Rome was especially ruthless

by Yadirf 26 Replies latest jw friends

Yadirf

Hi y'all

I found this interesting picture on a site someone here referenced today. Can you fathom being treated this way (persecuted) as apparently some Christians were under the government of the Roman empire? (Also, look at the ones impaled round about the arena there.) And just to think, all that those people had really done so as to deserve such harsh treatment was that they simply placed their confidence in the teachings of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. They hadn't murdered anyone, or committed any other heinous crime. They merely lived by the principles which Jesus and his apostles taught ... such as "you must love your neighbor as yourself", and that they should "be no part of the world" in imitation of Jesus himself.

Looks to actually be ANOTHER example of the callousness that will be exhibited towards true Christians after the entire world comes under the jurisdiction of the upcoming 8th King (a World Government). There are so very many examples to look to for enlightenment in this regard. This one, plus the account in the book of Esther (that which Haman had planned for Mordecai and the rest of the Jews). Then reflect on how the Israelites were treated under the hand of Egypt's Pharaoh. Not much different with Nebuchadnezzer having the three Hebrews thrown into the fiery furnace. And think about how Joseph's very own kin, his brothers, sold him into slavery ... simply out of pure jealously. Remember how they put Jesus to death (literally driving spikes through his hands and feet); and how John the Baptist was decapitated. My oh my, what patience God has exhibited. No wonder that when the day arrives when there is no reason for any further delay the Scriptures say that on "the great day of Jehovah ... he will cause distress to mankind, and they will certainly walk like blind men; because it is against Jehovah that they have sinned. And their blood will actually be poured out like dust, and their bowels like the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth." (Zephaniah 1:14-18; page 1154 of the NWT) Talk about standing in the way of an oncoming freight train! Man oh man, let me out of the way. If I had a choice of either dying at the hand of men or dying at the hand of God, I'd choose the former. At least it will have been an unjustifiable death. What a disgrace it will be though to have been put to death by the judgement of God himself.
Yadirf
Daniel 11:35 ... a prophecy that must be fulfilled before the "time of the end" gets underway.
VeniceIT

Hey Yaddy where ya been???
Ven
"Injustice will continue until those who are not affected by it are as outraged as those who are."
Satanus

Yad
Here it comes.. http://www.rense.com/general17/fly.htm
Satanus

Yad
Here is another one.
Q: who is the next king?
A: http://www.rense.com/general17/tried.htm
GinnyTosken

Hi y'all
I found this interesting picture in a book my parents allowed me to read when I was a child. Can you fathom being treated this way (persecuted) as apparently some "pagans" were by the armies of the Israelites? (Look at the guy with the arrow through his heart.) And just to think, all that those people had really done so as to deserve such harsh treatment was that they simply did not know the Israelites' tribal diety and were not this tribal diety's chosen people. They hadn't murdered anyone, or committed any other heinous crime. They merely honored and celebrated agricultural productivity and fertility as symbolized by Baal and Asherah.
Looks to actually be ANOTHER example of the callousness that will be exhibited towards "heathens" and "pagans" as the entire world comes under the influence of religious fundamentalist fanatics. There are so very many examples to look to for enlightenment in this regard. This one, plus the account in the book of Esther (that which Haman had planned for Mordecai and the rest of the Jews was what the Jews ended up doing to their enemies, evidence of a vengeful, bloodthirsty, and chauvinistic spirit). Then reflect on how cheap were the lives of nonIsraelites--Moses murders an Egyptian when no one is looking, Joshua killed "everything that breathed" in the cities he conquered, and David buys a wife with 200 Philistine foreskins. Remember how Jael, "blessed among women," drove a tent stake through her guest's head; and how the Levite cut his concubine into twelve pieces. My oh my, what tolerance people have exhibited for barbaric practices in the name of religion.
Even now there are people who lust for blood in the name of religion. Here's an example of how religious beliefs can rob a person of love, compassion, and tolerance:
No wonder that when the day arrives when there is no reason for any further delay the Scriptures say that on "the great day of Jehovah ... he will cause distress to mankind, and they will certainly walk like blind men; because it is against Jehovah that they have sinned. And their blood will actually be poured out like dust, and their bowels like the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth." (Zephaniah 1:14-18; page 1154 of the NWT) Talk about standing in the way of an oncoming freight train! Man oh man, let me out of the way. If I had a choice of either dying at the hand of men or dying at the hand of God, I'd choose the former. At least it will have been an unjustifiable death. What a disgrace it will be though to have been put to death by the judgement of God himself.
It is difficult for me to understand how a religion that teaches forgiveness, grace, and to "love your neighbor as yourself" can also nurture a mindset in which people look forward to judgment, punishment, and a terrible destruction during which the bowels of unbelievers 'will be poured like dung.' Can anything match the ruthlessness of a true believer?
Ginny
wallaby jack

G'day Yadirf,
What makes you so certain that, in Roman times, Christianity wasn't seen as a political/religious movement just as Islam is in many parts of the world today?
Jesus may not have been a fighting monk but several attributed with being his disciples were. It also appears most likely John the baptist was an Essene and therefore intricately woven into the fabric of first century political/religious events that culminated with the Roman suppression of Jewish uprising at Masada circa 70CE* (can't remember the date of the final seige/battle)
Q: when is a zealot not a zealot? A: When someone confuses the word 'enthusiastic' with 'fighter'.
cheers unclebruce
PS: please be gentle .. i'm bookless
***
Great post Ginny,
At least the guy had the good taste to die wearing pantaloons. Unc who'll die laughing if Yaduff says he'll get a resurection and a new shirt and all.
Skeptic

Hi, Yadirf, it is good to see you back.
If I had a choice of either dying at the hand of men or dying at the hand of God, I'd choose the former. At least it will have been an unjustifiable death. What a disgrace it will be though to have been put to death by the judgement of God himself.
Many share your opinion, but I don't think many have considered that Hitler was evil for killing 6-10 million people. God plans on killing 6 billion people. That makes God far more heinous than Hitler.
If God existed and he was the kind of God that would destroy the majority of mankind, he would not be worthy of my worship. I would rather die than serve such a god. It would not be a disgrace for him to kill me, as I would not serve him out of my moral principles.
Richard
Yadirf

Richard
Hi, Yadirf, it is good to see you back.
Thanks for the amicable greeting, and I hope that you’re getting along fine.
First of all, I’m really astonished when I hear someone say, as you just did: “If God existed …”
I really have a difficult time relating to anyone being an agnostic, and especially an atheist ... particularly for those having gotten in more than a few decades of living among the glories of God’s creation. It’s really something that’s totally beyond me, I’ll have to admit.
Many share your opinion, but I don't think many have considered that Hitler was evil for killing 6-10 million people. God plans on killing 6 billion people. That makes God far more heinous than Hitler.
If God existed and he was the kind of God that would destroy the majority of mankind, he would not be worthy of my worship. I would rather die than serve such a god. It would not be a disgrace for him to kill me, as I would not serve him out of my moral principles.
You’re not really making a statement like that while having a clear understanding of the basis for God’s bringing about Armageddon, I’m fairly sure of that. But that aside for a moment, do you mean to say that there is NEVER any justification for a human life being ended by force? Are you against the death penalty being administered to … say for example a man that has proven himself to be incorrigible with regards to abusing young children? What sort of crime would a person have to commit before you would sanction the ending of that persons life? Is anything at all a serious enough offence to warrant the death penalty in your estimation? How about bin Laden, if he is actually guilty of masterminding the attacks upon the WTC in New York do you think that the government should end his life? Or would that be too harsh a penalty to have to pay in your opinion?
What I’m driving at is, why is it that you automatically condemn God for bringing about the destructive forces of Armageddon when you don’t even clearly understand the issue? And if you think you do understand the issue, I’ll be quite for a moment and allow you to explain it to me. What is the issue, if you can tell me?
Yadirf
Daniel 11:35 ... a prophecy that must be fulfilled before the "time of the end" gets underway.
Farkel

Greetings, Yardirf,
: I’m really astonished when I hear someone say, as you just did: “If God existed …”
I really have a difficult time relating to anyone being an agnostic, and especially an atheist ... particularly for those having gotten in more than a few decades of living among the glories of God’s creation. It’s really something that’s totally beyond me, I’ll have to admit.
Yeah, I understand. However, you can always KILL them. That's what God does when he feels like you. I wonder how many future rocket scientists were lost in the flood: you know, those BABIES that were still nursing when God smoked them with suffocation when they all drowned. Drowning = suffocation. Suffocation = one of the most painful and worst ways to die.
Your God is a fuckhead and a sadist and I, for one, hate his guts, if he is a real as you people think he is.
No decent human would ever think of killing people with the creativity and cruelty that your God has allegedly killed people.
So much for the "glories of creation." You conveniently forget the "glories of killing" your God has done. Allegedly.
Farkel
"When in doubt, duck!"
Yadirf

VeniceIT
Hey Yaddy where ya been???
I’ve “been” disfellowshipped from JW.com, but reinstated. LOL! Seems like I stayed in attack mode for too long at a time, so they figured I needed a breather. LOL again!!!
I replied to one of your comments in another thread about 3 days ago, but I guess you didn’t know about it as I was rather slow getting around as usual. It was in the thread “Who fulfills Matt: 24:14” located at: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=15848&site=3
It might be a new thought to you, and it might not. Anyway, there it is if you want to go there.
Yadirf,
whose little heart is still in pieces.
Daniel 11:35 ... a prophecy that must be fulfilled before the "time of the end" gets underway.

Rome was especially ruthless

Share this