Posts by Laika

22

Evolutionary psychology?

by Laika in

jw
friends

i've read a little bit of work from the field of evolutionary psychology, but nearly all of this stuff comes across as pseudo-scientific bs to me.

much of this stuff just seems to me to be a case of preferring a particular human behaviour over another one, and then saying that this is what nature intended with a story about how it 'evolved'.

a lot of evolutionary psychologists also seem to use evolutionary psychology as cover for their misogyny or racism.. i think most of our behaviours are socialised rather than genetic.. i am hardly an expert here however so could, of course, be completely wrong.

Laika

DS, I have discovered that the biologist PZ Myers is also skeptical of evolutionary psychology: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/category/bad-science/evolutionary-psychology/ so I am not yet convinced that I have to accept evolutionary biology and evolutionary psychology as a package deal, though of course I recognise that our brains were subject to evolutionary processes as well.

Cofty, thanks for your response, I was hoping you would contribute to this thread, I will try to come back with some examples for you tomorrow.

22

Evolutionary psychology?

by Laika in

jw
friends

i've read a little bit of work from the field of evolutionary psychology, but nearly all of this stuff comes across as pseudo-scientific bs to me.

much of this stuff just seems to me to be a case of preferring a particular human behaviour over another one, and then saying that this is what nature intended with a story about how it 'evolved'.

a lot of evolutionary psychologists also seem to use evolutionary psychology as cover for their misogyny or racism.. i think most of our behaviours are socialised rather than genetic.. i am hardly an expert here however so could, of course, be completely wrong.

Laika

I've read a little bit of work from the field of evolutionary psychology, but nearly all of this stuff comes across as pseudo-scientific bs to me. Much of this stuff just seems to me to be a case of preferring a particular human behaviour over another one, and then saying that this is what nature intended with a story about how it 'evolved'. A lot of evolutionary psychologists also seem to use evolutionary psychology as cover for their misogyny or racism.

I think most of our behaviours are socialised rather than genetic.

I am hardly an expert here however so could, of course, be completely wrong. That is why I am curious to get the opinions on this 'science' by the board's actual scientists and educated evolutionists.

Thoughts?

51

Are JEhovah's Witnesses reaching out to the Gay community ?

by Watchtower-Free in

.

apostate & ex-jehovalarious meme collection.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/jwmeme/.

Laika

Ha!

Very few of the male JWs I know would be comfortable studying with an openly gay man, those who would be willing would be considered suspicious by other males JWs.

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Laika

Hmm... Most of the people complaining about tone in this thread are not theists...

I didn't dislike Tec, I thought she was a nice lady, but it was difficult to have a conversation with her because her response to any disagreement was to tell you that you just didn't have ears to hear or something. Anyway, there's a big difference between strongly expressed disagreement and ridicule. The latter is something I've experienced here rarely and if it became the default way of dealing with me as 'a believer' I'd stop posting here for the same reason I rarely bothered with Tec, not because it would offend me but because it's not conducive to good conversation and would be a waste of my time. I don't foresee this happening however.

Meanwhile I genuinely enjoy posting here.

105

Is my clinging on to a belief in a Creator doing me any harm?

by KateWild in

i use the word clinging, as i feel that is what i am doing.

as far as my knowledge of science, namely chemistry is concerned, i am satisfied there is evidence of a creator.

i am happy to believe this.

Laika

What if performing rituals is one of your interests?

I mostly liked Terry's post, I think the impact of our beliefs on our lives, whilst certainly not irrelevant, are often overstated.

31

How I Ended Up On JWN...

by Divergent in

jw
friends

this is the story of how i ended up here on this site.... .

i was stuck in a situation where reaching out took forever, an eternity.

it was ridiculous - no matter what i did, there was always more to do.

Laika

I'm guessing your Dad wasn't an elder? JWs are surprisingly nepotistic.

21

Suffering and Universal Sovereignty

by Trapped in JW land in

just heard the special talk about why god allows suffering.

ugh... can't believe i used to believe this crap.

what do you all think of the universal sovereignty issue?

Laika

Ugh... my sister's been trying to get me to go to the special talk tomorrow, I gave in on the memorial, no way am I sitting through another meeting that's twice as long. She said I was 'annoying' for persistently saying 'no'. Whatever.

The universal sovereignty issue is impossible to reconcile with Romans 8, for starters.

40

What happens to marriages upon the arrival of Armageddon?

by insearchoftruth in

a couple of paradise earth questions: .

1) if you are a married, baptized witness couple (both people being baptized) and armageddon arrives, will the couple still be married on paradise earthtm?

2) if you are married to an unbelieving mate (ubm) and armageddon arrives, will the witness be free to remarry on paradise earth?.

Laika

Apog, according to JWs that scripture only applies definitely to people resurrected post Armageddon, JWs who live through Armageddon may be able to marry/remarry.

40

What happens to marriages upon the arrival of Armageddon?

by insearchoftruth in

a couple of paradise earth questions: .

1) if you are a married, baptized witness couple (both people being baptized) and armageddon arrives, will the couple still be married on paradise earthtm?

2) if you are married to an unbelieving mate (ubm) and armageddon arrives, will the witness be free to remarry on paradise earth?.

Laika

Insearchoftruth, The answer to both your questions is 'yes' according to JWs, only resurrected people will not be able to marry, children born in paradise will be able to marry.

Nonjwspouse, that is not a current JW teaching.

23

If you are thinking about "Stepping Down" you better do it QUICK!

by Comatose in

the new arrangement for co's to handle deletions (and appointments) means you no longer will be able to give your friends on the body an excuse and step down.

you will have to answer to the co and most likely have a long uncomfortable chat about everything with him in order to step down.

so if you have been thinking about stepping down, you need to do it quick before the new arrangement..

Laika

Put no more than 3 hours service a month on your report and most COs will have you off within a year. Simples.