Posts by Xanthippe

129

Does consciousness end with the death of the body

apparently, the carvakas in anceint hinduism were materialists and skeptics, arguing that consciousness ends with the death of the body and that therefore we should take pleasure in this life while we possess it and practice compassion toward others.

they also argued that direct observation is the only certain way to know anything, and thus the existence of supernatural forces and realities cannot be established and must be rejected.

Xanthippe

Does consciousness end with the death of the body?

Can I just point out something obvious, how can we possibly know one way or the other?

34

Why is shunning wrong?

by noonehome in

consider an example i often hear.

youre sitting at a dinner table.

the topic of conversation is regarding your mother.

Xanthippe

Noonehome I'm finding your logic a bit shaky and I can't quite follow what you mean. The dedication thing, well I dedicated myself to a fake being at fifteen. You cannot be held to something by law that you agreed to as a minor in any civilized country as I understand it.

However I do agree with this

They keep saying you have to see the big picture. I keep wanting to say that WE ARE the big picture ...we’re only alive for a short period of time and are very lucky to be HERE, TOGETHER, on this TINY speck hurtling through a universe that by a massive margin is designed to kill all living things instantly. We're all alone in this together and it's such a shame to see the immense pettiness that keeps people who love each other very much, completely compartmentalized by their own ignorance.

Exactly, well put! It grieves me that we are born into a family and this is how we have survived and thrived for thousands of years and yet religions try to take that warm, safe place away from us. Goodness knows if the human race will survive doing stupid things like this. Sod the tiger, I wonder if we will become extinct from our own stupidity.

3

Reaching Out

by jim_bean in

jw
friends

hi all, i'll leave my full story for another time.

but briefly: i was born-in, raised by my single jw-mother, baptised at 18, faded less than 18 months later (never da'd.. or df'd to my knowledge!

), never gone back (though i looked over my shoulder for some time afterwards!

Xanthippe

Welcome Jim_Bean. Happy Thirtieth Birthday

28

I had a lovely weekend, how about everyone else??

by quellycatface in

jw
friends

there is life outside the organisation, which i have the pleasure to have experienced, since december.

i went to a lovely church wedding saturday, followed by a reception.

hic!!.

Xanthippe

Went to a 'pick your own' farm on Sunday, picked a punnet of rasberries and bought lovely veg in their farm shop. They have a cafe where you can have a cream tea and sit outside with the most beautiful view, which I did a couple of weeks ago when I picked strawberries. The jam they make from their own strawberries on a scone with cream is delicious.

3

My take of the convention

by mann377 in

jw
friends

just spent the last weekend listening to the program and fortunatly i'm not programable.

anyway i had to listen to two members of the gb.

it was very interesting to listen now with the aid of technology and the big screens.

Xanthippe

Yes I watched the youtube vid of Lett and I noticed he hardly ever blinks, a trick of people who think prolonged eye contact hides the fact they are lying. His staring eyes and raised eyebrows are rather scary.

17

Told my JW friend it's a cult

by Xanthippe in

so i said i would write about the 2014 convention program that you guys kindly posted here, to the jw friend who contacted me out of the blue after over 20 years since we d'ad.

sorry if you find this repetitive if you have already read my story.

this friend does not know anything about how my family shun me and i thought it is relevant in the light of the convention symposium talk about putting family in second place.

Xanthippe

Thanks, cultBgone, she did read it all yes. She does have a kind heart so there is hope. At least I am here for her if she ever decides to question it. Something has changed for her to contact me. We never know what will happen in the future especially as the light gets brighter crazier.

37

Snare & Racket's Graduation Picture

by cofty in

jw
friends

after years of hard work and study, former bethel boy snare & racket is now officially a medical doctor.. his story is an inspiration that there can be life after the watchtower.

he has given me permission to post his graduation picture.. .

Xanthippe

Snare are you the tall one in the middle with the pink hair? Only kidding, very well done mate! Betty Boothroyd, former speaker of the house of commons presided at my graduation. It was great to meet her. Hope life is treating you well. This country needs good doctors.

43

Please help me destroy the logic of October 2014 Conversation With a Neighbor.

by kneehighmiah in

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20141001/gods-kingdom-prophecy-1/.

this has got to be a joke.

anyone with half a brain would destroy the logical fallicies in this article.

Xanthippe

When did they change Dan 2:44? It used to say 'God will set up a kingdom.. and it itself will stand to time indefinite'. Now they've replaced it with forever. Time indefinite could apply to any government on earth. Twisting translation again.

Also the dream interpretation that to whomever God wants to give power to, he will, fits perfectly with taking a mad man of seven years and giving him power again. Why does that have to have a secondary fulfillment?

17

Told my JW friend it's a cult

by Xanthippe in

so i said i would write about the 2014 convention program that you guys kindly posted here, to the jw friend who contacted me out of the blue after over 20 years since we d'ad.

sorry if you find this repetitive if you have already read my story.

this friend does not know anything about how my family shun me and i thought it is relevant in the light of the convention symposium talk about putting family in second place.

Xanthippe

Thanks, Pistoff, at least she agrees with me that the shunners are doing something wrong even if I did get the old wait on Jehovah reply.

Interesting because I've not had any kind of conversation with an active JW for decades but it really does seem that many stay in for social reasons, she talks endlessly about all her friends.

Just can't get over that she doesn't think it's the GBs fault that people are shunning me in the first place! It's just those imperfect people misinterpreting the Watchtower again! Unbelievable!

Also I would be interested in what people who attended the convention made of that symposium on Friday, What Must be Kept in Second Place. How did they explain keeping eating, family relationships, health concerns and so on in second place? Was there a discussion on shunning in that talk?

17

Told my JW friend it's a cult

by Xanthippe in

so i said i would write about the 2014 convention program that you guys kindly posted here, to the jw friend who contacted me out of the blue after over 20 years since we d'ad.

sorry if you find this repetitive if you have already read my story.

this friend does not know anything about how my family shun me and i thought it is relevant in the light of the convention symposium talk about putting family in second place.

Xanthippe

Quick update. My friend replied to my letter. She made no mention of the convention talk. Did say she was still happy to be friends even though we had different beliefs and she respected my feelings.

Which I thought was nice until she seemed to reference the shunning and said she was sorry for what had happened to me which shouldn't have and that we will have to leave those individuals in God's hands. Those individuals, my family, are doing what the cult tells them to do. Seems to be saying they are doing it from choice! Nothing to do with their religion, and hers. Frustrated and as always when we come up against cult reasoning, it's depressing.