Abaddon

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Posts by Abaddon

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  17

  How do you explain Altruism?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  altruism describes an unselfish attention to the needs of others and is central to the main religions: jesus told his followers to; "love your neighbour as yourself, mohammed said none of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself and buddhism advocates seeking for others the happiness one desires for oneself.. .

  throughout history the debate has been whether this benevolence towards others is part of our make-up and natural inclination or a virtue we must impose on ourselves through effort, religious or otherwise.

  then of course came darwin with his ideas about competition and natural selection the origin of species described a world where every organism struggles for it's own supremacy.. .

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  Abaddon

  True altruism is only possible in very limited circumstances; a person walking through a part of town he doesn't know throwing themselves in front of a car to push a child they do not know and are not related to to safety and then being struck by the car and instantly killed, all in such a short period of time it is a reflex and no real concious thought about it takes place is arguably altruistic.

  Maybe this guy didn't have time to feel good about saving his friends, maybe he did; either way he's a hero;

  http://iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/13/america/NA_GEN_US_Iraq_Navy_SEAL_Killed.php

  (So much for someone throwing themselves on a grenade to save their comrades never happening)

  There is no 'pay-off' in terms of gene transferance as there is (for example) in social insects dying to protect another insects offspring.

  However, as we are thinking creatures, most actions are non-altruistic as we get the benefit of feeling good about doing what we perceive as good. That is enough to make it non-altrusitic.

  WHY we perceive such actions as good even if they are disadvantagous to ourselves is another question. My own thoughts are that comunities where people had these characteristics (even if only by means of an extended phenotype, i.e. a culturally transmitted way of acting) faired better than those where it was 'every man for themselves', as the 'penalty' for altruism was normally offset by the benefits, in in 'every man for themselves' societies there were no such beenfits.

  Examples exist elsewhere in nature; Wolves and Cape Hunting Dogs feed nursing mothers and young they are not related too, the sick too. As already noted, Vampire bats who fail to feed for three days die; they remember the bats who feed them when they are in need and feed them in turn.
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  26

  Takes a long time to cure homosexuality

  by Norm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  apparently the process of degaying pastor ted haggard will be a long one.. takes up to 5 years according to the ungaying pro.. http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/23/dobson-haggard-cure-gay/.

  poor haggard, wonder what he will do about his sexuality during those 5 years?.

  norm.

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  Abaddon

  Come now, we 'know' that it 'can't' be genetic. All them right-wing religious types say so so it MUST be true

  He obviously didn't CHOOSE to be like that.

  Therefore he CAUGHT homosexuality off someone or something. Maybe he sat next to someone who is a secret gay? Maybe they didn't even know themselves, they're just a 'carrier'...

  Alternately he maybe watched one too many episodes of Will and Grace. All those gay vibes coming through the screen...

  I think they should study his TV viewing habits, and then subject everyone he has met in the last decade to a test; show them 12 different shades of brown and ask them to name them; the ONLY people who can do that are gay, hell, I thought 'taupe' was a kind of rope...

  That way the root of the infection, be it unwise viewing habits or sitting next to a gay, can be stamped out and the Cwistian Congwegation kept clean...

  Poor poor bastard. First he lives a lie. Then he gets brainwashed. I just hope he doesn't take his life. I actually wish he would come out and let the world see the 'love' his Christian buddies show him...
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  55

  PROOF THIS JW Religion COULD BE THE TRUE RELIGION

  by Dark_Princess in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  well in the bible it says said by jesus christ himself... that "the true religion will be the relgion everyone despises and hates.".

  is this not the relgion of jehovahs witnesses?..

  look in the bible itself it says in john 15:18-19. jesus says, "if the world hates you, you know it has hated me before it has hated you.

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  Abaddon

  Hi Dark Princess

  Wicca one week apologism the next?

  Well In The Bible It Says said by Jesus Christ Himself...

  First of all, what makes you think that just because it says so means it happened? Why do you think the Bible is accurate or reliable? Because you've been told it is or because you can tell me facts which prove it is accurate and reliable? If someone wanted to give something they wrote a air of authority obviously they could CLAIM it was inspired of god. But surely examining WHAT they say is a better way of determining whether they are right or wrong?

  That "The True Religion will be the relgion EVERYONE despises and hates."

  Is This not the relgion of Jehovahs Witnesses?.

  Well, if you take into account that the vast majority of Chinese and Indians don;t even know JW's exist, and that represents over a third of the worlds population, no. I actually think Islam is far more depised and hated by many people than JWism. Think about it - the worst A JW can do is ruin your lie in on the weekend; an Islamic terorist can really spoil your day!

  INTERESTING HUH?...

  Nope.

  now...Im going to give frequently asked quesitons then true answers back given to me out of the Reasoning Book itself.

  Do you think for one minute that a religious manual (ANY religious manual by any religion) will ask questions that when answered show it is not a true religion? Who wrote the reasoning book? Why are you putting your trust in a book written by human beings? Are they inspired by god? How do you know this?

  Yea, I know im only 17 years old how can i know all this stuff..I reald the bible. i read everything. I do research on every religion you can think of to see which one best fits me, which one im most comfortable with. But, I have come to realize that i shouldnt be doing research for the true religion for these purposes..I should be looking for the one that Is going to maintain a healthy spirit for me, and will keep me alive and let me have an everrlasting life, if i follow the right worship.

  Holy moley... you are regurgitatiing what you've been taught, just like a Moonie or a Scientologist will regurgitate what they have been taught. They will tell you why they think they are the right religion, and cite evidence they think proves it.

  Why are they wrong and you right? WHy are any of the three examples right?

  And what makes you swing from a self-described agnostic interested in Wicca to someone who is trying desperately to convince us (or is it yourself you're trying to convince) in a week or two?

  Had a chat with someone at the hall or at home? It really sounds like someone has tried to scare you or convince you using very bad contradictory arguments that JW's have the truth.

  THINK about it; if someone says "I know I am right because people tell me I am wrong" do you take the fact people say he's wrong as proof he's right?

  Or do you look for PROOF (which your post was totally absent of) that shows what they say is true?
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  47

  1:09am and the frickin' meeting tomorrow!

  by 5thGeneration in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just want to chill out.

  sleep in.

  get up at 11 and make some spam 'n eggs.

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  Abaddon

  I misread Mary's comment at first glance... I thought she was suggesting you 'flip your wife over' on Sunday morning. I thought it was a little racey... but a great way of errr... distracting her until it's too late to bother going...

  Sorry for your trouble though. Unfortunately change will only come about by you making it come about; no one else in your family will do it. Good luck.
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  51

  Caption Time Again - Hobbies are a Waste of Time

  by jgnat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  breaking in my new scanner here.

  this is another image that captured my eye, an august 2004 wt.

  the caption reads: "some have eliminated certain hobbies and nonessential personal projects" can you come up with a better one?

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  Abaddon

  Anthrax: the gift that keeps on giving.
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  22

  Witness mother's and jealousy towards their daughters...

  by kittyeatzjdubs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ladies, growing up, did you ever feel that your mother resented or was jealous of you?

  whenever i would get a compliment from someone, especially males, she would always find someway to turn right around and insult me in front of everyone.

  we were at dinner one time with the co and he told me that i was a very beautiful young lady.

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  Abaddon

  It's a parent's job to make their kids feel beautiful (whilst also making sure they actually make the best of what they've got).

  I think jealousy is often an issue; some women can't stand their daughters being sexual beings or attracting comment. Power is another; keep someone down and you are in control.

  I think a good rebuttal of something like that would be "Thanks mum; come back to me when you don't have a face that looks like a bulldog licking piss of a nettle". Shame we can never think of them at the time...
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  69

  Why do women love religion?

  by Kaethra in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've pondered this so much.

  most religions, even though they are male-dominated, boast a predominately female population.

  i've tried and tried to understand why otherwise independent women would give up their autonomy to a man-led faith and just recently i think i understand why...women, much more so than men, are in need of protection.

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  Abaddon

  Kaethra

  Ballistic is trying to point out your comment was misotestisic; it stereotyped a vast group of people. A man saying 'there are so many bitches out there' would be rightly castigated for being misogynistic; why should you not be subject to the same standard?

  Ross

  I would suggest it's because the women intuitively know that religion makes more sense, even if it has become a rarer thing for religion to be female led, as in the past.

  Not biting, but smiling.

  ~

  As for women being the main part of the congregation of religions and not in the heirachy... errr... well, no. Yes if you look at Christianity. But Islam? Women are sidelined even as members of the congregation. Likewise Hinduism. Other faiths are also-rans and not really relevent for a discussion on super-large groups.

  So why should a patriarchal, misogynistic religious system attract so many sincere devout female members to the congregation, even thought they are typically denied any real part?

  Well.. actually, for Centuries women could step-out of secular society and become a nun and be more than a member of the congregation. And as for centuries 'Christian' meant Catholic (or its Eastern versions), men also had to step out of secular society to be more than a member of the congregation.

  Discounting the past few hundred years men and women had to become celebate to be anything more than members of the Congregation.

  So looking at the issue historically it is far less biased than one might suppose. Certainly not a situation where there was equality... but not one of such vast desparity as one might think.

  The question NOW is why in this day women still form the main strength of the Congregation in the Christian religions where they are denied progression in the religious hierachy, and normally are not deemed competent to have control over their own reproductive capacity.

  Because most of those women are older and grew up in a society where that was the best they could hope for? And younger women in such religions typically come from developing countries where equality is not yet widely accepted and that that is the best they can hope for?

  I'm all in favour of actually worshipping women; we could replace the cross with the sacred coffee bean (or mussle of love) (go look at one if you can't figure it out), and mass with 'licking the bean' and re-affirming our connection with the divine female essence... okay, yes, I am horny, I'm on a business trip and absent certain home comforts...
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  213

  How do you feel about Tatoos?

  by Fisherman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i feel very offended and distrurbed when i see people covered with tatoos.

  some people have tatoos all over their bodies, even on their faces.

  there are also tatoo programs on the tlc channel that children can watch without a forewarning before the show comes on.

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  Abaddon

  MinisterAmos

  His armor is completely wrong from helmet to shin-guards and his armaments bear no resemblance to anything ever used in feudal Japan.

  The katana-to has a curve almost resembling Damascus armament and the wakizashi is more of tanto length. It also has an incorrect shape. Anyone who practices Iai-to (or has ever seen the Tom Cruise flick) will notice the errors.

  This is the problem with tats. He's got one that was badly done (at least in terms of artistic details and isn't that the whole point?) and now has to literally live with it.

  Again sorry for pointing you out, but maybe it can help someone else.

  I do love someone who knows their stuff. In context it is almost Monty Pythion. I suffer from this in Sci-Fi movies... they could do Star Trek in a far more credible fashion given our knowledge of physics, but so much of it is just wrong. And some 'historical' stuff makes me cringe (don't know fanny adam's about the different periods of Japanese armour, but am liable to shout at the TV for the wrong armour or weapons for the period. My fiance goes through Dickens, Bronte and Austin adaptations like a scalpel (No! He didn't do THAT! Arrrgh!!!). And the fact that the Da Vinchi Code and its prequel have major plot errors... (turn OFF all the other surveilance cameras and triangulate the signal you morons!!).

  Kitty

  Wow Luke! Now everyone will point and laugh at your historically incorrect tattoo.

  Precisely. But if you knew about cars and someone told you his tat' was a '69 Mustang, and you knew it was a '71 with the wrong door handles... you'd have to smile... even if no one else cared.

  The point about making sure Chinese/Japanese/Korean ideograms (or Latin quotes come to that) actually say what you think they say is a good one... reminds me of the one about 'Feng-Sui' being Japanese for 'Interior Designer'... of course, the reason why you had the tattoo would still be important, but finding out the character on your butt cheek actually said 'flatulent'...
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  213

  How do you feel about Tatoos?

  by Fisherman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i feel very offended and distrurbed when i see people covered with tatoos.

  some people have tatoos all over their bodies, even on their faces.

  there are also tatoo programs on the tlc channel that children can watch without a forewarning before the show comes on.

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  Abaddon

  This is fun...

  Fisherman

  I am a rational person.

  Rational? As in "a: having reason or understanding b: relating to, based on, or agreeable to reason".

  No you're not.

  I am tolerant.

  Tolerant? As in "inclined to tolerate; especially: marked by forbearance or endurance" (Tolerate; a: to allow to be or to be done without prohibition, hindrance, or contradiction b: to put up with <learn to tolerate one another>)

  No you're not.

  I suggest your time writing to EBay (where you letter will be passed around the office to the general amusement and hilarity of all concerened) your time would be better spent with a DICTIONARY (a reference source in print or electronic form containing words usually alphabetically arranged along with information about their forms, pronunciations, functions, etymologies, meanings, and syntactical and idiomatic uses).

  Can't you see how vastly conflicted you are? You claim you are tolerent yet say you can't accept members of your famiily getting tattoos done. You say you are rational yet seem to think the Universe should revolve around your pointy little head.

  If you don't like tattoo, don't be a like the hypocrites who complain about nudity on TV (when they could have changed the channel); take responsibility for yourself and change the channel. If you don't like girls having their lower back tattooed, don't stare at their ass.

  Simple; hundreds of dollars of theraputic advice, for free!

  Change your handle to Fishinabarrel whilst you're at it, and PLEASE copy us in on your letter to EBay, it should be a real corker.
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  31

  how about a bit o'dub poetry ? ((BARFF ALERT))

  by nelly136 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been seeing a few of those wonderful recycled experiences we all know and love so well.

  so it seemed only right to share a bit of dub poetry to warm your scraggy cockles.

  marry only in the lord - 1 corinthians 7:39. i'd like to tell you a story, about true love at last.it's very informative and has an interesting cast.so pay close attention, it's sad but true,and don't ever think this can't happen to you.. i met him during lunch break on a sunny day,he sat next to me and smiled, as i was about to pray.we talked on and on.

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  Abaddon

  Jehovah god is rather odd
  He gives man gifts of freedom
  But when they use it he gets mad
  And chucks them out of Eden

  He curses man and the sod
  Eve gets to scream in labour
  And god's pre-fer-rence for sear'd flesh
  Incites the first murderer

  As if all this is not enough
  He makes humans mortal
  And sets to prove his petty point
  That man should be more grateful

  Then when man starts to achieve
  With mortal lives and frailty
  Governing themselves god sabotages
  With deluge and lingusitic diversity

  Jehovah god's a silly sod
  He doesn't play things fairly
  Makes me think he might just be
  Made up quite entirely