.

  The rot started when Russell tried to defend the failed Second Adventist prediction of 1874 in which he explained it away by declaring that Christ had come to the Kingdom in glory after all; but invisibly! (pull the other leg) This was how the Watchtower was born along with its demented beliefs. Russell thought he had found the sacred key to unlocking "end times" prophecy by his interpretation of the Greek word parousia.

  The same invisibility trick was rolled out again for the true believers after 1914 for which it had been predicted that by then all of God's enemies would have been destroyed and the Kingdom's rule would be visible over the whole Earth.

  And so it went on... but the Watchtower beast should have been put of of its misery at birth.
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  52

  1914—The Turning Point in History - Really?

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  1914the turning point in history.

  30 from the human standpoint, the world troubles and global wars foretold in the bible were far from the thinking of the pre-1914 world.

  german statesman konrad adenauer said: thoughts and pictures come to my mind, .

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  Half banana

  October 1914 was held as the end of a harvest period that would culminate in the beginning of Armageddon, manifested by the emergence of worldwide anarchy and the decline and destruction of civilized society.[26][27]
  

  Zion’s Watchtower of July 15 1894 p226 said, “...bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble”. It is easy to find quotes after the event claiming something else.

  Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't the photo drama using coloured lantern slides not cinematography?

  Remember that Wikipedia is not authoritative...it is only as good as its editors.
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  27

  The Many Faces of Lett

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. social
  2. humour

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  Half banana

  More evidence than for gravity?...yes that is PERFECTLY true, the only problem is that back at the unicorn ranch the evidence was stolen by a tooth fairy.
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  52

  1914—The Turning Point in History - Really?

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  1914the turning point in history.

  30 from the human standpoint, the world troubles and global wars foretold in the bible were far from the thinking of the pre-1914 world.

  german statesman konrad adenauer said: thoughts and pictures come to my mind, .

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  Half banana

  Here are three other matters to factor in, firstly the validity of the pre WW1 publicity on peace. We have to look at the nature of public statements at the time. Since when were such pronouncements not political spin?

  Second; it would be possible to quote from a range of opinions and select the ones which support your argument. Propaganda merchants such as the WTBTS never do anything else; they have absolutely no sense of honest objectivity.

  Yes there was a spirit of optimism before the First World War because of scientific discoveries such as pasteurisation, anaesthetics etc serious diseases such as syphilis had just been understood and modernism in art, think of Picasso, Marcel Duchamp. These were among reasons to see progress and a brighter future.The assassain's bullet in Sarajevo was the catalyst to mobilise existing tensions to war but afterwards the world and it's hope in humanity and with tangible progress in civilisation, continued with setbacks as it does today.

  Thirdly the Watchtower in its tradition of narcissist leadership, expressed the personal and normative interpretations of its chief theologian Frederick Franz. After Russell’s prophetic disaster and seeing his own life figuring in the imaginary unfolding of God’s plan, the self-obsessed Franz projected his own experience centring on the year of his own baptism 1914. It was a turning point for him...and therefore the world.

  This could well account for the WT mantra of “the generation of 1914.”

  Let’s not forget regarding the year 1914 Russell got it entirely wrong, he had foretold world peace and the death of all the 'ungodly' by then.