Ok here are a few links any Apostate will enjoy! Some things will really make any believer wonder.
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/jw_list.html
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/
Beans
Skeptics Bible for JW`s, many great questions!
by Beans 18 Replies latest watchtower bible
-
-
Will Power
Pretty cool! You learn something new everyday.
I also checked out a link on the side.Jews for Judaism. If I was a jew I'd be real ticked with what the JWs have done to their God.
I'd post some excerpts but they have copyrighted.http://jewsforjudaism.org/j4j-2000/html/library/JW/mindcontrol.html
-
maynard
When you approach a subject (in this case, the bible) with skepticism you will more then likely come away from that subject with a skeptical outlook or opinion. That being the case you would have never given the subject a fair chance.
The web sites listed takes verses out of their biblical context and then views them from a secular perspective. In doing this you loose the intended meaning and teaching and naturally develop a skeptical view.
Have you read the entire bible all the way through at least once? If not you will not understand the context of a passage. Have you labored to understand the culture and background in which it was written? If not you will not understand why teachings are given or there intended meaning.
In the case of skeptics I guess it is easer to blast what you don’t like or understand and then make up your own rules for living, in essence making yourself out to be your own God.
Blessings to you
Maynard -
SYN
Red Text Man: Yes, I HAVE read the whole Bible. It didn't change my viewpoint ONE iota. Which bits of the Bible have I "taken out of context"? The bit where God commits genocide several times perhaps? Or how about the bit where Noah gets all the species of Earth into ONE boat? Or maybe the bit where GOD IS MAN? AHAHAHAAH! Dude, you are deluded.
"Vaccination has never saved a human life. It does not prevent smallpox." The Golden Age, Feb 4 1931 p. 293-4 - The Sacredness of Human Blood (Reasons why vaccination is unscriptural)
-
maynard
Yes, I HAVE read the whole Bible. It didn't change my viewpoint ONE iota.
Like I said, if you approach it as a skeptic, your view will be skeptical. Your very statement indicates that you were skeptical before you even read it since reading it did not change your viewpoint.
Which bits of the Bible have I "taken out of context"?
Since this is your first contribution to this thread, none yet. I was referring in general to skeptics who blast the message of the bible because it conflicts with their sinful life style that they don’t want to change.The bit where God commits genocide several times perhaps?
I’m not familiar with the passage you are referring to. You would have to give me the address in order for me to comment on it.Or how about the bit where Noah gets all the species of Earth into ONE boat? Or maybe the bit where GOD IS MAN?
Given the size of the Ark, that all or most of the animals were very young and not full grown, that most of the animals would have hibernated during there time on the Ark, and that God is all powerful to direct those animals to the Ark, I see no problem with it.The only way God could pay the price for yours and my sin would be to become a man. Given that God is all-powerful and the creator of all things, I see no problem with him taking the very nature of a man;
Phil 2: 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[1] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[2] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!AHAHAHAAH! Dude, you are deluded.
I guess it is generally easer to put people down and use name-calling when you know your worldview will not stand the test and is not defendable logically. Is this what you have to offer the world as a skeptic? What good does put-downs and name-calling contribute to our culture or world? What virtue is there in that?While people of the word of God are not perfect, they have so much more to offer the world and culture; Gal 5: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
If all people acted in accordance with the fruit of the Spirit we would not need laws, but because there are skeptics laws must be made.May God open your eyes so that you can be saved and be bless with wisdom and knowledge.
Maynard
-
Quotes
My two cent's response to Maynard:
When you approach a subject (in this case, the bible) with skepticism you will more then likely come away from that subject with a skeptical outlook or opinion.
I'm not sure what you mean when you use the word "skeptical". Perhaps you are making the common mistake of confusing "skeptical" with "cynical".From the masthead of SKEPTIC magazine:
What is a Skeptic?
Taking only one bible "inconsistenecy" example at random: If only Noah and his family survived the "global" flood described in the bible, how did the "Nephilim" (the claimed giant offspring of angel/human coupling) survive? They are still be around in Numbers 13:33??? I thought that the Nephilim were a big reason why the world was so corrupt that God had to slaughter everyone on the planet!
What does it mean to be a skeptic? Some people belive that skepticism is rejection of new ideas, ow worse, they confuse "skeptic" with "cynic" and think that skeptics are a bunch of grumpy curmudgeons unwilling to accept any claim that challenges the status quo. This is wrong. Skepticism is a provisional approach to claims. It is the application of reason to any and all ideas -- no sacred cows allowed. In other words, skepticism is a method, not a position. Ideally, skeptics do not go into an investigation closed to the possiblity that a phenomenon might be real or that a claim might be true. When we say we are "skeptical," we mean that we must see compelling evidence before we believe. Skeptics are from Missouri -- the "show me" state. When we hear a fantastic claim we say, "that's nice, prove it."[...]
Modern skepticism is embodied in the scientific method, that involves gathering data to formulate and test naturalistic explnations for natural phenomena. A claim becomes factual when it is confirmed to such an extent it would be reasonable to offer temporary agreement. But all facts in science are provisional and subject to challenge, and therefore skepticism is a method leading to provisional conclusions. Some claims, such as water dowsing, ESP, and creationism, have been tested (and failed the tests) often enough that we can provisionally conclude that they are not valid. Other claims, such as hypnosis, the origins of language, and black holes, have been tested but results are inconclusive so we must continue formulating and testing hypothese and theories until we can reach a provisional conclusion.
[...]
Sum Ergo Cogito -- I Am Therefore I ThinkI don't see how re-reading the entire bible will make a difference in trying to explain this seeming inconsistency, but perhaps you could explain it to me. I look forward to your response.
===========================
For interesting Watchtower Society literature quotes, complete with references but without any editorial, check out: http://Quotes.JehovahsWitnesses.com -
Quotes
To pick up on SYN's point about Genocide:
The Flood story is one example, and based on the apparent survival of the Nephilim, no a very successful divine genocide.
Another one is 1 Samuel 15 where God commands a genocide (even farm animals are to be killed), but is dissapointed that Saul showed a tiny amount of compassion:
*** Reference Bible 1 Samuel 15:3-11 ***
===========================
3 Now go, and you must strike down Am'a·lek and devote him to destruction with all that he has, and you must not have compassion upon him, and you must put them to death, man as well as woman, child as well as suckling, bull as well as sheep, camel as well as ass.'" 4 Accordingly Saul summoned the people and took the count of them in Te·la'im, two hundred thousand men on foot and ten thousand men of Judah.5 And Saul proceeded to come as far as the city of Am'a·lek and to lie in ambush by the torrent valley. 6 Meanwhile Saul said to the Ken'ites: "GO, DEPART, GO DOWN from the midst of the A·mal'ek·ites, that I may not sweep you away with them. As for you, you exercised loving-kindness with all the sons of Israel at the time of their coming up out of Egypt." So the Ken'ites departed from the midst of Am'a·lek. 7 After that Saul went striking down Am'a·lek from Hav'i·lah as far as Shur, which is in front of Egypt. 8 And he got to catch A'gag the king of Am'a·lek alive, and all the other people he devoted to destruction with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people had compassion upon A'gag and upon the best of the flock and the herd and the fat ones and upon the rams and upon all that was good, and they did not wish to devote them to destruction. As for all the goods that were despicable and rejected, these they devoted to destruction.
10 The word of Jehovah now came to Samuel, saying: 11 "I do regret that I have caused Saul to reign as king, because he has turned back from following me, and my words he has not carried out." And it was distressing to Samuel, and he kept crying out to Jehovah all night long.
For interesting Watchtower Society literature quotes, complete with references but without any editorial, check out: http://Quotes.JehovahsWitnesses.com -
Seeker4
Red and Blue letter man:
Ah, in one little phrase you hit exactly on the reason why thinking people have trouble with the Bible as literal literature. In reference to the Ark and Noah, you said you have no problem with accepting it. You gave several "reasons," as it were, and then wrote:
"...and that God is all powerful to direct those animals to the Ark, I see no problem with it."Oh yes. When things just don't make sense you resort to the old "shazamm" argument. That is: "God is all powerful and he did it by a miracle."
Bullshit. Oh yeah, I've read the Bible cover to cover many times, and as a believer. It just got so ludicrous that I eventually had to stop kidding myself and accept the facts. The Bible is a nice book, but about as inspired as any other mythology. That is, not at all.
S4 -
detective
I'd imagine reading the bible cover to cover is similiar to reading any anthology. You do understand that it's an anthology and not one book, right Maynard?
Lots of different perspectives and lots of different ways of telling stories. Sometimes different ways of telling the same story too! -
Beans
Quotes Rules!
Have you read the entire bible all the way through at least once? If not you will not understand the context of a passage. Have you labored to understand the culture and background in which it was written? If not you will not understand why teachings are given or there intended meaning.
What a load of crap, are you aware of how many people hear have read the bible through and through? That damn book was pressed against my face for years and finally there is another opinion on it that I like and you go and ruin it all!
Beans