trevor

Joined

• started 19 topics
• posted 2,393 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by trevor

• 
  115

  Are you tired of the whole atheist/believer debate?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm usually the first one to stir this particular pot but it get's so frustrating to keep coming up against the same old arguments.

  the phrase "banging your head against a brick wall" springs to mind.

  how many times have believers argued for a designer but refused to answer the obvious question of the designer's origin?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  I think if we, as humans, realized how little we really know about the universe, of which we occupy a small corner, we would realize that we have a snail size grasp of what is. Wisdom is knowing that we know nothing and being ready to learn more.

  We will never learn enough to complete the picture or fully grasp the incredible experience which we are a living part of. Natural and supernatural are simply labels that show how confused we are about the awesome meaning of existence and the power that drives it.

  In our attempts to understand we invent personal deities that we can relate to. We endorse belief systems that try to make sense of what we see and experience. Tolerance and understanding of other peoples struggle to comprehend should not be belittled because we are all a long way from truly knowing the answers, whatever we believe.....................
• 
  98

  Say something Philosophical and Deep

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  say something philosophical and deep so that we can all benefit from what you're going to say.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  You can choose your friends

  You can choose your wife

  But you can't choose your friend's wife!
• 
  65

  Better off Poor in UK than Rich in US!

  by Seeker4 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  national public radio this morning had a story about a study of middle-aged (55-64 yo) whites in the uk compred to the us.

  they were shocked at the results.

  the study was done to try to find out the effects of poverty on health , which is why they just studied whites, to eliminate the effects of race.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  When we were in California the hotel staff were shock when my wife and I declined to wait 20 minutes for the hotel courtesy car and walked the 10 minutes to the Getty Museum.

  Americans drive everywhere. Still if I was that fat I would opt to be driven as well.
• 
  98

  Say something Philosophical and Deep

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  say something philosophical and deep so that we can all benefit from what you're going to say.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  You can choose your friends,

  You can choose your underpants

  But you can't choose your friends underpants!
• 
  55

  Do You Believe in The Supernatural?

  by Blueblades in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the bible is chock full of information about the supernatural - ghosts, demons, spirits - and the list goes on.. the apostles, jesus, and god spoke of the supernatural.

  the bible says that the supernatural is real.

  does the "swine" ring a bell?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  All that is must be included in nature. Supernatural refers to that which is beyond our understanding but believed, by some, to potentially exist.

  Two hundred years ago this would have applied to Microwaves, electricity, infa-red, nuclear energy, x-rays and so on…At this time most people believed in a god of some kind. Now we accept these phenomena as natural energies and part of everyday life but less people believe in a god now!

  There is no such thing as supernatural, just nature and our efforts to comprehend and understand.
• 
  57

  Would you fight and possibly die for your country?

  by free2beme in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i want to put this in the right frame, as what is happening in iraq is not about dying for our countries.

  so this is what i mean by this question.. if a foreign government were to suddenly invade your country.

  would you be willing to join the arm forces to fight for your country, knowing full well that you may die having never been able to reap the benefits of any possible victory?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  Ignored_one - didn't mean to ignore you!

  In my post I did not give and opinion on invasion by foreigners. What I asked was, 'Why fight a war to keep out foreign people and then let them in slowly through the back door?'
• 
  44

  Comments from "30 Years a Watchtower Slave" that surprised me.....

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i had begun to read schnell's book when we first left - but in the 'fresh out of the borg' mental state, i had found it too caustic.

  now i am reading it and find it quite interesting due to the time frame - in judge rutherford's era.. one of the premises that he states repeatedly in the book, took me by surprise.

  i would be curious if any could confirm/deny the reality of his accusations here.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  Prison Bonds

  Having made so much capital out of the few years some of the members had spent in prison during the War years, up until 1919, the Society realized the publicity that could be achieved by clashing with the authorities. Coupled with the growing suspicion among outsiders that the Society was a moneymaking organization, they decided to embark on a campaign against the courts.

  The Witnesses were supposed to individually obtain permits to sell their books, so they broke the law and sold them without the permits. Whenever a Witness was arrested for this offence, the Society would take up the case. They argued that book selling was a part of their worship and refused to comply. To obtain permits would classify them as commercial booksellers and incur a tax liability.

  This publicly gave the impression that they were being persecuted for their religion. Public sympathy and interest helped to increase book sales. One of the techniques used was to swamp a city with Witnesses all selling books without permits. The number arrested would overfill the jails and cause uproar. The Society would pre-arrange for the press to be present at these publicity stunts.

  To increase the impression of persecution they adopted the slogan, “Religion is a Snare and a Racket.” The anger this generated among some religious people led to mob violence. The Society’s law-breaking activity was highly organized and a special squad numbering 12,600 was formed. When the Witnesses were arrested, they would phone the nearest division who would go into action. The areas designated for these protests were called “Hot Spots.”

  During 1936, 1,149 Witnesses were charged in court for disturbing the peace and selling books without a permit. Court case by court case, the issue was fought all the way up to the American Supreme Court. A few years later the Witnesses won the right to sell their books and literature without a licence, as part of their worship.

  The Watchtower Society claimed that this was a miracle - which summed up the feelings of their critics.

  Taken from the book, 'Opening the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses.' By Trevor Willis
• 
  115

  Are you tired of the whole atheist/believer debate?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm usually the first one to stir this particular pot but it get's so frustrating to keep coming up against the same old arguments.

  the phrase "banging your head against a brick wall" springs to mind.

  how many times have believers argued for a designer but refused to answer the obvious question of the designer's origin?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  The question is - Have we Created an atmosphere conducive for debating this issue, or did it Evolve?
• 
  43

  Why does "god" permit evil, wickedness and tragic misfortune??

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don't know of anyone who can answer this question totally but i do like this man's response!

  i've posted the link to this before.

  rex .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  The post by Shining one points out that:

  The word ontology deals with the nature of existence. When I say that evil has no ontological status, I mean that evil, as a thing in itself, does not exist.

  The same could be said of 'good.' No 'good or 'evil,' just potential.

  How is belief in the existance of a personal Deity any more sound?
• 
  57

  Would you fight and possibly die for your country?

  by free2beme in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i want to put this in the right frame, as what is happening in iraq is not about dying for our countries.

  so this is what i mean by this question.. if a foreign government were to suddenly invade your country.

  would you be willing to join the arm forces to fight for your country, knowing full well that you may die having never been able to reap the benefits of any possible victory?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  trevor

  Garybuss said:
  
  

  My country doesn't need anybody to fight or die for it ever, it's just dirt and rock and water.

  
  

  This is true so free2beme, you must be referring to the people that live in a country.

  I live in the UK and the huge influx of people immigrating here both legal and illegally, amounts to an invasion of this small island by foreigners. We are expected to, ‘just take it and accept the invasion…’

  This shows that there is more than one way to invade a country and rob it of it’s identity and culture. Why fight a war to keep out foreign people and then let them in slowly through the back door?

  Of course Britain knows all about invading other countries and were thrown out by the Americans for wearing those bright red coats. The native American Indians also know all about invasion.

  t