John 20:25 to see the reference to removing nails from Jesus's hands to show how what the Borg teaches is inconsistent with a literal reading of the Bible. If you look at the picture of Jesus on the stake in the Teachers Book there is only one nail!
Shared some TTATT with my wife and now she wants us to have a weekly personal bible study
by suavojr 37 Replies latest jw friends
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BU2B
Good news for you Suavojr.. Sometimes a person seeing the coldness and lack of love firsthand is what is needed to start someone questioning. I hope that kid will be ok, but good for him that he has left the KH. Does he know TTATT?
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Frazzled UBM
It just goes to show how much pressure (and guilt) the org is heaping on JW parents to indoctrinate the kids (and save them). The org realises that in the Developed World that is the only hope for new members. So insidious!
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The Searcher
Suavojr, why not start with the big one - the GB!
The Circumcision Issue
bt chap. 14 p. 113 par. 11 - "The governing body in Jerusalem had reached a unanimous decision on the issue of circumcision."
The given understanding of the Bible account at Acts 15 regarding the circumcision issue is that Peter and a Governing Body was used to resolved the issue. This assertion is not based on the Scriptural evidence.
While Jesus walked the earth, some of his Apostles were contentious with each other, regarding who would be superior to the others. Equality was clearly not on their minds.
Did this attitude persist after Christ returned to heaven? This question is answered when Paul's words at Galatians 2:1-9 are examined closely.
Verse 1:
Paul speaks about going up to Jerusalem "after fourteen years". Fourteen years is a long time to ignore a "leadership", if indeed there was such. (Jesus had told his disciples that they were all brothers)
What impelled Paul to go and see the elders in Jerusalem is fundamental to establishing the truth about the dispute.
Verse 2 tells us: It was because of a revelation by God's Holy Spirit! Why did Jehovah reveal something to Paul and not to Peter &"the Governing Body"?
Verse 4 sheds light: Because false brothers had been brought in by some in Jerusalem, apparently to cause problems to Paul's ministry of teaching the nations. Also, they were spying on Paul, trying to subvert him and bring him under control of men in Jerusalem. Exactly who brought these ones in is not known, but whoever it was, they must have had some authority and prominence within the Jerusalem congregation in order to do so. Clearly, there was corruption within the ranks of the men in Jerusalem, and Paul, along with Barnabas and Titus, were directed by the Holy Spirit to go up to Jerusalem and settle this situation forthwith.
Verses 5, 6 & 9 show exactly how Paul viewed some of the men in Jerusalem - not as a God - appointed "Governing Body", but rather, as self-seeking men. Note his words -" to these we did not yield by way of submission, no, not for an hour".............. but on the part of those who seemed to be something — whatever sort of men they formerly were makes no difference to me"
If this was a God appointed "Govering Body" in Jerusalem, Paul would have been resisting the Holy Spirit by not yielding to such men, but the Scriptures definitely show exactly who was being Spirit directed in the circumcision issue!
Paul describes them as men who seemed to be something - in other words, not what they appeared to be.
He also made it clear that he was not impressed by their past histories - perhaps their association with Christ - because he stated that they told him nothing new!
He refers to them as "influential" men in one translation, but it is evident that he did not consider them as such. He describes Peter, James and John as "ones who seemed to be pillars", perhaps indicating that he had reservations.
Galatians 2:11 reveals further evidence that Peter was not viewed by Paul as part of a "Governing Body". No one in Jerusalem could or did "govern" Paul's understanding.
Verse 9 says, "they gave me and Bar´na·bas the right hand of fellowship". This does not indicate that they were directed by a leader in Jerusalem as to their ministry. (the Spirit had already done that)
It simply highlights the fact that a mutual participation in a venture was signified by a handshake or grasping another’s hand.
By examining Galatians 2:1-9, it becomes very clear that Jehovah used Paul to resolve the dispute about circumcision, not Peter or a "Governing Body" in Jerusalem, whom Paul clearly had to stand up to when given divine direction.
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FadeToBlack
Start from the beginning. I doubt you will make it to Exodus. Just ask questions about what you read.
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scary21
I agree with Searcher. How about when Paul said it was ok to eat meat sacrificed to idols, just not in front of someone with a WEAK conscience.{ tie that in with the blood issue)
If you have or can get Ray's book ISOCF he has many many good points. I would for sure read that book. Romans and Galations too.
Sherry
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Syme
It depends on where you want to push things to: If you want her just to stop believing in the WTS, you can choose scriptures that contradict the Borg's regulations and practices -the jwfacts.com site is the reference site with regards to this.
However, if you want her to go one step further and become an atheist, start from scratch. Start with the Genesis account of creation: Notice the 2 different stories of creation that are presented in chapters 1 and 2. Read about the preposterous ideas of seperate creation of animal kinds: e.g. why on earth would God create the whales family as mammals and put them in so much trouble living under the water? Continue with the hilarious account of Noah's flood, note that God said 'all' living things would be destroyed: what happened to the fish?
Then go on to the Bible's main theme. What is that? Love? God's Kingdon? Er, no: it is KILLING. Murder, manslaughter, execution, you name it. See all the transgressions of the Law that brought the death penalty. See God killing in an instant poor guys just because they happen to do something bad, such as giving 'inappropriate' offering of sacrifice. See the complete slaughter of all the first-borns of Egypt, just to 'give a lesson' to bad Pharaoh. See the Levites slaughtering their fellow nationals because they made an idol. See God giving food to Israelites and then killing them just after they ate the food!
Then continue with the UBER-Genocide account of Joshua and Judges, starting with the annihilation of poor Jericho: See how Jehovah instructed the Isrealites to slaughter EVERY human being (and livestock!) of Canaan, men, women, INFANTS, just because they happened to be born Canaanites. Read the exact instructions, read carefully the whole chronicle as an outside observer, and feel your stomach get sick.
See how God rejected Saul; why? Beacause he was a murderer? No! Because he was not murdering enough! He hesitated to slaghter the Amalekite king, and so the pious God-fearing Samuel (yes, that sweet Samuel who served in the temple from infancy) cut the king's head with a huge sword. See then king David cut of the foresking of 100 Philistine penises and bringing it as a bridal price. See God killing 70.000 Israelites beacause of a mistake tha David made! (which was the terrible sin of census taking). See Solomon becoming known as a king of Peace, only after he had all of his potential rivals slaughtered.
Read the account of sweet Esther. See how Jews in the Persian empire came close to suffering a genocide by the 'bad' Aman, but then see how triumphantly THEY killed every one (and their families) whom they considered an 'enemy' for their nation.
The list is endless. Plenty of material for ''Bible study"...
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disposable hero of hypocrisy
WOAH!! priceless thread, marking in case I can ever use it....
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carla
I have heard of quite a few jw's who left after reading in their entirety either Romans or Galatians. In my limited experience in attempting to read a Bible with a jw they are not used to reading a book of the Bible from start to end, it may be a challenge. Best of luck. (how about comparing it to another Bible or even the wt's own KIT?)
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Vanderhoven7
My suggestion:
Work your way through Romans
Then John's epistles
Then the book of Acts