Posts by Xander

Link: That was actually an Awake! article. He wasn't underground, he was in an above-ground jail, just not near ground-zero. The blast destroyed one or more of the jail walls (caused them to fall over), so he got out that way.

I'm assuming the guards were busy helping the rest of the wounded.

In any case, the radiation from an airburst atom bomb isn't really that bad (relatively speaking). If you were far enough out to survive the blast and heat you'd probably be okay for a good long time. Fallout is, of course, a factor, but that wouldn't be for weeks.

7

Wisdom of Ghandi

by Xander in

jw
friends

since it applies so much to these days, i think i'll keep a thread going just tossing up some quotes.

perhaps with comments.destruction is not the law of humans.

man lives freely only by his .

Xander

Since it applies so much to these days, I think I'll keep a thread going just tossing up some quotes. Perhaps with comments.

Destruction is not the law of humans. Man lives freely only by his
readiness to die, if need be, at the hands of his brother, never by killing him.
Every murder or other injury, no matter for what cause, committed or inflicted on
another is a crime against humanity.

Perhaps the most applicable?

And an important reminder to those whose rallying cry is "Remember the...." (whatever the latest attack was):

To forgive is not to forget. The merit lies in loving in spite of the vivid
knowledge that the one that must be loved is not a friend.

And, finally, two points that go well together:

Peace will not come out of a clash of arms but out of justice lived and
done by unarmed nations in the face of odds.
Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is
mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man

I think the only way to really effect change in the regions the US wants to effect change in is by HELPING the population, not toppling the current governments.

As to our own defense?

Build the damn missile shield!

Quit cutting coast guard funding, see to it they CAN inspect every ship coming in or out of the country. (This will, of course, create more jobs, as well).

But this invading and bombing other countries...it's the wrong thing to do. It won't work in the long run. It simply won't. Sure, maybe the US takes out a couple crazy dictators, others will fill their places. One only has to look at the history of the world to see that.

What needs to occur is for the people of the countries to see they are being oppressed by their own government, and to resist that oppression. US military intervention isn't going to change anything.

By relying on military intervention, the US will end up playing a game of 'whack-a-mole' around the world as dictators spring up here and there. That's not the way to peace.

102

JW Urban Legends

by Azalo in

jw
friends

did any of you hear any of the urban legends that jw's used to scare people into being deathly afraid of demons?

for example i remeber hearing that a child brough a smurf doll to a meeting and upon hearing the name jehovah uttered it got up and walked out.

got any j-dub urban legends?

Xander

Something that will....well, get a reaction out of any 'good' JW:

Point them at www.snopes.com and show them how many of 'their' urban legends, in fact, originated OUTSIDE their religion.

And, if that's not enough, visit an ex-mormon board.

Between the two sources, I think pretty much every single JW urban legend is covered.

But, of course, the JWs do always put their own spin on it.

Like the girls who go to have their fortune told, but the fortune teller can't work her magic because one of the girls is a witness. The 'angel protector' is actually common in ALL religions, but you gotta wonder, if the angel is protecting the woman in question, why is their so much suffering in the world? Applied to JWs, if the angels protect a sister from being raped in field service, why not protect an ENTIRE congregation from a bomb attack?

Doesn't make sense.

43

Would you take your shoes off?

by Golden Girl in

if you went to someones house as a guest and they asked you to take your shoes off..would you?..would you be offended?....

does anyone know if this is proper etiquette?.

didn't know where else to post this........ my daughter was invited to a neighbors house and they requested people remove their shoes!...she never had anyone ask her that before.

Xander

FWIW, a large number houses up here lately have wood or tile floors, anyway. Still, take shoes off.

43

Would you take your shoes off?

by Golden Girl in

if you went to someones house as a guest and they asked you to take your shoes off..would you?..would you be offended?....

does anyone know if this is proper etiquette?.

didn't know where else to post this........ my daughter was invited to a neighbors house and they requested people remove their shoes!...she never had anyone ask her that before.

Xander

I'm thinking this is entirely a climate or cultural thing.

I've noticed this when on business travel - many of our clients are from the south (and, naturally, invite you over for dinner ?). Anyway, down south, shoes stay on. Dunno why.

You try leaving your shoes on in any of the northern states, you a gonna get LECTURED.

As noted, it's just too dirty outside. Between the salt, the mud, and the dust, it's just not practical to leave your shoes ON. (And, who WANTS to, anyway? I mean, isn't it a given that any opportunity to kick your shoes off is a GOOD thing?)

Hmmm...spose that's probably part of the regional/cultural thing. For those areas where taking shoes off is common, we'd RATHER not wear them. Barefoot or socks is just preferred way of walking around, so kicking shoes off when coming in to someone's house is a GOOD thing - it signifies a pause in the journey, as it were. Moment to relax, etc.

I spose hygiene is also a relevant concern. But, again, in areas where it's commonly accept you take your shoes off when entering someone's house, people are generally pretty good about keeping their feet clean and odor-free.

3

That zany Bush, always up to crazy hijinks!

by Xander in

.

the real state of the union

remember, folks, if it's on teh intarweb, it must be true!

Xander

The REAL State of the Union

Another one, too, if you don't believe the first one

Remember, folks, if it's on teh intarweb, it MUST be true!

7

Dirty, demonized demon Smurfs being demonic....

by Xander in

.

err....click here....i gues.....

Xander

Err....click here....I gues.....

50

Is Satan the good guy?

by blackout in

if i were to believe in the bible (which i am starting to totally disbelieve), i like the idea that satan was actually on mans side, and when you look at what he told eve he was actually telling the truth, it was god who lied.

this used to cross my mind as a witness but i would very swiftly dismiss it as demons affecting my thinking.

didn't he say we could rule ourselves if given a fair chance?

Xander

by taking his side after he has been proven wrong

For someone with such a cool name, you do tend to be awfully slow.

That's the WHOLE POINT OF THIS THREAD.

What lie has Satan ever told?

That's the problem! For someone dubbed 'the original liar', taking a look through god's own propoganda book, you cannot find a single instance of him actually LYING!

Now, 'god', on the other hand, again, in his very own propoganda book, is caught lying time and time again.

Now, if GOD's propoganda book paints him as a frequent liar and Satan as a generally evil, nasty person but for no discernable reason, can you imagine what kind of story you would have if you let the other side speak for itself?

-------------

Of course, we know that's all just silly as there is no YHWH or Satan, so all the errors and stupidisms of either side of the argument is artificial, but if you DO believe it....well....you gotta wonder about people who believe the bible and then pick the only side presented in it actually CAUGHT lying over and over.