Nicolau,
"I'm so happy not to be giving a sh*t about that sort of nasty, judgemental nonsense anymore."
The best statement today. Thank you. Exactly how I feel.
im not sure if bruce had a sex operation but lets say someone did have a sex operation and then studied with the witnesses and wanted to get baptized, would he qualify in todays jw world?
could he have privileges?
the bible says the past cant be held against you, once you accept the truth.
Nicolau,
"I'm so happy not to be giving a sh*t about that sort of nasty, judgemental nonsense anymore."
The best statement today. Thank you. Exactly how I feel.
i wasn't alive for this but my parents and many old timers told me that at one point it was pretty much a rule that you couldn't go to college.
some of you may remember that from that time.
over time they relaxed that rule to that you did what you had to do in order to provide for yourself.
Since it is ultimately a conscience matter, they can't really 'ban' it. But as we all know, they are the masters of making rules out of conscience matters. Of course they want to ban college; if these evil men got wind that high school educated people are leaving or avoiding their nasty little cult they would start banning high school.
I've said this many times. The only thing required to Believe is to Feel. Thinking, acquiring Knowledge and additionally requiring Evidence often leads one to leaving religion and god behind, as another current OP suggests. It certainly leads to leaving this nasty, vile cult behind. And they know it.
It isn't rocket science. Everything that comes into existence fights for its survival, from a human to an ant to an organization. Their survival depends on keeping the rank and file dumb, stupid, un or under-educated and relying on their bias confirming nonsense spewed forth on a regular basis at strictly controlled meetings and in pathetically written articles.
And appealing to Emotions and Feelings.
what are the top 5 things you hate most about the jw organization and top 5 things you like most?
Things I hate:
1 - 5: The Dark Lords' evil, oppressive control of the sheep that includes destroying individual ambition, achievement and conscience, pits brother against brother in a never-ending pharisaical stream of worthless and damaging rules and near-rules for no reason other than to use peer pressure to maintain control (and at the same time knowing full well of the carnage they are causing in the process), destroying the individual by creating an environment where not going along routinely leads to depression, suicide and other dysfunctions, and the destruction of families by their evil shunning policies.
Things I Like:
1 - 5: Nothing
quote from the watchtower, simplified edition, september 2015, "how can we show that we love jehovah?".
higher education often makes them lose their love for god..
FT,
What we feel, think or believe doesn't really matter. Empirical evidence suggests that smart people tend to be less religious and less likely to believe in god. Educated people tend to be less religious and less likely to believe in god. And smart, educated people? Duh.
Most of the recent scientific studies have found a negative correlation between I.Q. and religiosity. On the individual level, the education level is positively correlated with a belief in a God in African countries (for now, at least), and negatively correlated in Western countries.
It's called evolution.
so this is only my second post but its about something that has been on my mind for awhile now.
have any of you ever felt the need to pray or speak to a higher power?
do any of you beleive that we were created or have evolved with a "spiritual need"?
No and No. Other OPs have stressed the non-religious/god aspects of 'spirituality', such as enjoying the beauty of nature, the warmth of family and friends, or appreciation for great art, music, etc.
I definitely would classify myself as 'spiritual' in the secular definition of the meaning. Having said that, spirit and spiritual are nothing more than a self induced emotional state based on internal and external stimuli. Contributing factors include memories, thoughts, experiences, nurture (how we were raised and our culture), nature (DNA) and our current mental, physical and emotional state.
Externalities contribute as well, such as being caught up in the moment at a sporting event or during a church service, for example, or the aforementioned nature, art, movie, music, etc.
That's all it is. Until someone presents evidence to the contrary (and really, people, after 100,000 years of human existence don't you think that would have already occurred if there was something unseen/supernatural?), that's all it is.
if crisis of conscience is one of the top watchtower doctrine killers, what is the coc of theism?.
i'd like to read a book, or other material that does the best job logically arguing for atheism.. i've not read any darwin, however it is my assumption that his focus is primarily on evolution, is this correct?
if you were to recommend one book or a few pieces of reading material, which do the best job of defending atheism, what would they be?.
Thank(s) Heaven,
Quote number 2 did it for me; I came to the same conclusion never having heard of Hitchens. I really don't see how anyone can believe in a god with this understanding. If she exists, she is an evil, uncaring monster. Kinda like my ex-wife.
my wife is pleasant and easy to get along with.
she is also helpful to many.
lately, however, there is a jw sister who some are curious about has befreinded my wife.
just to give you a bit of background, i've been researching my doubts for over a month, i'm convinced that although they may have some things right, they have a lot of other things horribly wrong.
i'm still clinging to a faith in god, because i see a creator's hand in nature, and i believe in jesus and his teachings, love, mercy, compassion.....that if everyone truly applied these (including jws) then all would benefit.. but i read this article in march and it's been on my mind ever since.
where isis stone a young couple to death for sex before marriage (a bit graphic).. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3017800/sickening-images-blindfolded-bound-couple-brutally-stoned-death-fornication-isis-militants-iraq.html.
Torn,
ISIS is also throwing gay men off buildings. Fornication is a man-made concept. It was invented to control sexual urges at a time when emerging societies did not have the resources to deal with children without baby daddies and the like.
The entire concept of pornea/fornication is fabricated. As long as you hold onto that concept, you will judge gays, people living together, teens experimenting (which is called normal), etc. as deserving of death. Is that really what you want to believe and be known for? Really?
I would suggest losing the term fornication. It is meaningless; it is a loaded word with pejorative death dealing connotations that needs to be thrown onto the ash heap of the 12 Century. Why we still use that word in the 21st Century speaks poorly of us as a species.
over the years, i have seen a change in heart with the country i grew up in and the general view of what they perceive as how everyone should view things in relation to morality.
a strictly religious country for centuries now forever changed within a short number of years.
i have also seen the viewpoint on this site gradually change in many ways.
Xanthippe,
Very well stated. Thank you. It is likely that TE suffers from N. European DNA angry old white man syndrome (of course, the last time I made that evaluation it turned out to be a transgender Diana Ross impersonating African American, so my batting average isn't so good).
The world isn't completely run by old white guys like it used to be, and he just can't get over it. What people do with their private parts, as you suggested, is likely the only thing he can rail about when the real issue is that he has been designated as dead Tyrannosaurus Rex walking.
I'll bet TE was thrilled with the Irish gay marriage vote. If the SCOTUS approves gay marriage I'm sure he will be even happier. If it passes I will have a drink or two for TE.
over the years, i have seen a change in heart with the country i grew up in and the general view of what they perceive as how everyone should view things in relation to morality.
a strictly religious country for centuries now forever changed within a short number of years.
i have also seen the viewpoint on this site gradually change in many ways.
Let's see TE, and I hope you are watching, I don't consider this site either godly or ungodly (but since I don't believe in god and don't really care I guess my opinion doesn't matter) but if you really are gone, I consider that it has immediately become more intelligent.
And if you would only take your kind with you, you know, the slow moving zombie end-of-time jesus loving bible thumping high school graduates without the cognitive abilities displayed in WWZ or Legend (what IS up with that - they have ruined the genre. Bring back slow moving zombies. Are you listening Hollywood?) that will be our pets one day, the site would be a LOT smarter and better for our planet.