Posts by humbled

47

Did Stephen believe he would have to wait 2000 years for a resurrection?

by Socrateswannabe in

in acts 7:59, the jews were casting stones at stephen and his last words were, "lord jesus, receive my spirit.".

the wts has contended that all of the ancients who died after jesus were in a sleep-like condition, awaiting a resurrection that eventually happened in 1918-1919 (depending upon which wt reference you are looking at).

and in fact, v. 60 says stephen "fell asleep in death".

humbled

The bible has been through a few beard trimmings, rattigan. The writings of the prophets had ragged edges when they were fresh off the parchment. Translators and theologians have been able to "refine" any roughness the curious faithful might feel as they are told to jump through the theological hoops of their spiritual leaders.

I just have one question about Stephen dying "without the benefit of clergy" so to speak.

If some stupid sod dies for the Lord's sake with no earthly idea whether or not the streets of heaven are paved with gold or if Jesus is standing or sitting at this moment by God's side(right or left side, facing you or on the same side as), is he as good a Christian as Jerome, Origen, St. Peter, the Virgin Mary (ooops! not her), the Pope, Thomas Aquinas or Martin Luther--who ever you think has got the real Truth.

If Stephen had it then...

Maybe you have it rattigan.

Maybe I do.

O, the Horror!

O, the Beauty!

43

New Job

by LouBelle in

jw
friends

well i have been up and down this year with this current company i work for.

from the time they employed me they have paid me late, without explanation.

i have been miserable coming in here.

humbled

It's been great that you have slogged through all this trouble to GET ON! and you have.

Thanks for keeping us up on your story. It helps us all. Good luck.

Maeve

47

Did Stephen believe he would have to wait 2000 years for a resurrection?

by Socrateswannabe in

in acts 7:59, the jews were casting stones at stephen and his last words were, "lord jesus, receive my spirit.".

the wts has contended that all of the ancients who died after jesus were in a sleep-like condition, awaiting a resurrection that eventually happened in 1918-1919 (depending upon which wt reference you are looking at).

and in fact, v. 60 says stephen "fell asleep in death".

humbled

It is fair to note tec's comment that Stephen intuited Rev. 6:9.

On the other hand, it is reasonable to see Stephen as one of the many early Christians who didn't have a fullblown theology--and didn't need it to be a christian.

The problem is that 2000 years later we have an infinity (it seems) of orthodoxy that would condemn a Stephen for his wrong-headedness, his ignorance of the Truth.

On the other hand, if Stephen could find his was to Jesus in the afterlife, why can't others be deemed as adequate for "salvation" who find themselves similarly ill-informed?

Maeve

544

FINALLY! Can you prove God exists? If you can I won't ask again!

by punkofnice in

i have seen debates and shizzle about god or not god etc etc.. i was even confronted by an aggressive and trheatening muslim in the street, who was angry that i wanted proof that god existed.

he ranted on a load of old b0110cks about 'hell' and stuff.

finally he yelled at me: 'do you want god to write your name in the sky?

humbled

Of course--everyone should love. my point is that of all the things debated by christians there is only one thing that their leader said was the sine qua non of their being:love. so love should never be less for a christian than it is for you, iCeltic.

38

Wolf, sheep - or sheepdog?

by Nathan Natas in

jw
friends

on sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs - by ltc (ret) dave grossman, author of "on killing.

honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age.

it does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost.

humbled

thanks for the link jgnat. the roots of violence are often complex.

544

FINALLY! Can you prove God exists? If you can I won't ask again!

by punkofnice in

i have seen debates and shizzle about god or not god etc etc.. i was even confronted by an aggressive and trheatening muslim in the street, who was angry that i wanted proof that god existed.

he ranted on a load of old b0110cks about 'hell' and stuff.

finally he yelled at me: 'do you want god to write your name in the sky?

humbled

Cofty,

I would never deny that non-theists and people of other religions love one another--But for christians to fail to love is to fail completely.

544

FINALLY! Can you prove God exists? If you can I won't ask again!

by punkofnice in

i have seen debates and shizzle about god or not god etc etc.. i was even confronted by an aggressive and trheatening muslim in the street, who was angry that i wanted proof that god existed.

he ranted on a load of old b0110cks about 'hell' and stuff.

finally he yelled at me: 'do you want god to write your name in the sky?

humbled

What evidence/proof did the early christians offer? Scriptures were only relevant if you were Jews, then you had the Scriptures and the Exodus/Passover as a point of reference for God--(so the story has Jesus talking scriptures to disciples on the road to Emmaus.)

But---- other than fellow Jews the gospel has Jesus saying there was one measure by which non-believers would know who THEY were-- his love would be shared among themselves.

Christians today have nothing much to recommend of their God if they do not have that love. It is tiring to have scriptures researched and diagrammed when love was given as the proof---over and above anything else.

Jesus gave signs and so did the apostles, so say the scriptures. These were the proofs: the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor. jesus supplied proofs, so say the gospels. The book of acts says there were healings done by the apostles. Does Jesus now expect belief on the basis of threats or just hearsay?

Maybe we who believe don't have the love and so there are no proofs for those who don't have faith. Maybe?

I truly wonder what it means.

Maeve

49

Time for this Newbie to say - Hello everyone!

by SeventhSojourn in

in just the several months i've been lurking here, i have benefited from many of the posters comments and viewpoints.

this is truly a special place for the unique community that has been created here.. after years of holding off my exit from the org (that may be another post) i recently became officially out (by letter of da), but it was a very difficult process as many of you know.

thankfully, i now have my wife (was also a witness) onboard and we support each other.

humbled

Glad you're OUT!

Maeve

6

God's problem: Randomness

by rawe in

i would like some input on this idea.

i have seen folks speak about god's problem in regards to suffering.

that subject does raise some serious obstacles between the views of god most people have and the real world.

humbled

So how do we know that this randomness is random--just because we don't have a theology that encompasses what is going on around us? I guess we are still the center of the universe, huh?

I try to live now without the theology of the past because I cannot trust it.

I see all the random pain and suffering. I live with it. It seems more to the point than ever before that the only thing that lets us transcend chaos is the will to extend kindness, love, in suffering.

Jesus taught this. He said this is the new command and the singular mark of one who hears and follows Jesus, it is the only thing that can stand in front of the chaos--not the worthless dogma of religious teaching.

Who does know God?

If th am wondering, if the nature of the universe is this orderly chaos--and we exist in it--well, I've got to deal with it without infusing any intentional, needless suffering into it. Love the creation and love one another.

152

7 graphs that prove America is overrated

by Simon in

before the usual suspects start reaching for the pich-forks and forming a mob, i invite you to actually read and consider this, not just leap to conclusions.. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130607/7-graphs-america-overrated-nsa-prism-privacy.

why do i care?

it seems the people being screwed the most are also the most visciferous defenders of the status quo which sees them being severely disadvantaged.. maternity leave?

humbled

talesin,

You hit it right on the head--"..gross interference in other countries business.." . Look at what it has been doing at Ft. Benning, Georgia at its School of the Americas(renamed Western Hemisphere for Security cooperation-or WHINSEC)

The graduates of this program of study have committed crimes that are DOCUMENTED. Google it please. It is a horror show.

Years ago I wouldn't have believed it, but if you think about it, the U.S. has been putting more and more iron in its fist and been dealing from the bottom of the deck.

I am an American. But if you are born in a family or religion that espouses certain virtues but doesn't back it up with action--you are in for disillusion.

It is painful to know that there was--and still are--military/CIA covert operations that violate all the principles that ordinary flag-waving U.S. citizens think we stand for.Sometimes its more than dirty work. Its criminal.

Gotta face it.