Posts by Roddy

16

STOP reading your bible! You're wasting your time!

by irondork in

thebibleisanorganizationalbook.

8 all the law or torah that jehovah inspired moses to write was for this theocratic organization of israel.

so were all the other books that now comprise the hebrew scriptures, or the old testament as some persons refer to them.

Roddy

@Qcmbr

Thank you for your comments.

I disagree. What I said is on the ball and is evident. No matter what you define as evolution the methods of evolution remains the same: elimination of the weak, survival of the fittest, death and struggle is an evolutionary progression that eliminates the unfit for whatever reason, and so on.

Now, I noticed you moved the subject to one more toward social evolution. Social evolution favors mutually beneficial or selfish behaviors.

As our societies continue to disintegrate we are seeing less of "mutually beneficial" social evolution and more of "selfish behaviors" social evolution. When the Bible's influence was strong in society we saw the opposite. As we see the Bible's influence decrease in society we more of the "selfish behaviors" with the implication that that is human society's "natural" gravitation.

No surprises here!

Having said that, we have come accustomed to the rules of "fair play" and doing things "by the book". What constitutes "fair" and what "book" to follow is always up to interpretation -- often favoring the one with the power, the influence, the political savvy, the winning blackmail, and/or a host of other wild cards that stacks "him" higher than "you".

So after, as you say, "millions of years of evolution that strongly rewards (emotionally, physically and in terms of survivability and efficiency) family and and clan cooperation", if you can't beat them, then make alliances. And those alliances are good only when the status quo is maintained. When either one of you sees an advantage, you had better "do it" first before he "does it" to you. LOL (So, you see? It's not "cooperation" but biding your time until you are stronger or your "partner" is weaker -- so much for millions of years of "evolutionary cooperation" as you claim.)

And it goes right back to what I said before: You can enjoy a world that is run (socially) by evolution where the strong (in whatever necessary ways) survive. Or you can enjoy a world where (God's) righteousness dwells - which is quite un-evolutionary paradigm as it gets.

I think even the most strident evolutionist wouldn't favor a strictly evolutionary world -- unless he sits at the top of the hill and holds all the cards.

10

NJ new headquaters??

by Slayerbard in

jw
friends

i just heard last night, they are selling off the building in ny.. no news there.. but someone mention they were moving the headquaters to nj??

i thought they were building up further in ny..and canada.

why nj??

Roddy

Warkwick NY is just over the northeast border of New Jersey. One popular way to get to that part of New York from the south does involve driving into New Jersey. Perhaps your source got something mixed-up.

Google a map of Warwick NY to see what I mean.

22

Do you get a letter when you are disfellowshipped?

by Snoozy in

just curious, do they give you any kind of documentation?

is it all just by word?

surely they would have to give you something?.

Roddy

No guns blazing nor grand speeches. I just dropped out. Why bother?

They know my address. I know they won't bother me during meeting nights. And when it isn't a meeting night, I'm not home. LOL After a while I think they got tired and moved on to other people more worthy of their chase.

I show up for the Memorial a maybe a special meeting or two, however. And all is as if I never left with hugs and conversations galore! I'm even fought for on who will take me out for dinner afterwards. I'm actually quite friendly and cordial. While I have my opinions about the WTS I know to change the subject when things get tacky.

I'm not angry. I'm just better off.

16

STOP reading your bible! You're wasting your time!

by irondork in

thebibleisanorganizationalbook.

8 all the law or torah that jehovah inspired moses to write was for this theocratic organization of israel.

so were all the other books that now comprise the hebrew scriptures, or the old testament as some persons refer to them.

Roddy

The Bible is the standard of righteousness.

Evolution teaches you only the strong survive.

You wish a world where people are educated in righteousness or educated to look after and advance only themselves?

82

first contradiction in the bible?

by cptkirk in

contradiction without the use of an outside medium (such as archaeology, fossil study).

i just stumbled on this after reading the thread about adam and the sexual subliminal message.

i was thinking about adam and eve and chronology, and a contradiction popped up in my head...so i picked up the bible and there it is.. gen 1:27 - god creates adam and eve, tells them to be fruitful.. gen 2:18 - now adam is alone?

Roddy

roddy: although i do like your icon, you need to read this thread in it's entirety. they contradict themselves as single accounts, and they contradict eachother as dual accounts in contrast to one another. you can throw out the entire chronology and they are still full of holes.

@cptkick

Thank you. I like it too.

I read your first post that started the discussion and so I commented on that first. I'm sure there are those that will agree with you and even chime in with you and those that won't and say why not.

What you point out is what is already known: that the editor of the first couple of chapters of Genesis put together two different points of view and decided to put them side by side instead of attempting to iron out differences to make them a single smooth transition. Perhaps this was done on purpose which I'll touch on later.

Regarding contradictions.

I don't see the contradiction you seem to want to see. A contradiction is when you have two statements that are opposite when both are said in reference to the same thing applying at the same time. And that isn't the case here.

The writer of Genesis tells of Creation in chapter one by emphasizing the sequence of events. There is an orderliness to the description that is lacking in chapter two. Now, in chapter two, the writer is not concerned to tell you about the timing of the events which he has already told you that information in chapter one. Now, he wants to focus on the next important point: the origin of man and woman. Notice how much there is about the male-female relationship in chapter two that is totally missing from chapter one.

So, they don’t contradict one another because they are treating different aspects of the entire creation from different perspectives.

42

Even the Bible doesn't say that the world is about to end..

by The Quiet One in

here are some scriptures that show that the world isn't about to end, even according to the bible!

i noticed most of these in my own reading, but this page brings them all together.

i don't believe in the coming system of things, though.. any comments welcome.. http://www.apocatastasis.net/prophecy/prophecy-system-of-things-.html.

Roddy

I disagree. And I'm sure you know well enough the actual contrary evidence to your claim yourself. But it got my attention so I looked.

57

CO begging for more MS's

by life is to short in

the co is at my husbands hall this week so i tied in to the meeting he was going on and on about how there are 140 elders in the circuit and only 80 something ms's.

of the elders 25 are over 75 years old.

of the ms's it was about 20 are over 75 years old.

Roddy

Being an elder is more like being part of a police force. The MSs are more like minions of that police force.

The idea of hauling people you may have known all your life into sudden meetings in the back of the kingdom hall in order to smell their dirty laundry and then disfellowhipping friends you've known for years for some rigid decision that came from Brooklyn anyway is of no appeal to men with higher principals and values.

I've started to see subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) egomaniacs and wolves rise to being MSs and elders -- and now this rush? -- will only spell more doom to the congregations as they will further self-destruct from within.

Here is the real reason brothers are not reaching out: There is no spiritual joy in being an MS or Elder anymore.

The spirituality of such responsible positions in the congregation has dwindled since the 70s. Perhaps even earlier. The only ones that are left are those that old or politically connected. The really good men either don't come to the meetings anymore or don't want to be any closer to the mess than they already see.

Hmmm, with a diminished "police force" with more losses projected and less recruits to take up the slack, what will the WTS do? Lower standards or "simplify".

Won't surprise me if the WTS goes back to the one elder per congregation program of many years ago hidden as another "simplification" to hide the fact that they have decimated both the current and future prospects of good men from ever reaching out. And those good men that happen to reach out are soon corrupted or dismayed by what they instead end up doing for most of their servant-time. And for what?

82

first contradiction in the bible?

by cptkirk in

contradiction without the use of an outside medium (such as archaeology, fossil study).

i just stumbled on this after reading the thread about adam and the sexual subliminal message.

i was thinking about adam and eve and chronology, and a contradiction popped up in my head...so i picked up the bible and there it is.. gen 1:27 - god creates adam and eve, tells them to be fruitful.. gen 2:18 - now adam is alone?

Roddy

@ cptkirk

The early creation account in Genesis was actually two accounts which were put together ... not exactly chronologically well.

So, the whole point of your critique is based upon someone putting point 3 ahead of point 2? ... or something like that? :)

16

An update on my recent developments

by umadevi in

my last visit to kingdom hall was on memorial day.

since then i have decided skip to meetings and preaching.

the co and his wife visited my congo in the last week of april.

Roddy

Well, give "Sister A" the benefit of the doubt. She really thinks the elders feels she can be helpful to help you. So that gives her a boost to try to reach out to you. But if you are truly busy, then you can honestly say that you really have a lot on your plate right now. But do thank her for her reaching out to you. Then maybe she'll report back that you do have a lot to sort out right now but you got a lot of encouragement. So maybe they'll give you time now.

7

I Feel Really Sad About This

by Ilovebirthdays in

my grandma (jw) has been wanting to see one of my first grade son's games for a long time.

she always asks my grandpa to take her, but he hasn't up until this point.

she's called several times to say they were coming, only to have my grandpa back out of taking her as she's unwell, and can't drive anymore.

Roddy

How about you taking your boy to see grandma? It is apparent she is finding difficulty doing this on her own due to circumstances. Just do it. It will bring the both of you joy. Just do it while you can before it is too late and you wished you did. My two cents.