James Thomas Rook Jr.

26 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Have you removed yours yet?

The only bumper sticker I have is "Who is John Galt?"

I find it AMAZING that of what I posted ... you ONLY took exception to the bumper sticker.

2 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

On a personal note, 'Survival into a New Earth' was one of my favorites. To the extent things there were billed as anti-types (if they were - I don't remember) they have been swept aside. To the extent they were "this reminds us of that" they are brilliant.

The setup, and the conclusion don't match.

The cover reminds me of algae.

That count?

1 hour ago, TrueTomHarley said:

What if DeBuhn became a Witness? Is he suddenly a moron?

No, but it would not be as credible.

If in a court of law, I declare "I am innocent of the murder!" ... it is not a "given" that that statement is believable.

If in a court of law, I declare "I am guilty of the murder!" ... it is  a "given" that that statement is believable.

Because it is a highly consequental statement AGAINST my own personal interests.

If I shifted blame for the murder to, oh say, Tom Harley ... on its own that statement has ZERO credibility.

If I stated that Hom Tarley committed the murder,  it would just indicate he was possibly dyslexic, but more likely just a typo.

..for context on that one, check how the author's name is actually spelled.

The FACT was, they were GUILTY of sedition, as defined by law.

When the "Great War", later renamed World War One was over, and won ... nobody cared anymore.

You don't see much anymore,  bumper stickers reading "HILLARY 2016 -  for prison."

3 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Sooo....you are trying to figure out Mr. Smith, are you? Good luck on that! He is our secret weapon - I think.

... that is like pulling the pin on a hand grenade, letting the handle fly off, and putting it between your knees while you count to five on your fingers.

1 hour ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Why should anyone try to spin a 'good' as a 'bad?'

Because a delicious Olive Garden salad is truly wonderful, and is delicious, and nourishing ... until you discover the big dog poop under the first layer.

... just eat around it.

2 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

On a personal note, 'Survival into a New Earth' was one of my favorites. To the extent things there were billed as anti-types (if they were - I don't remember) they have been swept aside. To the extent they were "this reminds us of that" they are brilliant.

So, TTH ... other than half the book was WRONG, and you don't really remember what it was about ... and made up out of thin air ... other than THAT ... uh ...... that is SOME Book Review there.

When I used to go through Babylonian border control in my wooden cart, many years ago, I carried many trade items, and the "mail",  messages written on clay tablets with a wood backing and a wood frame around them.  They were erasable, with water, and re-usable, and were written on in cuneiform, with a flat stick that rotated to make each symbol.

The Babylonian soldiers would take them out, and read each one, to see that there were no subversive messages or messages of any obvious military value.   Then, with an appropriate bribe, I could pass through to trade with outsiders.  The same thing happened when I came back through "customs" on my return trip.

There never were, because the death penalty was the only punishment, and it was carried out right then and there.

It's a good thing they never looked under the clay at the ink on the wood.

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 *coff*

In the South, we call these stories "Tall Tales"

Later, I sold about 2 thousand wood "envelopes" on Craig's List.

The Society had trouble translating the NWT from English to Klingon, because there was no concept of "mercy" in the Klingon Language.

Go to Youtube and google "12 hours dog barking".

Play this LOUD when you leave the house.

It would be interesting, IN FACT ... VITAL ...  to find out what religious tenets he subscribes to ... BEFORE giving him any credence..

If he is one of Jehovah's Witnesses giving such high praise ... it can be attributed to agenda driven politics.

If, for example, he is a Methodist, Catholic, or even Atheist, his credibility increases CONSIDERABLY.

If he teaches religion in a college, etc., and is NOT a JW, and gives such high praise, as theologian and scholar Jason BeDuhn did when he wrote the book "Truth in Translation .." , and reviewing the pre-2003 New World Translation with very high praise,  his credibility increases DRAMATICALLY.

I have known MANY Engineers during my working career, who had Masters and Doctorate degrees that figuratively, could not find their way to the front door, without a map.

We referred to them as licensed "Space Cadets".

21 hours ago, Kurt said:

This organization also maintains translation offices in local areas where specific dialects are spoken, so their translation work is authentic, modern and accurate.

The above statement is completely worthless on the face of it ...UNLESS ... UNLESS ... he has genuine REAL and extensive expertise in every other language being translated ... AND ... has read and critically reviewed each and every one of them separately.

HINT: HE HAS NOT.

He has NO IDEA WHATSOEVER if any of them are authentic, or modern, or accurate. ... only in English.  ( and now with that ludicrous statement, there is legitimate reason to seriously doubt THAT).

And ... until we understand who HE is, really, he deserves NO credibility whatsoever.

If you get used to people "blowing smoke up your butt", don't be surprised if you float away on the vagaries of the prevailing wind, having NOT A CLUE that you have been scammed.

The phrase "I am not a doctor, but I play one on TV" comes to mind.

You can ACTUALLY get a Telley Award for saying that one line ... if your check clears the bank.

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Yes, Naboo is a planet in the Star Wars epics.  Every detail of the Star Wars movies serve as humor and cultural references here in the United States.  

It is "understood" that unless you have been isolated, and living in a cave for the past 40 years, that you instantly understand the cultural references, and sub-references, and nested sub-references.

If you saw a picture of Star Wars actor Harrison Ford (Hans Solo) holding up a sign saying "I shot first.", somewhere around 75% of people my age who are regular movie-goers, would know EXACTLY why that is funny, and tell you why.

It's  LONG story, that starts in 1977 or thereabouts.

Hmmmm... I wonder how many instantly know this reference that come here to the JW-Archive?

10 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

The mental illness and  suicide rate among older Jehovah's witnesses is 5 to 10 times that of the general population .. be a sport ... look it up.

You know how American Indians refer to an Indian who has no hunting skills?

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VEGETARIAN.

8 hours ago, Gone Fishing said:

Do we really think that WW1 actually ended?

Like Tonto said to the Lone Ranger, when surrounded by enemy Indians, and Kemosabe said "What do we do NOW, Tonto?"

Tonto replied "What you mean "We", white man?"

Yes, WWI actually ended.

THAT'S WHY WWII IS CALLED WWII !!!!

I need a beer, and a hammer, to ease the pain of having to have to read that Gone Fishing question.

Perhaps a technical point, but the Watchtower Officers during WWI were charged and convicted of sedition against the United States of America ... because they were GUILTY of sedition against the United States of America when at WAR.

If you park in a no parking zone, and your car gets towed away ... don't blame it on Satan.

It's not the swing of the pendulum, as it goes to and fro ... but the essence that drives it, that makes us go.

Interesting ....

Everywhere I have ever worked it was assumed that you did not discuss ANYTHING that went on with outsiders.

If it bothered your conscience, give two weeks notice, and quit, .... or suck it up and keep on keeping on.

Lawyers have the moral and legal obligation to keep client secrets forever, even if they quit being Lawyers.

If I understand the sentence structure here, MY MORAL obligation would be to have told the husband, not the congregational elders. 

Morally, copying a companies hard drive security cameras, except in self defense, is despicable and is the same as adultery.

He betrayed the "mouth that feeds him".

It is morally wrong to steal from one's employer, except in self defense against that employer.

My apologies to The Babylon Bee for mucking up THEIR parody of the Elevation Church, here in North Carolina.

           South Africa is a very modern country, and in Johannesburg, even has tall buildings

         reminiscent of New York City.

Those presenting themselves for Baptism at the 2017 "Never Give UP" Convention reported being surprised Saturday morning when they were directed to the “new balcony entrance” for seating, at the Johannesburg Convention Center.

“We normally get there and sit on the first few rows, but there were HUNDREDS to be baptized and it would have taken all afternoon,” JW Candidate from the United States T. Tom Harley IV told reporters. “We were all like, ‘What’s going on?’”

They did not have to wonder for long.

Governing Body Member Anthony "TPT" Morris III, from New York, USA,  took the platform  under a single spotlight, and after some coy banter about Caleb and Sophia, he reportedly announced that it was “Baptism Saturday,” but that this was “... not your Mama’s Baptism Saturday.”

At this cue, a giant water slide, stretching from the balcony down to a small pool of water, was unveiled from behind a large curtain as "TPT", in casual loose fitting clothes danced and directed the baptismal candidates to enter the slide as soon as the lower , now consecrated Jehovah's Witness got out of the way ... and two hundred and sixty four new Brothers and Sisters were processed in about 18 minutes, with relatively few serious injuries.  Eighty four overshot the pool and landed in the audience, but were considered baptized anyway.

Heck ... they don't even know who Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, and Darla were!

Are the inhabitants of Naboo called Naboons?

That assumes I am in Oregon, where it rains so much that Portland has a bathtub ring around it, and if you mention someone has wrinkled skin, they appreciate the humidity comment.

Is there a tune that that goes with?

I tried the "Battle Hymn of the Republic", but that didn't work.

... later on that month ....

I wonder when Gregg Nachowitzman is photographed reading

some of the Society's publications, nobody cares?