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Category: Spiritual

Russian JWs Awake(n) – A Beginning?

Russian JWs Awake(n) – A Beginning?

It is possible that internal discussion about Watchtower policies has begun, at least among some Jehovah’s Witnesses. Internal discussion or debate is very rare – those who attempt to initiate such are quickly disfellowshipped so that their “unsheep-like” attitude does not “infect” the congregation. The Watchtower Bible and Tract publishing empire/religious group is totalitarian – very much a “top-down” organization. They believe that their Governing Body is literally God’s earthly representative. Disagreement with the Governing Body or the Watchtower publication’s…

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DeLay Listening to Someone?

DeLay Listening to Someone?

Which is the more absurd claim, that God speaks to Tom DeLay, or that Tom DeLay listens? “God has spoken to me. I listen to God, and what I’ve heard is that I’m supposed to devote myself to rebuilding the conservative base of the Republican Party, and I think we shouldn’t be underestimated.” – Tom Delay (Jeffrey Goldberg, “Party Unfaithful: The Republican implosion,” The New Yorker, May 4 Preemptive Karma doesn’t think it’s God that Tom is hearing, but her…

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Brenda Lee DID it!

Brenda Lee DID it!

OH….my….GOD. Oh, sweet lord in heaven.. (string of expletives following, unsuitable for blog publication). I can’t believe it. Brenda Lee has done what I’ve fantasized about doing since I was 12. I’ve spent a fair bit of time trying not to think about it, for fear that I might actually do it. A mildly disrespectful, gum-snapping Brenda attended the Jehovah’s Witness Memorial Service (their annual memorial of the Last Supper, at which almost no-one partakes of the “emblems” of wine…

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Walls Don’t Work

Walls Don’t Work

We are wall-eyed, our vision mis-aligned. We construct walls and eye them, while simultaneously looking away. My eyes hurt just thinking about it. We’ve lost our depth perception. It’s a pathetic, futile thing (and a profound forgetting of history) to engage in wall building. But it’s something to do, and there are hatreds to be stoked, fears to be placated, monies to be gathered. Shakespeare used the term “wall-eyed” to express reproach, metaphorically extending the literal misalignment of the eye’s…

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Ask a presidential candidate

Ask a presidential candidate

What question would you like to ask the top three Democratic candidates? On June 4, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama will join Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners live on CNN for a conversation about faith, values, and poverty — and they’re asking supporters to vote for their favorite question to ask in front of a national television audience. The presidential candidates forum will be a unique opportunity to shape the national debate over faith and values — and…

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Indecent Bible?

Indecent Bible?

A recent column in the Chinese University’s Student Press magazine (Hong Kong) was deemed “indecent” by the Obscene Article Tribunal because it asked readers about whether they had ever fantasized about incest or bestiality. A storm of debate followed – on freedom of speech, the right to open sexual discussion, and the obligations and limits of social morality. Seemingly in response (although I’m not sure how they would know that), someone launched an anonymous web site (truthbible.net ) that said…

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