a few days back i made a comment on the collapse of enron on this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=16970&site=3.
an excerpt from my post read: "enron is a classic example of the hollow and predatory nature of the so-called new economy, which some imagine to be a new and improved way to make money!
instead of actually producing gas and energy products, enron got into buying and selling futures sales of non-existent gas and electricity.
You must forgive Mr Larouche.
In his opinion he is the only man "intellectually qualified" to be Prez in 2004.
Apparently he forgot Pauls admonition "For whenever a man thinks he is something when he is nothing he is deceiving his own mind"
Other than that Mr Larouche's one great wish is to outlive Kissinger.
a few days back i made a comment on the collapse of enron on this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=16970&site=3.
an excerpt from my post read: "enron is a classic example of the hollow and predatory nature of the so-called new economy, which some imagine to be a new and improved way to make money!
instead of actually producing gas and energy products, enron got into buying and selling futures sales of non-existent gas and electricity.
Not quite.
I trade futures (does that make me the Antichrist, YK?). The markets Enron was in COB electricity futures, natural gas (and not the natural gas futures that trades on NYBOT\NYME) is amazingly thin. There are very few participants. Usually less than a handful. And it's not John Doe from a JW board. Not Mr Larouche either. Big corporations. As a rule in thinner markets, manipulation is far easier. Enron made a killing when CA. had its problems. Part of the problem for Enron is/was when CA. came in and rigged their own shell game at Enrons expense. Enron's own shennanigans were rendered impotent. The other market participants simply did not deal with Enron. No trading reveneue, cant pay debt on time. Can pay debt on time, regulators downgrade your bond rating. Crappier bond rating, the sooner you have to make payments at a higher interest rate. Enron's debt was a staggering 50%+ of expenditures. Their accountants tried to cook the books, but Dynergy got lucky and found some aberrations. Of course, it is the workers and small stockholders, and some bond holders who will get the shaft.
Moreover the "futures" markets for electricity are no such thing. It's more like a brokers/hedgeing market. Its called a "spot" market. Which means cash. FERC is a farce and that market is pretty much like the Wild West. A true futures market would have not necessarily prevented CA. problems because there was a supply shock but certainly it could have helped to ease them.
Interestingly it is also the natural gas, unleaded gas, crude oil, and heating oil futures markets which are heavily dominated ie manipulated. Could it be because the suppliers are also market participants? Nah. Nothing like making money on the product which you use to create a money making product. You dont think Sadam Hussein bought oil futures _before_ he invaded Kuwait do you?
You Know. YOu might enjoy this book. "Creature from Jekyll Island" by G. Edward Griffin. Discussing that most powerful institute today: No, not WTBS. The FED.
When you're done you'll be convinced the Day of Jah is near. Of course it happened the same way with Rome, Spain, UK and on and on...
See you in Sheol.
"When a man says that he has integrity, the only thing that proves is he cant be bought cheap" -author unknown
i must say, i am enjoying some of the catch phrases, if you want to call them that, which appear after the signatures of some posters.
examples: lauralisa's "if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off"; battman's "the only informed witness is a former witness", and many other examples that do not immediately come to mind, or that i cannot remember exactly (saintsatan has a good one about faith, but i forget the exact phrase at the moment).. anyone else notice these cool phrases, or have any favorites they'd like to mention?
Wax on. Wax off?
one of the greatest problems for the future of our economy is only known by few "insiders".
even wts do not know this matter.
since i'm a patent-expert, it's perhaps my own business to talk about it.
Eric,
Would you rather be living now or in a real depression ala 1929-32?
Thought so.
It is credit which eventually kills all great empires. Same will happen with United States. When? I dont know, I am not You Know. Guess I'll just have to keep on living.
Im not a evolutionist, but Darwin was right about who survives.
jw statistics 2001:.
http://www.jwic.com/stat.htm.
Up or down. Whats the difference?
The average dub in the USA will probably say,
"Well, I see in the "rich" countries our numbers are going down. Didnt Jesus say it would be easier to pass a camel through a needles eye than a rich man to enter the Kingdom? Guess the end must be close. By the way hon, grab the mop so we can clean those 14 offices _after_ the ministry school. I swear it's all those people with college degrees deflating my janitorial purchasing power that makes this system so ready to be over. Thanks. Dinner ready yet?"
Why ask why?
a very interesting conversation that i have been having with a very nice jehovah's witness in private has led me to ask this question.. have we judged jehovah based on the conduct of humans, our families, people in the congregation, even governing body members?.
does this distract us from a direct view of god and his personality and purposes?.
don't just jump on me, think about my point and let me know what you think.. joel
Joelbear
Yes, in part I have judged God, not by the people in the world specifically, but rather those in the WTBS organization who claim to represent him. Guilt by association.
Again, the simplistic JW argument goes as follows... "If you were mad at your brother, would you stop talking to or blame your father?"
These quotes and quips are quite clever. But just like the Bible what you use to condemn others curses you, and so one could argue this... "if you went to a restaurant and the food was terrible and the service substandard, would you blame your fellow patrons or the management?"
What, if any, responsibility does mighty Jah have when the WTBS make rulings (by majority vote!)on things like blood, 1914 "generation", no part of the world mantra applied to Mexico/Malawi, college, holidays, etc, etc?
And these same things are later covered up, changed, altered, or outright negated.
Then again, I suppose one could also say dont judge God by others or those who claim to represent him. Judge him by the personal relationship you have with him. That begs the question: Why be part of organized religion at all? Being in it is somewhat like being in a high school for adults.
"Life is a tragedy for those who feel; a comedy for those who think" -The Bard
i found this interesting picture on a site someone here referenced today.
can you fathom being treated this way (persecuted) as apparently some christians were under the government of the roman empire?
(also, look at the ones impaled round about the arena there.
Yardif wrote:
"I'll ask you the same question that I did Skeptic:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why is it that you automatically condemn God for bringing about the destructive forces of Armageddon when you don’t even clearly understand the issue? And if you think you do understand the issue, I’ll be quite for a moment and allow you to explain it to me. What is the issue, if you can tell me?"
Condemn is the wrong word. Question is a better word.
Why do they "goats" have to die at GT? Why cant they be pardoned?
A parallel...
The Israelites were delievered from Egypt. But before they saw the 10 plagues etc. As God's people, one might think they had better understanding of "true" religion than the other heathens.
YET, despite being God's chosen nation, despite having more awareness of the 'true' god, despite witnessing the 10 plagues, they STILL were faithless. How many times did they murmur, whine, argue angainst Moses? Moses was upon Horeb less than 40 days before they had Aaron make the golden calf. Only some of those were killed for their idolatry.
Later, whining again they refused to believe they could defeat the promised land residents. Here is the parallel... Instead of Jah whacking them out, he had them wander 40 years in the desert. Til the faithless were dead of natural causes. It may have been a crappy existence but it was life nonetheless. No flaming swords from the heavens.
Contrast that with today. I would wager more than 9/10 the world has never had a personal witness. I would wager further that 99% of the world could not tell you 3 major beliefs/tenets of the Witnesses. Quick, name 3 main beliefs and explain them regarding Hindus. Times up. For your lack on knowing, Kali is going to kill you. Why?
How about this from a 'loving' god. A god of 'justice' Why not remove Satan, his demons, and his system first. Then let the 6 billion have 40 years free from that influence, and see what you will see
hi all,.
i don't know about the rest of you, but there's something that grates on me like new chalk on a blackboard.. i refer to that expression jws use to describe that threadbare tapestry of conjecture, fill-in-the-blanks theological approach to doctrines the bible leaves hazy and judgmental moralism that comprises the wt belief system-- you know, ``the truth," as in ``he/she left the truth,'' or ``how long have you been in the truth?''.
may i suggest that it be amended to ``the opinion?
The problem with "The Truth" is that it changes. Today's "truth" could very well replace yesterdays.
Which is why I prefer "the Truth"(tm)
It is somewhat arrogant to think you posses THE truth, especially when you dont have the first clue about the history of your religion's origins.
Pilate, "What is Truth?"
Jesus "..."
do people in their existance create much more greif inadvertantly that they cause happiness with purpose?
an action that can seem so small to one person or a desision made with selfish intent can have effects without the action taker or desicion maker even considering or realising it.
selfishness or self absorbation; we focus so much on us that the reprocusions of every little thing we do become inconsequential as long as we or those we care about are 'safe'.. when i was little in the car i would make up stories about people we drove past based on that split second they passed through my life.
Bgirl,
An illustration from a book the title which escapes me. I just remember the lesson.
A vampire needs a small amount of fresh blood each night. Without it he will suffer great pain, and if the lack continues, die.
Its last night it comes upon you. You know there is no such thing as vampires but he fits the stereotype, cape, air, accent, etc.
You get to talking he's rational, even pleasant. Finally, he come clean with his "condition"
"Bgirl, I am a vampire. I require some of your blood. Not much, a small amount. There will be little risk. Please, if not, I will feel great agony, perhaps die. May I suck your blood?"
You're "selfish" if you refuse?
That phrase "hurt somebody else" what a great manipulator! Our feelings are hurt only because we allow them to be. In a sense we are all vampires, we only have a problem with people when they dont do what we want. Then we have all sorts of catch phrases to manipulate behavior. If only people were as honest with their feelings/situation as the vampire was. Then we could have honest, selfish choices, we would not have to feel guilty,sad,hurt,etc about
What if the vampire didnt ask? What if he came at you physically?
You'd be selfish to resist? Then why let some hold your emotions hostage?
There is another thread "Past My Prime" or something like that. The thread starter is angry about wasting prime years of their life. I felt like that too, for a long time. The WTS "hurt my feelings" and much worse because they took years I could not get back.
How convenient to be hurt and blame them for my current failings!
It was only when I realized not only were they aware they hurt my feelings, or were aware and thought I was wrong, deluded, whatever, they did not care.
We are all free to make choices. We are all free to do whatever we want. Blaming anyone or anything else for your problems or what you feel is like getting mad at your shoelaces because you tied your shoes too tight and your feet hurt.
"85% of the people dont care about your problems. The other 15% are glad you have them." Tommy Lasorda
ok all you ex's, be honest.
do you ever have that little voice pop in your head and say "what if - just what if they're right?".
it happens to me on occasion and i've been totally out for years.
Chappy,
Appease a man's conscience and you can take away his freedom. That "voice" you hear is your conscience (that part of your true self that wonders about life,death, religion, etc) influenced by the WTS(read fear).
