Ravyn's comment while logical, will get no results. Holistic medicine is a very real subcurrent in JW circles. I have been in congregations in 3 countries and in each I found a thriving naivety about things medical and scientific. Miracle herbs, aura reading,eye peering,enemas,enemas,enemas..... While the population in general is given to this bunk, Witnesses seem especially vulnerable to snake oil alternative therapists. Their lack of skeptical analysis may be partly due to their years of unquestioning mental compliance required to be JW. Some GB themselves use herbs and chiropractors(they had one at Patterson for this exclusive purpose) to deal with medical issues better handled with proven medical practice. It seems to me the best you can hope for in your story is they begrudgingly sell the bed. What will this accomplish other than further alienating them from you?
peacefulpete
JoinedPosts by peacefulpete
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Mystical Medicine - Breaking Their Own Rules
by worldlygirl inmy jw husband's jw parents in florida (the ones who shunned him for years when he was disfellowshipped) were recently raving about their new ceragem massage bed.
the actually purchased one for their home for around $2,000.
they say many members of their congregation use these beds at a ceragem location there in ft. lauderdale.
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The Dixie Chicks
by Stan Conroy ini don't understand the logic of boycotting the dixie chicks because of the comments the singer made about being ashamed that bush is from texas.
it doesn't make sense to me.
keep in mind that i'm just a canadian, so maybe i'm just not tuned in to the american way of thinking.
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peacefulpete
Site Search Today's News Archives I found this artile today, it reflects my views well. It also exposes the real issue of misuse of corporate power to inflict financial harm upon those with unpopular or politically incorrect views. And how this is a growing concern for as we all know the trend toward ever greater consolidation of power and money in the hands of the few. Fredom of speech is at issue, not in that she was imprisoned or shot, but she was publicly attacked with intent to harm and slander. This boycott campaign was NOT the result of healthy orinary public reaction but rather the manipulation of the media (in this case the radio) for a political adgenda. From Michael Moore to the Dixie Chicks March 26, 2003 By PETE GOLIS THE PRESS DEMOCRAT You could imagine the cheers from the terminally alienated Sunday night when Michael Moore delivered his anti-war harangue -- "Shame on you, Mr. Bush" -- during Sunday night's Academy Awards. But the audience in Hollywood booed. Even people who oppose the war in Iraq knew two things about this moment: (1) this was the wrong time and the wrong place for Moore to inflict his views on the rest of the world, and (2) Moore, accepting the Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine," was only proving one more time that he is a shameless self-promoter, a fellow who makes a ton of money pretending to be a victim of the corporate conspiracy to silence him. We should all be so victimized. Here is Slate.com and NPR (and former Village Voice) movie critic David Edelstein: "It would have been different, I think, if a non-blowhard had gotten up there and bellowed, 'Shame on you!' -- had put his or her career on the line to say that Bush was a liar. But that kind of boorish grandstanding comes too naturally to Moore, a man who didn't have the intellectual honesty to add that Saddam Hussein is a 'fictitious president,' too -- and one who has killed a lot more people than George W. Bush and his father combined. Nothing has ever shaken my faith in my own politics like having Michael Moore in the same camp. When he invoked the Dixie Chicks, I'll bet they wanted to stick their heads in an oven." Speaking of the Dixie Chicks and proving that bigotry is not confined to one ideology or another, we are witnessing this week jingoist attempts to destroy the popular country-rock trio because lead singer Natalie Maines was heard to deliver an off-the-cuff criticism of President Bush. It is not necessary to share Ms. Maines' analysis of American foreign policy to grasp the McCarthyesque aspects of this campaign. This is nothing more or less than an attempt to create 2003's version of the blacklist. But it gets worse. As New York Times columnist Paul Krugman noted this week, the campaign to boycott the Grammy-winning trio -- including CD-smashing parties -- is being orchestrated by radio stations owned by Clear Channel Communications. That's the Texas-based corporation that controls more than 1,200 radio stations nationwide and which also has organized pro-Bush rallies across the country. In published reports in recent months -- including a series of articles by Eric Boelhert of Salon.com -- Clear Channel has been accused of a variety of offenses, ranging from programming banality to payola to bullying artists and recording companies. The business practices of Clear Channel, of course, flourish only with the blessing of the Bush administration and its Federal Communications Commission. And Clear Channel, as the Wall Street Journal explained in January, "is rapidly becoming the lightning rod for concerns about media consolidation as the FCC moves forward with a sweeping revamp of its media-ownership rules." For Clear Channel, what better way to ingratiate itself with the White House than to drop the big hammer -- access to more than 1,200 radio stations -- on any artist who dares to dissent? This becomes the landscape upon which Americans this week are trying to debate legitimate differences about the war. We hear every day from dozens of people of abiding conviction who cannot imagine that anyone could come to any other conclusion about this war -- any other conclusion, that is, than their conclusion. They filter every headline, every story placement, every crowd estimate, every editorial, every letter to the editor through the prism of their own beliefs. They beg us to print this commentary or that story, certain that its publication will resolve the issue once and for all. For all Americans, this is a difficult time, punctuated by uncertainty and fear, anger and heartbreak. I watched the anger on the streets of Santa Rosa last week and worried that in the hostility and confusion, someone could be killed. In one example, a young woman convinced that the war is immoral placed herself in front an automobile, and a man just as convinced that opposition to the war is immoral urged the driver to run her down. As the war in Iraq ebbs and flows, here, in microcosm, is the bitter conflict that Americans must manage during the coming days and weeks. This much is certain: It will be difficult enough to sustain an honest disagreement about a complicated war without the noisy clatter of bigots and profiteers.
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The Dixie Chicks
by Stan Conroy ini don't understand the logic of boycotting the dixie chicks because of the comments the singer made about being ashamed that bush is from texas.
it doesn't make sense to me.
keep in mind that i'm just a canadian, so maybe i'm just not tuned in to the american way of thinking.
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peacefulpete
It is also worth mentioning that their sales are the highest ever. Many went out and bought cds just to express solidarity. Other bought cds to burn them. Ironic.
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The Dixie Chicks
by Stan Conroy ini don't understand the logic of boycotting the dixie chicks because of the comments the singer made about being ashamed that bush is from texas.
it doesn't make sense to me.
keep in mind that i'm just a canadian, so maybe i'm just not tuned in to the american way of thinking.
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peacefulpete
Her comment was pointed and legitamate. Her timing was dead on, she exposed the extremist element in America thru their slanderous reaction to her. She was targeted by the far right media and wesites. Her music was not boycotted by people it was boycotted by the right wing media moguls. Very real pressure and threats were issued to all affiliated radio stations to not play their music. She was called a "pinko" and "terrorist loving communist" by the political force that has sponsored and organized this well funded smear campaign. This response was not a simple matter of some people disagreeing with her remarks it was an attempt to make an example out of her to squash public dissent about Bush's policies and war. We have entered dark days in America. Her "recanting" in fact was nothing of the sort. She spoke of her being a mother and concerned about children first and how this motivated her comment. She did say that while very commonly done, it would have been better to have limited her public opinions to specific issues and concerns about the present presidency rather than resorting to personally disparaging remarks about the man in the office. If anyone can manage to meet this ideal I have not met them. Yet even in this intellegent and respectful self correction she proved to be a true American worthy of immitation. Blind allegiance to a misdirected government is not patriotism. It is dangerous mob think.
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Dino cancer
by peacefulpete ini have been reading about dinosaurs and other contemporaneous animals and have repeatedly encountered examples of physical malformation (diseased or deformed bone and teeth)and evidence of bone cancer over 100 million years ago.
does this not refute the position held by jws that disease resulted from adam's sin?
comments?
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peacefulpete
I have been reading about dinosaurs and other contemporaneous animals and have repeatedly encountered examples of physical malformation (diseased or deformed bone and teeth)and evidence of bone cancer over 100 million years ago. Does this not refute the position held by JWs that disease resulted from Adam's sin? comments?
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Ok, I NEVER post about anything having to do with god or the bible, but....
by Jesika ini was in chat a few days ago, and the topic of god came up.
i was trying to understand how people can still believe in one.
now, just wanted you to know where this ?
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peacefulpete
Chap...Is it not possible that we both need to please ourselves and others to have a mental peace? Surely the circumstances determine the merits of either strategy. Both stategies have evolved synchronously to ensure the survival of our genes. Some study on kin selection and group selection and it's role in evolutionary psychology may broaden your understanding of how these innate qualities have played a part in the survival of our and many other species. We of course are more complex as a result of our hightened intelligence and therefore our behavior choices include more factors including long sightedness. This is where societal pressures and education play a role.
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JW Friendly
by be wise inhi, be wise here going through a late wbts phase.. i've chosen for a long time to just ignore everything i was taught and turn my back on the whole jw thing for a long time now [this didn't help in the slightest].. it's only since i got on the web and got past that 'initial' fear of questioning things that i've started to mend.
i'm only just starting to look at what kind of society i've been indoctrinated by for most of my life and believe me it isn't good.
i've just been on randys website all night i haven't slept a wink but it was worth it.
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peacefulpete
If your freedom results from recognition that the JWs are not where it's at, then is it at the Pentecostals? the Methodists? the Buddhists? Rather than spend a lifetime chasing after an elusive "truth" is it not wise to question how "truth" is arrived at? Analyse how you determine truth. Some study on improving critical thinking skills will save a person from a lifetime of futility and superstition. Go to any online book seller and search "critical thinking skills" and discover a new world of self awareness and freedom.
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My 12 year old's spiritual quest..I could use some advice
by Eyebrow2 infor the last few years, my son has been thinking about what happens when you die.
it has caused many a nights lost sleep for him.
today he asked me (for the upteenth time) what i thought happens when you die.
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peacefulpete
a.d. The natural curiosity and teachability of your son is a quality of youth lost all too soon. What our youth need is to be taught critical thinking skills that will protect them from spritual abuse and aimless speculation. Don't squander it with tossing bones that teach him nothing other than that most people are as confused as he is. His choices in life should be made that satisfy both the intellect and the heart. Please consider books that study the topics of superstion and pseuoscience in general, this provides an overview of opinions and insight into human nature that is greater than that which he will recognise thru exposure to a few popular theories. Some excellent suggestions written for young people are:Maybe Yes Maybe No, by Dan Barker; The Magic Detective by Joe Nickel; Sasquatches from Outspace by Tim Yule. These three books encourage youth to think for themselves before adopting popular theories and rumors. They are fun and cheerfully written yet informative. They bear directly upon how we satisfy our spiritual life. We owe our children the best chance at success, and success results from being well informed and confident adults.
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? for current or former Elders
by Azalo indo people at jcs pretty much have to cry to show that they are repentant?
i've always wondered that.
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peacefulpete
They will seek "Fruits that befit repentence". (Luke and Matt 3:8 weird ha?) This is very open to subjective judgement, some will be impressed with simple meeting attendence while others expect more radical sacrifice. If the crime was wronging another it is normal to make amends if possible. If it was sexual they may be expected to change their wardrobe, move, change jobs what ever they determine were contributing to your "fall into sin". Tears never hurt. But begging incites anger and suspition and feeds the power sensation felt by the JC. Speak very self deprecating. "I'm worthless, how could Jehovah forgive me!!?" Ask for their help earnestly. Never offer any "reason" you did what ever you did, this appears as defending yourself. Never blame others even subtlely. Avoid eye contact this is perceived as defiance or lack of humility. This will work unless they don't like you anyway and have been hoping for this oppotunity to "remove" you. I was unfortunately part of this. They are men but men with a unique mindset that favors a "crushed spirit." If your crime was serious doubts or apostacy your screwed as they are only going thru a formality to documet your "sin".
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My Memorial Experience-not so good
by wednesday inwell i just got back form the memorial, and well it was not all loving and warm like scobbysnax had.
two or three couples spoke to us, not one elder.
an elder came up to some people who had apparently just showed up for the first time, and they were all over them.
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peacefulpete
I know this is derailing the thread a bit but it is another piece of info to share. The thousand year piece in Rev. was pulled from prechristian Rabbinic writings. They asserted that a 1000 year long "age of the Messiah" would preceed the "kingdom of God".While there was many and varied ideas about what would occur during this 1000 years at least one school was that the prophets and faithful elite would preceed the "rest" of the dead who would not be raised until as REv says at the end of the 1000 years. Given that thse novel doctrines are not found in any other Cannonical Bible book it must be recognized that the Author of Rev. was not inspired he was simply adaping current Jewish thought with Gnosticism. The "second Death" is also a Rabbinic teaching from this prechristian period.