Posts by kaik

114

Early Evidence for 1 John 5: 7

by Perry in

italic 4th and 5th century.

629 in the 14th century.

429 in the 14th century (margin).

kaik

myelanie, designs is correct on that that Messiah in Judaism is not represented by Jesus. Jesus was not Mesiah, because he did not fullfill any prophecies what would be expected from king of peace. Judaism does not teach salvation through another person, nobody can redeem your sin. It is only yours own responsiblity to have a good standing with G-d. Salvation is achieved through obedience to Torah, love of G-D, and work on yourself to achieve it. No shortcut on someone else back. Did Jesus in his time fullfill any of these: Became a king of Israel, returned Jewish people to Isreal (in time where majority lived outside Judea), rebuild temple in Jerusalem, bring peace to the world? Jesus was anointed by woman, not by prophet as did Samuel in the past. Jesus was false prophet, and he died and he is not comming back.

Paul deliberately created split between Judaism and Christianity by his own will by invalidating Torah and making G-d given commands obsolote. He knew he would face a justice in Jerusalem for it and rather run under protection of Nero than defend his truth in the jury of his fellow Jews.

10

The Resurrection Hope - Does It Help or Slow Down Grieving?

by usualusername in

jw
friends

i think the resurrection hope really really messes up people.. .

at some funerals i have not seen a tear shed.. .

could grieving be interpreted as a lack of faith?.

kaik

JWs are uncapable to greif and show emotions. They do not experience and sense of loss and they can care less. When my evil JW aunt died, my cousins behaved as they had concipation. No emotion, no sadness, nothing. They just stated that the mom died, but nothing to worry she will be resurrected shortly because "A" is just behind the corner. This was 14-15 years ago. 20 years ago elder with his children crashed on his way to the district assembly that was held in Ostrava, this was in winter were there was snow and ice. The assembly was about one mile from the site of the crash and no single JW stopped by because they did not want to be late. Some of the JW vividly discribed me how they seen from their car the crash happen, car flipping in the midair, they knew who was driving, yet they only cared to be on the opening of the assembly. No emotion. The elder had died, he was actually very nice guy, but from the JWs who talked about it there was no any feeling of sadness.

6

Where old (Russian) tanks go to die

by fulltimestudent in

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/462850/amazing-pictures-of-hidden-soviet-tank-graveyard-in-ukraine-taken-by-plucky-teenager.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2014-03/07/content_17330248_2.htm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ukrainian_defense_industry_(company).

kaik

When I was kid we had Russian (or Soviet, but we called them Russians) tank crashed on the main highway. They had their tank there for some times before they were able to take it out of the ditch. After 1989 such tanks dismantling places were common occurances in Eastern Europe. My father used to operate one in the 60s's. They had major technical problems, their belt felt often, and gasoline tank was at the back which you can puncture by hoe or pickaxe and lit it on fire. Between 1960's and 1980's they were rusting in the bases. Czechoslovakia was one the biggest producers of tanks in the past. During WWII every third tank used by Germans was assembled in Pilsen. During communist times there were huge defense plants in Slovakia in the Carpathian mountains. Slovakia minimized these production 25 years ago as they are not effective and obsolete. Saddam adn Milosevich had huge tanks brigades and both lost the war. Entire commie block lost the Cold War because the DoD planned on conventional warfare with tactical support near the front line using nuclear weapons.

74

7 Reasons Why Babylon the Great was Jerusalem

by Tiresias in

authors david chilton (1987) and james stuart russell (1878) propose that the revelation is primarily a prophecy of the destruction of ancient jerusalem by the roman armies.

the revelation is jerusalem's armageddon (mountain of assembled roman troops).

i see the revelation as a war siren warning the first century christians of the imminent destruction of the city.

kaik

Jewish temple and city of Jerusalem were two different world. Jerusalem was very poor. It was backward province without any influence outside its provincial boundary and outside of major Roman centers, road, and ports. Even majority of Jews lived outside Judea. Alexandria had 3x as many Jews than Jerusalem. Temple was different, because it had wealth accummulated for the past 80 years and was beneficiary of Herod and many other Jews who donated money there. Even NT does not deny it, and Jesus was disgusted with the commercialization of the temple rites. Pagan temples in Greece were nothing more than treasury of the Greek states and some like Delphi was target of sack as far from Celts in France.

Overall sacking and destruction of Jerusalem barely paid for the cost of the Roman warfare. These costs are easy to trace by monetary circulation of the Roman coinage in each time and measure silver and gold content in it. Juduea had probably boosted Roman economy by two years or so with its wealth. For comparison, Persian sacking persian capital and with it treasury postponed economic decline of Roman Empire by 40 years. Trajan's conquest of Dacia boosted gold and silver by 25 - 30 years. Jerusalem did not had economy to produce and generate wealth. Roman and all preindustrial civilizations were agricultural. Judea agriculture was too small to play role that would challenge major trading hubs of the time, plus it was not a port city, and laid outside major trade routes. From Egypt there was port of Berenice than handled Indian trade. On Meditteranean there was Alexandria, Ephesus, Antionch, and Athens that trades with entire known world as far as China. For John of Patmos who was aware of these major places in the Eastern Mediterranean, Jerusalem was rather secondary city within larger Roman Empire.

21

Didnt Jesus kick satan out of the heavens 100 years ago for the watchtower yesterday?

by Joliette in

jw
friends

i was at my friend's volleyball game when i looked down at my clock on my cell phone and realized its been 100 years since jesus starting ruling from the heavens and satan was casted down to earth.

wasnt it october 1st 1914 when jesus decided to kick satan out of the heavens?.

.

kaik

Maybe Jesus and Satan went again on hiking trip, and could be on the highest mountain of the earth to see all kingdoms, states, and republics. Any case, Jews do not believe in devil. Satan is nothing more than someone who is employed at the will of G-d; therefore, he cannot kicked out from Heaven doing his job. There was no war in heaven what we know of.

74

7 Reasons Why Babylon the Great was Jerusalem

by Tiresias in

authors david chilton (1987) and james stuart russell (1878) propose that the revelation is primarily a prophecy of the destruction of ancient jerusalem by the roman armies.

the revelation is jerusalem's armageddon (mountain of assembled roman troops).

i see the revelation as a war siren warning the first century christians of the imminent destruction of the city.

kaik

,I would like to add,that big obstacles for Jewish culture and identity was fear of assimilation. It is estimated that in Roman Empire up to 1/4 of Jews were hellenized, and assimilated into mainstream, worked in the bureaocracy, went to theaters, baths, and area to enjoy spectacles. Some Jews even worked in Rome for imperial family. It was the fear of losing faith in the cosmopolitian world that drove various section of the Jewish population into religious and political frontation within Judea, but also abroad like revolt in Cyrenica and Cyprus. Religious Jews wanted preserve a purity of their faith. Second issue was economic. While Jews paid their dues and taxes to the temple, and temple was indeed loaded with wealth, they also had to pay money toward Roman administration. Even leftover of grain and grapes for the poor was taxed, Jewish population did not want these money to go abroad into Rome while they already paid their dues. They hope for their own independent state to end these taxes. These two issues were also reason why there were many sections and parties within Judea.

74

7 Reasons Why Babylon the Great was Jerusalem

by Tiresias in

authors david chilton (1987) and james stuart russell (1878) propose that the revelation is primarily a prophecy of the destruction of ancient jerusalem by the roman armies.

the revelation is jerusalem's armageddon (mountain of assembled roman troops).

i see the revelation as a war siren warning the first century christians of the imminent destruction of the city.

kaik

Fisherman, there is a huge doubt that Apostle John is the same person as John of Patmos. This is not my invention, this was already debated during Late Antiquity and later under German's Reformation onward. Even there is not agreement when Revelation was written. I do not have opinion on it, because some points of the debate a valid for various interpretations. There are individuals who claim that it was written before 70AD, others who put it between 86-110AD and some who say that it was written in two parts, one before 70 and one much later. Anyone is free to choose. However, for 1700 years there was always feeling that doubt the inspiration and authorship of it. If people who lived 100 years after the death of the author doubted authenticity like Dionysius of Alexandria (https://www.umass.edu/wsp/philology/gallery/dionysius.html) among many others.

52

Are first world countries to blame for the bulk of third world squalor?

by tootired2care in

throughout several past threads various posters have emphatically made the point that countries like great britian, united states, france etc.

basically countries where white people exist, are to blame for the poverty in many other third world nations.

some have even went so far as to suggest that the first world is to blame for all third world conditions.. i often see excuses such as these for why a country refuses to provide clean water, some food and basic sanitation for its people:.

kaik

Workers rights had generally improved through the 19th century. Remember that until 1780's most of European peasantry was serf and was not free. Serfdom survived in Eastern Europe in Russia well until 1860's. There was generally difference between serf who was a property of the landlord in 1780's and industrial proletariat in 1850 who did not need a permit to get married, move, or change profession. Therefore, the workers were at least more free than slave laborer on the field. Exploitation of workers was rampant well till 190o's, but many countries had already implemented regulations, pensions, social services, insurance. France had these widely available since 1830-1848, Germany under Bismarck, and Austria-Hungary at least since 1900's. Europe and USA became wealthy over many generations. Pioneers arrived with hopes and shovel to get a piece of uncultivated land. Germany became leading European power not through collonialism but through extensive engineering, research, and capital into the industries. It lost two wars, it was ruined more than any other western country, had 1/5 of its population expelled, yet managed to beat victorious France, Russia, and UK with its living standard. Smaller countries like Slovenia, Estonia, Czech Republic did not collonized anyone, they were under communism for 40+ years, yet managed to be among top 25 countries in the world with a quality of life. Again, it is not responsibility of 1st and 2nd world to build 3rd world. Its citizens need to do it for themselves. Nobody could do it better then themsleves. Richer countries could help with know how and technology, but it is illusion that wealthy countries could on their tax money and wealth redistribution to change anything extensively in such huge region like Africa. Even wealthy countries have their own problems and they have to address them before they can help anyone else.

82

Come with me, back to the 1980s--you know want to.

by FlyingHighNow in

i don't know about ya'll, but i did not appreciate the 1980s enough.

i was too busy lamenting how different they were from the 1960s and 1970s to bask in and appreciate how wonderful they were.. this is 80s music, especially new wave music, and 80s fashion and culture appreciation thread.

what did you love about the 80s?

kaik

Who remembers Yazoo, Samantha Fox, Sabrina, A-Ha, Nena, Erasure, Europe, ABC, Pet Shop Boys.. what a wonderfull music at that time.

74

7 Reasons Why Babylon the Great was Jerusalem

by Tiresias in

authors david chilton (1987) and james stuart russell (1878) propose that the revelation is primarily a prophecy of the destruction of ancient jerusalem by the roman armies.

the revelation is jerusalem's armageddon (mountain of assembled roman troops).

i see the revelation as a war siren warning the first century christians of the imminent destruction of the city.

kaik

Fisherman, I do not debate if Revelation and any part of the Bible is inspired in this thread. I only pointed out as did others that Revelation speaks on Rome not Jerusalem. And I agree with it, and there are tons of scholary topic on it including the best researchers like Pagels from Princeton University. I studied as well in Europe 20+ years ago. Generally, the identification of Revelation with Jewish Jerusalem of the 1st century is much modern invention, which often was rooted in deep antisemitism that attempts to prove that ancient Judaism was rejected thus punished by God, versus Christianity as a choosen new religion. This also reason why poster like designs said that ideas like this are partially anti-semitic. From point of authror of Revelation who was Jew (probably) and Christian as was the case in the 1st century, it would not make a sense to be concerned anymore with Jewish faith. He did not write on Jewish religion or its religious structure, but various churches that spread out after Pauls' ministry. Jerusalem was not free city before 70AD and certainly not afterward. It did not rule even over its own population, it was a part of much larger state. Any case, for almost 2000 years Christians tries to interpret Revelation with poor result.

Tiresias, welcome. Jews do not have centralized religion and they have not for 2500 years. There is no universal acceptance on all ideas from OT among them. There were various rabbinic schools that often had contradicting ideas. The ancient Jewish temple was idealized as long lost glorious past that would be restored by Messiah. Judaism survived the destruction of temple, but the events of 70-113-135 transformed it. Many contemporary religious figures of Judaism were actually worried of assimiliation into much sophisticated Greco-Roman culture. This was biggest threat to the national identity which was by the events of Jewish revolts reaffirmed.