Skeptic

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Posts by Skeptic

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  17

  Did anybody get The Bell?

  by Nickey in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  during the thocratic school during our tuesday meetings, i dreaded hearing the bell.

  *ding* someone had run over 5 minutes and had to cut their talk short.. this part always disturbed me.

  nevermind the fact that these people worked hard to prepare their talk about something they felt was worthwhile, they have to be humiliated and cut off in front of the whole congregation.

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  Skeptic

  Well, the best thing that ever happened to me for public speaking was falling over the podium twice in the same talk. The audience forgave me and that cured my stage fright. Hell, you can't do worse than that!

  So, the bell never bothered me. But my timing was always pretty good anyway. Brothers have a much easier time with talks than sisters becasue we aren't having a "conversation" and can make our notes in point form.

  I find the TMS a real blessing and still prefer the TMS Guidebook to any other public speaking book. I am a good public speaker due to that course and especially due to that very humilating talk and the audience's loving non-reaction. Plus, the school overseers I had were very kind and competent.

  Richard
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  20

  Christmas Pics

  by DakotaRed in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here it is, late in the day, christmas is almost over this year.

  i hope everyone enjoyed theirs as much as i have enjoyed mine.

  i went to my oldest daughters to spend the day with them.

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  Skeptic

  btw, the delete post feature is not working

  Edited by - Skeptic on 26 December 2002 3:22:42
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  20

  Christmas Pics

  by DakotaRed in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here it is, late in the day, christmas is almost over this year.

  i hope everyone enjoyed theirs as much as i have enjoyed mine.

  i went to my oldest daughters to spend the day with them.

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  Skeptic

  Edited by - Skeptic on 26 December 2002 3:22:14
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  20

  Christmas Pics

  by DakotaRed in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here it is, late in the day, christmas is almost over this year.

  i hope everyone enjoyed theirs as much as i have enjoyed mine.

  i went to my oldest daughters to spend the day with them.

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  Skeptic

  Edited by - Skeptic on 26 December 2002 3:21:48
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  20

  Christmas Pics

  by DakotaRed in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here it is, late in the day, christmas is almost over this year.

  i hope everyone enjoyed theirs as much as i have enjoyed mine.

  i went to my oldest daughters to spend the day with them.

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  Skeptic

  Edited by - Skeptic on 26 December 2002 3:21:23
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  105

  Athiests and Christmas?

  by clash_city_rockers in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was just thinking.

  since christmas is about the birth of christ, i know dec 25 was not his birthday, probly born around late sept or early oct. i guess he wanted to be born right before the baseball playoffs and world series, just kidding.

  it was the early christian church that appointed dec 25th.

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  Skeptic
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  105

  Athiests and Christmas?

  by clash_city_rockers in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was just thinking.

  since christmas is about the birth of christ, i know dec 25 was not his birthday, probly born around late sept or early oct. i guess he wanted to be born right before the baseball playoffs and world series, just kidding.

  it was the early christian church that appointed dec 25th.

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  Skeptic

  If Christians can adopt an existing celebration and many of its traditions without compromising their Christian principles or giving credence to the previous doctrines, so can Atheists.

  If the celebration of December 25 is a pagan holiday to pagans, and the celebration of December 25 is a Christian holiday to Christians, then the celebration of December 25 can be a secular holiday to Atheists.

  Expatbrit, that is such a simple concept, eh?
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  46

  How Do You Measure Your Self Worth?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how do you feel about yourself?

  do you struggle with what kind of person that you are?

  do you feel happy, empty, or are are you apathetic?

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  Skeptic

  So is this what a minimus question is....one that minimus asks, but never answers?

  How do you feel about yourself?

  Some people have external locus which means their self-worth is determined by what others think of them. I have internal locus, which means my self-worth comes from within me.

  I feel that I am basically a good person, though far from perfect.

  Do you struggle with what kind of person that you are?

  Sometimes.

  Do you feel happy, empty, or are are you apathetic?

  Sometimes, yes to all of the above.

  Since leaving the organization,do you feel better about yourself or are you just beginning to find out about who you are?

  I am now free to be true to myself. And free to do and be whatever I think is sensible.

  Richard
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  7

  WWI Xmas

  by Skeptic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have heard of this event before, and it was referred to in an xmas song.

  it is consistent with what i know of that era.. in 1914, on christmas eve, british and german soldiers laid down their arms (they were in a battle) and celebrated christmas.

  they exchanged gifts and celebrated together.

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  Skeptic

  Thanks for the post, Richard. In my college history class, I remember the professor telling us that the American Civil War was the last "gentlemen's war." It seems that in days of yore, men (before women took up arms) on both sides of a conflict would have coffee together, trade stories and be quite friendly, then go back to fighting. It seems strange to us, but we are products of our times in so many ways.

  That is so beautiful.

  Yes, we area product of our times. Actually, I understand the mentality you just described, as I am like that.

  This brings to mind the poem entitled (if I recall correctly) "The Man He Killed." I think A.E. Housman was the poet. Look it up on the net and read it if you don't remember it.

  Merry Christmas,

  SandraC

  Perhaps it is the one by Thomas Hardy in my post above? Very good poem, Sandra.
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  7

  WWI Xmas

  by Skeptic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have heard of this event before, and it was referred to in an xmas song.

  it is consistent with what i know of that era.. in 1914, on christmas eve, british and german soldiers laid down their arms (they were in a battle) and celebrated christmas.

  they exchanged gifts and celebrated together.

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  Skeptic

  "The Man He Killed"

  by Thomas Hardy http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/poets/poems/man.htm

  1

  "Had he and I but met

  By some old ancient inn,

  We should have sat us down to wet

  Right many a nipperkin!

  5

  "But ranged as infantry,

  And staring face to face,

  I shot at him as he at me,

  And killed him in his place.

  "I shot him dead because

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  Because he was my foe,

  Just so: my foe of course he was;

  That's clear enough; although

  "He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,

  Off-hand like just as I

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  Was out of work had sold his traps

  No other reason why.

  "Yes; quaint and curious war is!

  You shoot a fellow down

  You'd treat if met where any bar is,

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  Or help to half-a-crown."

  Source: Exploring Poetry, Gale, 1997.

  Edited by - Skeptic on 25 December 2002 23:32:53