Posts by Xanthippe

14

Is that a brother praying what do you think?

by slimboyfat in

at the risk of revealing how i waste my time on youtube, is that a brother praying after about 45 seconds into this video?

what on earth is he doing?

http://youtu.be/8xeh863xzmg.

Xanthippe

Very revealing - how you spend your time SBF 😀

Having said that I'm on this forum again when I'm supposed to be reading a modern classic my student daughter recommended to me, so I can hardly talk.

42

No more pain sorrow or crying in new system!!!!!!!

by atomant in

"and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.

for the old world and its evils are gone forever.

" rev.

Hello lanalonger. When you say you will learn to cope with losing impermanent things when you're in paradise I just wondered if you include the people here on this forum and your nonJW relatives, neighbours, and colleagues in that?

You can only suffer by continuing to tell yourself a ‘story’ about how a certain thing should not have happened, how terrible it is, how you’ll never get over it, etc.
No negative mind chatter, no suffering.
I think the saying that encompasses it goes like this, ‘pain is inevitable, misery is optional.'

So we’ll experience the gamut of human feelings, but we’ll have learned to reframe them in emotionally healthy ways, to not ‘attach’ unhealthily and to be able to ‘let go’ when the situation calls for it.

Also it surprises me that someone who's done so much reading on human psychology, albeit pop psychology and has been in the JWs since before '75 still wanted to get reinstated after a 'break' out of the religion. Why did you go back I wonder? And welcome to the forum.

133

What are the biggest holes in evolution?

by shadow in

how honest are the proponents of evolution?

idk but curious to see what type of response there is on a topic like this or does their study only seek to confirm their preconceptions and ignore uncomfortable facts?

Xanthippe

As I see it, how can evolution be true and Adam also to have lived? And if there's no Adam there's no fall. And if no fall, there is no need for an atonement, so there is no need of Christ nor any reason for the resurrection. - Cold Steel

Exactly. If you stop there what you say makes perfect sense. But if you see this as a hole in evolution, that it removes the need for Jesus then you are going round in circles. Just stop and try and absorb this logical thought of yours and what it means.

32

What are the biggest holes in the ransom sacrifice?

by Half banana in

how honest are the proponents of jesus as the ransom sacrifice?.

curious to see what type of response there is on a topic like this or does their study only seek to confirm their preconceptions and ignore uncomfortable facts?.

Xanthippe

The story should be read back to front. Basically one of the so-called messiahs who came out of the heap of preachers in the first century became more popular than the others. He attracted the attention of the Jewish religious leaders and the Romans. They crucified him. It's what they did with difficult people, to put the fear of terrible death into the populace and keep them in line.

So now you have a whole group who were told their leader was bringing the Kingdom of God and now he was dead. What did they do? They put the Kingdom in heaven and said he was resurrected and would return to take them up to be with him. Then you create the ransom/redemption teaching so that it looks like the whole thing was planned. He had to die because of Adam and Eve's sin. This was all planned. The Romans just fulfilled prophecy when they killed him. It hasn't all gone wrong, everything is on track.

What are the holes in the story if taken at face value? If it was God who told Adam and Eve they would die for disobedience, why make imperfection hereditary so that everyone inherited old age and death? Why not make them die after they had children so that their kids were perfect? Or why not scrap that couple and start with another that could make a perfect race? Why make a law that forced him to kill his own son horribly when he could have said life for life doesn't apply here. This is a case of disobedience not murder. So many holes in this story it's like a Swiss cheese.

17

Do you ever contact those who shun you?

by Xanthippe in

do you ever test the water and see if your relatives or friends still feel the same way?

i don't have mobile phone numbers or email addresses for my family because we left a long time ago.

long before facebook.

Xanthippe

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and experiences.

17

Do you ever contact those who shun you?

by Xanthippe in

do you ever test the water and see if your relatives or friends still feel the same way?

i don't have mobile phone numbers or email addresses for my family because we left a long time ago.

long before facebook.

Xanthippe

Thank you Cofty. I remember your thread and how awful it was that your parents were still shunning you even though you were very ill. Did they keep in touch? I notice that your final post on the subject was they hadn't been in touch for six months.

Did it get to a point where it was just you phoning them and they just tolerated it as if you are not worthy of a phone call? I have been at that stage for some years and refuse to contact them anymore because it's disgusting being treated like that. I like your point that it made you feel better to tell them how you felt about their treatment of you. That might be what I need at this stage.

17

Do you ever contact those who shun you?

by Xanthippe in

do you ever test the water and see if your relatives or friends still feel the same way?

i don't have mobile phone numbers or email addresses for my family because we left a long time ago.

long before facebook.

Xanthippe

Simon and done4good (Couldn't keep away huh?😀) yeah you're right it probably would cause me pain and what would we talk about anyway.

Thanks for your perspective Marina.

I'm on Facebook but I doubt if they are dbq407, but thanks that sounds like fun.

Anyone else ever done this, please?

17

Do you ever contact those who shun you?

by Xanthippe in

do you ever test the water and see if your relatives or friends still feel the same way?

i don't have mobile phone numbers or email addresses for my family because we left a long time ago.

long before facebook.

Xanthippe

Do you ever test the water and see if your relatives or friends still feel the same way? I don't have mobile phone numbers or email addresses for my family because we left a long time ago. Long before Facebook. I have landline numbers for my brother but for only one of my two sisters. Sometimes I wonder if they have the same attitude, but they have my landline of course. Just wondering what your experience has been of this?

The problem I have is I'm sure in the past they have enjoyed shunning me and my efforts to make contact have just caused me pain. I know the most obvious answer is don't do it, what's the point. But is it possible that their cruel treatment was caused by their pain in losing us plus the cognitive dissonance they experience when someone they knew as very strong in 'the truth' leaves and they've now learned to live with those feelings? Occasionally over the years, when things are tough, like now when my cousin and theirs is dying of bowel cancer, I just think, life's too short for this nonsense. You know?

So I'm just wondering have you got anywhere making the first move with long-time shunners?

31

The GB know it's all lies and wants to dismantle the WTS ... then what?

by Simon in

so imagine the gb have a sudden attack of honesty and realize "crap, this whole thing is lies - we're not god's spokespeople at all !".

how do you dismantle a religion that has +8 million members in a responsible way?

you can't just publish a watchtower saying "we were wrong" because that would be irresponsible - you need to let people down gently, put people off gradually.

Xanthippe

I think it's quite easy to imagine my possible scenario without the GB feeling they are being dishonest turning it into just a religion and still allowing the R+F to finance their lifestyle. After all the party line they are feeding them now is well whenever the paradise comes it is still the best, most moral, most happifying way of life.

Even if they think they've got the prophecies and the timing all wrong and they're not the spokesman of God they could still believe they deserve a comfortable lifestyle for giving people the best religion on earth. As for the rest, they might think, whenever Armageddon will come, we'll leave that to Jeho....whatever his name should be.

31

The GB know it's all lies and wants to dismantle the WTS ... then what?

by Simon in

so imagine the gb have a sudden attack of honesty and realize "crap, this whole thing is lies - we're not god's spokespeople at all !".

how do you dismantle a religion that has +8 million members in a responsible way?

you can't just publish a watchtower saying "we were wrong" because that would be irresponsible - you need to let people down gently, put people off gradually.

Xanthippe

or loosen them to make people less devoted and zealous?

Well I would get rid of the midweek book study; call the TMS our life and ministry reducing emphasis on preaching; reduce conventions to one day; make FS into just standing around handing out leaflets instead of stressful d2d work and turn it into a TV evangelist religion to keep regular money coming in.

Then it's well on the way to becoming just a religion with church on Sunday and my position as a GB celebrity would be securely financed in my brand new out of town home in beautiful landscaping for the rest of my days. Oh .......