I will respond to the original topic:
That is my goal. I respect the bible and actually love the texts.. but as a secularist... People need to know why it says what it does.
i have noted that the main problem for those who are seduced by the watchtower society is their ignorance about the bible itself.
people who believe that the bible is the word of god usually ignore the studies on textual criticism and how scientific criteria forbid absurd stories like that of the global flood.
so, i strongly believe that students in schools need at least an obligatory course on "the bible" through the point of view of science and the textual criticism.
I will respond to the original topic:
That is my goal. I respect the bible and actually love the texts.. but as a secularist... People need to know why it says what it does.
sure they have embraced the internet and electronic media etc.
by their science is so far off it's sad ...but understandable.. the wt published several articles in the past dealing with reletivity etc.
yes great....100 years old science today.. where are the quantum mechanic articles?
Sure they have embraced the internet and electronic media etc. By their science is so far off it's sad ...but UNDERSTANDABLE.
The WT published several articles in the past dealing with reletivity etc. Yes great....100 years old science today.
Where are the quantum mechanic articles? Nothing... none... nadda.... My prediction... there never will be...
Quantum theory undermines EVERYTHING about reality. The WT would be forced to admit Jehovah is an undecided, hopeless juggler. Jesus (Who the WT says created everything as a master worker) would no longer be the 'way' or the 'truth' '. He would be an uncertainty. Not only that this mysterious Holy Spirit would never work anyway.
I should add there are two newer theories that relate somewhat to quantum mechanics:
1. The Multi-verse theory (Becoming mainstream in science)
Jesus died once for all time..... really.... how many times did he die once for all times. How many did did Adam take or not take a fruit.
2. The Holographic Universe (Not yet mainstream but moving up)
This theory disproves our very existance and the only possiblity of God is as a Black Hole.
Do you want to remain in a religion that MUST reject any science done in the last 60 years or so.
That includes Genetics as well.
sometimes i get a strong curiosity to start dabbling into other religions, other faiths, you know?
really different ones such as islam, judaism, hinduism, etc.. has anyone here looked into something else?
has your spirituality been satisfied by any other than christianity?.
I'm an atheist however I lean towards taoism and quantum mysticism...I'm short Buddism has some great wisdom as well.
I'm opne to religion IF it's based on wisdom.... not myth... eliminate the myths from the eastern religions and you are left to explore
i downloaed a few audiobooks awhile ago and finally tried foundation by isaac asmiov... .
not only was the story very good (my opinon)but as i go to part 3 i realized the religion created in the book was very very similar to what i know.. 1. a governing body (haring ) .
2. a religion based on knowledge (john 17:3 is quoted often but remember ... only the gb really understands it).
I downloaed a few audiobooks awhile ago and finally tried Foundation by Isaac Asmiov...
Not only was the story very good (my opinon)but as I go to part 3 I realized the religion created in the book was very very similar to what I know.
1. A governing body (Haring )
2. A religion based on Knowledge (John 17:3 is quoted often but remember ... only the GB really understands it)
3. Technology is revealed over time to the other planets (Well thats what the GB does... reveals knowledge as they call it, over time when they want to.
4. The book has travelling priests send by Foundation to influence other planets. (Well circuit overseers)
5. The priests know the religin is false but force themselves to belive it. (Thus the elders)
6. The whole idea behind this book is that the Foundation (and it's sister city - later books) will rebuild humanity after a great fall... (Welll JWs teach this exactly)
There are other minor point. but this was very mind boggeling how close the WT comes to this book (Serries actually)
i have some quotes from the new world bible from 2 cor 11&12 read them and give us your prognosis, he definitely thought very highly of himself, his vision that he received from the unconscious and inflated his ego for sure.
i'm sure this guy is over the top in his exaggerations about what he did and didn't do probably lots of denial about some of his own fraud being projected onto his boogie man rivals he sarcastically calls superfine apostles.. for i consider that i have not proved inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing.+ 6 but even if i am unskilled in speech,+ i certainly am not in knowledge; indeed we made it clear to you in every way and in everything.....12 but what i am doing i will continue to do,+ in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis* for being found equal to us in the things* about which they boast.
13 for such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of christ.+ 14 and no wonder, for satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light.+ 15 it is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness.
Simon magus is mentioned by Josephus...
As to Paul existance try this: http://www.egodeath.com/TheFabricatedPaul.htm
i have some quotes from the new world bible from 2 cor 11&12 read them and give us your prognosis, he definitely thought very highly of himself, his vision that he received from the unconscious and inflated his ego for sure.
i'm sure this guy is over the top in his exaggerations about what he did and didn't do probably lots of denial about some of his own fraud being projected onto his boogie man rivals he sarcastically calls superfine apostles.. for i consider that i have not proved inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing.+ 6 but even if i am unskilled in speech,+ i certainly am not in knowledge; indeed we made it clear to you in every way and in everything.....12 but what i am doing i will continue to do,+ in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis* for being found equal to us in the things* about which they boast.
13 for such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of christ.+ 14 and no wonder, for satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light.+ 15 it is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness.
skeptic.... actuwhile the romans may indeed have been behind Mark it would have been later then 70ce. Chritianity started as a Logos/Salvation cult and was hinted at by Philo even.
Hebrews is a very early work of Chritisanity and where in hebrews do you see ANYTHING mentioned in the gospelsÉ Jesus is never evn on earth in Hebrews.
(If the Romans used this Jesus cult idea they likely tried to paint `Jesus return`as the coming of Emporer Titus... but thats a very deep topic)
I meant to type Apollonius of Tyre as being an insperation for the Paul story. Before Marcion we have no record of Paul or his letters...
If Paul exisited and had the power and literary quailities to write LONG letters like that why did Jospehus never mention him.... He knew every other Jewish cult leader.
i have some quotes from the new world bible from 2 cor 11&12 read them and give us your prognosis, he definitely thought very highly of himself, his vision that he received from the unconscious and inflated his ego for sure.
i'm sure this guy is over the top in his exaggerations about what he did and didn't do probably lots of denial about some of his own fraud being projected onto his boogie man rivals he sarcastically calls superfine apostles.. for i consider that i have not proved inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing.+ 6 but even if i am unskilled in speech,+ i certainly am not in knowledge; indeed we made it clear to you in every way and in everything.....12 but what i am doing i will continue to do,+ in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis* for being found equal to us in the things* about which they boast.
13 for such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of christ.+ 14 and no wonder, for satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light.+ 15 it is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness.
this is a subject of some importance, the view of the witnesses, likely inherited from franz's influence, seems to be that early christianity developed as a separate religion to the jews.. the view of most contemporary scholars is that the separation occurred slowly, and that influential early christians (e.g.
such as paul, peter, john and james) still saw themselves as jews.. to those of us that are no longer christians (and, most ex-witnesses here, seem to gradually move to that position) this is not an important issue.. but to an organisation that claims it has "the truth," surely it should know the truth about its origins.
yet the evidence is that the modern day religion of jehovah's witnesses, does not know the "truth" concerning the origins of early christianity.
The problem with this questions is it's not valid... Judiasm was split into four different main cults...Christianity started from Judaism mixed with Greek and Roman ideas and with the destruction of Jerusalem.
Later Gentiles joined starting Gnostic cults of Christianity and divorcing Judaism....
Later still Jewish Christians pulled Christianity back in their favor and...
Yeah... this went on until at least the fourth century and even in some degree today.
i've posted evidence elsewhere indicating that ancient israel was at times part of the egyptian empire.
that means that the exodus documents incorporated into the old testament, is a mythical story.
the israelites did not leave egypt.
With the exception of two or three posters so far no one, other then the poster, bothered to check science.
This is the 21st century and our understanding of what the land has told us reveals:
1. Abraham... if he ever existed he never met a Philistine...
2. Joseph. Based on earlier stories but not histoircal.
3. Exodus. Never happened. Oh many priests from Egypt moved north in Shishaks time etc... but no mass exodus.
4. Conquest. Not really. As already stated... more a rebellion within Canaan.
5. Israel's first king was likely Egyptian.
i've posted evidence elsewhere indicating that ancient israel was at times part of the egyptian empire.
that means that the exodus documents incorporated into the old testament, is a mythical story.
the israelites did not leave egypt.