peacefulpete

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Posts by peacefulpete

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  51

  What makes a cult (in the pejorative sense)?

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  michael moore writes:.

  a cult is an organization that enslaves minds and destroys families using cult mind control.

  cult mind control involves orchestrated deception, social pressure, psychological abuse, and repetitive indoctrination (brainwashing) centering around an unchallengeable ideology enforced in a totalitarian way in a closed socially-separatist community setting.

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  peacefulpete

  I like that vander. I'd thumbs up if I could.
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  4

  bomb for jehova italy

  by andr in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  italy meets another bomb in front of the kingdom hall, after having caused a scandal on tv, now it is also dangerous to go to the hall.

  here is the image of the press release.

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  peacefulpete

  In relation to the attack of which the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in San Salvo was the object, we express our solidarity and closeness with them and strongly condemn this inconceivable gesture that undermines the foundations of civil and religious living, which is rooted in concord and respect for every belief and every position aimed at building and developing an integrated and supportive society. In reiterating our rejection of any gesture of affront and disrespect for civil coexistence, we trust the work of the police who will certainly identify those responsible for this unspeakable gesture.

  
  

  Those are fine words worthy of repeating.
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  11

  I was going to write a new topic ... but now I just can't be bothered

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was going to write a new topic but now i just can't be bothered ... and i'll tell you why.. on my facebook feed a few days ago, i saw an interview of a couple of onlyfans girls, who said that they were active christians that attended church weekly.

  and while i was going to spend some time writing about the virtues of our faith's strict moral standards ... i now understand that i'd only be flamed as a watchtower apologist.. that being said, out of the approximately 4 million onlyfan girls out there ... it obvious, that none are jehovah's witnesses..

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  peacefulpete

  out of the approximately 4 million OnlyFan girls out there ... it obvious, that none are Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Is that because they are worried they'd be recognized?
• 
  57

  The point of existence and how it refutes the Trinity

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  rowan williams, the former archbishop of canterbury gave an interesting answer to the somewhat stark question, what’s the point of us existing?

  as a christian, my starting point is that we exist because the most fundamental form of activity, energy, call it what you like, that is there, is love.

  that is, it’s a willingness that the other should be.

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  peacefulpete

  the language of scripture indicates

  My comments were simply Socratic, an exercise in what ifs. If God is the beginning of all then this God had nothing to do, feel or think. He didn't even take up 'space', as he hadn't made 'space' yet. Such a hypothetic case illustrates the illogic of such a being.

  But if now you want to honestly look at the 'language of scripture' we find a regional deity with world aspirations, that learns and is mistaken, changes his mind, gets angry, is jealous, and is prone to violence. No wonder the Gnostics worshipped an 'unknown God'; a worthy God they imagined into existence. The 'language of scripture' proved to them the God of the Hebrews couldn't possibly be the supreme being.
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  57

  The point of existence and how it refutes the Trinity

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  rowan williams, the former archbishop of canterbury gave an interesting answer to the somewhat stark question, what’s the point of us existing?

  as a christian, my starting point is that we exist because the most fundamental form of activity, energy, call it what you like, that is there, is love.

  that is, it’s a willingness that the other should be.

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  peacefulpete

  Intelligence cannot exist without something to perceive, create, learn, or feel.
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  5

  WA bill mandating clergy report abuse clears Senate floor

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2025/mar/24/wa-bill-mandating-clergy-report-abuse-clears-senate-floor/ .

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  peacefulpete

  As I understand it, the Catholics carved out an exception with the claim that the sacrament of 'confession' was a protected religious freedom. Since they defined confession historically as a strict confidence and foundational tenet of the faith, it was successfully ruled the price of religious freedom. Many priests have in good conscious sought to reengage the confessor of a serious crime in nonsacramental setting thereby freeing the priest to follow church tradition and do what is right for society. The WT convinced the courts that they had something similar. Yet they extended the definition of confidential to included charges and complaints of serious crimes by victims to any Elder. The courts should have seen through it but given the reluctance to give the perception of imposing upon religious freedom they generally hadn't.
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  57

  The point of existence and how it refutes the Trinity

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  rowan williams, the former archbishop of canterbury gave an interesting answer to the somewhat stark question, what’s the point of us existing?

  as a christian, my starting point is that we exist because the most fundamental form of activity, energy, call it what you like, that is there, is love.

  that is, it’s a willingness that the other should be.

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  peacefulpete

  Ancient Jewish attempts to impose a logic to it all resulted in the Kabbala. God ultimately becomes everything and nothing at once. A divine infinity without description, parallel or name that emanated 'other' from itself, whereupon aspects of the divine force are in all and sustain all, good and bad. Said another way, everything is God. In any sense meaningful to humans, it (God) did not exist prior to this emanation of itself.

  Meaningless semantic exercises are fun.
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  57

  The point of existence and how it refutes the Trinity

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  rowan williams, the former archbishop of canterbury gave an interesting answer to the somewhat stark question, what’s the point of us existing?

  as a christian, my starting point is that we exist because the most fundamental form of activity, energy, call it what you like, that is there, is love.

  that is, it’s a willingness that the other should be.

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  peacefulpete

  If God acted out of love by making 'others', did he lack love before?

  If there is nothing 'other' to perceive and compare, can a pre-manifest God be said to have perception?

  Did God have senses? What purpose did those senses serve prior to anything of which to sense? Did God then give himself senses so as to perceive his own creation and his superiority over it?

  Before anything was manifest and no 'other' to manifest to, did God's very existence have evidence?
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  72

  What the new JW light position really is 👍

  by ElderBerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i’m still an elder and i consider myself jw light.

  as my fellow elders are.

  we don’t throw our weight around like elders used to in the past, it’s all very easy going these days.

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  peacefulpete

  MikeJw or ExBethelite or Elderberry, (whatever you want to be called), your argument is that many people compromise to keep peace is not news to us. Nor will I condemn anyone having chosen to stay in the background and keep their head down if they genuinely feel that is best. However, many in that position are not even aware of just how much they have compromised. They know nothing else and are possibly terrified of change. They may also have lingering, paralyzing fears of apocalyptic doom.

  Those that chose to fade, walk or stomp away didn't do it just so as to be free to do birthdays openly, they wanted their lives back, with a clear sense of self-direction, and intellectual honesty.

  When my father passed recently, I was compelled to support my mother and hold her hand during the JW funeral. Being there did not invoke within me a sense of warm nostalgia; the opposite, it was creepy and offensive. The trigger words and repeated mantras about paradise and preaching were every bit as off-putting as the conservative Lutheran funeral I had been to not long ago. I'm sure you are right that many in the KH, as well as many in the Lutheran church, didn't really believe what was being preached at them. It is also true that many would never openly confess that.

  I'm not someone who envies those people.
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  16

  New World, New World Order, New System of Things

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the wts has used to above terms, over the years, some more preferred in certain time periods.

  more though, but these occurred to me first.

  also the terms "new world" and "new world order" have been used by some us presidents and other leaders..

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  peacefulpete

  Whether it's politicians or clergy doing the promising, the New World Order only has room for some.