by digderidoo 52 Replies latest jw friends
In any event, the Bible says that a time 'free from care' is when the hammer drops, coinciding with Steve's research.
He doesn't suggest we live in a time 'free from care' ... if you'd have listened to his lecture he highlights the wars and genocides that have happened both this and the last century. He is arguing though that violence has declined, very different from saying we live in a time of peace.
Indeed digderidoo :)
On one hand, the 20th century was extremely violent.
On the other, it was extremely peaceful.
What accounts for this seeming paradox? - Two different components to analyze: War and Daily life
The prophecy in Daniel is talking about 'daily life' being 'easy' and a world government system taking over at the end of that period (in response to economic crash, according to Rev 13)
Coupled with a 'great falling away' from Christianity, perhaps brought on in part by the 'freedom from care' to pursue leisure, etc.
Please show me the manuscript of Jeremiah 25 that can be reliably dated pre-exile.
My patience with this sort of myopic worldview is not what it used to be.
How can anybody actually read the bible and think that it is worthy of their respect?
There is not a pre-exile manuscript.
That doesn't mean it's false, or true. Instead, you take the gestalt of the works, and assemble a conception.
For verifiable prophecies (which I will list here in a bit), you look to what was said about Jesus.
Bethlehem, David's family, killed as a criminal, started a worldwide revolution in the nations, etc.; findable in the Septuagint.
Using the Septuagint, we can also verify Daniel's 'Alexander' prophecy, which authenticates the Bible along with the other prophecies about Christ.
Perhaps do some research on detailed rebuttals of "messianic prophecies" that have been presented on the forum previously and then see if you have anything new.
As acknowledged, you can invalidate these claims.
God isn't making this clear so that any random people 'believe'; as if his goal were to simply get people to 'believe' he exists.
Hence the prophecy about a 'great falling away', the figurative threshing of the grain to remove the chaff.
So, as frustrating as this is for you I'm sure, I believe it's built into the framework that reductionist thinking leads nowhere regarding the Bible.
Rather - the gestalt of the works, connecting with higher conceptions. Modus ponens, in a sense.
And deductive reasoning. These allow me to see beyond reductionist thinking.
[and from a prophetic standpoint, exactly what I've been looking to substantiate].
Instead, you take the gestalt of the works, and assemble a conception.
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This is commonly known as "B.S.ing" your way to the conclusion you've already decided on and which fit into your pre-determined beliefs.
Not true.
Evidentiary analysis, not limited by reductionism.
Plato vs. Aristotle. I see the shadow.
Fact A:
Jesus said that many people would leave the faith leading up to his return
Fact B:
Many people are leaving the faith
Now, you can throw that out, and say "but it is just the natural course" or any other number of rebuttals.
But what about a higher conception, or framework of understanding?
" How can anybody actually read the bible and think that it is worthy of their respect?"
1. By being indoctriated with the preconceived axiom that the bible is the word of God.
2. By refusing to do any independent research into the bible from objective, non-theist sources.
3. By being afraid to doubt the historicity or morality of certain passages that are troubling to the rational mind. It is considered a sin to doubt the bible - lack of faith.
Thus fundamentalist, bible believing christians are shackled in their thinking, unable to see clearly and rationally, because the very tenets of their faith creates a closed mindset that is geared at preserving the chains shackling the mind. It is like AIDS, where the immune system on its own cannot fight the HIV virus because the virus targets and damages the very said immune system. Similarly fundamentalist christianity targets and demonizes reason, independent research, open-mindedness and doubt - the very attributes needed to see through the errors of the bible.
Yes, I agree Island Man. That is true.
