by yadda yadda 2 58 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The standard JW response:
"Jehovah must have seen that A & S had wicked hearts, evidently they were covering over other serious sins, so there was no basis for Jehovah to forgive them."
JWs love to make up reasons, excuses, justifications for the cruelty their god often displays.
yada yada,
What this account shows me as that God is the same from 'beginning' to infinity, He does not change, as He himself has stated.
This is a VERY strict God, that appears to DEMAND perfection, and if it wasn't for Christ, we could very well be hated by our own creator.
(this assumes that one believes in God and the Bible)
When I read that He is fear inspiring, i take it literally, fear inspiring.
The actions in Acts are consistent with his actions throughout the Bible, really. Is it right or wrong of Him to react in such ways? Many would argue NO!! But, if this God trully exists, what we think is irrelevant. Many could argue (and they do, in religion) that he has provided the way out (from His wrath) through Christ, thus becoming a loving God. This argument is also reinforced by the concept of 'choice' that He gives us, to make our decisions, as Sapphira and Ananias do.
Wether this is all true or not, is what I am personally on a 'quest' to find out.
So, where does it say that they were killed by God, Jesus or the HS ?
5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.
I am sure this story was indeed USED to make people "behave" according to the will of God ( as explained by the leades no doubt).
But NOWHERE does it state that they were killed by anything or anyone.
Where do you see they were "struck down", "killed" anything that directly states that it was a divine ACT that killed them?
Ananais heard the accusation and fell dead
His wife, when confronted by the same accusation, fell dead.
NO mention of them being killed at all.
Sure, one can interpret what happened as "divine punishment" for consiously lying to the HS, but nowhere is it stated that they were killed by God, HS or Jesus.
*** w69 3/15 p. 191 Questions From Readers ***
As a punishment for this sin Jehovah brought three days of pestilence that killed 70,000 Israelites. (2 Sam. 24:12-16) Was that unjust? Were 70,000 innocent people dying for the king’s error? The Bible plainly shows that we all are sinners deserving of death; it is only by God’s undeserved kindness that we live. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; Lam. 3:22, 23) So those who died had no special “right” to life. Additionally, can any human today say for sure that those 70,000 were not guilty of some serious sin not mentioned in the historical record?
Gotta love the even numbers, LOL !
JWs love to make up reasons, excuses, justifications for the cruelty their god often displays.
Yep. My favorite one is when they invoke the mantra "God's ways are higher than our ways" in order to justify evils that make Pol Pot look like an amateur.
How's this for a possibility-
The asking price of the field, may well have been be public knowledge (for sale sign), thus Peter and other nieghbours would have an anticipated amount fixed in their minds.
The couple sell the field for a major down payment, and extend credit to the buyer for the remainder. Peter, like the WTS, wants the money NOW.
The couple give him the full amount recieved, but can't commit to the portion on credit.
They may actually have been very poor and the greatest, real security of the poor is a piece of land -much the same even today.
They had no guarantee of the balance ever being paid - what if the buyer, died or fell sick, or cheated them? -all things beyond their control - and they had already given freely, ALL of what little security they had.
Pete knew the asking price of 10 and when he only got 7 or 8, he lost it, without all the facts - much like a modern day Judicial Committees.
GfG
right PS, they just happened to both die of natural causes, its just a coinkydink.
ANNNYYYWAY.....
this is an interesting one because what caused me to conclude that the bible has nothing to do with God if he exists was really sitting down and reading and meditating the OT and the horrific mass murders and torture of children and babies at the command of "God". this is the only messed up "killed by God" that I am aware of in the NT, and I didnt think of it until the OP just posted about it.
right PS, they just happened to both die of natural causes, its just a coinkydink.
If one chooses to interpret the implication of divine punishment, one most certainly can.
My point is simply that it is NOT stated as such.
Maybe they died from a heart attack because of being caught in a serious lie, or maybe their death was brought upon because they realized what they had done, how they blasphemied the HS ( and being well aware of the issue with that, they died on the spot), or whatever.
Point being is that nowhere is it stated that they died via a direct act from God, Jesus, the HS or even Peter for that matter.
