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.
truth_b_known
JoinedPosts by truth_b_known
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truth_b_known
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I understand your separating yourselves from the Org...BUT~
by Revealed in...why have you left the god and his son?.
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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?
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So let's discuss the framework of gods plan for a paradise earth
by nowwhat? inso 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.
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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.
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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 ini 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 ?.
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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?
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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.
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So let's discuss the framework of gods plan for a paradise earth
by nowwhat? inso 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.
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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.
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truth_b_known
Nothing that can change is eternal.
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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.
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So let's discuss the framework of gods plan for a paradise earth
by nowwhat? inso 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.
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truth_b_known
Please tell us the facts and show your evidence to support your conclusion, Revealed.
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truth_b_known
Do you believe you've been created or evolved?
Evolution is accepted as true by the Catholic Church because evolution has nothing to do with origin. Evolution is a process that takes place after life comes into being. I believe the question being asked is -
"Do you believe in the Biblical creation or do you believe in abiogenesis?"
The Bible is not the only faith based source of a creation account. The Hindu creation cosmology is more in line with science, especially quantum physics.
Men have been around for thousands (if not MILLIONS) of years, but is not EVOLVING.
Modern Homo Sapiens have walked the Earth for around 150,000 years. Homo Sapiens continued evolution would be like its previous evolution - extremely slow, to the point that a person would not be able to observe it in a life time.
Here are 5 examples of continued human evolution -
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30795/5-signs-humans-are-still-evolving
5 Signs Humans Are Still Evolving
- Humans drink milk. Historically, the gene that regulated humans' ability to digest lactose shut down as we were weaned off our mothers' breast milk.
- We're losing our wisdom teeth.
- We're resisting infectious diseases.
- Our brains are shrinking.
- Some of us have blue eyes.