Is practicing Capoeira wrong/bad/discouraged by Jehovah's Witnesses?

by aikichristian 78 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Fred E Hathaway
    Fred E Hathaway

    If she's truly one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I don't think she'd have you as a boyfriend because of the difference of religion.

    The term Lucifer (used in KJV, Douay) is derived from the Latin Vulgate. A more correct translation is "the shining one", found at Isaiah 14:4, 12, and actually is a descriptive designation applied to the "king of Babylon." It is true that the "king of Babylon" (the dynasty of Bablyonian kings) reflected the attitude of Satan (the god of this system of things) by desiring to make the kings of the line of David mere vassals and then finally to dethrone them. Satan is correctly referred to as Devil, the original serpent, and the great dragon. (Rev. 12:9)

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    Fred, this idea that everything in the world is either of Satan or of God, does this extend to God's creation? Must a chicadee or a crocus either be of God or of Satan?

  • jgnat
    jgnat
    Actually the contrast between the works of the flesh (earthly) and fruitage of the spirit (spiritual) is laid out nicely in Galatians, chapter 5. There is always a choice between earthly and spiritual desires. They are at war with each other. Often it is the motives that determine what the activity is, whether earthly or desires.

    ...and this is a remnant of gnostic thinking, preserved in the gospels. I maintain there are other scriptures that suggest that all work is honorable, without that severing between the profane and the divine. We have tent-makers and merchants. We have centurions and fishermen. All find their way to work and to serve. 1 Corinthians 12.

    Groups who disdained the world for a "purely" spiritual path, tended to fade in a few generations. To live and thrive, people must care for their "profane" bodily functions, must procreate, must live.

  • Borgia
    Borgia

    Fred E,

    Two things:
    1)The king of Babylon not only made Judah into a vassal, a betraying vassal that is, but they also dethroned the davidian dynasty. Not only for 70 years, but for thousands of years.

    2) Indeed, Jehovah CAN give a ceetain amount of strength to his people. Answer me one question: The conquest of the holy land in judges was performed in faith, was it not? Why could they not drive out the philistines? The biblicle answer leaves no room for conjecture:chariots........Your answer is.........?

    So much for this "spirit directed earthly organisation(TM)" without an military answer were there should have been one.

    Do you agree that some christians get rich? Based upon your line of reasoning a WT-christian is not allowed to become rich even when it was poored into his lap. (thus maybe rejecting Divine blessing?)

    The same goes with a lot of things in life, especially things which are in the realm of conscience. But since the people who disemminate these articles consider themselves appointed over all christ belongings, they leave little room for conscience.

    You may say, the article did not say that. It left room for once's own descision.

    Yes, very well true. But you forget to mention that the WTS believes in "positive peer pressure". You must not forget to mention that a peer pressure system has been built. How much room is there for your own conscience if qualification as "spiritually ripe christian will do this, that and the other" are constanty thrown at you.

    The prophet Isaiah perfectly summed it up: A law written in the hearts not on stone tablets. The WTS has again made into a covenant written not on stone tablets but on paper.

    Cheers

    Borgia

  • aikichristian
    aikichristian
    to aikichristian:
    Answer to Eph 6:12: Did it ever occur to you that principalities are composed of people, who are made of flesh and blood?
    The Bible is a Spiritual book, primarily. Its inspired teaching at 2 Timothy 2:24-26 states that 24 a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, keeping himself restrained under evil, 25 instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed; as perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth, 26 and they may come back to their proper senses out from the snare of the Devil, seeing that they have been caught alive by him for the will of that one. The true Christian protects himself with knowledge and skill, much of it indirectly through reasoning ability. Many who have lived in a violent environment have moved to where they can worship more freely, or they have reformed their lives so that they can live more peaceably. Many others have stood firmly on the side of peace and respectful court challenges, without retaliation, in such places as Germany, Malawi, Armenia, and the USA, especially when it has been a generalized religious attack on freedoms, even suffering beatings, being tarred-and-feathered, and being killed by firing squad.

    We know enough about evil and war from reading the Bible and having it in our environment without looking for it. Bad associations spoil useful habits, after all. (1 Cor.15:33 and surrounding verses)

    Answer to my "false reasoning": Jehovah can give people the power to do beyond the normal, but does he always and in every situation? When you stubbed your toe, it hurt right?...that seems pretty normal to me. Have you, or know anyone, who has been in a car accident, the victim of an attack, been injured/wronged, or any such thing? If so, then chances are they were being quite normal.
    Just because I am not immune to the painful effects of clumsiness or bad motives, does not mean that my reaction must be anger, retaliation, etc. If I have been benefited from the spiritual teaching I receive, I may shake my head and/or laugh it off and carry on with my day. Vindictiveness is not a given for me if I am ruled by Jehovah's holy spirit. (Galatians 5)
    You can't prevent everything. Try thinking your way out when someone is choking the life out of you. What happened to all the "sound thinking" and prevention?......Martial arts to the rescue!
    If my sound thinking has ever been cut off, I've fallen into at least one of Satan's traps.
    Answer to my "have to": Don't mince words Fred. You know exactly what I meant. I know that everyone has Free Will. "Have to" was a figure of speech, just in case you didn't know.
    I wasn't mincing my words, which means that I said what I meant clearly and directly, even if I upset you by doing this (which I didn't intend to, as a matter of fact.) We all need help to improve and clarify our thought patterns. I meant no disrespect. I'm just interested in accuracy of statement. I worship the God of truth, after all.

    Nobody really wants to live in violence. However, that is not always the case. There are many historical and Biblical cases where violence comes looking for victims. How many times has Israel had to defend itself [in the OT]? Yes, their faith was strong [whenever they won] but they still participated in military campaigns where people were killed on both sides. During Jesus' time and Paul's time, Israel was occupied by the Romans. Those were dangerous times, especially for early Christians. Both people and nations needed to protect themselves from violence, sometimes by using violence in self-defense. A good example of this is when Jesus drove out the merchants from the temple (Mk 11:15-16). In that scene, he overturned tables and chairs, drove the merchants out, and did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple. Jesus essentially vandalized other people's personal property. Jehovah also drowned Egypt's chariots, pretty violent....i could go on and on.... Self-defense is not a matter of anger or retaliation as a result of anger. I used the stubbed toe as an example situation when God probably didn't give you the power to do what was beyond normal. Self-defense has nothing to do with vindictiveness (definition), it is about self-preservation from harm inflicted upon you. Yes, martial arts have been used in wars, crimes, and other bad things, but they have also been used in crime-prevention by both civilians and law enforcement. Should you come across such a violent confrontation (fight, attack, etc.) you will most-likely use martial arts (hitting, blocking, striking, dodging, grappling, throwing) yourself or approve of its use upon your opponent [by law enforcement, or a rescuer]. You can exercise all the sound thinking you want. Like I said before: "You can't prevent everything". You could have taken every precaution and still end up in a situation where you need to defend yourself physically. Going to learn Karate, Judo, or Capoeira to have some physical tools to protect yourself should the occasion arise, is not "looking for trouble". It would be another precaution....like putting on a helmet or seat-belt or reading your Bible. You're preparing yourself should trouble come looking for you. You can do all this and still not be violating Jehovah's teachings. What does you worshipping the "God of truth" have to do with figures of speech? I used a figure of speech and you want to go ahead and correct it. We're not writing a legal contract here, so my language can be quite loose and still have a clearly understandable meaning within its context as a figure of speech in the American English language of the 21st century, March 26, 2007, 2:33:57:34 PM EST. Accurate enough for you?

  • aikichristian
    aikichristian
    If she's truly one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I don't think she'd have you as a boyfriend because of the difference of religion.

    Then I sure hope she isn't. That would be one less person the WTS could harm and confuse with their crap. The difference in religion has made somethings difficult, but the fact that she has a brain and can think for herself is becoming more and more apparent...kinda like a beacon of light, getting brighter.....

    sound familiar?

  • Fred E Hathaway
    Fred E Hathaway

    Neither the chickadee nor the crocus are made in God's image, the way man is.

  • Fred E Hathaway
    Fred E Hathaway

    Lables aren't always useful, as you remind us yourself.

  • Fred E Hathaway
    Fred E Hathaway

    I don't do toasts.

  • Fred E Hathaway
    Fred E Hathaway

    Spiritism is to be shunned.

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