my good witness friend was trying to encourage me spiritually and this is what's being speculated among the witnesses.
how long was adam alone before eve was created, well at least 31 years so far.
1975 was the end of 6000 years of man's existence.. from 1975 to 2006, it is 31 years.. when was jesus ministry over?
How long was Adam alone before Eve was created, well at least 31 years so far
That means there is a good chance that Eve was created after 33 years after Adam
So was it 31 years or 33 years? Is the Big A scheduled to arrive in 2006 or 2008? Can't Jehovah make up His mind?
How did we arrive at 31 yrs or 33 yrs to begin with? I don't recall reading either period in Genesis.
INQ
i used to feel it was the catholic religion because of all its rituals.
then i felt it was the latter day saints with all thier "personal testimony" and "prophet" doctrines.
finally, after reading about the watchtower's history i've settled on the view that they are all equal.. how did you feel about it when you were a witnoid?.
Wasanelder Once,
I suppose that depends on what tone of meaning you attach to "demonize"
If you mean which denomination was most maligned by the WTS, I guess you could say it was the Catholic church. But I suspect that the reason for this has more to do with the fact that 1) it has the longest history and thus longer record of errors to pick and choose from 2) there is a plethora of criticisms against the Catholic church written up by both professional and amateur spiteful (rightfully so?), evangelical Protestants. WTS only had to borrow these ideas and publish them as their own
If you mean which denomination was most feared by the WTS, I suspect it would have to be the Pentecostals. Claims of a higher emotional experience (i.e. true happiness, a connection with God etc etc) and of miraculous healing feats must be a constant source of ire that needed discrediting by the GB.
That's my two cents.
INQ
p.s. has anyone told you that your avatar gives some people the goosebumps ?
i just saw a "gardening by the yard" on hgtv (a home-improvement channel we have here in texas).
it was all about carnivorous plants.
one thing which struck me was the potting instructions - just plant them in a non-nourishing sand or vermiculite which can hold moisture.
Doesn't the Bible also present plants as being created before "flying creatures", presumably including insects? So until the big J got around to creating flies, I wonder what his Venus Bug-To-Be-Named-Later Trap was supposed to eat?
Quick thinking Almost Atheist! That was a good point on the biblical chronology of creation. And yes, this is an interesting thread. Though I wouldn't put it above the creationists to stomp in here, bark an explanation and expect us to nod our heads to it.
INQ
the wts loooves to harp on the story of joseph fleeing from potiphar's wife (see this week's watchtower article).
it provides a most convenient moral story with which to command young people .
i've often wondered if joseph rejected mrs potiphar for reasons other than chastity.
But the Witnesses don't claim that the story is about chastity per se.
True, at times the WTS uses this story as an example of God's implicit laws (i.e. Joseph knew not to fornicate before the Mosaic Laws were made). But more frequently, JWs reflect on this account as a shining lesson of sexual abstinence.
It doesn't concern me that obedience is linked with chastity, we're questioning the relevance of this story as a lesson in chastity.
INQ
the wts loooves to harp on the story of joseph fleeing from potiphar's wife (see this week's watchtower article).
it provides a most convenient moral story with which to command young people .
i've often wondered if joseph rejected mrs potiphar for reasons other than chastity.
Dear Slim,
I do not recall the Witnesses claiming the main reason Joseph refused was his respect for another man's property.
They don't. Thus the inspiration for this thread.
And the Bible makes the way for their own slant on it. They focus overwhelmingly on the phrase: "So how could I commit this great badness and actually sin against God?"
Indeed the Bible does. I am not disputing that. I'm merely showing that there is more than one interpretation of Joseph's motive. Taken as true and inspired, the Bible does make way for the conclusion that Jospeh avoided Potiphar's wife out of respect for Potiphar's property rights and not necessarily out of sheer desire to remain chaste as the WTS and other christian groups claim.
How does the Bible allow for the alternative interpretation? Well, have a look again at the 2 scriptures that I quoted and highlighted in Page 1.
They can and do apply that in principle to unmarried couples.
This is where their application becomes a mistake if Joseph was indeed acting ethically and NOT morally. If this tale is not about fornication, then why apply it to single couples at all?
INQ
the wts loooves to harp on the story of joseph fleeing from potiphar's wife (see this week's watchtower article).
it provides a most convenient moral story with which to command young people .
i've often wondered if joseph rejected mrs potiphar for reasons other than chastity.
Stealth, of course we still love you.
Slim, could I please have the simple(r) English version of what you've just said.
INQ
my daughters scripture teacher recently told the scripture class that in nsw, australia there will be no more scripture classes.
the reason was that it was too hard to find teachers.
a couple of weeks later a letter was read in the congregations to that affect, and saying that it is a parents responsibility to spiritually raise a child.
the wts loooves to harp on the story of joseph fleeing from potiphar's wife (see this week's watchtower article).
it provides a most convenient moral story with which to command young people .
i've often wondered if joseph rejected mrs potiphar for reasons other than chastity.
You are all talking about Joseph as if he were real or something. And as if we have a true account of what a real man did.
Exactly, slim. We're working on the assumption that the record is true. Perhaps, like some, you're contented with proving that the Bible, as a literary work, is hopelessly inaccurate. But some of us prefer to analyse the Bible through a more microscopic lens: assuming certain Biblical claims are true and testing the Bible's authority on certain issues. A person who is convinced that the Bible is in error may view this examination as tedious and unnecessary. But I personally believe that such an approach is more effective in de-programming the conservative-fundamentalist mind.
AlanF ,Thank you for that article. Great reflections there!
INQ
the wts loooves to harp on the story of joseph fleeing from potiphar's wife (see this week's watchtower article).
it provides a most convenient moral story with which to command young people .
i've often wondered if joseph rejected mrs potiphar for reasons other than chastity.
Hey mkr32208
I got into trouble for using the term "hag". And here you are calling Mrs. Pot an "old bat" and speculating on Joseph's romp with the harem!!
What a coincidence that both guys with audacious, irreverent humour have avatars depicting a figure slouched on the floor with the back against the wall!
INQ
the wts loooves to harp on the story of joseph fleeing from potiphar's wife (see this week's watchtower article).
it provides a most convenient moral story with which to command young people .
i've often wondered if joseph rejected mrs potiphar for reasons other than chastity.
Stealth, with a cheeky remark like that, I would tell you to go sit in the corner. But I can see that you're already there.
INQ
