i posted this on another thread, and decided it deserves its own...thoughts?.
an unfortunate artifact of evolution is that belief can, and often does trump fact.
survival is at the core of what belief is about.
So those that are self actualized, and have the ability to accept fact have reached the pinnacle of Maslow's hierarchy. Certainly those that post here have no trouble accepting the facts with regards to their former belief system, demonstrating a higher level of moral, ethical and intelligent thought and being.
So my acceptance of facts leads me to this question. Why is there are need to convince the stupid that they are wrong?
i was always fascinated by it.
as a kid, i used to go to the local library and secretly read books by so called apostates.
later, i would sneak into christian book stores and quickly buy a book or two.
with the ending of large scale catering at all bethels what has happened to the farms?.
i may have missed this but cannot find any reference to them.
or are they producing delicacies for the private kitchens serving the elite?.
I remember visiting Wallkill maybe 10 years ago. My son and I had a good chuckle because everywhere in the factory was stenciled "WTF"
i was always fascinated by it.
as a kid, i used to go to the local library and secretly read books by so called apostates.
later, i would sneak into christian book stores and quickly buy a book or two.
I remember about 1998? There was a site from Canada that struck a cord with me because I always hated the idea of billions of people killed to prove a "point." It was like striking up a new friendship with someone you've known your entire life. It was addictive. I remember returning to the site and re-reading the same essays over and over again.
It was a confirmation that I was not wrong somehow. I remember I discovered it by surfing AOL, can you believe that? I've since tried to find the site again but cannot. I think that I read somewhere that the host passed on?
Anyone recall visiting that site also?
there was a recent thread on the "quality" of converts to jws in recent years.
it wasn't a pretty picture, based on the thread contents.. well, the lack of depth isn't restricted to new converts.. in our clam this week, one of the principal points for review was this:.
ne 1:1; 2:1—why can we conclude that “the 20thyear” mentioned at nehemiah 1:1 and 2:1 is countedfrom the same starting point?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay5of0nxm44.
although tomo's human hotdogs was as low as an alleged human could verbally go, tomo's fear-mongering was not an official video.. i'm wagering that the feb 2016 video will be pulled or adjusted.. what do you think, trash?.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m68pcx7ztac.
I kind of feel sorry for Ken Flodin. This is what a life spent in an institution does. There is no feeling or emotion that exists except that which is approved by the group.
If he could actually stand aside and look at himself I think even he would be ashamed.
As an aside, why all the "Return to Jehovah" brochures if we've already been thrown away like garbage?
on a previous post mamacita29 pointed up the low quality of new jw converts.. is the quality falling even more as the society use lower than low meeting, talks, broadcasts etc.. when i was active initially the organisation and standards seemed totally different today.
i have seen hard working intelligent elders fall by death or exhaustion.
the younger generation that came along never really grasped responsibility hence shortage of good elders, never mind the watered down to almost nothing quality of meetings.
As for "simplifying" teachings because third worlders can't understand english?
Name another institution that dumbs itself down to accommodate the simple minded.
i'm watching the jw movie the prodigal son returns.. it is a masterpiece of indoctination and what i would call a "cult" classic.. it's about two brothers who work for their father's construction firm.
the older one is the most spiritual and the younger one isn't.
he befriends al, a weak brother, who persuades him to take a job in the city and move there.. it shows the "world" in the worst possible light.
Son gets real job. Gasp!
Son parties and has a hangover. Gasp! Gasp!
Son has a relationship with a girl. Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!
Son breakups up with girl and looks at porn! Unheard of!
His life really goes to pieces when he moves back in with mom and dad and becomes a brain dead cult follower.
