Posts by EdenOne

15

The Watchtower and its absurd accusations against the Church Fathers

by opusdei1972 in

i love to read the watchtower's article "the church fathersadvocates of bible truth?

" (w01 4/15 pp.

there we may read the most contadictory statements of the watchtower society, which shows how deceptive and ignorant is the jehovah's witnesses religion.. .

October 1914? Really?

by sylvlef in

km august 2014, page 3 paragraph 6(article for this week's service meeting):.

"the month of october 2014 will see the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the kingdom.

for this occasion a special edition of the watchtower will be on this theme.".

Alternative theory to conventional evolution: Stabilization Theory. What do you think?

by EdenOne in

i happened to come across a new (2008) theory on the evolution of live, by a biologist named eugene m. mccarthy.

he describes his new approach as stabilization theory.

i haven't read into it in depht, so i cannot make any informed comments so far.. this is his website: www.macroevolution.net.

EdenOne

Quote from the introduction of "On the Origins of New Forms of Life - A New Theory", by Eugene M. McCarthy

"How does evolution occur? — That is, what natural processes bring new types of organisms into being? Expressed more technically, one might ask, what are the genetic processes that have produced the various forms scientists recognize and assign scientific names? This is the question considered in this book. Certainly, there is a great mass of literature already available on this topic. But my own, more than 20-year investigation of that literature has convinced me that certain widely accepted claims about the nature of evolutionary processes represent little more than unsubstantiated dogma, as unsupported by replicable experiment as the events described in Genesis.

I readily admit that many of the claims made by my fellow evolutionary biologists are in fact correct and entirely reasonable. But some are inconsistent with fact and, in my opinion, the corresponding aspects of evolutionary theory need adjustment. The theory of evolution should conform to the facts of evolution. By collecting all the relevant facts together here, I hope to lead you to the same conclusion. It remains true, as R. S. Crane liked to say, that "there is no authority but evidence." In this book I have gathered evidence of all sorts that seemed to have any direct bearing on the question at hand. Moreover, I have tried to present that evidence in such a way that a non-biologist can understand it, so long as he or she reads this book in the order it is written. For the issues considered here are of vital concern, not only to the few people who call themselves evolutionary biologists, but also to all humanity.

For the last 150 years, we biologists have been defending a fortress built by Charles Darwin. We have spent our energies hurling back the assaults of the creationist infidels and shoring up a slowly crumbling foundation that once seemed based on the hard bedrock of direct observation. But an ocean of data, accumulating since 1859, has been slowly lapping away at the rotting stone beneath Darwin’s castle, undermining its moldering walls, making it an ever more dangerous place to reside. As Darwin's most eloquent proponent, T. H. Huxley, once said, "Every great truth begins as heresy and ends as superstition." In the case of evolutionary theory, Huxley appears to have been right. Facts presented in this book do indeed suggest that certain elements of Darwin's heresy can now best be interpreted as a kind of superstition. It was Huxley, too, who warned us not to "pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable." I will argue that certain important tenets of modern evolutionary theory actually do fall into this category.

I want to present the facts that compelled me to abandon my former ideas of how evolution occurs. As we shall see, a different account of the evolutionary process is far easier to defend on an evidentiary basis than is the one given by most biology texts. According to this alternative view, what we may term stabilization theory, certain genetic processes known to disrupt the normal reproductive cycle are the typical source of new types of organisms (a variety of these stabilization processes are described in Chapter Four). Although stabilization theory is a new explanation as a whole, its intellectual components have a long tradition in biological thought and all the phenomena it invokes are all well known and well documented.Presenting those components, providing examples of the phenomena involved, and discussing the relevant aspects of the history of biology, will require all the chapters of this book. But, I suspect many readers will have a very different idea of the nature of evolution by the time they've reached its end. " [....]

You can read the entire paper here. [pdf]

One question that comes to my mind is: This theory doesn't seek to explain how initially life came to be; it attempts to explain how new types of organisms come to existence, presumably always from a previous form of life. So how does he propose that life has begun?

Eden

9

Alternative theory to conventional evolution: Stabilization Theory. What do you think?

by EdenOne in

i happened to come across a new (2008) theory on the evolution of live, by a biologist named eugene m. mccarthy.

he describes his new approach as stabilization theory.

i haven't read into it in depht, so i cannot make any informed comments so far.. this is his website: www.macroevolution.net.

EdenOne

I happened to come across a new (2008) theory on the evolution of live, by a biologist named Eugene M. McCarthy. He describes his new approach as Stabilization Theory. I haven't read into it in depht, so I cannot make any informed comments so far.

This is his website: www.macroevolution.net

His main point seems to be that the darwinian approach to evolution taking place as small genetic mutations isn't consistent with the paleontological facts; evolution is better understood in terms of hybridization of species.

Comments?

Eden

45

The Theocratic Life and Times of Theodore Jaracz - NEW

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

the theocratic life and times of theodore jaracz .

by barbara anderson.

[we are doing a special focus on the dark side of brooklyn bethel for a couple of weeks over at freeminds.org].

EdenOne

marked

30

Contradictory geneology of Jesus

by rebel8 in

jw
friends

so i'm reading another carl sagan book and he seems to invariably find a way to slam j-dubs in each one.

(i can't say i blame him.).

anyway, in this one he discusses the fact that the gospels give contradictory geneologies of jesus--differing lines back to david from joseph, and a different number of generations.

EdenOne

Marked

74

Robin Williams passes

by designs in

don't know quite what to say.

just stunned at the news.

comic genius and actor.. share your favorite robin williams moments.. .

EdenOne

Very sad to hear this - he was one of the greatest talents alive. Just a couple of days ago I saw him on TV in a supporting role in a relatively minor movie ("August Rush" - 2007), and still, he was able to shine. To this day "Mrs. Doubtfire" remains my favorite comedy. And, as said before, if it was easy to snap out of depression, Robin would be the person to pull that stunt. The lesson to take is - it isn't. Plus, Robin Williams was bipolar, which can explain both his genious, and his "manic" performances.

Another giant bites the dust. RIP, Mr. Williams.

Eden

54

Controversial Opinion: Why the web site campaign is actually brilliant

by Apognophos in

there's a lot of talk right now about how stupid it is to have jws hand out leaflets with urls on them.

"why go to someone's door to tell them they can visit a web site that lets them ask for someone to come to their door?

" well, i'm sorry, but i have to weigh in with a contrary opinion here on how clever the society is.

EdenOne

Ever heard the expression "guilty pleasure"?

Many wouldn't welcome the Witnesses at their home for a bible study, or spend five minutes talking with them about religious topics, nor even accepting literature for fear of them coming back or others seeing it and mocking them. However ... just like online porn, curiosity over 'exotic' or 'polemic' religions may well be many people's "guilty pleasure" that they can indulge themselves in the privacy (and secrecy) of their homes.

I think that's what the WTS is counting on.

More: I think it won't be long until the jw.org is geared up as a platform to conduct online bible studies with interested visitors. "Would you like to study the bible online? One of our assistants is available right now to discuss one of the following topics with you, or you can enter your own bible question on the box below." .............

Eden

52

Colossians 1:15-16 and the word "other"

by yogosans14 in

"he is the image of the invisible god, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities.

all [other] things have been created through him and for him.

" (col. 1:15-17, for context.

EdenOne

marked

6

OKM 10/14: Preach the word; be at it urgently

by darkspilver in

that's their new monthly theme!.

that's all folks!.

dark spliver.

EdenOne

Isn't this a wonderful new provision from the Governing Body Jehovah?

Eden