I'm sure that Revelation was specifically written as a political slam against Rome, who at the time was ruler over the lands formerly belonging to Israel. The former nation of Israel was not at all happy about this, and longed for a time when Rome would fall, kind of like some people in the Southern U.S. still resent having lost their attempted secession from the Union, and would like to see the North fall. At the time John wrote Revelation, there had already been one failed attempt by Jews to revolt against the Empire. John was writing to disgruntled Jews who longed for deliverance from Roman rule, and that is the entire meaning of Revelation, no secrets for the modern day. Christians living during and after the rule of Constantine considered Revelation to have been fulfilled when the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as the state religion.
gaiagirl
JoinedPosts by gaiagirl
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23
The book of Revelation, the word of God, or one hell of a drug trip?
by free2beme inwhat more confusing and off the wall book in the bible, can there be, then the book of revelation.
it has all sort of odd things being talked about, all sorts of weird events that seem to only be connected when you twist the mind to the maximum of your imagination.
so many people, in religions, have tried to explain this off the wall book and yet refuse to face the fact that it might just be complete imagination of nonsense.
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Disfellowshiping dead people
by free2beme ini was in the witnesses in my twenties and one time i was over at a house of a woman who needed some help.
we were cleaning her house, making her some meals and so on.
all this was to make her life easier, while she dealt with some things in here life.
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gaiagirl
I would be surprised if a judicial committee would disfellowship a dead person, as the society has in the past made a big deal of how silly it was for the Roman Catholic church to excommunicate dead people, including some former popes, who in a few cases had been dead for hundreds of years, more often a few years or even decades. Of course, if the society DID disfellowship a dead person, it would not be the first time they have made a complete 180 degree change in practice.
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Are we "evil" by choice..or don't know a better way yet?
by The Dragon inare people "evil" (in god's definition?
) or just don't know what "good" is yet?
(god's defintion of good that is).. how many people would be saved if they somehow found they wanted to do "good"?
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gaiagirl
If we stop to think about the consequences of our actions, we can choose to do what is best of all concerned. However, most of the time, we don't stop to think about what is best for all, just for ourselves. This can become habitual, and lead to "evil" acts done without intent, but still causing harm for others.
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Witnesses and Homosexuals
by nielsen ini know homosexuality is a serious sin against god.
but how do jws view homosexuals in general?
how do they associate with them if they ever come across one etc.
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gaiagirl
If homosexuality IS a "serious sin against God", then what did David mean when he said that Jonathan's love was "more wonderful to me than the love from women"?
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Have u ever partaken of the memorial, though not annointed?
by *jeremiah* ini went to an apostafest over 10 years ago or so and different exdubs got up and told their story of leaving the wts.
one guy in particular, who became christian, and who was disfellowshipped, told his story about how he went to the memorial and decided to partake in eating of the bread and wine.
most christians believe the bread and wine is meant for believers and is a commandment to be done in remembrance of christ's death.
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gaiagirl
What would happen if everyone on this forum who still attends partook of the emblems at the next Memorial? A huge spike in the number of partakers would be rather embarassing for the WTBTS, probably would result in a study article in the mags.
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Sneak Peek at the Revised "New World Translation"!!!
by gordon d ini was lucky enough to have a friend at bethel sneak me an early release copy of the new, revised edition of the new world translation that is scheduled for release at next springs district conventions.
obviously, i havent been able to read all of it yet but i did glance through it and found some of the subtle changes that the fds has seen as important revisions.
here are some of the more notable ones in our new bible: .
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gaiagirl
1 Cor 7:25 now reads "Now concerning virgins I have no command from the Lord, but everything else I ever wrote or ever will write is absolutely inspired by the FDS, er, I mean by the holy spirit."
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Verify - WT asking for old books for libraries, but burning them instead.
by truthseeker ini found this on e-watchman, can anyone verify this?.
http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2406.
burning and disposing of old books is exactly what the society wants, so that there is no paper trial.
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gaiagirl
Interesting how history repeats itself. In 178 C.E. Celsus wrote "True Reason", discussing several Christian doctrines. He recorded how Christians were in his day already altering the Gospel stories, writing "Some of them, as it were in a drunken state producing self-induced visions, remodel their Gospel from its first written form, and reform it so that they may be able to refute the objections brought against it." So in continually adjusting their doctrines, and attempting to eliminate evidence that doctrine was ever different, WTBTS is just following an ancient Christian tradition. Celsus also wrote concerning the Christian concept of Satan as an agent opposed to the supreme God. He wrote "It is blasphemy to say that the greatest God has an adversary who constrains his capacity to do good. But what else can be expected from those who cut themselves off from the rest of civilization? For in saying this, they are really projecting their own feelings onto God".
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The argument--whether or not the Devil exists
by The wanderer in<!-- .style1 {font-family: arial, sans-serif} .style2 { font-size: 14px; font-family: arial, sans-serif, cursive; } .style3 {color: #f03a25} --> the argumentwhether or not the devil exists mainstream religions all over the world and not so mainstream.
religions teach of a devil.
the devil is considered to be the.
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gaiagirl
Everyone makes choices, sometimes those choices hurt others. Some people are selfish, and always do what is best for themselves. And some actually enjoy hurting others as it gives them a sense of power. "Evil personified" or a totally evil being would not be making a choice, but would be acting out of instinct or reflex. However, I don't believe such a being exists, or even could exist.
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What are you now ?
by moomanchu incurious as to what exwitnesses have become or believe.
i haven't joined any religous group and do not attend any services.
(have visited a church's service)
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gaiagirl
I would describe myself as an eclectic pagan UU. My spirituality is Earth-centered, as I view myself as a part of the natural world. Improvements in the human condition come from ever growning knowledge, and harmonious application of science.
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Sign of the Times/the End is Near!!!!!!!!!!
by mama1119 inmy dad told me a story today about a dub he works with.
my dad is a huge spots fan, and he was talking to this dub about the incident a couple years ago when some baseball player wrote a book about all the steroid use in sports...just normal conversation...and this dub shook his head and said..."just goes to show you the end is near, its a sign of the end of system of things".
where in the bible did it list baseball players steroid use as a sign of the end???
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gaiagirl
I must have missed something, as I don't understand the comment about frogs croaking and the connection to UU? End-times beliefs are not part of the UU worldview. Clarification please.