jacobm

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Posts by jacobm

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  33

  Reminder about language and content

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  while the vast majority of posts that the majority of posters share are perfectly fine (which we appreciate) i've noticed we have a few cases where bad language, crude innuendo and outright misogyny is creeping in.. this is not acceptable.. we're not certainly not prudish and neither are we going to enforce puritanical rules - sometimes a politically incorrect joke is funny as hell and sometimes strong language is justified.

  but often times content is completely out of place and cannot be justified.. so, please don't post crude content or use expletives just to be "shocking".

  it's childish and immature and won't be tolerated.. thank you to all the people this has nothing at all to do with..

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  jacobm

  Thanks, skedaddle.
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  20

  A Sincere Question Regarding Macroevolution

  by jacobm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a sincere question related to macroevolution:.

  microevolution happens on a small scale (within a single population), while macroevolution happens on a scale that transcends the boundaries of a single species.

  despite their differences, evolution at both of these levels relies on the same, established mechanisms of evolutionary change:.

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  jacobm

  Thanks for everyone's responses!
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  33

  Reminder about language and content

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  while the vast majority of posts that the majority of posters share are perfectly fine (which we appreciate) i've noticed we have a few cases where bad language, crude innuendo and outright misogyny is creeping in.. this is not acceptable.. we're not certainly not prudish and neither are we going to enforce puritanical rules - sometimes a politically incorrect joke is funny as hell and sometimes strong language is justified.

  but often times content is completely out of place and cannot be justified.. so, please don't post crude content or use expletives just to be "shocking".

  it's childish and immature and won't be tolerated.. thank you to all the people this has nothing at all to do with..

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  jacobm

  Thanks, Simon:

  Lurking/inactive JWs come here all the time. If they are scared, like I first was, and they see posts/replies that only reinforce what they have been told about "apostates", are we not actually helping the WT?
  

  After all, they are told constantly that "apostates" are obsessed with arguing, lying, misleading, being rude, etc. If we can be nothing but the exact opposite of what the WT says we are on here, we are doing good.

  We should really think about how grateful we are for the people on these forums who set a good example and, therefore, allowed us to lower our guard for a while, to let facts inside our heads.

  Remember, this is all about recovery from JW.
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  26

  More Ant-Evolution BS in this months JW Broadcast Program

  by ttdtt in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  so at around the 46 min mark - the are talking to this guy from ukraine who was a zoologist.. he talks about how he was a staunch evolutionist (who wasn't able to prove evolution to himself, by the way).

  then when he studied nature through the lens of evolution - he found that nature contradicted evolution.. his big point came when he said - "imagine emptying a box of letter blocks on a table, and the encyclopedia britannica appears, or could a computer program come by chance.

  so who could dna come by chance.".

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  jacobm

  @ Finkelstein:

  It is so sad to see you resort to that Jesus face palm meme. It makes me wonder if you were the type of JW who made fun of/were rude to "unbelievers" as well.

  It is even more sad to see that type of expression allowed here. Whew, I remember the good ol' days of this forum. Sad that they are gone.

  I consider that type of expression far below ones used by truly intellectual men & women.
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  20

  A Sincere Question Regarding Macroevolution

  by jacobm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a sincere question related to macroevolution:.

  microevolution happens on a small scale (within a single population), while macroevolution happens on a scale that transcends the boundaries of a single species.

  despite their differences, evolution at both of these levels relies on the same, established mechanisms of evolutionary change:.

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  jacobm

  @coded logic:

  You said:

  If you're having a hard time with the question it's probably because things like "micro-evolution" and "macro-evolution" are not scientific terms. They're not even defined at all.

  If they are not scientific terms, why is my link (Berkeley) showing them defined?
  
  
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  20

  A Sincere Question Regarding Macroevolution

  by jacobm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a sincere question related to macroevolution:.

  microevolution happens on a small scale (within a single population), while macroevolution happens on a scale that transcends the boundaries of a single species.

  despite their differences, evolution at both of these levels relies on the same, established mechanisms of evolutionary change:.

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  jacobm

  Hello everyone,

  I have a sincere question related to Macroevolution:

  Microevolution happens on a small scale (within a single population), while macroevolution happens on a scale that transcends the boundaries of a single species. Despite their differences, evolution at both of these levels relies on the same, established mechanisms of evolutionary change:

  http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evoscales_01

  Question:

  Have scientists ever been able to recreate or virtually witness a Macroevolution type jump that "transcends the boundaries of a single species"?
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  4

  N.H. Barbour As the "Evil Slave" Quote From "Blood on the Altar"

  by jacobm in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i think the book blood on the altar, may have a misquote (or maybe it is just me reading it wrong).. p. 41, para.

  "pastor russell took the place of mr. barbour who became unfaithful and upon whom was fulfilled the prophecies of matt.

  the book give the reference of the zion's watchtower july 15th, 1879, p. 8 (http://jv.somet.dk/tekster/wt_1879_07_01.pdf).

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  jacobm

  I think the book Blood on the Altar, may have a misquote (or maybe it is just me reading it wrong).

  P. 41, para. 1:

  "Pastor Russell took the place of Mr. Barbour who became unfaithful and upon whom was fulfilled the prophecies of matt. 24:48-51..."

  The book give the reference of the Zion's Watchtower July 15th, 1879, p. 8 (http://jv.somet.dk/tekster/WT_1879_07_01.pdf). I didn't see any evil slave reference there. Is the author of Blood on the Altar quoting Rutherford's later view?
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  6

  How to Tell When Someone Is Evangelizing to You Versus Trying to Be a Genuine Friend

  by jacobm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've had this question on my mind for the last two years.

  first off, i'm still a follower of jesus.

  second, i don't go to church but rather a topical skype bible study with some fellow ex-jws.

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  jacobm

  @simon

  I lol'd. It goes both ways. I have an acquaintance who is a bit of an militant atheist (Dawkins words). He pretty much told me, once we had a few discussions about belief/non-belief in God, that believers like me make the world a dangerous place for his children.

  @cofty: I don't know about "all evangelicals". It is definitely a doctrine "on the church's books" but check this out:

  Only 59% of Americans believe in hell, compared with 74% who believe in heaven, according to the recent surveys from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-08-01-hell-damnation_N.htm)
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  6

  How to Tell When Someone Is Evangelizing to You Versus Trying to Be a Genuine Friend

  by jacobm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've had this question on my mind for the last two years.

  first off, i'm still a follower of jesus.

  second, i don't go to church but rather a topical skype bible study with some fellow ex-jws.

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  jacobm

  Hello everyone,

  I've had this question on my mind for the last two years. First off, I'm still a follower of Jesus. Second, I don't go to church but rather a topical Skype Bible study with some fellow ex-JWs. I will likely never attend any church again, even once.

  Third, I feel super suspicious of certain church going evangelicals that I meet here in Austin, TX. Particularly, there is a Baptist mega-church here that is big on evangelism and has tons of families who attend their services regularly. It is kind of a hip, young church. The Church is 5 point Calvanist, has multiple "campuses", gives membership classes, and has anyone in an official full member capacity sign a statement of faith (excuse me while I throw up). Don't worry, I will never attend there!

  My wife will sometimes meetup with a moms, who will bring their husband and kids. I'm there as well, and usually the topic of what they do for work comes up. The most uncomfortable times come when they identify themselves as a Pastor or "Church-planter" (she doesn't only meetup with church-goers). These kind of remind me of, go figure, JW Elders a bit. They usually ask if I go to a church. When I respond no, I find they get that same expression I used to when getting a good return visit. They don't push as much as JWs do, but they offer to hear my "story" sometime.

  Other evangelicals I meet, who are not in leadership positions, find my ex-JW background very interesting. And, they will usually ask me what church I go to. I say none and then the rest of the time wonder if they are only spending time with me because they want to get me into Church, same as with the Pastors/Church planters.

  Am I being too paranoid? I find myself believing that almost everyone has "an angle" these days, with exception to a couple EX-JWs that I know personally. I have always been a bit paranoid...its probably a result of where I grew up & being a JW.

  Thanks!

  P.S. - Karma can really bite ya, right? Here I love bombed people for all those years and now I have to struggle with paranoia for the same reason! I deserve it!
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  56

  Why Faith is Self-Defeating

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the god of christian theism values faith.. "without faith it is impossible to please god, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists" - heb.11.

  faith and evidence are inversely proportional - the more evidence there is that god exists the less faith you need in that proposition and vice-versa.. so how can a christian criticise any other faith-based belief?

  for example they can protest that all the evidence is against the claims of scientology, but that just means that scientologists require more faith than christians.

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  jacobm

  @cofty:

  Great! Just wondering!