Posts by rocketman

As Blondie suggests, give him a Googling. But I will tell you also that his articles were instrumental in the early years of my exit from the Witness religion, and those articles, as well his posts to the board, were a big reason why I frequented JWN (then JWD) back in the early 2000s.

24

Do any ex JW' s/ God believer's, Agnostics or Atheists believe in Karma? And WHY?

by rip van winkle in

just reading a thread and the mention of karma popped up.

( it happens, lol).

a lot of people believe in karma: what goes around comes around.. some months ago, while on another exjw site, karma was mentioned and i thought it a little odd, as they are atheist.

rocketman

As an agnostic, I don't believe in Karma. That's not to say that there isn't some 'payback', some 'what-goes-around' and 'repaing what you sow'. But I think that while examples of it are related by people, there are many instances where it never happens.

We hear stories of it happening, of someone getting their just due, and yes, we think it's true. But I think it's random. It happens to some, but not to others. We just happen to hear about the cases in which it did happen.

15

Why the "worldly" thought of heaven is more comforting than Paradise

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

one of the worst and best things about waking up is realizing that despite what you've been taught as a child, you are going to die one day.

that was easy for me to handle, as i've had near death medical emerigencies.

the hardest part is the thought of losing your parents.

rocketman

I was at a Lutheran funeral some years ago, and the words of Paul made much more sense and impact when considered from that persepective.

20

The Christian versus the Agnostic

by Separation of Powers in

i think by most accounts, my previous posts have testified to my moving towards an agnostic stance.

i just don't know and i can't believe for belief's sake.

i came across a quote i thought quite timely in my journey.. .

rocketman

Atheists and Christians will disagree, but no one knows for sure. In effect, we're all Agnostics.

33

Special Assembly Day - tepid applause

by sir82 in

jw
friends

just got back from a recent sad.. after most talks, the applause was, at most, tepid.. it was striking in its tepidity, if that is possible (and if that is a word).. affter most talks, applause lasted literally no more than 5 seconds.

its volume was scarcely above a whisper.. it wasn't acoustics - the bethel speaker was technically a polished speaker (although presenting the same old boring info), and his talks generated noticeably louder applause.

but even still - that applause was maybe 10 seconds, and about normal-conversation level.. but local speakers - the applause was not much more loud than the hum coming from your refrigerator.. there were 1300+ people there.. it was just so weird - my previous large-group experience was at the agm, where people were nearly apoplectic & drooling with delight over their new "silver bibles" (which very few have read, i'd wager).. these guys were just "zombified".. speaking of bibles - bethel dude called it a "platinum bible".

rocketman

I've been at assemblies at which one person was baptized. So let's do the math:

You said 1300 were there. Now let's allow for an average hours/month per publisher of 5, despite the fact that they encourage 10 hours per month. We'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say 5.

1300 x 5 = 6,500

Now, since there are two assemblies per year (plus the convention) and it takes around six months to study with someone to the point where they become a Witness (assuming this person was found door-to-door and was not born-in), we mulitply the 6,500 by 6:

6,500 x 6 =39,000

So that's 39,000 hours of Field Service to produce one JW. Not very efficient.

If the person was born-in and just took forever to get baptized, then those 39,000 hour produced 0 JWs.

51

Is this proof that JWs are false prophets?

by Comatose in

.

rocketman

"Never did they say 'These are the words of Jehovah'"...but in the masthead of those Awake! magazines: "the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away".

So they call it the Creator's promise, which is just like saying "these are the words of Jehovah". So yes, it's a false prophecy.

142

How do JWs Not see how barbaric YHWH is? Its what started my awakening.

by BU2B in

if one reads genesis from the first chapter through the end with an open mind, it is clear that not only is it not true, but that god is potrayed as a cruel, petty, childish micromanaging tyrant.

if one continues reading the ot this is just further solidified.

how do jws not see the obvious?

rocketman

Cofty, I'm not a theist or an apologist. Just my .02 on what I get from the Bible. What I'm merely saying is that those who look for some explanation from the Bible probably won't find one. I'm not saying that's right, or wrong. But it is, to myself and likely countless others, frustrating. When I read Job, for example, I look for some explanation, and I wonder how Job felt by not getting one.

I take no stand for or against - I know better than to do that around here. I don't care to debate. Offer an opinion here and the sharks circle, waiting to devour.

142

How do JWs Not see how barbaric YHWH is? Its what started my awakening.

by BU2B in

if one reads genesis from the first chapter through the end with an open mind, it is clear that not only is it not true, but that god is potrayed as a cruel, petty, childish micromanaging tyrant.

if one continues reading the ot this is just further solidified.

how do jws not see the obvious?

rocketman

There's a basic pattern to most of God's judgments in the OT - warning, time allowed for repentance, then all hell breaks loose. In some cases, the time allowed was hundreds of years, such as for the Israelites and even the Amorites, whose error was allowed to 'come to completion'.

There are some cases that seem to be exceptions, such as the stoning of Achan and the guy who picked up stuff on the Sabbath. Then there was the poor guy who tried to steady the Ark of The Covenant. In these instances, judgment was swift. There were warnings given, though not directly to the individuals involved. All should have known better, but none received a reprieve.

Interestingly in Job, he took it on the chin quite hard and never received an explanation as to why. God simply questioned him with 'where were you when I...?' and then restored him. But nothing was ever really explained.

Perhaps God feels that he owes no explanation. If he didn't explain it to a man who lost everything, he's not obliged, apparently, to explain it to us.