startingover

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Posts by startingover

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  29

  Really, how do you decide?

  by startingover in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  over the last 9+years, i have read many discussions between believers and non believers.

  each side supports their claims with research which includes links to websites.

  my question is, how do you decide what information is really the truth and unbiased?

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  startingover

  Thanks for the comments everyone.

  I am looking for facts. After 40+ years I discovered that I am a reality based person, not faith based. So directing me to pray or rely on spirit is not going to cut it for me. At this point I am just going with what works for me. But after dropping my faith based mentality, I discovered the whole big world of information out there that I totally ignored before. What I am confused about is whose information to trust. Take for instance Tec's comment about Christ-mythers. Tec, I think you want to believe, you have admitted that, so IMO you ignored the information until pushed into it by your husband and then you cherry picked the information you wanted to hear accepting only what backs up what you already believe.

  One person on this board who I think lays out facts unbiased like no one else is Leolaia. I have always wondered how she sifts through the mass of info to come to the things she presents. Whose info does she trust?

  I guess at this point in my life, I am attracted to believer-non believer debates out of the fascination of watching people on their journeys. I admit I get a good feeling when I see people coming to the same conclusions as myself, and I don't think it's because I want someone else on my side, it's just a little confirmation that I just may have the "truth".

  And the world goes round and round...
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  29

  Really, how do you decide?

  by startingover in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  over the last 9+years, i have read many discussions between believers and non believers.

  each side supports their claims with research which includes links to websites.

  my question is, how do you decide what information is really the truth and unbiased?

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  startingover

  Over the last 9+years, I have read many discussions between believers and non believers. Each side supports their claims with research which includes links to websites. My question is, how do you decide what information is really the truth and unbiased? I have a really hard time doing that.

  This thread was inspired by this thread http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/203648/2/Why-do-people-look-to-the-Bible-for-answers-when-it-is-obvious-much-OLDER-works-exist There are many good comments on that thread, which really expose the situation that exists.

  Right now, I am of the opinion that the saying applies, people believe what they want to believe. Presently, as a non believer, I really don't want to think that applies to me, but could it? Raised as a JW since birth, I never gave non belief much thought until I was over 40. I have read many people relating how they always connected with god etc, but I can't say I ever felt that way. So non belief is a very comfortable place for me. That said, I have a hard time understanding how some believe based on voices, feelings etc, and feel they use a lot of metal gymnastics to justify their beliefs.

  I am a huge fan of threads that are debates between these 2 groups. Maybe this thread can shed some new light on what I think is an age old subject for discussion. Back to the first question, how does one make a decision in this information age who to believe?
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  87

  Watchtower's new entrants get to hear the Governing Body share their qualifications

  by Dogpatch in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-frdngnwvm .

  here's a rare one you'll not find elsewhere, send it to your friends!.

  new bethel entrants introduction to the governing body circa 1985. two new bethel boys at watchtower headquarters somehow managed to videotape this introduction to the brooklyn bethel headquarters of the governing body off of the bethel tv screen.

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  startingover

  Thanks for posting Randy. It's kind of sad seeing these men who I think are for the most part sincere wasting their lives on a delusion.
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  18

  Daniel for Fun and Prophet, Part II - A Scholarly Treatise on Chapter 3

  by Farkel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i only heard some sorts of musical instruments.

  (although there were a few jw females i once knew who just happened to be wider than the shoulders in a place somewhat lower than the shoulders.

  do you like females with huge butts?

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  startingover

  I missed this first time around. Thanks for calling attention to it in the other thread Farkel
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  14

  When jw's tell you how evil the world has become

  by carla in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ask them if they are aware of stories like these?

  good news does not make the news.

  it doesn't sell.

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  startingover

  In all fairness, isn't the same negative attitude present here towards JW's? I know there are lots of JW's that would say this board just focuses on the negative. However, can change occur just by focusing on the positive without exposing the negaitve?
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  13

  Change and Challenges Facing the Watchtower

  by eric356 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  some of you may have seen my previous thread of almost the same title.

  i've thought a bit more and formatted my thoughts into a longer essay.

  change and challenges facing the watchtower.

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  startingover

  Excellent essay! It's tough to write something like this unbiased, but I think you have done it.
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  14

  Tribute to GB in Feb 1st public Watchtower

  by dozy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  from the gilead graduation.......... one graduate read a touching letter of appreciation from the class.

  in part, it.

  stated to the governing body: as a class, we have observed firsthand how you have lovingly.

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  startingover

  This takes me back to an MS school I atttended. At the end, another MS got up and read a letter praising the GB much like the letter in the OP. Where did that letter some from? I don't see how there was any time that this apparent brown noser could have written the letter himself, and if he didn't do it, who did? The rest of us certainly weren't consulted about it before it was read. And I can't imagine any of the powers to be lettering him get up and read a letter he personally wrote. I have asked around and no one can give me an answer.

  The letter in the OP begs the same question.

  I just saw Snake's post above. Where do you think a letter like the one I am referring to came from considering it was a one day event?
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  34

  When was the last 7-Day Convention held?

  by VM44 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  does anyone know when the watchtower held the last 7-day convention?.

  these conventions lasted from 9am to 9pm every day for a whole week, except perhaps for sunday.. they were mostly held in open-air stadiums and people had to endure the burning heat during the day, and the cold at night.. it took endurance to sit throughout the whole thing.. making people attend those things really was an expression of love from the watchtower!

  did the watchtower drop right away to the 3-day program, or were 5 day conventions held for awhile?.

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  startingover

  I believe it was up until the late 60's, and they were 8 days, 9am-9pm. I don't remember how long the lunch break was, but I do remember the long tables where you ate full meals standing up off metal trays. Imagine them trying to pull off something like that now.
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  34

  My journey to atheism

  by Awakened at Gilead in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've blogged about my path from missionary to atheist on freeminds - see the latest post here: http://www.freeminds.org/blogs/a-gilead-grad-s-guide-to-leaving-jws/from-missionary-to-atheist-how-is-that-possible-part-1.html.

  i haven't shared this aspect of my journey in an organized fashion, so please let me know what you think.... .

  cheers!.

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  startingover

  I for one really appreciate your blog as I have come to the same conclusions. You have expressed your journey better than I could have. Thanks!
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  83

  It Is Not the First Time

  by AGuest in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to the household of god, israel, and those who go with, may you all have peace!.

  i have not been posting "a lot" lately (not that i post a lot, considering the averages) and there is a reason: i have another bit to share and just wasn't up to the "fight" that usually comes when i do so.

  so, i had to take a step back and let our lord refresh me a bit and give me the strength... and flint-y forehead... that i would need to follow through with this post.

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  startingover

  I guess what I'm really getting at is, there are several paragraphs you posted of the words spoken to you. As these words were being spoken to you, did you write them down immediately as they were being said? It seems to me that it would be next to impossible for a person to write down that much dialogue some time after the words were spoken with any degree of accuracy.

  If however these words were spoken to your heart, then I hope you can understand how people like me are skeptical of where these words came from.