Posts by scratchme1010

Oh, and for the same reason, it always bugs me when people say that Jesus referenced Adam and Noah and therefore those were real people... Remember that time Peter Parker had to get the medicine back to Aunt May as she lay dying in a hospital bed and he had to fight off Doc Ock's henchmen? Remember that? Say, I am a real person referencing an old story, therefore it must have happened.
Get it?
End.

Love your post. One thing to consider, though, If I may. Jesus of Nazareth did exist. He was a real person. Jesus the miracle maker, walking on water, resurrecting people, turning water into wine, becoming a king in 1914, and expected to reign for 1000 years, for that one, every single thing you posted applies.

5

You just never know

by scratchme1010 in

jw
friends

i finally decided to join linkedin.

i have been in technology for all my adult life, so i am one of those who don't like to communicate and socialize using technology.

however, i decided to join because i started to feel left out.. i have kept my profile private for the time being.

scratchme1010

I finally decided to join LinkedIn. I have been in technology for all my adult life, so I am one of those who don't like to communicate and socialize using technology. However, I decided to join because I started to feel left out.

I have kept my profile private for the time being. Most of the time I have been working on making my profile look as perfect, accurate and reflective of the kind of professional I am. However, as a preventive measure I have been looking for people I want to block. I have blocked a rather large number of people.

My career path hasn't been perfect. I have burned a few bridges behind me. All things considered, though, I think I have done a great job managing my career. My parents had a fourth grade formal education, and growing up a JW, discouraged from pursuing higher education. I had to learn everything all by myself. Never had a mentor, never had anyone (nor access to reliable information) that could guide me in my career. It was all me. However, I'm not stupid, and I am a very fast learner. I did find my way in my career, learned from mistakes, grew and defined a career path that I feel proud of.

But back to blocking people in LinkedIn. I started with ill-intended people who purposely attempted to cause harm to my reputation and my career. (As a side note, it's interesting to see how just like everybody in Facebook is happy, everybody in LinkedIn is a kick-ass expert. A lot of misrepresentation and over-inflated statements there). People keep popping up as suggested connections. I think that the suggested connections feature is a little obnoxious, but it's great for blocking people.

It didn't take too many clicks for people from my former life as a JW to start popping up. Block, block, block. It felt a little creepy seeing pictures of the faces of people I haven't seen or heard of in decades. Blocking them all as a preventive measure felt as good as way back when I left them behind. It was a good exercise (or reminder) in making sure the boundaries I set are properly maintained today.

However, today i realized that not everything is negative and bad. Back in 1995 I found myself working in a program for what they used to call "at-risk youth". These kids were coming out of the Juvenile Detention Center in New Jersey, and I was one of their instructors. Back then I was also starting my career in IT, and I was studying for a Novell certification (god I'm old!). I was the computer teacher.

This one student, his name was Johnny, 16 at the time, loved my computer class. He was like a knowledge sponge. He told me that he never had the opportunity to learn about them before. I encouraged him to help me setup my computer lab, and he was always wanting me to give him some computer to fix or take apart. We developed a great relationship, and one day he introduced me to his mom. She was a single mother and raised him by herself since he was 2. Later I learned that Johnny was actually trying to set me up with his mom. I was truly some kind of father figure to him. I moved on to another job a year later or so and I never heard of him again.

I found him in LinkedIn today. He's a systems Engineer and has a Master's degree. Made me feel very proud. I never thought that I could be a good influence to anyone. That's not the message I got from my family or from the congregations I grew up in. I can't believe the little that I did for him was the beginning of what seems to be a great career. That's so great to see.

28

A question for those who still go to the meetings

by no-zombie in

and it is ... why do most at the hall prefer to sit at the back and leave front rows empty?.

scratchme1010

And it is ... Why do most at the hall prefer to sit at the back and leave front rows empty?

Back when I was going I used to prefer the back for the well being of the entire congregation. I farted a lot.

14

Saltbaehovah Be Like...

by freemindfade in

.

scratchme1010

And to think that they use that story to attack gay people because we're supposed to be immoral.

63

Is it possible to decline preaching in the carts?

by Skepsis in

jw
friends

hi folks,.

i have a difficult dilemma.

since i'm not pioneering any more, i'm reducing my hours wasted at that artifact known as cart or trolley.

scratchme1010

Once I can decrease my participation, I'd like to never be there. Don't know how to do it. Any suggestion?

If that works and you decrease your participation, maybe the same tactic can work taken a step further. My suggestion is that patience is your ally. Don't get desperate. That is if you feel like fading without a lot of noise is what you feel is necessary.

50

If turned off by the GB's latest bloopers- do you still have faith in God and Christ?

by the-Question in

some go back to churchianity!.

and that, to me, indicates they never had real faith in god- but it was in men.....

scratchme1010

SOME go back to CHURCHianity!
And that, to ME, indicates they never HAD real faith in God- but it was in MEN....

the-Question, you are not really making a lot of sense. Seems like you are agitated or something. You have made a few posts, all of them with fragmented sentences expressing fragmented ideas.

May I suggest you to try to post one thing properly articulated? Two or three sentences that sound like yelling don't really articulate whatever you want to communicate.

28

A problem for believers

by Bugbear in

a problem for believers!.

a majority of the world’s population acknowledge that they believe in a superior god or in their creator.

they also claim that they have got this special understanding and knowledge of his will and his law.

scratchme1010

How stupid to believe that only you have the wisdom of God….!

I am in no way a believer, but I think that your ideas address only part of what religion and religious organizations are and do. What you describe is absolutely true, but is far from the complete picture.

It's neither complete nor fair for religion to be depicted only and exclusively for what they claim to be in relationship with the god they worship. Organized religion plays an important role in society. They do a lot more than simply try to make their people believe what they preach. Furthermore, there are plenty of churches and religious denominations that never force their own believes in people and where it's perfectly fine to not understand or believe in everything.

Also, there is a major difference between religious believes and religious abuse of people or abuse of religion itself. Most-to-all of those people who you see fervently claiming that their way or their god is the one and only are in fact abusing religion and abusing others in the name of religion. That is not what all religions do.

Then there are charities, foundations, social work, schools, religious clubs, retreats, and many other things in which religious organizations are involved that help and plays a major role in communities. Cults, abusive churches and groups that are there for the sole purpose of enriching themselves and exercise power over others are the organizations that may fit more what you describe. Most of those harmful groups do nothing for the community where their people live. Those are the ones pushing their people to believe that there's no other way than theirs. Many, many other religious organizations are nothing like that.