cognisonance

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Posts by cognisonance

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  131

  Do Jehovah's Witnesses Accept Evolution?

  by jukief in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  by evolution or by creation?

  by evolution or by creation?

  "the bible is a myth" and "evolution is true".

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  cognisonance

  I agree OneEyedJoe. It was stuff like this helped wake me up:
  
  "The fossil evidence could be consistent with the idea of a Great Designer" -- Carl Sagan
  
  Here's the quote (emphasized), in context:
  

  A Designer is a natural, appealing and altogether human explanation of the biological world. But, as Darwin and Wallace showed, there is another way, equally appealing, equally human, and far more compelling: natural selection, which makes the music of life more beautiful as the aeons pass.

  The fossil evidence could be consistent with the idea of a Great Designer; perhaps some species are destroyed when the Designer becomes dissatisfied with them, and new experiments are attempted on an improved design. But this notion is a little disconcerting. Each plant and animal is exquisitely made; should not a supremely competent Designer have been able to make the intended variety from the start? The fossil record implies trial and error, an inability to anticipate the future, features inconsistent with an efficient Great Designer (although not with a Designer of a more remote and indirect temperament).
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  Trying to read snippets of JW literation now is like trying to read random text

  by cognisonance in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  effects present letters inquiry no an removed or friends.

  desire behind latter me though in.

  supposing shameless am he engrossed up additions.

• 

  cognisonance

  Effects present letters inquiry no an removed or friends. Desire behind latter me though in. Supposing shameless am he engrossed up additions. My possible peculiar together to. Desire so better am cannot he up before points. Remember mistaken opinions it pleasure of debating. Court front maids forty if aware their at. Chicken use are pressed removed.

  vs

  Indeed, as long as we “do not let [our] hand rest” from sowing Kingdom seed, we have a valuable share in giving “a witness to all the nations.” (Matt. 24:14) Above all, we have the deep joy that comes from knowing that we have Jehovah’s approval, for he loves all those who “bear fruit with endurance”!

  Reading either is just as arduous mentally. Anytime I peak at the bullshit my parents and extended family have to read, it just all looks like gibberish now. Maybe the first quote is even easier to read come to think of it.
  
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  21

  Watchtower May 2018

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the may 2018 watchtower is now out and thought i would make a few observations.in this article we get a story about gb sam herd.

  the recurring theme throughout is the struggles he has had as a black man.he was born in 1935 in a one roomed log cabin in liberty indiana.

  his mother raised him in the baptist church.

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  cognisonance

  I can't help but wonder: was it him being duped by the so-called truth that attracted him to this cult, or the young lady that he ended up marrying? Maybe both. Still, makes you wonder...
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  45

  November Is The Cruelest Month

  by JRK in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been going through old papers and photographs since my mother passed away.

  it has reminded me of some of the reasons that i really hate november.

  this year has added to it obviously.. thirty-four years ago, my father passed away in early november.

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  cognisonance

  Sadly since waking up, life often just seems like a countdown to death.
  The big downside of leaving the cult.

  I can feel my mortality more, but after 6 years since I left the cult I've come to terms with that. Instead life now seems to be full of opportunity. I only have one life and I might as well get the most from it, pursue my passions, and not to be afraid of failure or rejection. So even if it's a countdown, it should be a fun one along the way.
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  7

  Costs Associated with a Regular Size smaller rink Assembly Public Owned

  by truthlover123 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just came from the one day -- like to call it that cause everything is a changin.... this question would be directed to someone who worked in accounts for an assembly of maybe 1700 in attendance (recently) in a small town, about 2 hours from a main city.

  the accounts report was read and it was a stunner..... i guess i could call the location and see how much it costs to rent this arena for a day and see but i was wondering why would they send a large amount of monies to the wt and say we are short on contribution???.

  anyb ody know - i do know about monies going for child abuse court problems they are having - latest one in canada where there us a class action suit being brought by trey bundy... plus the so called out of court settlements worldwide.. arc, britain, etc...so i know that end of it - just wondering why they are sucking /lying to support the www... .

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  cognisonance

  Interesting. Why doesn't the WTBT$ just tell their members that there's a $10 fee to attend? I'm sure their members will comply with their "god given direction." What they are doing is lying and deceiving. Is it even necessary? I thought the WTBT$ itself said that JWs should always be honest? They were right about one thing though. Religion is a snare and a ratchet!
  
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  23

  "We don't venerate idols or images!"

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  how often did we as witnesses say something like this : "unlike members of false religion, who venerate or worship through statues or idols, we give our focus to jehovah!".

  members of religious groups focus their religious adoration via an image or statue.

  they do this in order to provide some sort of focus to their need to worship.. witnesses give extreme focus on the name "jehovah" .

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  cognisonance

  What's next?

  Temple prostitutes?
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  7

  Findind Intelligence Algorithms

  by Brokeback Watchtower in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  http://intelligentalgorithms.org/.

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  cognisonance

  Do you have a point to make with these posts? I'm currently taking a graduate machine learning course right now, so I'm curious why you are interested in this topic (a cool topic I'll admit).
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  20

  Why the verb shun is missing from the JW lexicon

  by cognisonance in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so my parents when i confronted them about how unhappy i am at them shunning me, responded by saying: "you keep using the word shunning, we're not shunning you.

  "i am a bit confused how they can say that.

  i'm an ex-jw and an atheist.

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  cognisonance

  As the Branch Representative Terry O'Brien went to painful lengths to explain during the second round of the Australian Royal Commission, the Organisation does NOT shun anyone. It is actually those who leave who do the shunning you see.

  WTF? I'd be interested in reading that.
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  10

  What would be most likely...

  by The freewheeling in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what statement to the elders would get you disfelloshipped fastest?

  saying.... a) that you don't believe in god anymore.

  or saying ... b) that you don't believe that the governing body is god's canal and mouthpiece anymore.. what opinion is most serious in there eyes?

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  cognisonance

  Well, if you say you don't believe in any gods, that also implies you don't believe anyone could be the channel of communication for their god. So saying you are an atheist is admitting you don't believe in either proposition.
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  20

  Why the verb shun is missing from the JW lexicon

  by cognisonance in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so my parents when i confronted them about how unhappy i am at them shunning me, responded by saying: "you keep using the word shunning, we're not shunning you.

  "i am a bit confused how they can say that.

  i'm an ex-jw and an atheist.

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  cognisonance

  The second paragraph is very convoluted and makes it appear that the only way you get shunned is if you're a child molester of some sorts.

  I think the third paragraph is the worst. It implies normal family relationships and dealings continue after a family member gets DF'd. They site an example where the Dad is DF'd but maintains normal relationships with his wife and kids at home. Only the religious ties are severed it says. What they don't say is that this is an extenuating circumstance, an exception to the general rule. For example, once those kids move out and if the Dad is still DF'd but the kids are baptized active JWs, they will shun him. If the kids get DF'd but the Dad doesn't and they move out, they will be shunned by the dad. This is the most deceptive paragraph I think. It implies families don't shun each other, only the congregation shuns DF'd members -- untrue of course.