Posts by DJS

47

Why are some that post here JW apologists?

by ctrwtf in

jw
friends

my rant tonight is against the quasi religious apologists that post on this board.

those who at once rail against the jw's then later talk about how "orderly" and "neat" the witnesses are at their conventions.

those who site the benefits of bloodless surgery to some who have the luxury and time to actually make an educated choice, while ignoring the tens of thousands who've died because they happen to be in an accident or succumb to a disease for which there is no other treatment.. i understand the power of cognitive dissonance.

DJS

Nice OP. I'm glad the apologists are here. Most of this is human nature; all of us have a tendency towards confirmation bias. It is in our evolutionary DNA. That's one of the best things about pursuing higher education, as it (should) program us so that confirmation bias becomes less pronounced.

But with or without higher education, if an individual makes up their minds to live an evidence based life and to stop, as much as possible, making decisions on nothing more than feelings, beliefs, personal thoughts, desires, all of which are supported solely be confirmationally biased information, all religions will quickly seem to be repulsive throwbacks to our evolutionary sojourn, deserving to be thrown on the ash heap of history.

Arguing that the Dark Lords are better than the Popes or that the dub religion is somehow preferable to other x-tian religions seems to most of us as a foreign concept born out of immaturity and a misplaced sense of hope. My aversion to the Dark Lords control is such that I would prefer being around people with tattoos and purple hair than the well groomed, deeply programmed drones in the KH. They make me want to projectile vomit.

Confirmation bias and being driven by our emotions and desires are the blinders we all wore. The apologists are here because they are 51/49 dubs; if they stay here that % will change as they take off the blinders.

100

Is it Time to Declare that The Great Tribulation Has Started ?

by OnTheWayOut in

i don't really engage in doctrinal discussions about jw's anymore.

they seem to say some pretty crazy stuff.

but i have read some threads discussing doctrinal changes and how watchtower is really out of ideas and money at the same time.

DJS

@berrygerry: "One elder made a comment some time back "Why do JW's receive so much attention when we're only 1% of the earth's population?"

This phenomenon actually has been identified as such:

1. Baader-Meinhof is the phenomenon where one happens upon some obscure piece of information-- often an unfamiliar word or name-- and soon afterwards encounters the same subject again, often repeatedly.

2. Stanford linguistics professor Arnold Zwicky coined [the term "frequency illusion"] in 2006 to describe the syndrome in which a concept or thing you just found out about suddenly seems to crop up everywhere. It’s caused by two psychological processes.

The first, selective attention, kicks in when you’re struck by a new word, thing, or idea; after that, you unconsciously keep an eye out for it, and as a result find it surprisingly often. The same thing occurs after we buy a certain type of car; we immediately start seeing the same type of car everywhere. There aren't suddenly more of those cars; it's just that we notice it now.

The second process, confirmation bias, reassures you that each sighting is further proof of your impression that the thing has gained overnight omnipresence.

No one really gives a f**k about the dubs other than the dubs.

12

A philosophical question

by Coded Logic in

on the internet i keep bumping into people who are extremely insistent that our universe could be a simulation.

while i think it may, in the future, be possible to simulate a high fidelity universe - i don’t think we should confuse the ability to model a universe with the ability to actually build a universe.. .

for example, we can model weather patterns inside a computer.

DJS

@Coded Logic: "On the internet I keep bumping into people who are extremely insistent that our universe could be a simulation."

Man goes to doctor. Says to doc: Doc, I hurt my leg in 3 places.

Doc says to man: Stay out of those places.

2

Muguruza wins French Open

by LoveUniHateExams in

so, garbiñe muguruza beat serena williams in straight sets (7-5, 6-4) to win her first slam - well done, garbiñe.

and i'd also like to say "good".

williams has already won 21 grand slam titles and hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money and sponsorship deals.. she will be 35 years old this september.. isn't about time she pi$$ed off into retirement and started pioneering?.

DJS

MS. Muguruza is a breath of fresh air to women's tennis, which needs it. Ms. Williams is still the best in the world at what she does. What she has accomplished is amazing, and until someone takes her place she deserves all the praise and $ she gets.

As for her thanking Jah. I view that as no more than a talisman or good luck charm. it makes me want to projectile vomit, but it takes nothing away from her talent and hard work.

147

Challenge to Creationists

by cofty in

in response to the 37 threads in my evolution is a fact series - see bottom of op for links - perry posted a link to an article "44 reasons why evolution isn't true".. i offered him a challenge on the thread and by pm.

predictably he is totally ignoring it, so i am offering the challenge to any evolution-denier who thinks they have evidence to support their position.. please present one specific piece of evidence for creationism.. my task will be to refute it with evidence within 24 hours.. then i will present one piece of evidence for evolution and your challenge will be the same.. all posts must be as succinct as reasonably possible.

entirely in your own words, without copy-paste, videos or links.. please post your interest to take part and we will set it up before the first actual post in the exchange.

DJS

SBF,

Well stated. Thank you.

147

Challenge to Creationists

by cofty in

in response to the 37 threads in my evolution is a fact series - see bottom of op for links - perry posted a link to an article "44 reasons why evolution isn't true".. i offered him a challenge on the thread and by pm.

predictably he is totally ignoring it, so i am offering the challenge to any evolution-denier who thinks they have evidence to support their position.. please present one specific piece of evidence for creationism.. my task will be to refute it with evidence within 24 hours.. then i will present one piece of evidence for evolution and your challenge will be the same.. all posts must be as succinct as reasonably possible.

entirely in your own words, without copy-paste, videos or links.. please post your interest to take part and we will set it up before the first actual post in the exchange.

DJS

@SlimBoyFat, "If evidence emerged to support creation would you change your mind?"

I'm continually amused and perplexed why theists so often ask this question. Atheists have typically gotten to be atheists because of their rational, analytical analysis of theism. Becoming an atheist to most of us has nothing to do with beliefs, feelings or emotions. It was a decades long journey of a methodical evaluation and analysis of the data. No emotions were involved.

We haven't stopped believing in god because she hurt our feelings.

It is about the evidence, or lack of such for a god or gods.

Of course I would believe if the evidence was clear. If god showed up in Times Square in her leotard and cape with all of the other super heroes and did something cool, let's say get rid of the nukes and stop wars, oppression and injustice of all kinds, I would be the biggest theist around.

All atheists would also believe. Well, they better. Otherwise they would be theists hiding behind an atheist facade. And us atheists know how to deal with them. We shun them and kick them out of our exclusive atheist club.

42

Feeling Sad After Uncovering TTATT

by pale.emperor in

my initial pangs of unease and doubt led me to research some things.

well, a lot of things really.

i've never felt comfortable using the bible to try to calculate dates (1914).

DJS

Everyone is different, so trying to evaluate one's responses to waking up to this cult vs. another's is not wise or fair. Having said that, my emotional responses were:

Humor - laughing at myself for thinking I knew the answers for so long

Humility - see above

A sense of well being - Confirmation that there was a reason for the distress and anxiety I had felt for so long while in this nasty cult and trying to do what jesus would do (vomit)

Anger - At myself mostly, and at the Dark Lords secondarily

Elation, Joy, Satisfaction, Euphoria

But no, never sadness.

8

До свидания! Russia

by sp74bb in

jw
friends

our sources in the russian front do confirm it.

service desk of russian branch is being transferred urgently to finland.. до свидания russia :).

DJS

The Dark Lords have had since 2002, 14 years, to comply. They have clearly known how the Russian courts would interpret the laws for a decade.

Russian authorities have been patient. The Dark Lords arrogance and narcissism are the cause of this.

Let it come.

4

Great quote!

by stuckinarut2 in

"growth is painful.

change is painful.

but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong".

DJS

Thanks Stuck,

Great quote.

Hop on the bus, Gus. Make a new plan, Stan. No need to be coy, Roy. Slip out the back, Jack.

147

Challenge to Creationists

by cofty in

in response to the 37 threads in my evolution is a fact series - see bottom of op for links - perry posted a link to an article "44 reasons why evolution isn't true".. i offered him a challenge on the thread and by pm.

predictably he is totally ignoring it, so i am offering the challenge to any evolution-denier who thinks they have evidence to support their position.. please present one specific piece of evidence for creationism.. my task will be to refute it with evidence within 24 hours.. then i will present one piece of evidence for evolution and your challenge will be the same.. all posts must be as succinct as reasonably possible.

entirely in your own words, without copy-paste, videos or links.. please post your interest to take part and we will set it up before the first actual post in the exchange.

DJS

Cofty,

I think they were mistaking you for me. I resemble that remark.