The Stone the Builders Rejected

by sabastious 312 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • cofty
    cofty

    Its a discussion forum. If you want to exclude others try using a PM

  • Lozhasleft
    Lozhasleft

    Cofty, love, try to read the posts.

    Loz x

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    Yes, I have! I feel God's presence in my life.

    What is there to discuss. There are assertions strikingly similar to the Witnesses. Such beliefs trigger me. I could circle the globe several times running from the WT. When I was born-in, I had no choice. Fundamentally, I can't comprehend anyone falling for such nonsense and once repelled by the Witnesses, creating their own nonsense. I do understand that you believe it sincerely. You will never convince me.

    A very small fraction here mock my book learning. Well, one thing all my inquiry made clear to me are that questions exist and that questions are not bad.

    I am merely human. No one has greater access than I do to determine what I will beleive. The one thing I know for certain is that humans grapple with existential questions. The authors of Genesis were not so different from Sartre and Camus. The Bible is not unique.

    Besides Billy Graham promised me a free Bible on TV. When I called to collect it, a new condition was set forth. Although it was probably fraud to offer a free Bible and then heap conditions. I refused to answer whether I had a personal relationship with Jesus. It is private. I don't get up on a platform and announce the initmacies of my friendships. I replied that Jesus and I were dating, so yes, I had a personal relationship with Jesus. No free Bible.

    My faith tradition believes the Holy Spirit is conferred on baptism, or even a blessing. It is freely given. The Elect do not exist. I am not so arrogant to beleive that my knowledge is superior. You may read it so b/c you are obviously not used to a wider culture. I see myself as a community asking questions. God must be moral. God must respect women.

    Great literature of any culture addressed these questions. Look at someone from another country. They are neither better nor worse than you. What are the chances that God exists only in your view? What God would cast off other humans? I've always lived among diverse cultures. Christianity is all right for me b/c I am product of my culture. Look at a map of the world and see how teeny Israel is.

    I respect other cultures. Why are you so insistent on proving me wrong? You can't prove me wrong. Never. B/c my belief in Christ is my opinion. Something in me hungers for Christ in my faith tradition. I suspect it is early Witness teachings and an attempt to integrate stuff I liked into my present life. The Christ you would impose is alien to me. I would spit on such a deity.

    If I were informed by facts and rationalilty alone, I would be an atheist. I can handle the contradictions. As discomforting as questions can be, I prefer them to believing in falsehoods.

    You cannot state you alone have the Holy Spirit and I do not. My God is more powerful than yours. I hold my God into account for droughts, sexual abuse of children, and suffering. I cannot worship a God that lets children have cancer and cares about what some weird images in Revelation mean. There are such larger issues.

    The political process in the United States is more important and we are only a small part of the world. Please. Christians are Christians. Christ is central to us. We are not called to be ancient Israelites.

    People may explain things to me. Suggestions are welcome. Preaching from some internet pulpit at me will never change my mind. I doubt I will ever change your mind. Cultural forces separate us, the Bible stuff is an excuse.

  • sabastious
    sabastious
    This is worse than Kingdom Hall.

    I don't see how this thread is "worse" than the Kingdom Hall. For one, there are a lot less child beatings. And second, there's no drinking fountain in the back that provides superior entertainment than what is being discussed on stage. Third, there's no microphones and last but not least there's NO GUILT and NO SHAME.

    Circumstances didn't allow me to get back to the thread as I'd hoped when I posted yesterday. Sab, you've done a huge amount of really valuable work.

    Thanks, Char. This content is just a fraction of what I have. With this series I wanted to test the waters and guess what? I found piranhas!

    There's a reason.

    It's probably because you work for the Justice League.

    -Sab

  • Lozhasleft
    Lozhasleft

    I am glad to hear this Band. Do you not 'hear' Christ then? as a brother/friend/spirit? As a part of the body of Christ? And if so, do you not recognize the Spirit in others? Does not your Spirit bear witness with theirs? Honestly, I'd like to know.

    Loz x

  • sabastious
    sabastious
    Look at a map of the world and see how teeny Israel is.

    Wow, after all these years Israel is still rejected for the same petty reason. It's remarkable! It's almost like you are preparing your heart for their destruction. You know they have a lot of enemies, right? You know they are our ally, RIGHT?????

    -Sab

  • sabastious
    sabastious
    I am glad to hear this Band. Do you not 'hear' Christ then? as a brother/friend/spirit? As a part of the body of Christ? And if so, do you not recognize the Spirit in others? Does not your Spirit bear witness with theirs? Honestly, I'd like to know.

    If you deny the Father you deny the Son. To theologically separate YHWH from Jesus is like telling a son to disown his father. The path of righteousness is through forgiveness. For example I have had to forgive my father for some terrible things he did to me. If I didn't I would be a worse person for it. I have a lot of resentment that he put me through a mind control cult. But that doesn't stop my love for him and it never will. If you read the Torah and study antiquity with faith you will see that it all perfectly fits together. You just have to see through the lies which requires the aid of the Spirit of Truth. Karen Armstrong is wrong when she says the Torah was never meant to concern itself with morality. Law and morality are eternally interlinked. What a mess of a world I woke up into.

    The Elect do not exist.

    Yes, they do. They are the "stones the builders reject."

    -Sab

  • Lozhasleft
    Lozhasleft

    Bump for Band to answer.

    Loz x

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    Since you keep addressing me... even if indirectly...

    In the first half of the breath:

    I hold my God into account for droughts, sexual abuse of children, and suffering.

    Second half of the same breath:

    I cannot worship a God that lets children have cancer

    Different gods, I guess...

    and cares about what some weird images in Revelation mean.

    Yet, the prophecies were to be sealed up... until the time of the end. Meaning, that the MOST Holy One of Israel WOULD be care... at SOME point about those weird images. In Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Revelation. Apparently, in all of your reading and studying you overlooked "how to read and understand prophecy... and when."

    A doulos of Christ,

    SA

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    I utterly reject YHWH and your concept of Christ. Furthermore, I see no sign of any gifts of the Holy Spirit in posts here. Making stuff up in your mind is not the Holy Spirit.

    Isn't it interesting that the Holy Spirit always tells you what you already believe? Also, you have no respect for believers who do not accept your legitimacy. If the Holy Spirit were truly at work would you not convince thousands? I seen no coherent theology here. You believe it is the Holy Spirit. Fine. I believe it is anything but the Holy Spirit.

    4 + 4=15, The Holy Spirit told me. I am not human but super human b/c God speaks to me and not to you.

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