Nancy, you do realise it could go both ways. You could "grow apart" as well. You'd be taking a risk. Do you prefer "security" or "growth?"
Knowsnothing
JoinedPosts by Knowsnothing
-
140
Blame the designer and not the product: God and the lame Free Will argument
by Terry inthis is the one thing nobody is ever able to explain to me!.
if a genius designs something to operate in a specific way in order to obtain a precise outcome and it doesn't work---tell me again why we don't blame the genius designer/manufacturer??.
oh--that free will maguffin!.
-
-
-
73
Want honest answers
by independenthinker ini've wanted to make this account for the past 2 weeks, but ive been afraid that ill get caught by posting.
do they check this site?.
im 18 years old,baptized at 14. really my problems started a few weeks ago.
-
-
Knowsnothing
Disappointing mum is tough. The thing is, if she can get along with your dad and doesn't need you, it's best you take your own course in life. Besides, if your getting married you'll be moving out, living your own life.
This is a tough situation but at the same time, your circumstances don't seem all that bad. I wish you the best and welcome to the forum, Independenthinker.
-
2
It's going to get better, we promise...
by Knowsnothing ini've read a lot of terry's posts lately, and while i am not as eloquent and creative as he is, i'd like to post what i am finally able to express with words (more or less).. .
just compare what the wt says to the rank and file to what politicians say to prospective voters.
politicans are always promising something better.
-
-
Knowsnothing
I've read a lot of Terry's posts lately, and while I am not as eloquent and creative as he is, I'd like to post what I am finally able to express with words (more or less).
Just compare what the WT says to the rank and file to what politicians say to prospective voters. Politicans are always promising something better. "The old administration was crap." "They mishandled (insert thing they mishandled here)." "We are going to make a change. We will make things better. That's a promise you can count on."
The thing is, human institutions are always more or less the same. Yes, progress is made at times, but there are always faults and even back-steps. Sometimes, it's not even faults, but outright devious, malicious activities that take advantages of position of power and opportunities.
So, when you hear those political campaigns promising something new or better, you are right to be skeptical. You've done seen it all. You'd like for the promises to be true, but the real world doesn't work that way. So, even good intentions are for naught at times. If you saw something wrong with the administration, hopefully you would be responsive and do something about it, as would be expected of a good citizen. Just because there was a promise made, and you voted for that candidate, does not mean you loyalties lie with the candidate. You want someone to deliver their promise. If not, they get the boot.
Bring in the Watchtower. The whole concept of New Light is precisely what I've outlined for politicians. They promise something new and better, "progressive refinement" as they call it, but rather just seem to run on and on in a hamster wheel. The "progressive refinement" is purported to always go forward, even when it goes backwards.
Here is the real stinker. Whereas politicans can be voted in or out, WT GB cannot. You simply have to trust they will meet up to their demands and produce "something better." But really, we just see the same old thing over and over. You can also disagree with politicans you yourself have elected, but not with WT GB.
The amazing thing is that looking back, you realise they've been saying this same thing for the past hundred something years.
And for the big one. This "progressive refinement" doctrine is a taken as a guarantee they will eventually get it right. This is what their whole authority rests upon. Their past is irrelevant. Their "future" version will be correct. They will keep you on the perpetual hamster wheel.
You threaten to leave the organisation. You have all the dirt on them. What do they say? "Jehovah will straighten things out. He always does. Things are going to get better, we promise."
It is a false assumption that misleads many. Remember, you have a choice. If they don't deliver, while you can't vote them out, you don't have to follow them either.
It get's better the minute you decide to do something about it. Don't put your life into people's hands you don't even know.
-
61
Watchtower's United Nations Association
by Celestial intemporarily, there's confusion until i get the facts straight: .
http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/united-nations-association.php .
http://www.jehovahsjudgment.co.uk/watchtower-un-ngo/default.html .
-
-
Knowsnothing
A logical method of inquiry, tested by a logical method of verification would be participating in these Christian activities in pursuit of a notable perception of a supernatural force. I stated that “I'd have to be an active member of the congregation, free from vices that can compromise a person's spirituality” to achieve certainty of the truth. This is what I was referring to. If I come back empty handed I'll share my experience on this forum.
Isn't your "inactivity" precisely because you haven't seen any of this occur in your life? I know from personal experience any claims of receiving holy spirit are wishful thinking.
-
4
How To Please God And Be The Perfect Misogynist
by TOTH indeuteronomy 21: 10 -14 tells us:.
10 when you go to war against your enemies and the lord your god delivers them into your hands and you take captives,11 if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife.
12 bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails 13and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured.
-
-
Knowsnothing
14 If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her. ---
Sorry but, where is she going to go after being dishonored? Prostitution? She can't go back to her homeland, it's been decimated by those God loving Israelites. She is essentially given the boot and told to fend for herself, since you are a selfish ass that decided she didn't please you.
Hmmm.... no, nothing wrong with this picture at all. Carry on.
-
140
Blame the designer and not the product: God and the lame Free Will argument
by Terry inthis is the one thing nobody is ever able to explain to me!.
if a genius designs something to operate in a specific way in order to obtain a precise outcome and it doesn't work---tell me again why we don't blame the genius designer/manufacturer??.
oh--that free will maguffin!.
-
-
Knowsnothing
I've often thought how Universal Sovereignty fits into this. This, combined with that, made God essentially set-up humanity for failure, just to prove a point.
I've thought about it many times, and it really doesn't make sense. Say Adam 'n Eve didn't rebel. Eventually somebody would question his authority and rebel. In fact, Satan had already done so, albeit it in his heart and intentions. I'd say that for humanity, it would only be a matter of time before someone rebelled. The whole premise Universal Sovereignty rides on is that God demonstrates how failed 1.) autonomy (free-will as you have explained already so well) and 2.) human/Satanic rule apart from God are.
Not only does he condemn humanity to leave a precedent for failure, he curses the very ground they depend on, and curses humanity to sin and death. Humans are set-up for failure from the beginning. We never stood a chance. We never really ever had a choice. And all of this for what? To prove a point. To prove he has the right to rule. Talk about capricious.
-
140
Blame the designer and not the product: God and the lame Free Will argument
by Terry inthis is the one thing nobody is ever able to explain to me!.
if a genius designs something to operate in a specific way in order to obtain a precise outcome and it doesn't work---tell me again why we don't blame the genius designer/manufacturer??.
oh--that free will maguffin!.
-
-
Knowsnothing
Quick! Tell me this.
You walk into a room in which stand two identical Robots.
One Robot is programmed to always do the right thing at all times because of programming.
The other Robot DECIDES ITSELF to do the right thing at all times on its own.
Tell me how you would know the difference and what difference there would actually be??
Your leading us to a bifurcation. Tsk tsk. The robot that can decide may be influenced by your walking in, or by other factors. The fact that you have observed it in these "laboratory" conditions doing the right the all the time is meaningless.
-
40
The gal I'm dating frequents match.com - advice?
by UnConfused ini am dating a gal that i met on match.com - we saw each other first last summer, but she didn't think we were a 'match'.
after the "pressure" was off we started hanging out quite a bit with all the benefits that go along with it.
this went on for months.. i became smitten with her, but we weren't a couple, which she pointed out a couple of times.
-
-
Knowsnothing
Just confront her about it, albeit it in a nice manner? Don't demand anything from her, just ask her where she is coming from.
-
37
Do Jehovah witnesses exploit the most vulnerable in society?
by Blind_Of_Lies induring my final few years being active with the jws i noticed that the vast majority of people who were studying or joining the group in general where those that the rest of society would consider disabled and/or severely mentally ill. now by disabled i dont mean i lost my leg in nam kind of disabled... in some cases these people were mentally retarded, had the minds of children, were severely abused as children or even as adults and as a result had personality disorders that put them on the edge of society.... and then we had the full on crazies... about 15 years ago one of the brothers who worked at the local welfare office somehow started a study with a person who was a paranoid schizophrenic.
he met her because she was a client of the welfare office.
she got handed off to a sister who studied with her, then started driving her to her doctors appointments, and to get grocerys, and took her to congregation events.
-
-
Knowsnothing
How is that paranoid schizo being exploited? From what I see, she is trying to be helped.
I think vulnerable people buy into religion in general.
-
-
-
Knowsnothing
Thanks SBC. My thoughts on your comments. Critical thinking is critical (pun intended), because we are mainly drawn to make conclusions based on emotions, relational ties, and such irrational thinking.
I know this, because I've been through it. Feeling, believing this is the truth will not make it the truth. The truth stands regardless of where we stand.