Has anyone seen "The Prophecy" with Christopher Walken as the angel Gabriel?
Classic. I would think it's pretty close to home. And just as mythical IMO
What have the angels done for mankind?
by onacruse 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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onacruse
Twitch, yes, I just watched that movie yesterday!
greendawn, please excuse me if I seem rude, but, imho, you are just dancing around. No substantive answers. Is that the best you've got?
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greendawn
Kid A, human suffering is not part of God's plan but rather humans bring it upon themselves by rejecting the gospel and His rule over them. Of course this is the Biblical view and you don't believe it being a very hardened atheist but think if only mankind had accepted the gospel how much better the world would be. So He doesn't guarantee a defiant world total freedom from suffering but only a limited amount of peace and well being. That means if children are born with great problems etc it's the fault of those that rule this world as they keep them alienated from His administration.
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greendawn
Onacruse if there are invisible beings operating in the world of man how can I prove it to you, it's all a question of faith and this may not be substantive to many. Perhaps spirit mediums are a proof, they often go psychopathic after intimately interacting with demonic spirits. Perhaps the process of telepathy even between humans proves something about the mind being open to invisible influences and energies whether toxic or beneficial, things that science has not yet uncovered. Talk to you tomorrow I am now off to bed.
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Narkissos
Greendawn,
Fwiw, the WT equation of fallen angels = demons does not correspond to the main Jewish "apocalyptical" view underlying the NT. In both 1 Enoch and Jubilees the "evil spirits" are not the angels or "Watchers" who came down to earth for the daughters of men, but the spirits (or souls) of their Nephilim / Giants progeny (or 1/10 of them according to Jubilees) who lost their bodies in the Flood. According to this view the angels/Watchers themselves were not allowed to influence anything after the Flood, since they were chained/abyssed/imprisoned until the final judgement (cf. Jude/2 Peter, and a more distant echo in Revelation).
This is not to be confused with the "ruler(s)" (archontes) of the world in proto-Gnostic cosmology (as reflected in Colossians for instance). Those are sometimes identified with angels (especially as the givers of the Law, in an anti-Jewish perspective) but not exactly "bad" angels, and afaik they are never connected with the Flood story.
In Daniel we do have heavenly "rulers" of the nations (Michael standing for Israel), but although there is some struggle between them (reflecting historical conflicts on the heavenly scene) the "rulers of the nations" are not depicted as inherently "bad" or enemies of God.