Jehovah's Witnesses with stalls in train stations

[Condor7]

The inner mathematician in me sees a mathematical link between the number that you quote above and the number of promised virgins after death to each of the Muslim "martyrs"....

That's why they call it heaven!

 

[Oswyntail]

The Jay Dubs believe that only 144 000 can go to heaven. ...

What a weird sect - idolising Pacers and then only admitting the impossible one to Paradise.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The highly respected brewing company of J. W. Lees in Middleton Junction wish it made known that there is absolutely no connection whatsoever with any other J.W. named organisation....

 

[merlodlliw]

The highly respected brewing company of J. W. Lees in Middleton Junction wish it made known that there is absolutely no connection whatsoever with any other J.W. named organisation....

John Willy Lees beer was awful stuff, they used to sell it at the Plough Llandegla, down the road from me.

Hydes was a far better pint in my opinion of the Manchester Brews.

 

[muz379]

I'm one of those people that can and will be very rude to religious people when approached or bothered whilst going about my own business .

I dont mind you practicing your religion in the peace of your own home , or indeed your place of worship, I certainly would not come into your church/mosque/temple whatever it may be and start preaching to you about atheism so dont bother me in the same way whilst I am going about minding my own business .

Why shouldn't religion?

Religions make grand claims for itself about having a higher moral value and offering salvation and all that nonsense .


Atheists , well they come in all shapes and sizes but as far as I am aware there is no common theme amongst atheists that says that you will gain salvation if you follow their cult , or that because you are an atheist you have to follow a much higher set of moral values than the rest of us . Atheists beliefs are not as uniform as religious ones .

 

[IanD]

Religions make grand claims for itself about having a higher moral value and offering salvation and all that nonsense.


Atheists, well they come in all shapes and sizes but as far as I am aware there is no common theme amongst atheists that says that you will gain salvation if you follow their cult, or that because you are an atheist you have to follow a much higher set of moral values than the rest of us. Atheists beliefs are not as uniform as religious ones.

[Sorted your weird punctuation for you.]

Religions also come in all shapes and sizes but it is not their business alone to sort out poverty. The eradicating of poverty from the world is a moral responsibility on everyone whether they are religious or not. Some religions do try and tackle poverty and help the homeless etc but that is a mere by-product of their belief system. Conversely, some religions postively encourage poverty by forcing members to hand over their wordly goods and chattels.

If you think religious beliefs are uniform then you should have a look at what is causing conflict in the Middle East and Israel.

 

[muz379]

[Sorted your weird punctuation for you.]

Religions also come in all shapes and sizes but it is not their business alone to sort out poverty. The eradicating of poverty from the world is a moral responsibility on everyone whether they are religious or not. Some religions do try and tackle poverty and help the homeless etc but that is a mere by-product of their belief system. Conversely, some religions postively encourage poverty by forcing members to hand over their wordly goods and chattels.

If you think religious beliefs are uniform then you should have a look at what is causing conflict in the Middle East and Israel.

If your ever in doubt about the validity and strength of an argument you always have the benefit of picking apart the punctuation and grammar of the others . Well done you


Doubt we are gonna agree on this its just the way I see things .

I am aware that religious beliefs are not perfectly uniform , I said that atheist beliefs are however not as uniform . Implying that I am aware religious beliefs are not perfectly uniform . But they are a lot more uniform compared with the mix match of beliefs atheists hold. Not to mention being an atheist is not identifying with a particular set of beliefs or moral code aside form the non belief in a God . I mean I am an atheist but share completely different views on a lot of things to my other friend who is atheist but believes in the paranormal and has a completely different moral compass to me . Whereas my friend who is a catholic shares a lot of beliefs with my other friend who is a Jew and another friend who is a Muslim being that they all follow an Abrahamic religion . Sure there are differences as well . But the moral compass of a lot of religious teachings is the same albeit implemented in a slightly different way .

As for the middle east and Israel , it is far too simplistic just to look at that as a religious conflict . Even if it weren't for religion conflicts would still occur .

I dont buy the fact that we are all under a moral obligation to solve world poverty either . Some people just want to look after themselves and their family . I personally see nothing wrong with that if that is how they wish to live their lives .

You have also made the mistake of assimilating poverty with handing over your worldly goods and chattels . A foolish western view of the world that we are all guilty of at times which states that poverty is a measure of what one has . Poverty in my eyes is a relative concept.

 

[PermitToTravel]

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”
—Richard Dawkins

 

[Oswyntail]

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”
—Richard Dawkins

Snappy soundbite, but shows how little Dawkins has actually thought things through.

 

[ainsworth74]

Snappy soundbite, but shows how little Dawkins has actually thought things through.

By all means explain further...

 

[deltic1989]

"Religion is like a penis. It's fine to have one and it's fine to be proud of it. However don't get it out and start waving it around in public, and if you try to shove it down my children's throats we're really going to have a problem." - Unknown

The above quote (the author of which I don't know) about sums up my veiw on religion.
I would hazard to call myself a Christian (I was baptised a Methodist), however I hold the belief that going to church every Sunday doesn't make a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
I do believe in God and Jesus and do my best to lead a Christian life, but we all make mistakes.
One thing that I would never try to do is force my beliefs upon others, and this extends to my own children. None of my four children are baptised. Their mothers (2 with each) and I came to an agreement that we would allow them to make up their own minds regarding religion and whatever they decided we would support them.
I was privileged for a few years to see Jehovah's Witnesses from a different perspective, from the inside, as my ex-partner's parents are Witnesses.
Before meeting them I was warned of this and as a result went in with a lot of pre-conceptions (would be whacked with a Bible until I joined etc), but one of them turned out to be true. In fact they were and still remain some of the nicest and most trustworthy people I have ever met.

The Jay Dubs believe that only 144 000 can go to heaven. You want the least in the club possible so you are guaranteed of your place

I must correct you here, the 144,000 that you refer to are the ones chosen to form the heavenly Government, that will rule the world after the day of Armageddon. They have already been selected the method of which can be found in Revelation Chapter 7.
In reality (if you want to call it that) Jehovah's Witnesses believe that everyone who follows the Truth (As JW's refer to their faith), has a chance to enter paradise and live forever, without illness or pain, as God originally intended, before the Serpent screwed it all up.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”
—Richard Dawkins

This would be the same Richard Dawkins who conceded in an interview that intelligent design is possible, but by aliens rather than God?

 

[JohnB57]

This would be the same Richard Dawkins who conceded in an interview that intelligent design is possible, but by aliens rather than God?

He may be a bit of a nutter, but at least he's a harmless one. Quite a significant distinction on a day like today, dontcha think?

 

[josh-j]

This would be the same Richard Dawkins who conceded in an interview that intelligent design is possible, but by aliens rather than God?

He did say that - in an attempt to bend to satisfy the leading questions of the interviewer who was basically saying 'so can you not even think of ANY way intelligent design could be possible'?

For what its worth, I'd consider life being designed by aliens (who themselves would have had to evolve or otherwise come into existence of course) to be more likely than design by a 'god'. For a start, us humans are already starting to delve into such matters. Who knows what could be possible in a few thousand years time.
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Snappy soundbite, but shows how little Dawkins has actually thought things through.

Well, people all around the world believe different things depending on their religious upbringing. There are likely billions of people who have picked their "local" deity over the others in the world (i.e. growing up into a religion rather than converting).

They don't all believe in the same gods. Its very similar to how nobody nowadays believes in ancient Greek gods. People aren't brought up in that religion anymore.

Dawkins is making the point that there are already plenty of gods which people don't believe in anymore - and who's to say "popular religion X" of today won't be just as discarded in the future?
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Incidentally, I get the feeling this thread may be about to derail at any point...!

 

[Rich McLean]

I am with you on that one.

At Plymouth, you're only allowed to smoke by the staff depot entrance, 10m away from the main entrance. Other stations should follow by example, but I must admit it is hard to police

 

[GatwickDepress]

They don't all believe in the same gods. Its very similar to how nobody nowadays believes in ancient Greek gods. People aren't brought up in that religion anymore.

I wouldn't mind believing in the Greek pantheon. They all knew their gods were utter barstewards and that's something I can get behind!

Incidentally, I get the feeling this thread may be about to derail at any point...!

It's already derailed, mounted the platform, taken out a row of luggage trolleys, demolished the refreshment room, and come to rest in the booking hall.

 

[Abpj17]

For what its worth, I'd consider life being designed by aliens (who themselves would have had to evolve or otherwise come into existence of course) to be more likely than design by a 'god'. For a start, us humans are already starting to delve into such matters. Who knows what could be possible in a few thousand years time.

My favourite theory for (human) life continues to be that espoused in H2G2: human life is but a science experiment of mice, designed by a computer, and acted out on a manufactured planet with some pretty amazing fjords

 

[Baxenden Bank]

My favourite theory for (human) life continues to be that espoused in H2G2: human life is but a science experiment of mice, designed by a computer, and acted out on a manufactured planet with some pretty amazing fjords

For the uninitiated H2G2 will be 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams? So long and thanks for all the fish.
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I wouldn't mind believing in the Greek pantheon. They all knew their gods were utter barstewards and that's something I can get behind!

I've just been reading some booklets produced by The Guardian entitled 'The Greek Myths' published back in 2008. Indeed, what a bunch of immoral degenerates - rape, incest, inbreeding, eating their own children, monsters born of women. Then again, life was fine and dandy until woman was created.....
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It's already derailed, mounted the platform, taken out a row of luggage trolleys, demolished the refreshment room, and come to rest in the booking hall.

At which point there was a hologram of a JW offering a leaflet.

 

[stut]

At which point there was a hologram of a JW offering a leaflet.

In the name of the wee man, don't give them ideas!