Posts by myelaine

28

Why Judaism and the Torah ?

by Crazyguy in

so i have been studying early christianity a bit and noticed that before christianity really took off after 325 ce, there were a lot of religions.

gnostics teachings , belief in all sorts of different gods from egypt to greece .

the practice of emperor worship etc.

myelaine

why Jesus and the torah for christianity:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5phuQwRByBc

xo

26

Are gays really condemned in the Bible?

by jws in

so i was having this argument with a friend about the westboro baptist idiots.

my point is that while they are horrible people, they are pretty much right in that the bible is against gays because it has verses in both the old and the new testament.

which is one of many reasons to reject the bible as merely man-made rules from ancient middle-easterners.. and she argued that there are problems in translation, etc.

you said, "It's not a sin! If you say they're sinning, no. You can't claim to be supportive of gays. Get it out of your head that it's a sin and then we can start to have a conversation about your tolerance.

It is NOT a sin to be overcome. Don't quote the "hate the sin, love the sinner" mantra. It does not apply to gay people because there's no sin here."...

God is holy/set apart and He wants His people to be holy/set apart, that means turning away from A LOT of things that the "world" takes for granted. It takes commitment to do that. God recognizes commitment to His way and He helps.

here's the kicker...there ARE people who are committed to God's way and they themselves testify that they were previously living a sinful lifestyle being homosexual. Would you want to talk to them about "tolerance"? Probably NOT because it would show your argument for what it is, shallow and "prideful". Shallow because for THEM it's not about homosexuals being marginalized and prideful because for THEM it's not about love being demoralized. For THEM it's about being called and holding to a higher standard, which is what God says being holy/set apart IS.

Not EVERYONE hears this calling on their lives. I don't condemn people who don't want to walk in God's way. I'm not the better one to navigate another's conscience, and likewise, you shouldn't feel free to dictate to me what is sin and what isn't. I responded to the question, "are gays really condemned in the bible?" With the answer...God is there to forgive and help people walk in His way. Is there something you find intolerable about that?

26

Are gays really condemned in the Bible?

by jws in

so i was having this argument with a friend about the westboro baptist idiots.

my point is that while they are horrible people, they are pretty much right in that the bible is against gays because it has verses in both the old and the new testament.

which is one of many reasons to reject the bible as merely man-made rules from ancient middle-easterners.. and she argued that there are problems in translation, etc.

myelaine

dear Fernando...

umm...you do know what that scripture you quoted is saying, don't you?

Jesus magnified the law by showing the spirit of the law. He said you have heard that it is against the law to have relations with another man's wife but the spirit of the law says that even looking at a woman with lust is adultery. The spirit of the law cuts both ways. It judges and convicts BUT it is willing to forgive and heal. The letter of the law kills but the spirit of the law gives life.

Just like other sin, homosexuality can be overcome. It starts with a willingness to overcome the flesh and it means putting in the effort in a making over of the mind. NONE of this is in accord with the prevailing spirit of our day. Like LisaRose pointed out: it is left to our conscience to decide (bearing in mind our carnal nature is at enmity with God.)

9

EXISTENTIAL topic: Why is Paradise or Heaven the solution to anything?

by TerryWalstrom in

gather around the campfire, boys and girls.. i have a little journey for us all to take together.. long, long ago in this universe not so far away .

.we were told a story.______________once in timeless nothingness, there existed a timeless being we now call god.whatever "perfection" is or was--god was.

god was perfect.. but wait--that's not all!and here is where the story begins!.

myelaine

Elohim is a triunity of being. Father, Son and the feminine Spirit. The notion of creating man in their image (male and female) wasn't borne out of not being content, but the desire to create man to share in love.

entering into eternity to become part of a loving family is a hope. Many don't have that pleasure on earth and many live with constant adversity as their "human condition". I wouldn't call heaven or paradise a solution like you did. (I guess that's the way you've framed the idea because you've got a crappy life?)...but for those humble in spirit or downtrodden it certainly is a blessed reward or consolation after their time on earth. Matthew 5:1-10.

xo

21

The Watchtower leaders are afraid of our elephants

by TerryWalstrom in

in the 1960's, when i was most active as a jehovah's witness, it was a different, more relaxed religion.

we were filled with confidence about our "truth" because we were skilled in rebuttal, overcoming objections, and we encouraged tough questions to test our mettle in the door to door work.. when an anti-dub book like "30 years a watchtower slave" was released, we all couldn't wait to read it and comment about it.it was seen as a pathetic effort at spite--never as a serious threat to our confidence in what we had.. so--what was different about the jw religion and our skillset back then from the watchtower world of paranoia and enforced loyalty today?i think i know.. we were like boxer george foreman before ali knocked him out.

we were mike tyson before buster douglas introduced his face to the canvas in that ring in japan.we were bullet proof.. not until you have a bone-shaking reckoning do you lose confidence and wonder, "wtf just happened?

myelaine

speaking of pledging alligence: The other day I noticed the similarity between the JW icon and the whitehouse one. I'll only post the one here.

87

Think for Yourself: Reform Judaism Uses JW Blood Issue For Shavuot

by David_Jay in

as the jewish holy day of shavuot (pentecost) begins this weekend, the reform judaism site publishes an interesting article entitled "judaism teaches: question authority, think for yourself.".

the article employs a jewish doctor's recollection of a jw patient who refused blood and died as an example of how both religious traditions greatly differ on how they see and apply god's law.. shavuot is the day jews recall god's giving the law to israel.

the article is significant in that it demonstrates how jews see the giving of the law as a call to questioning authority, including divine revelation itself whereas the death of the jw patient is contrasted as a slavish interpretation that misses the point behind jewish scripture.. for more see the article at:.

myelaine

Oh...I read what you said, David_Jay. I know why you've stopped talking to me. Cuz you're going to be like Jesus when He was opposed by the pharisees...because my answers didn't meet with your approval.

(you see, the pharisees were trying to avoid answering the question because they wanted to avoid something. I was not. I legitimately don't know the answer to your question)

xo

87

Think for Yourself: Reform Judaism Uses JW Blood Issue For Shavuot

by David_Jay in

as the jewish holy day of shavuot (pentecost) begins this weekend, the reform judaism site publishes an interesting article entitled "judaism teaches: question authority, think for yourself.".

the article employs a jewish doctor's recollection of a jw patient who refused blood and died as an example of how both religious traditions greatly differ on how they see and apply god's law.. shavuot is the day jews recall god's giving the law to israel.

the article is significant in that it demonstrates how jews see the giving of the law as a call to questioning authority, including divine revelation itself whereas the death of the jw patient is contrasted as a slavish interpretation that misses the point behind jewish scripture.. for more see the article at:.

myelaine

Anyhoo...

Jesus said to His disciples to eat of Him to come in to communion with Him. He told peter to "kill, eat" that the jews would be open to communion with gentiles and in like manner with the "fall of babylon" comes the communion of believers with new believers (eat! rev. 19:17-18) within the context of the outpouring of the Spirit on disciples of Christ for the work of evangelizing, once again. Amen!

The mind, will and purpose of God will be realized again as it was on mt. Sinai and at pentecost. *le sigh*

love michelle

87

Think for Yourself: Reform Judaism Uses JW Blood Issue For Shavuot

by David_Jay in

as the jewish holy day of shavuot (pentecost) begins this weekend, the reform judaism site publishes an interesting article entitled "judaism teaches: question authority, think for yourself.".

the article employs a jewish doctor's recollection of a jw patient who refused blood and died as an example of how both religious traditions greatly differ on how they see and apply god's law.. shavuot is the day jews recall god's giving the law to israel.

the article is significant in that it demonstrates how jews see the giving of the law as a call to questioning authority, including divine revelation itself whereas the death of the jw patient is contrasted as a slavish interpretation that misses the point behind jewish scripture.. for more see the article at:.

myelaine

dear David_Jay...

I sense I've touched a nerve. I didn't "demand" answers, it was you that asked questions with an ultimatum. I'm sorry that you're unable to see the truth in my answers about the food laws not changing. They really haven't.

In the account in acts, especially, we can see that God was clearly not talking about changing unclean food to clean. When the apostle said the God had told him to "kill, eat"...the same kind of language is used in rev. 19:17-18. It is my belief that since God was speaking to peter in the context of evangelizing to nations...I believe that a merciful God will bring many into communion with Himself. Mighty men and those who lift and carry them along. I think it's gonna be awesome...if I don't have to eat them.

87

Think for Yourself: Reform Judaism Uses JW Blood Issue For Shavuot

by David_Jay in

as the jewish holy day of shavuot (pentecost) begins this weekend, the reform judaism site publishes an interesting article entitled "judaism teaches: question authority, think for yourself.".

the article employs a jewish doctor's recollection of a jw patient who refused blood and died as an example of how both religious traditions greatly differ on how they see and apply god's law.. shavuot is the day jews recall god's giving the law to israel.

the article is significant in that it demonstrates how jews see the giving of the law as a call to questioning authority, including divine revelation itself whereas the death of the jw patient is contrasted as a slavish interpretation that misses the point behind jewish scripture.. for more see the article at:.

myelaine

"If you answer these Scriptural questions for me, then I will believe that your current convictions represent the truth of God."...

lol...really? No request that my answers actually reflect what's taught in scripture? ;)

1. Just because we don't understand how something happened doesn't mean it isn't true. Did the hebrews let the fact that they didn't understand the mechanics of how the sea was parted cloud their belief that it happened?

2. Because Jesus answered the pharisees in the midst of eating doesn't mean that He was refering to FOOD entering the mouth. He was answering the question of hand washing. (mark 5:2-3) If His disciples don't wash their hands what FILTH that enters their mouths with the food would be eliminated (it doesn't "touch" the heart). He went on to say that it was what comes out of the mouth (that which "touches" the heart) that defiles a man. Was His answer to the accusation of ritually unclean hands about food or filth?(mark 7:21-23)

Peter was perplexed by the vision he had been shown thinking God was telling him that all these foods were now "clean". God showed him the vision three times and he kept pondering what the vision meant (acts 10:17, 10:19)...he was shortly given the wisdom to know for a certainty what the vision meant (acts 10:28)...(rev. 20:17-18)

3. I'm not sure what you're asking here but, if you're questioning why the books veracity was questioned by the protestant church and not the catholic church, I don't know. I can suggest that maybe it was thought by protestant theologians that it didn't add germane teaching to "the FAITH that was once for all delivered to the saints".

87

Think for Yourself: Reform Judaism Uses JW Blood Issue For Shavuot

by David_Jay in

as the jewish holy day of shavuot (pentecost) begins this weekend, the reform judaism site publishes an interesting article entitled "judaism teaches: question authority, think for yourself.".

the article employs a jewish doctor's recollection of a jw patient who refused blood and died as an example of how both religious traditions greatly differ on how they see and apply god's law.. shavuot is the day jews recall god's giving the law to israel.

the article is significant in that it demonstrates how jews see the giving of the law as a call to questioning authority, including divine revelation itself whereas the death of the jw patient is contrasted as a slavish interpretation that misses the point behind jewish scripture.. for more see the article at:.

myelaine

dear David_Jay...

The thread opened with "THINK FOR YOURSELF...and judaism teaches QUESTION AUTHORITY". the author of the linked article quotes a rabbi who said that the greatest of moses' achievements is the breaking of the tablets and that when God instructs him to write for himself...the author says, "What does this act signify? It suggests to me that Moses understands that revealed law itself would become an idol, an excuse to relinquish what is most precious in us – our moral autonomy"...

What does scripture say the inclination of the heart of man IS toward?

Who IS authority?

Job 42:1-3...6