by Terry 52 Replies latest watchtower bible
dear Quentin...
It's too bad you can't copy that and send it off in a letter to your baby's "baby" when she is terrorized into submitting to "allah" in faith...I'm sure she would appreciate the sentiment.
would it kill you to go the extra mile now?
love michelle
It's too bad you can't copy that and send it off in a letter to your baby's "baby" when she is terrorized into submitting to "allah" in faith...I'm sure she would appreciate the sentiment. would it kill you to go the extra mile now?.....michelle...
I go the extra mile everyday kiddo, you see my baby's, daughter and grand childern, all live under the same roof with me and the wife. We do the best we can to set the "fine" example, teach, explain the world to them and hope it will "stick". It goes beyond some "happy dappy Jesus", or "blood thirsty God of vengence". There is much more going on in the world today than having a fear of Islam, it is only one of many things that must be seen in the tapestry of what "we" precieve as living. Being "saved by the blood of the lamb" will not prepare the children for life.
dear Quentin...
I have no doubt that you DO impart a "spiritual" legacy to your children and that is commendable in this day and age. What about a future when the "material" could be given over to islam? When you say: "That to me is Godly as opposed to what ideaology one should attach themselves to."...What about the Lord's prayer?...let Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven...
Jesus commanded His disciples to go and preach.(matthew 28:18-20) On the day of pentecost they preached and and the Lord added to the chruch daily those who were BEING saved. (acts2:21, 38-40, 47) The preaching of salvation was so important and urgent back then that it was the message of the last HOUR...is it less so now?(1 john 2:18) As a member in the body of Christ (the church) why wouldn't you support the "ideology" of the fundimentalist evangelicals that preach the absolute need for salvation...this is the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles?...does this mean, Quentin, that you don't "support" the work of the feet?(romans 10:15)...Jesus did compel you to walk with Him...(matthew 5:41)...so why is it not important to you to attach yourself to His command? I'm not trying to cause offense to you but I see that I have in that you called me "kiddo"...I apologise if I've upset you. Please know that I am most certainly not talking about "happy dappy Jesus" or "blood thirsty God of vengence" doctrine. love michelle
As a member in the body of Christ (the church) why wouldn't you support the "ideology" of the fundimentalist evangelicals that preach the absolute need for salvation....
Sigh....I do not ascribe to that world view. There is much evidence there was no Jesus, as precived by Christians. I am a Diest who belives there is a creator who desires US to do the best we can with what we have. Helping/assisting others in their struggles is what is expected. Simple, uncomplicated love of other's. That is our lifes work, nothing more, nothing less. That is all I have to say on the matter, as we step aside and let this thread get back to it's intent....
There is not one single source, outside the Bible, that confirms Jesus even lived. Josephus makes mention of Jesus, but Josephus was born after Jesus died. Also the one paragraph that mentions the Christ is almost certainly added to his works later by others.
The Gospels themselves were written around 70CE, so also 35-plus years after Jesus died and not while roaming the med with him.
Jesus does NOT want anyoen to submit to Him or Our Father out of fear, out of pain, out of anger or just in case, but out of Love.
If you can't beleive that Jesus and God are Love, then the very structure that is paramount for being a Christian is on a weak foundation.
Being a Christian has nothing to do with Judaisim, Islam or any other faith, but it has ALL to do with love, compassion, forgivenss and redemption.
Were there many horrific things written in the OT?
yes, those were the times they lived in and those were the thinsg they believed and I truly think many believed that it was God's will to do those things, simply because they didn't knwo any better, no matter how much God tried to make the understand the was NOT the way.
If the OT scribes and the Old Covenant had worked there would have been no need for Jesus and the New Covenant.
If you believe that God is a God of love then the scriptures will hold a new meaning for you and much wil be revealed.
Never forget that the bible, both OT and NT, is not just ONE thing, it is many things:
A book of history, the good, bad and ugly that goes with it.
A book of theology, of prophecy, of hope, despair, of pain and joy, a book of love and a book of hate, a book that was written by those that believed they were inspired by God to write what they saw and believed, a book of letters from religious letters to their followers, a book with the biographies, 4of them actually, of the Son of God.
Of course you don't have to believe it is ALL those things, or even ANY of those things, but you also don't have to believe that itis ONLY ONE thing and nothing else.
dear PSacremento...
you said: "Being a Christian has nothing to do with Judaisim, Islam or any other faith, but it has ALL to do with love, compassion, forgivenss and redemption."
...ALL of the above...love, compassion, forgiveness and redemption are taught in great detail in the bible by Jesus Christ and His were not the teachings of man but of God.(john 7:16-17)...so if someone or anyone wants to water down those teachings then it can't be a work of God.imo.
God still calls great crowds to hear the message of the gospel...a message undiluted. these people drop what they are doing and walk miles to sit in the sun and listen to the message...and the Lord adds to the church (His body) daily... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWOCMhJ0CA
love michelle
...ALL of the above...love, compassion, forgiveness and redemption are taught in great detail in the bible by Jesus Christ and His were not the teachings of man but of God.(john 7:16-17)...so if someone or anyone wants to water down those teachings then it can't be a work of God.imo.
I agree, anyone the advocates close mindedness and hate and judging of others, anyone that advocates lack of love and compassion is NOT doig teh work of God.
God still calls great crowds to hear the message of the gospel...a message undiluted. these people drop what they are doing and walk miles to sit in the sun and listen to the message...and the Lord adds to the church (His body) daily...
God's message reaches all that are willing to receive it, all that are open to the HS, be it in great numbers or in the lowest of them, ONE.
God's message doesn't require a heavy burden to be carried or a heavy load to be shouldered, on the contrary, LOVE is never burdensome or heavy.
Not all come to God in their lifetime, this is true and God knows WHY, God knows that "stumbling stones" that have been put forth by the likes of the WT and other groups that drive people from God's love and compassion and make people beleive in a God of destruction, of Hate and of Pain.
God knows all and God knows what is in ALL OUR hearts.
dear PSacremento...
what you said is true: "God knows all and God knows what is in ALL OUR hearts."
and isn't it also true that a lot of ex-JW's are quick to comment on how un-Christlike the WTBTS is and yet won't turn TO Jesus Christ...I mention ex-JW's specifically because they in particular have heard the gospel, they even know that the org. doesn't practice gospel truth as far as moral obligations to family and "loved" ones is concerned. They know that SOME of the teachings of Jesus resonate with them but others they reject...often they reject the part about Jesus BEING the saviour of their souls from condemnation in hell...they reject the fact that Jesus said that "but whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" matthew 10:33...being an ex-member of the JW's doesn't give them a free pass from what I can see written. In fact I see that being even more familiar with the scriptures would hold them to account more than someone who hasn't read them. A rough life, spiritual abuse and lies aren't contained within the WTBTS and reserved only for them...though they are used as an "enableing" tool by satan on those that have escaped...
Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”...john 12:44-50
love michelle
Michelle,
If a former JW rejects Christ, I truly beleive that IF there is someone to blame, that someone is the WT and other JW's.
I have aslo seen that, fundamentalist groups like the JW attract a certain type of person, they tend to be "extremists" in the sense of THIS IS IT or THIS IS NOT IT, that is why they ( former JW) when they were in were zealous and very vocal in using terms like " in the truth".
When they found out that the WT teachings were wrong then ALL teachings were wrong and for many, atheisim was a natural development, you will also see that many become fundamentalists in other religions but very few become moderates, it just isn' tin their personality it seems.
In short, God knows WHY people reject The Word, God knows the true reasons for such and only God can judge them.
On a personal note, IF the only exposure I had to God and Jesus was the WT stuff I am almost 100% sure that I woudl eb an athiest by now.
