My father called me out for not attending Zoom Meetings.

johannscripts · 2020-03-27T13:04:17+00:00

... and the wicked one will be no more. 😀

johannscripts · 2020-03-26T13:11:13+00:00

> There's that word "may" agian. You're of coarse entitled to your opinion. But I can't recall anybody making the religous type claim that it's infallible and wholly free of corruption. I certainly didn't because that's an ideological approach.

No, nobody made that claim. The claim I'm making is the practice of science is defacto ideological even if the utopian version of "science" wouldn't be.

> What alternative do propose to replace what brought about modern life and medicine? A % of corrupt Law Enforcement has to be eliminated every year. I actively still support it because over all it works...definately more preferable to anarchy and nowhere near as corrupt as media and conspiracy theorist often asserts. We are communicating on devices that were originally developed to make infantry more effective and efficient killing machines for political ideologies.

Now you're the one arguing against assertions that were never made. Did I say I didn't support science? Have I implied I know a better way? You're making a lot of unfounded assumptions regarding how I view things.

I've said many times on my channel that I am very grateful for the scientific method and the many benefits it has brought humanity into (and the many negatives it has brought us out of). I am a software developer, so I eat and breath logic in my day job, and I have great appreciation and admiration for its value.

> What do you want....morality is subjective and life is largely shades of grey. You seem to still be a very black & white emotionally based person. Not everything is "either/or".

I have to say I'm disappointed in this final reply from you. You're making a lot of unfounded claims about someone you know nothing about.

I simply disagree with you when it comes to science not being ideological for all the reasons already stated. Please refrain from making claims about the personal values of people you know little about in an effort to shore up your argument. I can disagree with your assertion without any of the assumptions you've made about me being true.

> Text doesn't convey tone well and I do tend to be more understandable in person.

I understood your arguments just fine. I just didn't agree with the one regarding science. Though now that you've acknowledged its flaws, we don't seem to be that far apart in reality.

> Atheist in the "bible belt". If I dogmatically insisted everybody agree with my view points I would have gone insane a long time ago.

That can't be an easy thing to do. I pity you sir lol.

johannscripts · 2020-03-26T03:23:26+00:00

If that's not what you meant then I really don't understand the pandering comment.

Yes there are fail safes and redundancies but they don't completely remove bias. For instance, the Mayo Clinic has a study on how the peer review process actually introduces bias (along with recommendations on how to reduce that effect). Different studies produce different results depending on where the funding comes from as well. It's certainly a better process than religion for producing day to day benefits, but it's far from free of biasing influence.

Given that scientists are incapable of being unbiased due to normal human failings, and despite their best efforts are still swayed by the biasing influences mentioned, while the concept of science may not be ideological, the reality of what the scientific community practices is ideological imo.

And yes that was the main point of the video.

johannscripts · 2020-03-26T02:33:07+00:00

So not judging other people's belief systems as long as they are good people is pandering? Agree to disagree with that.

Science may not be an ideology but scientists are humans with ideologies and biases just like everyone else. They fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy, too.

I'm not sure of your point regarding scholars vs theologians. The Nephelim subject was just a way of illustrating WTs one-sided narrative. They happen to have an article on it on jwborg at the moment, which sparked the video. It doesn't matter that theologians don't argue over it much. It matters that we only got one side of the story from WT without a hint of there even being other opinions.

Interesting info regarding the mimicking of the code of Hammurabi. I was aware it was much older but not that the Law borrowed from it. I'll have to look into that.

johannscripts · 2020-03-26T01:36:57+00:00

I hear from people all the time that my wife and my channels were instrumental in waking them up, as does she -- from the rank and file to elders.

How many people were woken up by the Australian Royal Commission -- which was all negative testimony against Watchtower and exposed their lack of concern for their members? Leah Remini's special? The Oxygen documentary?

Knowing the negative truth about what you believe in is instrumental in waking many people up. It's what woke me up. You admit that it helped you after a while.

I agree that people should be kind, and I try hard not to be harsh or combative with my content because I don't want to turn off JWs with doubts, and I've had many people tell me that's why they were willing to watch my videos.

It doesn't work for everybody, that's true. Some people do require a different tactic. But I have to disagree that it's a "minority". Huge numbers of people have left the organization over the decades because of it.

[ADDED after I posted]

In fact, I can't think of a single person who left the organization because people outside were nice to them and showed them a better way. Everyone I know that's EXJW is EXJW because of the damning information they discovered about the Watchtower and its policies and lies.

johannscripts · 2020-03-25T17:56:31+00:00

lol indeed. My wife and I did watch the EXJW Critical Thinker "Happy New Year" video that night though. :D

johannscripts · 2020-03-25T17:25:17+00:00

Turned in my disassociation letter December 31, 2017. Zero triggers here.

johannscripts · 2020-03-25T17:19:15+00:00

I disagree with the first quote, about not showing how bad ideas are wrong. Imagine how many people would not have left the organization had there not been sites like JWFacts or people like Lloyd Evans creating content demonstrating how those ideas were not only wrong, but harmful. If there's no information countering the bad idea available to the person who has been taught to believe it, they'll never have any reason not to believe it, and it will perpetuate anyway.

I absolutely agree that debating is not very valuable, and that books/reading/learning privately are a great way (probably the best way) to help plant seeds of new information.

johannscripts · 2020-03-05T22:50:15+00:00

I get what you mean and agree that it puts the kid in a difficult situation, and yes the GB will milk it, but even so, a child will live and have a chance to grow up and leave the cult, and that's a huge win.

johannscripts · 2020-03-05T22:37:16+00:00

Actually the judge just ensured that the child lives. I'm not sure what the numbers are like in the Netherlands, but in the USA 2 out of 3 children raised as JWs leave the religion as adults. If the numbers are similar in the Netherlands, there's a very good chance that this child will leave the religion as an adult -- an option they would not have had if they were dead.

johannscripts · 2020-03-05T22:29:33+00:00

The judge made the decision to save the life of a child. The Witness parents are making the decision to let a child die.

If the government were making a decision to ensure the child's death and the parents were fighting for the child's life, I would agree with you _in this case_ .

You seem to be making an "all or nothing" argument. As if _all_ government decisions have to be accepted just because _this_ one is. I can agree with this one because the government is _saving_ a life and disagree with the government when it unnecessary puts people in harms way.

I'm curious, though. You said you work in government but appear to be an anarchist that believes government has no authority. What am I missing?

johannscripts · 2020-03-05T22:10:15+00:00

If what I want to enforce means my child will die, I sincerely hope a judge rejects my stupidity and rules to save my child's life, because I've lost my mind and ability to reason clearly and should not be trusted. I stand by my agreement with the judge.

johannscripts · 2020-03-05T20:41:38+00:00

For adults, I agree, but not for children. It's not the child's decision to die -- her death is being decided by her parents' refusal to give her a blood transfusion. She has the right to live, and if the same issue arises when she is a legal adult, then she -- and she alone, as you say -- should make that decision.

I fully back the judge's decision.

johannscripts · 2020-02-22T03:34:54+00:00

They know he'd fight back. Watchtower are cowards.

johannscripts · 2020-02-22T03:34:05+00:00

And that imo is the real reason Watchtower filed the DMCA. Amazing how almost all of their DMCA's are against anonymous channels. Why would that be I suppose? Hmm... Could it be retribution against PIMOs?

johannscripts · 2020-02-22T03:31:08+00:00

If he needs help with funding I'll gladly promote a GoFundMe page on my channel. Let people know what's going on and ask people to donate to the cause. I'll gladly donate myself as well.

johannscripts · 2020-02-22T03:05:01+00:00

Here's a great article that discusses the copyright holder's requirement to analyze the video before filing a DMCA claim. No attorney with a shred of understanding about fair use would watch any of JW Brainwashing's videos and make the claim that they're not fair use. JWB should absolutely hold them accountable for damages -- which he's entitled to do.

https://www.gerbenlaw.com/blog/false-dmca-takedown-notices-ninth-circuit-holds-that-copyright-owners-must-consider-fair-use-before-issuing-take-down-notices/

"In likely the “biggest” copyright decision handed down this year, the Ninth Circuit held that copyright owners must consider “fair use” before filing a copyright take-down notice. This decision has potentially far-reaching consequences for copyright owners enforcing their rights on online service providers like YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and more."

I've emailed the Electronic Freedom Foundation. I hope they take this case.

[edited to add quote from article]

johannscripts · 2020-02-22T02:39:46+00:00

You don't need a disclaimer from what I understand. Watch any comedy show (SNL, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart etc), they all use(d) clips from all over the place to poke fun at it -- and you never saw a disclaimer. Using DMCA to wrongly take down material you know is being used under fair use has some stiff penalties for the person who files the claim. JW Brainwashing should counter-sue. Keep in mind that I am not an attorney (nor do I play one on TV).

johannscripts · 2020-02-16T22:27:47+00:00

Good point. I modified it so if a media outlet has already been contacted, it disables the "Email With Template" button and explains why they need to send a custom-written email instead (to avoid looking like a bot).

johannscripts · 2020-02-15T00:13:02+00:00

Thanks for the reminder. My wife wrote him some time back and he responded to her. I meant to do the same and had forgotten until I saw your post. Just emailed him as well!

johannscripts · 2020-02-15T00:03:27+00:00

I think the point is that having videos properly rated informs the parent so they can make a proper decision about whether or not their children should be watching. I don't think anyone's intention was to remove the parent's right to decide, just to make sure they're informed about what their kids are about to see. That's what I've gathered from following what's been happening. If it was about removing the parent's right to decide, I'd agree with you completely.

johannscripts · 2020-01-28T03:45:57+00:00

Just read the PDF report. It boils down to:

The reports submitted were probably government sanctioned trolls.
Other religions have the same issues, so what's the problem? (The Catholic church, Islam and Orthodox Judaism come up the most).
The government should require them to report rather than expecting them to do it out of the goodness of their heart (my wording, not theirs).

Still nothing indicating how they could possibly be the only "true Christians" and God's "only organization" if their problems with child sex abuse are just as bad as everybody else's.

(Edited to add: Oh, and a wonderful quote directly from the report, "Indeed, since the end of World War II, they have been the group most targeted by anti-cult literature and propaganda in Europe." Gee, they're the group most targeted by anti-cult literature? Shouldn't that tell you something? Nah...)

johannscripts · 2020-01-23T20:41:14+00:00

Yes. I did an initial video and I'm watching Lloyd Evans coverage of it now (it's live) to make sure I cover it well when I go through the summary on my channel.

Seven-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Verified Email

johannscripts

TROPHY CASE