derek: you beat me to it.
Why does this favorite JW scripture never get the light??
reason on this....
by myelaine 46 Replies latest jw friends
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myauntfanny
Hi myelaine
This Bible has also discretely made it into just about every house on the planet.
I take exception to this statement on two counts. Well, maybe only one if you really do mean "discretely" and not "discreetly". If you really mean "discretely" then I'm not sure what you mean anyway. But if you mean "discreetly", as in silently, subtly, without much fanfare, then it's hardly true. Missionaries went around the world forcing Christianity on people, using political leverage as well as violence. One grudge that Islam undoubtedly has against Christianity to this day is the terrible carnage they suffered at the hands of Christians a few hundred years ago. There has been nothing discreet about getting the Bible into people's homes.
The other point is that "the Bible is in just about every house on the planet". About 75% of Americans and Canadians are Christian, and America is a very powerful and rich country that tends to dominate the world politically, and most Americans are quite insulated from the rest of the world, so they tend not to realise that MOST OF THE WORLD IS NOT CHRISTIAN. Only a third of the planet's inhabitants identify themselves as Christian (see link below). That IS a lot, and it's more than any other. But even though it is the majority, it is still only one-third. Of the rest, some percentage (the statitistic vary) is areligious or antireligious which means they have probably seen a Bible or two. The rest of the planet is born and raised Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, and so on. It may be that all these people find Christianity so important that they have a Bible anyway, but I doubt it. I don't know many Christians with a copy of the Q'uran in their house. Although that's probably changing as more Christians come to feel they need to know their archenemy.
Edited for typo and to add, that I'm sorry if I'm being nitpicky, this is just something that bugs me. Also I'm sorry if I sound unfriendly. I apparently can't sound friendly and handle facts at the same time. It's a curse I have to live with.
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myelaine
ezekiel3,
I expect he meant all the scripture that he had access to at the time. I believe that all the scripture in the Bible that we have now is beneficial. I have not read a Catholic Bible, I could but frankly I would be leary of any scripture that advocated the worship of or prayer to anyone but God (Matthew 4:10) I also believe that Jesus is my mediator (1Tim 2:5) That's just me though, I know that everyone has their own belief system and I wouldn't and don't force anyone to believe anything.
michelle -
funkyderek
I expect he meant all the scripture that he had access to at the time.
So that would include the Old Testament, and possibly dozens of other books not considered part of the Christian Bible? Am I correct in assuming that you concede that Paul was not talking about his own writings or the rest of the New Testament, most of which had not been written at that time?
I believe that all the scripture in the Bible that we have now is beneficial.
Fine, but if you want to convince anybody you'd better have something better than 2 Timothy 3:16.
And what about the scripture that is not in the Bible now that Paul considered to be inspired and beneficial?
I have not read a Catholic Bible, I could but frankly I would be leary of any scripture that advocated the worship of or prayer to anyone but God (Matthew 4:10)
I don't think the Catholic Bible does that. Catholics only worship the same god as you. In any case, if you're rejecting scripture for doctrinal reasons you're presumably saying it's not inspired of God, which in turn throws doubt on Paul's writings.
I also believe that Jesus is my mediator (1Tim 2:5) That's just me though, I know that everyone has their own belief system and I wouldn't and don't force anyone to believe anything.
That's good. If you mention your belief system in public though, I may attack any inconsistencies I find in it.
And also "discrete" means separate; "discreet" means wise or prudent (sorry, I'm a stickler for this kind of thing )
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myelaine
Dear funkyderek,
1. All scripture that Paul had access to, including scripture not included in todays Bible.
2. God will do the convincing, it is His will that all come to an accurate knowledge of the truth, regardless of what I say about His word.
3. I reject any scripture not in line with the sole worship of God or prayer to God. I thought that some scripture in the Catholic Bible advocated prayer through the mother Mary. If I'm dead wrong, forgive me on that point. That really doesn't throw any doubt on Paul's writing.
4. I am not scholarly at all, I simply believe in the God of my Bible. I thought I would tell you that, so that when you attack me you are aware of how you look. I may be simple but you would be a wolf.
5. If you must, "bring it on" I will try to contend for my faith, though I will only use my Bible which you seem to question as any authority on God. Am I right that you question its authority?
love michelle
p.s. If there are any Bible believeing Christians out there that would like to help me out, please feel free, I don't wish to be "devoured" so to speak. Thanx.
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myelaine
ezekiel3,
Did you say that you had some light to shine on this topic?
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avishai
I am not scholarly at all, I simply believe in the God of my Bible
Well, I would say that that is 'blind faith' and not "making the truth your own". If that's all you got, you deserve to be devoured. Read your bible, so you can back up your points, or not, otherwise your in BIG trouble.
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myelaine
dear avishai,
I do read my Bible, have for years. I have made the truth my own, and that is why I "semi-boldly" told funkydude to bring it on
love michelle
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funkyderek
1. All scripture that Paul had access to, including scripture not included in todays Bible.
Have you read all those books? Do you value them as much as those that did make it into your Bible?
2. God will do the convincing, it is His will that all come to an accurate knowledge of the truth, regardless of what I say about His word.
Well if it's God's will then we don't have to worry, do we? God would never let his will be thwarted, right?
3. I reject any scripture not in line with the sole worship of God or prayer to God. I thought that some scripture in the Catholic Bible advocated prayer through the mother Mary. If I'm dead wrong, forgive me on that point.
You're forgiven.
That really doesn't throw any doubt on Paul's writing.
But what's your reason for trusting Paul's writing in the first place? Because he said "all scripture is inspired" and your religion later defined his writings as scripture?
4. I am not scholarly at all, I simply believe in the God of my Bible. I thought I would tell you that, so that when you attack me you are aware of how you look. I may be simple but you would be a wolf.
Please don't play the martyr. You're not being "attacked" or persecuted. And I'm no "wolf". Your thread title was "reason on this" and that's all I've done. If you're looking for your unsupported claims to be accepted, you're in the wrong place.
5. If you must, "bring it on" I will try to contend for my faith, though I will only use my Bible which you seem to question as any authority on God. Am I right that you question its authority?
No, I questioned the authority of the Bible when I already believed it. I couldn't find answers to my questions that supported my beliefs, so I changed them. I no longer accept the Bible as an authority. Can you tell me why you do, as you don't seem to have studied it in depth? Surely you can't believe it's inspired just because it claims to be?
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LittleToe
Oh mother!!!
"Christian" here, but I aint touching this one with a ten foot barge pole...
Myelaine:
I should just point out, before I disappear, that Derek is a really nice guy (for all his hard-man image
His arguments may seem harsh, but they are usually reasonable.
Keep on pummeling him until you find the flaws