Posts by Xanthippe

7

Oliver Sacks on Humans and Myth-making

by Brokeback Watchtower in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4anuxddg2ii

Xanthippe

Thanks for this. I agree I have an almost religious feeling for nature. Nature, walking in woods, seeing the ocean, being in my garden, these things nourish my spirit. As Oliver Sacks says I too am at home in nature. I don't need anything supernatural and as he says there is a sense of mystery and awe still in wondering what the universe is all about. He starts of saying mankind has always been this way, looking up at the stars and wondering what it's all about and still awe and mystery remain.

It's the polarisation of ideas that frustrates. Why is it either scientific explanations or mysterious, awesome things? Just because something is as yet unexplained we need not dismiss it as supernatural or superstition. Data should be examined not dismissed because it doesn't fit. Anything else is confirmation bias.

38

Hysterically tragic - the west stuffs up in Syria

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

a former lebanese (christian) terrorist once told me a story (meant to be funny) about west asian politics.. a turtle was swimming past the shoreline of the red sea.

on the shore a scorpion calls out,"hey!

give me a lift over to the other side.

Xanthippe

SAHS, I don't know who 'Simon' is whom you are addressing but the words you're quoting are mine. Frankly if you can't even get that right I can't see the point of discourse with you on international politics.

SSC fair point, in France some Muslims have caused trouble. In my nearest city, Leicester UK, the population is more than 50% non white, with Brits now in the minority. There are many Muslims in this city and I have only ever seen one peaceful demonstration, about Palestine.

In my university town I deal with many Muslim and Hindu members of the public and only once was there any racial trouble. An argument broke out between two men, members of different Hindu castes. I think we have both agreed this is a complex situation and simplistic solutions will not fit the bill.

38

Hysterically tragic - the west stuffs up in Syria

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

a former lebanese (christian) terrorist once told me a story (meant to be funny) about west asian politics.. a turtle was swimming past the shoreline of the red sea.

on the shore a scorpion calls out,"hey!

give me a lift over to the other side.

Xanthippe

My remark concerning "my solution" is not only over simplified, it's blatantly silly since it's so glaringly unrealistic. - SSC

I appreciate that.

Not just in Muslim countries either but in third world countries in general and wherever there is a huge disparity between rich and poor, the have and the have-nots, those in power and those under their rule... Many I have spoken to would love to live in the abroad where life is better, but I got the very clear impression that their mentality would come along as part of their immigration baggage. All that tells me is that the world may think we are ready for them to be amongst us but that would be like taking a wild animal you assume you have tamed into your home and later wonder why it mauled you.

When you look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs it's obvious that before people can develop compassion and empathy for fellow humans they have to have their basic physiological needs met. Food, shelter, safety, medical care. Many third world countries are without this. Who knows what individuals would be like if they came to the west and their basic needs were met?

One thing's for sure until all humans have enough to eat and no longer have to watch their children die from hunger and easily curable illnesses, none of us are safe. As long as religious leaders can point out that other countries have more of what the people need to sustain life they will be able to manipulate their politicians and radicalize individuals to fight and bomb and attack the west. It is in our interest to make sure all our neighbours have enough to sustain life, only then will we be safe.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

38

Hysterically tragic - the west stuffs up in Syria

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

a former lebanese (christian) terrorist once told me a story (meant to be funny) about west asian politics.. a turtle was swimming past the shoreline of the red sea.

on the shore a scorpion calls out,"hey!

give me a lift over to the other side.

Xanthippe

When I did my history degree it became blatantly obvious that all wars and disputes have always been about land and wealth. Religion has been just an excuse every time. From when the first hunter gatherers settled down and started to develop agriculture and the first marauder bands decided they wanted a piece of that. It's always been about the haves and the have nots.

38

Hysterically tragic - the west stuffs up in Syria

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

a former lebanese (christian) terrorist once told me a story (meant to be funny) about west asian politics.. a turtle was swimming past the shoreline of the red sea.

on the shore a scorpion calls out,"hey!

give me a lift over to the other side.

Xanthippe

My solution would to grant them temporary asylum and as soon as it's deemed safe in their own countries, send them back again

No offence SSC but which century are we talking about?

42

Revelation 8:8 Is a comet / asteroid heading here soon?

by FuzzyPaul in

i have read a lot and watched some you-tube videos (some by marginally lunatic fringe christians - not necessarily invalidating) searching for asteroid september 2015 or comet september 2015.. there is some biblical evidence that, if one doesn't spiritualize / make literally invalid by symbolic exercise, that at the time of the end of the age there will be a uniquely severe, single great earthquake (isaiah 29:6, zecharia 4:7, haggia 2:6, revelation 6:12, revelation 16:18) and destructive objects described as hail, mountains falling from the sky, stars falling onto earth.

i note that ancients would not recognize the vastness of outer space and meteroids, asteroids, comets, planets being what we know them as.. there is also the exact symbol of "then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea.

one-third of the water in the sea became blood, one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.

Xanthippe

Are you bipolar?

42

Revelation 8:8 Is a comet / asteroid heading here soon?

by FuzzyPaul in

i have read a lot and watched some you-tube videos (some by marginally lunatic fringe christians - not necessarily invalidating) searching for asteroid september 2015 or comet september 2015.. there is some biblical evidence that, if one doesn't spiritualize / make literally invalid by symbolic exercise, that at the time of the end of the age there will be a uniquely severe, single great earthquake (isaiah 29:6, zecharia 4:7, haggia 2:6, revelation 6:12, revelation 16:18) and destructive objects described as hail, mountains falling from the sky, stars falling onto earth.

i note that ancients would not recognize the vastness of outer space and meteroids, asteroids, comets, planets being what we know them as.. there is also the exact symbol of "then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea.

one-third of the water in the sea became blood, one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.

Xanthippe

Zanthippe,
It was winter. Cold dry air in Florida is rare and viewing is easier without bugs buzzing in your ears.
And there is a GOD and is a PERSON. Evolution is impossible.

I don't know what the connection is between these two statements. We were talking about comets.

19

Elder's Meeting about ARC? No. Really?

by punkofnice in

as you may or may not know (or care), i live in the uk.

a jw spy of mine told me that an elder had metioned that attendance at the kingdom hells had seemed to have dropped off after the australian royal comission expose of paedophilia within the watchtower organisation.. the elders were said to have had this as an item or the subject of a local elder's meeting.. i was surprised they'd even heard of the arc over here but at the same time was delighted.

delighted that meeting attendance had dropped possibly....and i say possibly...as a result of the arc.. even an older dyed in the wool jw i know is getting sick of the gb worship within the organisation and had heard of the arc.. has anyone heard similar?.

Xanthippe

Punky I am in the UK and I do care that congregations are talking about the ARC. It's important to me because I have 11 family member trapped in this cult, one is a small baby. Thank you so much for this information. I just hope my family know about this!

42

Revelation 8:8 Is a comet / asteroid heading here soon?

by FuzzyPaul in

i have read a lot and watched some you-tube videos (some by marginally lunatic fringe christians - not necessarily invalidating) searching for asteroid september 2015 or comet september 2015.. there is some biblical evidence that, if one doesn't spiritualize / make literally invalid by symbolic exercise, that at the time of the end of the age there will be a uniquely severe, single great earthquake (isaiah 29:6, zecharia 4:7, haggia 2:6, revelation 6:12, revelation 16:18) and destructive objects described as hail, mountains falling from the sky, stars falling onto earth.

i note that ancients would not recognize the vastness of outer space and meteroids, asteroids, comets, planets being what we know them as.. there is also the exact symbol of "then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea.

one-third of the water in the sea became blood, one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.

Xanthippe

What we did see in 8 or ten sessions was four bolides between us. He saw one I missed and I saw one when he wasn't there. Bolides are meteor flashes visually as wide as your finger held out at arms length

Was it August? I saw two 'Shooting stars' last month within half an hour. The Perseid meteor shower is every August. Deep meaning? It means we passed through that comet again.

4

Riley is okay.

by umbertoecho in

i went looking for riley last friday and i found out exactly what i wanted to know.

i know it is not policy and all that.

i just had this strong feeling that i would find the right "someone" to tell me.. it was a receptionist (they get locked in their stations when it gets crazy) those nice thick glass booths just shut down.

Xanthippe

I'm really glad that Riley is ok and that you got to find out about her to put your mind at rest. Australia is so different from the UK it amazes me. Here they would have 'sectioned' her, detained her in a psychiatric ward for at least 28 days. Australia seems to be much more forward thinking that the UK as regards mental health. Thanks for sharing this story.