Knowsnothing

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Posts by Knowsnothing

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  42

  Is it Possible to be Agnostic, Behaviorally?

  by leavingwt in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  michael shermer says 'no': .

  "of course, no one is agnostic behaviorally.

  when we act in the world, we act as if there is a god or as if there is no god, so by default we must make a choice, if not intellectually then at least behaviorally.

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  Knowsnothing

  LeavingWT, the only reason I pointed out the 2nd question was framed wrong was in light of it being part of a series of questions.

  You are forcing a conclusion, based on those 2 questions. The second question is very specific and doesn't allow for the range of possibilities agnostics may believe in. It's not broad enough to allow other similar beliefs, like a Universal Consciousness, for example.

  As you yourself have admitted, it is possible to be agnostic behaviorally. Questions that tend to bifurcate complicated issues should be rethought.
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  42

  Is it Possible to be Agnostic, Behaviorally?

  by leavingwt in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  michael shermer says 'no': .

  "of course, no one is agnostic behaviorally.

  when we act in the world, we act as if there is a god or as if there is no god, so by default we must make a choice, if not intellectually then at least behaviorally.

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  Knowsnothing

  The Agnostic must necessarily be affected like me in behaviour, why pray to the unknowable, for instance ?

  And yet, if one allows for a possibility of a deity, praying to the unknowable would be like talking a chance. Like sending a message in a bottle, in the hopes someone would receive it, whosoever it may be.
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  42

  Is it Possible to be Agnostic, Behaviorally?

  by leavingwt in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  michael shermer says 'no': .

  "of course, no one is agnostic behaviorally.

  when we act in the world, we act as if there is a god or as if there is no god, so by default we must make a choice, if not intellectually then at least behaviorally.

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  Knowsnothing

  If one does not hold any belief in any gods, he or she is an atheist, by (dictionary) definition.

  Life is too big to be limited by a strict definition.

  Agnostic is not limited to "Agnostic Atheist". Since there are a whole range of beliefs out there, I will again simply repeat what I told you. The second question is framed wrong.

  You can ask

  Do you believe in spirits?

  Do you believe in gods?

  Etc, etc.
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  26

  Are Jehovah's Witnesses fundamentalists?

  by Celestial in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i googled the phrase and a q & a from their official media web site appeared within the first few hits:.

  http://www.jw-media.org/aboutjw/article32.htm.

  are you fundamentalists?.

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  Knowsnothing

  As with a lot of things, I would say there is probably a "fundamentalist spectrum", where extreme Muslims fall on the extreme side of fundamentalism, whereas JWs would be a bit higher than middle.

  I mean, compare JWs to Amish or West Boro Baptist church to get an idea of what I'm talking about.
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  42

  Is it Possible to be Agnostic, Behaviorally?

  by leavingwt in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  michael shermer says 'no': .

  "of course, no one is agnostic behaviorally.

  when we act in the world, we act as if there is a god or as if there is no god, so by default we must make a choice, if not intellectually then at least behaviorally.

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  Knowsnothing

  LWT, the second question is framed wrong. Since an agnostic has no claim as to whether God exists or not, asking if they believe in God is non sequitur.
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  42

  Is it Possible to be Agnostic, Behaviorally?

  by leavingwt in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  michael shermer says 'no': .

  "of course, no one is agnostic behaviorally.

  when we act in the world, we act as if there is a god or as if there is no god, so by default we must make a choice, if not intellectually then at least behaviorally.

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  Knowsnothing

  Say for a deist, for example. How would that belief affect everyday life? In my experience, unless one is regularly going to church, performing rituals (prayer and such), or worrying about what God is or isn't going to do to you, you're essentially living as an atheist, whether you admit it or not.

  I'd say that prayer would be the minimum line of separation, behaviorally.
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  66

  Absurd WT Control in April 2012 KM

  by LostGeneration in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yeah in the section on attending the convention, you will find this gem:.

  "therefore, we should give attention to our dress and grooming while in the convention city, including when we check in at the hotel.

  arriving in shorts and a t-shirt would not reflect dignity.".

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  Knowsnothing

  Remember guys, WT never gives commands, only suggestions.

  "Therefore, we should give attention to our dress and grooming while in the convention city, including when we check in at the hotel. Arriving in shorts and a T-shirt would not reflect dignity."
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  3

  Shunning, A Study In Punishment.

  by Bangalore in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  shunning, a study in punishment.. http://spiritualbrother.blogspot.com/2009/04/shunning-study-in-punishment.html.

  bangalore.

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  Knowsnothing

  Some very interesting comments.

  One in particular:

  Removing members from the congregation of God is based on Scripture. Even in the days of Moses, unrepentant sinners, who believed in Jehovah, were cast out. You may not approve, but God makes the rules, not men. He does so for our benefit. Removal from the congregation is nothing more than a disciplinary action. There is nothing oppressive or evil about it.
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  26

  Are Jehovah's Witnesses fundamentalists?

  by Celestial in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i googled the phrase and a q & a from their official media web site appeared within the first few hits:.

  http://www.jw-media.org/aboutjw/article32.htm.

  are you fundamentalists?.

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  Knowsnothing

  Disfellowshipping? Fundamentalists.

  Also, this statement is misleading:

  We do not believe that every passage in the Bible is to be interpreted literally.

  A fundamentalist does not mean you interpret every passage in the Bible to be literal. The key is which passages they interpret as literal, such as the impossible Flood.
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  62

  A new member of the thinking class

  by Captain Obvious in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is my first post on this forum, though it feels like i already know some of you here.

  i have been lurking for a couple of months now, and i must say, there honestly seems to be more love and respect here than any forum i have ever seen on any forum of any kind.

  i am 25 years old, married 3 years to my wonderful wife who is 22. we had a somewhat classic jw upbringing... which i now know has been our biggest problem.

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  Knowsnothing

  Ay ay, Cap'n! Lol, welcome. This is why this website continues to be relevant, even after all these years. I wonder how many have been "baptised" on JWN?

  I feel for your situation. Hang in there, patience is key. I learned that the hard way.