To new Christians on JWN (page 13)

brotherdan

I know that Inkie. I made it basic so all the atheists could understand.

Zombie dub, because I have researched other so-called holy books and the reasons they cannot be from God are readily apparent. Everytime I am introduced to an apparent contradiction from the Holy Bible it's ALWAYS ended up strengthening my faith instead of destroying it. Sometimes those little "contradictions" are not contradictions at all and end up being fine testaments to God. Until I can disprove the Word of God, I will not throw it out because faulty human philosophies, IMO.

notverylikely

I know that Inkie. I made it basic so all the atheists could understand.

The problem, Dan, is that Christians can't even agree on what Christianity or the tenets. Trust me, I have heard the ideas from JW's, Catholics, all manner of Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, etc., etc. All different ideas all over the place. Having heard it all from all sides, atheists tend to understand better than most Christians. What you just said smacked of elitism. I know (hope) you don't intend it that way, but it's somewhat insulting.

Zombie dub, because I have researched other so-called holy books and the reasons they cannot be from God are readily apparent.

Such as?

Everytime I am introduced to an apparent contradiction from the Holy Bible it's ALWAYS ended up strengthening my faith instead of destroying it.

Did Judas hang himself or fling himself off a cliff? How many people were counted in the illegal census David conducted?

brotherdan

Please give specific scriptures of these apparent contradictions and I will look them up.

Also, Christians are a divers group of people. It is not necessary to agree on everything. By thinking that Christians must ALL have the EXACT same beliefs is to show that you still hold to the WT way of viewing Christianity.

Also, my comment was sarcastic. Atheists constantly tell me that I am not using my reasoning and not logically thinking through the facts. So I sent it right back at you guys. Immature...but fun to do.

VoidEater

Whatever floats your boat, brotherdan - my boat is fine.

notverylikely

Also, Christians are a divers group of people. It is not necessary to agree on everything. By thinking that Christians must ALL have the EXACT same beliefs is to show that you still hold to the WT way of viewing Christianity.

I don't think they should at all and to suggest that I hold on to WT views shows that you know nothing about me. But since they don't all agree on ANYTHING it's hard to figure out what the core is. Is there a trinity? depends! was jesus a sacrifice of replacement or atonement? depends! Was jesus killed on a cross or a stake? depends! are you saved by faith or by works? depends! do you need to be born again or not? depends! should we follow the OT law or not? depends! is the devil real or not? depends! is sex before marriage ok or not? depends! is homosexuality ok or not? depends! can women teach in the church? depends!

Please give specific scriptures of these apparent contradictions and I will look them up.

One specific example.... 2 Samuel 24:9 gives the count of valiant men drawing sword as 800,000 from Israel and 500,000 from Judah. 2 Chronicles 21:5 gives the number from the same census as 1,100,000 from Israel and 470,000 from Judah.

brotherdan

Context NVL CONTEXT!!! Seriously this one is not even difficult to refute.

"And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men." 2 Samuel 24:9.

"And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword." 1 Chronicles 21:5.

The answer is simple. There were 1,100,000 Israellit swordsmen. 800,000 of these were valiant or experienced in battle, while the remaining would have been reserve swordsmen. There were 500,000 men from Judah (470,000 of which are swordsmen and 30,000 reserves).

This is not a contradiction. The writer of 1 Chronicles and the writer of 2 Samuel would have had access to the same information.

Twitch

To each their own.

notverylikely

The answer is simple. There were 1,100,000 Israellit swordsmen. 800,000 of these were valiant or experienced in battle, while the remaining would have been reserve swordsmen. There were 500,000 men from Judah (470,000 of which are swordsmen and 30,000 reserves).

They are both described as swordsmen. The word "reserve" never appears. The word valiant does not mean "experienced in battle". Drawing a distinction, especially on the men of Judah where the word reserves is not there at ALL, is pure Watchtower reasoning and you are going right along with it. It's straight out of a QFR. You are adding things to avoid there being a contradiction when there clearly is a difference. If that's how you work, then I can't discuss this with you since you you will add in and make up anything to avoid there being a contradiction where there are many.

Show me the word reserves and where the bible defines valiant as you do and I'll buy it, otherwise, quit selling it.

MarcusScriptus

A person cannot feel fully content if the choice they have to make violates what they conceive as true as they conscientiously understand it. This is a Biblical teaching.—Romans 14.

Therefore you can’t say that an atheist can’t feel truly content about their decision. Some atheists reject not the possibility of a deity but “God” as currently represented by the religions of today. Because of crimes done in this God’s name, and falsehoods preached by some religions that claim to teach the only truth about God, a person may feel they are violating their understanding of justice and integrity by engaging in the worship of this “God” as accepted by various religions today. Therefore atheism is the only valid choice they can make without violating their conscience.

Even if following God is what makes us content in the objective sense, if one’s conscience cannot find contentment in such a doctrine one violates their conscience if they adopt it. For it is written: “Whatever is not from faith is sin,” and “blessed is the one who does not condemn himself for what he believes.”—Romans 14.22,23.

One who finds no contentment in the worship of God because it violates their conscience does not find God.

To new Christians on JWN

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