i am a believer, but have struggled with some bible subjects.
the one that has caused me the most questions, and for the longest time (even as a jw) is the geneology of jesus found in the first 17 verses of matthew.. on the one hand there is an incredible amount of scientific evidence supporting man's existence here on earth for well past 6,000 years.
i did a thesis paper in archeology on dating techniques so i am familiar with these techniques and i believe they are credible.. i could toss this section of matthew aside as some sort of mistake except for another type of evidence - the mathmatical codes contained in these verses.
I don't see the repeated incidence of 'divisible by seven' as proof of heavenly inspiration. It indicates that the writer viewed seven as particularly significant, nothing more.
If someone finds a book of haiku poetry, every example will consist of seventeen syllables arranged in three lines-five syllables, then seven syllables, then five again. It doesn't mean there is a code or hidden meaning, it's just a symmetry which the writer viewed as desireable.
stuff like the allen hills meteor, and recent findgs from the rovers like signs of water, and this: .
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/opportunity_threads_040220.html.
..are starting to just possibly make me think that evidence for life (or past life) to be found on mars at some point.
Fundamentalism isn't restricted to those using the Bible canon, hence the frequenct references on the evening news to acts of terrorism by 'fundamentalist muslims'.
I'd call Latter Day Saints fundamentalists for exactly the same reasons I'd call J.W.s or Pentecostals fundamentalists. The term refers to a particular mindset, not to a particular book used.
i. what a sad sad story!
i really believe that her being a jw did in part, kill her baby.
the fact that she was scared to tell her parents about her being pregnant just goes to show it.
The most ironic thing about this situation is that the entire belief system of the girls family hinges on a young unwed mother and her child.
here is anew short story i wrote at a workshop lastweek.
it got some pretty goodreviews.
altered reality piece .
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Who indeed.....?
i was 16 when i disassociated myself from the jws after growing up in it, and i'm 20 now and still having issues with breaking the thought process i was brought up with.
i long ago realized the doctrine was wrong in the jws, but somehow i still find myself having issues with guilt whenever i stop to feel or act or think a way that's my own and not what someone else tells me i should feel/act/think.
other times i feel completely lost because i don't know how i'm supposed to feel or act or think at the moment and i know that's not the way i should be thinking, that there isn't a particular way i'm supposed to be inside, but... i still have the paranoia and the gut feeling that i'm doing wrong by being myself, so to speak.
What helped me was reading books and watching videos about the early development of Christianity. I can recommend a video shown on PBS, and probably available for purchase, titled 'The First Christians'.
A good book, which I found at Barnes and Noble, is 'The History of Pagan Europe', which contains lots of information about the interaction between the established pagan religions and the new christian faith.
One point which I learned was that non-christians were not bloodthirsty savages, or evil demonworshippers. Instead, they lived in a world in which some were cultured, educated, and refined, and whose life work was the betterment of society. Their culture was composed of people of many different tastes, so some probably enjoyed events such as the gladiatorial contests, others were probably turned off by such things, just as many are turned off by football and action movies today.
Another point was that, if one gives any credence at all to the writings of non-christians, then christians themselves were not all passive do-gooders, some apparantly were involved in acts of arson (perhaps in an effort to jump-start Armageddon?). Rome allowed worship of many imported gods and goddess, such as Mithra, Isis, and others. Why would Roman culture single out christians for persecution, unless given a good reason? Apparantly, christians brought persecution upon themselves, so that they could say 'look how the world rejects us, therefore this proves we have Gods favor'.
A final point was how, once christianity achieved political power in the wake of Constantine, they were particularly brutal towards pagan practices. While the pagans had been tolerant of many varying beliefs, christians were tolerant of none but their own, and killed those who disagreed. The adoption of christianity as the state religion by Rome led almost directly to the Dark Ages, which lasted more than 1000 years.
Christianity didn't catch on because it was in any way better than other religions, rather it was chosen by Constantine as a political move, perhaps in no small part because his own mother was christian. There was no special quality which made Christianity better suited than other beliefs. In a similar light, JWs are really nothing special. They claim to be practicing christianity as it was done in the first century, however this is not anything of which to be proud. We were deceived, but we can be proud that we saw through their deception and cut off our association with them.
Despite what they would have you believe, there IS life outside the organization, and it is a better life than one in which every thought is monitored and rigid codes of conduct and dress enforced.
just saw valis' burning wt again.
there was a thread on this a long time ago, and it was funny as hell!.
so, what did you do with all your wt literature?
There was a zealous newer brother who frequented Goodwill stores looking for WT publications trying to build up his library. I gifted him all my old bound volumes, but kept the 'Aid to Bible Understanding' and a couple of other titles. Eventually sold them to a local used bookstore for something like $75 trade credit. Still have a NWT and 'Two Babylons' book.
the last convention i went to was about three months ago now....ahhh i remember it well...zzzzzzz.
the c.o got on the stage and counseled ones to plan theocratic vacations instead of regular type hot-spot get away vacations.. he then proceeded to say many brothers spend their families vacations by taking them to disneyland instead of a bethel tour.
(which most children would love).
Hmmm....Jesus is reported to have brought a dead man back to life, although there is no solid evidence to support this claim.
I actually SAW video footage in which Mickey once brought a broom to life, and taught it to work productively. The footage has been shown in movie theatres for decades, and can even be purchased by interested persons.
Jesus is said to have died for everyones sins, and his followers in the first century believed that they would never die at all, yet they did anyway, as has every single follower of Jesus up to this day. Not one has continued alive as expected. Expectations were not met.
On the other hand, Mickey was reported to be able to kill giants, and I actually SAW video footage in which he did this, with assistance from a duck and a dog (I think it was a dog, but a Goofy looking one). Expectations met and even exceeded.
several of the members on this forum have asked me about my name and my avatar.
i thought that i'd offer some answers.
gaia was the name which the ancient greek people used to refer to the conscious planet on which they lived.
Several of the members on this forum have asked me about my name and my avatar. I thought that I'd offer some answers.
Gaia was the name which the ancient Greek people used to refer to the conscious planet on which they lived. The Greeks did not view the planet as a dead ball of rock, but as a living, breathing entity who was the mother of all living beings, including the other gods and goddesses in the Greek pantheon, and who provided nourishment for all living things. I chose the name because I hold similar views regarding this planet, research in the last 25 years or so by James Lovelock and others has shown that the planet does function in many ways like a living being. Is the planet conscious? Some have compared humans with the brain cells, and the communications network used by humans, including the internet, as the neural connections between the brain cells.
My avatar is a character in a Disney short film, the very last segment in Fantasia 2000. Disney refers to the character as 'Sprite', but I felt that she embodies and represents the growing and nurturing qualities associated with Gaia. I see her as a local manifestation of the planetary (and perhaps even universal) life-force which causes growth wherever conditions permit. I use the term 'perhaps even universal' because I believe that as exploration continues to other worlds, life will definitely be found on worlds where conditions are favorable, i.e. presence of liquid water, atmosphere containing elements which aid in metabolizing food, etc. The moon does not have life because conditions are not favorable, but in a Universe as big as this, there are bound to be many other worlds where conditions are just right.
has there been previous discussions on the nature of animals in the new system?
most people seem to think that the animals will suddenly become completely different than they are today.
lions and tigers will eat hay, not meat, etc, but if you think about animal natures and the perfect system that exists in the animal food chain, it doesn't make sense.. what would a horse be if it had no fear of predators?
Wow, Beans
In the wake of all the recent acts of terrorism, that picture is truly disturbing. It could almost be lifted directly from a terrorist propoganda publication.
it's sunday morning, shouldn't y'all be at the kh?
i can't believe that you all would rather be doing something else besides sitting at the kh enjoying the latest spiritual nourishment served up from the loving gb.......you must be a bunch of heathens!
heh, i am getting ready to go to work and then i am having my latest beau over for sunday dinner.
I went to a Unitarian Universalist church today, and heard a funny, uplifting sermon on the topic of love titled 'Public Displays of Affection, and Other Misdemeanors'. It was fittingly tied in with the pagan holiday which was observed on Feb. 14.
Afterwards I enjoyed some friendly conversation with some open-minded folk, then went to the grocery store, then back home to take care of some things around the house.
Didn't really care to go to the K.H. and spoil my otherwise good mood. Listening to boring programming in a room full of narrow minds just isn't the way to spend ones day.
