Posts by Syme

Wishing for something to be true, doesn't alone it true. It's cruel to see your child die before you do (probably it's the worst thing that can happen in one's life), but it happens. Death is a part of nature as much as life is. Believe if you want in an afterlife, but as far as this life is concerned, death will always be a part of it. Think about this: Most living beings on Earth, die young, long before their age. An octopus gives life to millions of eggs, because the vast majority of them will die almost instantly. Even so, life is so abundant on Earth that it still thrives. But this tells us that the so-called 'miracle' of life is not much of a miracle. However wonderous, it is the most usual and automated procedure that takes place on this planet, for the past 4 billion years, and we are just a part of it.

As for the 2nd question:

Why do you connect homosexuality with bearing children? It is completely irrelevant. Homosexuality appears on so many species (check Wikipedia), that you can not rightfully call it "unnatural". The fact that homosexuality does not result in reproduction, does not prevent it from appearing in a lot of species, even in some of our closest ones, like chimpanzees. So, if nature appears to 'accept' homosexuality, how much more should we, as "higher" human species, full of reason and compassion, accept it, and protect those who fall into that category, from discrimination!

And one other thing: if you accept only sex that results in reproduction, then what should be done about contraception, oral or anal sex, or even masturbation? All these are forms of sexual activity that don't result in reproduction. What should we do? Ban them? If homosexuality is wrong because it "doesn't produce kids", then all the latter activity is wrong too. But that's something that only a religious fanatic (like Talibans) would assume. Not to mention the fact that is a basic human rights question, and that is unethical, and in some cases illegal, to discriminate people on the basis of their sexual orientation.

26

ALIENS!! (and the downfall of religion)

by disposable hero of hypocrisy in

let me clarify, when i say aliens, i don't mean shiny helmeted spaceship dwelling anal probers.

(although i could be proved wrong).

if any alien lifeform was found on mars or another planet or even a comet, be it tiny bacteria or even some form of non carbon based life form, would that not destroy religions grip on mankind?

Syme

I agree with those who said that discovery of alien life is not going to spell the end for religion. Religion is far too deeply rooted in human nature in order to be wiped out by a single incident, however extraordinary that may be.

The ONLY way to bring religion to oblivion is through secular, scientific, religion-free, superstition-free education; this a long process that will take a lot more decades, and possibly centuries.

Even if we discover a million alien species, even if we shake hands with ET himself, religion & superstition will NOT fall, except if the former happens.

Expecting something like "First contact" to wipe out religion, tells that you're still under religion's spell, in the sense that you expect for a 'miracle' to happen, and make your wish come true, just like that.

STOP believing in miracles!

27

I put the kingdom first! Now look what happened...

by Julia Orwell in

i put the kingdom first - by sheree stokell.

so they dunked me in a pool.

armageddon would be here soon.

Syme

Julia, excellent poem! Well done :)

4

" Existential angst, closed-mindedness, and American Jihadists". -Why Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses may exist for another century.

by Balaamsass2 in

from mother jones:here are the psychological reasons why an american might join isispsychologist arie kruglanski explains how closed-mindedness and existential angst create the modern american jihadist.by chris mooney.

| fri aug. 29, 2014 6:00 am edt.

isis militants in syria, holding a flag reading "islamic state of iraq and the levant" medyan dairieh/zuma"its islam over everything.".

Syme

Band on the Run, what do you mean by "far left cult"? Don't tell me necessarily the name of the group, just tell me what do you mean by this phrase, what kind of group it is. Because to me, it sounds a bit strange.

5

How many Isaiah's prophecies of chapter 19 were fulfilled?

by opusdei1972 in

i have read the chapter 19 of isaiah, which scholars of high criticism believe to be authentic, of isaiah himself.

in this chapter there are more than one prophecy for egypt.

my question is, how many of them you found fullfilled and unfulfilled?....

Syme

NONE.

22

Did You Believe That You Were Going To Live Forever?

by minimus in

jw
friends

in either heaven or earth?.

Syme

Of course I believed it; I'm sure the vast majority of JWs utterly and sincerely believe it.

I stopped believing it when I learned via science that we are not any special kind of species, and we are bound to die like the rest of everything around us, from our close cousin species to the Sun and the Universe itself (eventually).

That change took place when I was 28. So, for 28 years of my life I was basically asleep.

"We all have two lives; the second one begins when we learn that we only have one".

42

Today's WT study! So hypocritical!

by stuckinarut2 in

so today's study is all about being kindly, and not judgemental to those in the congregation....we don't know their circumstances etc.... i can't believe the hypocrisy being spewed out...both in the article and by means of the answers from the audience!.

we know the reality is so different!

unless a witness does everything exactly as the gb directs...in every aspects of life, they are effectively no longer a good person, but are viewed as spiritually lacking or weak..... they are going directly beyond the biblical directives, and being ones who condemn, rather than ones who commend!.

Syme

I believe this article was a 'buffer' between the usual fear-and-gulit-inspring articles that WTS is used to publishing lately.

You can't always use the lash; you must use a 'soothing' article from time to time, if only to make the uncomfortable ones feel relaxed again, in order to remain in the sheep pen.

7

Where Do Visions,Dreams and Prophecy Come From

by givemejustalittlemoretime in

if these things come true and many people have them whether believers or non beleivers, where do they come from.

Syme

They mainly come from psychotropic drugs and/or heavy neurological or psychosomatic disorders, such as schizophrenia.

Most of the so-called prophets had heavy issues. That's why they became prophets in the first place. Had they no issues, they'd do something healthy and productive with their lives.

78

Why do JWs have this* on their FB pages now?

by Kudra in

.

Syme

All right, they're beyond redemption.

I think most of them are beyond repair, guys. No chance of change. Zero.

They've crossed the border of "hope".

So let them be weirder and weirder, until the whole thing collapses.