Posts by Syme

21

Interesting Pew Stats on JWs--Alarming Trends for the Borg

by Cadellin in

someone may have linked to this already, but the this interactive page in the pew religion study is pretty interesting, especially when you look at the trends for jw between 2007 and 2014. here's what it shows:.

jws are increasingly non-white.

in fact, the percentage of white jws has decreased from 2007 to 2014 by 12%, while hispanic jws have increased by 8%.

Syme

Just an observation, if I may, guys.

The fact that JWs are increasingly poorer, and non-white, in US, is not something to be embarrassing for the religion. It is not something to make us apostates and ex-JWs feel "good". I know that we are all happy to see less cash flowing in the Borg HQ, but let's be careful here.

The problem with JWs is not their population statistics, if they're black or poor, have blond hair or red hair. The problem with JWs is their false beliefs, their inhumane behavior (when they shun and deny emergency blood transfusions), and mainly, their leadership (GB). That applies to every 'faithful' JW, regardless if he's black or white, poor or rich, football fan or basketball fan.

62

Hello, just introducing myself

by Miss Behaving in

jw
friends

i've just signed up two days ago, but i've been lurking for about a year and a half.

here's my story if you're interested:.

my parents converted when they were in their first semester of college.

Syme

Miss Behaving,

You have a very touching story. Lots of people here can understand you, and have gone through similar trials.

I am very surprised that you quickly made a clean-cut stance on the issue. I myself haven't made it to the last step (DA) yet, so I know you did something really brave.

Welcome to the forum, and keep posting :)

23

Are the writers in the writing department purposely misquoting people?

by paulmolark in

after reading that great post about the june 1 article on science i got to thinking.

although it is great to believe there is this huge group of guys in the jw writing department that are constantly looking to mislead us by twisting the words of scientist etc... i really think it is more likely they are google researchers that do not have the ability to grasp the thoughts that are being expressed in the scientific article they quote mine from.. i honestly believe the reason that this happens is because of the individuals they use to write these magazines.

these are not college educated men.

Syme

They have been misquoting long before google and the Internet, indeed. But the misquotes almost always were 'stolen' from older misquotes from other religious groups whose stance coincided with watchtower's in a particular matter. For example, check the misquotes regarding evolution (in the 1985 Creation book, for instance): they are almost all taken from old Christian creationists like Henry Morris. We are talking not about cut & paste from original writers, but copy & paste of misquotes from other ridiculous books!

So yes, I tend to agree with you: they probably are not intellectually equipped to even construct their own misquote. Nowadays, their anti-science misquote armory comes mostly from the Discovery Institute (the good old Creation Institute after facelift) and their "Intelligent Design" mumbo-jumbo.

Don't forget that every assignment in the Borg and is a so-called "spiritual", or "theocratic" assignment. This, in secular English, means that requisite for any assignment is typical JW things, such as sucking your "above", being good in congregational things, good speaker, having a broad jw social network, having fame inside the org, etc. In other words, nothing like scientific capacity and intellect. This of course includes assignment in the writing department.

78

Am I the only "witness here besides the admins?

by TheOnlyRealWittnessHere in

jw
friends

with all the negativity here i was wondering if i am the only one here that's a witness.

.

the topic pretty much says everything..

Syme

Of course you're not the only active witness in here. Lots are, even if "under the radar".

Hate speech is not good, whichever side it is coming from.

On the other hand, exchange of information without censorship and fear of Inquisition is what we do here, and what can't be done in a KH.

6

Regarding the Nepal earthquake

by Syme in

over 6,100 dead in nepal until now.. a huge disaster, a terrible tragedy, and in front of that, the average j-dub will have in his mouth the "earthquakes from place to place will happen" prophecy.. a tragedy of that size happens, and what do jws do?

they almost rejoice, because in their mind it "fulfills" bible prophecy, and on top of that, they can't wait to see what positive impact on the preaching work that disaster is going to have.. remember that famous photo-of-the-year, where a vulture waits for that starved african boy to die, so that it can eat the body?

that's the case here.

Syme

Over 6,100 dead in Nepal until now.

A huge disaster, a terrible tragedy, and in front of that, the average j-dub will have in his mouth the "earthquakes from place to place will happen" prophecy.

A tragedy of that size happens, and what do JWs do? They almost rejoice, because in their mind it "fulfills" Bible prophecy, and on top of that, they can't wait to see what POSITIVE impact on the preaching work that disaster is going to have.

Remember that famous photo-of-the-year, where a vulture waits for that starved African boy to die, so that it can eat the body?

That's the case here. Thousands die, and what do JWs do? They rush to advertise their "truth" and gain followers.

Disgust, only.

11

Why the Future of Religion Is Bleak

by defender of truth in

religious institutions have survived by controlling what their adherents know, argues tufts prof. daniel c. dennett, but today that is next to impossible.

illustration: brian stauffer for the wall street journal.

by daniel c. dennett.

Syme

Excellent essay by Prof. Dennett. I wish I had more time to read him more seriously.

76

Active posters: What education have you had, what degrees do you possess?

by EndofMysteries in

jw
friends

from so many posts and conversations on here, you'd think over 1/2 the posters here possess doctorates in theology, physics, biology, etc.

i'm curious aside from the books and research people have done here, what degrees they have.

to start, i just got an aa and going straight through full time to an mba.

Syme

A have a diploma (B.Sc.) in Materials Science & Engineering.

Now I'm doing my M.Sc. thesis in the same field.

Hopefully, I will continue for a PhD.

I'm 32, maybe a little older than usual for a graduate student, but, you see, when I was 25, I devoted myself to ...MTS and pioneering and speaking to big crowds and getting a lot of applause...

Fortunately, I'm done with these, and thus free to pursue an academic career and devote myself to science instead, which had basically always been my dream.

I also do a lot of reading on my own, as a hobby: mainly biology, well evolution especially; then physics, history & politics.

34

The "5 Pillars" of Witness life...

by stuckinarut2 in

oh, there is one brother that keeps prattling on about "the 5 pillars of faith and worship".

- prayer.

- personal study.

Syme

Guys, here's the REAL "5 pillars of Witness life"

1) Masturbation

2) Porn

3) Lying about masturbation and porn

4) Pretending happiness

5) NOT THINKING

6

How many Dubbers stay away from the internt?

by dogon in

i know of several who have nothing to do with the internet as if it will lead them off into oblivion.

how many do you know that feel this way?

Syme

I have this j-dub neighbor who chooses not to have Internet in his home nor at his cell phone. The reason, as you may have guessed it.. Porn. He wants to avoid seeing porn, but that's doesn't seem to help so much, since he's almost every week in a 'counsel' session with the eldubs; so I guess he eventually manages to see porn even without Internet

This poor devil also suffers from clinical depression. As if that weren't enough, he chooses to add to that the burden of confessing every once in a while to the 'shepherds'. Typical example of how the WTS's Inquisition-style, cultish modus operandi drives those poor subjects to mental and emotional devastation.

65

Did you AWAKEN from the JWs by yourself?

by cultBgone in

jw
friends

i was thinking about how so many posters here on jwn are frustrated and frantic to help their loved ones get away from the brainwashing of jws, and how much advice is given about how to help family members and loved ones.

i considered my own leaving and that it was internal turmoil based on the teachings getting weirder and child abuse issues, to name just a few, and it made me wonder:.

did you self-awaken or were you assisted by the gentle proddings of a friend or family member?

Syme

I awakened on my own. I stumbled on a scientific presentation that addressed the problem of science denial, and dealt with the problem of evolution denial, especially. That contradicted what I was told by the WT literature, i.e. that evolution is a "theory in crisis" and "not accepted by everyone". I came in front of the fact that evolution is a completely proven theory, opposed only on religious grounds. I examined the facts myself, I cross-referenced them with the hilarious claims of the Creation book, thus coming to the conclusion that a) Evolution is true, and b) WTS is deliberately LYING when refering to evolution, knowingly using huge fallacies and falsehoods to support their theology.