I get a very humling feeling, being reminded of our insignificance in the Universe. Then it makes me want to go give my kids a hug and make sure they are happy. Simple, I know but awesome too.
anti-absolutism
JoinedPosts by anti-absolutism
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20
Is there intelligent life beyond our Earth?
by Spartacus inlogic speaks for itself, consider the vastness of the universe.
each galaxy has between 50 to 100 billion stars.
stars like our sun have planets orbiting them.
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Secret bibel code?
by happy man in.
check this link, crayzy or ?.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/2/6/160040.shtml
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anti-absolutism
Haven't your Alpha-bits done the same thing, yet? If not you're just not TRYING hard enough....... lol
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The Great God Contest
by Tatiana inright here on the internet, we will attempt to bring a final resolution to all religious wars, controversy and hypocrisy.. the great god contest
the rules
the rules are simple.
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anti-absolutism
This is brilliant. Great job Tatiana and Elsewhere. If I have to pick who was funnier, my open mind says Elsewhere, but my "religious mind" says that Tatiana started it all so I should "automatically" give her absolute devotion........ lol Thanks for the entertainment...... Brad
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I confronted an abuser today
by anti-absolutism inthis elder didn't abuse me physically or sexually.
he never intended to cause me any harm.
he really felt that he ever "knowingly" did anything to harm me!.
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anti-absolutism
Further to what the elder said last night..... He went on to explain how, in many ways, even though very bad things like what happened to me (and also things like what happened to CoonDawg, AlanF,Shera and Wolf and my sister who was sexually abused by a couple of family members) do happen in the JW org. but that they are making every attempt to stop this.
If I was looking for guidance from him I could have easily been swayed by his (and I mean this) genuineness. He didn't remember anything about the situation, mostly because as he said it, "there were just so many things that happened with my father". But he really, truly believes that their belief is still the truth.
I explained that with all respect due to him for trying to be a kind person, there was still a HUGE problem for me, with their organization. I explained that it was very unfortunate that their STRUCTURE had created a place where people like my father and many other BAD people could be made to believe that they were "normal", in their actions. ( Alan F makes some good points on this.)
I cannot hate my father or any JW's, because they live their lives in ignorance. About a half hour into the conversation this elder asked if this conversation was being taped. Can you imagine living a life wherein you feel that you NEVER do anything wrong and yet are paranoid to the point of worrying all the time if the WRONG things that you do actually do, will be found out. I asked this elder about his thoughts on the past because I wanted to know if he wanted to be mentioned in my book by Romeo Bourgeois or just R.B. (oops that slipped out.... tehee!!!) and I told him that I would respect his wishes to not mention his name in my book. (you see I have no Backkkksspace key to erase his name now.... lol)
When he asked me if I was df'd he said, "you know in the future you should tell people that up front". Although, I did tell him I was no longer a JW, I did not mention why. The reason for my not giving full disclosure was apparent by his next reaction. He said he would not have spoken to me EXCEPT WHERE HE THOUGHT IT WAS ACCEPTABLE. My abusive father all of a sudden became better in his eyes again, since, as bad as he was to my family, HE was never df'd for it.
It certainly leads me to believe that Heaven and Hell are right here on Earth, in our existence...... Peace to all the Good, Loving people out there...... deep down inside, YOU know who you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Love you...... Brad
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I confronted an abuser today
by anti-absolutism inthis elder didn't abuse me physically or sexually.
he never intended to cause me any harm.
he really felt that he ever "knowingly" did anything to harm me!.
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anti-absolutism
This elder didn't abuse me physically or sexually. He never intended to cause me any harm. He really felt that he ever "KNOWINGLY" did anything to harm me!
That is where the biggest problem lies with Jehovah's Witnesses. (I'll expand on that later) This man had empathy and humility oozing through his veins, on an impersonal level. He was an amazing speaker. His voice was very calm, serene, caring and VERY UNDERSTANDING (until...............................I will get to that later).
Now I will tell you why I confronted him..... and why he is an abuser..... jump back 10-20 yrs.
My father was a man that, according to every person that knew him, was unbalanced.
I, however, still at a tender age and under the JW mentality of respecting our parents, kept him in reverence. His emotional abuse was unbelievable, when I look at it now. He threatened and/or pretended suicide at least 12 times, from my recollection. Other abuse was prevalent as well. His pretending (which I only realized lately) hurt just as much or more.
Now comes the time when the elder tonight becomes involved. When I was 19, I had had to move back in with my parents for personal reasons. Then, I was out late one night....('til 3:00 A.M.) with a JW but who hadn't been going to meetings for a few months. I hadn't been drinking but my father gave me the THIRD DEGREE. I took it. I even apologized. Then he started saying that MY attitude was similar to my mother's, which was the reason for their marriage problem. Friends, I can't list all of their problems.
I told him that I accepted responsibility for staying out late but I would NOT LISTEN to him saying that their problems (mom and dads) were all mom's fault. Well, apparently my strong opinion pissed daddy off, 'cause he started wailing on MY HEAD. After about 5 blows I realized I had to recant on my previous bout of honesty. I knew instantaneously what I had to do, much like being attacked by a dog........ resort to THEIR level. So I cried and screamed that I had no right to say those things and that I was all wrong in saying them. After about the 13th to 17th blow he stopped and along with it ANY respect that I had had for my father stopped.
Enter the Elder mentioned.....
Actually before the elder is mentioned I have to say that, after wailing on my head, my father did eventually go to bed. And at that time that I felt it was safe, I ran to the door, grabbed my shoes, ran to my car, and sped away to my Aunt's house, fearful of him for the rest of HIS life. Terrible, but true. My aunt Liz was as Depeche Mode said, my personal Jesus...... THANK YOU, LIZ!!!!
OK........ now the elder....
I wanted to ask him ONE thing tonight. Would he have given the same advice as he did then? Oh, by the way his advice back then to me was, word for f___ing word, pardon the obscenities, teehee, " do you think that it was PROPER for you to say something like that that would make him react that way?
What do you guys think about the reaction and ultimately, the whole thing?
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God's Name?
by seeking_truth inanother question for everyone.
i have read through some of the threads, posts or whatever and even though there is a sense of disagreement over witnesses and the society, their way of handling the words of the bible.
i was curious to know if anyone does believe jehovah is his name?
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anti-absolutism
If you want to get a perverse reaction from a JW, just politely say, "I thought the name Jehovah was simply an English interpretation of the Hebrew name YAHWEH, so to be fair to civilizations before the Jews and Jw's, I just call him 'the big guy'." At least to my family, that was perverse....... lol
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1914 Generation
by starfish422 inwas just reading on freeminds; was asked by a mormon poster on another board, to give a brief history of jw organization and i came across the following (here is the link: http://www.freeminds.org/history/5_eras.htm ):.
"finally throw out their "1914 generation" teaching with the october 15 and november 1st, 1995 issues of the watchtower, which was one of their main playing cards.
but simon says, "it's no thang," while older witnesses know better.
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anti-absolutism
Near as I can see it, the damn jerks in the Governing Body have twisted the shit around and fooled their followers so bad that "the great tribulation will not come until all these things occur" stuff now has No Gord-damn time frame on it at all. Now all the dubs can logically, yes I said logically in a brainwashing sort of way, reason that, 'of course that makes sense'.. " why would there be a great tribulation until all the EVIL people of the world have completely proven to God that they are absolutely DESERVING of it (destruction)?" And oh yeah, while we are waiting this indefinitely long period of time we better try to save the good ones...... who are only those that are exactly like us and FOLLOWERS of us.........AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!
Can you tell I'm a little frustrated? When this generation thing was changed I ACTUALLY thought I could get my family to see a teensy weensy bit of light. I guess I might be a little naive, because instead they dug their heels in even deeper. (My entire immediate family shuns me completely and most of all my other relatives as well.)
Oh well, I do have a few very good friends........ still probably nothing more frustrating than to have a bunch of good hearted people ruining peoples' lives unwittingly.
Brad
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Now this..... is freaky !
by gumby intry this one.....its freaky
have you ever wondered if your mind is normal?
well, do this little mind
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anti-absolutism
I thought of a pickle, but it was right after reading a few kinky jokes..... lol
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Do JW's ever read Ephesians4:6?
by anti-absolutism inyou know the scripture that the dubs use to "prove that there is only one true religion and that they, of course have it"?
one lord, one faith, one baptism..... has anyone ever had any experiences trying to point out that verse 6 tends to shed a different light on it?
it says, (in their own bible): one god and father of all [persons], who is over all, and through all, and in all.. to avoid swaying opinion, i will avoid giving my own experiences until i get a few responses.. thanks for your consideration, brad
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anti-absolutism
Shakita,
Thank you for the response. I have a new post waiting that may be interesting to you, but I didn't know that you could only post 2 in a day. In brief though, it suggests that to accept Jesus as the Messiah, do we not have to accept the Old Testament as being from God as well? 'Cause when I look at all the atrocities in the Old Testament it doesn't seem very God-like.
No offence to any Christians but I tend to lean toward the fact that Jesus was a GREAT teacher, and he gave people the open-mindedness to realize that NO religion is necessary. The God that religious people search for is inside their own minds to bring out.
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Do JW's ever read Ephesians4:6?
by anti-absolutism inyou know the scripture that the dubs use to "prove that there is only one true religion and that they, of course have it"?
one lord, one faith, one baptism..... has anyone ever had any experiences trying to point out that verse 6 tends to shed a different light on it?
it says, (in their own bible): one god and father of all [persons], who is over all, and through all, and in all.. to avoid swaying opinion, i will avoid giving my own experiences until i get a few responses.. thanks for your consideration, brad
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anti-absolutism
OK... no responses yet, so I'll give my view.. hope to get SOME response....lol
If God is over all and through all and IN all, is not the JW viewpoint of Him being a big guy sitting in a chair in heaven a little silly? Wasn't the comment made by Paul simply that WE ourselves possess the ability to have the GOOD qualities always ascribed to GOD? If he is in us is he not a part of us and therefore we a part of him? As I wrote that I had a silly little shiver going down my back. (Heaven forbid any lowly HUMAN pretend to be close to God). That's for the Governing Body to say.
How can they not realize their COMPLETE hypocrisy?