Posts by shepherdless

340

Calling Cofty and others regarding evolution

by dubstepped in

jw
friends

so i have started down the path of trying to understand evolution, and to get the linear lies that the jws planted in my head out of it.

i bought an audiobook called "evolution: what the fossils say and why it matters" by donald prothero.

i heard it recommended on an atheist podcast that i listened to.

shepherdless

responding to a question above:

are you saying the standard model is not tested beyond reasonable doubt, or are you saying it does not matter in physics if there is reasonable doubt about.a theory???

The standard model of particle physics has not been proven "beyond reasonable doubt". In fact, its inability to explain, for example, "dark matter" is a puzzle, not yet solved. It does matter in physics if there is a reasonable doubt about a theory. The thing about physics, (and the scientific method of discovery in general), is that you never assume to know anything with absolute 100% certainty. Dogma is not allowed.

neither of these things makes much sense to me
True or false: the standard model has been tested beyond reasonable doubt?

To repeat myself, the standard model has not been tested beyond reasonable doubt. The existence of the Higgs bosun has been proved to a level that I think any sensible person would consider beyond reasonable doubt. However, that does not necessarily prove the underlying theory that predicted its discovery. Can you see the difference?

On the other hand, the theory of evolution has i.m.o. been overwhelmingly proved, with overwhelming amounts of evidence from separate and unrelated fields of science.

Sorry to sidetrack the thread, by the way.

340

Calling Cofty and others regarding evolution

by dubstepped in

jw
friends

so i have started down the path of trying to understand evolution, and to get the linear lies that the jws planted in my head out of it.

i bought an audiobook called "evolution: what the fossils say and why it matters" by donald prothero.

i heard it recommended on an atheist podcast that i listened to.

shepherdless

Hothbanero, glad to hear you are not necessarily a "christian". That indicates you are open minded on the issues.

Yes hothbanero, a theory, known as the Standard Model of particle physics, derived around 50 years ago, predicted the discovery of quarks, the tau neutrino, and more recently the Higgs bosun. It is hard to overstate how important this is, in relation to our understanding of the universe. However, it was not the theory that had to be tested to a "beyond reasonable doubt" in each case. It was the results of the experiment. That is a very important distinction. In the case of the Higgs bosun, they had to get enough data to show that its detection couldn't be due to random chance, to (I am going from memory here) a 5 sigma standard deviation level, which is a small probability, well less that 1 in a million. (I could explain more precisely and in more detail, but I might get called a nerd again.)

The point is, it was not the theory being tested to beyond 1 in a million probability, it was the experiment.

Bringing that back to evolution, it is reasonable to ask whether some of the tests, experiments and data have been determined to a beyond doubt stage. Eg are we certain that DNA exists? How do we know carbon dating works? Are the fossils accurate reconstructions? Do jellyfish really have primitive eyes? etc. But that is not the same as proving an entire theory (the underlying explanation that appears to tie everything together) and every aspect of it, beyond doubt.

73

Tony "Tightpants" Morris Talks Of Tight Pants AGAIN!!

by pale.emperor in

again with the pants... tony, if you can't stop looking at young men in tight pants don't take it out on the rest of us.

https://www.facebook.com/john.cedars.5/posts/868329653345317.

shepherdless

Someone on reddit, who was present at the talk given by Tight Pants Tony the Turd, gave a summary. Here is a link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/7q9tb1/details_of_tight_pants_tonys_talk_on_his_visit_to/

It sounds like he spent a lot of time talking about his tight pants obsession. But he also reportedly said another little gem:

He then even mentioned us apostates for a minute! He said he hates when apostates refer to the borg as a cult. Why? According to him, no one here was forcibly dragged into the hall and tied to chains to listen. 'Thats a cult' in his words.

So he clearly aware of what sites such as this are saying about the borg. Good. I hope he does a world tour, telling the rank and file, noooo, we are not a cult.

340

Calling Cofty and others regarding evolution

by dubstepped in

jw
friends

so i have started down the path of trying to understand evolution, and to get the linear lies that the jws planted in my head out of it.

i bought an audiobook called "evolution: what the fossils say and why it matters" by donald prothero.

i heard it recommended on an atheist podcast that i listened to.

shepherdless

I note that in hothabanero's second last post, he now wants all aspects of evolution to be proven "beyond all reasonable doubt". I wonder if he can prove the talking snake story "beyond all reasonable doubt"? That would be the fair comparison.

340

Calling Cofty and others regarding evolution

by dubstepped in

jw
friends

so i have started down the path of trying to understand evolution, and to get the linear lies that the jws planted in my head out of it.

i bought an audiobook called "evolution: what the fossils say and why it matters" by donald prothero.

i heard it recommended on an atheist podcast that i listened to.

shepherdless

Well done dubstepped. When a critic accused him of being inconsistent, John Maynard Keynes reportedly said:

When my information changes, I alter my conclusions. What do you do, sir?

So many people seem incapable of doing that. It is an important life skill.

49

My 71st Birthday Confessional

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

i was born january 15, 1947in mt.

carmel hospital, detroit, michigan.. within six months of my birth, my mother would bundle her baby boy into a blanket and board an american airlines propeller-driven plane--in effect, leaving my father behind--to return to her hometown, ft. worth, texas.. my dad had an excellent job working for cadillac as an inspector.

it was a union job.

shepherdless

All the best for your birthday, Terry.

14

Cart Witnesses vs Faith Healing Church

by pale.emperor in

today in liverpool the cart witnesses were in their usual speck in bold street holding out their wafer thin rags and books that they literally can't even give away.

but today the city centre was flooded with some sort of black church handing out their leaflets and little invitations to a "special event" this sunday.

i took a leaflet off them as they handed it to me and they were very smiley and cheerful.

shepherdless

Sounds tragic on many levels. Or perhaps comedic. Not sure which.

4

Expediente Padron v. Watchtower Bible y Tract Society of New York, Inc. Número de caso D070723

by Blade R in

hello everyone,.

excuse me but i do not speak english, my language is spanish, but i wanted to share this note that you received about the padrón case so that someone can summarize its content.. thankful in advance.. greetings.. http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=41&doc_id=2150357&doc_no=d070723&request_token=ociwlsikxkw%2bwybnscjdve5iufa6ukxbjcjewzhttdtncg%3d%3d.

shepherdless

There must be someone else who is in a better position to explain, but the following is what I think it means, putting it in context.

The case itself is ongoing, and still has not reached trial. The contempt order that the Borg pay $4000 per day was an interlocutory order, relating to the pre-trial releasing of the borg’s internal documents to the plaintiff for inspection. The Borg refused to provide a document or documents unredacted, and so the court issued an order that the Borg $4000 per day, until the document is provided.

As everyone knows, the Borg appealed and lost. The $4000 per day stands. Perhaps there is an argument that the fine is suspended for the period of the appeal; I don’t know. In any event, it is a big fine.

Now that the matter has been returned to the trial court, the pre-trial steps will continue. In parallel with that, the plaintiff can seek to enforce the $4000/day order. The plaintiff would not have to wait until the conclusion of the case to do that. The plaintiff can enforce, as of today.

The process of enforcement varies from place to place. I have no idea what the process is in California, but most places, when it gets to this stage, it is fairly quick, and can lead to a physical seizure of assets, a winding up, or the appointment of an external administrator, if the amount is still not paid.

So basically, the Borg has to pay the fine, and the case rolls on. I would expect the Borg will just pay a very large amount of money to confidentially settle the case, now.

52

Oprah For President!

by minimus in

jw
friends

i hope hollywood helps make her the democratic nominee.

she sounds like she’s testing out the waters.

good luck ms. winfrey.

shepherdless

I have nothing against Oprah.

But seriously????

The Cult of Celebrity.

Spot on.

14

Did electrical energy evolve or was it created?

by atomant in

lt appears this topic has not been debated.energy has to come from something it doesn't come from nothing..

shepherdless

I suppose I will bite.

Did electrical energy evolve or was it created?

It is formed as the result of numerous man-made and natural processes.

Energy has to come from something it doesn’t come from nothing.

Classical physics held that energy is never created nor destroyed; merely transformed from one form to another. This was known as the principle of conservation of energy. We have known for over 100 years that this is not universally true, but is true for most practical purposes.