DJS

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Posts by DJS

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  33

  OK!!!!ITS ME!!!!

  by brandnew in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so y'all dont think im always a lil mad puppy 😂😂😂.

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  DJS

  No, I still think your'e a lil mad puppy. Ok, maybe a big mad puppy.
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  51

  Why facts fail to reach the faithful, (even the intelligent ones)

  by done4good in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i posted this on another thread, and decided it deserves its own...thoughts?.

  an unfortunate artifact of evolution is that belief can, and often does trump fact.

  survival is at the core of what belief is about.

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  DJS

  LisaRose,

  There will always be a place for every personality type. None of them are right or wrong. They just have different strengths and weaknesses. Right now the planet needs a lot of help with rational thought based on evidence. If that changes and Grog the caveman in all of his emotional, reactive, fight or flight glory is required, rationals will not fare so well.
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  51

  Why facts fail to reach the faithful, (even the intelligent ones)

  by done4good in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i posted this on another thread, and decided it deserves its own...thoughts?.

  an unfortunate artifact of evolution is that belief can, and often does trump fact.

  survival is at the core of what belief is about.

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  DJS

  d4g,

  "I have hypothesized this correlation has a lot to do with why we left to begin with."

  Yes, we have discussed this previously on this site. I'm an ENTJ. It is a predicted outcome. Intuition, it appears, is an advantage in today's world when it is coupled with Thinking. When it is coupled with Feeling, Houston, we may have a problem. The contributing factors for those who leave religion, become irreligious, a-relgious or atheist are: Intelligence, Personality Type, Education, Prosperity and Culture.

  Culture is a contamination factor that skews all data, as Muslims aren't likely to lose their religion because they might also lose their head in the process. And dubs lose their families. And so on. The other 4 are the real factors. Prosperity seems to be a minor factor (look at the US as an example).

  Intelligent people are more likely atheist or irreligious, as are Rationals and those with Graduate and Post Graduate Education (as they are exposed to the analytical, empirical evidence process). Lots of empirical studies suggest these correlations. But again class, these are nothing other than correlations; there is not a cause/effect.

  
  
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  51

  Why facts fail to reach the faithful, (even the intelligent ones)

  by done4good in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i posted this on another thread, and decided it deserves its own...thoughts?.

  an unfortunate artifact of evolution is that belief can, and often does trump fact.

  survival is at the core of what belief is about.

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  DJS

  LisaRose,

  YOU are a very special Feeler/Perceiver. Of course there is much more to personality types, and each type has its strengths and weaknesses. The data only suggests correlations over large populations. If the survey had been taken 15,000 years ago, the Feeler/Perceivers would have ruled!!!!I

  It's evolution, albeit by a very slow process. The 'fittest' today are more often those who can think analytically and rationally and understand and require evidence for the decision making process. That may not make them a greater % of the population for a long time, but it at the very least is more likely to place them in decision making positions.
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  51

  Why facts fail to reach the faithful, (even the intelligent ones)

  by done4good in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i posted this on another thread, and decided it deserves its own...thoughts?.

  an unfortunate artifact of evolution is that belief can, and often does trump fact.

  survival is at the core of what belief is about.

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  DJS

  d4g,

  Nice response to one of our resident Feeler/Perceivers. In addition to Maslow, we have used the Myers Briggs Personality Indicator (MBPTI) to illustrate the evolutionary trek of humans. MBPTI reveals that nearly half of the population has a Guardian personality, which is exactly what we would expect when we look in our rear view mirror closely at how humans evolved.

  But MBPTI and Maslow are tools to help us understand- they aren't and do not present themselves as definitive rock solid science. As I've pointed out before, the only thing humans require or need to Believe is to Feel. Beliefs and Emotions are tied together with steel cables; that's why they are so hard to break. The frightened herd responding powerfully and suddenly based on a trigger that may or may not be a threat, is a powerful tool as well to understand how we evolved. Humans were no different; for most of our 100,000 year history, those who could respond quickly and powerfully to real or perceived threats were more likely to live and pass on DNA.

  Those feeling/perceiving traits served us well for thousands of years. Today? Not so much. Studies suggest the Feeler/Perceivers are at the lowest rung of income earners today, while the Rationals - those Intuitive Thinkers - are at the top.

  This suggests we are evolving as a species. The planet is much more complicated today. Whether it is the economy, global military strategy and capabilities, or climate change, the problems today are real and responding emotionally to them will ensure that nothing positive is accomplished in addressing them. We need rational people who demand evidence to keep us from doing permanent harm to our species. So at least evolutionarily speaking we are headed in the right way. The $64 question is are we heading there fast enough.

  Based on the Feeler/Perceivers and those led and driven by their emotions on this site and around the world, I would say no. And these beady eyed little vermin breed a lot faster than the rest of us too.
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  87

  Did you get " Counseled " about the Music you Listened to While you were a JW ?

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from the time i was a small boy - i loved rock n' roll music.

  beatles, rolling stones, led zeppelin, hendrix.

  i started getting slighted for the music i listened to as i lay in my bedroom listening on headphones to led zeppelin's song " black dog " at age 14 with my elder dad looking suspiciously at me as i'm rocking out .

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  DJS

  The Dark Lords' intrusion into this part of our personal conscience and freedom of choice was one of the defining moments of my exit. Their pharisaical semi, near, almost, kinda sort, mini-me rule making annoyed me and was becoming oppressive, but I listened to what I wanted. When they started making defining rules for what my children and I could listen to, such as rap, and including it in a study article of the WT that we shouldn't listen to any of it, I wrote them a letter telling them kindly but directly that this was my business as a parent and none of theirs.

  I received a letter in response telling me I of course was correct but reminding me that some of us (me) are expected to tow the line, or some such nonsense, since I was in the BOE.

  It may be one of the few times the Dark Lords admitted to being wrong. I kept the letter for years. This was one of the straws that broke this camel's back.

  And if there are any Dark Lord wraiths hovering around this site to find out dark data to return to Mordor with and present it to the Dark Lords, please tell your lord and masters I listen to what I fukking want to listen to, and so do my kids. And they can kiss my ass.
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  20

  Surge in Mormon Suicides

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  last november the mormon cult has issued new rules about homosexuality labelling those in same-sex relationships as apostates who can be excommunicated.

  children of gay couples are now required to leave home and repudiate their parent's relationship before they can be part of the church.. at least 32 gay mormon youths have killed themselves since the announcement of the new policy, and there’s been an alarming increase of suicidal teens and twenty-somethings in the church.....

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  DJS

  Hate has consequences. It doesn't exist in a vacuum.
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  70

  how do most of you now feel about the military?

  by sowhatnow in

  1. social
  2. family

  was not sure where to post this, but i was curious, how do some of you now feel about the military?

  would any of you let your children enlist, or would you yourselves join any military field?

  how do you feel about the idea of women in the military?

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  DJS

  They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Some of you continue to blame the military for decisions made by policy makers and politicians. The military follows their orders and the rules of combat are typically politically inspired or directed by policy makers. The crisis in Syria is heart breaking, but it wasn't caused by the US military. When you see this:

  
  

  You need to understand that there is a direct link between that picture and the other horrors of the Syrian War and this:

  
  

  Without the pressure on the Intel community from people like Cheney, the arm twisting on people like Colin Powell by people like Rumsfeld and Bush and the intentional misrepresentation of intelligence, we would likely never have gone into Iraq. The war machine behind ISIS resulted in large part by the dismantling of the Iraqi army in the mid 2000s by another US Policy maker. Without those former Iraqi military minds, rolodex, access to funds and other resources and the knowledge of how to take territory and keep it, ISIS would either not exist or would be a minor player - the JV team as Obama once called them.

  The military caused none of this other than following orders.
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  51

  Why facts fail to reach the faithful, (even the intelligent ones)

  by done4good in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i posted this on another thread, and decided it deserves its own...thoughts?.

  an unfortunate artifact of evolution is that belief can, and often does trump fact.

  survival is at the core of what belief is about.

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  DJS

  done4good,

  Great OP. The OP of the year so far. A lot of us have been saying this for a while. You've said it best. Thank you. My Theist wall, as expected, was primarily built of JW bricks. Once I got rid of all of them, the only thing remaining were a few cornerstones and the foundation - belief in the bible, god and/or a 'hereafter'. As you stated, that first stone removed from the theist wall/foundation is done so with the understanding that it all may come down. It may not be for the faint of heart, and there are evolutionary reasons why this is so.

  I methodically removed each stone, examined it - and when I found it wanting - cast it away. Then I dug up the foundation and threw that away. No emotion. No looking back. And the best thing I have ever accomplished.

  Again, well done.
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  21

  Last Day of Chemo

  by azor in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  today is the end of my son's 3 -1/2 year treatment for leukemia.

  we had a small party at the hospital with nursing staff and a few friends.

  it has been a great day with the exception of getting walking pnemonia from his sister.

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  DJS

  Great news Azor. Full speed ahead.