Posts by Island Man

62

ls homosexuality really normal?

by atomant in

l know animals do it but their animals.they dont live by a moral code.the thought of 2 men going for it is not normal.what are your thoughts?.

Island Man

It depends on what you mean by normal.

If by normal you mean what is typical or most common, then no, it's not normal. If by normal you mean occurring naturally then yes it is normal.

Tell me why homosexuality is not moral.

Is it because homosexual unions are unable to produce offspring? If this is what makes it immoral then to be consistent and impartial you'd also have to condemn as immoral, any kind of heterosexual intercourse between married individuals where one or both are sterile. You'd have to say that only sexual intercourse that can result in conception is moral. Is that your position? If not, why not?

I'm yet to hear a rational argument for why homosexuality is immoral, that does not employ fallacious reasoning and or does not surrender to blind obedience to religious texts that condemn homosexuality without giving rational, sound reasons for why it is wrong.

33

How Dangerous are Blood Transfusions really?

by TheWonderofYou in

this is a report about the successful implementation of the patientbloodmanagent in germany and prof. zacharowski as well as the business trip of his life with shocking facts about transfusions in his bag.. http://screenart.tv/portfolio/gefaehrliche-bluttransfusionen.

this year 2016 president obama and vice biden awarded german physicians prof. kai zacharowski with humanitarian award for patient safety.

the patient safety movement foundation set the goal to massively reduce the number of preventable deaths of hospital patients worldwide by 2020.

Island Man

Blood transfusions are less dangerous than the medical conditions they mitigate. This why the JW arguments about risks associated with blood, are utterly brainless. They're as brainless as someone refusing to perform the Heimlich maneuver on a person choking to death, because of the relatively small risk of organ damage posed by the procedure.

18

Any Kiwis Here?

by Wild_Thing in

jw
friends

i'm wondering if there are any here that are from new zealand or currently live there.

i'm going to be staying there for a month in july 2017 ... location to be determined.

i would love to have someone i can ask questions while i am in the planning stages.

Island Man

I'm not a Kiwi but I would advise that you wear sunscreen when going outdoors. The hole in the ozone layer at the south pole is wide enough to expose parts of New Zealand at times.

26

"Why Did JWs Ignore Princes Drug Additctions?" by Barbara Anderson

by AndersonsInfo in

over a month ago, the associated press in minneapolis reported that counterfeit pills were found at prince’s home.

some contained powerful opioid fentanyl, a synthetic drug 50 times stronger than heroin found in dozens of pills.

these and other mislabeled drugs were found in luggage belonging to the late music star.

Island Man

"I don't know the WTBTS official policy on prescription drug abuse."

Abuse of drugs is a disfellowshipping offence. It does not matter if the drugs are prescription or illegal. What matters is whether or not abuse of the drugs has harmful effects on the body. It would especially be the case when such abuse is potentially life-threatening as was the case with Prince. This is based on their interpretation of the scripture in Corinthians that talks about avoiding every defilement of flesh and spirit; and their position on showing respect for life.

The elders were clearly not following the rule book in the way they handled Prince. I think its a case of them not wanting to bite the hand that feed$ their congregation and/or Watchtower. It is very clear that in this hypocritical organization, wealthy and famous JWs are treated differently from rank and file JWs.

7

Talking to the Mormons, then the JWs

by Giles Gray in

i have been very lucky in the past month or so.

i have had both the mormons and the jws call on me.. .

the mormons called first.

Island Man

Nice conversation. It would be good if you can secretly record the conversation, maybe with a smart phone, not necessarily so that you can upload the audio online - because I know that publishing such secret recordings might be illegal in some areas - but so that you can give a more detailed, virtually word-for-word transcript of the conversation, without being confined by the limitations of human memory.

17

The insanity continues

by FedUpJW in

as if anymore proof were needed that what used to be the religion i was baptized into has ceased to exist i was asked this insane question, when i mentioned to a jdub that someone i knew was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

are they witnesses?".

i didn't used to really think about that insane question in the past, but now that i have woke up to ttatt it is glaringly obvious that they think there can be no chance of actually knowing and getting along with anyone outside their tiny circle of conditional friends.

Island Man

"How do you know them? Are they Witnesses?"

I think the best way to respond to this question in a way that would shame the JW and shake some moral sense into him is to say:

"No, he's not a JW. He's a good friend of mine. We met at [such and such]. He is a really good person. What I really appreciate about him is that he doesn't think less of me, or prejudicially judge me as bad association or a danger to him spiritually, just because I'm not a member of his religion. He also does not try to push his religion on me. It's so refreshing to have a friend like him who values me for my personality and does not prejudicially judge me just because I'm not a member of his religion."

26

The bOrg Cult Tactics

by pale.emperor in

i'm wondering if the borg actually studied mind control and coercion tactics deliberately or wether they just evolved over time through trial and error.

from reading steve hassans books, studying hypnosis and methods psychopaths use it all seems very complex.

like it would never occur to me to do a, b and c in the right order at the right time in order to get control of someone or control their lives.. for example, repetition of words (the word "loyalty" was a big one in the last convention), using loaded language, encouraging people not to trust their own thoughts, restricting their information, demonising those who leave etc.

Island Man

Yes and no.

Yes they deliberately use psychological manipulation. Why do I say this? Look at the BE book that was used in the theocratic ministry school. Look at the many speech counsels that are used in there that involve psychological tactics of persuasion. Look at the use of images and drawings in the literature and the great attention to detail that go into them. Look at how these images are designed to appeal to the emotions and reinforce stereotypes about worldly people. It is very plain to see that much deliberate effort goes into brainwashing rank and file JWs.

However, the leadership does not consider their psychologically manipulative tactics as being nefarious or unethical. They are not using these tactics with the guilt and knowledge that they are using unethical cult tactics. In their own minds, they are just using very effective methods of reaching the hearts of people. If it is pointed out to them that their methods amount to brainwashing then they dismiss the claim as being nothing more than hateful rhetoric by worldly opposers and apostates. They will even say that the members minds are washed clean of the satanic filth of the world. See Samuel Herd's first hosting of JW broadcasting, as an example of this. Call them a cult and they say Jesus' followers were labeled as a sect.

So I believe they are deliberately using tactics of manipulation, but without realizing that these tactics are actually unethical cult tactics. They have convinced themselves that they are very effective teachers using very effective methods of persuasion and reaching the heart. If it is pointed out to them that they are using unethical cult practices then they go into denial and say that they're being maligned just as first century christians were maligned.

21

Why aren't there windows in the KH?

by longgone in

the last kh i attended, (faded) was built in 2014. there are no windows anywhere, although the front doors are glass.

.

it's nothing but a brown brick rectangle, as nondescript as possible as well.. any thoughts about why?.

Island Man

I think its a security and cost reduction issue. Here in the Caribbean (at least in my country) where the incidence of break-ins is low and the climate is warm year round, all the kingdom halls have lots of windows.

I believe windowless KHs are a feature in temperate countries (windows result in greater heat loss in winter, increasing heating costs) and where there is a higher incidence of break-ins.

21

By Way of Announcement, Darlene Jefferson Has Been Disfellowshiped

by Cold Steel in

i was watching a jw video where the announcement was made of a young lady's being disfellowshiped, and it happened in a regular kh sunday meeting.

this struck me as being a bit...cold.

is this when the shunning begins?

Island Man

"Who wants to be DF'ed and treated like crap when they could keep it between themselves and God?"

Many do. Those that get DFd are mainly those that get caught by other JWs doing "serious" sins. They are then reported to the elders if they don't go themselves and confess their sin. A few sinners are plagued by guilt and voluntarily go and confess their sins without being caught by anyone. But they are probably in the minority.

The number of people who are DF'd and reproved is not representative of all the "serious" sinning going on. Many JWs secretly carry on "serious" sins like smoking, celebrating holidays, fornication, etc. Those that are reproved or DF'd are only those that have been found out.

There is even a JW expression - "living a double life" - to refer to a JW who is a good JW in the presence of other JWs, but is breaking the rules when not around JWs.

14

Oct 2021 Time Capsule

by LevelThePlayingField in

what do you think the jw religion will be like in oct 2021?

if we go back five years from oct 2016 you get 2011. there was no jw.org, really pretty much no tablets, most people were using paper copies for everything.

now that's all changed.

Island Man

I think we will see larger congregations. With the consolidation going on where they sell kingdom halls and incorporate the members into other congregations we can expect to see bigger congregations.

Also, I think they will start lightening the load of the elders at the meetings by having meeting parts video recorded. Maybe they will start it with the annual special talks. They'll have them pre-recorded by a GB member or one of the helpers, then have it shown at the kingdom hall.

Because of the shortage of brothers, they might also have convention parts/talks video-streamed to multiple convention sites simultaneously.

In short, expect to see more emphasis on the use of technology to impress the membership, keeping them focused on Watchower's modern, impressive packaging and distracted from the vacuous, illogical and downright erroneous message.

I think the Awake magazine's days are numbered. I think we will eventually see a single, 20-something page quarterly magazine instead of the 11 page monthly alternating Watchtower and Awake magazines.