Posts by UpAndAtom

57

This site has been the most incredible help to me-UNTIL TODAY

by ohiocowboy in

reading through some of the recent posts, ie; the topic of lazarus and the gay issue, i was flabbergasted at what i was reading.

i can't believe-well maybe i can, that some people on this site are calling gay people "faggots", and telling that person that they are going to get "what sodom and gomorrah got".. this site has been a godsend to me, and have been telling my friends how nice it is to be in with a group of people who can relate to my life, my feelings, my insecurities, and my fears relating to the org.

and not being a part of it anymore.

UpAndAtom

Is that the comparison you're making?

Since you want to be compared to Jesus, let?s do that.

Jesus was banned or rejected by certain people and groups? but he didn?t keep badgering them. He respected they didn?t want to hear the message, and he moved on to find others that did. In some cases leaving the entire city. Jesus even left certain locations when it was crowded, or when the people were far from home and hungry. His actions were motivated by compassion for the crowds and respect for the city that rejected him.

You on the other hand, will only leave when you are kicked out. Your message is rejected (just like Jesus), but unlike Jesus who may have been welcomed back at some point, you insist on being rejected for who you are. Thus, neither you, nor your message is welcomed back. In fact, you then make it difficult for the next prophet to come along. The next prophet or disciple will then be rejected for his message, based on your behaviour.

I don?t want you banned. If anything, scripture teaches you to disassociate yourself from us (if in fact you believe yourself to be correct). I post messages to other people on this board, out of compassion for them. Some people here are obviously becoming stumbled by your insistent behaviour. They are growing less tolerant. They are resorting to name-calling, which in turn stumbles other people (the original poster of this thread). Your lack of compassion has always been your problem, so has your lack of respect and lack of humility.

You exhibit selfish traits through and through, which only results in other people acting in similar manner.

It would be very easy to kick you out, but I would rather have you here and educate others on the virtues of being tolerant in the midst of a person that wears a badge of honour for his ability to annoy people.

57

This site has been the most incredible help to me-UNTIL TODAY

by ohiocowboy in

reading through some of the recent posts, ie; the topic of lazarus and the gay issue, i was flabbergasted at what i was reading.

i can't believe-well maybe i can, that some people on this site are calling gay people "faggots", and telling that person that they are going to get "what sodom and gomorrah got".. this site has been a godsend to me, and have been telling my friends how nice it is to be in with a group of people who can relate to my life, my feelings, my insecurities, and my fears relating to the org.

and not being a part of it anymore.

UpAndAtom

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure JCanon was posting similar rubbish on the newsgroups years ago until things got so heated that he was banned, and now posts here instead. It seems that JCanon's posts bring out the worst in people, he knows it, and does not care. In fact, people persecuting him is a justification to continue... a 'positive reinforcer' as psychologist would say. It wouldn't surprise me if he were eventually banned from here too. I have noticed on many occasions that JCanon's post bring out the worst in many good people.

39

Help me out? a request for critique on my writing

by Sirona in

jw
friends

i hope you don't mind me asking, but i know lots of people here so i thought i'd post to ask for your opinions on my most recent short story.

i've posted it here on a short story writing website http://www.eastoftheweb.com/uncut/node/view/2370 honestly i'm looking for constructive critisism - its ok to be harsh.. the story is a bit humourous and is less than 1100 words, so it's a quick read.

if you are really kind, you could comment over on that site too.. i've always wanted to write more and ultimately get something published, and this is a way for me to try to improve and learn.

UpAndAtom

This is much better. I knew you had talent, there was no doubt about that.

They were silent for a few moments as an angel walked by. One always had to be quiet around angels.

I suppose I'm really nit-picking here, but this is showing and telling in the same paragraph. Were they silent because of :

wanting to guard a secret from the angel, as implied by the first sentance, but not by the second sentance which didn't offer any explaination or reasons.
fearful of repercussions for breaking rules (Some good plot points could be developed here... but only if an Angel would be the focus of the story somehow)
having quiet respect for angels, talking is permitted, but shows disrespect. (If this is the case, it could lead to a boring story, unless the story called for this quiet respect to be turned up-side-down. Again, the story would need a strong angel figure for this plot poin to work.)

Reveal the correct answer latter in the story, but for the moment, I would recommend deletion of the sentance, "One always had to be quiet around angels". My advice, will almost always focus around 'deletion' of writen material. Most authors write more than they need too....including me. The good authors know when to stop... and when they don't, their publisher/editors do.

(sung in the style of Dory from 'Finding Nemo') Just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep writing.

39

Help me out? a request for critique on my writing

by Sirona in

jw
friends

i hope you don't mind me asking, but i know lots of people here so i thought i'd post to ask for your opinions on my most recent short story.

i've posted it here on a short story writing website http://www.eastoftheweb.com/uncut/node/view/2370 honestly i'm looking for constructive critisism - its ok to be harsh.. the story is a bit humourous and is less than 1100 words, so it's a quick read.

if you are really kind, you could comment over on that site too.. i've always wanted to write more and ultimately get something published, and this is a way for me to try to improve and learn.

UpAndAtom

I suppose what I meant was, your 1st paragraph "told me" that Jack had a long history with the boards, however you actually succeeded in "showing me" when he was talking to the board. Thus, your first paragraph was "filling". Showing is always better than telling. Writers often get so carried away in telling a good story, that they fail to succeed in showing it to the reader... thus the reader never cares about the story. Don't get me wrong; I think you've got heaps of potential and talent.

The last two Star Wars movies were heavily criticized for their heavy use of 'exposition'. Many critics begged George Lucas to hire a professional scriptwriter in an effort to salvage the remaining episode, but alas, he thinks he's doing a good job... he isn't. When the bad guys fought the good guys, I couldn't have cared less which side won. The marriage of the princess and Darth Vader seemed pointless and stupid. The actors were constantly telling each other how much they loved each other, but they never succeeded in showing me. Instead, they actually looked uncomfortable with each other in front of the camera, so the script betrayed their acting abilities. It was aweful to look at and I remember wincing with pain as the young darth vader said, "I love you". TOTALLY WRONG! That entire scene could've been portrayed without any words at all, and I still would've understood what George Lucas intented.

I remember seeing a foreign film once, and the opening 3 minutes was a totally naked coupled f*cking each other. They were naked, and working up a good sweat, grunts, noises and all. They were not acting, they were actually "doing it". Now the reason I tell you this, is that the Director of this movie went to 'extreme' lengths to 'show me' they were a couple, instead of just telling me.

When I read your next work (and I'd love too), I want you to make me fell like I'm there. Make me believe that Jack really does exisit, and that it may actually be possible that these things really do happen.

39

Help me out? a request for critique on my writing

by Sirona in

jw
friends

i hope you don't mind me asking, but i know lots of people here so i thought i'd post to ask for your opinions on my most recent short story.

i've posted it here on a short story writing website http://www.eastoftheweb.com/uncut/node/view/2370 honestly i'm looking for constructive critisism - its ok to be harsh.. the story is a bit humourous and is less than 1100 words, so it's a quick read.

if you are really kind, you could comment over on that site too.. i've always wanted to write more and ultimately get something published, and this is a way for me to try to improve and learn.

UpAndAtom

?Shut up, O, and get on with the shit? ? This shows me a lot about Jack.

He swears and snaps when he talks? possibly he is impatient. His comfortable and commanding attitude implies he has a long history with talking to boards in this manner and understands them well. In this one little sentence, you told me more about Jack than your entire first paragraph. This is Gold! Consider deleting your entire first paragraph because it sucks very badly in comparison. Your first paragraph was classic exposition - try to avoid.

It took me several reads to understand the first few paragraphs, it really wasn?t clear at all where Jack was? or who he was, so this made it all the more difficult to continue reading past the first 3 paragraphs (although I finally did). As annoying as this was, it?s nowhere as bad as exposition.

You?ve written an ultra-short-story, but you?ve tried to cram too much into it. You obviously have many more ideas for future stories, but it?s not ideas that are your problem. It?s developing characters. For an exercise, try writing a story that can bring tears to the reader?s eyes. You will find this a very difficult task (if not impossible), because you?ll have to get the reader to actually care deeply about the characters you write about. I once read a book by Kahil Gilbran called "Broken Wings", and it had me blubbering like a baby. It was after I read this short story that I realized just what a bad writer I was myself.

Writing is easy, but deciding which parts to remove requires real talent? even wisdom.

Cheers,
UpAndAtom!

30

Which Doctrine Convinced You That This Wasn't Right

by ignorance is strength in

what wt doctrine convinced or made you doubt your faith in the wtbts?

for me it was the 144,000 and the nature of christ's resurrection.

i seriously could not believe that there were two classes of christians when it was not stated implicitly in the bible, but was expected to be believed in as absolute truth.

UpAndAtom

(removed, posted twice by accident... argh!)

30

Which Doctrine Convinced You That This Wasn't Right

by ignorance is strength in

what wt doctrine convinced or made you doubt your faith in the wtbts?

for me it was the 144,000 and the nature of christ's resurrection.

i seriously could not believe that there were two classes of christians when it was not stated implicitly in the bible, but was expected to be believed in as absolute truth.

UpAndAtom

(removed)

30

Which Doctrine Convinced You That This Wasn't Right

by ignorance is strength in

what wt doctrine convinced or made you doubt your faith in the wtbts?

for me it was the 144,000 and the nature of christ's resurrection.

i seriously could not believe that there were two classes of christians when it was not stated implicitly in the bible, but was expected to be believed in as absolute truth.

UpAndAtom

I stopped my studies promptly after learning of 1914 and 607, it never made sence... and not a single JW elder was interested in researching it with me. It was a real eye-opener into how independant thinkers were treated. I didn't realize how important 607 was to them, however they knew all to well, and quite obviously knew that I would be stumbled by this even before I knew it. They dropped me like a hot potato.
I went to one memorial, and that was enough. It actually appears much worse than regular meetings.

It seemed pointless and stupid... a real anti-climax. I have no idea why they would ever look forward to going to something that only makes them feel inferior. The public talk was excuse after excuse why no-body was scriptually approved by the society to partake in the offerings. I simply pasted the plate like the rest of the goats/sheep and vower never to return to their false worship

The words, "do this in memory of me" seems so simple.

Jesus did not say, "only those that unlock the hidden secrets in a collection of books that have not been compiled yet, may do this in memory of me"
I disliked the fact that every JW witness I talked too offered the same ideals and ideas. They were carbon copies of each other, which offered very little in the way of conversation. All elders were the same, all drones were the same, all the women seemed the same.
I never became a JW for the above reasons.

67

Did Noah really build an ark?

by frogit in

this might be worth a watch for us uk ers.

noah's ark will be broadcast in the uk on bbc one on sunday 21 march at 1900 gmt.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3524676.stm.

it's also an interesting read.

UpAndAtom

The Earth has two moons (albeit a temporary one)
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994814

The Earth is changing shape:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2002/release_2002_217.cfm

Gulf Stream could shut down causing ice-age (one of many sources):
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0130-11.htm

Discussion on Earth's Tides and Conservation of Angular Momentum (one of many sources):
http://www.mscd.edu/~physics/astro/notes6.htm

If you don't believe me in Earthly matters, how then will you believe me in heavenly matters?

What would you consider evidence of heavenly matters?

67

Did Noah really build an ark?

by frogit in

this might be worth a watch for us uk ers.

noah's ark will be broadcast in the uk on bbc one on sunday 21 march at 1900 gmt.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3524676.stm.

it's also an interesting read.

UpAndAtom

It might also be noted that the Planet Earth is currently changing shape as noted by NASA satelitles. It's getting flatter at the poles and the equator is bulging. Given the sheer speed and magnitude of the change (only a coupla years), NASA is figuring that the only way such a large change could occur is a shift in the Oceans... for they CAN and indeed DO shift due to temp. and salinity. If the gulf-currents get too full of salt, then entire gulf-jet-stream could shut down practically overnight sending the top half of the planet into an ice-age. Planetary changes can and indeed do happen. The moon pulls tides over a metre from the ocean bed and it's 3.5 days away. What if a moon sized object passed by half-as-close again as our own moon? The Earth has two moons at present... although it's basically a small dark asteroid. I have no doubt that under the correct conditions a large proportion of the earth's water could shift to one side of the planet... even slightly so causing widespread flooding.

However... as I said... I am not expecting floods next time.