I think he had a JW girlfriend a long long time ago.
He is here to proselytise an alternative cult. He is active on a forums all over the net doing the same thing.
How Knowledge is Dissipated in Talks
by Cold Steel 66 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Finkelstein
To the unfortunate plight of people listening, the designated JW talks they are full of ignorance, lies and deception designed exclusively by the WTS leaders, that's really how they came into power and money in the first place.
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2+2=5
The South Park episode on Mormons is fantastic. Covers the religion well without exaggeration.
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Vidiot
Steel - "Mormon theology is completely laughable but in terms as being as destructive to your physical and mental health as the watchtower and tract society, it's not even close."
I've long thought of the LDS as the WTS's weirder but nicer older cousin.
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Old Navy
Well now, the discussion is interesting but wild. What a range of demonstrated tolerances and maturities!
I'd say the title of the thread is entirely apropos; Knowledge is nearly completely dissipated by Watchtower protocol and procedure before it is even spoken to the attentive congregations. What is disseminated is dogma and doctrine conceived of by men with little appreciation for The Word.
Thankfully, I somehow was able to resist the brainwashing and mind control techniques so leaving The Cult was far easier for me than many who participate here who are still visibly suffering from the abuse.
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TD
As a Latter-day Saint, I look at the background and scholastical degrees of our proponents, in and out of the church. Noted archeologists, geologists, anthropologists, historians, doctorates in ancient scripture, early Christianity and even in Islamic Studies...
The church does seem to have a greater tolerance for heretical thought (i.e. academic honesty) than the JW's and in that respect is different in a positive way.
There is no explanation for how a Greek idiom (αμην αμην λεγω υμιν) unique to only one writer of the NT found its way into the BOM other than the obvious: --A poor 19th century farm boy did not understand the danger of copying directly from the KJV, which translates the idiom literally.
That LDS scholars can on one hand acknowledge this fact when pressed while on the other hand, continue as active members of the church is an interesting commentary on the human condition and in that respect, they are not so very different from educated JW's, who must walk a similar intellectual tightrope.
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Cold Steel
No, I never had a JW girlfriend because I'm pretty sure I could have either converted her or, at the least, got her to leave the JW faith.
But you guys really need to lighten up. We have none of the cultish aspects of the JWs. (Cofty hates any religion, so he's not a good source for anything having to do theology. He lacks...substance. He's quick to a few barbs, then vanishes, and is kind of like Eris (Discord) in Greek mythology. At the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, she threw in a golden apple and...poof, gone.) We LDS have world class geologists, archaeologists, anthropologists, professors of ancient scripture, historians -- all educated people you won't find in JW circles. We also interact with Islamic, Jewish and other Christian faiths that JWs don't do. An really, the only ones who call us a "cult" are the evangelicals and atheists, and they're going to Hell anyway (JUST KIDDING!).
There are both problems and evidences in the Book of Mormon and if anyone wants to discuss these and other issues, I'll be happy to address them via private messages if you wish. But this "cult" thing is ridiculous. I'm FREE to think like I want, believe what I want, read what I want, associate with whom I want, and we don't shun anyone. And our meetings are as boring as anyone else's (but I like the courses). So what's with the cult? (And c'mon, even first century Christianity was a cult, so what's the difference?)
So it's just a case of name calling. If someone has any actual issues they want addressed, drop me a line. But please don't copy and paste from anti-Mormon sites. I've seen it all.
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TD
I think he had a JW girlfriend a long long time ago.
LOL - I had a Mormon girlfriend. Growing up within walking distance of a temple, it could hardly have been any different. I haven't thought about her in many years, but I hope she is doing well and enjoying her grandchildren....
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Cold Steel
TD » There is no explanation for how a Greek idiom (αμην αμην λεγω υμιν) unique to only one writer of the NT found its way into the BOM other than the obvious: --A poor 19th century farm boy did not understand the danger of copying directly from the KJV, which translates the idiom literally.
What's the idiom? I'll check it out.
I had a Mormon girlfriend.
I ended up with a non-Mormon wife from Tehran. She came to the U.S. before the Revolution and despised Islam so much that she became a Greek Orthodox. She took the introductory course they offered at the local church. I had taken the same course just out of interest (I study other religions and ended up here when an aunt, uncle and their family became JWs. The family broke off all relations with us.)
To this day she's just happy to be out of Islam. She's been back to Iran and says the buildings are all the same, but the people have changed.
Her parents were some of the finest people I've ever met. We took them to the beach and I went into a BBQ ribs place. Her dad had never once touched pork, and I gave him a few of mine. He loved them.
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TD
What's the idiom? I'll check it out.
One of John's pet expressions, occurring 19 times in the book attributed to him was αμην αμην λεγω υμιν (Literally, "Truly, truly I say to you.")
This phrase is recognized as an idiom today and even in literal translations, modern scholars prefer equivalency of thought (e.g. Most truly, very truly, etc.) over a word repetition abnormal in English. (i.e. truly, truly)
This phrase also occurs in the BOM, principally in the book of 3 Nephi. Here's one of several examples:
"And verily, verily I say unto you that I have other sheep that are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister." (3 Nephi 16:1)
This is more than simply a repetition of thought from the Bible (John 10:16) and more than simply a repetition of an expression unique to one writer of the Bible. This is a repetition of an overly literal translation of a language alien to the BOM in the Jamesian English of the translators, no less.
But like I said, there are LDS scholars who are perfectly aware of all this and manage to balance things out in their minds in a manner not so very different than the way scholarly minded JW's resolve their dilemmas.
