by theMartian 121 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
There really is no way at arriving at the destination of this "study"... if there were then it would render faith useless.
It is a matter of faith.
However, many other subjects that are discussed here are not a matter of faith.
"Does the Watchtower speak for God?"
"The truth never changes, but the teachings of the Watchtower do - why?"
"Shouldn't people praise God through love rather than fear?"
"Why so many meetings per week - is it scriptural ?"
etc etc.
At least the Bible gives a First Cause, a religiously plausible answer. I'd really like to hear what evolutionists believe with regard to the origins of matter. Where do you believe matter came from?
Not ENTIRELY sure yet. There are two main theories.
1: Matter always existed in some form. (It makes more sense that matter always existed in a simple form, than it is to believe that a super complex being that has never even been observed or verified, always existed. At least we can prove that matter DOES exist.)
2: Matter formed in a natural way: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_particles Virtual particles are one way that could happen. They are particles of matter that form all by themselves. (Besically self created.)Normally they form in pairs, one particle and one antiparticle. They destroy each other as soon as they form, BUT sometimes they don't and you end up with two normal particles. One antiparticle and one particle. (Interestingly, this explains the existance of antimatter. In a world DESIGNED for human there is no need for it. But it does exist.)
There ARE explainations. Those aren't the only ones I'm sure. But those are my favorites.
Lore
The Internet came about by evolution, the result of the evolution of the human brain, intelligence, consciousness, science and invention.
The illustration earlier about the trucks of bricks and mortar crashing on the highway and creating a house was just silly, and misses completely the concept of evolution and natural sellection over billions of years. And of course missing completely is the "voice" mentioned in the illustration. The only "voice of god" anyone can point to is found in the mythology of bedouin camel drivers from 4,000 years ago. Hardly convincing evidence.
The greatest testimony to the non-existence of god is god's total lack of comment on the subject. I'm sure if a god existed, it could prove its existence very, very easily.
As AlanF noted, the god of the Bible is a very unpleasant, mythological creature best left in that make-believe world.
S4
AB reader,
Exactly, it is called common sense instead of blaming someone for not taking action YET and then knowing that the person will not speak up to a mere human to prove His own existance. He is much bigger than that, kind of getting in an argument with a toddler or infant to us.
Yeah the bible God is much to big a person to speak up in defence or proof of his existance, yet he shows his pettiness in the bible by putting to death those that don't believe in him or break a petty law about the sabbath.
When He does speak up, I wonder how many will doubt then?
The big question is when? When will he finally speak up with his thunderous voice to silence all doubters? Dream on, or should we say have faith, it will happen, some day, when? nobody knows but in the mean time have faith.
You forget, Alpha- that faith is not Blind Gillibility, but belief based on evidence & reason:
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Hebrews 11: 1- NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [ a ] the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
That is why there are so many endless religions- people tend to go by what they imagine rather than what is real.
Agape,
AlanF,
It may well be that the macro-cosmic universe -- of which our own universe is an infinitesimal part -- had no beginning and, in the same sense that many Bible believers describe God, is "infinite", so in a practical sense has always existed.
I take it then you are not a believer in the so called Big Bang theory. Neither am I.
Does God really exist?
Perhaps a much easier question to answer is: Does the infinite and indescribable beauty and wonder of life and universe give witness to a definable deity or god as its fount?
Certainly the true Source of such majesty must be unimaginably greater still. All gods and deities ever known are painfully and grossly less...especially he who is described within the pages of the Bible.
j
You forget, Alpha- that faith is not Blind Gillibility, but belief based on evidence & reason:
Faith is Faith.
Seeking out facts, figures and adding logic to it merely fulfils a human desire to feel comfortable about it.
That is the difference in our Bibles with John 17:3 - "This means everlasting life..."
"taking in knowledge of you..." New World Translation
"KNOWING you..." Most other Bibles
the biggest hinderence to learning truth is clinging to concepts we've ACCEPTED as 'truth' without being willing to take a closer look at other possibilities
This is a very good point. Exiting JWs can easily feel that they know "the Bible" when in fact they only know the Watchtower's interpretation of it. (I fell into that category)
But is "Does God really exist?" a topic for Bible study? I mean, doesn't the idea of studying the Bible (with a religious, let's-see-what-it-really-says intent) presuppose that the god it represents exists? That question is more philosophical than biblical. Once you have a personal decision on the likelihood of god's existence, THEN you're ready to study the Bible and see if he's behind it.
Just my opinion.
Also in my opinion, no, God doesn't exist. No Bible god, no non-bible god, no First Cause god, in ascending order of probability.
Dave
The most complicated mechanism in the known universe, that makes the internet system of the world look like a simple toy= one Brain. Did the Internet fall into place by the random collison of molecules & atoms over endless eons?
So the universe and everything in it was "created" by a superior being? Who created the superior being?
Using the logic that something is so complicated that it had to have been created means that the complicated being that created the universe would have to have been created as well.
