Posts by tornapart

240

Introduction - Any Believers?

by Believer in

i’ve been reading it for a few of years off and on, but have been a little too ... maybe ... timid to join.

i left the watchtower organization almost 20 years ago but never abandoned my faith and belief in god.

i knew the gb/organization didn’t represent god, so when i lost my faith in them, i managed to keep my faith in an all wise benevolent creator.

I'm still a believer and at first I felt a bit of trepidation because it seemed there were more atheists than believers amongst the exJW community on here. But over time I've come to like it. There are so many different opinions and beliefs that there is always something to make you really think and question everything. It's very refreshing when you have come from somewhere where everyone thinks they have all the answers. You realise that it's impossible to have all the answers. You have the freedom to express yourself without being judged (or shunned), you may get called stupid or ignorant or deluded, but who cares about that... you may need to develop a bit of a thick skin!

Just enjoy all the various differences and the reasons why others have come to their own conclusions. There is beauty in diversity... such a refreshing change from the awful conformity we had to bear in Jdubland!

40

Now this is weird, ever heard of the "Mandela Effect" ??? What if... ?

by Greybeard in

jw
friends

now this is weird, ever heard of the "mandela effect" ???

i know how crazy it sounds but i got to tell you, this article about the governing body finally admitting the "faithful slave" was not divinely appointed by jesus in 1919 was epic to me.

like a mandela effect feeling.

tornapart

Greybeard, there was this article written on the Beroean Pickets website back in Sept '13. They did a comprehensive study on the 'Faithful Slave' and the July article you are speaking of. In this particular article they do talk about the changes to the so-called '1919 appointment'. I remember reading it at the time. It is a biggie.... and many JWs just don't realise it. It goes into their subconscious and elevates the GB in their minds to Godlike status.

36

I was helping a Mature Sister with her tablet for downloading the meeting and then noticed ...

by Quarterback in

this sweet older sister needed help and while trying to download the clm on her tablet, the history showed some porn pictures.

how does someone overlook that and carry on?.

tornapart

You sure she's not one of the 'rockers' ? LOL

47

Evolution is a Fact #37 - Testicles

by cofty in

take a look at the back of your tv/entertainment centre.

a mass of power and signal cables connect the various pieces of equipment in very specific ways.

imagine you wanted to switch the locations of your satellite receiver and your dvd player.

tornapart

Cofty :- I almost called the thread that.

You should have Cofty... I know it shouldn't but it always makes me laugh when you use that word...

52

What's your favourite feel good movie ?

by jhine in

maybe it's time for a less serious thread .

i have just finished watching dirty dancing ( again ) .

what is your feel good movie , the one that makes you smile and cry happy tears ?

tornapart

My top ten:-

African Queen

Jungle Book

My Fair Lady

Dirty Dancing

The Holiday

Born Free

Billy Elliot

The Full Monty

Big

Goodbye Mr. Chips

160

Beliefs About What Caused the Universe

by Perry in

the universe can be observed to be expanding.. an expanding universe must have had a beginning.

whatever begins to exist had a cause.

therefore the universe had a cause.

tornapart

Theists are in a panic as they watch their god retreat into ever-decreasing gaps.

What we already know for a certainty makes christian theism an impossibility.

Bollocks (as Cofty often says)

29

Where did Jehovah go ?

by Deleteandrestart in

for the many years i was mentally " in " the congregation, i equated the organisation as interchangeable with the persona of jehovah, in effect whatever the organisation said or thought, that was what jehovah thought and that was what jehovah said.... it was that simple.

so when i found out the ttatt and the cynical moves of the organisation over the years,including 1975 , the donation arrangements, the united nations, etc i was devastated and thought " where's jehovah in all of this?".

the god who i'd poured my heart out to on many occasions and who i thought was silently listening and hearing my pleas ..... was not there , .

tornapart

Delete, I had similar feelings to you, still do sometimes. It's as though all those answers you had to everything were no longer relevant. The rug is pulled out from beneath your feet and your whole world spins out of control. It's a horrible feeling and can take quite a long time to come to some kind of equilibrium.

However I have also found that it opens up a whole new world of possibility. There are so many questions that need answering but the truth of it is this. No-one has all the answers! That's where you start from. Question everything, read as much as you can, find out what conclusions others have come to. Not everyone will reach the same conclusions obviously, even those that stay believers come to different conclusions about their beliefs. For instance I'm still a believer in God but now believe in evolution too and that he started the process. I am very drawn to Buddhist beliefs and that the teachings of Jesus and Buddha have a lot of similarities. It doesn't make me wrong or right, it's just a learning curve. Maybe in the future when I've pondered some more I'll come to further different conclusions. The point is, it doesn't have to be black and white anymore, there a thousands of different colours in between to explore. Take your time and enjoy the ride!

54

God's Word and Modern Man

by TheLiberator in

i have drawn the conclusion that when god speaks, he is using the language and the concepts of the time.

he is not revealing a new scientific understanding when he speaks.

that would be distracting from the point being made.

tornapart

Filling the gaps with faith adds nothing useful. Maybe not for you but it does for me. Night Cofty, thanks for the debate.

54

God's Word and Modern Man

by TheLiberator in

i have drawn the conclusion that when god speaks, he is using the language and the concepts of the time.

he is not revealing a new scientific understanding when he speaks.

that would be distracting from the point being made.

tornapart

I don't believe that science rejects God. For some it does. One day we might all have the answers. At the moment we don't. Life is for living and enjoying, we can sometimes get too tied up in trying to find those elusive answers, so that we waste our lives trying to figure it all out. I'm not talking about those scientists for whom it's their life's work and who enjoy every moment of discovery... but I'm no scientist, just someone who enjoys learning a little about what someone else has discovered. Beyond that it becomes pointless, where it's all just conjecture.

30

Flying Scotsman Visits My Town

by cofty in

the iconic steam engine the flying scotsman has been restored and is back on tour along the east coast main line between london and edinburgh.

this evening it crossed the royal border bridge in berwick-on-tweed for the first time since it was put out of service in january 1963.. here are few shots.. .

tornapart

Wow!!