Posts by donkey

52

The reality of obesity

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

when i was a jw there were a few sisters i knew who had serious weight problems.

i now have a couple of friends who are obese.

i have a weight problem also (about 40 pounds over my best weight).. i was out with my girlfriend today.

donkey

I have taken the following snippet from: http://www.obesity.org/subs/fastfacts/obesity_US.shtml

The number of adults who are overweight or obese has continued to increase, as shown in Table 1. Currently, 64.5 percent of U.S. adults, age 20 years and older, are overweight and 30.5 percent are obese. Severe obesity prevalence is now 4.7 percent, up from 2.9 percent reported in the 1988 - 1994 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The number of adults who are overweight or obese has continued to increase, as shown in Table 1. Currently, 64.5 percent of U.S. adults, age 20 years and older, are overweight and 30.5 percent are obese. Severe obesity prevalence is now 4.7 percent, up from 2.9 percent reported in the 1988 - 1994 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Table 1
Increase in Prevalence (%) of Overweight (BMI > 25),
Obesity (BMI > 30) and Severe Obesity (BMI > 40) Among U.S. Adults.
Overweight
(BMI > 25)
Obesity
(BMI > 30)
Severe Obesity
(BMI > 40)
1999 to 2000
64.5
30.5
4.7
1988 to 1994
56.0
23.0
2.9
1976 to 1980
46.0
14.4
No Data
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Health, United States, 2002. Flegal et. al. JAMA. 2002;288:1723-7. NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, 1998.

So we have had close to a 50% increase in obesity in the USA. Are we genetically pre-disposed to obesity? Perhaps - but it certainly does not appear to be the the easy scapegoat obese people might want to make it into.

Jack

52

The reality of obesity

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

when i was a jw there were a few sisters i knew who had serious weight problems.

i now have a couple of friends who are obese.

i have a weight problem also (about 40 pounds over my best weight).. i was out with my girlfriend today.

donkey

Truth: Some people become over-weight from eating too much and exercising too little. At least two-thirds of fat people, however, are genetically programmed to be fat, regardless of their eating and exercise habits. On average, fat people eat no more than thin people; this has been repeatedly verified. If someone has become fat from a combination of overeating and under exercising, their size will probably diminish as they eat less and exercise more. However, they may never become thin, unless they are genetically meant to have thin bodies. (I am 2 inches taller than my mother but she insists that I am over-weight if I don't weigh 120 pounds like her. What she fails to realize is that genetically I am not like her. I am like my father's family. The comparison hurt for many years until I learned the differences)

Personally, I wonder just how true this is?

If it is true then based one many of the latest studies American's suddenly gained bad genes in the last 30 years - and I know that's not true. I think looking to blame our genes for things like obesity, alcholism etc is a copout from us taking responsibility for ourselves. I am not saying fat people are slobs - but I would believe there are other causes to the sudden gains in weight that we have seen en masse over the past 30 years in the USA.

I write this not meaning to offend anyone - I am personally afflicted by this issue and I am just not willing to accept that I have bad genes otherwise I might as well give up forever (I know how strong genetic influence is).

I know much of the current literature says exactly what you said Lee - about being genetically predisposed to obesity. For the sake of making my point let's say that is true. If it is true then we would not have had a sudden rise in obesity statistics - without some other cause being the major culprit. If we are genetically pre-disposed it must be more accurate to say we are now genetically reacting to other stimuli - the absence of which stimuli would tend to bring our genetic predisposition back in line. I hope all this makes sense to you.

Jack

45

My Body

by StinkyPantz in

there was recently a thread asking whether you'd rather be buried or cremated.

in a way, i think both are selfish.

i am already an organ donor, so i figure, why not donate the rest of my body to medical science?

donkey

Am I weird?

Can I plead the 5th?

105

Anti-Americanism

by Englishman in

jw
friends

how do you define someone as anti-american?

if you strongly disapprove of, say, america's foreign policies, yet basically have an affection for american people, does this still make you an anti-american?

is it possible that people are being accused of being anti-american inaccurately?

donkey

Only a silly Englishman would talk to a Donkey!!!

On a more serious note, I believe nationalism and patriotism are as goofy as religion and have the same general effect.

105

Anti-Americanism

by Englishman in

jw
friends

how do you define someone as anti-american?

if you strongly disapprove of, say, america's foreign policies, yet basically have an affection for american people, does this still make you an anti-american?

is it possible that people are being accused of being anti-american inaccurately?

donkey

Do you like your tea wet?

28

How do I find God if I want to find him?

by Singing Man in

yes, i have many times asked this of my self.

after leavening the witness's its been hard, i think ewww i am no good cause unless i am attending the kingdom hall i won't have gods grace and he won't hear my prayers or anything.

boy they sure had me, being raised a witness sticks with you long after you leave in ways you think it never would and in ways you just can't can't flush.

donkey

24

Do you believe in fate or predestination?

by Dimples in

jw
friends

as a jw i always found it difficult not to accept the fact that our lives weren't mapped out for us.

i believe people we meet in life and things that happen to us are for a reason.

i feel our life and death has been planned already.

donkey

LT,

Could you use some of your inside information and find out WHERE I am going to die - so that I don't go there.

Thanks in advance,
Jack

24

Do you believe in fate or predestination?

by Dimples in

jw
friends

as a jw i always found it difficult not to accept the fact that our lives weren't mapped out for us.

i believe people we meet in life and things that happen to us are for a reason.

i feel our life and death has been planned already.

donkey

Claims 1
God is all knowing.

Claim 2God is all powerful.

Is it possible for God to change his mind without proving those two assumptions incorrect?

Ps - if God does change his mind frequently - then does that prove God is really a she?

4

The Religious Establishments.

by Blueblades in

jw
friends

if god is all loving and forgiving why do "the religious establishments"try to convince us that if you do not conform or follow 'it' you will have a miserable life here on earth and then die,because you are different.. does religion work against everything it proposes to solve?why does religion make you feel bad?how can you feel worthy,when you are constantly fighting internal drives to be accepted by god and /or/religious establishments?.

i know when we talk about religious establishments we are not talking about god,its just that they say there is a connection between them and god and so you better toe the line of which ever religious establishment you belong to.can we really separate the two and go it alone?.

blueblades

donkey

BB,

Does religion work against everything it proposes to solve?Why does religion make you feel bad?How can you feel worthy,when you are constantly fighting internal drives to be accepted by God and /or/Religious Establishments?

Go and see the movie "Luther". It clearly drives your point home.

As far as thinking individual spirituality is the next "correct step" apply the same level of questioning to it. For instance, look at what you might claim as the holy book and then reflect on how it would have ever gotten into your hands were it not for the structure provided by the organized religion. Without that provided structure how would your belief system have come to you?

Now I agree that the paradoxes abound - but then that's why I have rejected the faith based approach. If God wanted to be a part of my life - then he would make himself part of it. When he shows himself I will gladly welcome him. If he is a God of truth (which is the only God any of us should ever accept) then why should he allow me to deceive myself by worshipping him in faith? The risk in him doing that is that my faith may be inaccurate - therefore false - and as a result would be an exercise in self deception thereby proving false to his truth. Without evidence there can be no truth - just random coincidence.

Sure I know the Bible claims we need faith - but it takes faith to believe that the bible is the authority to begin with in the first place. The resultant effect would probably be having my linkage in that dependent line of faith as just another domino waiting to fall.

All the best,
Jack

36

Circle of the earth

by donkey in

bible believers are so proud of the fact that the bible talks of the "circle of the earth" and try to use this to say that the bible is inspired because it obviously was ahead of it's time in establishing that the earth is not flat.. congratulations.

umm...umm...ok now then why does daniel 4:11 say the tree grew all the way into heaven?

and when satan decided to tempt jesus he took him to a high place and he could see all the kingdoms of the earth...... now unless jesus and satan could see around corners...how do you explain this?

donkey

As to a reaching all the way up to heaven or seeing all the kingdoms of the earth at one thing, metaphors are permissible to anybody. So the yoke's on you again. Why do that to yourself?

Why thank you for your profound observaion!! So then, the phrase "circle of the earth", that Christians love to use to say the Bible is in harmony with science BTW, is that also a metaphor? Or do metaphors only apply to the scriptures that contradict the other scriptures? If so perhaps the author of the "circle of the earth" intended the phrase to be a metaphor and the other unscientific scriptures were intended literally? Or did the metaphoric devil metaphorically put metaphric jesus on a metaphoric mountain to show him (also a metaphor BTW) the metaphoric kingoms of the world? When you pull your head out of your ass (speaking metaphorically of course - thus not a vulgar crass expression) perhaps we could have a sensible debate. Jack

Increase in Prevalence (%) of Overweight (BMI > 25), Obesity (BMI > 30) and Severe Obesity (BMI > 40) Among U.S. Adults.
	Overweight (BMI > 25)	Obesity (BMI > 30)	Severe Obesity (BMI > 40)
1999 to 2000	64.5	30.5	4.7
1988 to 1994	56.0	23.0	2.9
1976 to 1980	46.0	14.4	No Data
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Health, United States, 2002. Flegal et. al. JAMA. 2002;288:1723-7. NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, 1998.