Posts by jp1692

53

Is Satan Real ?

by jdash in

i've been pondering on this question for awhile now, and i'm starting to think this malevolent spirit creature isn't real.

.

do you guys believe satan is real?

jp1692

I only believe in things for which there is evidence.

There is no tangible evidence for the existence of either Satan or Jehovah.

Therefore I believe in neither.

105

Another School Shooting: The Gun Violence/Mental Illness Debate Continues

by jp1692 in

in the aftermath of the valentine's day school shooting in florida, i have read quite a number of articles, blogs and posts about the event.

it is disturbing--and i think inexcusable--that many people take the opportunity to use horrible tragedies such as this to push their own particular agenda.. in particularly insensitive and tone-deaf tweet, conservative political commentator tomi lahren wrote: "can the left let the families grieve for even 24 hours before they push their anti-gun and anti-gunowner agenda?

my goodness.

jp1692

LR: I am sorry to see the demonization of the FBI on this.

Thanks Lisa for your response.

To be clear, I am most certainly NOT demonizing the entire FBI organization. I wouldn't even "demonize" the specific individuals that had be warned about Nikolas Cruz and failed to follow-up. But I do think we deserve an explanation. Don't you?

My quote, which you excepted, refers to "law enforcement" (LE) broadly. However, it is a fact that, in this particular instance, the FBI had been informed about Nikolas Cruz behavior and didn't act. It highlights a problem that must be addressed.

I agree with you that a resignation of the current FBI director is not a good solution. Heck, if you want to follow that practice to it's logical extreme then every US President should resign anytime a low ranking official makes even the most minor of mistakes or commits the smallest of misdeeds. Obviously, that's a dumb idea and I honestly don't know why people ever suggest it.

Nevertheless, all law enforcement agencies do need to improve their responsiveness to tips and be more proactive.

Maybe it would help if the public knew more about the tragedies that are prevented when LE gets it right!

105

Another School Shooting: The Gun Violence/Mental Illness Debate Continues

by jp1692 in

in the aftermath of the valentine's day school shooting in florida, i have read quite a number of articles, blogs and posts about the event.

it is disturbing--and i think inexcusable--that many people take the opportunity to use horrible tragedies such as this to push their own particular agenda.. in particularly insensitive and tone-deaf tweet, conservative political commentator tomi lahren wrote: "can the left let the families grieve for even 24 hours before they push their anti-gun and anti-gunowner agenda?

my goodness.

jp1692

Never a jw, you raise some interesting points in your first post. I'm curious to see how other forum members will respond so I will refrain from comment for the time being.

But I will repeat this point for emphasis: Gun control does NOT equate to a gun ban. A call for the former is not a call for the latter.

105

Another School Shooting: The Gun Violence/Mental Illness Debate Continues

by jp1692 in

in the aftermath of the valentine's day school shooting in florida, i have read quite a number of articles, blogs and posts about the event.

it is disturbing--and i think inexcusable--that many people take the opportunity to use horrible tragedies such as this to push their own particular agenda.. in particularly insensitive and tone-deaf tweet, conservative political commentator tomi lahren wrote: "can the left let the families grieve for even 24 hours before they push their anti-gun and anti-gunowner agenda?

my goodness.

jp1692

And just to be clear for the sake of those that tend to see complex issues only in black and white: the call for gun control is NOT intrinsically "anti-gun" or an "anti-gunowner" agenda. It just isn't. Get over it.

Carly Novell, a student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, sent a tweet in response Tomi Lahren's.

Carly wrote to Lahren: "I was hiding in a closet for 2 hours. It was about guns. You weren't there, you don't know how it felt. Guns give these disgusting people the ability to kill other human beings. This IS about guns and this is about all the people who had their life abruptly ended because of guns."

On Wednesday afternoon, the students and faculty at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida weren't concerned about politics. They were concerned about one thing: survival.

We must find ways to identify individuals with the potential for violence and both prevent them from obtaining weapons and/or take them away from them should such individuals already have them in their possession. This must be priority #1. Then, when the immediate threat is removed, we can begin to find ways to try to treat the underlying mental issues which cause some people to want to hurt others. We must accept the fact that some of these people will likely never be cured. They should never be allowed access to weapons of any sort. Never.

But this brings up another failure of our system: even when law enforcement and other authorities have been informed about potentially dangerous individuals, they often do nothing. Sadly the case of Nikolas Cruz gives ample proof of that.

Reportedly, law enforcement had been called to the Cruz’s home an astounding 39 times over a 7-Year Period (CNN: CBS Miami). Wow. Just Wow!

As reported yesterday in the NY Times, "The F.B.I. received a tip last month from someone close to Nikolas Cruz that he owned a gun and had talked of committing a school shooting." The bureau has both acknowledged that it received the tip and that it failed to investigate.

This is just not right.

In a recent statement in response to this school shooting, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said: "It has never been more important to encourage every person in every community to spot the warning signs and alert law enforcement. Do not assume someone else will step up -- all of us must be vigilant. Our children's lives depend on it."

That's great, assuming that law enforcement will actually DO something about the tips they receive.

As Florida Governor Rick Scott stated: “The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable. Seventeen innocent people are dead and acknowledging a mistake isn't going to cut it.”

Scott continued, “We constantly promote ‘see something, say something,’ and a courageous person did just that to the FBI, [but] the FBI failed to act. 'See something, say something' is an incredibly important tool and people must have confidence in the follow through from law enforcement."

We clearly cannot have confidence in "follow through from law enforcement." This is an area over which we the people and our elected representatives have control. This an area where change can be affected and it must be done so immediately. But it is not just the FBI, but all local and regional law enforcement agencies which need to step up and be proactive, not reactive, in this matter.

Lives depend on it.

Next time--and I hope there isn't a next time, but there almost surely will be--it could be your child, your sibling, your spouse or parent that is killed. It could even be you.

Does it have to come to that for all of us to be outraged?

105

Another School Shooting: The Gun Violence/Mental Illness Debate Continues

by jp1692 in

in the aftermath of the valentine's day school shooting in florida, i have read quite a number of articles, blogs and posts about the event.

it is disturbing--and i think inexcusable--that many people take the opportunity to use horrible tragedies such as this to push their own particular agenda.. in particularly insensitive and tone-deaf tweet, conservative political commentator tomi lahren wrote: "can the left let the families grieve for even 24 hours before they push their anti-gun and anti-gunowner agenda?

my goodness.

jp1692

In the aftermath of the Valentine's Day school shooting in Florida, I have read quite a number of articles, blogs and posts about the event. It is disturbing--and I think inexcusable--that many people take the opportunity to use horrible tragedies such as this to push their own particular agenda.

In particularly insensitive and tone-deaf tweet, conservative political commentator Tomi Lahren wrote: "Can the Left let the families grieve for even 24 hours before they push their anti-gun and anti-gunowner agenda? My goodness. This isn't about a gun it's about another lunatic."

Of course it's about mental illness. But it is also undeniably about gun control. Because a mentally ill person had open access to guns and no one stopped him, 17 people are dead: Young people with their lives ahead of them, their teachers and coaches.

These were lives senselessly lost in a tragedy that almost certainly could have and should have been prevented.

Rather than politicizing this and making it an "either-or," "left or right" issue, let's set politics aside and pick up our common humanity to discuss solutions--real solutions--to this ongoing problem so that we may prevent more tragedy and the further, needless loss of innocent lives.

4

Episode 16 of the Constitutional podcast [or transcript]: ‘The 1st Amendment’ Story: How JW's powerfully transformed 1st Amendment law

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2018/01/29/episode-16-of-the-constitutional-podcast-the-first-amendment/?utm_term=.9d8940ba6280.

episode 16 of the constitutional podcast: ‘the first amendment’.

by lillian cunningham .

jp1692

It is tragically ironic that the JW religious organization fought the US government for, and generally won, free speech rights only to forbid them among their own membership.

4

Find Family Happiness ... NOT!

by jp1692 in

the other day my wife and i were in sonoma.

we were just walking around enjoying the pleasant afternoon in the quaint, old downtown area when i saw two jw women standing by their “witnessing cart.” .

normally, i just ignore them whenever i see jws standing by a cart, but i gotta admit it: this time it really bugged me because of the title on the cart: find family happiness.

jp1692

Hmmm,

I don't know why this duplicate post suddenly appeared. That's weird ...

To anyone that wants to respond, please post on the original thread I started two days ago:

Find Family Happiness ... NOT!

4

Find Family Happiness ... NOT!

by jp1692 in

the other day my wife and i were in sonoma.

we were just walking around enjoying the pleasant afternoon in the quaint, old downtown area when i saw two jw women standing by their “witnessing cart.” .

normally, i just ignore them whenever i see jws standing by a cart, but i gotta admit it: this time it really bugged me because of the title on the cart: find family happiness.

jp1692

The other day my wife and I were in Sonoma. We were just walking around enjoying the pleasant afternoon in the quaint, old downtown area when I saw two JW women standing by their “witnessing cart.”

Normally, I just ignore them whenever I see JWs standing by a cart, but I gotta admit it: this time it really bugged me because of the title on the cart: Find Family Happiness.

I was just going to walk on by, but when one of the women made eye contact I just couldn't help myself. I spontaneously blurted out, "You're messed up religion destroyed my family. You should be ashamed of yourself claiming to help people 'find family happiness'!"

Not too surprisingly, she immediately looked away and the other woman suddenly became very preoccupied with something on her cell phone.

I have to admit that I had some mixed feelings about the whole encounter. I am well aware that my behavior likely just invoked their pre-programmed response of the "angry apostate" stereotype. But I also remember that there were more than a few times when I was in the "field ministry" and I encountered angry people. Rarely could any of them articulate their reasons for being angry. Several were so upset they could barely speak. One young man even became violent and physically attacked the other person I was with requiring me to restrain him.

After every one of those times I always walked away wondering, "Why are they so upset? Why are they so upset they can't even explain it?"

Now of course I know.

And so I'm not in the least sorry that I said what I said to these two women. In fact, I'm glad that I was able to say specifically and clearly that it is their religion that directly caused the breakup of my family.

Their. Religion. Destroyed. My. Family.

Perhaps the cognitive dissonance I created within them will resonate for a while. Maybe it will even help one or both of them wake up before their family becomes yet another casualty of this cult.

Rant over.

24

Find Family Happiness ... NOT!

by jp1692 in

the other day my wife and i were in sonoma.

we were just walking around enjoying the pleasant afternoon in the quaint, old downtown area when i saw two jw women standing by their “witnessing cart.” .

normally, i just ignore them whenever i see jws standing by a cart, but i gotta admit it: this time it really bugged me because of the title on the cart: find family happiness.

jp1692

Xanthippe: Good for you JP, reacting like a normal human being to a barefaced lie being paraded in the street to lure in innocent families.

I like the way you stated this. Thank you for putting it in perspective!

sir82: I think a "short burst of anger" was an understandable and appropriate response. Standing around ranting would have just reinforced the idea of the "crazy apostates". But an obviously angry man giving vent to his feelings then walking away? Might make them think.

Also an excellent perspective. Thanks!

humbled: Both experiences stuck with me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that they had a story to tell about my religion that would trouble me. It DID trouble me. I think that you did the perfect thing, jp1692.

I think so too. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that wondered why some people we encountered in "the ministry" were so irate. They DID have a story to tell and we never heard it. But now we are sharing ours. We will be heard!

Sliced: I would not have been able to hold back either--- however, I would have been more calm when approaching. I would have said I love the title of their little cart, and how I wish I could agree that this was the case with JW's, but its NOT. How does shunning family create happiness?

Your closing question is powerful because the conclusion is so obvious and it clearly contradicts the JWs claimed beliefs and practices concerning families.

And I would no doubt have handled this differently had I PLANNED my comments. But I did not, it was my reaction to seeing them there intruding on my day and my peace and my life.

exjwlemming: a friend sent me a screenshot of my wife's instagram account. She posted a picture of herself working a JW booth set up at the county fair. The booth was decorated with JW posters claiming, "The Secret to Family Happiness."

So you can clearly relate. The irony is palpable.

Their self-righteousness blinds them to their hypocrisy. The typical JW exemplifies everything bad that Jesus preached against yet they don't see it.

Finkelstein: Valid rant jp1692. The JWS religion has broken a part millions of families by now mostly due its shunning DFing policy.

Thanks for the historical details about JWs and the modern practice of disfellowshipping and shunning. I am well aware of these facts but I'm sure the average JW is not.

To be clear: I am NOT disfellowshipped. I merely quit going to meetings at the Kingdom Hall. While I don't pretend to be something I'm not, I also do not publicly speak out against the religion locally where I live out of consideration for my children. I know that if I became known as an "apostate" in the area where we live it would only make it that much more difficult for them to reconcile.

I'm not optimistic about that, but I haven't given up hope either.

Oh well. What can we do?

Let's review: It's a cult!

24

Find Family Happiness ... NOT!

by jp1692 in

the other day my wife and i were in sonoma.

we were just walking around enjoying the pleasant afternoon in the quaint, old downtown area when i saw two jw women standing by their “witnessing cart.” .

normally, i just ignore them whenever i see jws standing by a cart, but i gotta admit it: this time it really bugged me because of the title on the cart: find family happiness.

jp1692

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful and encouraging comments. I appreciated the balance from all of you.

I don't have time to respond to all of you, but here are some select responses:

Iamallcool: you should have told them that you are very happy now because you are out of their very weird religion.

In fact, my life is really good in every respect expect the lingering damage from my past association with the JW cult. The ongoing pain and frustration of being shunned by my children simply because I no longer attend meetings at the KH is difficult. Even after almost a decade, it still hurts -- sometimes worse than others, but it never completely goes away.

LisaRose: I wouldn't feel bad about that at all. It may not have been what you would have planned to say, but it was your truth, given from your heart, and that can be far more powerful than any prepared speech.

I love that sentiment. Thank you very much!

Wasanelder Once: Well, you spoke your heart. It may not have been a reasoned expression but it was authentic. … I’m sure your rage will find its place and your expressions won't be so volatile in the future.

Your first comment is similar to LisaRose's. Again: thanks! Just to be clear, I am well past the rage part of leaving this cult. Although my comment to the women on the street wasn't particularly restrained or measured, I wasn't yelling in uncontrolled anger either. The anger in my voice was in response to their complete hypocrisy knowing full well the damage their religion has done to countless millions of people. It was more a reaction of frustration. In no way was I physically threatening to them.

Perry: They are masters at weaponizing family relationships. … I feel sorry for them, trapped like that - taking the heat due the WT. They end up getting victimized twice. I probably would not have been able to just keep walking either.

I love the expression "weaponizing family relationships." I'm going to use it!

You're clearly a compassionate person to feel sorry for them, and I agree to an extent: they are pathetic. But they are also adults. They have the power to leave just as we did.

The chains that hold them are strong, but not physical. My sympathy ends at understanding. Their ongoing "victimization" is of their own choosing.

Sparrowdown: When I think back to all the titles of the books mags and brochures they're all misleading intellectual honey trap to lure in all sorts of people.

They are dishonest traps. That's exactly what upsets me about it. We KNOW they they are lies: deceptive and dishonestly designed to trap people.

It's disgusting really.

To be clear, I did fall for their trap, but it wasn't the other day. It was in the early 1980s and it took me almost two decades to escape.

Let's review: It's a cult!