Posts by Saethydd

6

No screenshots of jw.org?

by charity7 in

hey guys!

saw this posted on social media and was wondering (super curious) what this was about?

i was reading the comments and many people were saying that we need to be obedient because the end is coming?

Saethydd

I'm not sure what they are referencing, but if it's real I would say it's probably a copyright measure meant to keep "apostates" from using the Watchtower's words against them.

10

Writing a "Thesis on Doubting the Watchtower"

by Saethydd in

i'm currently writing what i've decided to call a "thesis on doubting the watchtower," and was wondering if you guys could help me out a bit with the research.

my plan is to use it as a sort of personal reference.

if any of you could help me find the publications i'm looking for i would appreciate it.. as things stand i need:.

Saethydd

Hi,
Send me an email and I can help you with your #1 request.
You will find my email at:
http://www.jwstudies.com/contact_me.html
Two of the versions I have cite the dates of the elders' letters.
Doug

Okay, sent you an email.

I have and read copies of the transcripts from some of the court cases that were settled in USA, and some mention something like that, though they are court cases, so I guess that they did in fact speak up. Will that help?

Sure, can you send me a copy or a link to the copies? Also, do they have any sort of authentic seal so I can be fairly sure the transcripts weren't just made up?

315

Atheism = self defeating.

by towerwatchman in

atheism = self defeating.

first may we define our terms.

the word atheism comes literally from the greek, alpha the negative and theos [for god], therefore “negative god” or there is no god.

Theism is guilty of what you are accusing Atheism of doing. Theists tend to argue that God is necessary because intelligent life must have an innate purpose and/or creator. However, God, if he existed, would be an intelligent being which has no innate purpose and/or creator, rather, he is to have decided his own purpose after spending an eternity doing... something. Talking to himself perhaps.

How can you know that humans aren't simply the first intelligent beings in this chain of purpose? At least humans can be proven to exist with a relative degree of certainty.

18

Is time moving faster?

by Fisherman in

jw
friends

do you get the feeling that time is moving faster?

what do you think?.

Saethydd

As we get older each second, minute, hour, day, month, year, and decade becomes a smaller and smaller fraction of our entire experienced life, so yes, in a way, the speed of time relative to your personal perception is constantly getting faster.

10

Writing a "Thesis on Doubting the Watchtower"

by Saethydd in

i'm currently writing what i've decided to call a "thesis on doubting the watchtower," and was wondering if you guys could help me out a bit with the research.

my plan is to use it as a sort of personal reference.

if any of you could help me find the publications i'm looking for i would appreciate it.. as things stand i need:.

Saethydd

I'm currently writing what I've decided to call a "Thesis on Doubting the Watchtower," and was wondering if you guys could help me out a bit with the research. My plan is to use it as a sort of personal reference. If any of you could help me find the publications I'm looking for I would appreciate it.

As things stand I need:

1. PDF of "Shepherd the Flock of God" 2010 (And if anyone has the knowledge necessary to vouch for the authenticity of the PDF I'd appreciate that too.)

2. The Elder's letter that accompanied the above book.

3. I have heard many stories of child abuse cases in which the victim was discouraged from reporting the crime to the authorities, is anyone aware any previously written instruction to this effect?

~~4. An article in which Watchtower denounces another religion for its hierarchy.~~ (Found it, "g76 9/8 27 Are Clergy-Laity Distinctions Scriptural?")

5. An article in which they directly criticize another religion for mishandling child sex abuse cases.

All right, those are the only ones I have come to at the moment. A shall continue to post anything that I'm having trouble finding as my thesis progresses.

15

GETTING FIRED VS QUITTING

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

getting fired vs quitting_________________________my specialties in life are great and many, but none more fabulous than the talent i've possessed for getting fired and/or quitting a job.how many jobs and careers i blazed through would spin your head!

suffice it to say, more than you've time or patience to hear.. there is something in my psychology and verbal arsenal too prone toward candid criticism!

i find myself blurting out what i really think before even i can stop myself.i worked for an art gallery owner once who had everything going for him except good sense.

Saethydd

Fellow smart ass here, I found that to be a very entertaining read.

496

This is What I Would Need in Order to Believe

by cofty in

sometimes theists challenge atheists about what evidence would be required before they would believe.

various unlikely scenarios are offered in reply.

i have taken the bait myself in the past.. i think the correct answer is much more ordinary.

Saethydd

Miracles and personal paranormal experiences are sensory evidence.
But you can't have a " God in a vial" evidence. Like Scientism preaches.
This kind of thinking is against the very concept of God and against the very concept of "vial" (empirical) evidence.
It's simply senseless.

I never said I needed "God in a vial." I just need something that is not as erratic as supposed miracles. If a reliable God produces evidence, does it not make sense that evidence would be reliable? Miracles and all other supernatural events are not repeatable, therefore they are not reliable.

496

This is What I Would Need in Order to Believe

by cofty in

sometimes theists challenge atheists about what evidence would be required before they would believe.

various unlikely scenarios are offered in reply.

i have taken the bait myself in the past.. i think the correct answer is much more ordinary.

Saethydd

Physical world burden.

What is the purpose of a miracle if not to provide physical proof of divinity?

How do you know they're not reliable witnesses? What makes you cease your benefit of the doubt? This is very "jump of the cat", be very careful in this moment.

A reliable witness is one that leaves themselves open to cross-examination. A reliable expert is one with necessary training that produces repeatable results and then allows other experts to check and confirm their findings.

Do you really think these things are exactly the same Christian theology?

With regards to verifiable evidence, yes. Christian theology is older but logically that is the only difference I can see in the quality of evidence (metaphysical and physical) for both of these topics.

496

This is What I Would Need in Order to Believe

by cofty in

sometimes theists challenge atheists about what evidence would be required before they would believe.

various unlikely scenarios are offered in reply.

i have taken the bait myself in the past.. i think the correct answer is much more ordinary.

Saethydd

Also, perhaps I missed it, but I don't think you addressed my first point. Why would sensory evidence of God's existence, effect whether not worship is done in "spirit and truth?"

496

This is What I Would Need in Order to Believe

by cofty in

sometimes theists challenge atheists about what evidence would be required before they would believe.

various unlikely scenarios are offered in reply.

i have taken the bait myself in the past.. i think the correct answer is much more ordinary.

Saethydd

@ Saerhydd
Even though miracles take place in the physical world the nature of your consciousness is always metaphysical. And you still needs faith to accept reality. Doesn't matter if physical or metaphysical reality. You can't suspend reason and faith in the process of understanding the reality.

True, which means that our reason must be used to temper faith. Reason tells me that each of the "miracles" you brought up have several warning indicators that they are probably fabrications.

1. They happened a long time ago, or in a far-away land, thus removed from the scrutiny of the first world press. (In some cases both) Which means that they are left open to being wildly over-exaggerated. (Note: First world press coverage doesn't necessarily prevent this, but in my opinion, more coverage and thus more skeptical scrutiny helps reveal the truth.)

2. The photographic and video evidence is either unclear or non-existent.

3. First-hand accounts from reliable witnesses and experts are also non-existent.

I'm sure I could go on if applied more thought to this but I think my point is clear. If I accepted these miracles as true based on the provided evidence, then to remain consistent I would also have to accept Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Alien Abductions as true. Like miracles, however, I choose to simply view those events with skeptical disbelief until I find some evidence that the events in question couldn't easily be a fabrication or a false perception.