Anders Andersen

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Posts by Anders Andersen

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  42

  Name one POSITIVE thing you took from your experience as a Witness

  by geodude in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was thinking about this at work the other day, and realized the one positive thing i can truly credit the jws with: .

  i have no fear of public speaking.

  i was a shy kid, fat, clumsy, with crooked glasses and worse teeth, who wore hand-me-downs in one of the wealthiest counties in all of america, who sat still while classmates got up to salute the flag or recite the pledge of allegiance.

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  Anders Andersen

  I'm not afraid to not follow the herd.

  
  

  As a JW, I learned how to deal with being different than everyone else, doing different things, not doing normal things.

  In becoming an exjw I learned how to be different than all my friends and family.

  So now I'm blessed with a two way street ability to (positively) not give a shit about what people may think of me.

  I do not feel the need to align myself with either JW or regular behavior or traditions. I pick what I like (which is damn near nothing from JW behavior) without feeling awkward for not doing as everyone else does.

  That, and having learned to stand for what I believe to be true and just.
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  5

  Publication 'Simple Swaps'

  by Jofi_Wofo in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  there are a number of wtb&ts publications that are quite useful in doing research, but would be significantly better if they weren't theologically and self-servingly biased.

  i'd like to find more reliable substitutions, especially from scholarly/secular sources, to help me, and others, get a look at the bible from a fresh perspective.

  here's a short list of "cool" books i'd like for which id like to find corresponding replacements.. new world translation of the holy scriptures w/references = ?

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  Anders Andersen

  Life, How did it Get Here? By Evolution or Creation? = ? (best books that compare biblical creationism to actual science)

  I suggest the archives of the NCSE periodical: https://ncse.ngo/cej
  Also https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Creationism as a starting point.
  And of course http://corior.blogspot.com/2006/02/misquotations-in-creation-book.html just for fun.

  If you're looking for actual books on the topic, I suggest Why Evolution Is True by Jerry Coyne. A must read even (or especially) if you're absolutely sure evolution is nonsense. It's a fantastic book that doesn't insult or make fun of anyone. It will give you an insight into why others think the idea makes sense, and may help you find arguments against evolution. Trust me, it will give you much more knowledge on the topic than the Evolution book of Watchtower ever did.
• 
  5

  Publication 'Simple Swaps'

  by Jofi_Wofo in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  there are a number of wtb&ts publications that are quite useful in doing research, but would be significantly better if they weren't theologically and self-servingly biased.

  i'd like to find more reliable substitutions, especially from scholarly/secular sources, to help me, and others, get a look at the bible from a fresh perspective.

  here's a short list of "cool" books i'd like for which id like to find corresponding replacements.. new world translation of the holy scriptures w/references = ?

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  Anders Andersen

  Some that come to mind are:

  • https://www.e-sword.net/
  • https://biblehub.com/
  • https://www.biblegateway.com/
  • https://www.olivetree.com/
  • https://www.logos.com/
    

  Most of these have parallel Bible translations in many languages, commentaries, Bible concordances and dictionaries, all combined. Some have both free and paid contents (often depends on copyright), some are paid apps. Some are online tools, some are programs to download to your PC.

  Have fun.
  
  
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  3

  LDS posts their secret Handbook, will GB get some light?

  by Difido in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  apparently there are new major lds changes.

  (its a long youtube video, but the link is below).

  they updated and posted an online copy of their secret handbook (unless they have another one stashed lol).

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  Anders Andersen

  For the curious: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/0-introductory-overview?lang=eng#title_number8
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  22

  Brazil: Watch Tower claim raid on premises unlawful

  by Antonio_Madaleno in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  in september 2019, the branch of jehovah’s witnesses and a number of kingdom halls in são paulo brazil were raided by the police, in search of documentary evidence of criminal activities relating to child sexual abuse.

  the jehovah’s witnesses claim that the raid was unlawful.

  below is a translation of the court of justice determination.

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  Anders Andersen

  @Corney,

  Thanks, I wasn't aware of that.
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  7

  Ex JW Doctors/Lawyers/Etc.....?

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  nobody responded so far on my previous thread.

  no problem.

  the last sentence i asked if you know of any doctors or lawyers, etc..that left the borg too?

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  Anders Andersen

  Zing,

  I think you have Olin Moyle in mind? That was back in the 1930s though.

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olin_R._Moyle
  
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  22

  Brazil: Watch Tower claim raid on premises unlawful

  by Antonio_Madaleno in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  in september 2019, the branch of jehovah’s witnesses and a number of kingdom halls in são paulo brazil were raided by the police, in search of documentary evidence of criminal activities relating to child sexual abuse.

  the jehovah’s witnesses claim that the raid was unlawful.

  below is a translation of the court of justice determination.

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  Anders Andersen

  They have have made a similar legal complaint against the DA in The Netherlands.

  The Dutch branch and some KH were raided last year too, in search for evidence related to child sex abuse accusations.

  Dutch JW have now started a court case because they claim these raids are a violation of the clergy-penitent privilege.

  On the first court day JW asked for a stay of proceedings, because they needed to study the response that the DA's office wrote to the JW complaint.

  So far I'm not aware they have scheduled a new court date yet.
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  7

  8 Files Just Arrived!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  8 files arrived.

  one video and 7 documents.. .

  identity card.

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  Anders Andersen

  Identity card:

  If our child suffers an accident or becomes seriously ill, please contact us immediately. We know clinicians who respect our religious convictions and are available for consultation on the use of modern, acceptable non-blood alternatives.

  Yes, everyone knows these magic clinicians are widely available in Bumfuck, Wyoming and in the rural backwaters on the African continent.

  Just have Watchtower on the speed dial and your bleeding out child will be teleported instantly to a bloodless trauma center.
  
  
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  22

  My email to JW Following Trolley Conversation

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a few weeks ago i had an really interesting conversation with three male jws who were loitering around a trolley at the west end of princes street in edinburgh.. i managed to completely avoid giving any hint about my jw past and focussed on why they thought the bible was a reliable moral guide.

  i used the subject of slavery to illustrate my concerns.. one of the three was in his early twenties, knew a lot about his own beliefs but nothing about the real life and it was difficult to get through his thought-bubble.

  the second one was in his 60s and not very bright.

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  Anders Andersen

  Oh totally forgot: nicely done cofty. You sure planted a seed that will sprout someday.
• 
  22

  My email to JW Following Trolley Conversation

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a few weeks ago i had an really interesting conversation with three male jws who were loitering around a trolley at the west end of princes street in edinburgh.. i managed to completely avoid giving any hint about my jw past and focussed on why they thought the bible was a reliable moral guide.

  i used the subject of slavery to illustrate my concerns.. one of the three was in his early twenties, knew a lot about his own beliefs but nothing about the real life and it was difficult to get through his thought-bubble.

  the second one was in his 60s and not very bright.

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  Anders Andersen

  How trivially easy would it have been for god to instruct the nation of Israel that no man should ever take another human as a possession?

  The default cop out for JW about slavery is 'well everyone did it, changing that would be too much to ask, and God did made sure the slaves were treated properly'.

  Well, God did not make sure the slaves were treated properly.

  But more importantly, God had no problem issuing laws that (allegedly) went against what was customary.

  Beards should not be cut, clothing should have a blue ribbon and fringes, can't eat blood, etc.

  All laws that were different from what everyone else did. Some were specifically intended to set Israel apart from everyone else.

  What better could God have done than setting Israel apart by forbidding slavery and discrimination of women?

  Yet he chose to ignore these important topics and focused on food and clothes.

  To me it seems this supposed moral guide has its priorities all wrong.