Posts by logansrun

18

Criticism is unavoidable

by logansrun in

jw
friends

as i've stepped off the train of a myopic weltenschuung and entered the busy streets of competing ideas, i have come to a very interesting realization: all claims, ideas, philosophies, behaviors -- everything -- can be criticised.

it doesn't matter how good your argument is, how beneficial it might be to humanity -- it can and will be put through the machine of skepticism and kinks in the armor will become known.

criticism is unavoidable.

logansrun

As I've stepped off the train of a myopic Weltenschuung and entered the busy streets of competing ideas, I have come to a very interesting realization: all claims, ideas, philosophies, behaviors -- everything -- can be criticised.

It doesn't matter how good your argument is, how beneficial it might be to humanity -- it can and will be put through the machine of skepticism and kinks in the armor will become known. Criticism is unavoidable. Whether it is science, politics, health, morality, art -- there will be detractors.

This is a good thing, yet can be disconcerting. As I sit with the world before me I can only pick which ideas and philosophies are most pragmatic to the situation at hand, realizing full well that it what I choose is not perfect nor ever will be.

Bradley

13

For Stacy Smith - Government Spending still climbs

by Phantom Stranger in

confounding president bush's pledges to rein in government growth, federal discretionary spending expanded by 12.5 percent in the fiscal year that ended sept. 30, capping a two-year bulge that saw the government grow by more than 27 percent, according to preliminary spending figures from congressional budget panels.

the sudden rise in spending subject to congress's annual discretion stands in marked contrast to the 1990s, when such discretionary spending rose an average of 2.4 percent a year.

not since 1980 and 1981 has federal spending risen at a similar clip.

logansrun

Are you a republican Stacey Smith???

B.

41

Does the sensationalism on this site help anyone?

by logansrun in

jw
friends

thread topics like "how to mess up the society"...."what dirty tricks would you pull on the watchtower" and "the society is about to go down the tubes!

" don't impress me.

honesty and forthrightness.

logansrun

Abaddon,

Well, at least you admit you are a pain in the....er...you're being picky .

Here's the thing: I get the impression you think I am being overly righteous or that I don't feel for the pain others have gone through on this board. Au contraire. I understand the indignation and pain of people here -- I have felt that pain and continue to suffer from it's effects from time to time, probably in ways I am not fully aware of.

All the same, I do believe that the sensationalism on this site is less than fully efficacious. I do believe that people make statements about the JWs which are unfair at best, downright nasty at worst. (For instance, the utterly disgraceful manner in which some poked fun at the recent death of a member of the GB.)

Is that a "judgment call" on my part? Hell yes! I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Yes -- I do believe that my opinions on certain matters are better than other people's opinions. Otherwise, I would not have those opinions. You do the same. We all do. It's a fundamental part of life. We need to make judgment calls.

I take issue with you insinuating that I believe that some people are bad simply because of their behavior, though. I don't think anyone -- not even the most horrible killer -- is utterly and hopelessly bad. Actions, behaviors, attitudes -- they are what is wrong, not the person. I think that type of "judgmentalism" -- if you wish to call it that -- is fundamentally different from that of the JWs.

That being said -- yes, I think some here make outlandish and/or bitter comments which are unneccessary and harmful -- to themselves and others.

I utterly and wholeheartedly stand behind everything I have written in this thread.

Bradley

41

Does the sensationalism on this site help anyone?

by logansrun in

jw
friends

thread topics like "how to mess up the society"...."what dirty tricks would you pull on the watchtower" and "the society is about to go down the tubes!

" don't impress me.

honesty and forthrightness.

logansrun

Abaddon,

I don't wish to engage in an overly punctillious analyzation of your words or mine. You're adept at logic-chopping (and a little sophistry, if you ask me) but you don't seem to get the general message of what I am saying. I stated my opinion and some agreed with me. You don't. Fine.

Bradley

27

Meditation for health and spiritual development

by logansrun in

jw
friends

how many here meditate?

what is your program of meditation like?

with a group or by yourself?

logansrun

Phantom,

I fart in your general direction.

B.

27

Meditation for health and spiritual development

by logansrun in

jw
friends

how many here meditate?

what is your program of meditation like?

with a group or by yourself?

logansrun

What's so wrong with the word "truth"?

B.

27

Meditation for health and spiritual development

by logansrun in

jw
friends

how many here meditate?

what is your program of meditation like?

with a group or by yourself?

logansrun

Phantom,

You are not a sophist....well, not all the time!

I listened to an interview w/Eckhart Tolle. Seemed like he had some good ideas. Very relaxing to listen to. I wouldn't hire him to manage my baseball team, but he's still pretty good.

Bradley

208

THEY'VE DONE IT!!!! The WBTS set a new date!

by dmouse in

the latest watchtower, dec 15th 2003, is an out and out attack on the rank and file for dropping into a drowsy state spiritually.

ok, so armageddon didn't come before the generation of 1914 grew old and died.

but does that mean that the big a isn't near?

logansrun

I don't see the Society setting a new date here, although the article could be interpreted that way if one "reads between the lines."

It's a stretch. I doubt the writer of the article was implying 2034 as the date for armageddon. It seems more likely he was just drawing a parallel -- the time was of limited duration in Noah's day as is the time for the wicked world today.

Bradley

41

Does the sensationalism on this site help anyone?

by logansrun in

jw
friends

thread topics like "how to mess up the society"...."what dirty tricks would you pull on the watchtower" and "the society is about to go down the tubes!

" don't impress me.

honesty and forthrightness.

logansrun

Abaddon,

logansrun:
Thread topics like "How to mess up the Society"...."What Dirty Tricks Would You Pull on the Watchtower" and "The Society is about to go down the tubes!" don't impress me. You?
Why do you feel that topics should impress you? I don't see any basis for that assumption. I certainly don't make posts to impress people; but perhaps your choice of words is obscuring your meaning?

I just said they don't impress me, period. Others felt the same way. You are the one putting words in my mouth -- that they should impress me.

Honesty and forthrightness. Deconstruction and understanding. I feel these are the qualities that will expose the undesireable elements in the Society as well as help people within and without it.
Yes. And? Whether you like it or not, this is a community of survivors, all different but united by a similarity of experienece. Whilst to you jokes and faceitous humour may not be appropriate, obviously to others they are either appropriate or possibly even needed; laughter is a natural human emotion, do we have to avoid all humour related to experience with the Collective (see, there's one) or our view of them now?

So -- no control then? "Anything goes"? Sorry, I don't buy that. I think there is room for some humor as I pointed out later in this thread, but which you neglected to mention.

Is your disturbance perhaps due to the fact you are not used to a social group where diversity of opinion is allowed and indeed encouraged?

Nope.

Of course, this is just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Likewise. And I don't have to feel bad if I am wrong; one of the dehumanising aspects of cultic experience is that being wrong is not allowed!

You continue to imply things that I never said. Nowhere did I say anyone should feel wrong or bad because of their posts. I think you are the one overanalyzing things.

... the more sensational and "angry" the topic, the more we appear to be what the Society has depicted us as.
Yes, but do we really want to let the Society carry on controlling our behaviour even when we are no longer part of it?

When someone makes an outlandishly angry comment about the JWs -- or an inaccurrate one, which happens with frequency -- then we are the ones who are letting the Society control us, but we just don't realize it. If you read my sentence which you quoted here and think about it you will see that I am advocating acting in a manner which the Society doesn't want or expect from us.

Truth need not hide nor wear fancy trousers.

Nor does it need to engage in hate, bitterness, inaccuracies, unfairness, double-standards and the like. Bradley

27

Meditation for health and spiritual development

by logansrun in

jw
friends

how many here meditate?

what is your program of meditation like?

with a group or by yourself?

logansrun

Phantom,

Come on....we're all full of ourselves -- you, me, Daniel Goleman (who I do like, btw) everyone.....It's just balancing our egos with an awareness of others, that's all.

B.