Jesus was just a man?

by Joey Jo-Jo 96 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Pistoff

  Godrulz is still arguing, and maybe always will, from inside the box of true belief; maybe better described as credulity.

  Tell me Godrulz, why are the themes in the Jesus story repeated in so many myths before the time of Jesus?

  Why doesn't Paul mention Jesus' miracles or teachings?

  Is it because he didn't believe them? Or is it because Paul wrote before the stories had been invented to buttress Jesus credentials among a culture that valued those kind of stories?

  Paul goes to great lengths to prove Jesus was the son of God, so why not describe all those miracles, and the ideas and teachings in the Gospels? Why isn't Paul eager to champion Jesus' complete lack of respect for religious authority? Is it because Paul wants to use Jesus as the basis for his new religious structure?

  It is not a good idea to use as proof of godship the word of those who believe in the godship.

  The Gospels are a religious take on why Jesus died, an event that shook his believers and eventually put forth the idea that it MUST have been God's plan.
• 

  designs

  When in doubt fake it .....
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  godrulz

  poff: you are displaying ignorance of Pauline theology and its strong Christological roots. He learned about the historical Jesus from the apostles and met him personally as He encountered the risen Christ. Try F.F. Bruce's 'Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free' to fill in your gaps. Jesus is not dead, but risen! He died for me; I will live for Him. 'Follow me' (Paul also said to follow him as he follows Christ...so, follow me as I follow him and reject anything I say that is contrary to Scripture).

  There is a lack of hunger and thirst for God in the land. This is why things are so wicked and messed up. Thankfully, hundreds of millions are coming to know Him. You can too.
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  poopsiecakes

  Has anyone ever seen the movie The Mist? If so, you'll get the Mrs. Carmody reference...godrulz would be just like that - he seems all calm if off balanced now but should there ever be any kind of a disaster in his neighborhood, he'd be the one screaming for someone he deems immoral to sacrifice in an attempt to appease his god. Expiation!!!
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  GOrwell

  @poopsiecakes - great flick! Marcia Gay Harden is an amazing actress!
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  poopsiecakes

  Oh goody! Someone got my reference!
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  godrulz

  And you guys think I am nuts?
• 

  MrDarkKnight

  Godrulz - I know you have been getting a lot of grief of late. I welcome your viewpont. I have tried to respectfully engage you on occasion because you and I are not that much different. You are passionate about what you believe and when I was an active JW so was I.

  Your comment "JWs are rationalists" made me chuckle. My parents converted to JWs when I was eight years old. I became a member at age 15 and was a zealot for almost 30 years. I loved to debate my beliefs. I had many people in my "return visit" book like you, intelligent, well educated and feisty. I spent a lot of time with them with no expectation of converting them, but the thrill of the debate and the test of my knowledge always made me go back to their homes. Being forced to defend my beliefs convinced me at the that I was right and they were wrong.

  Therefore I can tell you that after six months of RATIONAL thought that JWs are not rationalists in general. The fact is that all religion requires us to suspend rational thought on some level and simply BELIEVE. There are religious teaching that are simply NOT DEMONSTRABLE not matter how much we BELIEVE. Our belief is based on FAITH not REALITY. The reality of this hit me hard recently. I have spent my life debating and defending beliefs that I really can't PROVE with DEMONSTRABLE EVIDENCE. I am really asking people to just BELIEVE.

  Believing something with passion does not make it REALITY. I really, really, really, believe I am rich, but my bank account says I am not.

  I will not practice an organized religion until I have DEMONSTRABLE evidence that God exists, that he has made efforts to communicate with mankind and this chosen form of communication can be validated as his word. Calling me dumb, stupid, immature, uneducated, rationalist, atheist, agnostic or wicked are just labels that avoid the issue. Condemnig me to death at the hand of God without proof just supports my position.

  And if I ever choose to practice organized religion again, I will never turn my conscious mind over to them again. I will always look for DEMONSTRABLE evidence that what they believe and practice is rooted in REALITY and can be proved by REASON.

  I seek proof, not rhetoric.
• 

  Pistoff

  you are displaying ignorance of Pauline theology and its strong Christological roots. He learned about the historical Jesus from the apostles and met him personally as He encountered the risen Christ.

  So Godrulz, I am waiting for an answer: why doesn't Paul mention Jesus miracles or his sayings and teachings?
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  THE GLADIATOR

  Most of the Christians that I talk to no longer believe the bible to be the word of god - with exception of Godrulz of course.

  Bearing this in mind, we have no evidence that the sandal clad, fish loving, carpenter from Nazareth was anything other than a Jewish rebel. Without acceptance of the bible as the inerrant word of god there is no reason to believe that Jesus rose in the morning let alone from the dead.

  May your gods go with you…