Xanthippe

Joined

• started 104 topics
• posted 4,713 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Xanthippe

• 
  11

  Don’t share food with apostate—what about air we all breathe in?

  by venus in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we have heard: “don’t share food with apostate.” what about sharing the air we all breathe in?

  whether apostate or believer, both breathe in the same air (which is more important than food)!.

  today i put this question to the couple who came to invite me for the memorial.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  My brother finally came to see my baby daughter after a year and cancelling five times but they brought cakes with them so they wouldn't have to eat a meal with us. I suppose they were bending the rules a bit and they expected me to be grateful. It's just sad they showed no interest in her for the next twenty years but I suppose they saw we hadn't changed our view, we were unrepentant so that was that.

  Good to have you with us Venus. Interesting thought that they won't eat a meal with us but they invite us to a symbolic meal.
• 
  74

  Was/Is Religion Useful Even if it isn't True?

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in his book "the righteous mind" jonathan haidt proposes that religion served - and continues to serve an important role in bringing about cohesion within non-kin groups.. to put it very briefly haidt advocates a form of group selection but only insofar as it applies to humans.

  our unique brains have made it possible for us to cooperate in groups in ways that are impossible for all non-human species.

  despite their intelligence you will never see two chimps helping each other to carry the same log or one chimp pulling down a branch while the other removes the fruit.. his description is that humans are 90% chimp and 10% bee.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  One of the most interesting statements that he made was that religion and spiritual experiences in particular "bind and blind us". He gives many examples not just religious ones as Cofty mentioned. Where we circle something sacred as a group. We are bound together in this exercise, blinded to its faults in the process. Then feel a sense of something greater than ourselves. Sporting events, 80's raves, military units, religious revivals, and so on. -azor

  Peak experiences are often associated with self-actualisation which according to Maslow is at the top of the hierarchy of needs.

  https://www.verywell.com/what-are-peak-experiences-2795268

  The thing I find frustrating is that peak or 'spiritual' experiences sometimes confirm a person's religious views or sometimes lead people into finding a church. Those endless platform stories at the KH and conventions about someone who had something strange happen that you might call a peak experience and then a JW calls so they saw it as a sign and converted to the cult.

  Something natural that is happening in the human brain, which can even as azor says be at a pop concert or sports match, because it is so little understood convinces some people it's Holy Spirit or something, feeling at one with God.

  I've often thought this unexplained feeling traps people in religion, 'binds and blinds us' - exactly.
  
  
• 
  6

  ARC meaning

  by confused3426 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sorry if this sounds stupid, what's the meaning of the word arc i see so many use?

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Australian Royal Commission. An investigation into child safeguarding policies in religious organisations and I believe some schools.
• 
  12

  fromBarbara Anderson/charities commission child abuse inquiry UK

  by zeb in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  jehovah’s witnesses “child safeguarding policy” (great britain, ireland, uk) – 2017. analysis of the child safeguarding policy of jehovah’s witnesses in the united kingdom and the republic of ireland [2017].

  by barbara anderson.

  2013’s “watch tower bible and tract society of britain and congregations of jehovah’s witnesses in the united kingdom and ireland child safeguarding policy” (wtb&ts of britain’s csp) document was considered to be the official watch tower policy until the release on january 1 of the 2017 “child safeguarding policy of jehovah’s witnesses in the united kingdom, etc.,” (csp of jws in the uk).”.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  November 1, 2016 (page 7) Body of Elders letter sent to all congregations. There was a reference to the matter of property damage to Kingdom Halls from “break-ins, thefts, incidents of arson, or other acts of vandalism.” The rule is to “promptly report it to the local authorities.” There is no indication that elders maychoose to report the damage to the authorities in those situations.

  Yes never mind your children just look after our money.
  
  
• 
  36

  What is the basis for advising “Don’t pursue higher studies”?

  by venus in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  two elders who visited my friend last week encouraged her not to pursue higher studies.

  it seems they are dishing out the same old stuff: “the end is imminent, and this is the time to do more in the service; hence don’t waste your resources on higher studies.”.

  i wonder whether there was some official communiqué (something that is sent out recently like letter to the elders, or kingdom ministry article …).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  I was told they were having sex everywhere in the universities.

  Another one was 'knowledge puffs up love builds up'.

  I was told pioneer or be blood guilty for all the kids Jehovah is about to murder. (Slightly edited by me)

  The real reason they hate higher education is it's so much easier to indoctrinate uneducated people.
• 
  13

  "Those Who Leave Are Doomed..."

  by AllTimeJeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in mission impossible 3, ethan hunt (aka tom cruise) and his protege (aka keri russell) have an explosive pellet implanted in their heads through their nose by the bad guys as a way to control them.

  the only way to to stop it from detonating is to use a defibrillator or some device to send massive electric shocks to the body, thus short circuiting the deadly implant.

  hunt's protege doesn't get the help she needed in time, and she dies.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  I don't think it does any good for exiting JW's to feel that they are less than others, are somehow doomed,

  I agree with this. Not everyone we meet is happy and nobody is happy all the time. People lose jobs, have health or money problems, have bereavements. ExJWs are not broken people surrounded by 'normal' people.

  
  
  
• 
  14

  How can I succeed in life not being a jw again?

  by victory in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was a jw, i was taught that i can never succeed in life if i leave the sect.

  now that i am no longer a member of the fold, how can i succeed in this only life i have and achieve my dreams?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  You need money to live on obviously. Not a fortune but enough for a roof over your head, decent food and clothing and holidays. For that you need a job that pays well which requires education or training.

  Money isn't everything though. We need a few friends, relationships, interests, hobbies. Things that make life worthwhile.

  I depends what your dreams are but I will just say don't follow the crowd, live life your way. The West is entrenched in blind materialism and buying stuff for the sake of it or to impress other people is just boring. Find what you're passionate about and go for it no matter what anyone else says.
• 
  32

  AUSTRALIA - Petition to Cancel the Charity Status of Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses

  by jwleaks in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  a petition has been launched in australia to coincide with the child abuse royal commission's adverse findings against watchtower and jehovah's witnesses.

  the petition is to the australian charities and not-for-profit commission to cancel their charity status.. https://www.change.org/p/australian-charities-and-not-for-profit-commission-acnc-cancel-the-watchtower-bible-and-tract-society-s-charity-status.

  [quote].

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  darkspliver I was merely asking why change.org were saying they needed 80something signatures to get it to 500. What's the significance of 500? Does it mean something on the charity watchdog site in Australia if they are presented with a petition of at least 500 signatures from change.org? It didn't seem much to me when you need 100,000 for a parliamentary debate with no guaranteed action after that. Anyway glad you had fun, if I can make someone happy....
• 
  32

  AUSTRALIA - Petition to Cancel the Charity Status of Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses

  by jwleaks in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  a petition has been launched in australia to coincide with the child abuse royal commission's adverse findings against watchtower and jehovah's witnesses.

  the petition is to the australian charities and not-for-profit commission to cancel their charity status.. https://www.change.org/p/australian-charities-and-not-for-profit-commission-acnc-cancel-the-watchtower-bible-and-tract-society-s-charity-status.

  [quote].

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  I've signed it, but what happens when it reaches 500 signatures? If you get 100,000 in the UK parliament will discuss it.
• 
  102

  Any atheists here? Have you come to terms with your new reality?

  by kpop in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  alone, without my safety net of "god" being there to remember me when i die.

  after much consideration, examining science, history and using logic, i have come to the conclusion that there is no "god" at least certainly no loving, personal "god.

  " shortly before my final conclusion was reached, i read an excerpt from an expression attributed to marcus aurelius, .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Hi kpop. I am content that there isn't a god. I live each day as it comes and try to be happy. I'm not afraid of death but I believe there is a distinct possibility consciousness can exist beyond physical death. If I'm wrong, then I won't know or care.

  I think we should live ethically, do the right thing even though no one's watching and treat other people with respect. I don't need a god for that. I hope you're coping with your changing beliefs, it can be challenging.