i've been doing quite a bit of research into books recently, and i've noticed that the book "proof of heaven" is selling very strongly at the moment.
it's currently no.1 in the new york times bestseller list for nonfiction paperbacks.. the book is by a qualified neurosurgeon who converted to religious faith after going into a coma and having what he later described as an experience of heaven, which he elaborates on in great detail in the book.
he argues that the experience must have been supernatural, because his cerebral cortex was "offline" for the duration of his vision.. .
The fact that such a book is a best seller confirms that a lot of people WANT to believe in life after death. So what's new about that?
I took a quick look at the book and found that it wasn't at all convincing in a scientific sense. I certainly wouldn't take the time to read it thoroughly.
Personally, I haven't had enough "in-body" experiences to satisfy me.
Flat lining while my body continues to function must be paradise. Don't unplug me.
my vote is for the lord of the rings, all three of them.
or pretty much any star trek movie.
i tried watching the lor movies today, but my god, it's just battle after battle after battle and frodo, cute guy though he is, wimping out all over the place and having to be carried by everyone.. dull... i have never succeeded in watching those damn movies from beginning to end..
The only sequel I can watch over a long holiday is Back to The future 1,2,3
Come to think of it. Gotta get out the dvd and start watching them again.
I know I will get tire of it sometime.
The one movie I can watch over and over is Vertigo.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
Cedars:
You have committed the logical fallacy of “Improper Accent”.
You took the following words out of context and used them to convey an understanding that
cannot be proven to represent the intentions of the statement.
“Initial reports indicate that at least two Witness youths were at the school during the shooting
but were not injured.”
Your premise is:
SINCE- The article references the fact that two Witness youths were at the school ...
THEREFORE- the Watchtower was giving “irrelevant information”.
There was nothing said to detract from the deaths of the 27 people. Here are some things that
could have been said that WOULD have been disturbing.
Thankfully, the two Witnesses that went to that school are alive and safe. (Gloating)
Or
We can thank Jehovah for protecting the two Witness youths who were at the school during the
shooting. (Attributing divine intervention)
Lacking is any elaboration on how JW ought to feel about the survival of the two Witness youths.
Journalists are expected to give consideration to how relevant a news story is to the audience in
question. Cedars, you are assigning your own criteria of relevance. That’s propaganda.
The very “short” report led with the statement of the number who were killed without sensationalizing it. The
statement about the Witness youths was thereby assigned a secondary position. Position of
statements is very important in jounalism. By lifting the statement about the two JW children
out of such a short announcement you are ignoring the relevance of the fact that the
announcement was made on a JW web site where the audience would have a unique interest in
whether their were any JW victims. In fact that information WAS relevant especially in this age
of “narrow casting”. You are ignoring the fact that JW’s are a small and close knit group and it
is likely that there may be dispersed associates of that local group that would be comforted to
know that some of their acquaintances were not suffering such a terrible loss.
Their statement, by virtue of being short, indicates their intention was NOT to repeat what you
could get on any conventional news media outlet.
So, Cedar you tried to direct the readers of your thread toward an improper conclusion by taking
portions of the Watchtower.org statement out of context in a way that conveys a meaning that
you can’t absolutely prove was the intended meaning of the writer.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
Outlaw,
Now that I have your attention, your propensity to stalk people with your "humor" will guarantee at least one comment on all my posts.
Keep up the effort. We are entwined forever.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
Mrs. Jones, Did you miss the part where I said I am an ATHEIST? My preference is that people give up going to ANY church.
I hate Watchtower propaganda and I hate anti-witness propaganda.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
I have housebound relatives who are witnesses who routinely send out letters to families listed in obituaries.
Some have become witnesses.
Right or wrong JW's consider their effort beneficial. And all the cynicism on this thread won't change ANYTHING.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
Billy,
" Jehovah’s Witnesses in the area are offering assistance and spiritual comfort to the families and communities affected by this tragedy ."
And some in the area will accept their assistance and comfort whether you like it or not.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
Outlaw,
Nice! Advertisement for iStock.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
Cedars,
You certainly have set a big agenda.
Preaching to the choir isn't going to persuade significant numbers of people to abandon JW's.
The silent majority of observers of these forums only see the foam on your lips.
It is better to keep your attacks to concrete doctrinal issues. Attacking an organization's culture is a distraction. It only affects those who already have left. Outlaw's support is a good paradigm for the people you are reaching.
Don't feel too encouraged by the people whose comments on this thread echo your feelings. They are the minority.
If you really have a goal of getting everyone to abandon the Watchtower you are going to have to give up the trite, sniping of an idealist.
It is transparent that you are merely exploiting a niche that is already in agreement with you.
I feel bad that you consider this a "clash". I read a lot of your writing and believe it is effective. I am merely offering advice so you don't stray from your "factual" style into the combative parochial style that tends to turn off many who are on the fence.
from the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
Being an atheist I really feel the weight of death. I believe you only have one life. My parents are gone. Really gone. Some day soon (sooner than some supposed eschaton) I will also be gone. Any memory of me will not make it past my grand children.
Why do people mourn an early liberation of the soul to eternal bliss.
If I had such a belief I would go out of the way to be a martyr.
If you buy into the beliefs of those who are getting together to pray for the dead children don't you feel some conflict with the cosmic reward system.
Jehovah's Witnesses are not exempt from this incongruent thinking. They believe that both killer and killed will be resurrected. And then face the possibility of a second death.
All the religions are out of touch with reality. But I think it would be more comforting to believe that when you die you go to a better place. Unfortunately that's not the reality.
Let JW's celebrate the life of their children that were unharmed. Let JW's believe what they want. They are just on a different drug. Most on here didn't like the drugs they were getting from the Watchtower. So what's your new drug? Quit picking at the scab.
