Posts by Jayson

5

Does anyone know what their FICO score is?

by Jayson in

jw
friends

if there was one thing i would wish to all of you it is success in your life adventure.

i'll leave it to you to define what that means, but know i wish you success!.

have you ever applied for a loan for a home, car, or boat?

Daughter counselled on dating a wordly guy

by minimus in

jw
friends

my daughter recieved this email from one of her witness "friends".

she is counseling my daughter (indirectly) about her choice to date a "worldly" guy.. hey, so, we had a talk recently that was about love & respect in your marriage.

the brother brought out that this was more for us witnesses rather than worldly people, because it seems that even in the truth now marriage has lost it's correct place.

Jayson

Min,

Does your daughter know that you posted her letter?

My wife went though all this when we were dating and it continued after we were married. They still pray that something bad happens to me or we divorce so that she will come crawling back. (At least as far as I know)

It is a strange love hate relationship with those who find happiness in the real world.

In their mind she just has not come back......yet.

In the end we have no JW friends or family. And we are OK with that.

All I can say is that I have watched my love grow so strong and I admire her very much. If you can support her do so with all your heart. When we got married my wife walked down the isle alone. Not one person from her family showed up for the wedding.

5

Does anyone know what their FICO score is?

by Jayson in

jw
friends

if there was one thing i would wish to all of you it is success in your life adventure.

i'll leave it to you to define what that means, but know i wish you success!.

have you ever applied for a loan for a home, car, or boat?

Jayson

If there was one thing I would wish to all of you it is success in your life adventure. I'll leave it to you to define what that means, but know I wish you success!

Have you ever applied for a loan for a home, car, or boat? Were you ever turned down? Ever wonder why some people get those fantastic credit card rates while others get screwed with the interest payments? All of this revolves around your FICO credit score. 720 is the score that will get you into most of the great rates that are offered. 850 is the holy grail of credit scores. There are actually Internet clubs that compare scores like...um... some other "members." www.myfico.com is the site where you can get a single report for $12.95. My score was 693. I know with a little shifting of my cards (or pay them off) I can get up to the 720 mark. This should allow me to get the best rates that my issuers offer.

Anyway, I hope that some of ya'all can find this useful.

Jay

26

How do you cope with stress?

by Scully in

jw
friends

.

when things in your life get so overwhelming and you don't know how to deal with it anymore, what do you do?.

love, scully

Jayson

Beat the crap out of the person who is stressing me out!

Just kidding

Truth,

Just stop. That might sound silly but just stop it. Some stress is a good thing. But when it gets to be to much, stop. If it really is someone who stresses you out tell them to stop. If they will not then make them. It is your life and you are in control of it. Unless, you let someone else have your control.

7

Are Jehovah's Witnesses Really (Volunteers?)

by Voyager in

when searching for the definition of the word (volunteer) my dictionary defines this word as: one who serves or acts of his or her (own free will).

to offer or give of one's (own accord).. starting from the very beginning of the organized to accomplish our ministry book, chapter 2 page 12, the main heading there reads: benefiting from theocratic (subjection.

) the dictionary defines the word subjection as follows: under the authority, rule, or power (of another).

Jayson

Are Jehovah's Witnesses Really (Volunteers?)

Addicted v.t.- To have given oneself up to (a practice usually bad) and be or become unduly dependent on. (it)

volunteer n. a person who undertakes some task or service of his own free will, esp. one who chooses to join the armed forces.

Do addicts still have free will?

32

Ok, I NEVER post about anything having to do with god or the bible, but....

by Jesika in

i was in chat a few days ago, and the topic of god came up.

i was trying to understand how people can still believe in one.

now, just wanted you to know where this ?

Jayson

(((Jes)))

What is it to be spiritual?

Jes do you have hope?

Einstein said "I believe in God...If he exists."

Socrates once said that one of two things will happen when I die. Either I will go into a deep eternal sleep or, I will awaken and all of my friends who have died will be waiting for me. I am OK with either one.

I can deal with that.

The ancient Greeks did not have the Bible, Torah, or the Koran. They had poets and philosophers. You should consider the works of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Being spiritual is not necessary being religious.

Faith is not doctrine and dogma. I have been working on an essay where the jest is, the "Religiously Righteous" take faith which flows from us freely and bottle it like water from a tap. From ourselves our faith is free. From them, they sell you prepackaged bottled faith rationed for a dollar. Being religious does not make you weak or strong IMO. Believing that if there is a Heaven and a God that you are good enough for him that is what makes you spiritually strong.

Just me,

Jay

61

What Next? Syria?

by Robdar in

jw
friends

... i would say that we have seen chemical weapons tests in syria over the past 12, 15 months, rumsfeld said, without giving details.

we have intelligence that shows that syria has allowed syrians and others to come across the border into iraq, people armed and people carrying leaflets indicating that theyll be rewarded if they kill americans and members of the coalition.. syria has long been on a u.s. list of states suspected of supporting terrorism...... you can find more here:.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/888057.asp

Jayson

(((Ro)))

Boy O boy I am responding to one of your threads again. I must be stupid. (Either that or I think I can bring you to the dark side.....NOT)

First about Syria, wait to worry. The Arabs made a mess out of the Middle East for 100's of years. War and occupation is nothing new there. The Brits and the French ruled with iron oppressive fists for the last of the 19th and most of the 20th century. We (USA) played all sides to keep instabiltiy in play via very bad policy for the last 30 years. There are no angles here...None.

I ask you to do two things. (Please)

1) Read the book "The Threatening Storm."

2) There is a documentary by the NY Times and the Discovery Channel it is called "In search of 9/11." Find it and watch it.

Please take the time to do this. If you do you might understand a lot more than you do now.

Jay

107

US Patriotism VS the Rest of the World

by Xena in

jw
friends

abaddon and i were having a discussion in another thread regarding the differences between us patriotism and european patriotism.

apparently some people consider the us to be peopled with rabid flag waving, my country right or wrong, ugly americans.

i am wondering what the general concensus of this board would be?.

Jayson

hhhmm didn't even consider throwing nationalism into the mix....one just automatically assumes being a patriot makes one a nationalisitic don't they? But when you sit down and think about it, perhaps not...I consider myself to be patriotic to a certain degree, but not nationalistic...I don't consider my nation the best (well perhaps just best for me at this moment, but not best overall)and I am not blind to it's faults. I think that might be a thread all it's own though!

I agree Xena the differences are so vast that each could have a thread of their own. My point is that many people can't distinguish between the two.

Simon;

I consider a lot of what people label "patriotism" as misplaced "nationalism" and people are being taken advantage of.

Exactly Simon I agree. Anyone who says that being a nationalist is being a patriot is either ignorant or acting with malice

Abbadon;
I think you are right on.

So, I think we can all agree that there is nothing wrong with patriotism. I think we can also agree that nationalism and jingoism (which was termed to describe excessive patriotism in England) are quite probably bad things.

I have been reading a book "World on Fire" by Amy Chua and it is very interesting about American hatred by people of other countries. She makes the claim that it is not American military or arrogance that causes the hatred of American and Americans instead it is the export of raw laissez-faire capitalism and democracy that causes the attitude. These are types of capitalism and democracy that are not part of America but we promote it thought the world. (This is an anti-America, anti-capitalism, anti-WTO book. But that does not make it all wrong.) So far it has been quite interesting to read.

I will say that any American who tells a person of another country that "Mine is the only great country in all of civilization" is wrong. To say that America is the greatest country ever; that is a debate I don't care to have, it is a matter of opinion. The same goes for the other direction. When I get into discussions of what is the best, or who's is the best way and, then it turns to "mine" is the only way, I bring this man's words into the forum:

"Do not attach yourself to any particular creed exclusively. So that you may disbelieve the rest; otherwise you will loose much good, nay, you will fail to recognize the real truth of the matter. God, the omnipresent and omnipotent, is not limited by any one creed, for he says, "Wheresoever ye turn, there is the face of al-lah.
Everyone praises what he believes; his god is his creature, and in praising it he praises himself. Consequently he blames the beliefs of others, which he would not do if he were just, but his dislikes is based on ignorance." (Ibn-al-Arabi 12th century AD)

I think this was/is a wise man. When I comes to America, people are going to have to accept that I love my country. I love that I can work to change it or stand against it or support it. But, those disagreements have limits to keep order. I respect that as well. I do not consider those who work for/enforce for the powers that be here ["henchmen"] (Simon) or, anti-free speech, despite the outcry of some factions. I do not believe in trampling the right of peaceful protests. It is a coveted American Right. I also know that if I was born in the Middle East I would love that culture because I was born there. The same for Europe or Australia. That is the strength and beauty of accepting what ethnocentricism is; the love of what you love. And when you combine that with the exploration of what others love it is an enlightening adventure. When you close your mind to everything that does not fit into your little view how of things ought to be you loose much good, nay you miss the whole point of life.

107

US Patriotism VS the Rest of the World

by Xena in

jw
friends

abaddon and i were having a discussion in another thread regarding the differences between us patriotism and european patriotism.

apparently some people consider the us to be peopled with rabid flag waving, my country right or wrong, ugly americans.

i am wondering what the general concensus of this board would be?.

Jayson

Maybe some Americans (don't want to generalise here!) could use some tact when they are declaring how wonderful America is, America is the greatest, everyone should be grateful for America, etc etc. It is this type of patriotism (trying to get back to the original topic!) that comes across as in-your-face, my-country-right-or-wrong patriotism that turns gives America (and Americans) a bad name. As I stated in my original post, it does come across as ignorant because I don't believe Americans have the same opportunities to experience/learn what other countries have to offer, so in that case, how can they logically declare that America is the bestest country in the whole wide world?
Hmm, y-e-a-h. By asking me what I knew about American history? How does that prove that America is the greatest country in the world, compared to other countries? If you claim that it would prove how little I know about your country, then most likely it would prove that I know much more about the history of your country than you do about mine. How many history programmes on Australian history have you watched? How many books on Australian history would you have read in your lifetime? And not just you, but Americans in general?

Prisia please look at what you have said. You claim "they" Americans claim that America is the greatest. You claim that "they say" America is the greatest country in the world compared to other countries. Well, if I were to play devils advocate and say that because you have decided that is what defines the mentality of All The Americans that you now speak for then that would make them NATIONALISTS and not patriots. You are trying to force a situation that enforces your prejudices. That's your purgative but it does not hold water in reality. You may speak with authority as to the mindset of foriegners who feel that American strength fightens them. I will also add again I think that you will start to hear this term more often in time, "pathological jealousy" as a reason for the warped version of America and Americans and even those who are sucessful in general.

(Is this a back door war argument?)

107

US Patriotism VS the Rest of the World

by Xena in

jw
friends

abaddon and i were having a discussion in another thread regarding the differences between us patriotism and european patriotism.

apparently some people consider the us to be peopled with rabid flag waving, my country right or wrong, ugly americans.

i am wondering what the general concensus of this board would be?.

Jayson

"Patriotism is based on an accurate appraisal of our country and our relationship to it. Patriotism is not a blind love of country. It involves an appreciation for what the country has done for us, but also an evaluation of the *justice of its policies.

There is room for a certain degree of loyalty to my country simply because it is my own, just as I should be loyal to my family, school, or town. But I must balance this with the realization that other people have the same loyalty to there country, family, school, or town. Since we all have received benefits from these institutions, we really do have an obligation to *respect, protect, and nurture them. But this obligation should not blind us to defects in our institutions and our awareness of our obligations to correct them.

The Romans thought that the most noble thing that we could do is die for our country. In the twentieth century, it is clear that patriotism helped defeat unjust aggression. Unless some people had been willing to fight for family, *community, and country, the world would be a very different place today. Still, it is essential that patriotism be linked to a just cause. True love of country means devotion to its * moral improvements as well as to its preservation."

Montague Brown Ph.D

In order to have a true debate over a concept as important and complex as "patriotism" we need to have a clear understanding what it is and what it is not. Patriotism is not Nationalism. Often these two concepts are confused as the same thing. They are not. More often than not, the differences go unexposed due to ignorance or malice.

"Nationalism goes beyond an accurate appraisal of our country and our relation to it. It is blind love of country. It may involve appreciating the *good our country has done for us, but it does not include an evaluation of the *justice of its policies.

In nationalism my loyalty to my country is overplayed, and I fail to keep in mind that other people have similar loyalties to their countries. To be loyal to my country is good, but it is arbitrary and indefensible to think that, just because my country is my own, it is in truth better than all other countries. Nationalism ignores the obligation to evaluate carefully the defects of our country and to work tirelessly to correct them. Instead of working to make my country better, nationalism declares it to be the best.

The twentieth century was filled with examples of the dangers of nationalism. First and foremost is the example of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Rampant German nationalism led to the atrocities of the holocaust and the attempt to subject Europe to German rule. Another example is the extreme nationalism of the Japanise, which prompted their attempt to dominate the East. More recently, Saddam Hussein in Iraq has encouraged nationalism as a way of fortifying his power."

Montague Brown Ph.D

Why are Americans so patriotic? Because, we have much worth protecting, We have much to be proud of. But what makes America different from other Nation-States?

"Ours is an union, not of individuals, united by what is called a social compact, for that would make it a nation: nor of Governments, for that would have formed a mere confederacy, like the one superseded by the present Constitution; but an union of States, founded on a written, positive compact, forming a Federal Republic, with the same equality of rights among the citizens composing the States themselves."

John Calhoun

America is not the only great nation on earth. But, it is a great nation made of great people. That is a sense of pride for so many countrymen in America. And rightly so. A better question is: Are those who see America as the great satan, are they pathologically jealous? They complain of Israel, and they complain of the USA. But they never seem to complain about their own governments atrocities against their own countrymen. Are they pathologically jealous?

By Jayson Aka iwasyoungonce