JamesThomas

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Posts by JamesThomas

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  21

  Do We Exist As a Material Person In a Material World?

  by JamesThomas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this may at first seem a strange question.

  but it may be an extremely important question to ask.. .

  let's start with the weird fact that only one in ten, or rather 10% of the cells in/on our physical body -- is what we would call "us".

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  JamesThomas

  This may at first seem a strange question. But it may be an extremely important question to ask.
  
  Let's start with the weird fact that only one in ten, or rather 10% of the cells in/on our physical body -- is what we would call "us". The other 90% are bacteria.
  
  We just drastically shrunk by 90%. However, "we" get way, way smaller still.
  
  All material existence (including ourselves) is made of atoms. It is said that 99.99999...% of an atom is empty space: so much so that if the empty space within all the atoms of all humans on the earth today could be removed, the remaining "solid" particles would be reduced to the size of a sugar-cube. A fucking sugar-cube! Where in the hell is each one of us in that tiny teaspoon of sugar? Certainly we are unimaginably less than a grain.
  (actually, a sugar-cube containing all human existence, seems extremely HUGE when we consider that a millisecond after the Big-Bang ALL the material of the entire universe was compressed to the size of a grain of rice or smaller). Go figure.
  
  Anyhow, as strange as this is, as we shrink down more still. All the "material particles" within the "seemingly" solid sugar-cube are NOT made of solid matter at all, but rather they are made of (as far as we know) vibrating-strings of non-material energy. So, our cherished personal ownership of 1/7,000,000,000th of the sugar cube, just shrank to nothing at all. Nada. Zip.
  
  It seems that the non-material consciousness within all of us, that which perceives a "world" of persons, places, and things -- may be all that really exists.
  
  j
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  36

  More Disclosure Stuff

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hardly a week passes without some credible figure testifying to ufo reality.. http://beforeitsnews.com/unexplained-phenomena/2012/08/ufo-disclosure-may-be-imminent-2430224.html.

  i've followed ufo stories for some years now and this barrage of authoritative people looks unprecedented.

  couple that with the claim that ufo sightings have increased enormously in the past couple years and...... who knows?.

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  JamesThomas

  When it comes to hard-core fundamentalists Christians -- those who believe that the universe is only a few thousand years old -- nothing is going to open their eyes. Everything outside their microscopic little paradigm is from the devil.
  
  To even begin to fathom any extraterrestrial visitations to earth, one must at the very least understand that the universe is billions of years old, and that intelligent life is likely far reaching across the cosmos. Without this basis, the universe revolves around you...the only one created in the image of your tiny little fuck-wade, god.
  
  That said. Check out Richard Dolan's Youtube stuff about disclosure. He has very eloquently thought it through.
  
  For anyone who still thinks that there is nothing to UFOs, but are yet somewhat open minded enough to take the effort to do a little research...I recommend a good place to start is Leslie Kean's book: UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go On the Record. Or for free -- search her interviews on Youtube.
  
  j
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  5

  A Way That May Reach Our JW Friends And Family

  by JamesThomas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  understandably, there are times when a caring jw family member may question us as to why we have turned away from jehovah.

  why do we no longer love and follow him as they still do.

  here is an honest and sincere way that i answer.

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  JamesThomas

  Understandably, there are times when a caring JW family member may question us as to why we have turned away from Jehovah. Why do we no longer love and follow him as they still do. Here is an honest and sincere way that I answer. A way that hopefully will motivate them to delve into their heart and question their own deepest sense of kindness and love towards others, and the bearing that may have on their own desires.
  
  I am going to copy here a bit of a letter -- that I am still working on -- that is going to be sent to a JW family member. Let me preface it by saying that I no longer believe in Jehovah's existence in anyway. Yet, I speak in the letter as if Jehovah is the paramount concern. It has to be this way in order to reach them and make sense...as you will see.
  
  Here goes. Following is a bit of the letter:
  
  Please let me begin by saying -- as I'm certain you agree -- that an honest heartfelt worship of Jehovah should be the most serious of all things! We can not just follow others blindly. Rather, we should look very closely at all the Biblical information that Jehovah reveals to us about His commandments and actions towards us, and only THEN should we examine our deepest heart to see if we can sincerely love, follow and worship accordingly.
  
  With this in mind, here is my heartfelt conclusion:
  
  In the early books of the Bible, Jehovah, commands his people to stone or kill specific people, or at times He commands his people to exterminate entire cities of all men, women, children (and even animals). Certainly, that was then, and this is now. However, as a sincere follower of Jehovah, I must ask myself: is my belief and love for Jehovah limited just to today, or is it for all time? Had I lived in those past times, would I have obeyed Jehovah? Would I have stoned my neighbor or child? Would I take up the sword and thrust it through the living bodies of women, men, children, babies and animals, at Jehovah's command? Would I?
  
  In the deepest examination of my mind and heart, there is no question that I could not, would not!
  I am too caring, too empathetic and compassionate of others to obey Jehovah's orders to kill a kitten, let alone slaughter a man, a woman, or a child.
  
  So, it comes down to this: Jehovah is perfect and eternal! He does not change! He is the same God, yesterday and today. The same God always! Certainly, Jehovah asks and commands differently from us today than He did yesterday. However, if I could not follow Jehovah in the past, how can I honestly and wholeheartedly follow him now? So, in my sincere and honest heart of hearts I must admit that I am not a follower of Jehovah. Not then, and so -- not now.
  
  In the Watchtowers we can find pictures of smiling Jehovah's Witnesses marching away from the destruction and slaughter of billions of men, women and children at Armageddon. Happy are they that they can now live their dreams. Honestly, this makes me sick. How I ever did count myself as one of them, is beyond me. Presently, I could never, ever, live happily with such a cost. Perhaps I am now too weak in Jehovah's eyes, and so then I am evil and worthy only of death. A death that He has proven time and again to easily oblige.
  
  So be it. I'm not ashamed. My heart has spoken.
  
  You already know my answer, but here is a question for you: At Armageddon when the death of men, women and children reach an unimaginable amount, we expect Jehovah and his angels to do all the killing for us. In this way we can hide our head in the sand, ignore it, remain pure in our own eyes, and hide away. But what if the death toll is going to be so great that Jehovah commands you to take a stand along side the angles? What if Jehovah commands you to take up a sword and kill your neighbor, his wife, his children, including even a baby in the crib? What would you do? Would you obey? Would you cut the throats of your neighbors? Is killing others worth your personal desires? Could you honestly live happily ever after?
  
  Very often there are people that give their lives to save complete strangers from harm or death. My death by the hands of Jehovah, is my way of saying that His way, is the wrong way. His way is the antithesis of the real and pure love that would do no harm to others; a love so great, or rather so simple, it would rather die than let others come to harm and death.
  
  I can no longer follow a path that demands the death of others so that I may gain. I can not sincerely and honestly worship a god with morals less than my own.
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  418

  Why do people pretend good things about Jesus ?

  by mP in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  ive had a few discussions both here and in real life and often find people excuse the ot with all its vile, violence and only concentrate on jesus because he was good.

  i try and assk them to show me an example and they of course they quickly tell us about the miracles, and thats fine.

  however when you ask them about slavery, violence, women and so on they make excuses.

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  JamesThomas

  Why do people pretend good things about Jesus ?
  
  First, please forgive me, for I have not read this thread, and so I am just patching this in here.
  
  Certainly, any caring and loving person that believes in a guiding-deity, would choose and/or create a god that reflects the highest form of kindness and love. To believe in less would destroy the very foundation of their needs, desires and worship.
  
  For Christians, Jesus, must embody the utmost expression of purity and love, or there is no reason to believe, and perhaps no reason to live. There is a lot at stake!
  
  I know this because I was there once....as were many of us.
  
  Somehow, the less I relied on a god to guide me, the more I discovered the natural flow of empathy and compassion. I was free from belief in the chosen and the damned. Humanity was now a whole. I was now free to love.
  
  j
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  45

  Can Atheists Be "Religious"?

  by AGuest in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it appears so (may you all have peace!):.

  http://firstchurchofatheism.com/.

  http://www.factschurch.com/.

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  JamesThomas

  Generally an atheist is not enslaved or shackled to a god-character's limited idea of reality, and so is not anesthetized by some brain numbing belief. This freedom can open our senses to an unlimited awe inspiring realization that some may call "spiritual": a sense that is the antithesis of religious stupidity .
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  6

  What's Wrong with Being A JW?

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible
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  JamesThomas

  Embracing belief in a creator that will punish or kill you if you do not love and worship it, drastically corrupts our understanding of love and divinity.
  
  Likewise, to believe that our reality came about in only so many thousands of years -- rather than the wondrous complicated dance of billions and billions of years that nature gives witness to -- denies us the most profound aspects and beauty of our existence.
  
  These and many, many other foolish beliefs of JW's (and others) numbs our appreciation and sense of reality.
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  21

  Who remembers Dansk?

  by juni in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i haven't been on this site for a long time.

  the other day, though, i was remembering my early days of posting (since 2004) and ones i had corresponded with..... so many wonderful people who have contributed their opinions on this forum, and sent good wishes to others throughout the years.

  some i've noticed still post at this forum.

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  JamesThomas

  Will never forget beloved brother Ian.
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  8

  Is It Love? Or is it Selfishness?

  by JamesThomas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as jehovah's witnesses, we are programmed to believe that what we do is out of love.

  love for god, our family and neighbors.

  this sounds good and it feels good.

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  JamesThomas

  "For a human too act out of pure love requires surrender of the ego. I have sympathies with the Buddhist approach to this subject."

  Yes, I totally agree. Yet, perhaps before we awaken to the purity of real Love which always dwells within, there can be an ache, a desire to be selflessly caring and loving --though we may not even know what that really means. And though we may not know what it means we may have a strong sense of what it is not; and one thing that can become very clear that love is not is: unquestionably worshipping a deity who will clear the way for our materialistic dreams by killing billions of men women and children...and us along with them if we don't agree and call the whole insane mess the deepest expression of love.
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  8

  Is It Love? Or is it Selfishness?

  by JamesThomas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as jehovah's witnesses, we are programmed to believe that what we do is out of love.

  love for god, our family and neighbors.

  this sounds good and it feels good.

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  JamesThomas

  As Jehovah's Witnesses, we are programmed to believe that what we do is out of love. Love for God, our family and neighbors. This sounds good and it feels good. So we generally didn't question it. However, being free of the Organization and looking back, quite a different story can be seen.
  
  First, it's likely impossible to genuinely love that which threatens to kill you and your babies if you don't -- as Jehovah threatens to. Second, we were filled with a selfish materialistic greed for the perfect body, living in a perfect house, on a perfect hill with a perfect view, etc, etc. Greed is not conducive to real love. But it does make it possible to shun your family and friends if need be in hopes of gaining your precious dreams and desires.
  
  It takes courage to see through it all. Perhaps it even takes the desire to be truly caring and loving.
  
  Congratulations.
  
  j
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  3

  Is the Governing Body's view of ex-members any different that this?

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  the watchtower's governing body, since the late 70's, has fomented outright fear, hatred, antipathy and scorn toward former members who are whistleblowers about the destructive, lying policies inside the organization.. the gb instructs members to not even pray for these so called "enemies" whom they label apostate.. .

  is the governing body's anti-ex jw bias and rhetoric any different than this?.

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  JamesThomas

  The names may have changed, but the story remains the same.
  
  Both instances seem to reflect the black and white world of extreme tribalism that hungers for and actively seeks out a group to hate so that "we" may feel more righteous. It's always us against them. It's the foundation of all wars including the beliefs in Armageddon. It sucks. It really sucks. I feel sorry for people who can not escape this archaic web of the mind. It's sad.
  
  I hate you for bringing it up ;)