Erica came across as adorable and brave and I think those who know her personaly see her this way. The WTBTS breeds "pettiness". They make issues of grooming, and other petty matters that combine with lofty Bible principles to form a religion repugnant to any spiritual person anywhere at any time. Love your neighbor, but if your neighbor has a beard,set him aside, Hypocrites. May they stew in their own petty juices. I remember when only a white shirt was acceptable at the Hall if you were a "spiritual" man. So what did that rule do to the congregations "spirituality". It divided people, it fostered a "fleshly" eye and good people were forced to doubt their goodness and worse they had to choose between acceptance or ostracisim. Who did this to the congregations? The double talking WTBTS. "Aim High" they said but don"t forget to be "Small". They need to control the membership by threats and chicanery because true spirituality rejects pettiness and never justifies it as a means to a greater end. Thus their leadership would be rejected if spirituality were allowed to flourish. They have cultivated a dependency among their members and the membership reflects not merely the normal "pettiness " of humans in general but the type of pettiness that is despised because it combines itself with lofty principles. The memberships rumors about Erica ( and I have first hand experience with them) stamp them as mentally diseased, unable to rise to the principles they recommend to others. Those who saw that Dateline show and who accept these rumors are cowards unable to answer the call of an impending personal religious crisis. If the WTBTS were really guided by an Annointed Governing Body it would lay the issue to rest by publishing a warning that such rumors are unfair, unclean and most of all Unchristian. This one act would begin a healing but it also would put the WTBTS on the highseas of uncertainty , a place they catgorically recommend to others , but faithlessly reject for themselves.
Siddhashunyata
JoinedPosts by Siddhashunyata
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25
What JW's say about Erica Rodriguez
by RR inmind you she did not see the dateline report.
but speaking to her the other day, she related that "erica is a slut.
" what gave her this impression?
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More advice needed yet again for the 2nd time
by bboyneko inhehe.. i posted a while back about my former boss trying to lure me to work for him and offering me $32,000 a year.
my current salary is $30,000.
he is now offering me $36,000, a $1,500 sign-on bonus in cash, full health and free parking at the inner habror in baltimore.
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Siddhashunyata
The time has come to evaluate and compare the risk of failure of both companies. The new boss may know that the possibility of failure is very high and you may be out of a job in 3- 6 months. Discussing this with him may not yield a "straight" answer but you will get some indication of his insecurities. It will also open the door to more $ without giving him a reason to be angry with you.
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reaction to Dateline
by blindfool ina few weeks back, fred told us all that after a few weeks all would be ok at the kingdom hall.. well, i can't speak for everyone, but i will tell you that my wife hasn't been to a meeting since the program aired.
she is going through a stage here where she seems really depressed.
she is spending time with her friends who are not jw's.
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Siddhashunyata
The subject of "cognitive dissonance" has been discussed in numerous places but I don't recall anyone mentioning that this state of mind ( induced by WTBTS methods and techniques) is equated with faith in the mind so afflicted. In other words , holding ,in the mind, two ideas as true even though they contradict each other requires the mind to be monitored so that it does not lose its "compartmentalizing" ability. To the afflicted the compartmentalizing ability is interpreted as "faith" thus to lose that ABILITY feels like a loss of faith . It has nothing to do with faith . As you know faith is not in men or organizations nor does it require credulity , ignorance or cognitive dissonance. For example, when the Governing Body claims they are not partial and yet it is evident that no female or minority has been a member for over 100 years , the cognitive dissonant mind is able to acknowledge the facts and still believe " the governing body is not partial". When that mind is overwhelmed with facts it must turn away or "suffer" the loss of cognitive dissonance. Breaking the "chains" of cognitive dissonance is a true "crises" involving tremendous psychological and emotional pain but it has nothing to do with a loss of faith. Faith is not destroyed by truth.
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My Mother Might Get Called B4 a JC!!!
by teenyuck inmy mother just called me...she is really upset.
her plumber, brother c. came by to fix a pipe today and told her that the elders are discussing my mother!!
because she is going to have my dfd sister visit this week.
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Siddhashunyata
Surely there is some kind of "official business " that your mother can conduct with your sister, nothing spiritual , of course. How about that loan, you know or perhaps picking up some of those personal things that mothers hold for their children. Maybe the Elder misunderstood because of your Mom' emotional condition , maybe he could stop by when its time to move that heavy piece of furniture to your sisters house?
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The Soul and Spirit Does exist!!
by JamesG ini saw an earlier post on one persons anguish over contemplating whether the soul and spirit in our bodies truly exists.
the soul and spirit does exist.
just go to a popeyes chicken after a southern baptist church service.
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Siddhashunyata
The brain is necessary for a "local " consciousness. Agree? Neuro-science shows evidence that changes in the brain accompany changes in consciousness ( to levels described as non local or universal ). A premature conclusion is that the brain "causes" consciousness, therefore consciousness comes from the brain and is in the brain. This is a study of the brain . It is not a study of consciousness. Using the example of "seeing", is it the eye that sees or the brain or the consciousness ? In fact, all three are needed to see. And that is the world we live in. The eye did not cause the brain did it ? Then why conclude that the brain caused consciousness? All three are needed to "see". The study of the eye shows it to be mechanical and material. The study of the brain shows it to be strangely electro-chemical and material. But the study of consciousness is elusive because it is the participating "medium" in which the eye and brain are "seeing". There is no "causal " relationship between the eye , the brain, and consciousness. All three must be present to "see ". If you try to establish causation where will it stop. You will have to include "EVERTHING". But science is forever stopping only to start again and that is why , contrary to some thinkers, science will never end because the pursuit of causation ultimatly includes EVERYTHING. When consciousness is studied directly , its nature is self evident. It is both local and universal.
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Does the soul or spirit exist?
by JanH inscience deals with what can be observed, directly or indirectly.
so in one sense, you could say that science is simply not providing any answers to the question about the existence of a soul or spirit component of a human being.. .
that, of course, keeps science polite to religious ideas.. .
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Siddhashunyata
Knowledge will not always take the place of simple observation. "What you are looking for is what is looking".
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New Light on FDS?
by Black Man in.
anyone hear anything about their being "new light" on the fds class?
i've heard that it's 2-3 years down the pike, but that the "new light" will greatly alter their role........is this some "dukie" in the rumor mill or is there something to it?
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Siddhashunyata
Everyones annointed but some are more annointed than others.
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Does the soul or spirit exist?
by JanH inscience deals with what can be observed, directly or indirectly.
so in one sense, you could say that science is simply not providing any answers to the question about the existence of a soul or spirit component of a human being.. .
that, of course, keeps science polite to religious ideas.. .
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Siddhashunyata
Jan, would you carry your car/spirit analogy to include the Universe (what Is)as a whole? ie No universal Spirit.
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More advice needed for dan!
by bboyneko inokay here is the situation in a nutshell: i am being offered a job with the former vice president of my current place of employment.. here is the details:.
i got hired at an ipo in late april.
it was the ceo, 2 vice presidents and me.
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Siddhashunyata
Flip has he right view of this. The $2000 does not match the vision!
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Anderson Appeal Ltrs -Adversarial WT
by silentlambs inmay 23, 2002. mrs. barbara anderson.
c/o jerre michael hood .
37396. dear mrs. anderson,.
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Siddhashunyata
Barbara, the issue has become whether or not you should have a lawyer at the judicial meeting. The basis for not having one, according to the WTBTS, is that the meeting is not adversarial. It is evident that the meeting is in fact adversarial and this point,once established, will justify having you attorney present. The local body of Elders needs to be sued on this point. Their defense itself is "prima facia" that they are adversaries. The WTBTS is trying to use the First Ammendment "separation" idea to allow them to proceed according to church rules. They made a mistake by claiming that they are not adversaries.