by Terry 47 Replies latest watchtower bible
John Calvin, French Theologian, laid the basis for much nonsense.
He believed in pre-destination, and today we see it echoed in many
fundamentalist churches who insist "God has a plan for your life"
Every action was fated to happen. Its a Greek in origin. Fate.
Destiny. Determinism. Islam also believes this.
What is the purpose of life? To extend the pleasure of existence through knowledge and creativity.
I agree. Remember that the greatest revenge is to live a successful and happy life. That is what I am doing while my enemies are shaking their fists at me.
What YOU HOLD TO BE RIGHT OR WRONG inside your mind is highly subjective.
The original sin!
In fact this whole forum is full of conversations about what is right and what is wrong. What is good and what is bad.
It is full of opinions and convictions. Some of which are subject to change at any moment depending on the convenience of the present circumstance.
The consequence eventually leads to decisions made using those very same opinions and convictions.
Millions of decisions made every day. All made by people who think their decision is the right one.
Every decision has a consequence.
The total consequence of them all leads to what we see happening in the world around us.
It measures the value of what the most intelligent people are thinking.
If it doesn't then the most intelligent people are just not intelligent enough to make a difference.
You too can be like God knowing good or bad, right or wrong.
The Knowledge that Leads to Everlasting Life.
Millions now living will never die.
They positively will not die.
abe
The total consequence of them all leads to what we see happening in the world around us.
Exactly, and while there is room for criticism, we live is a world which is the result of some good and some bad decisions of prior generations.
I have no control over the decisions of prior generations - I only can control my decisions. I hope and aspire to making decisions that benefit future generations.
Not sure what you mean they "positively will not die." As far as I know everyone dies. Except Tom Hanks in the Green Mile.
Perhaps now that the human DNA has been mapped, it will someday be possible to locate the "inherited sin genome".
It would be interesting to know if we share it with the Neanderthals and the Denisovans - were those related branches "free of original sin"?
It further brings up the question - did Adam's DNA spontenously change when he voluntarily sinned?
Not sure what you mean they "positively will not die." As far as I know everyone dies.
It gives Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses a chance to think about how inimately involved in the Original Sin they were as Jehovah's Witnesses.
Even in these supposedly post modern time the same lie still works!
Yes, its humiliating.
abe
Abe, Perhaps I missed your prior posts, but your comment in the vacuum of this discussion needs clarification.
It is the concept of original sin that negates morality.
I disagree.
If man is guilty by nature, he has no choice about it.
Man has no choice in that he has inherited a body that has sin and death in it.
He does, however, have a choice in what he DOES. In the choices that he makes. Jealous of your brother? He can choose to do harm to his brother, or he can choose to love and serve his brother, thereby mastering the sin in him.
Want something that your brother has? You can choose to take/steal it... or turn away from that desire. (Or you can ask him to give it to you, or sell it to you.)
If he has no choice, the issue does not belong in the field of morality.
Actions are moral or immoral. We can act on our sin, or we can act upon what is right.
Morality pertains only to the sphere of man's free will -- only to those actions which are open to his choice.
All of the above are examples that man's actions are open to choice.
Lie; don't lie. Hit someone; don't hit someone. Steal; don't steal. Kill; don't kill.
Peace,
tammy
did Adam's DNA spontenously change when he voluntarily sinned?
Yes, in a manner of speaking. (good to see you, James)
Death entered him, and had not been in him before he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good (life), and bad (death). Eating of death, brings death into you.
Instead of leaving him to die then and there, though (thereby giving none of us who came after, life)... God prepared a new body for him (long garment of skin), that 'holds' that sin and death. So that we do not have to die, in spirit... though these vessels do get sick, and die.
Comparatively, Christ, when he returns gives those who belong to Him and those invited into the Kingdom white robes... new bodies. No sin and death in them.
Long garments of skin (mistakenly believed to be mere clothing) = these vessels that have sin and death in them.
White robes (comparatively described as clothing) = the new body, the spiritual body, that has LIFE in them instead.
Peace to you!
tammy
Hello NewYork,
The Knowledge that Leads to Everlasting Life. ---> title of a JW Book
Millions now living will never die. ----> title of another JW Book.
They positively will not die. ---> subtle reference to the original sin.
The scripture which identifies the original sin:
Genesis 3:3-5
" 4 At this the serpent said to the woman: "YOU positively will not die. 5 For God knows that in the very day of YOUR eating from it YOUR eyes are bound to be opened and YOU are bound to be like God, KNOWING good and bad."
How close to being deceived by the same original sin get than that?
Not understanding is how deception can work.
After all, do misled people know they have been misled?
Even in this post modern world the exact same deception still works!
Satan's success has been spectacular!
Being a victim of the same and coming to terms with that, is a humiliating experience.
On the other hand, does that not also make us conquerors?
Revelation 3:17-22
17 Because you say: "I am rich and have acquired riches and do not need anything at all," but you do not know you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire that you may become rich, and white outer garments that you may become dressed and that the shame of your nakedness may not become manifested, and eyesalve to rub in your eyes that you may see. 19 "‘All those for whom I have affection I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his [house] and take the evening meal with him and he with me. 21 To the one that conquers I will grant to sit down with me on my throne, even as I conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’"
abe
