Posts by cobweb

45

UK Charity Commision reports on Moston, Manchester Congregation.

by snugglebunny in

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/investigation-leads-to-improvements-in-safeguarding-at-jehovahs-witnesses-charity.

cobweb

Here's a link to the Sunday programme covering the story. Starts from 33 minute mark.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08z97zy

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

cobweb

Ruby456 I do appreciate you thoughts on this issue. The way people are able to allign Christian belief with evolution interests me and I apologise for my tone earlier in the thread. You are the only person on this thread who seems to meet the qualifications of the topic.

17

Cross-dressing Jehovah's Witness raped and molested girl

by cobweb in

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/cross-dressing-jehovahs-witness-raped-13311020.

a cross-dressing jehovah’s witness raped and molested a girl while making her wear adult women’s clothes.. david fuge, 69, wore dresses and silky underwear when he repeatedly abused his blindfolded victim from the age of eight to 19.. .

liverpool crown court heard he gagged her and on one occasion tied a belt around her neck and left her hanging from a hook in a room.. he photographed the child naked, made her read pornographic magazines, beat her with a piece of wood and abused her at a golf course.. .

cobweb

Best use the link as there has been some more added.

13

"Our Lord and Savior" . . . Seriously??

by neat blue dog in

did anybody else notice in the convention drama when they went to the memorial the speaker called jesus "our lord and savior"?

when have you ever heard jws use that phrase?

christians, yes; jws, no..

cobweb

To clarify, it wasn't used in general speech but yes in prayers it was used sometimes.

17

Cross-dressing Jehovah's Witness raped and molested girl

by cobweb in

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/cross-dressing-jehovahs-witness-raped-13311020.

a cross-dressing jehovah’s witness raped and molested a girl while making her wear adult women’s clothes.. david fuge, 69, wore dresses and silky underwear when he repeatedly abused his blindfolded victim from the age of eight to 19.. .

liverpool crown court heard he gagged her and on one occasion tied a belt around her neck and left her hanging from a hook in a room.. he photographed the child naked, made her read pornographic magazines, beat her with a piece of wood and abused her at a golf course.. .

cobweb

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/cross-dressing-jehovahs-witness-raped-13311020

A cross-dressing Jehovah’s Witness raped and molested a girl while making her wear adult women’s clothes.

David Fuge, 69, wore dresses and silky underwear when he repeatedly abused his blindfolded victim from the age of eight to 19.

Liverpool Crown Court heard he gagged her and on one occasion tied a belt around her neck and left her hanging from a hook in a room.

He photographed the child naked, made her read pornographic magazines, beat her with a piece of wood and abused her at a golf course.

Fuge, of Gorsey Lane, Wallasey, admitted having a fetish for cross-dressing and that his sex life with his wife suffered when she became ill.

The OAP confessed to some sexual touching with the victim and accepted hitting her on the bottom with a stick but denied the full allegations.

He was found guilty of rape, three sexual assaults now categorised as rape, two counts of indecency with a child and 12 counts of indecent assault.

The victim sobbed in court today as Judge Norman Wright jailed Fuge for 17 years with an extended year on licence.

13

"Our Lord and Savior" . . . Seriously??

by neat blue dog in

did anybody else notice in the convention drama when they went to the memorial the speaker called jesus "our lord and savior"?

when have you ever heard jws use that phrase?

christians, yes; jws, no..

cobweb

Its been 20 years out for me but I do recall witnesses using that expression. Also from the UK.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

cobweb

millions of christians manage to live with the tension between their faith-based beliefs and an acceptance of the facts of science.

People are able to hold two contradictory ideas in their head at the same time. We were JW's so we know this. It does cause cognitive dissonance though.

The way i dealt with evolution as a JW was to not think about evolution, thereby reducing the dissonance. I knew evolution was something science accepted and it was at odds with my belief so that meant I had to not be too curious about it, not place much value on it. This is normal for JW's and its quite rare for a JW to really have any scientific curiosity. When a David Attenborough nature documentary was shown, I would mentally filter out the frequent mentions of evolution. It was necessary and i did it subconsciously.

As you say, there are Christians who do manage to believe in evolution but I think either they must have to make some substantial compromises to their beliefs to make it hold together in their head, are willfully obtuse or ignorant about it, or they don't think too hard about evolution or science in general.

I don't quite understand how it is possible to value both Science and Christianity highly because it is such a compromised position. How is it possible to truly value Science, the scientific method and believe in evolution while also base ones central core belief on a bronze/iron age book full of supernatural stories which has no evidence whatsoever and clashes with a lot of scientific evidence that exists?

If one values the scientific method one will take an evidential approach to the world, recognise the cognitive biases and logical fallacies that humans are victim to and try to eliminate these in ones thinking. By recognising and seeking to eliminate these biases and logical fallacies, it follows that belief systems for which there is no evidence will not be valued.

But I know you weren't talking about value for the scientific method, just about Christians accepting evolution, so i have gone away from your point somewhat.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

cobweb

I'm sure Cofty will be interested in the notion that all of his carefully constructed threads describing the evidence for the fact of evolution is just a faith in evolution no different from faith in a man in the sky.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

cobweb

I'd definitely recommend the book Faith vs Fact: Why Science and Faith are Incompatible by Jerry Coyne if you haven't read it. I'd be interested to know what you thought.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

cobweb

There is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism. It would be good to show that this is not the case.

I don't really understand where you are going with this. Do you yourself believe in Christianity as well as Evolution?

I do see a conflict between having irrational beliefs such as in miracles and the resurrection of the dead and also a scientific approach which values evidence. If you do have the scientific approach, how can you then suspend it in the case of your chosen belief. It would be totally inconsistent.