Terry: Thanks for the thought provoking analogy.
The Watchtower writes bad checks. But, no wonder - the Bible is a book of expired coupons.
scotoma
JoinedPosts by scotoma
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17
The Question you have been waiting for.....!
by Terry insomebody you think you know well enough to trust writes you a big check.. the check bounces.. they don't exactly apologize, but, give a plausible explanation.. they then write you another check on a different account.. since you believe them very trustworthy you accept it graciously.. .
on the strength of their reputation and assurances you deposit the check in your own account.. from there you proceed to pay for various necessities, mortgage payment, insurance and childcare expenses.. the check bounces again!.
your checks, consquently, also bounce!.
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The Question you have been waiting for.....!
by Terry insomebody you think you know well enough to trust writes you a big check.. the check bounces.. they don't exactly apologize, but, give a plausible explanation.. they then write you another check on a different account.. since you believe them very trustworthy you accept it graciously.. .
on the strength of their reputation and assurances you deposit the check in your own account.. from there you proceed to pay for various necessities, mortgage payment, insurance and childcare expenses.. the check bounces again!.
your checks, consquently, also bounce!.
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scotoma
Mallcop:
I too am 67 but by the year 1969 I had already been publishng (Publicly Spreading Lies) 19 years baptized pre-puberty at the age of 10.
My problem is that when 1975 came and went, I continued to write my own bad checks thinking that we were going through a weeding out process.
I still go to the hall 3 times per month with my wife. Part of her expectations in marrying me was that I was a very active JW. So, I compromise because I feel she should be allowed the chance to quit when she's emotionally ready. Three meetings at age 67 is a guaranteed 6 hour nap time.
The only time I open my eyes is during the prayer. I like to watch people talking to non-existent entities.
I wonder what my life would have been like without my sojourn in stupid land. But, I realize that whatever life I have it's my life. I have one more check to cash - that I will see this thing unravel before I die.
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YOU have the power to eradicate evil in the world. How would you accomplish this?
by jam inyou alone have the power to eradicate the evil in the world.. where would you start?
you get rid of the lowest of scum in.
the world, mass murderers, child molesters, rapest, anyone that.
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scotoma
Evil is necessary for life.
Life starts when a boundary forms.
Once that cell wall (or some early loopy chemical reaction) forms then the evil begins. Competition for the materials of survival. Prey and predator. Even plant life tries to kill other plants in search of sun and moisture. The problem with the trinity is that it doesn't go far enough. It should include the devil. Until we really confront our own selfishness and learn how to manage it (you can't eradicate it without dying) we will continue to see rampant unnecessary evil.
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Im told that the speaker at the convention (Perth, Scotland), advised witnesses to stock up a months food. Anyone confirm?
by jambon1 in -
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scotoma
What? God used up the last of his manna supply 4000 years ago?
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Books or exercises to learn critical thinking
by Captain Obvious ini was sitting at the meeting this morning (yes, still keeping up appearances), listening to the speaker and trying to understand his lack of logic.
his talk was about education.
he seemed all over the place, not really making proper points.
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scotoma
Terry,
Like Fred Franz Mortimer Adler believed in a God - ooops. He also received a Christian baptism before he died. It appears no matter how smart and how hard you work at it you sometimes just lose it as you get older. I enjoyed quite a few of Adler's books "up to a point". ("Up to a point" is an often used General Semantic tool that helps you accept useful parts of theories")
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Why get "personal" when discussing a topic?
by Terry intrading insults happens among kids all the time.. intellectual development hasn't progressed to the point where they can present contrary ideas and opinions with persuasive appeal to reasons, facts and logic.. "i know you are; but what am i?".
"your momma's so fat....".
so, they fall back on childish mocking, provocation and personal attack.. as we grow older and have more education and sophistication our minds should mature---or so you'd think!.
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scotoma
Why do we have names for our inanimate cars and boats etc.
We are social beings and language is our main tool for social transactions.
Why do we condemn the sinner along with the sin?
Why do we kill the messenger?
Evolution explains all of this. But it is very hard for humans to transcend the IS/OUGHT connection. Just because something IS a certain way whether through evolution, or law, or custom, doesn't mean it OUGHT to be that way.
So we easily get mad at the F-n moron that has their orientation screwed up and proceed verbally (since we aren't by law allowed to) anhilate the enemy who could do us harm because their IQ is low and they should have died out with the neanderthals.
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Books or exercises to learn critical thinking
by Captain Obvious ini was sitting at the meeting this morning (yes, still keeping up appearances), listening to the speaker and trying to understand his lack of logic.
his talk was about education.
he seemed all over the place, not really making proper points.
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scotoma
Science & Sanity is the best book on thinking and I've read about twenty. It is available FREE in its entirety at:
http://www.rodsmith.org.uk/alfred-korzybski/
Korzybski influenced a lot of great thinkers. He started the General Semantics movement and founded a journal called ETC
Korzybski invented many tools that help clear thinking by using language properly. The gesture of putting quotes with your fingers while talking is one of those techniques. It is used to make it clear that you are using a semantically loaded word that may need clarification.
Basically, you learn to be cautious about the "IS" of identification. The word "is" locks you into biased thinking habits.
Avoid abolutes like "ALL" or "NEVER".
Use indexing of words Dog (1) is not Dog (2) Husband (6:00am) is not the same as Husband (6:00pm)
You (1974) is not the same as You (1984)
Look in the bibliography of a lot of popular therapists books and you will find Korzybski quoted.
If you want a simple discussion of Korzybski's General Semantics order a copy of
How to develop your thinking ability by Kenneth S. Keys
http://www.amazon.com/How-Develop-Your-Thinking-Ability/dp/0070344612
Keys was the guy that used to publish the Hazel cartoons. His book discusses Korzybski's techniques and illustrates them with cartoons. If you have kids you should study it with them instead of "family worship".
Other than Science & Sanity it's useful to learn the major logical fallacies. But, really, those fallacies need to be combined with General Semantic tecchniques because it helps slice through things that are more sophisticated in their construction. Logical fallacies are like spell checkers. They catch mispelled word but not words that are spelled properly but used improperly. Some things are constructed logically but the basic premise is out of touch with reality and that's where General Semantics helps.
And don't feel bad if you aren't always logical. No one is. Our minds are not constructed for logic. It is a habit that has to be reinforced every day.
Ray Franz wrote quite a bit about fallacies in one of his books. But look closely at Ray's personal beliefs. He continued to believe the Bible was God's Word. He didn't believe man evolved. He believed in original sin and the flood of Noah etc. Just knowing a few falacies will not get you into reality if your premises are screwed up.
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What About: Daniel 12:10 & Malachi 3:3?
by Cameron_Don indaniel 12:10 & malachi 3:3. daniel: many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined.
malachi: (jesus) must sit as a refiner and cleanser of silver and must cleanse the sons of levi; and he must clarify them like gold and like silver.. here are a couple examples of what james penton said about using the bible to explain almost anything that witness writers want it to.
in this case the witness writers want to explain away all of organizations former teachings that were not true (including the 48 mentioned in chapter 3).
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scotoma
What's the point of even having a God (whatever name you choose) if he doesn't get his messages communicated in an unambiguous way.
Muddled communication is a fingerprint of fallible humans.
Can't the all knowing divine mind help humans avoid stumbling around in the dark.
I am so glad to be free of the apologetics such as; Jehovah is testing us; we can't handle the full truth; it isn't time yet.
Unfortunately I am NOT free of the consequences of believing this BS for 50+ years of possibly the most productive years of a persons life. I am happy that my kids learned from my misinformed choices.
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How Did You Become An Atheist?
by NewChapter insince there seem to be a number of threads in this spirit, i'd like to ask how others became atheists.
for myself, i learned some things that made me understand the bible wasn't true.
i looked deeper, and it became even more unlikely.
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scotoma
Religion is like watching a really bad carnival show. Imagine a weight guesser that gets everyone's weight wrong. The crowd eventually moves along.
I didn't become anything atheist or otherwise. All animals need orientation. We need to know where we are and where we are going.
The search goes on.
So, far God has been a disorienting factor in my world view.
I don't demand answers. Answers emerge in a way that maintains coherence. You get the answers you are prepared for. Answers you aren't ready for will probably mean your death.
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Who do you think will be on the Governing Body in the future?
by Iamallcool inif you know some possible candidates, tell me about them including their names.
thanks!.
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scotoma
I wish it mattered. I am certain it will be some combination of compliant followers and authoritarian masters. Still no women.
I am convinced that organizations that rigidly exclude women from executive roles are doomed.