now that you are no longer a witness, whether you are d/a d/f faded/inactive, .
what is the one thing you will not do?
pace.
I remember the last time I was out in service, I found a woman at home and we had a really interesting conversation. Her beliefs were basically agnostic and I can honestly say, I had an incredibly smug attitude with her. Funny thing is now, that belief that I thought was so sad, now....I understand quite well.
I used to think, that I would Never leave the wonderful org. I would never be an apostate. I would never walk away from Jehovah etc.
Now, I will not say never.
now that you are no longer a witness, whether you are d/a d/f faded/inactive, .
what is the one thing you will not do?
pace.
Now that you are no longer a witness, whether you are d/a d/f faded/inactive,
What is the one thing you will not do?
pace
BlackSwan
the fact is, i've been living a lie, i'm gay \ a lesbian \ only 14. i'm sorry - i got hit on the head this morning and i really have no idea who you are.
and so you see, technically i'm a eunuch.
i really like your sister.
"My psychic said we're breaking up today."
Buster: shihtzu
Queen Neferkitty (or just Cat) : sun bathing lazy female cat
BlackSwan
when i was an active witness it was quite noticeable that when world shattering events took place, such as a disaster, tensions between major nations, war in iraq or events like that of 9/11 the meeting attendance would drastically improve.
this was mainly due to ones whom you rarely saw flocking back because they thought armageddon was coming.
what if this almost impossible scenario occurred.
This is the way I see it, because yes I have thought of that, fleetingly, but I have...
I do believe there is something divine out there.
If yes, the UN makes the statement of banning all religions, I would chalk that up to serious coincidence.
Because, I cannot believe and refuse to believe that any divine being that has sense of right and wrong would destroy me as well as millions of others for not following a cult that destroys people's lives.
So, no.
Besides, maybe I'm wrong, but I can't see where the UN right now has that kind of power to look at the most powerful countries in the world and say that without blinking.
But hey, never say never.
pace
BlackSwan
i put this on "friends" cos i think you are!
mr c(crumpet) has gone away on holiday until sunday at 5. i am all alone and with 8.00 to last me the whole time from now until then.
i think i am going to feel lonely - in fact i am already - so this is an open thread.
Hm,
You could....
1) If you and Mr.Crumpet have pic phones....get some incredibly naught pics of yerself (have to use a little ingenuity for this, but your smart) and ship 'em to Mr.Crumpet.
2) If said phones are not available, use cam and create Mr.Crumpet a nice welcome home present.
3) Get writing and create erotic stories re: person of your choice.
Now, what this will do is one of 2 things:
1) When Mr.Crumpet returns home, the Crumpets will have incredibly hot sex.
2) Or well.... you know....
This is what I would do (and have done to some extent) for Mr.Swan.
Then again you could always throw a party and tell yer friends that yer broke so they need to bring the chow.
Cheers
BlackSwan
the oldest manuscripts are not considered the most reliable.. there are no "autograph" texts.
none.. there are no "original" manuscripts.. no two manuscripts agree.. the bible as we know it only came together in the form it now holds because certain men decided it should do so.. neither jesus nor his apostles or disciples carried bibles.. the apostle paul didn't carry a bible and none of his letters were in any of the scrolls considered holy scripture at the time he was preaching and forming christian theology as it is now understood to be.. largely, what the bible is today, is the result of certain men with certain agendas who had the authority to make their project happen.
they also had the power to destroy writings which did not agree with their agenda.
the bible? I like Andy Partridges take:Dear god, hope you get the letter and...
I pray you can make it better down here
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving in the street
'Cause they don't get enough to eat from god
I can't believe in you
Dear god, sorry to disturb you but...
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image
See them fighting in the street
'Cause they can't make opinions meet about god
I can't believe in you
Did you make disease and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too!
Dear god don't know if you noticed but...
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book
And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look
And all the people that you made in your image
still believing that junk is true
Well I know it ain't, and so do you
Dear god
I can't believe in
I don't believe
I won't believe in heaven or hell
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
You're always letting us humans down
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Those lost at sea and never found
And it's the same the whole world 'round
The hurt I see helps to compound
That father, son and holy ghost
Is just somebody's unholy hoax
And if you're up there you'll perceive
That my heart's here upon my sleeve
If there's one thing I don't believe in
It's you
Dear god
amen
http://www.freeminds.org/aftrhour/paradise_lost.htm
Well......
Years back when I still lived with my mom and dad, my mom didn't always like my choice of music. I guess it was, in her opinion, demonic.
Particular song in question was off of Loreena McKennit's The Visit. Now, Loreena McKennit's stuff tends to explore other cultures and belief systems.
Being a good kid, I complied with my mom and didn't listen to that song for several years..... until one day.....
After I decided that I was just NOT going back to the kh, I decided to play the damn song again to see if my cd player would start flying around the house. (hehe)
It didn't.
Point being
Hearing that song again, really hearing it, listening to the words and the music, made me see, that what I had been afraid of for so long was more built up in my mind, then what really was.
I think a better way to explain it is to say, watch The Village.
What we create in our mind as monsters and demons, are just that, our creations.
Up until then, I had not stopped to look outside of what I was comfortable with and really look at all the hundreds (thousands, millions etc.) of possibilites that exist.
Not sure if that's what you're looking for, but that's my experience with music.
Peace and Blessings
BlackSwan
the oldest manuscripts are not considered the most reliable.. there are no "autograph" texts.
none.. there are no "original" manuscripts.. no two manuscripts agree.. the bible as we know it only came together in the form it now holds because certain men decided it should do so.. neither jesus nor his apostles or disciples carried bibles.. the apostle paul didn't carry a bible and none of his letters were in any of the scrolls considered holy scripture at the time he was preaching and forming christian theology as it is now understood to be.. largely, what the bible is today, is the result of certain men with certain agendas who had the authority to make their project happen.
they also had the power to destroy writings which did not agree with their agenda.
The Apostle Paul didn't carry a bible and none of his letters were in any of the scrolls considered Holy Scripture at the time he was preaching and forming Christian theology as it is now understood to be.
This was the essence of what I wanted to post in that other thread…. (forgot title…sorry)last night.
Basically, Terry when you brought up that wonderful point… All Scripture is inspired of god…. The key point is really made here.
What scripture?
He (Paul) was referring to Hebrew scripture. That which is constituted Greek Scripture or the New Testament was, as you have beautifully explained was pulled together by men.
Whatever they did NOT like was not included. There were so many texts that were discounted because it did not have their approval. If said texts did not agree with what they believed to be true, it was not inspired and left out. It was all a matter of popular opinion.
What if the picture of Jesus that is painted for us by the Gospel writers is the exact opposite of who this man really was?
How do you know? You have no evidence to show otherwise.
Who decided what should or should not be included in the holy writings? Men who claimed to have been led by god.
Anyone, (as we all have learned) can say they are speaking for god and are inspired by god. All that would need to be done is to write something that the majority will agree with. And that’s what was done.
Perhaps the most inspired of writings were that which we have never been able to read. It has already been decided for us.
Sounds like another group of “inspired” people that I know of.
From what I have read, there was a cut off time. If it wasn’t written within the 1 st century, then it was discounted. I don’t remember reading ANYWHERE in the Old Testament about there being a reasonable time period for a writing to be considered holy (that is if this were the rule by which the texts were measured. Yet again, another man made decision.)
So, why then do we not see those texts? Because quite simply, the councils didn’t like them. Doesn’t mean they weren’t inspired texts. It means that MEN didn’t like ‘em and if the Council didn’t like ‘em or agree with ‘em, well, then therefore god does not either.
Anyone, absolutely anyone can say that it was because of god that these special writings were preserved.
Well, if we go with that line of thinking, what about the Egyptian Book of the Dead? What about the teachings of Buddha?
Just because any said person doesn’t agree with these writings, does not make them un-divine.
I’m Not saying that I have some grand divine gift to say that the Bible is Not from a divine source. What I am saying, is that we examined so very carefully the WTBS and have come to the conclusion that it is not the sole channel of God.
So, what I think is most interesting about Terry’s thread is that it makes us take such a serious look at the bible and consider all possibilities.
Peace and blessings
BlackSwan
p.s. hope this makes some sense. Long, long day at work.
romans 5:20 "now the law"..."by works of law no flesh will be declared righteous before him, for by law is the accurate knowledge of sin..." romans 3:20
romans 6:1,7,11,13,14 "shall we continue in sin"..."for he who has died has been acquited from [his] sin...likewise also you: reckon yourselves to be dead...but present yourselves to god as those alive from the dead...you are not under law..."
interesting how the scriptures are written with many things and in such a way as to sugjest ones may not be in the proper legal condition to 'present yourselves alive from the dead' where paul urged, 'reckon yourselves to be dead'.
Isn't Romans 6:7 the verse that they use to support the idear that when a person dies they are acquitted of their sins and so are ressurected?
Seems a little out of context.
BlackSwan
