by Rip 17 Replies latest watchtower scandals
Definition: Agape is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Bible.
This Greek word and variations of it are found throughout the New Testament. Agape perfectly describes the kind of love Jesus Christ has for his Father and for his followers:
Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. (John 14:21,)
A sincere atheist may find answer to why God fought wars in which many people young and old perished.
First of all the supposition of a God derives from human inner will of paternership. Now if any God we chose is our father, that means the essence of life, we must also be willing to ACCEPT that he fathered us for a PURPOSE. That purpose may justify all the actions he(the father) undertakes. So, from the point of view of a Jah worshiper my explaination to those acts that people rationally and simplistically humanly judge unacceptable (though too surrealistic) is: Jah created the earth to be inhabited the way he was thinking best by men he had created. Those men mistakenly failed to measure up to that purpose. Jah decided to give them a CHANCE, and Adam and Eve were allowed to "fill the world", still Adam's progeny had no idea of THE PURPOSE, for which they went against. Jah gave them a second CHANCE, by the means of the SEED of Abraham, a man he chose to take the lead in the PURPOSE, to enlight the rest of mankind and later extrapolate it to a nation whose LAWS (Mose's) influenced many constitutions of our days. Now in the establishment of the Nation, which was part of a plan, people residing those places were warned not to go against the plan, which they did and faced the consequences. A war was launched and women were killed and children too but this was collateral and God new why it was necessary in his capacity of omniscience. Once the nation was no more, Jah established christianity through Jesus, a man he sent to TEACH and expand the plan/PURPOSE to the entire GLOBE. The man was killed, not by God but by the Romans. If he wouldn't have been killed or hypothetically accepted, that would have been the shortcut leading the PURPOSE. Now that he was killed, Jah turned the value of his blood into sacrificial gift for atonment of the now to do sins. That is why the man is a GIFT to you and me. For those who do not believe in God, know that you are in disadvantage for there is No MORE CHANCE, there will not be no MORE Jesus. It is closed. Those who follow Jesus and his teachings have the advantage of avoiding destruction (their children included) if they do not leave by his standard. To add, if ever God didn't exist (for the doubters) they have nothing to lose. That is how I realy am a not doubting JAHTheist. THE PLAN continues and we are its last phase, Please wake up!! We are not trees!!
I think we are trees.( See pic on the left).
Now, come be my follower. Oops, almost forgot...you already are!!!!
Hi and Welcome!
--Rip
The lack of charity was the principal reason my father balked at being a good Witness. While he was at Bethel, he had a chance to roam New York in his off time. He saw other church groups helping people with every day problems, such as food, housing, and emotional support. He even argued a bit while at Bethel that the Witnesses could start a small scale program in the local KHs so those in need had help. Within the Witnesses, such help is ad hoc. A lot depends upon the makeup of the congregation. After the WTBTS gets its take, not much is left in the way of resources.
This is in sharp contract to Jesus' express words about what you do for the least of humans, you do for me. Some individual Witnesses are charitable. Most churches devote a percentage of their income to charitable works. Jesus talked about charity to strangers yet my father thought all active Witnesses should have a family in the Witnesses.
I've volunteered in homeless shelters, AIDS ministries, and food kitchens. The volunteers receive a tangible benefit from helping others. First, you feel better that at least something is being done. Second, you are able to meet people outside your comfort zone. The atmosphere in these program is usually one of loving service. Third, it presents opportunites to socialize and bond with other Christians. The largest AIDS charity in New York during the height of the AIDS crisis, God's Love We Deliver, became the hottest singles place.
What threatens the WTBTS so that it prevents organized charity? Elaine Pagels, the New Testament and Gnostics scholar, wrote that the earliest Christians had the sermon open to the general public but communion was available only to those baptized. The nonbaptized were forced to leave the premises before communion. Outsiders heard talk of the body and blood of Christ being present and also noted that Christians called each other brother and sister. They assumed cannabilism and incenst were happening. Therefore, the earliest crimes Christians were accused of commiting were crimes aginst humanity. The Church responded by allowing nonbaptized persons to witness the Eucharist. Not much later, plagues hit many Roman provinces. The Christians were unlike other religious groups. They did not flee. Rather, they felt a duty to remain and nursed even nonChristian victims back to health. They buried the dead. These acts were a turning point in Christian and nonChristian relations.
It was a more powerful witness concerning the Christian beliefs than attending meetings and knocking on doors.
Rip ... well you are refreshing on an early Friday morning!
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Like your style Rip, why don't you hang around here for awhile.
You make an interesting point... " We are not trees!!"
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We are free to change position alright........ but don't forget ...
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.........Watchtower is standing over us with an AXE!
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Btw ..I see that this is your first post ...shall I put your name
on our Newbie List?
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All the best to you.
clarity
ok clarity, many thanks to you all
We are not trees!!
And I would like to Clear Fears of the WTBTS for you all, Please fear not and Decide which destiny is for you. God loves those who decide according to their conscience, which sets a basis for judgement. We are free moral agents, hence lets not allow any one to threaten us with the "Disfelowshipping" weapon. Speak out and Rock, Jah loves you all.
If you are not happy with a situation, change it. You are not a tree!
