Posts by Oubliette

13

Our Eyes Are Wired Backwards For a Good Reason

by cofty in

it is often said that our retinas are are an example of sub-optimal design.. a few years ago i was intrigued by a passing comment in one of nick lane's to the effect that this is not a good argument but he didn't go into much detail.. researchers at leipzig have revealed the role of glial cells in transmitting light from the surface of the retina to the cones, acting like fiber-optic cables.. erex ribak has built a model of the eye and demonstrated some fascinating details.... so, the question is - does this reflect good "design" or a retro-fitted repair like the hubble telescope's glasses?.

Oubliette

konceptual99: A rare example of where the magazines have presented a direct rebuttal of an evolutionary scientific argument.

In the konceptual99 referenced, the WTBTS quoted a notable apostate, Jerry Bergman!

“If the pigment epithelium tissue were placed in front of the retina, sight would be seriously compromised,” wrote biologist Jerry Bergman and ophthalmologist Joseph Calkins."

Paul Grundy writes about Bergman on his JWFacts page about mental illness

The following excerpts are summarized quotes from PARADISE POSTPONED...AND POSTPONED: Why Jehovah's Witnesses Have a High Mental Illness Level. Jerry Bergman has researched and written extensively about Jehovah's Witnesses. As a former Witness his findings may be considered biased, however the reasoning he provides merits consideration.

Strange! No?

13

Our Eyes Are Wired Backwards For a Good Reason

by cofty in

it is often said that our retinas are are an example of sub-optimal design.. a few years ago i was intrigued by a passing comment in one of nick lane's to the effect that this is not a good argument but he didn't go into much detail.. researchers at leipzig have revealed the role of glial cells in transmitting light from the surface of the retina to the cones, acting like fiber-optic cables.. erex ribak has built a model of the eye and demonstrated some fascinating details.... so, the question is - does this reflect good "design" or a retro-fitted repair like the hubble telescope's glasses?.

Oubliette

Cofty: So, the question is - does this reflect good "design" or a retro-fitted repair like the Hubble Telescope's glasses?

In either instance, intelligence was involved.

Interesting article, thanks for sharing!

13

Our Eyes Are Wired Backwards For a Good Reason

by cofty in

it is often said that our retinas are are an example of sub-optimal design.. a few years ago i was intrigued by a passing comment in one of nick lane's to the effect that this is not a good argument but he didn't go into much detail.. researchers at leipzig have revealed the role of glial cells in transmitting light from the surface of the retina to the cones, acting like fiber-optic cables.. erex ribak has built a model of the eye and demonstrated some fascinating details.... so, the question is - does this reflect good "design" or a retro-fitted repair like the hubble telescope's glasses?.

Oubliette

Cantleave, your comments seem to imply that since living organisms have "apparent design flaws" they are not designed.

You then site the example of "the blood vessels positioned in front of the retina," stating that, "even a small hemorrhage can result in loss of sight."

If by this you mean to imply that the structure of the eye could not be designed, then I must point out that your logic fails.

This would be analogous to saying that since my radiator hose sprung a leak and my engine blew up, clearly none of it was designed.

Am I reading into your statements something you did not intend? If so, what is your purpose in pointing out the obvious fact that complex living organisms often have parts break?

59

what is the best line to say to a JW handing you an invite to the memorial

by nonjwspouse in

jw
friends

i have some ideas, but want more to choose from..

Oubliette

If you were born in Jerusalem in Jesus' day, would you follow Jesus or the Pharisees and Sadducees?

32

Do JW Children Still Call Adults "Aunt" and "Uncle"?

by cofty in

when i was young we were taught to refer to other adult jws as aunt or uncle.. was this also the case in other countries and does it still happen?.

was it just a custom or has the literature ever commented on it?.

thanks.

Oubliette

I'm a white boy in the southwest US. I never heard anyone in my neighborhood or among my schoolmates call a person their aunt or uncle unless that person really was their aunt or uncle.

I did sometimes hear it among black (aka African-American) JWs, but that was the only place.

8

C.O quotes.

by DATA-DOG in

no big news here, just a couple of nice quotes from the c.o.

#1) so how do jws really feel about worldly people?

yes, they do, or rather the leaders do.

Oubliette

The only "fairness" that exists is in the Organization!

Right. That's why WE WORK and the GB DONT, BUT CONSTANTLY ASK FOR MONEY. - Acts 18:3

It's also the reason why if you question anything the GB say or do you risk being cut-off and shunned by all your family members and so-called "friends."

That's "fair"?!?

Let's review: It's a cult!

27

Has anybody been guilted/emotionally blackmailed into attending the 2015 Memorial?

by Bucholz in

hello everybody, i was wondering if anyone has been guilted or emotionally blackmailed into attending the memorial this year.

something along the lines of "if you loved your family you would at least attend the memorial".

i myself haven't attended in 5 years.

Oubliette

Just tell them you were present, invisibly just like your Lord and Savior.

27

Has anybody been guilted/emotionally blackmailed into attending the 2015 Memorial?

by Bucholz in

hello everybody, i was wondering if anyone has been guilted or emotionally blackmailed into attending the memorial this year.

something along the lines of "if you loved your family you would at least attend the memorial".

i myself haven't attended in 5 years.

Oubliette

"If you loved your family ... you wouldn't keep trying to guilt them into participating in meaningless rituals just to cater to your delusional beliefs!"

Let's review: It's a cult!

22

Who exactly is an apostate?

by SonoftheTrinity in

if you are a non-believing relative or spouse who is hostile to their doctrine are you an apostate?

if you studied with them and rang the logical fallacy buzzer for chits and giggles to see how they would react does this make you an apostate?.

if you are a born in who never got baptised does this make you an apostate?.

Oubliette

An "apostate" is a fictional boogeyman manufactured to serve a multi-function purpose: scapegoat, fear-factor, thought-stopping monster. You name it. All cults need someone to blame for their failure and mistakes. Satan serves a certain purpose in this, but he is invisible. It's convenient for cults to have a visible entity to blame: apostates.

11

Telling Parents About TTATT

by ivanatahan in

jw
friends

my parents are zealous jecultah's blindnesses, but my sister and i are not.

because of this, we are limited in our abilities/opportunities in life.

mu parents hate my sister because she went to college and started a full time job and thus isn't able to go to meetings or service.

Oubliette

Ivan: I want to go to a good university,to marry a wife who loves me and I her, and to get a good job.

Those are excellent goals. You should pursue what you want and live your own life.

Ivan: I can't do that because this is the opposite of a "happy life" as described by the Great 7.

Sure you can. The only thing stopping you is fear. "The Great 7" as you call them, are not going to take care of you. They're too busy fleecing the flock. Have you noticed not one of them has a real job or earns a living? (Acts 18:3). They are parasites sponging off of their deluded followers. Don't be one of them.

Ivan: What should I do to make sure our parents love and treat us as their children, regardless of our religious beliefs.

There is nothing you can do to make anyone love you. You would think that the natural love and affection (2 Timothy 3:3) a parent should have for their own children would be stronger than any dubious religious beliefs, but this cult (as well as countless others) have proven time and again that this is sadly not true.

Ivan: Should we try to convince them of TTATT?

No you should not. No one will "wake up" unless and until they are ready.

Ivan: We don't want to have parents who disown us because we live our lives the way we feel the most comfortable.

Of course you don't. But you should still live your own life. It's the only one you will every have. Ultimately, the most important relationship we have in this life is the one we have with our self. - (Attribution redacted)