Both. But it is easier to show using the nt gospels.
Peace,
tammy
If you believe God exists, what are your thoughts on what pleases him most?
by Fernando 60 Replies latest watchtower bible
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raymond frantz
I grew up in a Witness family ,when I was a kid about 9-10 I told my dad that God is like a scientist ,trial and error, he made Adam and seeing he wasn't happy he gave him Eve .He said that was a blasphemy .I don't think so anymore . I see the Bible as a God's PR exercise towards mankind and evidence that he doesn't know us that well .The OT God is hateful ,loves killing and exact punishment ,this is a fact ,you can't escape it .The NW God is loving ,forgiving ,more understanting. In the new system to come we might get to see another face
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jam
Maybe between the ones that like to blow themselves
up and anyone around them and snake handlers at one
end and JWs at the other end you may find a happy median.
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ÁrbolesdeArabia
Fernando, were you able to overcome the guilt so many JWs and ex-JWs are battling on a daily basis? What is your secret to success, please share this with others on JWN, I know some who have no guilt, but they also lack a conscience and have no heart. These ones, I call the neo-pharisees, they put to shame their first century counterparts, the Pharisees.
Trying to be a real Christian is a challenge, as a JW it was very easy to ignore the plight of others in the World. Praying for everyone in the World is new, I never heard a prayer from the platform praying for everyone, just the fellow Witnesses around the World. Has your style of prayer changed since divorcing yourself from the Organization's selfishness? Do you view other Christians in various denominations as Christians, the ones who follow his command Jesus emphasized on Earth?
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LV101
Good question, ArbolesdeArabia about Christians in the various denominations following Jesus commands.
The theologians on radio repeatedly say we cannot earn or work for our salvation --- it's a gift. I've heard one explain that thru our belief in Christ and our faith --- thru our faith as stated in book of James is what spurs on our good deeds or doing what Jesus commands. One without a church with a question/answer hour says everything we have, own, possess, is to be used on behalf of helping/aiding others (and everything we own belongs to Christ and is for this purpose now that we are his follower) --- 100% of this not 10%. Just how does one do this without belonging to a church/organization other than thru various donations to nonprofits like Salvation Army, etc. Just relaying but made sense at the time of hearing.
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Fernando
Dear myelaine/michelle
You asked what I mean by "religionist" and "assuming authority" and "control over".A "religionist" would be anyone who promotes religion (a system of works, rules, codes and doctrinal beliefs) instead of the "good news" (about Jesus' victory over religion, and his servant-like leadership, and his compassion, and his healing work).
Let's say I decide to start a religious group. Now I want to recruit followers who will accept my authority, in other words listen to what I say, and do as I tell them. I also want to be able to control them to suit my ideologies.
I have to have something to offer. So I make claims that boil down to salvation and a right standing with God being available by belonging to my group because God or Jesus appointed me as his VISIBLE representative on earth. I also offer the chance to belong to a likeminded community.
This will allow me to extract resources from my followers. Time, energy and money which will allow me to build my own little empire or kingdom.
Effectively I have sold salvation and a way to God. Now I hold considerable power over the lives of my followers especially if I threaten to excommunicate and shun any who dissent, question or think.
Of course none of this would be possible with persons familiar with the "good news" of "unmerited favour" where God offers as "free gifts" the very things I am selling!
Those intimate with the full "good news" know that God uses Jesus and his Holy Spirit to direct individuals instead of VISIBLE human representatives and their organisations (golden calves).
Those intimate with the "good news" would instantly spot me as one who had seated himself in the seat of (the greater) Moses (Jesus).
Love
Fernando
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Fernando
Hey ÁrbolesdeArabia!
Yes, guilt was a problem for me too under the religious system of rules and codes I knew was not measuring up to (and wasn't willing to pretend). I did not know that the religious system was manmade and not of God.
I didn't know just how many of the rules and codes had gone beyond scripture and the spirit and intent of God's law. I did not know just how spiritually blind and putrid the Watchtower Pharisees I was following were.
The "good news" has resolved this guilt, by design. I have been spiritually set free from guilt, fear, shame, embarrassment, judgment, condemnation and unworthiness.
My debt has been paid in full. I can now walk, grow and develop spiritually without the burden of this debt despite still being far from perfect.
Under these natural and liberating conditions I find it is actually much easier to think, say and do the right thing - automatically.
Yes, my prayers have changed radically, as has my relationship with God and fellow humans. I have left imposed conservatism and reverted to my natural liberal state. As an example: although definitely straight I have become gay friendly. Talk about a radical transformation and reorientation!
I encourage "Christians" to become Christians by pursuing and yielding to the "gospel" or "good news".
I encourage "Jews" to become Jews by pursuing and yielding to the "bissar" (the gospel in Hebrew and in the Old Testament).
I encourage "Muslims" to become Muslims by pursuing and yielding to the "injeel" or "injil" (the gospel in Arabic, Udru and the four Muslim holy books namely Tawrat or Old Testament, Zabur or Psalms, Injeel or New Testament, and the Q'uran).
I view anyone who is pursuing and yielding to the gospel/bissar/injeel as my brother or sister in the "one faith" namely that of Abraham (as in Eph 4:5; Gal 3:7-9,29; Heb 2:11).
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
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Fernando
Hey Tammy!
Thank you for your cheery and positive presence once again.
You said: "The bible is not inerrant. God is written about in the various books of the bible... but the bible also has contradicting views of God at times."
My thinking has been leaning in this direction for some time, and I'd love to contemplate others' more developed insights.
If and when available I love to read a more detailed explanation from your pen (even if it is a post here on JWN).
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
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notjustyet
God loves the smell of animal fat being burned on an open fire. This smell wafts to the high heavens, passing through the low heavens on its way to his residing place. When it reaches Gods nostrils, his olfactory senses light up like the 4th of July (oops) and it brings him pleasure.
Don't forget that God loves animals too, but does not love them enough to give up his "bad habit" of snorting "burnt fat fumes". Hey, everyone has a vice and with all the pressure of being God and all, kindly allow him some down time, besides he owns it all anyway so who are we to say " You can't go around killing animals just cause you like to smell burnt fat, come on"
NJY
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Pterist
What pleases our Father the most is conforming to the image of his eternal Son, that was the plan conceived before creation Ephesions 1:5-11, Romans 5:14 and made possible as we participate in his death and resurrection to a new creation, that our baptism signifies. Phillipians 3:8-12
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowingc Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christd 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,e but that which is through faith ina Christ—the righteousnessf that comes from God on the basis of faith.g 10 I want to knowhChrist—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,i becoming like him in his death,j 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrectionkfrom the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,l but I press on to take holdm of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.n