James Thomas Rook Jr.

Ever use binoculars, and look up into the night sky, and see all the craters on the Moon? That was me!

I understand that John Butler has attracted the attention of British MI6, for violation of the National Secrets Act. OOPS .... did I say that out loud?

WDS .... the gift that keeps on giving!

.... and yes ... I know it was "Ripleys Believe It Or Not" .... I am just putting that in context.

Remember an old comic strip that used to be in the Sunday Newspapers? RIPLEY'S - BELIEVE IT OR ELSE! Some people are so afraid of dying that the fear causes them to see red skies filled with flying elephants ... because they have been taught to have absolute faith in their "teachers" .... they truly believe it ... they really do see red skies and elephants, where there are none This is what supplies an extraordinary good income for Shamans, Priests, Witch Doctors, and the presumably "Good Guys" who also use this same model. Free money is GOOD! Being broke is BAD! ...at least throwing virgins into volcanoes is currently out of favor. .... and waste of those few that are left.

Sorta like "Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock"?

I think that is what the female head pilot in the movie "Goldfinger" said to 007.

Whazzamatter TTH? Doctor would not refill your anti-anxiety meds?

I think it has already backfired. In my considered opinion EVERYTHING they say ... that I cannot independently prove .. is completely and always suspect, with the baseline assumption that it is just another silly delusion to cover up past delusions that have become so painfully obvious, that it is affecting donations. .... merely a contemporary way of saying that we should be like Bereans and CHECK everything ..... which as an organization, and as publishers and students, we have NOT been doing .... for a VERY long time. ANY organization sitting in a pool of "free money", under a waterfall of "free money" will do ANYTHING to keep the free money coming. ... even make up bald faced lies from thin air, and believe it themselves. That's why Watchtower Lawyers do NOT "fight" for justice .... they fight for their client to WIN. In that respect we are not even unusual ... just being what all human beings naturally are. Their credibility as to be worthy of intrinsic trust .... is ZERO. They need no help from "apostates" to self-mutilate their own credibility. They are their very own worst enemy. Others' efforts are only supportive ... NOT the cause. ... and I think the "Overlapping Generations" weaseling is the straw that broke the camel's back.

One day while out in Service with probably the smartest, most well educated Brother and Elder I have ever met .... he was driving, I was shotgun, and there were two in the back seat ... I mentioned to him that even though I had tried to understand it, I just could not understand the "Overlapping Generations" explanation ... and I asked him if he understood it, and could explain it to me.. He got real quiet, thought for about 15 seconds and said "I think they are trying to do the best they can ...." I have talked to several Elders, asking about that, and NONE could give me an explanation, and did not even want to talk about it ... and I did not push it any further. It makes no sense whatsoever .... it's almost like a test, to see if they can say the sky is bright red, filled with flying elephants, and see if everybody will believe it. AND BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IT, THEY ALSO WILL SEE IT! I realize they are grasping at straws, trying to defend the totally indefensible .... that they were 100% wrong for over a hundred years ... but do they so transparently have to publicly play all of us for complete delusional fools?

Billy, do you realize the economic opportunity you are missing here? If you can arrange it to have a massive stroke in mid sentence, while typing, that is worth some serious money! As a suspected Watchtower Lawyer that should appeal to you on a basic DNA level.

THIS... I would pay money to see! I have not been to a Comedy Club in 25 years.

WOW! .... now what? Finding Nemo - Now what_!.mp4

... whatever Foreigner and BillyTheKid46 downvotes is probably worth reading. In the 60's there was no movie rating system, and certain movies were banned by the "Catholic Legion of Decency", whatever that was .... and the movie producers would LOVE to be banned, because then all the Catholics would go and see what the hub-bub was about.

.... Food at the proper time" there is always southern style potato salad, fried chicken, and something called "pot luck".

... you really don't want to go to the Heavens 4 and 5 ... that's where the Baptists and Unitarians go.

Power, authority, respect, rooms full of free money to spend any way they desire, living a very pleasant lifestyle in beautiful surroundings, being able to think of themselves as latter day Apostles, and the mortification of being caught. Fortunately, there is nobody on Earth that can fire them ... AND THEY KNOW IT!

Only if you mistakenly had faith and confidence that I was telling you the truth, and that I knew what I was talking about. Fantasies can be disregarded ... if you have discovered and know them to actually be fantasies ... and nobody is threatening to destroy your family if you do not believe them.

I agree with you, Anna, but what is REALLY being discussed now is CREDIBILITY. Those that put themselves in the position as God's spokesmen ... delivering "food at the proper time" have a responsibility to deliver good wholesome food at the proper time. Uncontaminated wholesome food. Not rocks painted to look like real food. I have told the story before about years ago when I lived near Lake Jackson Texas, and I saw a Mexican family, obviously starving ... eating grass on the side of the road. I stopped and entreated them to come to my home, and they piled into the back of the pickup truck and drove about 20 miles. When we got to my home, I opened the chain link fence gate, and showed them my luxuriant green lawn, that needed mowing. That story is not credible ... but I hope it makes the point about good, wholesome food at the proper time. Had it been a true story, the people I supposedly rescued would have been exploited, and betrayed .... not saved ..... and the "food at the proper time" would have served MY agenda ... only!

Baptisms?

It's a matter of general credibility .... someone that is ALWAYS wrong about such things gets the credibility they deserve from rational people, and faith in their PRESUMABLY good intentions by others.

No, unfortunately I have no musical talent, ESPECIALLY with banjos.

I agree, but people claiming to represent the words of God are quite sure, and they apparently care a great deal ... and will disfellowship us if we admit we do not believe them.

In fact.... we need no personal conscience whatsoever! Anything not specifically approved .... is forbidden.. ...try using unapproved words and extra-magazine phrases and concepts to make a comment at the Watchtower Study, and it will be like someone threw a brick through a plate glass window.

I understand the point you are making ... and it is a good extrapolation ... except a "soul" is someone ( OR SOME LIVING CREATURE ...) who breathes atmospheric oxygen mix. The reason we do NOT have to bleed fish (often caught in nets by the thousands ...) is that they ARE not souls. They do not live and breathe air. I eat clam chowder at least four times a week. How would you bleed a clam? They are CHANGED in the twinkling of an eye ... to another life form ... not extracted. Uh... people, not clams.