Posts by pale.emperor

7

Born Again church and healing Peter's feet

by punkofnice in

when i left the jobos i went to different churches, depending on where i lived at the time.

i still believed in god and jesus at the time.. i was beginning to feel that there was actually no god but continued with the delusion as it comforted me.. the church i went to had some that claimed they could speak in tongues.

i suspected this was just an attention seeking device and that they were just spouting gibberish to appear special.. i went to a church morning breakfast.

pale.emperor

PS. Paley, what is your avatar, I can't quite make it out. Looks like a little scorpion on a book?

It's Lucifer being cast out of heaven from Milton's Paraside Lost.

20

It's been a GREAT week for me!

by dubstepped in

so as some of you know i have a podcast called this jw life.

i put my story out there in 9 parts, and i've had lots of great experiences so far and met lots of nice people and i've made new internet friends, even some in person.

this last seven days though has been soooooo cool!.

pale.emperor

Great news dubstepped!

I remember i started listening to This JW Life when i was in Amsterdam in my hotel room at night. I ended up staying awake until about 2am listening to more and more.

You're doing good and meaningful work that's helping others escape. Proud of ya!

7

Born Again church and healing Peter's feet

by punkofnice in

when i left the jobos i went to different churches, depending on where i lived at the time.

i still believed in god and jesus at the time.. i was beginning to feel that there was actually no god but continued with the delusion as it comforted me.. the church i went to had some that claimed they could speak in tongues.

i suspected this was just an attention seeking device and that they were just spouting gibberish to appear special.. i went to a church morning breakfast.

pale.emperor

Fortunately it was just his feet that were ailing. It's very common for people to forgo medical treatment for serious illnesses like epilepsy, diabetes and even tumors thinking Jesus will cure them.

This went on until one of the women said, 'I can't understand why it's not working.'

Oh dear.

13

Pale.Emperor Meets A Born Again Christian

by pale.emperor in

of all the religions out there one religion that's always filled me with exasperation was the born again christian belief system.

to make matters worse, the street preachers i see and hear here in liverpool always tend to be crack pot, loud mouths, attention seeking and just plain annoying.. this idea that "im going to heaven, you're going to hell" is enough to make me not want to worship their god even if he did exist.

but today i met two.

pale.emperor

The ones who shout about Jesus and hell seem to just love being confronted. They shout back at them via a microphone and i do wonder if they're being that way on purpose.

I also hate that they tend to play bible readings by Alexander Scourby or hymns through a 1990s ghetto blaster at high volume. If you want to convince me of anything you need to calmly and rationally talk through your reasoning point by point. Noise and showy displays are just pointless.

13

Pale.Emperor Meets A Born Again Christian

by pale.emperor in

of all the religions out there one religion that's always filled me with exasperation was the born again christian belief system.

to make matters worse, the street preachers i see and hear here in liverpool always tend to be crack pot, loud mouths, attention seeking and just plain annoying.. this idea that "im going to heaven, you're going to hell" is enough to make me not want to worship their god even if he did exist.

but today i met two.

pale.emperor

He was approached by members of the public on at least 3 occasions during my chat. Each one got shouted at down a mic about hell or Jesus loves you (I don't think he saw the contradiction).

Such an attitude is REALLY gonna make me want to find Christ isn't it?

13

Pale.Emperor Meets A Born Again Christian

by pale.emperor in

of all the religions out there one religion that's always filled me with exasperation was the born again christian belief system.

to make matters worse, the street preachers i see and hear here in liverpool always tend to be crack pot, loud mouths, attention seeking and just plain annoying.. this idea that "im going to heaven, you're going to hell" is enough to make me not want to worship their god even if he did exist.

but today i met two.

pale.emperor

Of all the religions out there one religion that's always filled me with exasperation was the Born Again Christian belief system. To make matters worse, the street preachers i see and hear here in Liverpool always tend to be crack pot, loud mouths, attention seeking and just plain annoying.

This idea that "im going to heaven, you're going to hell" is enough to make me not want to worship their God even if he did exist. But today i met two. One i instantly disliked and the other was actually a really nice man.

Picture the scene. First man is standing outside a closed up BHS store in town. He's carrying a giant wooden cross, wearing sweatpants, a coat thats 2 sizes to big for him and he's shouting down a microphone the following:

"You gays! Stop being gay and come to Christ! You're going to burn in hell!! You there... stop kissing your boyfriend until you're married!! Hey, you! Stop smoking!! Trust in Jesus!"

Then bursts into song: "If you're happy and you know it trust in Christ..." etc etc.

One man approaches and says something to him. The man on the mic shouts down the mic "I can say what i want! The Muslims are allowed to preach! The Gays are allowed to preach! The atheists are allowed to preach! Last time i checked this was a free country, it's called democracy!"

Then goes back to "hey you! You dont look like a monkey, we didn't come from monkeys!" (There you go Cofty, that's you told mate).

So, for someone who really has little time for religion anyway, and especially the one that worships a genocidal maniac, you can see why this guy was p^ssing me off.

Then i was approached by another guy. He handed me a little tract.

Me: No thanks. I think i know what it says. Is he with you?

Him: Yes. I dont agree with his preaching style but we have to let people preach the way they feel the holy spirit compels them.

Me: Do you think Jesus went around like that? If anything it's giving a negative witness. Jesus, if he existed, did things with decorum and love. He didn't shout at people in the street.

Him: I know. But Jesus met all sorts of people" (i dont know how that was a decent answer but i let it go).

I invited him to sit down next to me. I explained that im an atheist and Born Agains in particular really annoy me. Not so much for the message they have but for people like this (and i pointed to the loudmouth who was still going at it).

He then bore his testimony about how Jesus has changed his life and we got into a discussion about morality. I said i have my own morals and we dont need a God or a book to tell us what's moral. He asked me

Him: Do you think it's right that people have sex with animals?

Me: No, i dont think it's right. But it does happen. Some people out there actually have attraction to animals and go with it. Now, if you'd have asked me this 800 years ago in India or in Ancient Greece you'd likely get a different answer.

Him: Ok. Well do you think it's ever right for adults to go with children?

Me: No!

Him: So you see. How do you know whats moral?

Me: You mean me as an atheist or humans in general?

Him: All of us. There are things you "just know" are wrong isnt there? That was put in there by God. We were made in his image.

Me: Yes... but again, we dont need God to tell us that harming someone else is wrong. And there could be an evolutionary reason for those thought processes.

Him: Think about it. Without Jesus your life has no meaning. What keeps you from just killing yourself?

Me: (Annoyed at this question) See, i hear this all the time, thats a horrible way to look at life. I dont beleive there is one single meaning to life. We give our lives meaning. Mine, personally, is my child. And to enjoy life and to pass something better onto the next generation.

Him: But then you die.

Me: Yes

Him: And then what?

Me: And then im dead.

Him: See, when i accepted Jesus i know that i'll be taken up to my Father in heaven. That's why were here. That's why you're here. To be with Jesus in heaven and then you'll know true love.

Me: And if we dont he'll burn us for all eternity.

Him: Because he's a just God

Me: That's not justice.

Him: We cant always understand perfect justice. But a righteous God cant allow sin to go unpunished.

Me: Punishment is there to reform someone and to make them learn not to repeat an infraction. If you torture someone for all eternity they dont have a chance to be reformed. Even when they know they were wrong, and they'd be sorry now that they 100% know that hell exists they have to stay there?

Him: But we have a chance now to repent and avoid that.

Me: This God of yours doesnt sound like a very good Father.

At this point i didnt want to upset him because i do actually think people find comfort in their beliefs and if it's keeping them sane and happy then i just let them carry on with their delusion as long as it's not hurting anyone else.

We had a nice little chat and he was surprised at how well i actually knew the bible and could recite the scriptures back to him as he was saying them to me from memory.

Im still an atheist. Still happy. But im glad that there is at least 1 Born Again preacher in town that isnt shouting at me telling me im going to burn in hell.

15

I wonder if their are any parents of theses children on here now .May 22 1994

by smiddy3 in

i know it could be a sensitive subject however we were all once firm believers and could have very well let one of our loved ones die due to what we once believed.. and not to be judgemental on what we would have done or did do in the past ,i sometime wonder if any of the parents or even one parent of the children of the may 22nd 1994 magazine of "youths who put god first " have now regretted their decision to let their children make this decision on their own.. after all these years i find it hard to believe that not one of them have no regrets to what happened to their child.. i can also accept that it would be extremely hard to admit that you allowed your child to make a decision to die on a belief you instilled in them that you no longer now believe in.

i think that would be very hard to live with and come to terms with.. if any of you are here my heart goes out to you because you have gone through hell and my thoughts/vibes are with you..

pale.emperor

During the last 5 years of my JW life i never agreed with children carrying blood cards. I mean, unless they're baptized they're not even Jehovah's Witnesses so why be under the same rule?

25

How Would You Console A Witness Who Has Lost A Loved One?

by minimus in

jw
friends

let’s say that you haven’t been around a kingdom hall in years and everyone knows you are not a “true believer “ anymore.

yet a tragedy strikes and you want to give a real heartfelt expression of your feelings— what would you say?

would you acknowledge the resurrection hope that the witnesses entertain or say something very different?.

pale.emperor

I wouldn't mention the resurrection. If they do i'd say something along the lines of "yes, that's a comforting thought".

Personally i'd let them know im there for them and highlight some good qualities of the deceased.

21

quick question: When a governing body member dies, what happens to their spouse?

by Deltawave in

what happens to the wife after their gb husband dies..

pale.emperor

and Penny Pierce?

pale.emperor seems to be the one who likes to upload the pics on this thread - so let's see if he is able to get a post-2014 Penny Pierce or a post-2006 Marina Sydlik picture to upload......

Darkspilver, ask and you shall receive! I'll get hunting.

Here's one of Melita Jaracz in 2015 though. She looks good and healthy here.

15

I wonder if their are any parents of theses children on here now .May 22 1994

by smiddy3 in

i know it could be a sensitive subject however we were all once firm believers and could have very well let one of our loved ones die due to what we once believed.. and not to be judgemental on what we would have done or did do in the past ,i sometime wonder if any of the parents or even one parent of the children of the may 22nd 1994 magazine of "youths who put god first " have now regretted their decision to let their children make this decision on their own.. after all these years i find it hard to believe that not one of them have no regrets to what happened to their child.. i can also accept that it would be extremely hard to admit that you allowed your child to make a decision to die on a belief you instilled in them that you no longer now believe in.

i think that would be very hard to live with and come to terms with.. if any of you are here my heart goes out to you because you have gone through hell and my thoughts/vibes are with you..

pale.emperor

I think this could be a major reason such parents would stay in. To leave and accept the fact that you'd let a child die because you were following the interpretation of scripture of a bumbling idiot in New York who you've never even met would drive one to major depression or even worse.

One Jonestown survivor reckoned that Jim Jones ordered the children to drink the cool aid first because after you've seen your child die in your arms what are you gonna want to do even if you dont believe it?