Well, I was alerted to masterbation by the 'Youth' book.
After that, well, you may as well try to stop breathing.
But you still feel guilty.
Stupid unscriptual laws...
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
Abaddon
JoinedPosts by Abaddon
-
59
Guilt over Self-Pleasuring as a Dub. You?
by Lari ini'm wondering if any of you suffered major guilt over getting yourself off while a dub.
or did you all manage to abstain until you left?
i know it was one of the main reasons i left.
-
-
-
41
The Improbability of God
by gravedancer inirishmen blow each other up in his name.
arabs blow themselves up in his name.
imams and ayatollahs oppress women in his name.
-
-
Abaddon
wiz: Yet another example of your lousy attitude. Grow up, you neither intimidate, amuse or impress anyone. Well, maybe some people, which might be why you do it, but not me.
Engage in the debate, by all means. Rather that than your ignorant cat-calls from the side line.
Why do people talking about complicated stuff make you feel so inadequate? No one would know you felt that way if you kept civil fingers on your keyboard; this way, you just show yourself up.
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
12
Glastonbury Festival - 2002 - Anyone Want To Go?
by Celtic inglastonbury festival, europes biggest music festival is on once again this year.. would anyone be up for going?.
celtic
-
-
Abaddon
Yay! Glasters!
I don't know if I'll be doing my poncy little music press job yet, but, yeah, I think a Glasto-Aposto-Fest is a must, as even if I'm not working there I'll go.
Having scabbed in each year when I wasn't working I am now being very responsible, and as, if loads of people bung in again, there will be no more Glasters, I will have to buy a ticket (shock, horror).
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
9
Evolution is wrong!!!!
by crownboy inhowever, there are certain evolutionary "proofs" that are somewhat questionable.
take, for example, the peppered moth story.
the story basically goes that the moths changed from generally white to mostly black due to natural selection because the tree trunks changed colors due to environmental factors.
-
-
Abaddon
Oh come on...
Tell you what, I'll not mention religious mistakes and fraud, if you won't mention scientific mistakes and fraud.
Evolutionary science is less than 200 years old, and is still being worked out, quite understandably given the changes in technology in that period, and the fact it was developing from an initial theory.
Religious theory doesn't have the same excuse for its lack of resolution. Not only has, after how ever many thousands of years, it failed to prove if there is a god, it can't even give a consistant or broadly acceptable guide regarding what such a god may or may not want.
Therefore, if you want to talk about evolution and not just posture, let's start with evolutionary theory as it is today.
Tell me what is wrong with it. Oh, and tell me what sort of creationist you are; as with other areas, religionists are incapable of agreement on this; Young Earth, Old Earth, Gap Creationist (the time period between Gen 1:1 and Gen 1:2, not the clothing store), what are you?
That way we can have a fun discussion.
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
28
Who Draws The Line and Why?
by hillary_step ini wish to present three situations that are true to life and open up a discussion on these different scenarios and how would would personally act toward them.. 1) a 75 year old person has been a jw for the past 40 years.
most of their friends are jws.
they look forward to the fellowship at the meetings and though the congregation is far from perfect, they are pleased with the fact that they have a purpose in life.
-
-
Abaddon
Dumb religious beliefs that either validate or turn around a life are nothing JW's have any monopoly on.
Therefore your question is something that applies to anyone who knows someone who is following a way of life that they think is dumb due to a set of beliefs, and gains some fringe benefits from this.
Personally speaking, people can believe we were created by the Easter Bunney if they don't parade their beliefs in front of me as though they think I am ignorant or deluded. Then they have asked for enlightenment.
My parents are in their mid seventies. On one hand I want to tell them everything I know. On the other hand it would be a little harsh; "Hey, Mum, Dad, you wasted your LIVES!!!!"
I was very conflicted about this, but eventually figured it out, for me. This is what I wrote to my dad a while back;
I'm very happy with what I believe and how I feel about things, but I'm in a difficult position.
You are free to say what you like about what you believe; it won't change how I feel for you one iota, not one jot, or cause me any difficulty or conflict.
It is wonderful that my difference in lifestyle has not diminished your or Mum's love for me.
I have no desire to 'stand against' or be seen as doing that. I just believe different things, no religion or anything like that, but beliefs all the same, although they'd seem rather scientifically oriontated from your point of view.
But I am aware of the discomfort you might feel and the difficulties you might face if I discussed what I believe. Not due to you or Mum, but due to the view taken by the Society on those with opposing views. There does not seem the scope for someone to have belief and be seen as living life in parrallel with people of different beliefs. A difference in beliefs is seen by definition as opposition.
As I do not want your loyalty to the Society to conflict with our relationship as son and father, I'd rather not get into these sorts of discussions.
They've not challenged this. If they did ("well, say what you have to say, we're not going to let it get in the way of our family"), I would have 'permission' to speak freely. But they are happy with the status quo.
And I also got some nice little mindbombs in the letter;
"the view taken by the Society on those with opposing views"
"A difference in beliefs is seen by definition as opposition"
"I do not want your loyalty to the Society to conflict with our relationship as son and father".
Once my parent are gone, my brothers don't get the same consideration; I will speak. If any of my nephews show any sign of wanting to know, then I'll speak. The movement they need is on their shoulder.
Other people are 'less important' than family, which I suppose I need to comment on to answer your question.
If they live their lives and let me live mine, fine, they have every right to believe in the Easter Bunny.
If they are going to do something really stupid because of their beliefs, I'll speak.
If they are in distress bvecause of their beliefs, I'll speak.
If they knock on my door, hear me roar!
If they are happy worshipping the Easter Bunny, I'll shut the fuck-up unless they want to try and prove themselves right.
Institutionally, rather than individually, I have a more full on, 'fuck the WTBTS and the horse it rode in on' attitude, as I'm not walking over anyones deliberate dellusions, but attacking a crappy little cult.
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
46
Hi There Julie!
by IslandWoman ini repeat, you have not lived as a jw.
you have not raised your child as one, you have not had to sign a virtual death warrant for your child by refusing blood!!
you have not had to die as many of us have had to die.. you have not walked as we have walked!!!.
-
-
Abaddon
I think this is quite simple.
Anyone remember Schindler's List?
Did anyone feel shock, horror, disgust, anguish, sympathy, anger? Was anyone distressed for days afterwards?
Well, your feelings don't count, you don't know what it was like to be a Jew under Hitler.
Now, the above sentence is both true and untrue.
Obviously, we don't know what it was like being a Jew under Hitler.
At the same time, we can imagine what it was like and have a genuine response to it.
So, nobody knows what it is like to be a JW unless they were a JW.
But, people have every right to imagine what it is like and have a genuine response to it.
That genuine response may be right or wrong. But as the genuine responses of xJW's can also be right or wrong, that doesn't really mean anything.
In fact, it's quite possible that someone who's not been 'in' can offer insights and perspectives that are valuable.
I live with someone like that. She was a regular poster on Tishie's board for quite some time, because she wanted to understand me better.
Shall I piss in her face and tell her she can never fully understand? You can if you want, and I pity you if you do...
She might not be right all the time, but guess what?
She cares enough to try.
Now, there are some people here who, although they were never a Witness, care enough to try.
Now, if you want you can piss on their efforts.
Personally, I think that do do that is PATHETIC.
When they are right, tell them. When they are wrong, tell them.
I have found that sweeping, bland, invariably overblown and partially inaccurate statements tend to be the sign of someone having something against the person they are directed at, rather than anything they might have done.
I know, 'cause I find myself doing it sometimes. I'm reacting to someone I don't particulary like, more than what they say. I catch myself at least some of the time, and drop it. I feel very grown up when I do this.
I think atacking people, who for whatever reasons, want to hang with us, for some percieved short-coming of their life experience, just makes us look like a bunch of elitist perpetual victims.
Shall we write a poem about it?
Nobody knows my pain!
You couldn't possibly understand!
Oh woe! Woe! Woe, thrice woe,
And another woe with a bucket
Of kippers for luck!
Only if you are born with
And have lived with
And have had to blow MY nose
Do you know what it is like
To have my nose.
Only if, every day,
You stare at my nose
In the mirror can you truely understand... *sob* ...
My pain!
Ooo! I'm more sorry for myself than you!
NO I am!
No I am!
No, No, it's me,
I'm more sorry for myself;
See my wounds??? Beat that!
When I was a lad I had to crawl
Naked, apart from the thin layer of treacle,
Sixteen miles over broken glass
And screwed up copies of the Watchtower
Before I could even START my hours.
And I had to study t'Watchtower
By the light generated by rubbing
My hand's together.
Nobody in the world could understand me!
Feel my pain!People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
8
Should Shunning Stop When Sinning Stops?
by Englishman inremember pauls admonition to shun the guy who wouldnt stop fornicating with his fathers wife?
it does seem to be a reasonable form of disapproval, especially if his father was very fond of the lady concerned.
think about it, they were probably the 2 people that the father would have loved most in the whole wide world.
-
-
Abaddon
I think that basically this highlights the problem with shunning.
If we burned the sinners, then, no problem! We wouldn't have to wonder if some future action would warrent them being unshunned. They'd be dead.
Clean, fair, and effective.
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
41
The Improbability of God
by gravedancer inirishmen blow each other up in his name.
arabs blow themselves up in his name.
imams and ayatollahs oppress women in his name.
-
-
Abaddon
D: you're alright you are...
I think you'll find that there's a good half dozen regulars here who are pretty good with evolutionary theory (i.e., well above High School level), and I'm nowhere near the top of that heap in my understanding. Have you ever checked Jan H's review of the Creator book? It's on the Watchtower Observer site.
I don't know the US's education system that well, but if it's similar to the British one, then you don't get the latest stuff, or the variety of stuff that you get a College.
Creationist sites vary from the down-right hysterical (Adnoai quoted one... christiananswers...? the other day, and I've had to avoid the temptation of ripping the deceitful, inaccurate, selective and downright WRONG information presented there to shreds, as I'm too busy at work) to the clever but wrong. And mostly, they are aimed at people who haven't been to College and studied Biology or some such, and perhaps are not that experienced at analysis.
They present a seemingly sound case. Unless you know enough to spot the mistakes or misrepresentations of data, or the bits they've left out (the creation answers site is great at that, mentioning things that they would wish to be true (dinosaurs co-existing with man) but providing no evidence of the assertations (unless it's buried deeper in the site, and even then, I bet you I can refute it with one hand behind my back), so you can be lulled into believeing what you want to believe, and into believeing that scientists are under some strange dellusion.
Then, bright eyed and bushey tailed, the Creationist visitors to these dens of ignorance trot along to places like this, and act as thought they have a personal understanding of Evolutionary theory that has lead them to reject it as false. When in fact they have read some stuff that can be ripped to shreds by a decent College student of the appropriate discipline, or someone who's put in the time and effort to read enough to understand the arguements and theories involved.
And people wonder why the evolutionist sometimes come over as arrogant; people spouting errant nonsense can make you act that way!
Anyway, as you know, the point I was making was that trying to come up with cute elaborations of the theory of god is fine, if you are happy doing that. But if you've not fully investigated the theory of evolution, I personally don't get WHY.
That doesn't mean you are wrong in yourself to do it or that you shouldn't do it. It means that I don't get why you do it.
I'd decide whether it existed before I figured out the colour of its underwear!!
Of course, evolution and god are not, theoretically, mutually exclusive. But, knowing that evolution is a pretty well established fact, with a variety of theories explaining the mechanisms, is very important.
It means one can liberate oneself from being bound to a book, and can look for god as you find him, not as some bloke 2000 years ago wanted you to find him. Free yourself from slavish devotion to texts, and actually be able to take what is relevant from them, what is meaningful and true to you. Rather than wonder about what the hell John the Divine Mushroom Man was babbling on about.
Or decide that the whole god thing is the biggest confidence scam in history and have nothing to do with it.
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
13
Glasto-Aposto-Fest
by Abaddon ina few days ago the license for glastonbury 2002 was granted.. for those that don't know, glastonbury is a music and art fesitval in the heart of the english countryside.
about 100,000 people, music from big names like rem and radiohead, all the way down to small folk bands (there are dozens of stages), including a dedicated world/jazz music stage, hundreds of stalls selling all sorts of food and trinkets, a circus, a comedy tent, a cinema tent, a whole section dedicated to alternative/green technologies (solar-powered internet cafe?
) and new age what-have-you... you camp in tents whilst you're there, and the only real downside is the toilets, unless it rains.... think of a well organised woodstock that gives huge amounts to charities.
-
-
Abaddon
mikelites; Rolf Harris was sensational!! I was backstage with my girlfriend, and the atmosphere coming off the audience (did you get into the tent? It was rather jammed!) was so intense it made your eyes water.
cynicus; My basic Dutch is at 'shopping' standard still, as I work in a multinational and have been doing a distance learning course to finish my degree since I moved to Holland, so whilst I'd probably note a difference of dialect (I can tell the difference between an Amsterdammer and a Brabantian), I'd still be 'eh?'
home_and_dry; I know exactly what I missed with the PSB's! No tears, just different taste!!
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...
-
9
95 FECES
by picosito inthis is kind of a dumb post but it makes me feel good.
if martin luther were doing his thing today, he might call his dissertation "95 feces flung at the door of the kingdom hall.
i larf and larf when i remember watching apes at the san diego zoo pick up their piles of excrement, fling them at the crowd, and then roll on the ground in apparent glee and laughter as the crowd tried to avoid getting hit.. we have to keep up our joy as we fling our stuff at wts and watch them cringe.
-
-
Abaddon
... and it's not apparent glee.
Chimps have well documented senses of humour.
In tests, they showed more appreciation of sarcasm and irony than 47% of Americans.
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...