by BackSlider 42 Replies latest jw friends
I would strongly recommend you to read this book:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bible_Unearthed
Notice this is *not* a book by atheists for atheists but a serious work by recognized researchers on the current status of biblical archeology (e.i. the OT).
The whole thing is black magick against regular people. Every prophesy that Israel is going to win a victory that is in that damnation book comes with a curse that, if that disgrace of a nation doesn't get its way, Disaster will happen. It is also full of fear, and disobeying the beady-eyed monster joke-hova would result in damnation. This was to get us in line, where everything that is good for the human soul is "sin". Not to mention, Jesus is nothing more than the archetype of the perfect slave so, by trying to imitate that thing, you merely become more of a potential slave. The whole book is designed to enslave us all while leading souls to damnation.
One of the worse things in the Watchtower religion is the use of the Old Testament to justify certain policies.
As I told before, the Witnesses justify the death of many children due to the bood ban, because the Old Testament narrates that Jehovah let his people die in His wars against the pagans. So, you may justify many absurdities by using the Old Testament as the Word of God.
So, you may justify many absurdities by using the Old Testament as the Word of God
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And, yet, the Apostle Paul held up the OT as worthy of respect by saying "all scripture [the Old Testament] is inspired and beneficial". Not that I believe the NT either, but this scripture is used as a basis by JWs (who, incidentally believe the "all scripture is inspired" reference means the entire Bible is inspired) for basing Christian beliefs on.
Is the Bible just as fake as the JW's? - BackSlider
Yes it is. Keep doing research and you will find out.
"The bible has some good advice as well as some great examples showing how far humankind has come over the years. Like anything, read it with a grain of salt and a critical eye." - OneOyeJoe
I get what you are saying but, imagine that you see a friend about to drink a poisoned glass of milk, even if the poison represented only a small percentage of the whole. Should you include the nutritious aspects of the milk in your warning?
And although you might replace your friend's poisoned milk with a glass of pure milk, this cannot be done with the Bible without acting dishonestly or ignorantly to the alleged infallibility or great examples of its words.
Respectfully,
Ismael
Maybe in my efforts not to seem like a rabid evangelical athiest, I overcompensated on some points. I guess what I was trying to say is that the bible should be read in a similar way as one might read Moby Dick. It has about as much value as Moby Dick too, but as I pointed out, it's cost society far more than any other work of fiction. It's got some stories (some of which are historically accurate) that teach lessons, just like Moby Dick teaches a lesson. The problem comes into play when people look at it as an inerrant directive and code of conduct. If people read it like fiction, they'd benefit from it the way anyone benefits from reading any fiction in that it can give you a different perspective on things and cause you to challenge your own beliefs, which is good for anyone from time to time.
As far as being the basis for the only true religion, it's definitely a fake.
Bible believers, as once I was, tend to not want to discard the Bible completely, hence they fall back on the "some of it is good" argument. A Poster on here once described that approach as " picking pennies out of dog s**t".
I now see the Bible for what it is, a collection of writings with no Provenance, that comprise the Theology of the times of the writer, that all the writers had an Agenda, which often involved them writing under a Pen-name, and that any "wisdom" contained therein is of its day, and has either been made entirely redundant or improved upon.
Is it as "fake as the JW's " ?
In as much as it claims to be the word of god, and JW's claim to be the true religion, yes.
Both claims are False.
And, yet, the Apostle Paul held up the OT as worthy of respect by saying "all scripture [the Old Testament] is inspired and beneficial".
How could be beneficial the following passage? :
"Attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants" (First Samuel 15:3).
How could be beneficial the following passage?
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Exactly !
That was very beneficial to the Israelites who wanted more land!
