Maximus

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Posts by Maximus

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  8

  The Heavy Toll on Children of DF'd Parents

  by FreePeace in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  note: contains passionate language.

  two years ago, i divorced my wife, (who was an alcoholic).

  close to the same time, think41self and i decided to marry, and for that, we were both disfellowshipped (couldn't prove scriptural freedom, but who cares now?).

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  Maximus

  I went through this identical situation when my son was exactly the same age. They cruelly cut him off, that innocent lad. There are no words to describe the anguish, the total agony of that situation. Many years later the pain has diminished but not the righteous indignation and the quiet determination.

  At our lunch together some time back, I told you about what I planned to do. I've done it. The gladiator persona was not taken lightly by this old general.

  Your book is terrific, by the way, the principles well expressed. But I'm going to relish eating the Emperor's liver. With a nice bottle of Chianti.

  My warmest to you and think4oneself -- I see that she is every bit as wonderful as you said she was.

  And Farkel, I detest repetition of passages, but in this case let me pay homage to the most eloquent sentence I've seen written on this or any other board:

  :: At least I was able to stop the cycle of abuse for four future famlies and grandchildren and being able to prevent the Watchtower cult from putting a choke-hold on their necks, bleed them dry, wear them out, disappoint them with lies and empty promises, destroy their lives and then cast them off like dirty laundry when they are all used up and no longer of any value to the Cult leaders.

  I'm so grateful to love and be loved by individuals whom I barely know, but whose friendship I will treasure till the grave.

  Maximus
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  14

  Will Anemic April Wake Up the Governing Body?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as many of you know, the society likes to dictate a maximum.

  'preaching' effort, once or twice a year to help even out their.

  sagging statistical averages.. for example, in august of 1998, they got 1,040,283 publishers,.

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  Maximus

  :: When looking at the pattern over a 75 year time frame, I have to conclude that there is nothing the Organization can do to change this long term pattern.

  This is the conclusion I have come to as well, over a number of years, larc.

  Reform is impossible. In the meantime I will do everything in my power to correct the pedophile mess and axe the blood policy; I'd like to see an end to shunning, and there are senior men inside the Bible House who want to see this happen. I'm not optimistic about an end to this destructive evil anytime soon, if at all.

  As to statistics: In a modest but dazzling display of some basic differential calculus, utilizing the second derivative of the function, AlanF a few years back analyzed the rate of growth of the rate of growth. The crunch occurs around 2000-2002. (He did this about five years ago; would love to see him take a second look at his data.) So here we are. A mighty bleak picture with an inevitable fate.

  Further changes in doctrine would disillusion yet many more; they know that, another reason for the hardliners to cling. Further flock-flogging will just discourage those who keep looking for a more Christian organization.

  Maximus
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  14

  Will Anemic April Wake Up the Governing Body?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as many of you know, the society likes to dictate a maximum.

  'preaching' effort, once or twice a year to help even out their.

  sagging statistical averages.. for example, in august of 1998, they got 1,040,283 publishers,.

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  Maximus

  ::most of the people in the congregation didn't know how to even read or write beyond a 3rd grade level.....I guess this explains the growth!

  And the new TM School that will teach you how to teach <cough> without relying on worldly stuff about speaking and teaching ...

  M
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  14

  Will Anemic April Wake Up the Governing Body?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as many of you know, the society likes to dictate a maximum.

  'preaching' effort, once or twice a year to help even out their.

  sagging statistical averages.. for example, in august of 1998, they got 1,040,283 publishers,.

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  Maximus

  Jan, can you lay your hands on a copy of the American Journal of Sociology, in the early 1970's, by Dr. Joseph Zygmunt? Title was something like Failure of Chiliastic Prophecy, Failed Millennial Prophecy, in connection with JWs.

  There was a very accurate sociological analysis that would be most interesting to compare. I had written in an earlier thread about this. This is not the book that AlanF and I had mentioned in connection with Dr. Edmond Gruss about Prophetic Failure.

  I don't have the time at present, but your analytical post prompted thought about Zygmunt's article, whose essential thesis was that unless JWs became mainstream they would simply isolate and dwindle.

  Isolation doesn't work. I see the Internet as the great equalizer.

  A pre-theater crowd (to see A.I.) of younger men talking about their wired, cyber world intrigued me the other day. A 25-year-old Londoner: "I say, is there an Internet cafe about?" I asked if he wanted to check e-mail or the like. He said, "No, just need the input; where I get truth." I perked up. Truth? How do you recognize it? He waved his hand matter-of-factly indicating peers albeit unknown to him: "Lying is not so successful any more to my generation." Observing my own Gen X offspring convinces me he was spot on.

  Maximus
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  14

  Will Anemic April Wake Up the Governing Body?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as many of you know, the society likes to dictate a maximum.

  'preaching' effort, once or twice a year to help even out their.

  sagging statistical averages.. for example, in august of 1998, they got 1,040,283 publishers,.

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  Maximus

  As in the Supreme Court, where a Gang of Five now rules on most issues, there is varying thought in the GB AND decision makers around them, emphasis on the latter. No true awakening.

  The hardliners just say "See what happens when you ease up?" "God is not backing the new Committee arrangements." Time to flog the flock some more.

  "Proof positive that the end really is near, love cooling off, Devil's attack."
  Reminds me of what happened in the late 1960's after the correct application of Acts 20:20 was made, and the hardliners screamed: "You took away our scripture!"

  Hell hath no fury like a true believer.

  Now with the progressives, that's another issue ...

  As you know, metatron, the battle has waged on for a long time. But good men are and have been standing up.

  Drop me a note so I can connect with you with specifics. Unless it intrudes; I would understand.

  Maximus
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  27

  The Truth about Venice

  by Maximus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ... all right, folks.

  venice is calling in the heavy artillery.

  i also have mafia connections who are not named guido, but knee-cap charlie and sal the stiletto.

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  Maximus

  Okay, I'll call off The Boyz.

  Now we await ...

  La Vendetta Venezia

  (No, that just means Venice's REVENGE.)

  Ooops. Luigi says it's too late to call off Carmine and Sal the Stiletto.
  They got Slip's computer IP and left without cell phones ... bad news.

  Maximus,
  Who sends his warmest to the 'runts
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  27

  The Truth about Venice

  by Maximus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ... all right, folks.

  venice is calling in the heavy artillery.

  i also have mafia connections who are not named guido, but knee-cap charlie and sal the stiletto.

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  Maximus

  Slippery,

  Carmine says you are a dead man.

  M
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  27

  The Truth about Venice

  by Maximus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ... all right, folks.

  venice is calling in the heavy artillery.

  i also have mafia connections who are not named guido, but knee-cap charlie and sal the stiletto.

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  Maximus

  ::Maximus, you mean well

  Luigi says this is condescending crap, but he's just touchy and irritable today. Didn't get enough fiber yesterday.

  I say Nah, she didn't see my comment about bandwith vs. hurt feelings.

  I get into very serious stuff on this board relating to the blood issue in particular. It take the subject matter seriously, but not myself.

  Thought I could start the apology series in replacement of the anal wars, but that's not to be ... sigh. Don't we show our sheeplike qualities here?

  I had a very pleasant time visiting with Randy Watters some time back, and we both agreed that when we stop having fun we'll pack it in.

  I'm still having fun.

  Maximus
  Oh, yes. I'm waiting for Ven to get even.
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  22

  Does anyone know about ADD in adults?

  by Mulan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i really need some help guys.

  my youngest son is getting married in 3 weeks to a really annoying .

  young woman, 22. she has add and talks all the time!!

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  Maximus

  ::She works at a hospital, in the lab, so also knows everything there is to know about medicine. (NOT)

  Mmmm. Know the type. "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

  I do have a close friend who is an adult with Dx of ADD. Went the Ritalin route earlier but then had a gold standard neurological workup several years ago. Meds adjustment worked wonders, some coping therapy as well which included relaxation techniques, and he followed up a master's in theology and is going after a doctorate.

  He doesn't exhibit any of the personality quirks you describe, and did not before. Tongue in cheek, I tell you this girl seems to have traits I see on this board from time to time.

  I'm not awfully optimistic about her changing, unless some cosmic experience modifies her behavior, or she really wants to change vis a vis others. Seems to be more than ADD.

  My $0.02. Hoping for the best.

  Warmly,
  Maximus
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  42

  Sci-Fi Fans Only: A.I.

  by Maximus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i hear tell there are some aficionados out there.. as a young man i secretly loved ray bradbury, isaac asimov, l. sprague decamp, poul anderson, arthur c. clarke and others.

  loved brian aldiss' "super-toys last all summer.".

  when the movie "2001: a space odyssey" premiered, i sneaked into a theater all by myself, and was blown away.

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  Maximus

  For post-movie depression, read Ed Regis' "Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition." The chapter called "Postbiological Man" offers the perfect wry perspective on A.I. in its account of the visionary Hans Moravec, who is obsessed with being transformed from man into machine. The chapter ends:

  "Human as he was, Hans Moravec was as happy a person as you'd ever want to meet. And why shouldn't he be? He understood the human condition for what it was … and he could see a way out of it.

  "All we have to do is get rid of these bodies and these brains.

  "'I have faith in these computers,' Hans Moravec said. 'This is not some way of tricking you into being less than you are; you're going to be more than you are. You're going to be more intelligent, you'll be able to do much more, understand much more, go more places, not die—all those things.

  "It really is a sort of a Christian fantasy: this is how to become pure spirit."

  Or is it?

  Maximus