Studying "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" (page 6)

Lillith26

Oooops lol try this http://www.qwotes.info/admin-site-map.htm

homeschool

Oh wow. Thanks Lillith! That looks like its user friendly.

Homeschool you are doing so well, you have taken on a huge and emotionally draining task and I really admire your courage and strenght.Thanks, girl. Emotionally draining...story of my life. In fact, its the story of most of our lives on here I'm sure. We've got to remember: Our JW families are not dead yet (maybe they act like it, but they're not dead yet). Its not too late to try.

homeschool

Chapter 4...

I felt a tad confused throughout the study today. We only got to paragraph 10...there was an asterisk that referred us to pgs.197-199, where it discusses how they came to certain dates. I think I had too much coffee today because my brain kept jumping like Dori from Finding Nemo.

As mentioned above, we are also reading the bible, cover to cover...in our own separate time. I'm up through Genesis 27...so far its very tough to see god as a loving god. I got the giggles while I was reading one of the paragraphs in this book & my mind started to go back to my bible reading & I pictured Rebeka putting the skins of baby goats on her son Jacob to make him hairy like his brother & it supposedly tricked Isaac.

We also discussed birthdays a little more. I mentioned Genesis 21:8 where it appears Abraham threw a party for Isaac on the 'day he was weaned', which was customarily done on the child's birthday. I checked out a few different religion's websites and that is their conclusion. My sister basically said that it looks to her that it was a one-time-only celebration of his being weaned & that its okay for jw's to celebrate those kinds of things. *sigh*

homeschool

Finished up Chapter 4 today....

Some interesting stuff came up. Today it was mostly talk about the trinity. I didn't really argue too much with her about it because I'm honestly not well rehearsed in the subject, but I said about 3 times-

"It really seems to me that my friends who believe in the trinity believe that there's god, the son, and the holy spirit...THREE SEPARATE THINGS, but that they form in unity & that they are together always". She asked me if I could grab my computer to google it. Then she said to look up the Catholic official website. (Are you eFFing kidding me?!) "Ummmm, sis, hang on...let me just google 'trinity definition'." The first 3 definitions that came up were exactly what i said. Even though I said that, her statements were said as though I hadn't said them at all. She just kept saying "its so crazy how people believe that they are all ONE. I just don't get it". ....

How do YOU jwn members feel about it? I know there's a bazillion topics on here about it, which is what I will be checking out in just a minute.

Much of the chapter also discussed the way Jesus was, and I felt comfortable saying "humble, empathetic, forgiving, compassionate, warm, impartial, and very obedient to his father."

Sis said, "Did you also notice how he treated women? He was very respectful of them even though most people didn't treat them with respect"

Off on another yet similar topic:

My sister and I are reading the Bible, cover to cover. We are now around Exodus 28....

I said "yeah, I did notice that. By the way, who was speaking in Exodus 22: 16 & 17? I wasn't sure if it was Jehovah or Moses, but it really threw me for a loop! It says:

"16-

Now in case a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and he actually lies down with her, he is to obtain her without fail as his wife for the purchase price. 17- If her father flatly refuses to give her to him, he is to pay over the money at the rate of purchase money for virgins."

She suggested looking at the WT Library, which I'd already done and came up without a satisfactory answer.

I also "accidentally" left out WHO WROTE THE BIBLE by Richard Elliot Friedman. "So WHO WROTE THE BIBLE, (snicker) Homeschool?"

"Oh , its actually a very interesting book! Do you believe Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible?" "Yes, of course" she replied.

"It's kinda fascinating how this author believes that it's actually a compilation from different writers. I really don't know anything about it, but he believes it was written by a couple different groups from completely different areas. It's crazy how he dissects all the verses (..as I opened the book exACTLY to where I was hoping for withOUT a bookmark....was I receiving divine help? ) The bold writing shows the writing of one group of writers, and if you look at the plain writing, its a completely different way of writing! I also wonder who was writing the different verses...was is Jehovah or Moses? Because where it appears that Moses is speaking, the writing says stuff like 'and then Moses did this and that'.....

Sis, so you think its weird that Moses wrote in 3rd person? you dont hafta answer...its just something I'm checkin' out."

My sister said, "Well, let me know what you find " (ohhhhhh, TRUST me sis, I certainly will).

------

I suppose that's pretty much it for today. She was telling me how science is finding out about how each person has a "god gene"....an inborn yearning to find god. I asked "what about atheists?"...." she said 'they're probably just turning off the natural switch in their brain' (Hmmmm, Suuuuure sounds familiar. JW CULT! *cough, cough* CULT!)

Have a great night

lurk3r

I had lunch with a friend of mine along with his family last week. His household is Christian, and he is a very firm believer in the Trinity, and we have had numerous chats about it over the months. He said a prayer over lunch as we all were seated at the table. His prayer started with "Dear God......" and closed with " In Jesus name, amen."

I took note of that indeed.

lurk3r

homeschool

Lur3r!!!! I've missed you!!! Yes, I always remember the jw's teaching me that no other people end prayers with "in jesus name"...and that couldn't be farther from the truth. Not only do most people pray before a meal but they also say 'in jesus' name'.....

And the fact that your friends first said God, and THEN 'in jesus name' certainly shows a distinction.

Tuesday

I suppose that's pretty much it for today. She was telling me how science is finding out about how each person has a "god gene"....an inborn yearning to find god. I asked "what about atheists?"...." she said 'they're probably just turning off the natural switch in their brain'

My response here would be "Do you have the study for this, you know they've mapped the human genome if you want we can go to www.pubmed.com and see if they mention which sequence is the yearning for God gene."

Honestly it sounds to me you might be taking up this challenge a bit early, if you have the publication you should research the chapter you're about to study and write sticky notes on each part where you have a question. Also try to expect her reaction so you can have a response for it.

In the case of the trinity, I would've brought her back to the definition that they don't think they're one that they're in union. Then there's a scripture where Jesus says "I am in union with the Lord" and also John 10:30 which says "I and the father am one". From there I heard a great example regarding the trinity, hold out your hand from your body and say. What's between my hand and my body. The chances are she'll say, air or space. Then you can tell her "there are three things between my hand and my body, air, heat and light. They're three separate things that cannot be separated. They're all different but all the same thing." Then just tell her that's how you understand the trinity being explained. Also the first thing you need to believe is that God can be in two places at once in order for the trinity to take place. So then you ask her if she believes that can happen. When she says no, you can ask her "Are not all things possible for God, don't you think he could be in two places at once?"

I'm not sure what her response would be here, in general though the way to handle the trinity at least when I'm discussing with JWs is not, "The trinity is right" or "the trinity is wrong" but be sure to point out it's an interpretation. End everything with "Can you see why someone might understand it that way". It's all about showing that a teaching is on equal footing with theirs, there are equal proofs for both teachings.

homeschool

Tuesday you're so smart! Thanks for the advice! Truth is...my brain still feels like jelly from trying to play 'catch up' from the vacation. I'm having a real tough time gettin' it together...I'm getting there though!

I will definitely get more prepared next time and try to predict what her views will be. It's really not that hard I guess, since its actually the WT answers I should be expecting.

homeschool

Ya know, just as a sidenote... my sister told me yesterday morning that she'd be going out in service till 5p. Well, when she came to my house, she said that nobody showed up for the morning group & the girl that was supposed to work in fs with her cancelled. And then nobody showed up for the afternoon group. So she just sat in her car all morning and afternoon at the KH waiting for somebody to show up. Meanwhile, she organized her bookbag and did literature reading. I felt so bad for her. She tried to sound cheery but I could tell how bummed she was. I hope I can make some progress with her.

kurtbethel

I felt so bad for her. She tried to sound cheery but I could tell how bummed she was. I hope I can make some progress with her.

You can tell her to study with your old buddy Kurt. He has a few questions for her.

Studying "What Does the Bible Really Teach?"

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