Posts by myelaine

114

The biggest news of the year for Mr. and Mrs. Totally ADD

by Still Totally ADD in

jw
friends

this is bigger than christmas and birthdays wrap into one.

thanks to the australian royal commission our youngest son has woke up.

we received a e-mail from him tonight where he apologized to us for shunning us all these years, how bad he felt for doing this.

Very little that is factual in the Bible?

by TerryWalstrom in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mryipltf3i.

myelaine

dear Terry...

I suspect it would be difficult to arrive at any other conclusion, than the one you've stated above, when one is as intractable as you are.

Jesus countered your conclusion in one sentence: neither life nor death are meaningless...John 15:13.

https://youtu.be/jRv-fgfLFTk

love michelle ❤

7

Isaiah 45:7 I make peace, and create evil

by pleaseresearch in

what is your thought on this particular scripture?.

how do you think a jw would respond to this if shown?.

king james biblei form the light, and create darkness: i make peace, and create evil: i the lord do all these things..

The curses or evil that God can bring upon people are the consequences of disobedience. cf Deut. 30:19. Often it is a case of a person being outside of God's protective "hedge". It should also be noted that even though God created "evil" and curses, they DON'T fall on everyone who IS disobedient which leads one to believe more so in the idea that God is talking about consequences not direct retribution.

For instance: a law that says build a railing around your rooftop (Deut. 22:8).
If you build the railing you can relax and enjoy the blessings of a rooftop deck with family and friends. If you don't build it, you're worried about someone falling off. Your neighbour falls off, breaks a leg (or worse), wants compensation for drop in personal income, you're stressed because you can't come up with any extra cash, possibility of neighbour becoming enemy. All of that evil could have been avoided if you had stayed inside the protective hedge of God's law.

So, contrary to the WT armageddon motif...the evil/curse isn't usually about evil people "getting it" from God OR God being a moral monster.

16

GB and Moses—an interesting similarity!

by Ireneus in

moses is the symbol of divorcing anyone who acts smarter and exhibits sharper spiritual insight.

his wife, zipporah, daughter of a pagan midianite priest (exodus 2.15-22), was more spiritual and had keener spiritual insight than moses.

on one occasion she averted a disaster by acting promptly (by performing the act of circumcision on their son) thus saving moses from being killed by jehovah’s angel which ultimately helped the israelites’ exodus from egypt.

myelaine

dear Ireneus...

A two week journey took 40 years.
What happened to the Hebrews, during that wondering, that wouldn't have happened if they got 5 star treatment while being ushered directly into the promised land? What happened because of the extended journey?

You have your own idea about how the "real" God would have treated the Hebrews, how has He treated you since you began your journey? Have you got anything to report?

michelle

16

GB and Moses—an interesting similarity!

by Ireneus in

moses is the symbol of divorcing anyone who acts smarter and exhibits sharper spiritual insight.

his wife, zipporah, daughter of a pagan midianite priest (exodus 2.15-22), was more spiritual and had keener spiritual insight than moses.

on one occasion she averted a disaster by acting promptly (by performing the act of circumcision on their son) thus saving moses from being killed by jehovah’s angel which ultimately helped the israelites’ exodus from egypt.

myelaine

dear Ireneus...

Did Bernard Shaw thoroughly investigate what the bible said or were his thoughts and observations based on how people practiced their beliefs?

The quote you used, without context, could have just as easily favored my statements if he HAD intestigated the bible. If we were in agreement, his opinion could have been about people such as yourself...thinking "it says what you mean".

So, if you think you're fortifying your position by adding a random quote to your particular building blocks of "biblical" knowledge, you're sorely mistaken.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to discuss these things though. Have a wonderful day!

michelle

36

I've graduated at last

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

after a bit of a kerfuffle over a procedural matter, my university has awarded me a degree.

(the procedural problem was caused by my independent selection of what i wanted to study).

award : bachelor of arts.

myelaine

Congratulations!

16

GB and Moses—an interesting similarity!

by Ireneus in

moses is the symbol of divorcing anyone who acts smarter and exhibits sharper spiritual insight.

his wife, zipporah, daughter of a pagan midianite priest (exodus 2.15-22), was more spiritual and had keener spiritual insight than moses.

on one occasion she averted a disaster by acting promptly (by performing the act of circumcision on their son) thus saving moses from being killed by jehovah’s angel which ultimately helped the israelites’ exodus from egypt.

myelaine

dear Ireneus...

You said, "A tree is judged by its fruits. (Luke 6:43-45)"...

Interesting you should quote that verse. Paul taught that some natural branches were broken off of the olive tree and wild branches were grafted in. This tree is representative of the Israel of God. Those who worship God in spirit and truth. Clearly there are people who worship in spirit and truth.

You said, "We have to judge the Bible not by its claim, but what it has done to mankind."...

Actually it is judged by its claim. It makes statements and people believe it or not. How people react to those statements is based on their inner compass (often directed by outside "forces"). For instance some people are willing to go to war for the claims of the bible (NT) and some people shun the idea of war all together because of the claims of the bible (NT). The bible doesn't say christians go into physical war and impose its claims on others nor does it say to shun physical war all together. The bible does say to care for the oppressed. A persons inner compass might lead them to join forces to liberate the oppressed or not. "The bible" hasn't led them to physical conflict, their inner compass has.

You said, "Your comments confirm what George Bernard Shaw said about the Bible: “No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means.”...

Again, some context would be helpful.

You said, "It is this very unique feature of Bible that gave rise to over 41000 warring sects within Christianity. God’s word should unite people, not divide them. “God is not a God of disorder”—1 Corinthians 14:33"...

It is your belief that there are 41000 "warring" sects within christianity. There might be 300 different Baptist associations and 1000 Anglican (I don't know the numbers this is just an example). None of them are warring. People are free to float from one denomination to another without fear of having to fight anyone or defend their faith or anything of the sort. Again you're saying things that are unfounded.

What led to the 41000 denominations is the fact that the early church leaders chose to "unhitch" themselves from a divinely inspired, clearly defined set of laws. The laws of God's kingdom. The laws that the King OF God's kingdom followed, taught and agreed with. The government will be on His shoulders! Being the Word of God, these laws were His words! If anyone says, "Jesus is my King" but shuns His torah/law how IS IT or IN WHAT WAY have they placed themselves under His authority? Isn't it more like, they've actually placed themselves under the authority of false teachers? Think about that. Also think about how "free" you are to disentange yourself from that mess. Count the cost of following Christ. Like the Jews in His day and Paul in particular, one has to consider all that extra biblical "so called knowledge", dross. One has to consider losing standing in the church, the possible scorn of peers and leaders alike. If Jesus sets you free, you ARE free indeed. Free from false doctrine that leads to sin instead of away from it AND free from the penalty of tresspassing the law (death) if you don't quite hit the mark that you're AIMING FOR.

Leaders and congregations started to behave like schools of fish. Each following their own lead. Of course, there is always talk of Holy Spirit guidance, but that's questionable. For instance, would the Holy Spirit inspire the RCC to go throughout the land and impose its doctrine with the blade of a sword? Would the Holy Spirit inspire "the father of the reformation", Martin Luther, to spew forth his sermon "The Jews and Their Lies"? There is no indication in scripture that this would come from the Spirit of Christ. In fact the opposite is indicated. The Hebrew people (named Israel) are the apple of God's eye on account of the patriarchs. Yes, He chastened them, but He chastens all those He loves...for their own good. Jesus never imposed Himself on anyone, He told His disciple to put away the sword. I provided two examples of people reading what "they mean" into the scriptures. Here's another:

1 Timothy 4:1-5. Institutionalized dogma says that one thing Paul was teaching here is that the food laws are done away with. That's not what he was teaching at all. He was a torah observant Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin and he said himself, he delighted in the law/torah of God.

4. Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

First of all, to a torah observant Israelite ALL CREATURES ARE NOT created to be food. All a person has to do is go to the OT and read "the word of God" to find out which creatures are "sanctified/set apart" to be received with thanksgiving. As it happens, there are some creatures that are not to be eaten because God said eating them would be an abomination. God doesn't use that particular word lightly, but in fact He used it several times in trying to get His point across about unclean food in particular. Secondly, a torah observant Israelite who delites in the law of God is not going to call any of the instructions contained therein, "doctrines of demons".

Now for some context: Paul's ministry included defending the faith, once for all delivered to the saints, from both "Jewish" believers who were (among other things) of the belief that a gentile had to be circumcised as a prerequisite to salvation. Some believing gentile ascetics were teaching that the flesh had to be mortified to please God. One should abstain from all physical pleasure which would definitely include the pleasures of marriage. Some believers (likely Jews) were so paranoid about the possibility that market food could have been sacrificed to idols that they were telling people don't eat any of that stuff. (He taught in another place that if you're invited to dine, just eat what is put in front of you, it will be sanctified by your prayer. (*note: that teaching is in the context of food sacrificed to idols...it's not about making unclean foods suddenly clean through your prayer. I mean, He sent His beloved Son to die for people breaking that law, it doesn't matter how fervently you pray over your pork ribs, He's not going to cave and decide that maybe He was hasty in saying that's an abomination). The teaching contained in that scripture of 1 Timothy is warning about these ones who were leading people away from the truth. God instituted marriage and it is honourable, it is not to be shunned as a means of "godliness" and food that was created to be eaten shouldn't be avoided, it should be received with thanksgiving. That is the truth, not what these others were teaching. You see how that scripture, viewed in context, doesn't mean what some people want it to mean? The apostle Peter was absolutely right when he said: 2 Peter 3:16. These men weren't "unstable" as in mentally unhinged, they didn't find stability for their doctrine in the torah, and they were teaching people in such a way that their doctrines had the effect of causing people to practice sin in their ignorance.

Anyway, schools of fish...that's what happens when people decide it's ok to unhitch themselves from law. Any set of "laws" that is so flexible that it can be molded by anyones hands isn't even a law, it's a suggestion. A law that one school of fish finds unsavory can be abandoned (or amended into oblivion) and on and on until instability is followed by some kind of destruction. It can happen in ancient Israel, the church and modern society. It doesn't just happen, it's a consequence of a particular action.

michelle

26

Not posted for a year because mum died did not want blood.

by Witness 007 in

i posted here weekly until a year ago when my mum died of a mild form of lukemia which is easy to treat with 2 blood tranfusions a month.

you can live to 100 with treatment, but no my mum chose to die a faithful witness after 2 years of chemo and hell for her family and doctors.

her chemo doctor cried when she only had weeks left to live knowing that she could be saved with one bag of blood!

myelaine

I'm sorry for your loss, Witness. You were there to love and comfort your mom, let that be what you remember in this sad event. xo

16

GB and Moses—an interesting similarity!

by Ireneus in

moses is the symbol of divorcing anyone who acts smarter and exhibits sharper spiritual insight.

his wife, zipporah, daughter of a pagan midianite priest (exodus 2.15-22), was more spiritual and had keener spiritual insight than moses.

on one occasion she averted a disaster by acting promptly (by performing the act of circumcision on their son) thus saving moses from being killed by jehovah’s angel which ultimately helped the israelites’ exodus from egypt.

myelaine

dear Ireneus...

You said, "Jesus cancelled Law of Moses when he said Mathew 7:12,"...

When a person carries out the precepts of the law (in the spirit of mercy and with impartiality, not simply the letter of the law) and hears the prophets admonitions, they will be loving God and their neighbour as themselves. Matthew 23:23.

You said, "This is because if one realized that action and consequence are inseparable (which is too obvious in the nature, history and even in individual experiences), he would act thoughtfully taking all pros and cons before executing the action. This is all what is required. (Eccl 12:13, 14"...

The thing is, it's not a question of "realization", some people don't care about consequences for themselves or others. If a murderer cared about consequences he wouldn't murder. If a thief cared about consequences he wouldn't steal. If the Pharisees cared about the elderly as the law prescribed they wouldn't have devised a way for people to neglect the welfare of parents under the guise of corban. Honoring your parents was more important to God than dedicating money to the temple. Matthew 15:3-9. This scripture goes hand in hand with the other scripture I posted. Jesus told people to obey what the Pharisees teach when they sit in the seat of Moses, but don't do what they do. Absolutely everything that Jesus taught came from the law. The essence of what He said was: keep the law, lose the traditions of men that have added to or taken away from the law. Deut. 4:2. John 7:16.

Matthew 25:31-46...Jesus said "His brothers...the least of these". He also said, " who is My mother, My sister, My brother? Those who do the will of My Father." Mark 3:35. Especially poignant given the fact that the early gentile leaders of the church completely turned their back on the Jews. It was during that time that Jews were vilified and any practice that had the whiff of Judaism was excised in an attempt to appease Rome. These leaders didn't "keep the commandments of God and hold fast the testamony of Jesus Christ". They took the mark of Rome in order to continue buying and selling. Jew hatred was the "spirit" of the age and though professing christians might be horrified by the way the Jews were treated by Rome and the early church leaders, the result of that turning away from Jesus' brothers and "the faith of Christ" has become institutionalized church dogma. IE: the law is done away with and in some cases, Israel/the Jews have been replaced (at least until they "come to Jesus" and stop following the commands of God).

God says clearly in the OT that there will come a day when He will make a new covenant. The law will be written on hearts instead of stone. It was written on stone because the Israelites were fearful of God being close to them. Consequently, many obeyed the law of God out of fear (if you read Psalm 119 you see that David followed out of love for God). Jesus initiated the new covenant in His blood. The law would be written on our hearts. Same law but we see the love of God in Jesus...we don't obey out of fear but out of love. That Spirit of Christ that is in believers empowers them to be obedient, as Jesus was obedient. Now, we can't be obedient to the law of God if we don't learn what the law is. Scripture says that the written law was our teacher (learn it) until Christ (live it)...follow Him. Romans 3:31; Romans 7:12; Romans 7:22.

Now, I understand that this might be all new to you, but if you did read the history, if you did read scripture in context and if you did hear what scripture is actually saying, the arguments you present as topics for discussion would be a lot more credible. As it is, you're deluding yourself into believing scripture is saying something it isn't and it seems you're unwilling to consider alternatives that might disabuse you of your beliefs. (Judges 21:25).

There is more similarity between you and the GB than Moses and the GB in that regard.

michelle

16

GB and Moses—an interesting similarity!

by Ireneus in

moses is the symbol of divorcing anyone who acts smarter and exhibits sharper spiritual insight.

his wife, zipporah, daughter of a pagan midianite priest (exodus 2.15-22), was more spiritual and had keener spiritual insight than moses.

on one occasion she averted a disaster by acting promptly (by performing the act of circumcision on their son) thus saving moses from being killed by jehovah’s angel which ultimately helped the israelites’ exodus from egypt.

myelaine

Ireneus...

Jesus upheld the law perfectly. It was His stated mission to do the will of His Father. He in know way tried to say or show that the law meant nothing or undermine Moses. He even told assembled crowds to OBEY what the Pharisees say when they are sitting in the seat of Moses (teaching the law without adding to it or taking away from it) matthew 23:3

When the Pharisees brought the women caught in adultery to Jesus and said the law commanded that she be stoned, that isn't the law of God. It may have become a tradition in the oral or extra-biblical "law" of the Pharisees, but not the law of God.

The law of God stated that both the man and the woman are to be brought before the judge together, there must be 2 or 3 witnesses to the act of adultery and if found guilty, the very people who charged them with adultery were the ones who were supposed to stone both the man and woman. The Pharisees were violating the law. That's why Jesus said, "he who is without sin, cast the first stone."