Posts by Londo111

51

Theists - Please Explain This.......

by AK - Jeff in

and please don't do so with the standard "i don't know the answer - but there surely must be one.

" or some other lame attempt to defend god/bible without a real explanation.. here goes:.

i find it incredibly interesting how hard the mind works to prevent rational thought when it suits it's purpose.

Londo111

Why did the merchant sell all his things and buy a pearl of high value? Why did the Rich Man in Hades ask for a drop of water on his tongue? What does the wild beast with seven heads and ten horns eat?

If we are taking the Bible literally to prove the existence of a Transcendent Being beyond time and space, then we must answer these questions as well. Believing or not believing in the literal Exodus story has no impact on my faith. The Documentary hypothesis seems like a good estimation on how the Torah came together. However, I am open to correction on this.

The real questions are: Why do you wish to know the answer? Do you doubt your own philosophy? If not--be happy and live accordingly. You're not a Witness anymore. You don't have to turn in your time.

24

How did you visualize Jehovah when you were young?

by Matsimus in

i was born as a third generation (perhaps even fourth gen. but my great great grandfather never got baptized) jw.

i remember that when i was young, perhaps about five years old, i would think about jehovah as this big black ghost with yellow eyes.

to me he was quite frightening, and i was constantly catious not to piss him off.

Londo111

When I was 5, I was obsessed with determining Jehovah's general size. I figured he had to be at least as tall as a tree.

From the Bible Story book, Armageddon looked fun. Jesus and the angels riding horses--I couldn't wait! I didn't really get the death and doom aspect of it. I remember after I stomped a bug how my mother told me that Jehovah could destroy me if I did something wrong. I was shocked and scared.

Oh…and I remember having this idea that the "new system" was like Noah's Ark that floated in the clouds, which inside looked like a Kingdom Hall, but containing all sorts of animals, like lions and tigers and sheep.

29

More than 50,000 DEAD

by Marvin Shilmer in

jw
friends

more than 50,000 dead.

today i added a new article to my blog addressing overall mortality suffered as a result of watchtowers blood doctrine.

to the best of my knowledge this is the first attempt at such an extrapolation based on data gathered that is both verifiable and offers sufficient information to measure frequency in this particular patient population (jehovahs witnesses).

Londo111

Anytime I started doubting the existance of the Devil as a real person, remind me of this.

39

"Awake" 1973 says Witnesses should not play CHESS it's EVIL!!!

by Witness 007 in

awake 73 march 22 p.12 "the spirit of competition between players can lead to unplesant circumstances...in some homes tensions linger long past checkmate...chess has been a game of war since it originated...the games conection to war is obvious....a play substitue for the art of war...there is a danger of stirring uo competition with one another even developing hostility with one another something the bible warns against....what effect does playing chess have on one?

is it a wholesome effect?

....there are questions regarding it that each one who plays chess should consider.".

Londo111

Yes, checkers was okay and my father would play it with me. There were no articles that condemned checkers...that he knew of anyway.

I do remember how video games were condemned when they first came out. Space Invaders was viewed as violent. My family debated whether the flashing lights and sounds would hypnotize me and make me susceptible to demons. I really liked Ms Pacman. Of course, I remember my mother saying, "Those are ghosts?" So I think she was worried it promoted spiritism.

Alas, what would it have been like to have a normal childhood?

39

"Awake" 1973 says Witnesses should not play CHESS it's EVIL!!!

by Witness 007 in

awake 73 march 22 p.12 "the spirit of competition between players can lead to unplesant circumstances...in some homes tensions linger long past checkmate...chess has been a game of war since it originated...the games conection to war is obvious....a play substitue for the art of war...there is a danger of stirring uo competition with one another even developing hostility with one another something the bible warns against....what effect does playing chess have on one?

is it a wholesome effect?

....there are questions regarding it that each one who plays chess should consider.".

Londo111

Yes, my father frowned on chess and lectured me about it, but then again, he never forbid me from playing it. Therefore, I learned on my own when I was a teenager. It gave me a r ebellious outlet. Unfortunately, I had no human opponent and never learned good chess strategy, so my ability to play isn't worth a lick. It is funny to tell people from a non-JW background this stuff, "My father frowned on me playing chess." And they are like, "What!" I don't think they believe me.

24

Which do you think is the most pernicious teaching of the JW's?

by Chariklo in

as i turn things over in my mind, one jw lie stands out.. that god doesn't listen to all prayers.

unless i have it wrong, and i don't think i do, jw's believe, and have been endlessly, ruthlessly taught, that only those living by "jehovah's righteous standards"...that awful glib phrase again...will get their prayers listened to.

in other words, god looks at the number the person is calling from, so to speak, checks who it is, looks him up in his book of misdeeds, and angrily slams the phone down.. the jehovah god of the wt is petty and mean-minded.

Londo111

"The Faithful and Discreet Slave"--it is the Captivating Concept and Idolatry to boot.

49

What are the best Bible Translations?

by Londo111 in

growing up in a jw family, my parents and my grandparents had many versions of the bible...not just the new world translation.

sometimes i read these.

but i always bought the hype that the new world translation was the most unbiased and most consistent in rendering hebrew and greek into the modern language.

Londo111

I'm thinking about getting the Concordant Literal New Testament--this seems to be striving for consistency in rendering the Greek. At least, that's what the claim is. They've also different books of the OT, but unfortunately it seems Amazon only has parts, not the whole.

I do still enjoy the New Jerusalem Bible. Of course, I've detected two areas of seeming bias. They render 'idols' as 'false gods'. They also tweak one verse to deflect the argument that Mary did not continue to be a virgin after the birth of Jesus. However, I greatly enjoy the notes introducing each section, and the footnotes are more informative than the Society's.

76

Those who still show up at the meetings, How do you manage?.

by Mr Facts in

for those who still show up at the meetings, how do you manage?.

do you still offer comments and how do you actually muster up the boldness to gave talks and still do all of those craps?..

.

Londo111

Sun Tzu said, "All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near."

"Thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to which the enemy will act. He sacrifices something, that the enemy may snatch at it."

"O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands."

76

Those who still show up at the meetings, How do you manage?.

by Mr Facts in

for those who still show up at the meetings, how do you manage?.

do you still offer comments and how do you actually muster up the boldness to gave talks and still do all of those craps?..

.

Londo111

Like many, my long term plan is fading. Of course, I don't have any kids. Even so, I do believe there is more than one right approach.

In the Personalysis paradigm, this is not an aggressive enough stance for acting Reds, not the One Right Approach for the analytical Greens. But for the adapting Yellows or the accessing Blues (such as myself), flexibility and alternatives are the desired approach.

As men, Blues and Yellows, might not leap out of plane, yell "Booyah!", and guzzle a beer on the way down. Sometimes one has to be strong as an oak, but an inflexible approach can easily topple. Like Paul Atreides says in Dune, "I will bend like a reed in the wind."

20

I don't like "taking the lead"

by I Want to Believe in

some men probably got off on the power/ego trip being a male jw gets you, but i never cared for it.

i'm an introvert, and was an especially awkward one at that haveing been reaised in social isolation, so it was about the strangest feeling in the world when as a newly-baptized teenager (back in the day) i started to pioneer.

i was about as green as you could get in every way but i was told i had to take the lead in the service meetings and the car group.

Londo111

Oh, a funny experience. After conducting a book study when I was a timid teenager, I had a little kid come up to me, stick his middle finger in my face, and punch me in the nuts (pardon my French).