by Carol1111 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I had a discussion with 4 JWs today and they told me that Jesus could not be tempted, ( they say that he would not be perfect if he could) but also they told me that Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness.
Can anyone clarify their beliefs please. I like to give them a reasoned argument when I talk to them, but have never noticed this conflict of ideas before.
I had a discussion with 4 JWs today and they told me that Jesus could not be tempted..
Yes he can!
......................................
I`m Trading You..
For a Cookie!..
Ask them if they think this scripture is true:
2 Corinthians 10:13 — God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear
They woud definitely agree
Then drop the bomb on them: Well, your stupid god evidently allowed Eve to be tempted beyond what she could bear! ! ! (A young inexperienced human being manipulated by a powerful and crafty spirit creature who has lived for aeons? Tell me how that is fair!)
I suspect that by their first statement they intended to say that Jesus couldn't be tempted successfully.
But, on 2nd thought, that doesn't make sense either, since if it were impossible for Jesus to succumb to temptation, then it really wasn't a temptation, was it?
I give up. I have no idea what they meant.
Most JWs gave up caring about doctrine decades ago anyway, so it's probably not surprising that they can't explain it well.
Most JWs gave up caring about doctrine decades ago
Yep! They let the "great minds" in "Brooklyn" sort it all and then they just do what Mother tells them to do. So simple. No work. No studying. No problem.
Ok so the Bible suggests that the devil tried to tempt Jesus with food, power and invincibility. Inquiring mind needs to know did he really turn him down. Did he lie to Adam and Eve? So was it the Devil or God who allowed Jesus to come back to life. Maybe Jesus had a lapse in memory and went for the devil's deal and that's why He have not return.
Ancient mythology is what it is , you can take whatever you want in its understanding, the JWS take it one way and stamp correct above all others, because god guides their organization alone and solemnly.
The question of why god would let Satan enter the Garden of Eden in the first place to try and temp Eve has been discussed before. Perhaps he wanted to test Adam and Eve to their loyalty. Personally if I came upon a snake that talked when no others did, I would run like hell. .......just saying
Finkelstein."I would run like hell". I figured the animals talked before Eve arrived, so it was no big deal. Adam probably dated a few of the sheep and they spoke. That's why later they made it a law, you can't marry your sheep. Yes any sane person would have left the that little paradise...Hell my story is just as believable as the Bible account.
Isnt it true that the Old Testament does not identify" Satan" as any one being ,Angel , God , Spirit being or otherwise ?
The personification of Satan as a fallen Angel is non existent in the Old Testament writings ,it was only introduced in the Christian Era of the New Testament.?
Isnt that correct ?
That the Jews ,Israelites ,Gods chosen people for four thousand years with Jehovah dealing with them with revelations prophets and being under his Theocracy with the Priesthood ,never informed them that Satan was a fallen Angel out to mislead them.
He kept this from them for four thousand years ?
It seems to contradict the Old Testament that a fallen Angel Satan tempted Jesus.
1) Temptation account is not real. If real, it would mean that Satan and Jesus believed that shape of earth is flat so that both can see "all the kingdoms of the earth" if viewed from the mountain top.
2) Genesis account of Satan is borrowed from pagans, hence not worthy of analysis. Even if it is original, details does not befit the kind of satan he should be. If Satan is so smart as to scheme against God and his children, he would definitely choose some smart method, not a sub-standard temptation as in this case. It is too obvious that Adam and Eve who had already experienced God as their unlimited benefactor would never believe God as withholding something good from them, nor He is a liar, especially when such a malicious suggestion originated from a stranger—with a strange phenomenon—a snake with speaking ability! Also Satan contradicted only the effects of their disobedience, which of course further weakens his position, because prima facie, it is the Law-giver that knows the effects of disobedience, not the spectators who have never seen a violation before.
