JamesThomas

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Posts by JamesThomas

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  34

  Pick your belief system

  by Giordano in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i think we've all noticed a ton of newbe's these past months.

  one part of escaping or thinking about escaping the jw's is coming to terms with what you believe now and/or what direction you are leaning towards.. here is a site that has a quick quiz that may be of some worth or just for fun.

  i took it when i first signed on here and the results surprised me because it was pretty accurate.. you don't have to sign up for anything and when you finish you will get a percentage answer on 20 major belief systems.

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  JamesThomas

  Viviane, thanks for posting the chart. Too cool.
  
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  26

  Rational Buddhism?

  by cappytan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does a type of buddhism exist that doesn't include the metaphysical aspects of traditional buddhism?

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  JamesThomas

  I'm not hoping to find anything. Someone recommended meditation to me, and said that Buddhists were non-theists. I looked into it and liked everything I saw about Buddhism, except for the supernatural rebirth stuff.

  I can appreciate that.

  You may like reading some Eckhart Tolle. Along these lines there is kind of a 'mindfulness meditation', which can be done all during the day.

  You basically just practice on being more aware of what is going on within the present moment. No beliefs, no scripts, are involved.

  You come to be more aware of physical feelings, like the multifaceted experience of breathing, etc. Also can come a clearer seeing of how thoughts, beliefs, and emotions are just passing cloud-like things, and in no way define your authenticity. In this way one can come to a deeper awareness of ones true and deeper being, by clearly seeing what we are not.

  It's not a forced thing, but rather a way of kindness and patience.

  Many people have found it to be life-changing.

  Good luck.
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  57

  How many of you still believe in God or are still Christians?

  by JWCartPusher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hello, i asked a new but old friend how many people are still christians after leaving the watchtower's mind control agency, for statistical purposes do you mind if i do a survey and see how many of you are believers?.

  please don't post if your not a believer out of respect for this poll, we need to sharpen each other's sword and help build each other up and meet new friends over the internet with faith in god or some other force of the universe.

  i asked another person how we can still manage our faith after getting burned by the high group mind control, he had a few ideas but he's not really involved with god because of how life burned him.

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  JamesThomas

  I'm not sure as to where I fit in, if at all in your post.

  I have relinquished all beliefs in any circumscribable “God” or deity; especially the brutal tribal deity I was raised to believe in. The amazing beauty of life and universe does not give witness to such menial characters in regards to its infinite wonder and presence.

  So, I guess, any beliefs in a personal “God”, have been replaced by a growing appreciation and admiration for what I do not know, but can somehow sense as always more than anything I can imagine.
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  37

  My wife is frightened about the end/ What to say without sounding Apostate?

  by suavojr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my wife called me at work saying she is scared after reading today's daily text.

  i don't read it anymore, therefore i went online and found this.. tuesday, march 3 .

  those days will be cut short.matt.

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  JamesThomas

  As long as we foolishly and unquestionably believe that the infinitely wondrous expression of life and universe is due to a savage and brutal, tribal deity, there is going to be trouble. Deservedly so.

  Go to the root of the problem, or prepare for a continual stream of shit hitting the fan.
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  26

  Rational Buddhism?

  by cappytan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does a type of buddhism exist that doesn't include the metaphysical aspects of traditional buddhism?

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  JamesThomas

  Cappy, what are you hoping to find under the rock of Buddhism?
  
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  18

  my 10 year old son is paying attention at the meetings

  by user100 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the public talk on sunday was about evolution.. my son pointed out flaws in the speakers arguments during and after the meeting... mostly about how animals aren't able to communicate etc.

  he even brought up coco the ape that is able to communicate via sign.. i told him that i heard a ton of inconsistencies but i am afraid to say anything because your mom will get angry :).

  im glad he is paying attention.. and the school system must be doing something right..

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  JamesThomas

  Language, is only a tiny facet of communication within nature, but even still words (sounds) and gesture (sign language) are certainly not limited to humans. As far as I know apes, other mammals and birds use sounds and movements to communicate.

  The mind is a wondrous and powerful tool, yet its tenacity towards complexity, imagination and story-telling, often seems to place us in our own little bubble feeling as if we are cut-off from nature. Most of nature is not cursed by such a 'bubble' and is more open or one with the rest of life and so communicates in ways we know not of.

  This is a great opportunity to help open your dear son's mind by investigating with him into the many ways that we are discovering how nature communicates (something that could become a life's work with the end result probably offering far more questions than answers).

  An open and curious mind is not an environment in which JW BS can easily thrive.

  On another note, the speakers arrogance that gives rise to him trying so hard to separate himself from the rest of nature, is in my mind not far removed form the mind-set that allowed people to slaughter the native Americans as “Godless savages”. I find it deeply repugnant. We have infinitly more in-common with each-other and nature than not. If we spent our energies discovering what unites us and universe, then there would be no wars. But then Jehovah never stood for that did he. He was a divider and destroyer, not a uniter. How I ever actually believed in such a terrible creature, is beyond me.
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  18

  my 10 year old son is paying attention at the meetings

  by user100 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the public talk on sunday was about evolution.. my son pointed out flaws in the speakers arguments during and after the meeting... mostly about how animals aren't able to communicate etc.

  he even brought up coco the ape that is able to communicate via sign.. i told him that i heard a ton of inconsistencies but i am afraid to say anything because your mom will get angry :).

  im glad he is paying attention.. and the school system must be doing something right..

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  JamesThomas

  So, you are saying that the speaker implied that animals don't communicate???

  What a painfully egomaniacal and tiny-minded statement that is. All nature, all animals, insects, fungus and plants communicate in some way. Everyday science is blown-away by discovering more of the communication that occurs. Even individual cells and bacteria communicate. Atoms communicate so that molecules can function as a coherent whole. Subatomic particles somehow pass information so that the atom remain stable. Hell, it seems that the entire universe is nothing but data and the transference and communication of that.

  The only void seems to be in that particular speakers brain; and fortunately your dear son caught-on.
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  8

  What's wrong with Christianity?

  by eyefell4it2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this comment on a yahoo article re same sex marriage and i happen to agree with it and thought i would share it.

  of course there are others that can be added if you specify what's wrong with jehovah's witnesses but i think this list is a good overview.

  would anyone else care to add anything to this list or comment?

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  JamesThomas

  If our eyes are even a little open it seem to be pretty clear and obvious that the Bible is nothing more than a mis-mash of beliefs, stories and concepts created by the confused and finite human mind.

  I's as if the words “Holy Bible”, could suitably and correctly be interpreted to mean: if you are looking for ultimate-truth, for a message most auspicious and pure then, don't look here”.

  Yet billion do; perhaps because it seems to so perfectly lull us back to sleep in the blanket of our own warm and familiar bewilderment.
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  16

  Even if everything about the "truth" was all true...........

  by pontoon in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i will say that one of the most distasteful teachings for me is the idea of praising, thanking, worshiping, god every day for all eternity.

  what kind of ego needs that?

  like if i ever saved a person's life i would say buy me a bottle of scotch and we'll call it even.

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  JamesThomas

  Perhaps the root of what you are saying is that the worshipers of the Bible deity/God, are far, far more moral, wise, kind and compassionate than the repugnant idea of "God" to which they pay homage.

  We have eyes, but can not see.

  Forgive us for we know not what we do.
  
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  11

  A Tutting of Christians

  by andrekish in

  1. social
  2. humour

  a tutting of christians:.

  a tutting of muslims:.

  a tutting of jews:.

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  JamesThomas

  tut

  (pronounced as an alveolar click; spelling pron. tʌt)

  also tut-tut,

  
  
  interj., n., v. tut•ted, tut•ting. interj.

  1. (used as an exclamation of contempt, disdain, impatience, etc.)

  2. for shame!