by sabastious 132 Replies latest watchtower bible
I know the bible very well and I don't see it, quite the contrary. I think you are seeing what you want to see.
Read this blog in a few months. Your ideas wont change, no way in hell, but you'll have more to say and I would like to hear it. I have to get to work.
-Sab
It was very scientific for it's time.
Can you give an example? You say the writers 'people watched', but this has to be a criteria for any kind of writer, does it not? You either write a story from personal experience, or keep the plot fictional, but either way the characters are entirely 'human'. I'd agree that artistically, the Bible is up there as one of the great written works. I'd also put the Koran in that list, but I do not use it as a moral compass. And again, there are lots of nice parts to the Bible, there are also plenty of despicable things too. In terms of morality, it's clearly of it's time, when slavery was condoned and women were subjugated. Things like 'The Golden Rule' were not new ideas; Confucius said the same thing, 500 years before Jesus, as did many others. I don't understand why one would turn to the Bible and not any other book.
We will continue along that path into erasing memories that for some reason didn't block out, just like sometimes a fetus miscarries.
It's an interesting thought. But I'd rather hold on to both the good and bad portions of my life. I can see where this technology could be used to help people who have suffered severe mental trauma and scarring.
Is that what your OP was about, that you don't think this kind of tampering is right? My opinion on that would have to be based on the circumstances.
Can you give an example? ... I don't understand why you turn to the Bible and not any other book.
My work is piling up so I have to leave after this reply. As I said the Bible, as an Oracle System, is interchangeable with other equivalent systems. It's very important to keep in mind that the Quran was crafted because of the perceived deficiency of the Jews and Christians. It gives full credence to the Bible's ancient prophets more so than it does as an Oracle System as a whole. Which would make sense because the document states that it is a replacement. The same with Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints. The Book of Morman is suppoed to be a modern day Jesus story (with an epic mythological backstory that "answers ancient questions") as was Mohamad when the Quran was written. It seems that the Oracle Systems man has created all have an element of communing with the dead. The Bible communing with the Pure Spirit of Christ. Jesus is shown saying that nothing mattered unless he died and became a spirit.
-Sab
Is that what your OP was about, that you don't think this kind of tampering is right? My opinion on that would have to be based on the circumstances.
I can tell you that I would have some erased. I would leave all my Watchtower family the way they are, but I would remove the intense stuff like rape as a child which are just remnants of what my brain didn't jettison already.
-Sab
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you are saying 'The Bible is the book most agreeable to me, so I will follow its teachings.' Is that a wise thing to do? I don't know your position on religion, but a great many things which were touted in the Bible as factual are now seen to be false. Does that not phase your opinion of the book? How good of an Oracle is the Bible, if when scrutinized, gives false answers?
On the basis of your second point - mainly that newer writings of Islam, Mormonism etc. were founded on the percieved deficiency with Christianity, I have another question. If the pattern is that newer writings are unecessary additions to an already complete Life Manual, then where does that leave Jesus and the New Testament? The Old Testament writings were completed at least 2 centuries before Jesus appeared. Surely by that logic, Judaism is the way to go? Why do you draw the line at Christianity and say 'everything behind this line is true, and everything past it is false'? And what of the myths included in Islam and Mormonism - how are they different from the Bibles myths of 6 day creation, the Flood, the tower of Babel, the Exodus and the Messianic Lineage?
I'm interested in your answers, get back to me when you've finished your work.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you are saying 'The Bible is the book most agreeable to me, so I will follow its teachings.' Is that a wise thing to do? I don't know your position on religion, but a great many things which were touted in the Bible as factual are now seen to be false. Does that not phase your opinion of the book? How good of an Oracle is the Bible, if when scrutinized, gives false answers?
There is no such thing as true perfection, only perfection for a purpose is possible. If I set out to chop down a tree it doesn't matter how it happens the results are measured in fallen trees. We are constantly in the pursuit of happiness. When we find it we fight for it and when we lose it we search for it. But the pursuit, that yearning for progress, never really ends because everything is constantly changing, including the definitions of happiness and pursuit. The Bible's historical accuracy is moot in regards to it's purpose: to enlighten without you knowing it's enlightening you.
Oracle Systems are designed to connect human to maker in a personal way. Therefore cultural systems are often coveted. The Bible makes an attempt to mesh ideas from it's surrounding areas. Theological concepts like refining gold from copper in a religious way is a concept rooted in Africa which were heavily into the production of relics. Job is referred to as the "Greatest man of the East." I am sure the writers knew that there was a world of slanty eyed people closer to the sunrise then them. They borrwed ideas from their culture which is a hat tip at the very least. It means that entities like the Watchtower are extremely hypocritical as they preach and teach to worry about the "roots" of everything. When in the end all you needed was the Bible and some people to discuss it with and gather evidence.
Eventually in the human evolutionary timeline people are posed the problem of explaining why NOT to act like an animal was the best way to do things. Because acting like animals for long was the way things worked best, until like all things, it too shall pass. Eventually we had to develop a system to preserve concepts like justice, honor and love. How many times did they spring forth but were lost in time? Maybe with our 20/20 hindsight we could figure out how to preserve them without riddles and paintings, but it seems like we still can't even agree on what things like justice honor and love actually are and what their sources are.
-Sab
If the pattern is that newer writings are unecessary additions to an already complete Life Manual, then where does that leave Jesus and the New Testament?
The new editions were necessary because certain people had crisises of conscious. For the Muslims it was because they knew in their heart that there was only one God. They knew that that's what Abraham was all about and they saw the Christian's and Jews fighting so bad that they created a new religion. To them it was obvious that a Jewish God + a Christian God meant TWO Gods. So they set out on their own frontier. Very similar thing with the Mormans just newer.
-Sab
There is no such thing as true perfection, only perfection for a purpose is possible.
Ah, but if the maker of the universe is writing a book for us to follow, I would expect perfection. Scientifically accurate, Historically supported, and not wishy-washy, i.e. you can take bits you like and ignore bits you dont, and make them fit your own interpretation.
And how do you know the Oracle system is from God, not man made?
You made my brain hurt a little with that reply, but I'll read through it.
Thanks for the chat.
Sab - I'm a bit lost on what any of your posts in this thread have to do with the title "The Bible and Genetics".
