Posts by truth_b

83

I understand your separating yourselves from the Org...BUT~

by Revealed in

...why have you left the god and his son?.

truth_b_known

JoenB75 - if you think that Genesis is a myth please would you explain to me why it is set in time?

What date/year/century do the events in Genesis take place? The furthest date back given for the writing of the Book of Genesis is around 1,500 BCE, about 3,700 years ago. Recorded history goes back to about 2,600 BCE to Sumerian texts. That is about 1,100 years of no written mention of Adam and Eve. However, the Tree of Life and Global Flood stories in Genesis appear to be plagiarized from the Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh. It is also theorized that the first "Israelite", the forefather of the Jews, was the Abraham of Genesis. Abram is alleged to have been born in Sumer around the year 2,500 BCE.

The possibility and probability that the Canaanite tribe that would become Israel adopted the Sumerian creation myth. Just as the Israelites changed to a monotheistic religion when they were conquered by the Persians (Zoroastrian religion) and the Israelite belief in the afterlife was altered when they were conquered by Greece. The whole purpose of the Pharisees was to keep Judaism pure and keep out religious influence by whomever the captors of the day were.

Myths start 'once up a time' or 'a long, long time ago' - like the evolution myth does.

Fossil evidence and anthropological evidence shows modern humans existing for about 150,000 years. Evolution is not a myth. It is a scientific theory with empirical evidence that supports it, such as fossil records that can be dated. In fact, no other scientific theory has come under attack for so long or so hard as evolution and yet scientists continue to line up to defend it.

As a reminder, life does not originate from evolution. Abiogenesis is life from lifelessness, which was recreated in a lab (see Miller-Urey Experiment).

63

Who did CHRIST claim he was?

by Revealed in

his heavenly father freely made his identity known!.

truth_b_known

But there IS evidence outside the Bible that he existed.

There are references by historical figures in their writings of Jesus. However, none of these writers were eyewitnesses or even contemporaries. That is not evidence.

83

I understand your separating yourselves from the Org...BUT~

by Revealed in

...why have you left the god and his son?.

truth_b_known

Now you don't have to believe that. That is your choice but the description of Adam's creation in the Bible firmly rules out evolution.

Which is why even many Christians believe the Biblical creation account is allegory and not historically true.

On a side note - Does Jesus' ransom sacrifice apply to Neanderthals or just Homo Sapiens? We have no records of Neanderthals sinning, so why are they not living forever in the present?

18

So let's discuss the framework of gods plan for a paradise earth

by nowwhat? in

so after jehovah kills 8 billion people "for not knowing him'" he is going to resurrect 100 billion humans because " they didn't know him" .

the 8 million jw's will be tasked with educating these ones.

that's 1 jw for every 12k resurrected ones.

truth_b_known

Arguing with one of Jehovah's Witnesses is like arguing over General Calrissian taking the starship Enterprise to the Battle of Five Armies.

21

Do any of you ex JW`s ever feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit you were once a JW? To your now friends / associates ?

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

i ask this now because i have been living in this town for the past 14 years and the circle of friends i have now i have never let on i am an ex jw.. i`m talking about 30-50 people at least.. not that the subject has ever really come up , but i think they would be shocked / amazed that i was a ( i hate this word ) a "devout" jw for 32 years going around knocking on peoples doors trying to convert them to the religion .. yet every now and again i get tempted to.. how say you ?.

truth_b_known

I tell no one. At the most I say that I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian religion. However, I think I might change that now. How can I help others avoid the mistake of becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses if I don't let them know I stopped being one?

63

Who did CHRIST claim he was?

by Revealed in

his heavenly father freely made his identity known!.

truth_b_known

Revealed:

I am not an atheist. I am a critical thinker with an open mind. Punk of Nice made a valid point that is provable with evidence. The point he made is this - There is no evidence of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, outside of the Bible.

We believe that the first writings about Jesus came around 25 years after the alleged death of Jesus. These were the Epistles written by Paul. The first Gospel account was written 40 years after Jesus' alleged death.

Outside of these writings there are writings by certain Roman officials. However, the first of these was written 60 years after Jesus' alleged death. About 80 years after Jesus' alleged death. The Roman governor of Turkey, Pliny, wrote that the Christians there worshipped Jesus as God and were followers of a dangerous superstition.

What we can see is that, outside the Bible, there are no writings of eyewitnesses of Jesus. Yes, there are writings about Jesus, but they either do not corroborate the Gospels or they speak disparaging of both Jesus and Christianity.

This is why I believe there was a man we now refer to as Jesus. I believe he gained enlightenment (try fasting in the wilderness for 40 days and see what happens). I believe that he had a message of peace that used Judaism as a means to explain his insight. He may have even been executed for it. It didn't take too long after his death that a religion was formed based on his teaching and he was made into a deity. Yes, it is a historical fact - Jesus was made into God by men shortly after his death.

As far as who Yeshua claimed to be - When he said "I am the son of God", looking at the original language of the text we can see that it is a saying much like the English saying "You son of a bitch". When you call someone a son of a bitch you do not mean that they literally were born from a dog. Rather, you mean they have doglike qualities.

Jesus claimed he was divine...just like you and me. That was his message. That is the Gospel.

18

So let's discuss the framework of gods plan for a paradise earth

by nowwhat? in

so after jehovah kills 8 billion people "for not knowing him'" he is going to resurrect 100 billion humans because " they didn't know him" .

the 8 million jw's will be tasked with educating these ones.

that's 1 jw for every 12k resurrected ones.

truth_b_known

It is interesting to look at the history of "the future" based on the Bible.

The ancient Israelites belief in an afterlife evolved based on who was their current conqueror. Initially, the Israelite belief was that there is no afterlife. You are born, you live, and you die. If you live in a way that is pleasing to their god your life would be blessed. Job is an example.

We see the change in division in the Gospels. You had the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The history of those two groups is interesting. One believed in a resurrection. The other did not. Both worshipped Jehovah and made sacrifices in Jerusalem.

The Bible is only suggestive on any plans for a Paradise Earth. What the Watchtower teaches, and claims is based on the Bible, is clear -

All non-believers will be killed at Armageddon.
Those who benefit from their relationship with the Annointed on Earth might live through Armageddon.
Both "righteous" and "unrighteous" will be resurrected to life on Earth.

34

What Type of Future do YOU look forward to?

by Revealed in

or dread?.

truth_b_known

Nothing that can change is eternal.

34

What Type of Future do YOU look forward to?

by Revealed in

or dread?.

truth_b_known

Nobel Laurette Robert Penrose came up with the theory called the “conformal cyclic cosmology” which postulates that the universe goes through infinite cycles where Big Bang is the birth of a new universe. Radiation emitted from black holes, called "Hawking Radiation", is evidence of the previous universe. This constant renewal of the Universe is in line with the Hindu creation story of Brahma who -

Brhadaryanka Upanishad 1.4: the world is said to have come into existence because the Primeval One, having become bored being the only being in existence, split Itself into a variety of forms and manifestations (i.e., the material world and all of its beings) so that, through them, It could experience a loving and playful relationship with Itself.

In short, we and everything are one - Brahma. The point of life is realizing this. However, there is a time limit to each "game" and Shiva destroys the Universe at the end of the time limit. Then the whole game is reset - a new Universe.

In addition, quantum physics shows us there is no Newtonian, dualistic universe. All things are made of matter. Matter, atoms, are made of energy. Therefor, all things are energy. Energy cannot be divided nor can it be destroyed. Energy can only be transformed. So, in short, we are all connected with everything or as Hindus put is - all is Brahma.

On the other hand we have "In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth." How? Why? Neither are explained. YHWH just willed everything into existence. Light/daytime is created on Earth before the Sun is created. That's how Genesis Chapter 1 has recorded creation.

18

So let's discuss the framework of gods plan for a paradise earth

by nowwhat? in

so after jehovah kills 8 billion people "for not knowing him'" he is going to resurrect 100 billion humans because " they didn't know him" .

the 8 million jw's will be tasked with educating these ones.

that's 1 jw for every 12k resurrected ones.

truth_b_known

Please tell us the facts and show your evidence to support your conclusion, Revealed.

truth_b_known

Posts by truth_b_known