So .... the last will be the first, they will even get better positions in the earthly theocracy. .although they never survived harmagedon and the Gtribulation .but under them will be salomon and other old tyranns that remember how to become mighty and rich .. under peaceful conditions they will do even worse things than before... after a short bibel study they will show their real face....and ruin the earthly paradise.and destroy all bible printings houses .....perhaps not...?
TheWonderofYou
JoinedPosts by TheWonderofYou
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5
Do they ever meditate on their hope?
by paradisebeauty ini just realized that 99% of jw have the same hope as the "unjust".
they want to live forever in a paradise on earth.
but they say this is also what all the "unjust" people who never knew jehovah will get.
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45
Rejecting something due to unscriptural or pagan origins.....?
by stuckinarut2 inso witnesses reject many practices or holidays due to their "unscriptural or pagan" origins.. for example, birthday celebrations, mothers or father's day, christmas etc..... most people in the world will say "but the origin doesn't matter anymore, we follow this custom now because it's a joyful occasion that creates happy times and brings the family together".
it is still firmly rejected.. so, if the wrong origin is so important, and should result in rejecting something, why isn't the same principle applied to the actual jehovah's witness faith itself!?.
after all, the very foundation of the organisation was based on wrong understandings of the bible, far fetched teachings and doctrines, links to false religious backgrounds, pyramidology, false predictions, inaccurate beliefs etc...... using their reasoning, it doesn't matter how good something is now, if the origin was faulty to begin with?
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TheWonderofYou
There is a fear that behind everything pagan activity connected with religion could be a satanic conspiracy. Thats the basic belief of JW. No understanding that even in ancient culture the semen of divine truth is present.
Birthday celebration:
Although the pagan celebrated birthdays, doesnt matter...,
if even the star was a satanic star direct from the hell, it doesnt matterr
if even the magi were satans advocates and wanted to whorship a baby!! doesnt matterWhy?
When Jesus was born myriads of angels celebrated his birthday! God and his angels celebrated Jesus' birth sisters and brothers everywhere! They sang a birthday song:
"And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Luke 2 NAS
So the angels celebrated his birthday.
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Who or What is the Holy Spirit?
by FusionTheism intradition within christianity has long been that any time the phrases holy spirit, holy ghost, or spirit of godare used in the bible (especially in the new testament), it always refers to the mysterious third divine person of the trinity, who is fully god, co-equal to the father and son, yet somehow distinct.. i want to present a simplified alternative view: let the context determine the meaning!.
(one thing to keep in mind is that the meaning of the bible words used for spirit basically is unseen force or invisible presence.).
the holy spirit as the mind and personality of god.
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TheWonderofYou
After reading a book of Dr. Walter Weber I remembered this thread about "Spirit'". I conclude that "Spirit" is a very appropriate term for the human being in its entire spiritual dimension. This is basis for further thoughs about biblical and religious applications of the term spirit.
Dr. Walter Weber described the role of the human ego, the spiritual being, and its forms of expression in a german book titled "Die Seele heilt den Menschen" (Healing comes from the soul), Germany, 1992 [excerpts in rough translation by me]
The millenium-old awareness that there is a connection between, body, soul and spirt and that human has to be viewed as entity/as a whole. (was the knowledge of old cultures and eastern and native medicine, indian and chinese medicine, e.g. Egypt, Greece see details in annex below)
Mental troubles have its origin in the Ego, "the soul" he explains, and body symptoms are in the end expressions of the Ego. Dr. Weber has experience in treatment of mental health troubles.About the structure of human beings, Weber wrote, the central level of a person is the "Soul", the "Ego","the Myself", the actual personality, the spiritual being. This central Myself level has its own world of sensation and feelings, a world of thoughts and world of perception/idea summarized as "mental level".
This mental area is not subordinated, it stands on the highest position of all areas, compared with the other qualities of the My-self sector, the world of language, actions and actions that adopted shape = materia = body including mental-organic processes.He structures the mental level as follows:
- notions - thoughts
- ideas
- sensation
- intention
- objectives
- decision
- programs, routine
In case of mental troubles superordinate notions are deployed in therapy. E.g. for the
1) Myself-Level: In case of a trouble in the Myself-zone the following superordinate notions can be helpful:Myself-disturbance, ego-dysfunction: " I have self-confidence" - "i stick to myself" - " I decide about my thinking, action, speaking and doing"Egotism: "I respect others" - " I accept that others are respronsible for themself"
2) for the Mental level: On the level of ideas and notions trouble can be existent too. If you cant imagine things and processes you can help yourself with the following superior notion:"I determine my ideas" - " I get clear imagination before I speak or act"
3) For the other levels, language, action and posessions it is necessary to recognize and dissolve blockings by means of unconscious programs:Language. " i can speak with everyone freely about everything and openly"
Action: "I only execute things, that i have imagined clear to myself and about which i have decided explicit"
Posessions: " I can posess things, but I dont have to posess them".
He describes the task of the therapeut as checking the mental levels and finding out if the other levels of expressions of the Ego are without troubles. He mentions frequent mental problems with suitable notions are:
Being Alone: "I live in harmony with myself and other people and easily establish good contact with them.
No help: " I can accept help" - I can help without contraint and false intention"
Time: " I have enough time"Fear: "I have confidence in myself, my fellow men and my life".
My interpretation in reference to the term Spirit:Perhaps you remember the wildhorse "Spirit" from the film, and you can imagine its courage and impulse for freedom because it was a wildhorse. Likewise i find it fine to say that the spirit is what constitutes the entire spirtual dimension of an animal and a human being (="spiritual being" perhaps?) Recognizable are several qualities of our spiritual dimension. The expressions of our ego zone, mental zone and even bodily qualities like strength, beauty, courage, charisma are called our spirituality. (The level of energy in these expressions is not my task)
Does spirit exist: Yes, we can see the expression of the spirit and thus we know many about a human being, a spiritual being. The existence is not quantifyable but the qualities can be recognized and thus we can trust that we see not a ghost but a spiritual being with soul, heart and emotions.
The wonder of you would in the end be....your spirit. ;-)
... again i discovered something meaninful for myself, didnt I and you alread knew it?.....
Annex ancient cultures:
In greece it was frownd upon to to fiddle around at at the symptoms, the question about the life sircumstances of was a matter of course. This was the starting point of the treatment, while medicine and drugs were applied supportively.
In Egypt were 3 groups of healers: Priests, doctors and a group that could be called today alternativ medicine. During the first 3 days of an disease it was forbidden under captial punishment to approach to the patient. During these days the patient was treated only by the priest. He tried to find out, what was the reason for the disharmony of a person with itself, his surrounding or the cosmic laws.
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I just realized something that I didn't realize before
by Island Man injws teach that only the anointed should partake of the emblems at the memorial because they are in the new covenant but the rest of jws are not.. well, if we follow that logic, shouldn't they also teach that only the anointed should pray in jesus' name?
they teach that jesus is the mediator between jehovah and the anointed only and that the "other sheep" are going to be beneficiaries of the new covenant but are not party to it.
the exact same reasoning applies to the memorial - the anointed are in the covenant but the "other sheep" are not.
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TheWonderofYou
I ve nearly forgotten it: For what reason is Jesus the "mediator" for only a small group of anointed ones? What is the "mediating, conciliating" act or activity at all for these small group in contrary to all other little sheep? Is it merely the theoretical applying of the benetifts of his ransom sacrifice or something really comprehensible? -
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As a Work of Literature The Bible is Just Dreadful
by cofty inof course it's easy to criticise the bible for all manner of serious flaws, but it fails on a more basic level.. it is just a terrible piece of literature.. this piece on "southern skeptic" is well worth a read.. god is a terrible writer....
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TheWonderofYou
CalebinFloroda:
Read about that too, very good commented, many formulas or texts that look to be "orginally" biblical were used
before in service and sayings.The Revelation of John e.g. was not intended to bo read personally at home but was intended to be read in service as upbuilding hope.
I remember that I read that somewhere in the 2 Gonzales' Explaination of Johns Revelation: Do you know it?
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As a Work of Literature The Bible is Just Dreadful
by cofty inof course it's easy to criticise the bible for all manner of serious flaws, but it fails on a more basic level.. it is just a terrible piece of literature.. this piece on "southern skeptic" is well worth a read.. god is a terrible writer....
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TheWonderofYou
The early christians began to fabulate like the apocalytic jewish prophets, perhaps they did it even better?
There were streams withing the church that were chiliastic, John wrote the apocalypse, revelation,..especially in times of persecution people liked those stories.
But a end time hystery like in a cult was not the church's general attitude, i think.
I thinke one reason that the church did not put so strong meaning to the bible reading for all christians was, that the bible would after the end of the antique time in the western world not be understood easily at all anymore.
Later the protestant reformation and some single wolfes rediscovered the bible and got overexegerated of the apocalpytic pictures and thought to understand it literally is super. then came the mormons, the adventists and the messianic jews and all are so fascintated of the literal meanings and second fulfilmments. OMG.
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What kind of errors in the Bible?
by TheWonderofYou inthe new testament specialist daniel wallace notes that although there are about 300,000 individual variations of the text of the new testament, this number is very misleading.
most of the differences are completely inconsequential--spelling errors, inverted phrases and the like.
a side by side comparison between the two main text families (the majority text and the modern critical text) shows agreement a full 98% of the time.[18].
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TheWonderofYou
Did he try to make the dogs bolloks citation to show the prophecy-fullfillment but did he fail to
understand that "even on a colt, the foal of a donkey'" was only a poetic paralellism?
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What kind of errors in the Bible?
by TheWonderofYou inthe new testament specialist daniel wallace notes that although there are about 300,000 individual variations of the text of the new testament, this number is very misleading.
most of the differences are completely inconsequential--spelling errors, inverted phrases and the like.
a side by side comparison between the two main text families (the majority text and the modern critical text) shows agreement a full 98% of the time.[18].
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TheWonderofYou
Was Matthew's writer a splendid rethoric who used the hebrew scripture and its greek version the septuagint LXX in the most wonderful way - rabbinic like - or was he a scharlatan who misquoted Gods word to make the impression that Christ is the awaited jewish messiah? He shall be innocent until proven guilty anyway. He is our best gospel writer still about the kingdom. I am currently reading all google books previews where i can find something about two donkeys and Jesus entry. Already found some interesting books about grammar and rethoric in Matthew, there are many sientific books about that matter. You need to compare and go into detail. But interesting
The important site Zechariah 9,9
"Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph o daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you, he is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey"
which is speculated that Matthew mistranslated or only copied from a unknow version of the greek bible translation called septuagint
"Say to daugther Zion, see your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey" Matthew 21,5.
Is not merely a citation of Matthew of a greek translation of Zecharia but even more interesting. Its not merely a misunderstood copying. Some researchers say that he tried to cite the hebrew spricture in a special kind, that is a even a better translation of the hebrew origian than the Septuagint made. Did h try to make the dogs bolloks citation to show the prophecy-fullfillment with the example ot this one site. And did he fail?
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What kind of errors in the Bible?
by TheWonderofYou inthe new testament specialist daniel wallace notes that although there are about 300,000 individual variations of the text of the new testament, this number is very misleading.
most of the differences are completely inconsequential--spelling errors, inverted phrases and the like.
a side by side comparison between the two main text families (the majority text and the modern critical text) shows agreement a full 98% of the time.[18].
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TheWonderofYou
Is gospel Matthew really an Eyewitness report or is it not more a early rabbinic rethoric, Matthew was written for a audience in Syria, perhaps Damascus, as we hear from the bibel exegets, where a mixed community of many jewish-christians and many jews lived togehter, the daily problem was to preach the christian gospel to the jews, the aim of the gospel matthew was to explain a Jew with all best jewish rethoric methods that fulfills all dreams of sophistacted Jew or rabbi at this time. Written for a apostolic school e.c.
Some believe Matthew is an eyewitness report? We could think, okay, Matthew read in Mark and Luke about one donkey,ojojoj they forgot the second and added I will add it. And now everything is clear. I write about two because I have the septuagint version with two monkeys, after all here stand "and", although I know that this was a paralelis. Doens not mind me, i create a wonderful story about two donkeys and the citation has to fit my idea.
But his usage of the Septuagint citation and interpreting in a some creative crazy way and directing it to a such sophisticated jewish-christian audience,he should have known that a misinterpretation of the scripture would bring resistance, incomprehenions under the jewish audience. But the gospel of Matthew became the most prominent. Was the jewish audience completely unaware of the hebrew bible text? Where they uneducated? Could they be easily be mislead of the christian sect leaders? Could they made believe by these constructions that Jesus fulfills every prophesy and would they never notice his errorr? Was it Matthews big mistake? Did it destroy his least fame and scientific reputation?
found that https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=25755
I notice that the different verions 1 donkey- 2 donkey is a good example of in which manner the biblical canon developed. The different stories in the gospels, here Mat, Lk, and Mk have not been harmonized. Never. Would not be a harmonisation important to avoid misunderstandings of the readers? Today perhaps yes. But Jesus never said to anyone that they should write gospels for the audience! He did not say that they will go around with bibels to preach and they shall translate it in all languages. It was because of the love for stories that the church wrote down the storeis about Jesus. But it was not necessary at all to read the stuff it became a tradition. The church decided to read some scriptures in the assemblies, but it was not necessary for every christian to study the bible - say the complicated words of the relevation or the letters of paul - to buy or make a copy of parchments or papyry or to open translation offices.
Moreover the bible was only understandable in the antic asian world with knowledge of their customs, why should the whole world read that book at all? The western church had many problems to understand it. - the jewish concepts, because of the sepration between jews and christians. Because the holy spirit found it would be not bad to use it as study material, because god decided lately that this was his only possibility to speak to man? Doesnt God have other possibities than written letters? Doesnt God speak to hearts (as is written in the Bible) when it is silent and in moments when no crazy and busy writing committees are around, which could destroy the silence ? Did Jesus not 40 days keep silent in the desert to contact God before accomplishing his will and not reading in parchments?
Later more about the citation....
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49
What kind of errors in the Bible?
by TheWonderofYou inthe new testament specialist daniel wallace notes that although there are about 300,000 individual variations of the text of the new testament, this number is very misleading.
most of the differences are completely inconsequential--spelling errors, inverted phrases and the like.
a side by side comparison between the two main text families (the majority text and the modern critical text) shows agreement a full 98% of the time.[18].
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TheWonderofYou
"You have to understand that the canon was not the result of a series of contests involving church politics. The canon is rather the separation that came about because of the intuitive insight of Christian believers. They could hear the voice of the Good Shepherd in the gospel of John; they could hear it only in a muffled and distorted way in the Gospel of Thomas, mixed in with a lot of other things. "When the pronouncement was made about the canon, it merely ratified what the general sensitivity of the church had already determined. You see, the canon is a list of authoritative books more than it is an authoritative list of books. These documents didn't derive their authority from being selected; each one was authoritative before anyone gathered them together. The early church merely listened and sensed that these were authoritative accounts."
Found that in the interview with Bruce Metzger