philo

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Posts by philo

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  52

  god is dead

  by teejay in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my inactive sister who is very much a jw at heart recently discovered (i told her) that i was a budding agnostic.

  she was quite intrigued and wondered why.

  coming to an agnostic viewpoint has been a long journey.

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  philo

  Thanks, Jan, for that quotation from Nietsche. I would love him if he weren't such a dangerous writer to love.

  : Whither are we moving now? Away from all suns? Are we not perpetually falling? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there any up or down left? Are we not straying as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder?

  This is how I feel as I read him, physically, weightlessly tumbling. It's ghastly. Every so often I hear myself saying - Jesus Christ - to pause for breath: I'm quite sure he intended this effect.

  Teejay,

  As I read Equiano I often thought of Voltaire's Candide which he probably had read.

  philo
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  41

  Kierkegaard on Abraham and Isaac: Blood

  by dunsscot in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to whom it may concern,.

  the witnesses are often condemned for refusing blood transfusions and "permitting" their children to die.

  such a religious position is untenable, opponents of jws will argue.

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  philo

  That was quite a tickler wasn't it?

  I (what's the word?) RELISHED that bit of SK.

  Philo
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  36

  homophobia is a mis-nomer

  by sawthelight in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  since phobia means "afraid of", i think the term homophobia should be clarified.

  to most people i would be considered homophobic, howeve, i'm not afraid of homos, i just don't like them.

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  philo

  My feeling toward homosexuals has changed from polite hatred to full acceptance. At the age of 9, at our boarding school, I had a momentary realisation that I loved a pretty blond boy of my own age called Travers. He looked a lot like me, so maybe these were more my first feelings of self-love than a homosexual love. I quickly snuffed out these feelings, and this could have been the beginnings of my childish, homo-hatred. Perhaps it was not until I started to leave the WT religion that I regained a measure of self-love, and possibly this coincided with my homo-acceptance.

  What I AM sure about, is that anybody who calls down evil on Southampton football club has reserved for themselves a special place in hell, and that they will be required to form an orderly queue in front of a small, waist-high guillotine. I mourn for their spare parts.

  Hope this may help someone.

  philo
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  52

  god is dead

  by teejay in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my inactive sister who is very much a jw at heart recently discovered (i told her) that i was a budding agnostic.

  she was quite intrigued and wondered why.

  coming to an agnostic viewpoint has been a long journey.

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  philo

  Teejay,

  I thought you were gonna say Nietsche pushed down the pillars for you.

  Equiano is a fascinating historical character. Especially the way he wrote his accounts so apparently effortlessly in the manner of classical/romanticism. As he writes of his early childhood in Africa, he is clear that that place is another world, but further, he might also be describing another person entirely.

  I thought I might mention that Equiano didn't claim to have thrown himself into the water, he merely said that he wanted to do so, and given the chance.... He was receiving a beating at the time, tied down on deck.

  Not to minimise his treatment at all, but its interesting how acute seasickness also brings on this same feeling, though probably never the action.

  Thanks for reminding me of some enjoyable reading!

  philo
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  10

  RE: Busted by Wife (thanks to all for your help)

  by Big Jim in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i really do appreciate all the advice that i received from you all on this matter.. i even appreciate the ones who gave critical advice and downed smoking.. i took all advice that was given and have resolved the problem with your help.. here is where i am at with the issue now; i have been with my wife for almost twenty years now and we have always had a very strong and good relationship especially when it comes to communication.

  well to her i betrayed that special bond by not telling her i was smoking.

  so in her mind she figured if i would hide this from her what else could or would i hide from her.. so after digesting all the good advice that i have received from you all, i had a long heart to heart talk with her and reasured her that even though i am no longer a witness that i would never do anything to destroy the family that i love.

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  philo

  Its good to read a happy ending/continuation here. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like your wife is a great gal.

  philo
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  23

  Mainstreaming and the Greatest Mystery

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what is the future of the watchtower society?.

  this subject is the greatest mystery of my life.

  been in the borg since infancy - my parents and.

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  philo

  Metatron, I've enjoyed reading all your posts on Mainstreaming very much. After having read your obseravtions, I would like to see a tower defender try to represent it as gradual enlightenment or progress!

  Thank you.

  Philo
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  11

  I'm new here - sort of.....

  by individuals wife in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i understand you've met my other half - now it's my turn!

  i feel as though i've known some of you for ages as we've been regular visitors to the board for a long, long time so it's nice to be able to dive in at long last and make contact!

  life is good - the disassociation letters went out last november and things are unbelievably quiet, no phone calls, no visits and best of all - nobody rushing up to me in the street begging me to come back.

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  philo

  Best of luck to you Mrs I. Looking forward to getting to know you.

  philo
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  28

  Are You 'Unevenly' Yoked?

  by AGuest in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  may you all have peace!.

  in the minds of many bible scholars (the wtbts 'scholars' as well), the term 'belial' means 'without benefit' or 'good for nothing'.

  that is incorrect, however.

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  philo

  Aguest,

  Thanks for the explanation, sweetie. And for the peace to time indefinite, although I'll probably have to wait for my next cigarette for that.

  philo

  "It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause." [David Hume]
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  57

  Mormons phoned for the last time - I hope

  by philo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i had a follow up phone call from the mormons today wanting to arrange for house visit no.

  2. the first visit had been a game where i asked questions and they wriggled about a bit so as not to address them -- it brought back dub memories, i'm telling you.. it went like this.... who will survive the world's judgement day?

  only mormons and exceptional individuals.. how about me?

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  philo

  Hi tattoogrl333

  WOW are there really 333 tattoogirls on this site? That would be cool.

  Trampolins indeed. LOL

  philo

  "It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause." [David Hume]
• 
  57

  Mormons phoned for the last time - I hope

  by philo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i had a follow up phone call from the mormons today wanting to arrange for house visit no.

  2. the first visit had been a game where i asked questions and they wriggled about a bit so as not to address them -- it brought back dub memories, i'm telling you.. it went like this.... who will survive the world's judgement day?

  only mormons and exceptional individuals.. how about me?

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  philo

  nytelecom1

  : now we are complaining that the dubs are saying this too?.

  Who is complaining about that? Not me.

  : i think we all need to make up our minds.

  If you are saying that I should be consistent: that's fine, except where have I been inconsistent? Otherwise you are saying 'WE' should all speak and think in agreement. That's asking a bit much, don't you think? Too many of 'us' have left the Watchtower religion to escape such controls on thought and speech.

  : something that the dubs teach that the mormons teach also...there is a power greater than mortal man...

  Surely you have to admit this is a huge stretch. To say that because there are similarities between Mormonism and Watchtowerism there is a God. Ummm.

  How about similarities between David Koresh's Branch Davidians and Brooklyn's mo: would that also prove there is 'a power greater than mortal man'? Pleeez.

  Philo

  "It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause." [David Hume]