Jesus didn't care about chronologies and bible knowledge--why should we?

by humbled 93 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  humbled

  When I read the gospels, I don't find a bunch of numbers. I loved that Jesus talked in a way that left me wide open to respond to God. "Love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself"

  The Witnesses came along with all that bible knowledge and convinced me that they were into that loving God-and-neighbor BIGTIME. But before long I realized that I was on a perpetual treadmill of "taking in knowledge of the only true god" but knowledge of God's love was long gone for the most part.

  Why do you think so many ex-dubs stay hung up on the numbers thing?
• 

  mP

  Jesus didnt care about writing anything down, so why bother reading the NT ?
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  Ding

  I don't think a high percentage of XJWs are interested in chronology, other than maybe to refute the WT.

  Many people who keep calculating and recalculating dates are lured by the possibility of gaining some insight no one else has.

  A similar attraction probably explains many who keep hunting for hidden codes in the Bible, the paintings of Da Vinci, or the like.
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  humbled

  Dear mP,

  Actually I find it more compelling when someone writes what another person said. We are such egomaniacs in the main. I would think less of Jesus if he HAD written anything down--our human vocabulary for spiritual things is pretty crappy. In fact he was called the Logos not the graphicos. Maybe a distinction that matters. One word indicating an idea of God's rather than the written words that everybody picks, parses and wrangles over--like I have the time to study Hebrew!

  Even so--you and I DO read, mP. And even if we take each other with a grain of salt, I do trust a bit what you write. And you maybe trust a bit what I write....
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  humbled

  Ding,do you think chronologies helped or hurt us in the JDubs?
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  Tater-T

  agreed ... when I realised " Does God really expect me to figure all this mumbo jumbo out, to please him? I think he would have made things a little more certain!"

  He didn't doesn't care about that.. why should anyone.. I think anyone that thinks they can, or it matters is way out of touch with reality..

  and narcissistic
• 

  Ding

  Helped or hurt in what sense?

  I think the chronology stuff brought in a lot of converts, especially when the WTS was hyping a particular date (just look at the growth rates).

  It also contributed to WT arrogance and the us v. them mindset -- secret knowledge gained only in "God's organization."

  That said, I also think seeing all the failed dates woke a lot of XJWs up to TTATT.
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  humbled

  Yea, Tater,

  this used to bug me. I mean I CAN read at least. But lots of people in the world can't. And women sure are less likely to than men. But if God's fair, then why would he put himself at the end of an equation or a sentence that I couldn't read-------unless some wiser man told me?
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  Tater-T

  I love the dub term accurate knowledge.. was that the key to salvation? or as Ding said secret knowledge..

  I left maintaining spirit and truth where enough for me..

  It always bugged me all this chronologies stuff ... it blows me a way that people on here spend the time and energy they do on it..

  To what end... I love this line from Jim Mora .. you think you know .. but you really don't know .. and you never will

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHipzGL4dwM
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  transhuman68

  I wonder whether the rise of interest in numbers in the Bible in the 19th century was sparked by the Industrial Revolution- with precision manufacturing and mass production, numbers would have become very important. Before that, in an agricultural economy, it would have been the seasons and time of year that was important, and the Bible and Church were just part of a traditional lifestyle, rather than a road map to Armageddon.