Posts by TTATTelder

23

Drama: Not ONE word has failed! Regional Convention 2014

by OneDayillBeFree in

jw
friends

looks like the borg spent all it's money on hd panels, gigabit internet connections and ipads cause this is by far the lamest and most stupid drama ever in the history of the org!.

apart from the worse than porn-without-the-porn acting and dialogue, the special effects consist of square painted panels and a crappy blue screen.

also the lighting looks like it was made using flashlights.. even the die hards we're laughing at it and mentioned how silly it looked.. i envy all of those that aren't attending this "historic 100-years-since-christ's-reign" convention.. .

TTATTelder

The drama was uber-lame. The only way it could have been worse, was if Loesch was the narrator. One more boring talk from him and I would have gladly drank Kool-aid. - DD

If I pretend to be an accountant, but can't add up, or if I pretend to be a doctor but don't know my head from my ass, then the bluff is called out! - stuckinarut2

Ahhhhhhahahahaha lolololol !!!!!! Very Funny Stuff!!

I sooooo need this convention to be lame. It will help me and hopefully the wifey to see things clearly.

If this thing is half as lame as y'all describe, they will drop numbers next year. If they can't brew up some holy magic on this anniversary year special convention yadayada, people will walk away with buyers remorse. Some people are spending thousands of dollars to participate in this stuff!!

Anyway, thanks for the laughs and the reports.

-TE

25

Australian Government publishes on official web site the current Jehovah's Witnesses "Handling of Child Abuse" confidential letter to all bodies of elders (October 1, 2012)

by jwleaks in

the current jehovah's witnesses official child abuse handling procedure letter to all bodies of elders (october 1, 2012) has been placed into public domain by the australian (victoria) government "inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious oganisations".. official government web site link to letter:.

http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/fcdc/inquiries/57th/child_abuse_inquiry/submissions/steven_unthank_supp_a_appendix_1.pdf.

short link:.

TTATTelder

What I think is so cool is that the JW's are going to be "attacked" way before their "Babylon the Great -world empire of false religion" ever gets destroyed.

Their storyline goes something like this: Governments turn on religion, wipe them out, loot them, and then when the dust settles, they notice a small group of "Jehovah's People" still trucking along despite the religous bans or whatever.

Then the governments turn on "God's People" and God considers this a poke in his eyeball. God gets pissed and Armageddon breaks out.

.

EVIDENTLY ... that's not how it's going down.

I guess new light will be coming out that "Jehovah's People" get attacked first instead of last. LOL

-TE

144

Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.

by cofty in

the unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".

persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.

"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.

TTATTelder

I suggest that our need for stories - repeated - is more than temporary entertainment. It does speak to something deep in our psyche, the tribe huddling around the campfire if you will, hearing the same stories of adventure and triumph again and again.-jgnat

I agree with what you are saying.

I think you are speaking to the power of - and our need for - hope.

So a person's desire for "faith" in their life is most likely very tied to their need for hope.

Understandable.

I guess we all have to decide what is worth putting our hope in.

-TE

144

Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.

by cofty in

the unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".

persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.

"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.

TTATTelder

Those comforting stories would not be so efficacious if they were held by individuals rather than communities. My problem is that those communities forget that they are dealing in myths rather than realities.- cofty

I was thinking the same thing when I was considering some of mrhhome's posts. It really is a multi-layered subject. If we were just talking about persons privately praying at home, that would be one thing.

When does religion ever stop there? LOL

It seems to go from the "stories" to "give me all your life resources" in about 30 seconds flat.

Also it's hard to seperate the subject matter from my anger toward WTBTS. I will definitely admit that.

-TE

144

Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.

by cofty in

the unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".

persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.

"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.

TTATTelder

jgnat - I just saw that there are a lot of past threads about Ayn Rand.

That should be some interesting reading when I get a chance.

-TE

144

Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.

by cofty in

the unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".

persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.

"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.

TTATTelder

TTAT Elder, why do we go back to the movie theatre to see the same story played over and over again, even though it is all fictional? - jgnat

Cool question.

A movie is a temporay experience that engages our intellect and emotions. It can take us away for a moment from our complicated lives and give us something else - usually simpler - to focus on and enjoy. It can even be inspirational.

Religous faith, as described by Cofty, is like deciding that Superman is real and basing your life decisions on that "truth". Big contrast there.

Just some thoughts. I don't claim to have anything figured out.

-TE

144

Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.

by cofty in

the unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".

persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.

"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.

TTATTelder

We read fairy tales to our children. Why? - jgnat

I would say to that - leave children's stories to the children.

At some point, adults need to get out of the intellectual playground.

With that said, I know, like most things, it is easier said than done.

If our standard is that loyalty is a good thing until it causes harm, why does that only apply to a "real person" and not God? - mrhhome

I think in terms of trying to deal in reality. Some would say believing in an imaginary friend would be permissable unless it caused harm.

I don't think many would call such behavior mature, though.

I can't help but think of the writings of Ayn Rand when topics like this come up.

-TE

144

Escaping Indoctrination - Faith Isn't a Virtue.

by cofty in

the unknown writer of the gospel of john put the following words in jesus' mouth, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.".

persuading countless generations that it is a virtue to believe incredible things on insufficient evidence, is one of religion's cleverest tricks.. the more incredible the claim; the more flimsy the evidence; the stronger the belief; the greater the virtue.. this is the exact opposite of how we operate in every other aspect of our lives.. rational people must demand objective evidence for everything they are asked to believe.

"extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence".. leaving the dogmatic claims of the watchtower is only a first step.

TTATTelder

Amen!

People seem to want a shelter from their own mind.

They willingly accept a fairy tail explanation of life to avoid the feelings of anxiety and fear that can come from not "knowing" all the answers.

Coming out of JW Fairy land is probably what it feels like to find out something terrible about one of your parents when you are still a child. You wish somehow you could go back to the way it was, simply because it was easier not knowing.

It takes courage to face real life. That is why it is so important to learn/develop critical thinking skills in order to not get sucked back into some other "faith" trap.

That is the point I got from the OP. Thanks for the reminder.

-TE

28

Has The WTS Reached Its Kobayashi Maru Moment?

by metatron in

jw
friends

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kobayashi_maru.

they observe decline.

they cut back most everywhere.

TTATTelder

I think the group either has to mellow out or shrink down to its hardcore members. It is probably trying to combine the two approaches, retaining only the ones who will 'obey any directive whether or not it is logical' (resistance is futile, after all), but also making it easier to be a Witness. - Apog

Interesting take. I see the same thing myself.

It is like an abuse cycle of ramping up control and then rewarding the captive with a treat.

They say "Do what we say even if it's crazy sh#%"

then throw the dubs a bone like:

"You can have one day off during CO week"

Pretty sick culty crap, but what else is new.

-TE

32

The Rants of a Dumbass Elder Still Serving

by TTATTelder in

ok in the effort of full disclosure, i have had a couple of drinks and recently experienced a circuit assembly and a bad experience with a co.. i don't know where to effing begin.

first of all the circuit assembly was a joke.

half the assembly was about pioneering and selling your soul to be a no-pay salesman for the borg.

TTATTelder

Thanks everybody for the jokes, advice, and support!

Thanks to Blondie for the research. I have never been clear on whether the kingdom was supposed to be ruling or just "present". Also never was clear on whether Jesus was just sitting on the throne or was ruling from the throne. Looks like from the quotes above that they say pretty consistently he is ruling.

Makes you wonder about the whole thousand-year-reign deal. Will they start saying we are 100 years into the thousand-year-reign?

Could you imagine trying to keep up with all their crazy contradictory multi-directional doctrines?

And all with a straight face and a superior tone. Crazy.

-TE