XJW4EVR

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Posts by XJW4EVR

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  32

  I need to know

  by cosmic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  shining one just did a thread on an article that supposedly shows the bible was not fabricated.

  i didn't want to hijack his thread, so i started this one.. .

  i'm getting old, i guess, and maybe alzheimer's is starting in, but i have lost my vision, my understanding, my assurity if you will.

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  XJW4EVR

  jstalin writes: "God seems rather insecure if he demands worship for the act of creating us. God creates humans with free will and then tells us that if we use that free will in a way that breaks his illogical and arbitrary rules, he will damn us. I simply don't get it. That's selfish and childish. Sounds like god has "little man syndrome," also known as "Napoleon syndrome."" God does not demand worship. At least not now. The point of worship is out gratefulness, at least in the New Testament terms. In regards your second point, one could say that only one man, Adam, was created with a "free will." One could also say that modren man's will is in bondage to sin, something that Luther & Calvin promoted. If man is in bondage to sin then it is up to God to set whatever rules He saw fit to set. Fortunately, believers in Jesus no longer have to live according the rules of the Old Testament. As far as rulers that were illogical & arbitrary one needs to look no farther than your namesake.
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  103

  No fabrication in Gospels

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.rzim.org/publications/jttran.php?seqid=52 .

  "what cannot be doubted is that many new testament critics have approached the gospels with an utterly unjustified skepticism--a skepticism that wouldn't be considered justified in any other branch of ancient history.

  new testament scholar r. t. france declares that "at the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels as a source of information on the life and teachings of jesus, and thus on the historical origins of christianity.

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  XJW4EVR

  Abbadon says: "XJW4EVR What a hypocrite you are! You are aggresive and insulting towards Narkissos (yet he still treats you like the gentleman he is), then when someone tires of your behaviour and pays you back in your own coin you whine like a spoilt child. Seems like you can dish it out but can't take it." Ah the smell of hypocrisy in the morning. Where have I been insulting? I have simply asked questions. I did respond that I thought his answers were boring, but I meant that tongue in cheek. I should have attempted to make that plainer. Its a good thing that people like you police this board though. What would board life be without the customary board bullies putting the newbie back in his place?
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  103

  No fabrication in Gospels

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.rzim.org/publications/jttran.php?seqid=52 .

  "what cannot be doubted is that many new testament critics have approached the gospels with an utterly unjustified skepticism--a skepticism that wouldn't be considered justified in any other branch of ancient history.

  new testament scholar r. t. france declares that "at the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels as a source of information on the life and teachings of jesus, and thus on the historical origins of christianity.

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  XJW4EVR

  There it is, when you have no logical response you begin with the ad hominem attack.

  Oh, and for your information I don't have any affiliation with Oral Roberts or his University. In fact, I am currently working on a Bachelor's at the University of Southern California, hardly a Bible College.

  But it's OK, I don't hold it against you, after all what would an arguement with a person like you be without the presumptive ad hominem.
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  103

  No fabrication in Gospels

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.rzim.org/publications/jttran.php?seqid=52 .

  "what cannot be doubted is that many new testament critics have approached the gospels with an utterly unjustified skepticism--a skepticism that wouldn't be considered justified in any other branch of ancient history.

  new testament scholar r. t. france declares that "at the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels as a source of information on the life and teachings of jesus, and thus on the historical origins of christianity.

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  XJW4EVR

  
  Fascinating? No, I would call you boring. Edited to add: Not that you are boring, but your arguements are. They are the same tired arguements that get rehashed and then refuted time and time again.
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  103

  No fabrication in Gospels

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.rzim.org/publications/jttran.php?seqid=52 .

  "what cannot be doubted is that many new testament critics have approached the gospels with an utterly unjustified skepticism--a skepticism that wouldn't be considered justified in any other branch of ancient history.

  new testament scholar r. t. france declares that "at the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels as a source of information on the life and teachings of jesus, and thus on the historical origins of christianity.

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  XJW4EVR

  XJW,

  As far as the rest of your post I don't see any mention of conservative scholars. ; ;Why is that?

  LOL, I haven't mentioned liberal or critical scholars either.

  it only appears that you have found a way to affirm your presupposition, and you obviously think there is no need to challenge it. ; This is intellectual laziness.

  Maybe. Or, at some point I felt I had already spent too much time debating with apologists and felt like moving on. Mind you, there is much more to the Bible texts than "whether it happened or not". You can spend your whole ;life trying to prove either side of the issue. If it takes intellectual laziness to step out of this nonsense, thanks intellectual laziness.

  If you have "moved on" as you you claim then why the need to continue to debate?

  I am not the one trying to prove anything, but you seem to have spent quite a bit of time attempting to disprove what someone else, whose line of thinking doesn't quite live up to yours. If you have "moved on" why do you do this?

  The answer that you are trying to save others will not fly with me, because if you have "moved on" then what other people believe should not bother you.
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  103

  No fabrication in Gospels

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.rzim.org/publications/jttran.php?seqid=52 .

  "what cannot be doubted is that many new testament critics have approached the gospels with an utterly unjustified skepticism--a skepticism that wouldn't be considered justified in any other branch of ancient history.

  new testament scholar r. t. france declares that "at the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels as a source of information on the life and teachings of jesus, and thus on the historical origins of christianity.

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  XJW4EVR

  XJW4EVR,

  How many of you fine folks that spend so much time reading books & articles from one side of the debate (the skepital side) on the Scriptures, have actually read books & articles from the other side (the believers) side

  I spent ;about 14 years of my life as a ;JW and another 3 in an Evangelical college. While JWs and Evangelicals are quite different on doctrine, I found their stances and arguments ;on Biblical apologetics ;to be ;essentially the same -- ;around the common (mis-)understanding of Bible stories as history. About any argument an xJW can read ;in favor of the historicity of the Bible is something ;s/he has heard and preached hundreds of times. I'm afraid there is not too much to expect from this side of the debate.

  14 years as a JW and 3 years at an unnamed "Evangelical" college does not impress me much. As far as the rest of your post I don't see any mention of conservative scholars. Why is that?

  As for your last statement: it only appears that you have found a way to affirm your presupposition, and you obviously think there is no need to challenge it. This is intellectual laziness.
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  103

  No fabrication in Gospels

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.rzim.org/publications/jttran.php?seqid=52 .

  "what cannot be doubted is that many new testament critics have approached the gospels with an utterly unjustified skepticism--a skepticism that wouldn't be considered justified in any other branch of ancient history.

  new testament scholar r. t. france declares that "at the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels as a source of information on the life and teachings of jesus, and thus on the historical origins of christianity.

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  XJW4EVR

  Release yourself from the bondage of cynicism. Just because Mother Watchtower is fake doesn't mean she was right about true Christianity!
  
  oh give it a rest, Rex. And what is "true christianity"?? The gospel according to "shining one" ?? All you have done in your life is replace one form of brainwashing (the watchtower) with ANOTHER form of brainwashing "Right-wing, bible-belt christian fundamentalism".....Its all the same crap, just another pile. .....yawn......

  This makes me laugh. So you have simply exchanged your WT theology for the brainwashing of the post-modern secular humanism?
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  103

  No fabrication in Gospels

  by Shining One in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.rzim.org/publications/jttran.php?seqid=52 .

  "what cannot be doubted is that many new testament critics have approached the gospels with an utterly unjustified skepticism--a skepticism that wouldn't be considered justified in any other branch of ancient history.

  new testament scholar r. t. france declares that "at the level of their literary and historical character we have good reason to treat the gospels as a source of information on the life and teachings of jesus, and thus on the historical origins of christianity.

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  XJW4EVR

  So you are saying that you know that all of the above are 'a fabrication'? How could you possibly KNOW that? What supernatural attributes allow you to make that statement as a fact?

  For crying out loud Rex! ; Please wake up man! ; What supernatural attributes do I need to know that 1+1 does not equal 3?

  Correct, Nic. However, you seem to have forgotten or ignored the fact that 1x1x1=1.
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  86

  My Story

  by XJW4EVR in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was adopted into a jw family in southern california.

  my birth mother gave me up after 6 months (the terms mom & dad refer to my adoptive/real parents).

  she gave me up due to the fact that she already had a three year old boy, and back in the late sixties it was not as socially acceptable to be a single mother.

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  XJW4EVR

  My senior year in high school began with a total change in my life. I was asked by my English teacher to change my senior English class from basic to a college prep course that she taught. She believed that it would better serve me to be in a class with higher academic requirements. This was odd for me since I was never a college-bound student (being a good JW). This class did more for me than years of schooling. I learned how to analyze critically.

  I also took a drama class, and discovered that I had a natural talent for acting. It was also through this class that I was able to meet Mark Medoff, the writer of Children of a Lesser God. He had moved to Las Cruces, NM to take over the drama department at New Mexico State University. He thought I had a natural talent for acting. I was also able to be in the high school rendition of Under the Sycamore Tree. I loved acting, and I loved the fact that for 2 hours I was able to transport people from their problems into a realm of fantasy.

  It was my meeting with Medoff that made a great impact on my life. I had found the one thing that I trully enjoyed, acting. He really wanted me to go to NMSU, and I really wanted to go also. However, I knew that I would never be able to do it without some sort of support apart from my parents or family. During one of his visits to Taos, I sat with him for about 2 hours and attempted to explain the situation I was in with my family, and the difficult economic position I would be placed in if I went to college. It was like I was speaking Martian. He didn't understand that there were people in the world that did not want to educate themselves. I was also realistic, in that I knew that I had virtually no shot of ever making it big in movies or on Broadway, so I wanted to make show that I could teach. I have always loved to teach, and I teach adult education at the church I currently attend.

  I went through my senior year of high school with the goal of actually applying myself to what I was doing. I went from being a C- student to have an A average. But I still did my thing on the side, the drugs, booze, bookmaking & shoplifting. I worked, and I saved. I would somehow make it to NMSU, and get in and get through. Then my world fell apart. My self-descructive use of drugs & booze, and my book making bit me in the ass. My best friend, who at the time was dating a studying "worldy" girl all of a sudden had an attack of conscience after having sex with her, and ran to the elders and confessed. It was in his confession that every other teen in the Hall got hosed with everything that he knew that they did. There were JCs for about 3 months. Everything I did was brought up, including my plans for college. My dad was livid, and he threatened to through me out of the house, if I continued in my plans. I had one week to prepare for my JC, and I was a basket case. At work, my boss' wife (who was a teacher I had during my junior year) sensed that I was going through something, and pulled my into the office. She asked what was happening, and I broke. I blubbered like a baby telling her everything that I was going through. That I had no choice but to submit to the elders and give up my dream. Again it was like I spoke in a different language. She just didn't get it. I was lost, and with no place to turn I showed the proper forgiveness, and was publiclly reproved. I had to have a study with an elder who served at Bethel. I went through the motions demoralized and disengaged. I just showed up and did the absolute minimum. Two days after I graduated from high school I packed and moved to L.A.

  I moved in with my dad's friend and got a job working at The Broadway in the Glendale Galleria. I didn't go to meetings, I didn't talk to JWs. I sank into depression, drugs and drink. Yes, I drank. One of the first things I did when I had come out for the summer visit the previous year was get a fake California I.D. It's pretty sad to be an alcoholic at 19 years old, but I had sucha sense of dispair and self-loaathing for forgetting all my dreams so that I could stay comfortable. This went on until October 1, 1987, when the Whittier Narrows earthquake happened. It scared me to death. I had been living like the devil, and I thought that this was it. I was going to die. Forever eliminated from the human race. I made the worst decision of my life. I returned to the JWs.
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  60

  JW DECREASE IN AMERICA of 1.07%

  by DannyHaszard in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  worldwide faith news (press release), ny - 3 minutes ago .

  ... 25. jehovah's witnesses, 1,029,902 members, reporting a decrease of 1.07 members.

  24. the orthodox church in america, 1,064,000 members, reporting an increase of 6.40 percent.

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  XJW4EVR

  In the last 6 years, I have only been called on English speaking J-Dubs twice. However, since I have moved, that may change.