by metatron 40 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Flash quoted 2 Peter 3: 3 ~ 7 in the manner that JWs always do. What Flash forgets is that Peter and the other early Christians expected Jesus' return in their own day, so Peter's words must apply to the first century. An extension to the 20th century and beyond is pure supposition based on the fact that a lot of what these early Christians predicted did not come to pass.
AlanF
Flash, I feel for you, I really do, I was where you are now, not too long ago (more than a year ago), and then I started seeing all the error and contradiction in the bible, and did research on the Hebrew people and other civilizations prior to their existence, what I found was not pretty, they borrowed their stories from the Sumerians and Babylonians etc, changed a few names and whala! It was hard to let the bible go, but today I've never been happier knowing that the Bible is simply myths and stories put together to give the Hebrews a sense of history and importance. There is no "End Times" there is no "Armaggedon" this is just a control mechanism to keep you in line, research for yourself and you will see, in the very words of the bible "Seek the Truth and the Truth shall set you FREE!
IC(of the I can see clearly now Class)
AlanF
...so Peter's words must apply to the first century.
Was Jesus also talking about the first century when He used Noah's time to describe the "take no note" attitude of the people before the Flood? (Matthew 23: 37, 38, 42, 44 ) Jesus was very specific when He warned them (and us) to "Keep on the watch" ...I'm sure Peter was listening carefully.
IC
Flash, I feel for you, I really do...I started seeing all the error and contradiction in the bible...this is just a control mechanism to keep you in line
I appreciate your concern. Tell me please, where do you believe there is contradiction and who's the mastermind that has kept, and still keeps the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament / Bible easily accessible around the world down to today?
Instead of quoting 2 Pe (which quite frankly, could be made to apply any time, and in fact has) how about some hard facts about why this time is worse than before?
ackack
I agree. Comments like Flash is similar to JWs by focusing on our limited lifespan without any quantitative look at history, simply a "good old days" mentality.
If anyone thinks these days are bad I wonder how they would feel being transported back to a village being plundered by the Assyrians, or growing up in the dark ages. Do you think they would want to stay? The life expectancy in Australia has doubled in just the last 100 years.
I would agree with Metatron about the overall state of mankind; I think the simplest and most effective way to make the point is to ask any fundamentalist doomsayer whether he would have preferred to have been born 100 or 200 hundred years ago.
Yet, it's impossible to dismiss the evidence that this present situation presents several unique, historically unprecedented threats to the survival of man on this planet. Nuclear proliferation for one; the stress of explosive population growth on the earth's resources, especially that exerted on the supply of potable water; and the intractable answer to dealing with the aspirations of the so-called Third World to elevate its standard of living to match our own, are two others.
Bear in mind that we westerners, especially us Americans (perhaps 5% of the world's population), have achieved ours by consuming 95% of the globe's energy resources. So the attainment by the Third World of any living standard remotely approaching our own would wreak unprecented havoc on man and on the planet. How then do we Westerners, century-long despoilers of the environment, turn to the have-nots of the world and say ``forget it" when it comes to their hopes of attaining significant Quality-of-Life improvement?
For these and other reasons, this generation and the planet it calls home is on a historically unprecedented collision course with its existence.
How then do we Westerners, century-long despoilers of the environment, turn to the have-nots of the world and say ``forget it" when it comes to their hopes of attaining significant Quality-of-Life improvement?For these and other reasons, this generation and the planet it calls home is on a historically unprecedented collision course with its existence.
Well said.
Unfortunately.
What a timely thread for me! Thanks! I was just going to start researching stats for this topic in my own home and you have reminded me of a few issues I may have left out. All the research in the world won't help a jw though or those who truly want it to be 'the last days'. Or for those unwilling to live their lives now instead of waiting for some paradise earth or new earth or whatever. It is easier to bitch about the state of the world than to take any steps to make it a better place. Notice how those who are doomsday lovers change the subject when you ask them what they do personally to improve the world around them? Why pick up garbage (or any volunteer work) when people will just pollute again? Do you not clean your house? It will just get messy again.
Room 215
Bear in mind that we westerners, especially us Americans (perhaps 5% of the world's population), have achieved ours by consuming 95% of the globe's energy resources. So the attainment by the Third World of any living standard remotely approaching our own would wreak unprecented havoc on man and on the planet. How then do we Westerners, century-long despoilers of the environment, turn to the have-nots of the world and say ``forget it" when it comes to their hopes of attaining significant Quality-of-Life improvement?
For most third world countries, they are third world because they are stuck in ruts in which they have been for decades, centuries or in some case since the stone age. They can't get out because not enough of their populations entertain that dream. It would take major, sustained outside intervention to lift them up.
Future energy sources do seem to be a challenge at this time. However, human ingenuity may well step in to solve this problem, as it has in the past. Inventive entrepeneurs have a gift for finding, filling and exploiting market needs. They will likely find more or new energy sources.
For these and other reasons, this generation and the planet it calls home is on a historically unprecedented collision course with its existence.
That the collision course doesn't exist, for the most part, is shown by the example of china. It was able to catch the wave of capitalist opportunity. W china in relation to the rest of the world, it has been a win win situation.
S
W china in relation to the rest of the world, it has been a win win situation.
Well, except for the bazillion tons of C02 that's being pumped into an already saturated atmosphere as a result of the industrialization and modernization that is happening there.
