A random thread of absolute randomness...

[Witness1970]

8 hours ago, Ostria said:

I dont know how many of yall hoard tabs on your phone. But with google chrome, once you get 100 tabs, the counter just turns into a smiley face and no longer keeps track on the amount open. Im bad at deleting my tabs, currently have 53 right now. Most of them are just the same 3-4 websites reopened. Like i think atleast 20 of them is jwtalk and jw dot org 🤣.

I just never think to look for the old tabs on my phone.  I opened a web page and that's it.  Sometimes I get a message that the max number of tabs is 99.  When I open a webpage, it closes the oldest tab.

 

NEVER LOOK BACK!!

[Witness1970]

Since gravity travels at the speed of light, If the black hole at the center of the galaxy disappeared today the solar system, which is 25,000 light years from galactic center would continue to orbit the center of the galaxy for 25,000 before the effects of gravity was gone.  The edge of the galaxy which is 50,000 light years from galactic center would continue to orbit for 50,000 years.  

[Ostria]

2 hours ago, Witness1970 said:

I just never think to look for the old tabs on my phone.  I opened a web page and that's it.  Sometimes I get a message that the max number of tabs is 99.  When I open a webpage, it closes the oldest tab.

 

NEVER LOOK BACK!!

Id be mad if it closed out my tabs. I might need that random tab showing me if sharks are allergic to grapes five months down the line

[Witness1970]

The model of the solar system works just fine for making calculations.  If we use our sun (technically named Sol) as a point of reference, then the circular orbits work out fine.  But what if we had another point of reference?  Things would look very different.  Our Solar System orbits around a black hole at the center of the Galaxy.

 

 

[Witness1970]

The solar system has a helical movement through space, but it also revolves around the center of the galaxy.

 

[Witness1970]

To make it more complicated, the entire galaxy is moving around what is called "the great attractor" and that makes it more complicated.  This video is over 14 minutes.

 

 

[Witness1970]

We have all seen pictures of how the mass of the sun warps space around it which affects nearby objects and is what we call gravity.  But it really is more complicated.  All the planets and other bodies within that warped space also warp space around them.  So, the space warped by the mass of the sun is also warped by each planet.  Warped space within warped space.

 

Is everyone totally bored with this yet?

 

Edited January 5 by Witness1970

[Witness1970]

All in all, these things can be very complex.  It may be beyond our comprehension, but Jehovah understands it all and keeps everything in a beautiful balance.

[Daisy k]

Why is this year so slow, by this time last year weren't we already in April? 🤭🤣

[OldVW]

On 12/30/2024 at 4:10 AM, Ostria said:

I dont know how many of yall hoard tabs on your phone. But with google chrome, once you get 100 tabs, the counter just turns into a smiley face and no longer keeps track on the amount open. Im bad at deleting my tabs, currently have 53 right now. Most of them are just the same 3-4 websites reopened. Like i think atleast 20 of them is jwtalk and jw dot org 🤣.

 

I try to keep my tabs on my phone under 90, I have gone above that a few times but seeing it get near 100 forces me to reduce it back down to a manageable 80ish 😂

 

I have just counted the amount of tabs open on my pc and its 84 😅

 

To this day I have no idea why I dont use bookmarks, it would save the panic attack when I accidently close all tabs and have to try and rescue them from the history.  

[Cool.As.Ice]

I’m wondering why the media makes such a big deal about the winter storms here in the US, and why people can’t drive? It’s like “hello, it’s January!” 

[Ostria]

On 1/6/2025 at 6:04 PM, Cool.As.Ice said:

I’m wondering why the media makes such a big deal about the winter storms here in the US, and why people can’t drive? It’s like “hello, it’s January!” 

Well of course you dont see it as a big deal. You have ice in your name😂😂😂

 

But seriousky, in upstate SC we're looking at snow Friday and possibly freezing rain overnight. Idk how well you cam drive in possibly 1 inch thick ice but, it aint fun. Also thete's still TONS of damaged trees from Helene that can possibly fall over and cause a lot of damage

[Brandon]

[Cool.As.Ice]

On 1/7/2025 at 6:52 PM, Ostria said:

On 1/6/2025 at 2:04 PM, Cool.As.Ice said:

 

Well of course you dont see it as a big deal. You have ice in your name😂😂😂

I thought you meant ice in my veins 

 

On 1/7/2025 at 6:52 PM, Ostria said:

 

But seriousky, in upstate SC we're looking at snow Friday and possibly freezing rain overnight.

Now I will never look at the South the same way again.

[Ostria]

12 minutes ago, Cool.As.Ice said:

I thought you meant ice in my veins 

 

Now I will never look at the South the same way again.

I'll make sure to post pictures to the forum for yall ❤️

[Ostria]

I just remembered about Chick Tracts, loved them to death as a kid......Now actually looking at them, i realize how mentally insane they are. Like, who okay'd those things o_o

 

Pretty much they are like little Christian comics for kids with lessons in each one, so a lot of churches give them out, especially the more old school ones. 

 

I remember one story was like "This guy and girl has sex, the guy has an STD. The girl finds out she doesn't have it and is happy about it. It goes in to how fast STDs can spread, but circles back to the girl and is like "Oh yeah, because you had sex before marriage, when you die you're gonna go to hell unless you repent. ""

 

Thinking back about it, these books are probably why i was scared to do virtually anything growing up.

 

Which then makes me think of hell houses. Have any of yall that werent born into the truth been to a hell house? I have, the one i went to, when it boiled down to, because a father and son went to nascar instead of church like the mother and daughter, when the family dies in some type of wreck, you get to see the mom and daughter in heaven, then you get taken to a room where the father and son is being tortured (as well as several other people), with people dressed up as demons going to all of us, and mind you, this was an event for kids, from first grade to 12th grade, screaming at us saying if we dont get saved we're gonna spend our after life in hell being tortured and beaten.....

 

IDK man i think some of this stuff needs to be illegal or age restricted...

 

Anyways....other people not born and raised in the truth, what weird stuff do you remember about that you look back at and you're like "YEah.........that was very weird..."

[Pabo]

Never heard of a "Hell House" in my youth, but if there was a thing, I'll probably be in the penthouse running the joint!

 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

I drove myself to Hell's Gate. The last 100 miles is the hardest. 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Some were in a hurry to get there. They went by Air...

Once you got there, you were grounded!

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

There was some deluxe Accom...

You had to be a good 'bad boy'.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

I only got to the front door. I didn't go through...

[Pabo]

19 hours ago, ➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone said:

I only got to the front door. I didn't go through...

 

Is that barbies in the background?

 

Time for some BBQ'd long pig, just as long you aren't on the menu.

[SteveAus]

Ok, thought this was random enough I've posted a response from the new Chinese open sourced Deepseek AI program that has Western technology experts both excited and alarmed. Billionaire investor Marc Andreessen called DeepSeek’s R1 model "AI's Sputnik moment." 

 

On its release, it led to a market sell-off of $1.2+ trillion in technology related stocks & crypto.

 

Nothing ground breaking in response, but still thought it an interesting response from a Chinese based & censored program.

 

I asked DS the following question:

Quote

Are Jehovah's Witnesses banned in China, and if so, why? And is the ban considered fair, as they're known worldwide as a peace loving group, refusing to go to war and kill others, as evidenced by historical records, especially in Nazi Germany, where many were imprisoned, and several 100 executed for refusing military service or to salute Adolf Hitler

 

The answer. This includes DS initial thought process on how to answer, then the answer itself.

 

Okay, so I need to figure out whether Jehovah's Witnesses are banned in China and why. The user also asked if the ban is considered fair, especially since they're known as a peaceful group, refusing to go to war, as shown in historical contexts like Nazi Germany.

 

First, I should start by checking the current status of Jehovah's Witnesses in China. I remember that China has strict regulations on religions. The government only recognizes certain religions, like Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism, but even these are controlled through state-sanctioned organizations. Jehovah's Witnesses might not be among the recognized groups, so they could be considered illegal.

 

But why exactly are they banned? Maybe because they're seen as a foreign religion or because their practices conflict with Chinese regulations. For instance, they don't participate in political activities, refuse military service, and don't salute national symbols, which might be problematic in China where the government emphasizes loyalty to the state. Their refusal to serve in the military could be seen as a challenge to the state's authority.

 

Also, China's approach to religion is about maintaining social stability and control. Any group that operates outside state control might be viewed as a threat. Jehovah's Witnesses are known for door-to-door evangelism, which could be seen as proselytizing without permission, something the Chinese government restricts. They might also be considered a cult (邪教) by Chinese authorities, which leads to bans.

 

Regarding the fairness aspect, the user points out their peaceful nature and historical examples like in Nazi Germany. But China's perspective is different. The government prioritizes control and unity, so any group that doesn't conform to state rules, even if peaceful, might be suppressed. International human rights organizations probably criticize this as unfair, arguing for religious freedom. However, China defends its policies as necessary for harmony and security.

 

I should also check specific incidents or reports. Organizations like Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International might have documented cases of Jehovah's Witnesses being persecuted in China. Legal framework: China's Religious Affairs Regulations require religious groups to register and operate under state supervision. Since Jehovah's Witnesses haven't registered, their activities are illegal. The 2018 amendments to these regulations tightened control further.

 

Additionally, the comparison to Nazi Germany is interesting. While Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted there for refusing military service and loyalty to Hitler, China's context is different. It's more about control and preventing any potential challenge to the Communist Party's authority rather than wartime conscription. But the underlying issue of refusing state demands (like military service or patriotic education) might be similar.

 

In terms of fairness, it's subjective. From a human rights perspective, the ban is unfair because it restricts religious freedom. From the Chinese government's viewpoint, it's about maintaining social order and preventing foreign influence. So the answer should present both angles but note the international criticism versus China's stance.

 

I need to make sure all these points are accurate. Maybe cross-reference with recent sources. Also, mention the specific legal status: are they explicitly banned, or just not allowed to register? Some sources might say they're banned, others that they're unregistered and thus illegal. Clarify that distinction if possible.

 

Another angle: China's constitution allows religious freedom, but in practice, it's heavily restricted. So Jehovah's Witnesses aren't banned by name, but their activities are prohibited because they can't register. Similar to Falun Gong, which is explicitly banned. Maybe Jehovah's Witnesses are treated similarly but not as prominently.

 

So, to sum up: Yes, they're effectively banned because they can't operate legally. The reasons include refusal to comply with state demands, seen as a threat to social stability, foreign ties. Fairness is debated: international views vs. China's rationale.

 

Jehovah's Witnesses are effectively banned in China due to the country's stringent religious regulations. Here's a breakdown of the situation and its complexities:

Legal Status and Reasons for the Ban:

1. Unregistered Religious Activity: China officially recognizes five religions (Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism), all under state-sanctioned organizations. Jehovah's Witnesses are not registered, making their activities illegal under China’s 2018 Religious Affairs Regulations, which criminalize unapproved religious practices.

2. Perceived Threat to Social Stability:

   • Loyalty Concerns: Their refusal to participate in political activities, salute national symbols, or serve in the military conflicts with China’s emphasis on state loyalty. This non-compliance is viewed as undermining state authority.

   • Evangelism: Door-to-door preaching, a core practice, is seen as unauthorized proselytizing, which the government restricts to maintain control over information and social order.

3. Association with "Cults": Chinese authorities often label unregistered groups as "邪教" (cult-like organizations), associating them with extremism or foreign influence. While not explicitly named like Falun Gong, Jehovah's Witnesses face similar suppression.

Fairness Debate:

• International Perspective: Human rights organizations (e.g., Amnesty International, HRW) criticize the ban as a violation of religious freedom. Historical context, such as their peaceful resistance in Nazi Germany, underscores their non-violent ethos. Their global reputation as pacifists contrasts with China’s portrayal of them as destabilizing.

• China’s Justification: The government prioritizes social harmony and control over individual freedoms, arguing that unregulated groups risk fracturing national unity. Compliance with state norms is framed as essential for collective security.

Historical Context vs. Modern China:

• While Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted in Nazi Germany for resisting militarism, China’s concerns are rooted in maintaining political control rather than wartime conscription. Both contexts, however, involve clashes between state demands and conscientious objection.

Conclusion:

Jehovah's Witnesses are prohibited in China primarily for operating outside state-sanctioned religious frameworks and refusing practices deemed critical to national loyalty. The fairness of the ban hinges on differing values: human rights advocates emphasize individual freedoms, while China emphasizes collective stability. This dichotomy reflects broader tensions between religious liberty and authoritarian governance.

 

 

 

 

 

New chat

 

Edited January 28 by SteveAus

[dljbsp]

Song 133, the AUDIO meeting version, is 1:33 in legnth.

[Ostria]

7 hours ago, dljbsp said:

Song 133, the AUDIO meeting version, is 1:33 in legnth.

Im sure the person who did that intentionally is waiting for the day someone realizes it.