Posts by Sulla

5

Parents pulls kids from school over yoga -- more than just a JW hangup?

by I Want to Believe in

http://news.yahoo.com/parents-considering-legal-action-over-school-yoga-181449315.html.

and yes, jws do get name dropped in the source article as one of the two families who actually pull their kids, but it says "dozens" are upset about the "religeous practices" of yoga:.

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/columnists/public-school-yoga-relaxation-or-religious-doctrine/article_a8da51bd-b2a0-57ff-8efc-c018808590b5.html.

Sulla

Yeah, there is an increase in the number of fundies who don't like Halloween, for example, 'cause of the pagan/Catholic origins. Same thing, I guess.

7

Question from Reader Watch Tower:fertilized eggs (embryos)

by frankiespeakin in

before coming to a knowledge of the truth, my wife and i submitted to in vitro fertilization because of our desire to have a baby.

not all our fertilized eggs (embryos) were used; some were frozen and stored.

must they be retained, or may they be disposed of?http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20121215/view-of-in-vitro-fertilization/.

Sulla

Very odd viewpoint for a group supposedly against abortion -- you're allowed to just get rid of them. I have suggested that JWs are not really against abortion in any meaningful way.

21

i recently bought geza vermes new book, christian beginnings-from nazareth to nicaea, ad 30-325, i thought it may useful for a study unit i want to take next year, on the topic of early christian writings.

these documents, such as the shepherd of hermas, help us to appreciate what early christians really believed and also provide details of their behaviour(s).. vermes*, as well as being extremely knowledgeable on the subject of the dead sea scrolls, is regarded scholastically, as one of the world's leading jesus scholars.. so to the point of this thread: on page 106 of my hardcover, allen lane/penguin, 2012 edition of this book, vermes commences analysing the status of christ in the pauline religion, and under that sub-heading he concludes that in (authentic) pauline theology, the son always occupies an inferior position, and draws on paul's writings to support his position.

on pages 111,112 he lists texts to demonstrate that paul directed his prayers to god alone, and "never to jesus!

Sulla

"Screeds." Slim, sometimes you are really too much. Like, enough already.

76

Is Pacifism Ethical?

by cofty in

in another thread about things the watchtower got right two posters have expressd agreement with the fact that the wt refuses to take part in war.. i don't want to derail that thrread so what's your thoughts on pacifism?.

personally i think there are times that killing your enemies is regrettably the lesser of two evils.. .

edited to add - this link may help in defining various shades of pacifism.

Sulla

Hortensia, setting aside those atrocities as a justification -- a counter-factual, if you will -- was the war justified without those?

76

Is Pacifism Ethical?

by cofty in

in another thread about things the watchtower got right two posters have expressd agreement with the fact that the wt refuses to take part in war.. i don't want to derail that thrread so what's your thoughts on pacifism?.

personally i think there are times that killing your enemies is regrettably the lesser of two evils.. .

edited to add - this link may help in defining various shades of pacifism.

Sulla

Sorry, slim. But this thing you are doing -- that's what losing an argument looks like.

91

Was the Watchtower Right?

by Christ Alone in

this question is for atheists and believers.

what teachings do you think the watchtower got right and why?

do you still think they are right about the trinity?

Sulla

Cofty -- I understand now. I do think that Christalone's idea that one can resolve every seeming contradiction in scripture is not true, except with the sort of mental contortions that we used to use, back in the day...

98

Latest "Shun Your Family" Statement - Jan 2013 Study WT

by LostGeneration in

solomon alluded to it yesterday in a thread, i found the online large print pdfs here, not sure where the regular version is yet.

here are the full paragraphs, grab your barf bags .

19 on the other hand, if you choose the path of resentment.

Sulla

If she does, she'll probably stop calling my DFed brother to discuss the "necessary family business" of his latest hangnail or her sore back.

Very interesting. I had a convesation not a month ago with my mother about just this thing. I expressed that they were no supposed to have any but necessary contact with me and that I simply refuse to countenance such a viewpoint. Further, I would not allow contact with my children, given this rule -- if I am not welcome in their house, then they will not have a normal relationship with their grandchildren, I said.

Her response was to minimize the whole "necessary business" thing. "Oh, 'necessary family business!' that could be anything!" I was surprised by it, but maybe it's more common than I had thought.

91

Was the Watchtower Right?

by Christ Alone in

this question is for atheists and believers.

what teachings do you think the watchtower got right and why?

do you still think they are right about the trinity?

Sulla

Aren't you conflating the idea that there are no contradictions within the Bible with the idea that the Bible is inspired of God (or, as you say, of supernatural orogin)?

76

Is Pacifism Ethical?

by cofty in

in another thread about things the watchtower got right two posters have expressd agreement with the fact that the wt refuses to take part in war.. i don't want to derail that thrread so what's your thoughts on pacifism?.

personally i think there are times that killing your enemies is regrettably the lesser of two evils.. .

edited to add - this link may help in defining various shades of pacifism.

Sulla

Pretty broad brush, slim. Help me out: When Moltke sends his armies through Belgium in August of 1914, the moral Belgian response was to fight, was it not? The French, also, were correct to fight, yes? These are perfectly modern examples, it seems to me.

So I suggest it is you who are being theoretical here, ignoring concrete examples.

[edit] It also seems that you have this nostalgic idea that war ain't what it used to be, or something. They've always been this complex -- sometimes nakedly aggressive, sometimes purely defensive, usually a mixture of both.

76

Is Pacifism Ethical?

by cofty in

in another thread about things the watchtower got right two posters have expressd agreement with the fact that the wt refuses to take part in war.. i don't want to derail that thrread so what's your thoughts on pacifism?.

personally i think there are times that killing your enemies is regrettably the lesser of two evils.. .

edited to add - this link may help in defining various shades of pacifism.

Sulla

Oh, slim. You know you are stacking the deck. Aren't there many additional questions that need to be answered first, before we can say whether killing those women and children is wrong? Are they targeted for death specifically, or are their deaths an accidental effect of an otherwise just war? That makes a bit of a difference, I'd think.

The situation is even more complex, of course. If a state uses an army to do things that are not just, does that mean a citizen may oppose the defense forces? Isn't this defense force -- being used, we suppose, wrongly -- also a force that would be used in a just way if the nation is attacked? Doesn't the moral response become significantly more nuanced in this case?