a careful reader of the bible can see depiction of two gods in the bible—one that of a loving father figure, and the other an impulsive sort of who has been copied thoughtlessly from other cultures.. 1) god of love (as seen in genesis chapter 1) who creates humans (men and woman simultaneously) “in his image” (which means he gave the best he can to his children, the potential to become like him) as a crown of creation with a command to take care of all species, and goes into silence unconcerned of mankind’s response [gratitude or worship] to him, yet with a presupposition to “renew” in case humans deplete/destroy the resources (mathew 19:28; revelation 21:1-5).
thus god’s action defines him as “the servant of humanity.” (luke 22:26, 27) this is in contrast to the second god (as seen in genesis chapter 2 and 3 and throughout other books) who makes the planning for suffering and death for humans in co-operation with his adversary.. 2) god of impartiality (deut 10:17; mathew 5:44-48) who asks us to love/greet everyone.
this is in contrast to the second god who commands his worshippers not even to greet those who do not share their beliefs.
OrphanCrow,
When nations start using weapons like Poseidon, your medical science can do nothing
"Your" medical science?
Uh...now you are just being silly.
I don't "own" medical science. It isn't "mine".
What you are doing is setting up a dichotomy (us versus them...or, "me' versus "you") to fit into your black and white world view
If "I" have medical science, then what is it that you have other than mythic thinking patterns?
a careful reader of the bible can see depiction of two gods in the bible—one that of a loving father figure, and the other an impulsive sort of who has been copied thoughtlessly from other cultures.. 1) god of love (as seen in genesis chapter 1) who creates humans (men and woman simultaneously) “in his image” (which means he gave the best he can to his children, the potential to become like him) as a crown of creation with a command to take care of all species, and goes into silence unconcerned of mankind’s response [gratitude or worship] to him, yet with a presupposition to “renew” in case humans deplete/destroy the resources (mathew 19:28; revelation 21:1-5).
thus god’s action defines him as “the servant of humanity.” (luke 22:26, 27) this is in contrast to the second god (as seen in genesis chapter 2 and 3 and throughout other books) who makes the planning for suffering and death for humans in co-operation with his adversary.. 2) god of impartiality (deut 10:17; mathew 5:44-48) who asks us to love/greet everyone.
this is in contrast to the second god who commands his worshippers not even to greet those who do not share their beliefs.
Ireneus: I used the phrase “fallen state” in the sense that humans could have been better in the past than us today.
"Could have been" is the basis of myth. "Could have" is a speculative position
We make improvement only in technology, not in our behavior pattern.
How do you know that? How do you know that "we do not make improvement in our behavior pattern?"
Even when we make improvements in technology, later we find it was not at all a progress.
Improvements in medical technology have increased our life spans greatly. That is progress. Improvements in communication technology is progress. Improvements in transportation technology is progress.
You are making sweeping generalizations that are not grounded in facts. You are grounded in mythological thinking.
how many people here can sincerely say those words to someone?
i take it most here do not say prayers, right?
?.
I find it sort of creepy when people say they are going to pray for me. Especially those "prayer circles". Weird.
It makes me uncomfortable to know that someone, especially a group of people, are sitting around talking to somebody(god) about my problems. The ultimate gossip circle jerk.
*And it's condencending
i was just browsing the russian jw site and saw this image that appears to represent christian persecution by showing handcuffs in front of prison bars that appear to form a cross.
which would be weird because they don't even believe in the cross, or maybe it was clip art from another source and they didn't notice.
or last and most likely i'm seeing things that aren't there 😜.
It's a stock photo
It shows up in several crime related stories
Just do a google image search. It's a popular image
figures from that latest 2-weekend convention in caridff (wales) reveal jw “growth” now in decline.
baptisms are discouragingly low (21, combined), and circuit overseers have been primed to deal with assemblies where there are no baptisms; see these leaked 2018 instructions:.
pdf summary: https://1drv.ms/b/s!arekzxkzlp8ybsl45pov7y6k26a.
Re-baptism was offered following WW2 to those who had been baptized at a young age prior to the war. It wasn't mandatory but many did get baptized again.
so my father, who is an active jehovah’s witness, told me yesterday of an experience currently doing its rounds amongst the witnesses in relation to cart witnessing.
there is a bridge called ‘the bridge’ which is a well known place for people committing suicide.
apparently the jws have been setting up there literature carts there for a while now and ever since they have there has been no more suicide attempts from the bridge.
i was able to meet imagine dragons, it just kinda happened!
during my normal day to day activities, and they were very pleasant!
they were kind and approachable.
I am curious
How did you manage to get a "silver sword"? Was it a gift? Did you pick one up at the KH? Just curious seeing as you left about 16 years ago...just wondering how inactive and faded JWs get their hands on the new Bibble. A free gift from a cart witness maybe?
1 timothy 2:11-15let a woman learn in silence with full submissiveness.
i do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence.
for adam was formed first, then eve.
steve2: Why would any self-respecting woman want to be a part of a belief system that takes as its starting point women’s full submission to men?
Because bible and jehovah and paradise and all of that...perfection is coming. Soon.
Most of them don't know that they have any other option. They don't realize that women have the right to vote and the right to say no.
1 timothy 2:11-15let a woman learn in silence with full submissiveness.
i do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence.
for adam was formed first, then eve.
EverApostate: And Watchtower bypasses this by allowing women to act in a conversation, indirectly speaking as well as preach in the congregation.
And not only that. A JW woman is perfectly fine when she is talking to males outside of the congregation. Then, she is required and expected to take the teaching role and many JW women do so with pride.
The prohibitions against the women in the org only apply within the congregation and it is only JW males who are entitled to the women's deference. JW males only.
in the genocidal instructions supposedly given by god we find this interesting command: “now kill all the boys.
and kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.” (numbers 31:17, 18).
in the midst of killing and plundering, how were the israelites to determine whether each girl “has slept with a man” or not?.
daysoffuturepassed: weep for her father and
her mother a whole lunar month; and after that you should have relations with
her, and you must take possession of her as your bride, and she must become
your wife.”—Deuteronomy 21:12, 13.
And yes, for sure he waited a month before having sex with her.
Huh.
The reason that she was required to "mourn" for a lunar month was probably simple. That was to ensure that she wasn't pregnant and that any child she had later would belong to her rapist
I suspect that "virgin" in this context was simply a young woman who hadn't had a child - fertile and ready to become the one to birth babies for the tribe
