by Shining One 37 Replies latest watchtower bible
The text speaks for itself......
that's really a dumb thing to say.
if the text spoke for itself, there would not be so many sects and so much confusion as to the true religion.
the more you think about it, the less you may still see god in the text. it's fairly obvious to me. what's wrong with you?
TS
When I was 22 and in the midst of converting to JWism, I couldn't get enough Paul, especially his polemical stuff like the run of scriptures above.
When I was 22 that is.
50 year old men who find profound wisdom, insight, and truth in Paul's words, well...embarrass me.
"...Conversely -- and this happens very frequently -- one's cherished convicitons and principles, especially the moral ones, begin to harden and to grow increasingly rigid until, somewhere around the age of fifty, a period of intolerance and fanaticism is reached. It is as if the existence of these principles were endangered and it were therefore necessary to emphasize them all the more." - C.G. Jung
Where the shoe fits. just wear it! LOL
Dan
it's fairly obvious to me; what's wrong with you?TS
LoL
22. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
23. and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
25. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.
26. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
27. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
29. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,
30. slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
31. they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Sounds like the "last days"!!! Oh wait that was 2000 years ago.
The sacred word of God continues to be a mirror for the face of anyone who looks into it.
12. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
13. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
14. but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
15. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
The reference to death is not just physical, the context of the wording in the New Testament consistently denotes 'eternal death', separation ffom God in Hell.
16. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.
17. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
18. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
19. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20. for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
Indeed, we all fall victim to this. This is why we need redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Eph. 2.8-10, Romans 3.10;23, 6.23, 5.8, 10-9-11). This is salvation and it rests on the gospel, which is clearly stated in 1 Cor. 15.4.)
Romans 8.1 tells us that, "there is no condemnation in those who are in Christ Jesus". Romans 8.28-30; 35-39 teaches the eernal security of the believer.
21. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24. and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
What is the result of this kind of living?
2 Peter 2
1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
5. if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
6. if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
7. and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men
8. (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--
9. if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
10. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;
11. yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
12. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
14. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed--an accursed brood!
15. They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
16. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey--a beast without speech--who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.
17. These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
18. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
JWs escape the error of the Watchtower, only to fall prey to those who would see them enslaved to sin...
19. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
20. If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
21. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
22. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
And why is it not only proper but a command to stand on the principles of scriptural teaching?
2 Peter 1.
16. We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
18. We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19. And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
20. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.
21. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
That is why it is wrong for a Christian to deny scripture then continue to call themselves 'Christians'.
Peter continues the train of thought....
2 peter 3
9. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
That is why the 'Church Age' (since Calvary) have lasted 2000 years....
10. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
11. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
12. as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
The coming day of judgement also ushers in the new era of peace:
13. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
14. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
15. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
16. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
So many people distort scripture and not all are called unbelievers....
17. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
18. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Rex
Rex-
My cousin is a devout Buddhist, spent time in Tibet and Nepal, had an audience with the Dali Lama (means nothing to you I'm sure), but he asked me once, and I refer the questions to you-
WHERE is the mercy in Organized Christianity and supposed Christians?
WHERE is the joy in Organized Christianity and supposed Christians?
Do you ever laugh? Or are you going to lie on your sides for 400 plus days and moan, "Woe is them."
Did you really miss the references to salvation, Lawrence? I wonder if you know: why is it that in this day and age Christianity can flourish regardless of persecution, yet Hinduism and Islam have to control their own by death (and threats of death) to those make an honest conversion to Christianity? I don't see any such abuses by evangelicals in the civilized world. I do see some taking up arms to defend their neighbors, but that is it. We have no homicide bombers to speak of! Why is it that ex-JWs seem to support any freaky or cultish religion then consistently criticize real Christians?
Rex
Do you see yourself in the mirror, Tetly?
Rex
Rex, a reference to the scripture will do, rather than quoting the whole thing. There are Bibles online, and we can look them up.
That said, your own quotes apply very well to the WTS. "they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed"
Rex-
You state: We have no homicide bombers to speak of! Why is it that ex-JWs seem to support any freaky or cultish religion then consistently criticize real Christians?
Excuse me, but all of the world's friggin wars are backed and BLESSED by the "real Christians" and the majority of your teachers and preachers! Get rid of your clergies and then people will stop hating (all clergies got TO GO!)
Back to my question: Where is the mercy? Where is the joy? Lots of laws, cause you people can't keep the 2 commandments (love neighbor and love God). Instead, you become judges.
