Charles Gillette

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Posts by Charles Gillette

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  51

  Without god what is the basis of morality?

  by OneEyedJoe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm sure most here who've questioned or left behind their belief in god have encountered this question - without god, what basis can there be for morality?

  my exwife, when i admitted that i was an atheist, once asked me "if you don't believe in god, what's to stop you from going out and raping and murdering?

  " previously, whenever i got this objection, i would tend to turn it around on the other person with a response along the lines of "if fear of god is the only thing that stops you from murdering, that makes me rather nervous to be around you.

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  Charles Gillette

  Elvis sang a song,"Don't Be Cruel" to a heart that's true. In my heart of hearts figuratively speaking,I will not harm another sentient being. I don't need a God or a law book to tell me not to or else. There is no punishment or reward for my actions. It is just right that I don't want to be treated cruel by others and so I won't treat them cruel either.

  However,I'm not talking about someone who does harm to me or my family or yours. Then it is up to whatever laws there are thoughout society to measure out just punishment.

  So, the basis for morality I think, lies within each and every one of us.And lies the rub,because we have different feelings on what is morality when it comes to us personally and what we experience in our treatment from others.

  In closing I would say to whomever wrote those words Don't be cruel,thank you. Blueblades
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  10

  Guidelines For Proper Uses For Sold Kingdom Halls

  by Charles Gillette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how does the watchtower dispose of kingdom halls no longer usable because of poor attendance and or merging with another kingdom hall.the rank and file contributed lots of money to keep it active.. then they tell us their not using it anymore.where does the money for that hall go.

  and what they do with the money they get for the sale of that property.

  they certainly don't give the rank and file anything.. and what use will the new owners use it for.

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  Charles Gillette

  The money goes into the world wide work fund and then is used to settle multi million dollar cases for their child abuse issues. Blueblades
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  26

  Youth and Spiritual Goals in this week's WT study (Are you F-ing kidding me?)

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i regret following the wrong goals when i was a young person.

  such as?such as spending a hundred hours a month of my precious youth rapping my unwrinkled knuckles on doors and waving soon-to-be-obsolete religious messages in front of aghast householders.such as spending my 20th, 21st, and part of my 22nd years in prison imagining anything useful was happening or that i was pleasing the big guy in the sky.such as taking a crappy job as a janitor and trying to support my family on beans and rice while i peddled cult materials, arguing with people who were better educated about fantasy scenarios i was brainwashed into parroting.such as making excuses for my depressing existence for my empty feeling of constant depression by consoling myself that soon billions of people would be annihilated--except for me and those i was able to convince to waste their time too.thanks, watchtower for twenty years of dry rot for my brain, a jehovah sized hole in my heart, and a great big "thank you" in the form of shunning from all my wonderful spiritual brothers and sisters for all my efforts.sure am i glad i didn't "waste" my youth on education, career, lifelong friends, and (gasp) fun!i was 12 years old when i was introduced to the watchtower and the kingdom hall.23 years later, i walked out a free man.the emotional damage took decades to reconcile.i'm 71 and i'd be thrilled to have those 23 years back!the watchtower is one of the most insidious time-devouring organizations on our planet.thanks for nothing!____________________the above is in answer to:.

  this week's wt-study:.

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  Charles Gillette

  Terry, 1969 24 years old, knock on the door. 2002,57 years old, shut the door. 33 years a watchtower slave! I'm 73 now, still working full time. 50 years married,two sons and three grandsons. I hear you loud and clear!

  Blueblades
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  10

  Guidelines For Proper Uses For Sold Kingdom Halls

  by Charles Gillette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how does the watchtower dispose of kingdom halls no longer usable because of poor attendance and or merging with another kingdom hall.the rank and file contributed lots of money to keep it active.. then they tell us their not using it anymore.where does the money for that hall go.

  and what they do with the money they get for the sale of that property.

  they certainly don't give the rank and file anything.. and what use will the new owners use it for.

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  Charles Gillette

  How does the Watchtower dispose of Kingdom Halls no longer usable because of poor attendance and or merging with another Kingdom Hall.The rank and file contributed lots of money to keep it active.

  Then they tell us their not using it anymore.Where does the money for that hall go. And what they do with the money they get for the sale of that property. They certainly don't give the rank and file anything.

  And what use will the new owners use it for. Maybe a Disco,Gym, or some other unseemly use.

  I ask this because I just read about how the Vatican is drafting guidelines on proper uses for unneeded sold churches in an increasingly secularized society.

  Blueblades
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  22

  Everything Happens For A Reason

  by Charles Gillette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does everything happen for a reason?

  i hear this from so many people without any explanation as how this is so.

  what do you think about this belief?

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  Charles Gillette

  Hot J you are spot on.
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  56

  Do You Ever Wish That Hillary Was President?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hillary is very supportive of doing whatever it takes to undermine trump.

  would you be happy if she were your president?.

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  Charles Gillette

  Nobody wants to talk about that open mic when Obama pledged to help Putin before his 2nd term. Any takers. Blueblades
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  22

  Everything Happens For A Reason

  by Charles Gillette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does everything happen for a reason?

  i hear this from so many people without any explanation as how this is so.

  what do you think about this belief?

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  Charles Gillette

  So then, the earthquakes in Haiti and the tsunami that took millions of lives..happened for a reason what reason can we give for the Holocaust. Ask those individuals not to worry it all happened to you for a reason. I just cannot accept this. Blueblades
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  56

  Do You Ever Wish That Hillary Was President?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hillary is very supportive of doing whatever it takes to undermine trump.

  would you be happy if she were your president?.

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  Charles Gillette

  Hillary would of been OBAMAS third term. His legacy was in her hands. Can you read between the lines. Remember when Obama told Putin "When I get re-elected for a second term I will be better able to help you."He did not say "IF" he said when I get re-elected. Is that not collusion with Russia? He did not know that there was a open mic. If Trump said that the media would of played it back 24/7. However they are quiet and have buried that tape.
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  22

  Everything Happens For A Reason

  by Charles Gillette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does everything happen for a reason?

  i hear this from so many people without any explanation as how this is so.

  what do you think about this belief?

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  Charles Gillette

  Does everything happen for a reason? I hear this from so many people without any explanation as how this is so. What do you think about this belief? I will share an explanation and I would like you to express what you think about it. When bad things happen,for example,accidents,disease,famine,poverty etc. If everything happens for a reason,then some agent must have wanted them to happen.If a person can be fingered for the misfortune,he can be punished or squeezed for damages.If no individual can be singled out,one might blame the nearest ethnic or religious minority,who can be lynched or massacred in a pogrom. If no mortal can plausibly be indicted,one might cast about for witches,who may be burned or drowned. Failing that,one points to sadistic gods,who cannot be punished but can be placated with prayers and sacrifices.And then there are disembodied forces like Karma,fate,spiritual messages,cosmic justice,and other guarantors of the intuition that "everything happens for a reason." Could it be instead that misfortunes may be no ones fault. To which of the above do you ascribe to and why? I myself don'believe that everything happens for a reason,it just is what it is and humans or animals or nature can be the cause of so much suffering and unforeseen things. Yes someone or thing can be at fault. I give credit to Steven Pinker and his new book...Enlightenment Now..The case for Reason,Science,Humanism,and Progress. Everything happens for a reason has always bothered me because i could not give a person who says this to me a clear answer. Thanks to Steven Pinker I can give them something to think about.

  By an old time member Blueblades since 2002
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  14

  Death

  by Charles Gillette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i often wonder about death.

  no one has any idea, do they?

  people have speculated since the beginning of time but each original concept of the hereafter as been absurd as the one before.

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  Charles Gillette

  I often wonder about Death. What is it really? No one has any idea, do they? People have speculated since the beginning of time but each original concept of the hereafter as been absurd as the one before. How did Hamlet put it before his own demise? Didn't he describe death as "an undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns?" Is that what we fear, the unknown quantity of the Great Beyond? Is it a glorious heaven, a destructive hell, a great black nothingness, or all the above? Is there a Grim Reaper? I have been a watchtower slave for 33 years. Frm 1969 through 2002. I faded and moved away from the Watchtower in Brooklyn. I joined this site 16 years ago as Blueblades in 2002. We have had many discussions on this topic. However since new ones have joined us, I wonder what contributions they can bring on this very painful topic on Death. I am now 73 years old and don't have much time left above ground. I have come to accept that once your physical body stops functioning, thats it. I have read read many books on this subject and you can decide for yourself, really is there life after death? I have no fear of something I have no knowledge of. Science has estimated that about 180 Billion humans have come and gone on this planet and no one has come back on earth and explained about the hereafter. Of course one can point to most Holy BOOKS and be satisfied and have faith in what the writers have written. I for one cannot. Blueblades. How about you?