Utopian Reformist

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Posts by Utopian Reformist

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  11

  "Cognitive Dissonance Revisited" or "Old Habits Die Hard" - Friendly Advice

  by Utopian Reformist in

  1. social
  2. current

  many of us were once fervent supporters and active members of the wtbs through our local congregations.

  when confronted with controversial information while under the influence of the organization, many of us were instantly defensive, dismissive, skeptical and fearful.

  we chose to continue believing the leadership knew better than we did and had our best interests at heart, despite any logic, or lack of reason.

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  Utopian Reformist

  Many of us were once fervent supporters and active members of the WTBS through our local congregations. When confronted with controversial information while under the influence of the organization, many of us were instantly defensive, dismissive, skeptical and fearful. We chose to continue believing the leadership knew better than we did and had our best interests at heart, despite any logic, or lack of reason. Therefore, for years, many of us perpetuated the gripping hold the WTBS exercised over our lives and thinking. We typically exhonerated and excused any negative information, true or questionable as merely unimportant, conjecture, rumor, gossip and apostate mis-information. We now know we were wrong!
  
  Today, many of us are no longer under this crippling influence and have managed to break free and take control of our lives. However, certain behavioral traits seem to linger. Recently, in several threads discussing the BUSh administration, I have noticed a few posts from certain members practically excusing the american leadership.
  
  Some of the phrases were "he is our president and this is our country right or wrong", and "I trust our government to do the right thing", "we were attacked on 9/11". Now, while it is obvious to me that such blanket statements are personally dangerous for a thinking mind, I find it might be helpful if I share my opinion.
  
  I feel those of us who survuved the WTBS should have learned a large lesson that transcends religion. In life, government, religion, business, family, education, and anything else where humans gather and organize, you must always question, you must always maintain a degree of skepticism, you must apply scrutiny to information from all sources in this world.
  
  To assume that things will take care of themselves, or that leaders have your best interest at heart, or that integrity and honesty exists where power, greed and temptation are in high availability is foolish. Put your thinking back on because humans outside of religion are capable of the same behavior you experienced under the WTBS.
  
  Where do you think they learned?
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  7

  New Windows security flaw... please patch your computer to protect it.

  by Elsewhere in

  1. social
  2. current

  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-039.asp?frame=true microsoft security bulletin ms03-039

  an end user version of this bulletin is available at: .

  what is com internet services (cis) and rpc over http?.

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  Utopian Reformist

  It amazes me that businesses & individuals continue computing using Microsoft products. Only in America!
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  51

  Clinton Lied (What Did He Know and When Did He Know It)

  by Yerusalyim in

  1. social
  2. current

  i'm sure this will not come as a shock to most of you...but clinton was an accomplished liar...problem is...bush is getting the blame for something that clearly started under clinton...and early...the recession.

  wonder why this didn't get more press?.

  http://www.cnn.com/2002/allpolitics/08/09/column.novak/.

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  Utopian Reformist

  As a human, you could only be willfully blind and decidely stubborn to accept and propogate any support for the BUSH administration. To support BUSH, you either are unintelligent, uninformed, uneducated OR have a stake in the administration's goals, i.e. federal contracting, wealthy, corporate criminal, etc.
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  51

  Clinton Lied (What Did He Know and When Did He Know It)

  by Yerusalyim in

  1. social
  2. current

  i'm sure this will not come as a shock to most of you...but clinton was an accomplished liar...problem is...bush is getting the blame for something that clearly started under clinton...and early...the recession.

  wonder why this didn't get more press?.

  http://www.cnn.com/2002/allpolitics/08/09/column.novak/.

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  Utopian Reformist

  30 years from now, when as a public we begin answering and dealing with the consequences of another generation of veterans who were lied to and taken advantage of, where will all of the BUSH supporters hide?
  
  When you post pictures and flags and rally with hurrahs, remember you are encouraging the process to continue putting sons and daughters in harm's way for politics, money and religion. There is no honor in dying in Iraq. Neither Bush nor Halliburton, nor Israel plan to share any of the wealth they acquire with any of the families of fallen americans. They will become richer while families receive telegrams, letters, a flag and a funeral.
  
  It happened in Korea, Vietnam and now Iraq. It is another shameful time in US history.
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  21

  Bush lied (what did he know and when did he know it)

  by Phantom Stranger in

  1. social
  2. current

  mission creep .

  bush's perversion of the "war on terror.

  by william saletan.

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  Utopian Reformist

  BUSH doesn't know if he lied because he is mentally defective, deficient and lacking in intellect, reason and thinking ability. He is chronologicaly over 50 but handicapped with immature adolosecent behavior and a juvenile personality. His overall character depends solely upon the resources, effort, assistance and support his staff, family and party can provide. He is literally a puppet in the truest sense of the word.
  
  
  He is oblivious to reality unless his staff package, dissect, filter and present it to him to make him partially cognizant. He is by far one the most internationally embarassing figures in history.
  
  
  His future disgraceful finish is getting closer by the day.
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  51

  Clinton Lied (What Did He Know and When Did He Know It)

  by Yerusalyim in

  1. social
  2. current

  i'm sure this will not come as a shock to most of you...but clinton was an accomplished liar...problem is...bush is getting the blame for something that clearly started under clinton...and early...the recession.

  wonder why this didn't get more press?.

  http://www.cnn.com/2002/allpolitics/08/09/column.novak/.

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  Utopian Reformist

  I have never heard such blatant "stupidity and ignorance" as the statement concerning "finally there is some integrity in the oval office".
  
  
  There is NEVER any integrity with politicans, clerics, attorneys, or businessmen. To actually believe one version
  
  is less of a facade than another is naive.
  
  
  While Clinton had his share of scandals, in my opinion they pale in comparison to the hundreds of deaths of american sons, husbands, fathers, wives and mothers who have died in Iraq so the Bush administration could pretend it's fighting a war on terror with false evidence while it is really bankrupting our country to make Halliburton rich, and pipe arab oil at a discount into Israel.
  
  
  Bush gave written approval to many death sentences and approved numerous executions as governor of Texas for crimes with consequences far less than what his administration and their cabals have done in Washington. Now, what should the penalty be for George for over 200 dead americans? What price should Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rove, Fleischer, Rice, Powell, Rumsfeld and the others pay?
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  49

  WHAT WOULD U DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY?

  by Mary in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if you won the lottery, what would you do?

  would you continue to work?

  how much would you give your family and friends?

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  Utopian Reformist

  Not a dime would ever drop into the coffers of any religion. I would decide whic poor to help, and simply help them personally without any middlemen or intermediaries.
  
  If you beleive christianity, you should be able to help strangers in need without a babysitter or go between. Don't make it someone else's responsibility. Just do it.
  
  I would spend 50% helping the poor buy homes, pay off debts, establish bank accounts, open small businesses and buy education.
  
  The other 50% would purchase a private villa on Malta or Pantelleria. I would definitely say goodbye to the USA and it's consumption oriented, spoon fed, mass media, materialistic society.
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  92

  I WANT REVENGE!!!!!

  by worldlygirl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, it has finally happened.

  my jw husband came home last week and told me he is moving out.

  it seems he has been talking to the elders, and they feel his spirituality is being threatened (even though i have not insisted he stop going to meetings, i won't allow any jw material in my home because of my children from a previous marriage - i don't want them exposed to it.

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  Utopian Reformist

  Have you ever heard of the "The Avenger's Handbook"? If not, search for it in google/yahoo, then follow the links and download the Adobe PDF version of the entire book. It is not a very long reading assignment, and marvelously clever, entertaining, full of good and bad ideas, and truthful.
  
  I believe you will find it more helpful than "off the cuff" advice. My only advice....BE DISCREET!
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  38

  SCIENCE – EVOLUTION – WEIRDOS

  by frenchbabyface in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  science evolution weirdos

  had a talk yesterday with my son, ive read a book where the guy was talking about the australopithecus its weird how scientists are dealing with evolution statements.

  it says that actually the australopithecus was less intelligent

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  Utopian Reformist

  I forgot to add a small piece of advice for "FrenchBabyface". Sans offense, my advice is to encourage children to keep an open mind, be ready to learn ewn ideas, and not to firmly settle on any idea. For example, there is no point in denying the forces of gravity, however it's origin is not yet
  fully explained in a child's terms.
  
  Just be reasonable and set the example of being flexible, willing to learn and willing to change, especially when mankind makes progress.
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  38

  SCIENCE – EVOLUTION – WEIRDOS

  by frenchbabyface in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  science evolution weirdos

  had a talk yesterday with my son, ive read a book where the guy was talking about the australopithecus its weird how scientists are dealing with evolution statements.

  it says that actually the australopithecus was less intelligent

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  Utopian Reformist

  Once I accepted that all religion was in fact "man made" and despite any noble intentions, religious leaders have always promoted fear, superstition and guilt and created three very powerful tools for manipulating the thinking and behavior of individuals and governments.
  
  Now, the question remains, what "tools" are being created/promoted byt he scientific
  community?
  
  Is the scientific community any different than the religious community? "HERK" touched on a very interesting point. Dogma can be found in both communities.
  
  Just as any main branch of religion (Islam, Judeo-Christianity) has a "final" outcome for
  humanity, and the outcome is directly related to a worlwide mass conversion/rejection
  of faith, the scientific community also has long term goals, part of a future outcome which is directly related to their leadership or guidance in human affairs.
  
  For me, the main difference lies in the fact that as far as I know, with the exception of
  weapons technology, the scientific community has not to date, convinced governments to
  launch crusades against those with opposing beliefs.
  
  If science behaved like religion, NASA, the NSF, MIT, Stanford, and a host of other
  "mecca's" of scientific research would already have manuevered the government into
  outlawing and imprisoning the religious community.
  
  We already know that the "church" has in fact imprisoned and executed many scientists
  during it's history. I have not seen the opposite, yet.
  
  When I do, I will draw new conclusions. Until then, despite it's flaws, despite the
  egomaniacs, despite the arrogance, and most of all, despite the errors, I will continue
  to view the scientific community with much higher moral regard and respect than any
  religion. Simply put, the human record speaks for itself. And, religion still "sounds"
  like a broken record after thousands of years.
  
  Where is the religious progress? Where are the major discoveries? What has religion doen for medicine? What has religion done for travel, communication, technology? Need I say more,
  or I too become a "broken record".
  
  As a famous roman soldier once said...
  
  "de hominus, ex mundo, nihil meno et nihil debeo"