Jehovah Unmasked

by Soldier77 23 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Terry

  God as always been an opinion; sometimes local, sometimes regional; sometimes national or international.

  Historically, opinions about opinions cause changes in the storylines and the game begins!

  Perhaps the biggest threat to the early years of nascent christianity was the Gnostic description of the Old Testament God, Yahweh (Jehovah).

  It mades so much sense to newly-minted christians who were proselytes (as opposed to messianic Jews who accepted Jesus) there was no coming together for these groups.

  Jehovah the bully god was a nasty cuss. Jesus and Jehovah were Good cop/Bad cop.

  Marcion used the letters of Paul (which predated the appearance of written Gospel accounts) to great avail in creating a tidal wave of Gnostic Christianity that washed right up to the fledgling Catholic Church.

  The response of the Church was to smash Gnosticism with all the official Roman governmental authority it could muster.

  Marcion was a wealthy fellow sort of like Charles Taze Russell in his day.

  We still have Gnosticism--or a remnant of it--both in Scientology and Mormonism just as we still have the vestiges of Russellism in latter day Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses.
• 

  BabaYaga

  Terry, I have never disagreed with you more. Gnosticism in Scientology and Mormonism? No Sir. Not in the slightest. Not remotely.

  Gnosis is the absolute antithesis from a cult mentality. There are rituals, but there is no dogma. There are no rules! Questions and doubts are actually encouraged, and the church is within (which is a fine thing as there are not many outposts of Gnostic groups about.)

  I suggest you read my link to the description of modern Gnosticism.
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  I just downloaded it and a quick look leads me to think this author doesn't debunk the Bible god as being man-made but seems to actually believe that god exists and that Jehovah is none other than Satan.

  I jumped to chapter 22 so that I could see what his critics say and how he responds. I'm not impressed; this guy is a believer in the worst sense of the word - a dogmatist.

  I'll try to read it but it is painfully faith-based and dogmatic. One can express an opinion while respecting the alternatives; when one no longer respects alternatives his mind is closed. Sad for him that he's found his "truth."
• 

  ProdigalSon

  Psalms 82:1 clearly says that the elohim are plural gods and goddesses that "sit down in the assembly of the Divine One". Kinda reminds me of the regular meetings that Satan sat down in as per Job 1:6. But there is a clear difference between the writings of the Yahwist and the Elohist.

  You gotta admit, aside from all the crazy asceticism, that the gnostics had a pretty good explanation for the Old Testament Maniac God. When the Roman Church goes out of its way to destroy something the way they did gnosticism, it sends up a big red flag for me that maybe there was some truth in it that wouldn't be conducive to their nefarious agenda.

  If the demiurge "Jehovah" of the OT is really the "God above gods", we're all really screwed.... might as well go back to the KH with our tails between our legs and wait for the Big A.

  ~PS
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  Mad Sweeney

  I could buy that Jehovah was indeed a demiurge if there was any evidence whatsoever that he was real and not a creation of various priests, authors, and storytellers.
• 

  Soldier77

  Mad Sweeney, I do get that the author is quite dogmatic and I've found at times I kind of rolled my eyes on a sentence or two. It would have been great if it was more neutral, but I am enjoying reading some new ideas, if anything, this is opening the door to another path.

  Truth be told, I've always sucked at reading the publications that the Society published on other religions. I mean I couldn't have told you what Buddhism was about 6 months ago!

  Actually, not reading those books is a good thing!

  As far as the belief that the universe was created imperfect, that's quite an opposing thought to what I grew up with, but I'm all about getting all sides of the story and get down to what is as true as possible in this propaganda filled world.
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  The gnostic view is pretty cool stuff, Soldier77, and has at least as much foundation in reality as the mainstream Christian view. It certainly helped serve me as another steppingstone away from the Borg. I'm just not sure I like the way this author presents it. After breaking free from an oppressive thought-limiting mind-control cult, narrow mindedness in any form is a turn-off to me.

  As for Buddhism, I find it interesting but there seem to be a lot of unnecessary additions to the simplicity of the Tao. If one can just grok the Tao one won't need it ennumerated in the form of a religion.

  http://wayism.com/

  http://www.wayist.org/
• 

  Soldier77

  I've been reading a book that goes through the main points of Buddhism and I have been finding that enlightening as well. Gnostism and Buddhism have similar philosophies, to a point.

  Again, like you, this is being used as a stepping stone for me. Thanks for your input MS!
• 

  warmasasunned

  tried reading it....but boy it feels like he trying to convert you!
• 

  Coffee House Girl

  Thanks for the suggestion- will look at it! Marked.

  CHG