The account of Ananias and Sapphira at Acts 5 categorically proves the Bible is not inerrant

by yadda yadda 2 58 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • PSacramento
    PSacramento
    This is what is implied by the Bible. And after all, isn't the Bible infallible?

    Is it?

    Not everyone believes so.

    And while it is fine to suggets that something may be implied, it is also correct to be open to that supposed implication NOT being the correct one.

  • PSacramento
    PSacramento
    PSacramento, I agree with you, essentially.

    Thanks.

    Nowhere in Acts do we read that A & S were struck by God. It could have been an extraordinary, yet quite possible coincidence. I've read many stories of a woman dying upon the news that her husband has died, and vice-versa. Perhaps Ananias had a heart attack when he was confronted by Peter. Unbeknownst to Sapphira, she comes to the place where Peter was and the brothers that were assisting him (the same that took away Ananias' body) and Peter told her that they would ESCORT her out (no necessarily take her corpose away). But, upon the news of the death of her husband, she died too. Could it be that they were of already some elderly age? We don't know, but we can speculate. The congregation understood this as a work of God, and I'm sure the apostles, Peter included, understood it as such, and it served the purpose of setting an "example" for the congregation. But again, the Bible never states that they were both killed by God.

    We are speculting of course, we don't know and it may will be that the HS did strike them down because of their lies.

    The point is that BOTH views are specualtion and both canbe legit so to suggest that they were struck down by God or the HS or Peter based on what MAY be implied is only ONE option and no more ( or less) valid then any other.

    In the bible, when God strikes down, it is made clear and isn't "implied" and that is NOT the case here.

    Sure the implication is there if you read into it as such and lots of people certainly do, BUT if we look at the NW writings and Luke's writings ( since he wrote both Acts and GOL), do we see that pattern?

    I suggest that we do not.

  • designs
    designs

    Big Mac heart-attack no doubt

  • tec
    tec

    I'm sorry about assuming you were an ex-JW tec but I see a lot of the same mental gymnastics that JWs employ.

    It is not something that needs an apology, mrfreeze. So no worries. Just responded to correct the application.

    The implication of the account is that God struck them down. It doesn't directly say it but I'm not sure how you can come to any other conclusion. Two people just dropping dead when they are found out for telling a lie. Either Peter killed them or God killed them but I highly doubt they would both drop dead from a heart attack at the same exact time.

    It might be the implication... or it might not. That is a problem with implications... they are just as often untrue.

    I come to another conclusion, because Christ is the one we were given to show us God. So any implications... should be weighed against Him and His teachings (by word and deed). He struck no one down... warned people plenty, but judged no one. So, implication or not, we can weigh the truth of an implication by looking at Him.

    This is what is implied by the Bible. And after all, isn't the Bible infallible?

    Definitely not. It doesn't even claim that about itself.

    Peace,

    tammy

  • heathen
    heathen

    not true tec , jc judged the religious leaders for their lack of faith called them synagogue of satan and said it would go easier for sodom and gomorah on judgement day than for jerusalem , there is a difference between judgement and execution , it is believed by the WTBTS that he used the roman army to anihilate them in 70ce. The story of sophia and ananias can be examined but exactly cause of death from a CSI angle cannot be determined .LOL If we compare what happened to herod antipas we see something different as he was turned to a pile of puss and worms for blaspheme

  • Jeffro
    Jeffro
    Actually NOWHERE does the scripture say they were killed by God, Christ, The HS or Peter.

    It's just a fable presenting a messed up cautionary tale about lying. That's all. Never happened.

  • Jeffro
    Jeffro
    Can you imagine Jesus Christ doing this if he was the one that Ananias and Sapphira gave the money to?

    Depends which 'magic' books you choose to believe and which you choose to conveniently ignore.

    *** w95 3/1 p. 4 Jesus’ Miracles—History or Myth? ***
    The apocryphal “Gospel of Thomas” relates: “When this boy Jesus was five years old . . . , he went through the village, and a lad ran and knocked against his shoulder. Jesus was exasperated and said to him: ‘You shall not go further on your way’, and the child immediately fell down and died.”
  • tec
    tec

    Heathen, their own words judge them.

    BUT... Christ also asked that they be forgiven for they know not what they do; he also said that 'you will not see me again UNTIL you say, blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD.'

    I did not know the wts believed that about the roman army; unfortunately for them, they do not see God as Christ showed Him to be... they see God as vengeful and angry.

    Peace,

    tammy

  • DeWandelaar
    DeWandelaar

    According to scripture a lot of christians became ill by not obeying rules... it is something I never heared of untill recently and is exactly the opposite of the teachings of christ

    1 corinthians 11 states the following:

    The Lord’s Supper

    23 For xI received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that ythe Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for 5 you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 6 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death zuntil he comes.

    27 aWhoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord bin an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning cthe body and blood of the Lord. 28 dLet a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some ehave died.7 31 fBut if we judged8 ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, gwe are disciplined9 so that we may not be hcondemned along with the world.

    ...

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