2 Chr. 14 says the Jews killed 1,000,000 Ethiopians in one battle. Kind of ironic how the Bible describes the past as a horrible bloodbath but yet is understood by many to be condemning modern times as violent.
Book Study this Week - Is the World Getting Worse?
by jgnat 19 Replies latest watchtower bible
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TheOldHippie
Perhaps, M.J., it boils down to the use of words. You refer to the various Chinese and other wars, where so and so many millions were lost - but how many died because of direct action, and how many died because of famine, having to run, illness etc.? And perhaps internal wars, civil wars like the Chinese uprisings, are not even included?
They are experts when it comes to saying exactly what is written, not an inch more and not an inch less, so it is virtually impossible afterwards to try to point out a mistake, because they then state that "but the article did not say that, it said that ..." or "but the article simply reflected the opinion of ....." etc.
I did find some very interesting medieval quotes, I'll try to remember to post them after the weekend.
TOH
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isthisit
we had our bookstudy last night and it really got me thinking. Ok the earth is an unsettled place at the moment, for instance Lebanon, threat of terrorism, mad dictators in places like North Korea. And then it hit me, the wts and publishers always talk in vague generalities, never specifics. Fortunatly our bookstudy has a higher ratio of bright sparks (relative? as it is the city centre group and so has all the students living downtown in the group as well as those earning enough money at proper jobs to live in the city). However one sister said that Paul wasn't talking about us when he wrote these things. The conducter said "um no offence A***** but we have to fight hard against these things as they are imperfect human nature". Vague generalities, hearsay and conjecture seem to be evidence as far as the org and the borg are concerned
Oh yeah, it also occured to me that the only ones in the hall that harp on these points are the ones that have nothing going for them in this system, hoping that the new world will be better for them. You know studying this book instead of reassuring me of the "right things" has pushed me and suprisingly some others in the other direction. -
jgnat
Vague generalities, hearsay and conjecture seem to be evidence as far as the org and the borg are concerned
...and someone who has gone to college would pick up on this. It sounds like you had an interesting study.
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plmkrzy
I contend they selectively filter bad news in order to maintain their beliefs.
Totally true! There is no doubt about that.
I recall a sister that stopped by to visit me once while she was calling on a bible study in my neighborhood. She started telling me about some of the points she toughed on during her study, one of them being how disgusting the times we live in have become in these last days and one example she used was actually gays coming out of the closet. I couldn't believe she actually used that as an example and responded, sarcastically of course: "Yep it aint like the good ol' days when we hung people in the towns square while entire families gathered around and cheered!"
She looked at me as though she couldn't believe what I just said. d u g h a bit s l o w today are we?
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Mistah MOJO
Hi jgnat! Twenty years ago I attended Saint John the Divine Lutheran Church "out of the blue" The pastor was all worked up, almost having a goddamn CORONARY about how bad the world was. He went on and on and on listing all the terrible events happening in the whole wide world. After the service I introduced myself as a minister of the Evangelical Church Alliance, with which he was familiar. Having established some professional camaraderie, I asked him how much crime and violence went on in his neighborhood. None, he answered. How much among his family and friends? None. In his town (Palm Desert)? Very little. Then I said to him, "THAT'S the actual among of violence and negative 'stuff' going on in the world! The news brings us accounts of crime and disasters from all over the world, so we wind up getting a distorted view of "how bad things are" becuase we have all the ills of the earth distilled into a thrity minute broadcast." He becamse quite irate and assured me I simply didn't grasp the magnitude of the problem. He was obviously very stressed about it so I suggested he stop watching the news and concern himself with the "bad stuff" that was actually occuring in his own corner of the world. Again he assured me that I simply didn't understand.
I too sometimes lose my perpsective. (Especially since I was assualted about two months ago just a couple blocks from my home and was cut up pretty badly) So, thanks for the reminder. MM -
heathen
There's no question that the main threat today is extinction of all life on the planet , so doesn't surprise me when they use those type of inuendo . After all you are human and can't ever go to heaven ......blah blah yadda yadda
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carla
btt, just so I don't lose it. Been away on a holiday and wished I had all this info with me!
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aquagirl
Its true that there is a lot of bad stuff in the world.probably like,10 times more than in the 'good ol' days'.but there are also like 20 times more people on this earth than there used to be.there are many great,excellent things happening too that we used and need everyday without even a second thought!! For instance,Hybrid cars,computers,contact lenses,medical breakthroughs,digital technology,Framezi haircolor,and easy access to great coffee.i love the technology that brings us hot water and antibacterial stuff.Its pretty nice that they cant burn witches or hang black or gay folks..gastric bypasses allow folks who had absoluty no hope of a normal life to become happy and healthy.cardiac implants keep folks alive for year spast where they would have been dead in the good old days.thos is a minimal smattering of the great and wondrous things available in these 'bad ol' last daze'.I didnt even mention the availability of amazing music to be had,ie.Nick Cave,Tom Waits,Air and Daniel Lanouis to name a few..I think these are mighty fine days indeed.A bit strange sometimes,but as Jarmouch said"its a strange and beauitful world"...Also not being a dub for more than half of my life has made me one of those disgustingly happy optomistist people."Not worrying about constantly pissing off 'the big guy' is a joYful thing indeed".1 Joeyramone 3:14
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Londo111
marked