Posts by Hold Me-Thrill Me

62

Christians not knowing the Bible

by Viviane in

last night a young man in a bar struck up a conversation with me.

our town is having our pride parade soon and he brought it up, the bible and how it's against the bible.

me being me, i said that i couldn't care less that it was against the bible and that it was a horrible guide for morality anyway.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

You can believe in the inspiration of the Bible without believing it is all literal.

13

What do you say to a 5 year old that asks

by Crazyguy in

'dad why don't you go to meetings?

'

Undisclosed policy versus Public portrayal

by Marvin Shilmer in

today a reader left this comment on my blog regarding research on watchtower's position on pledging national allegiance: .

i live in an african land as an elder who has stepped down due to being disheartened that all my life has actually been at the service of con men rather than to god.

i also began my search into what was really going on and confirmed my suspicions.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

It's been a century, it seems, since I've carefully read the "whys" of not doing the Pledge so please forgive a false recollection.

I believe the problem with the Pledge was that it was a pledge to the "flag", which in the minds of the Watchtower leaders was akin to somehow pledging allegiance to an idol of sorts. I remember that we were taught how the flag is officially handled in a worshipful manner with careful rules governing its display and destruction. It was this kind of thing that made pledging to the flag problematic.

We, as students in school, always respected the flag and it was also taught that we would obey all the laws of the country that did not go against God's laws. The only thing I do not remember is the use of the word, "allegiance" with regard to the laws of the U.S.

89

Richard Dawkins talking about a Creator

by FusionTheism in

richard dawkins admitted that information inside of dna, and the origin of life on earth, might point to intelligent designers, perhaps extraterrestrials.

(see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boncjbrrdq8 )richard dawkins further admitted, in a debate with francis collins for time magazine, that science might point to a creator existing, but that this creator might not be anything like yahweh:.

time: "could the answer be god?

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Thanks for the reply, Cofty.

I appreciate it.

6

How Would a JW Respond to . . .

by ABibleStudent in

reading archbishop resigns after archdiocese charged with coverup article?.

archbishop john nienstedt, deputy resign after archdiocese of st. paul and minneapolis charged with sex abuse coverup.

| by nicole winfield.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

In informal settings individual Witnesses may bring up this news item and perhaps even say something positive about it. But in the more formal meetings it's likely they would all wait for the FDS to bring it up and then agree with how it is expressed.

89

Richard Dawkins talking about a Creator

by FusionTheism in

richard dawkins admitted that information inside of dna, and the origin of life on earth, might point to intelligent designers, perhaps extraterrestrials.

(see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boncjbrrdq8 )richard dawkins further admitted, in a debate with francis collins for time magazine, that science might point to a creator existing, but that this creator might not be anything like yahweh:.

time: "could the answer be god?

Hold Me-Thrill Me

I have one sincere question here and it is by no means meant to be funny, contradictory or offensive. I'm just asking a sincere direct question and would appreciate a direct answer.

If someone were to ask: Is Richard Dawkins an agnostic or an atheist? How would one respond?

And please, friends, do not direct me to a book. Just a simple answer would suffice and I will go my way off this thread.

Thanks

49

this weeks bible highlights: Jehovah slaughters his own people to teach David a lesson

by nowwhat? in

from 2 samuel 24. i am so mad at myself for not making a comment how could anyone explain this away?

then after he slaughters 70,000 he then feels regret?

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Morpheus,

2Sa 24:1 Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah."

2Sa 24:2 The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, "Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and register the people, that I may know the number of the people."

2Sa 24:3 But Joab said to the king, "Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?"

2Sa 24:4 Nevertheless, the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to register the people of Israel.

_____________

1Ch 21:1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.

1Ch 21:2 So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, "Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number."

1Ch 21:3 Joab said, "May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?"

1Ch 21:4 Nevertheless, the king's word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

____________________

King David decided to number Israel. Joab tried to dissuade him from doing that. David prevailed, Israel was numbered, a pestilence occurred.

From a religious point of view this happened because either:

1. David out rightly sinned as he did with Bathsheba or

2. Satan tempted David and won out

The writer of 2 Chron. says Satan tempted David.

Religious thinking on this: But wait, does Satan have the power to stand up against God's people and tempt the King without God's allowance? No, of course not. Satan can only act against Israel if God allows him to act.

The writers, or redactors, of 2 Samuel chose to go directly to God on this one. Note, where the first verse says, "Now again the anger," showing a continuation of a previous time when God's anger blazed.

The writers of 2 Chronicles, on the other hand, put the blame on Satan as the first cause.

Another way to look at this:

Did God actually give David three choices? This is a literary device something very much understood and allowed in religious writing. From what I've read the ancient Jews did not believe the OT scriptures should all be understood literally. They were much more interested in the lessons of the story, the religious lesson, the spiritual lesson.

What is the teaching, that was the question. The lesson with David was that there is always a price to pay when disobeying God. No one had to die for that lesson to be learned. A good story will suffice.

Yet another way to look at this: It's all just lies about a mythical god.

Note to Bethel:

It's interesting how the Governing Body likes to use the principles in the OT when it suits them but they have conveniently ignored the lesson of this account and have "numbered" the anointed.

They don't really believe in God do they.

Another lesson: If the Governing Body is in trouble it's because, like King David, God is allowing their adversaries and internally generated bad advice to cause them to stumble.

But they don't really believe in God do they.

8

The Puzzle of Leaving Brooklyn

by berrygerry in

as brooklyn is undergoing a major renaissance, i could never understand why wts sold at far less than the optimum real estate peak.. thank you seth meyers for clarity.. http://observer.com/2015/06//.

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Vidiot: Hold Me, you almost sound like you want them to straighten up and fly right.

Yes, I do. How great indeed it would be if JWs could be set free from their oppressive leadership and live their lives as free Christians within a JW-like model, if they should so chose, or to leave religion all together if that be their choice.

49

this weeks bible highlights: Jehovah slaughters his own people to teach David a lesson

by nowwhat? in

from 2 samuel 24. i am so mad at myself for not making a comment how could anyone explain this away?

then after he slaughters 70,000 he then feels regret?

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Morpheus,

Satan can only act against Israel if God allows it. Thus both accounts put together give the whole story. Satan acts against David, God is given the responsibility for it. This is how they viewed their relationship with God.

In a way, it's not too dissimilar from what some, though not believing in God, nonetheless blame God for earthquakes and disease because if God exists he is allowing these things to occur.

49

this weeks bible highlights: Jehovah slaughters his own people to teach David a lesson

by nowwhat? in

from 2 samuel 24. i am so mad at myself for not making a comment how could anyone explain this away?

then after he slaughters 70,000 he then feels regret?

Hold Me-Thrill Me

Morpheus, what I'm saying is that the writers of that account wrote it believing that, with regard to Israel, God was the originator of everything good or bad. In other words, in their view the buck stopped with God.