Sic Semper Tyrannis

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Posts by Sic Semper Tyrannis

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  5

  The Book of Mormon - Any Reviews from Members

  by Band on the Run in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  b'wy is expensive.

  it is no longer a taxi ride away.

  so i must pay for the tkt and transport.

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  There are indeed several valid comparisons between Witnesses and Mormons. As M. James Penton said so eloqently in the scholarly "Apocalypse Delayed", Joseph Smith and Charles Taze Russell were both "capable leaders" but "naive visionaries", while Brigham Young and Joseph Rutherford both "brought a sense of permanence to the movements they inherited". I can't agree more. Smith and Russell almost needed to die early in orger to not be faced with their doctrinal delusions, while Young and Rutherford could safely refine the words of their predecessors from a distance.

  Well, to be fair, Joseph Smith came from New York State's "Ontario Country", which is still to this day rural in outlook and provincial in nature. In the 1820's, this was about as provincial as could they came.

  Another thing about Mormons and Witnesses is that they were essentially borne out of the same spiritual awakening of the early 19th century. While Mormons were centered around Smith and his "discoveries", the Witnesses eventually sprang out of the millennialist movement which centered around William Miller at around the same time. While the Mormons have somewhat modernized their movement in recent years, the Witnesses are still stuck with the rigid Rutherford doctrines and Knorr 50's style morality.
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  5

  The Book of Mormon - Any Reviews from Members

  by Band on the Run in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  b'wy is expensive.

  it is no longer a taxi ride away.

  so i must pay for the tkt and transport.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  I didn't know they made a Broadway show out of it. I recently read a biography on Joseph Smith which was revealing in several ways. The official "witnesses" of the golden plates were either of the Whitmer or Smith familes. As Mark Twain put it 50 years later, "I could not feel more satisfied and at rest, if the entire Whitmer family had testified." Modern scholars have noted the similarity between the BOM and "A View of the Hebrews" which also went into elaborate theories regarding the origin of the Native Americans and the Hebrew connection. The only "good" thing about the BOM from a modern standpoint is while it cannot be proven, it cannot be conclusively disproven by scientific means to be a forgery, since nothing else has been found in "Reformed Egyptian". What can be disproven it the Book of Abraham, which is the modern day Xenu for the Mormons. Joseph Smith was presented authentic papyri from ancient Egypt and asked to translate it. At the time, the ancient script was not deciphered, and Smith claimed to have had divine inspiration to translate it, much like the BOM. Later, when the Egyptian language was decoded, Smith's documents were proven to be funeral documents, and not the testament of Abraham as Smith claimed.
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  8

  49 Bucks? Are You Kidding Me?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i visited a congregation a little while ago.

  their 'don't anybody call it a bulletin board for some dumb ass reason" had the accounts report posted.. $49 for the world wide work/ one month.. are you kidding me?

  49 bucks?

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  There's a lot of things that Russell said that have long since been contradicted or overruled by the organization he founded. He's probably rolled over so many times that the pyramid on top of his grave has lost its foundations.
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  22

  My Story

  by TheWanderer in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i found this site quite a few months ago, after a curiosity search on wikipedia about jws and what's going on with the organization.

  i was unfortunately born into it, 4th-generation; my great-grandfather was a special pioneer spreading the word in the early 1900s.

  it was all i knew growing up, even though i struggled between trying to conform to make everyone happy ... and finding my own way in life.

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  Very touching. Like you I am isolated by doctrine and by distance from most of my family, but I have moved away just to be closer to my son. I struggled with this decision but I have never regretted it. I have turned down lucrative job opportunities elsewhere just to be able to be a part of his life. I don't need a medal for this, but I just want him in my life and I'm willing to pay any price. Good luck and wishes on reconnecting with yours.
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  12

  NFL PLAYOFFS ARE HERE AGAIN

  by charlie brown jr. in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  once again it's playoff time...... i can't believe pitts with 12-4 are in the "wildcard".

  my patriots keep messing with my brain with these early blowouts and then they comeback!!!!!!!!.

  ***designs*** i watched the end of the raiders game!!!

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  About Al Davis, although I do respect him for playing a big part in the founding of the AFL and the passing game in the NFL game today, he was a man who long overstayed his usefulness. With the possible exception of the Bengal's Mike Brown, Davis was easily the worst owner/general manager. His personel decisions cost the Raiders dearly ever since the advent of the West Coast offense in the 80's. Jon Gruden was the only one who really kept Davis in his place and built a championship team despite Davis. Al Davis was so out of touch with modern football he should have served on the Governing Body. Davis was on a quixotic quest to bring back the vertical passing game when defenses long adapted to the prevent defense. His desire to acquire a QB who could throw 60 yards down the field on the run led to such memorable QBs such as JaMarcus Russell and Jeff George.

  Now all that remains would be for the Bengals and Cowboys to get Mike Brown and Jerry Jones to hire themselves general managers who know what they are doing. The NFL should have kept owners out of the GM position long ago.
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  12

  Am I still an Ex JW?

  by darthfader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was thinking the other day about being an ex jehovahs witness... will i always be an ex jw?

  will i know when im no longer an ex jw?

  what can i do to become less of an ex jw and more of a normal person (whatever that is)... for me, being a jw was a little like a cross between the firm and hotel california where i feel like, at any point, one of the friends will spot me and either accost me or report me to the elders.

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  You'll always be an ex-JW. That's why we're all here. Trust me, I've tried to tear that part out of my life for years, but still can't escape it. The only respite would be once I'm dead or all my Witness relatives are, neither of which result I am looking to hasten. When you have an organization who views you in a worse light for having actually put in the time and then exited than someone who has never believed, you'll always have the "ex" label written on you.
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  16

  yoga...who benefits from it here...and how bout you guys?

  by oompa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i really love it....seems like i am way in the minority as far as guys go though ...plus the guy girl ratio is sure not a negative for me!...but no that is not why i am there...i mean it kicks your butt physically...but i am hoping for this more inner peace thingy too......oompa.

  interesting thing...i read on an inflight mag this week that yoga came from india ages ago and was only created by men for men!....women were verboden..... and what is the best way to find really good instructors?...my local ymca has classes as does a gym or two near me...and i have no idea how much certification these instructors must have.

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  I just stick to tantra. You know, like Sting.
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  8

  What would Jesus neighbors say about Jesus as A child?

  by jam in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i knew jesus as child, other kids would say when.

  they grow up when ask the question, what are your.

  goals.

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  Jesus was black because he called everyone "brother" and couldn't get a fair trial.

  Jesus was Italian because he drank wine all the time and had a huge family.

  Jesus was Jewish because he lived with his mother until his 30's, while he thought she was a virgin, and she thought he was God.

  Jesus was Californian because he wore sandals, had long hair, and started a new religion.
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  8

  49 Bucks? Are You Kidding Me?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i visited a congregation a little while ago.

  their 'don't anybody call it a bulletin board for some dumb ass reason" had the accounts report posted.. $49 for the world wide work/ one month.. are you kidding me?

  49 bucks?

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  That's going to be a problem since their future seems to be more in the direction of Africa and Latin America. They're going to miss those Euros, Pounds, US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand dollars, and receive more Nigerian Naira and Brazilian Real in their place. I remember sometime in the late 80's my congregation "passed" a resolution to fund the Worldwide Work to the tune of $300 or $500. I can't quite remember the figure, but it was up in that area, and based on something like $10 per publisher per month. What stuck in my mind was that the money was getting "donated" no matter how much they really took in. Anything over got donated as well, and if we were short, the Society deducted it from our account anyway.

  Maybe that wasn't the case for all congregations. They read a "Dear Brothers" letter from the stage that strongly suggested that we adoipted the resolution, and once it got the motion made and seconded, no one had the balls to vote "nay". Witness democracy for you.
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  12

  NFL PLAYOFFS ARE HERE AGAIN

  by charlie brown jr. in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  once again it's playoff time...... i can't believe pitts with 12-4 are in the "wildcard".

  my patriots keep messing with my brain with these early blowouts and then they comeback!!!!!!!!.

  ***designs*** i watched the end of the raiders game!!!

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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  My Niners are in with the 2 seed. We're most likely going to have to get past New Orleans at home and Green Bay on the road. But hey, if you lower seeded teams want to knock either of those two teams off, we'll take it.