Greetings to all:
I want to share a perspective, with everyone that comes here to read, for i feel it will take some of us in a new direction. Perhaps it will allow for some creative thinking and interesting discussion or maybe it simply wont go anywhere. It does not really matter either way, for there are subjects which can only be speculated on and thoughts which can only be shared.
Who really knows exactly why certain issues pan out the way they do, but we learn to accept them with the thought that everything happens for a reason, and usually there is a very good one behind it. So because we are here to talk and share experiences, get over our collective past and expand our horizons, i feel it is an apropriate place to let this out. This is purely a speculation i have arrived at, so please read it with an open mind and if you dont agree with it take it as religious fiction.
I have come to a conclusion, that is shared by many people, i feel that all the religions in the world hold the same basic function, which is to teach morals and ethics, plain and simple, and they do this through myth and parables. The variations in doctrine occur due to the culture and do to the art of the time in which the faith originated.
Every culture on this planet has a collection of mythical stories:
Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Norse, Indians, etc. and every major world religion has a holy book:
Analects --- are attributed to Confucius' teachings.
Bhagavad Gita --- a poem that is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna. the Hindu path to spiritual wisdom, attainable through karma(action), bhakti(devotion), & jnana(knowledge)[200bc-200ad]
Upanishads---the basis of hinduism and Veda[900bc]---sacred scrioptures[1000bc-500bc]
Koran (Quran) --- basis of Islam, it contain god's word, dictated through Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad.[650ad]
New Testament --- basis of christian belief, (we know this one)around[100ad]
Old Testament --- the Hebrew bible, made up of the Torah, Prophets, & Writings.[1000bc-100bc]
Talmud --- Jewish oral law, made up of Mishna(actual law) and Gemara(commentary on Mishna){compiled in the 6th century]
Tao-te-Ching --- basic text of Taoism. attributed to Lao-tzu
As JWs we were expected to reject the faith of every other culture. Being that i no longer am one, i have gone to great lengths to know what exactly they did not want me to know. Some of these writings are not only beautiful but are also very uplifting, thought provoking and wisdom instilling. I highly recommend these readings.
With this as background i want to challenge everything we were taught. The bible that we used or use is a compilation of writings that originated in the Mediteranean. First series of questions, of Jesus' apostles who wrote in the bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were any of them Greek? if not did they speak it? Was Paul Greek, and if so where did he gain so much authority as to compose the latter part of the bible, when it was John, to whom Jesus said, that his church would be founded upon? WHY was it written in greek?
Why were the Greek translations incorporated with the Torah, Prophets and Writings scrolls when most of the islands along the northern Mediteranean were not jewish. They were being taught a new 'religion' which was based on Jesus, not Judaism. What was the reasoning. These were two seperate sets of writings for two seperate religions granted one may have grown from the next but was it necessary to bring up the old teachings when it was a new beginning to a new church? Why were the two blended together?
Try this one out. The religion of Islam originates from Esau, the brother of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham. The same Abraham that was under covenant with god. Both of these two world religions originated from the same man. If being first born was so important, are we to believe that Esau lost his birth right over stew? Could this story not been the beginning of a long feud between brothers which changed the outcome of history. Because of this rivalry is it not possible that The Koran could just as easily been added to the Torah? Why was one chosen over the other when it is obvious that these 2 major world religions originated from the same source? How about pushing it a step further, what if Muhammad was the Messiah and somehow it was covered up?
We cant solely go on the premise that the Israelites said they were the chosen nation, or because it was written. The WT say and write they are the voice of god but we know that it doesnt mean they are.
I have come to my own conclusion and that is that the bible is a compilation of hebrew and christian myth. I give it no more and no less value than the other holy ones.
Thank you all for reading, please share your thoughts. . .
CHUCK
of the if i wasnt already i definitely am now an apostate class