I found out the first singer of Anthrax (the band) was Neil Turbin... nearly the same spelling... Looked at his face and he looks like one of my cousins, fellow anglo relatives... :)
inquirer
JoinedPosts by inquirer
-
14
Meet my new friend from the Middle East . . .
by google_mE inintroducing the new toe turban:
just got my ingrown toe nail removed for the second time in my life.
hopefully it doesn't come back this time.. -me
-
-
-
3
Do you find that you dislike random things because of being a witness?
by els inmy father in law has a house on block island that we (my husband and i, his brother and their dad) all have a say in.
we are putting tile in the entry area and my brother in law suggested multi colored slate.
i was immediately, vehemently against it but couldn't figure out why until i remembered that the kindom hall i grew up attending had slate floors in the lobby area.
-
-
inquirer
Sorry the JW's spoil all these things that were invented by worldy people! :)
There might be someone that you don't like because of their last name, but just remember there are probably zillions of people with that same name! It's happened with celebrities -- there was one particular person who had "surname x" and then I loved this show and one of my favorite actors also had this name! AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I LOVE THE NAME NOW. Because this particular actor has shown me it's cool to have as a name because he is so talented! And I found out he was born in the early 1900's and I thought to myself "this actor was around decades before this JW even existed so stuff that!" -
13
When i was a JW
by KW13 ini remember i was in high school and i really wanted to get on the theocratic ministry school.
i was making progress, started getting responsibilities like the microphones, helped do little jobs e.t.c and slowly i was being brought into the center of the congregation.. i went for my "interview" to get on the theocratic ministry school and...... they knocked me back.
told me 'someone' had told them i was swearing and even if it wasn't true they wanted me to spend more time upbuilding my faith.
-
-
inquirer
When I was a JW, I didn't want to anything extra.
NEVER DID MICROPHONES
RARELY DID SPEECHES FROM THE PLATFORM
I was very much just "another person in the crowd" person. I cleaned windows with Windex (TM -- LOL) and may have vacuumed the floor or something...
I was always a bit cynical. People didn't like me much as a JW, because I refused to follow the crowd and had my opinions, etc... -
-
-
inquirer
Narkissos says 33% your source Leolaia says 10-15%... But then in another part of your post it seemed like your are saying "10-15%" as a whole. Your last post was very confusing, and it makes it more confusing when Narkissos says it's 33%. It doeesn't really matter really. I don't want to argue about this. All I know is 7 pages for a Gospel (with the translators' credit given at the top, written in 14 point) feels very incomplete to me! The 4 Gospels written: Matthew, Mark, Luke and even the very abbreviated John are heaps longer than this Gospel of Thomas. NO DOUBT in the 2nd century it was a lot longer than what it is!
I don't know if you read the GoT, but it's pretty imcomplete. There are many elipses and a couple of times it says "15 lines are missing."
Narkissos, I forgot to say this before, but it seems pretty damn strange how Judas is almost made out to be a saint for Jesus' destiny, whereas Jesus knew "from the beginning" (in the 4 accepted gospels) he was going to betray him! Even the King James Version calles him a "devil!" Why do the gospels make him look really evil but the Judas gospel makes him to be saint like? Why does Jesus distance himself from the disciples in the "Judas" gospel?
I much prefer Old Testament Apocrypha -- Even Tobit... For some reason I liked that "long walk in the park" feel it had.
A lot of New Testament Apocrypha have a lot of weird ellements -- in the Gospel of Thomas for example, it says that women won't inherit the Kingdom of God!!! I love the company of women! Come on man! :D LOL (I am not suggesting something to anyone in particular, just objecting to the verse that excludes women! [cry.] -
-
-
inquirer
Narkissos
Inquirer,
The Wikipedia article (now) actually reads:
The Gospel of Judas was first found in the Codex Tchacos, which also contains Letter of Peter to Philip (a variant is in the Nag Hammadi collection), the First Apocalypse of James (also known from Nag Hammadi). Up to a third of the codex is currently illegible.
I am actually surprised at the good conservation of the text, as compared to many other Gnostic treatises in the Nag Hammadi library.
Now to consider it as "stupid" depends on your value judgement of Gnosticism as a whole. There are good reasons to think that early Gnosticism was a significant part of early "Christianity". Some of the more ancient proto-Gnostic works made their way into the NT, although they were modified and adapted to orthodox thought (e.g. the Gospel of John). Others were rejected and most of their copies destroyed -- which explains why only a few copies in more or less good condition have been found in the last 150 years or so. Prior to that we only knew Gnosticism through the eyes of its detractors (e.g. Irenaeus).
It always amuses me when orthodox Christians reject Gnosticism as the ultimate abomination yet wonder at the "spiritual" character of John's Gospel -- not knowing where the "light" they enjoy so much comes from.
__________
A lot of people say the Bible contradicts itself... think that Noah couldn't have brought those animals in, saying that Jesus used magic (the Jewish Encyclopedia says that, doesn't mean that all Jews believe that though, Mordecai Vanunu for example is Christian) So people criticize the Bible, why not criticize New Testament Apocrypha Gnosticism? You are free to like it, but I am free to criticize it. We are all entitled to think what ever we like.. -
-
-
inquirer
I re-read the wikipedia article that says that most of the Gospel of Judas is missing. I still hold the original claim, because I am not making it up -- Wikipedia is telling me all about it! It's had 100's of edits to it -- ARE YOU SAYING ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE WRONG?
You can check out the Gospel of Judas yourself and see how incomplete it is. http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel/_pdf/GospelofJudas.pdf
[sigh]
There are so many lines missing! Most of those Gnostic documents have deteriorated really badly like this [stupid] one... -
185
News About 2006 Memorial
by Severus inthis is a call to action.
please read.
jehovah's witnesses will be celebrating the memorial of jesus death on wednesday, april 12th.
-
-
inquirer
DannyHaszard
Share the Wealth on April 12th!
_____
(Just think of UNIT in Doctor Who.) :) -
185
News About 2006 Memorial
by Severus inthis is a call to action.
please read.
jehovah's witnesses will be celebrating the memorial of jesus death on wednesday, april 12th.
-
-
inquirer
I think the best excuse [don't care if it's not for you] for saying "Z" is because it rhymes better.
"Eks, Y'ee, Zee." [phonetically speaking]
And it rhymes with the first 3 letters of the alphabet
"Aee, Bee, Cee." [phonetically speaking]
It doesn't sound right to end on a short sound, and why add a letter that's not there? We don't say "Y'd" for "Y" do we? We just say Y'ee. -
185
News About 2006 Memorial
by Severus inthis is a call to action.
please read.
jehovah's witnesses will be celebrating the memorial of jesus death on wednesday, april 12th.
-
-
inquirer
Scully
unc
do they call them "zees" in Australia? or "zeds"?
___
I always say "zeeee" myself not "zed." :D Some say "zee" but most say "zed" unfortunately. I always prefer American pronunciation, and would literally start saying "can't" and "fast" like Americans do, if I could get away with it and be comfortable about it. I did it for a while when I was in high school... but it didn't last.
Pitty me, I always like "niche" things. :(
But I do say this like Americans:
ADVANCE
DEMAND
IRAQ
PLANT
REMAND
MOUSTACHE (Sometimes I go British and say "ahh")
etc, etc... Most Australians would say "demand," "remand," and "plant" like an American would! :)
POLICE PEOPLE GET POSH AND FOR SOME REASON MOST COPS SAY "You'll be 'remarnded' in custody."
For some reason when Australians sing the national anthem, they say "Advarns Australia Fair." :( [cry] There is a small minority (thank God) that do insist on saying "advance" the normal proper Aussie way. -
-
-
inquirer
Phil
In keeping with the recent language used to describe the Gospel of Judas, one
could say the entire Bible "SUCKS".
__
Well, why would you be related to Christian-related works like the Gospel of
Judas?
The WTS would use their own jargon to say the Gospel of Judas would suck. I
think it's obvious they wouldn't like the Gospel of Judas... Look at what they
say about other Apocraphal(How much the society hates these books.)
Apocrypha -- Insight on the Scriptures
Tobit (Tobias). The account of a pious Jew of the tribe of Naphtali who is
deported to Nineveh and who becomes blinded by having bird’s dung fall in both
of his eyes. He sends his son, Tobias, to Media to collect a debt, and Tobias is
led by an angel, impersonating a human, to Ecbatana (Rages). En route he
acquires the heart, liver, and gall of a fish. He encounters a widow who, though
married seven times, remains a virgin because of each husband’s having been
killed on the marriage night by Asmodeus, the evil spirit. Encouraged by the
angel, Tobias marries the widowed virgin, and by burning the fish’s heart and
liver, he drives away the demon. Upon returning home he restores his father’s
sight by use of the gall of the fish.
The story was probably written originally in Aramaic and is estimated to be of
about the third century B.C.E. It is
obviously not inspired by God because of the superstition and error found in the
narrative. Among the inaccuracies it contains is this: The account states
that in his youth Tobit saw the revolt of the northern tribes, which occurred in
997 B.C.E. after Solomon’s death (Tobit 1:4, 5, JB), also that he was later
deported to Nineveh with the tribe of Naphtali, in 740 B.C.E. (Tobias 1:11-13,
Dy) That would mean that he lived more than 257 years. Yet Tobias 14:1-3 (Dy)
says he was 102 years old at the time of his death.
___
As the Catholic translation The
Jerusalem Bible comments in its Introduction to the Books of Tobit,
Judith and Esther: “The book of Judith
in particular shows a bland indifference to history and geography.” Among
the inconsistencies pointed out in that introduction is this: The events are
stated as occurring during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, who is called the king
“who reigned over the Assyrians in the great city of Nineveh.” (Judith 1:1, 7
[1:5, 10, Dy]) The introduction and footnotes of this translation point out that
Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylonia and never reigned in Nineveh, since Nineveh
had been destroyed earlier by Nebuchadnezzar’s father Nabopolassar.
Concerning the traveling itinerary of
the army of Holofernes, this Introduction states that it is “a geographical
impossibility.” The Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Vol. 1, p. 76)
comments: “The story is frank fiction—otherwise its inexactitudes would be
incredible.”—Edited by J. D. Douglas, 1980.
____
Ecclesiasticus. This book, also called The Wisdom of Jesus, the Son of Sirach,
has the distinction of being the longest of the Apocryphal books and the only
one whose author is known, Jesus ben-Sirach of Jerusalem. The writer expounds
upon the nature of wisdom and its application for a successful life. Observance
of the Law is strongly emphasized. Counsel on many areas of social conduct and
daily life is given, including comments on table manners, dreams, and travel.
The concluding portion contains a review of important personages of Israel,
ending with the high priest Simon II.
Contradicting Paul’s statement at Romans
5:12-19, which places the responsibility for sin upon Adam,
Ecclesiasticus says: “From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her we
all die.” (25:33, Dy) The writer also prefers “any wickedness, but the
wickedness of a woman.”—25:19, Dy.
___
Jerome, in his preface to the
book of Jeremiah, states: “I have not
thought it worth while to translate the book of Baruch.” The introduction
to the book in The Jerusalem Bible (p. 1128) suggests that sections of the
composition may have been written as late as the second or first century B.C.E.;
hence by an author (or authors) other than Baruch. The original language was
probably Hebrew.
___
The Destruction of Bel and the Dragon. This is a third addition to Daniel, some
versions placing it as a 14th chapter. In the account King Cyrus requires of
Daniel that he worship an idol of the god Bel. By sprinkling ashes on the floor
of the temple and thus detecting footprints, Daniel proves that the food
supposedly eaten by the idol is really consumed by the pagan priests and their
families. The priests are killed, and Daniel smashes the idol. Daniel is asked
by the king to worship a living dragon. Daniel destroys the dragon but is thrown
into the lions’ den by the enraged populace. During the seven days of his
confinement, an angel picks up Habakkuk by his hair and carries him and a bowl
of stew from Judea to Babylon to provide Daniel with food. Habakkuk is then
returned to Judea, Daniel is released from the den, and his opponents are thrown
in and devoured. This addition is also considered to be from the first century B.C.E.
These additions to Daniel are referred to in
The Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(Vol. 1, p. 76) as “pious legendary
embroidery.”
__
Later Apocryphal Works.
Particularly from the second century C.E. forward there has developed an immense
body of writings making claim to divine inspiration and canonicity and
pretending to relate to the Christian faith. Frequently referred to as the
“Apocryphal New Testament,” these writings represent efforts at imitating
the Gospels, Acts, letters, and the revelations contained in the
canonical books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. A large number of these are
known only through fragments extant or by quotations from them or allusions to
them by other writers.
These writings manifest
an attempt to provide information that the inspired writings deliberately omit,
such as the activities and events relating to Jesus’ life from his early
childhood on up to the time of his baptism, or an effort to manufacture support
for doctrines or traditions that find no basis in the Bible or are in
contradiction to it. Thus the so-called Gospel of Thomas and the Protevangelium
of James are filled with fanciful accounts of miracles supposedly wrought by
Jesus in his childhood. But the whole effect of the picture they draw of him is to cause
Jesus to appear as a capricious and petulant child endowed with impressive
powers. (Compare the genuine account at Lu 2:51, 52.) The
Apocryphal “Acts,” such as the “Acts of Paul” and the “Acts of Peter,” lay heavy
stress on complete abstinence from sexual relations and even depict the apostles
as urging women to separate from their husbands, thus contradicting Paul’s
authentic counsel at 1 Corinthians 7.
Commenting on such postapostolic Apocryphal writings, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (Vol. 1,
p. 166) states: “Many of
them are trivial, some are highly theatrical, some are disgusting, even
loathsome.” (Edited by G. A. Buttrick, 1962) Funk and Wagnalls New
Standard Bible Dictionary (1936, p. 56) comments: “They have been the fruitful
source of sacred legends and ecclesiastical traditions. It is to these books
that we must look for the origin of some of the dogmas of the Roman Catholic
Church.”
___
Jerome said something about finding gold amongst mud... but I can't find the
quote the WT printed...