by KateWild 71 Replies latest watchtower bible
Well, from my limited understanding of WT doctrine, the theme of the bible was "Jehovah's Universal Sovereignty"...but I could be wrong...right now to me the bible is a way to control the mind and will using fear, guilt and shame. The tools used to accomplish this are Sex, Revenge, Sex, Jealousy, Sex, Murder, Sex and more Sex...
i just started reading "Journey From Eden" so my view may be slightly skewed...
Maat
The overiding theme of the bible is Repentance and Redemption.
God is willing to redeem us even though we are sinful (natural, from out of the forest) so long as we are aware of our failings and desire to improve our station. Most of christendum focuses on John 3:16 and neglects the stronger 3:17.
God sent not his son to into the world to condem the world, but that the world through him might be saved. (ie redeemed)
Those who try to condem you with the bible have "swallowed the camel while straining the gnat", and are wanting you to try some camel for yourself.
In next weks assigned bible reading. Moses is called "God" by"Jehovah" Aaron the spokes person. an example of self-promotion if ever there was one.
there is an agenda in all the collection. written by the elite. (the only ones that could write. )
The Bible is Jehovah God's written Word to humankind.....a watcher
...............The Bible Says Your Wrong.....The Bible says "Jesus is the Word"..
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...........................................With a WatchTower Education..
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...OUTLAW
I think the idea of the bible is power and empowerment. I agree with what you say about control kate, but I think that some people can experience this control as domination whilst others can experience it as empowerment through such things as self discipline, respect for authority etc. For those who experience biblical power as domination rather than as empowerment deconstructing how the bible actually excludes them from a share of power would be a great way to gain some choice and freedom in one's life.
a watcher you said
By means of this reliable historical record Jehovah aquaints us with His dealings with humankind and thus with His own marvelous personality.
for me when you ascribe personality to Jehovah what you are really saying is that Jehovah is the masked one and that behind the mask there is something hidden (personality comes from persona which in ancient writings means mask). Indeed in thinking about it this would be a great deconstructing activity for those who feel disempowered by the Jehovah of jehovahs witnesses. Even today personality is linked to playing roles to fit in in society so continuing with this line of thought it seems that the Jehovah of Jehovah's witnesses may be playing a role to fit in with the watchtower society or to fit in with what you consider to be the in crowd?
the main idea of the bible is to give an explanation for the world around us , as it is. Besides that it gives us hope that something better will be put in place someday and tells us how we can become part of that.
I so agree with you emeth and that is what makes the bible empowering/disempowering
The Apostle John said (at least of his input in scripture):
These things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah or anointed one) and that believing, you might have life in his name. John 20:31
For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten (not created) Son, that whosoever beliveth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it. John 3:6-17
I havn't read the whole thread. so this may have been said.
The Bible is a collection of 66 books, written by 40 odd (some very odd !) writers, there are probably three "hands" in Isaiah for example. It is not a single work, it is a Library, the clue is in the name LOL
There is no one overarching theme, even the main subject matter, i.e the writers view of "god", is not uniform.
The idea of god evolves through time as we read form the oldest parts, where distinct evidence of Polytheism is found, through a gradual move to Monotheism, to the N.T writings which contain a proto-trinitarianism and some Gnostic content.
All of the books should be approached as separate from the others, it is necessary to know as accurately as possible when they were written, (ignore all WT information as to this !), and then to get an understanding of the politics and religious situation at the time, also to get a handle on what the writers agenda was as he wrote.
It is interesting to study the books in this way, we have very little else that has survived from most of the times that the books were written in.
We were created with freewill.
One of the most amazing things that ONLY freewill makes possible is, love.
Love has to be voluntary!
The main idea of the bible, is how that in the end, a remnant of volunteers will be gathered from the earth to live in a place with others who understand this.
Revelation 21:22-27
And I did not see a temple in it, for Jehovah God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb [is]. 23 And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God lighted it up, and its lamp was the Lamb. 24 And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 And its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there. 26 And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But anything not sacred and anyone that carries on a disgusting thing and a lie will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life [will].
abe
