Posts by humbled

34

"Do not be called teachers"--Doesn't Jesus OUTLAW all organized religion?

by humbled in

jw's and other churches all set up housekeeping in different theological areas.

some one person can't believe any more what their church is saying, gets a different "take" on god, and......starts trying to convince others to follow them and everything they teach.. nothing new about that.

but why are so many of us blind to this scenario: we allow that some people get to contemplate other thoughts and others are not allowed.only some lead and everyone else must follow or be thrown out.

humbled

Isadore, it is supposed that Jesus spoke Aramaic and Hebrew (reading the Torah), and likely the Koine Greek--even some Latin?(there were a lot of foriegn occupation that had gone on there) The word "church" if you and I want to understand each other needs to be looked at.

The Greek Scriptures/New Testament uses the word ekklesia where English speakers say "church".

So what does ekklesia mean?

You tell me what YOU think "church" is. I found the Greek definition of the word is not what I had thought as a child.

Perhaps it has a meaning that was lost in translation.

I follow Jesus as closely as I can--meaning I do care what he meant when the word ekklesia is used. I do not care what any church says it means.

What did Jesus mean.

I am glad you care enough to say something.

Maeve

38

2014 means "LUCY, you've got some splainin' to do" for Jehovah's Witnesses

by Terry in

next year the watchtower society will be forced by world events (i.e.

no armageddon yet) to confront a full century of christ's presence.

with nothing to show for it!.

humbled

I love it that you end the Lucy pictures with her being old and tearful. Makes me sad, too.

Maeve

287

What about your vow to Jehovah?

by a watcher in

did you get baptized without being dedicated?.

why did you allow men to come between you and jehovah?.

why were you serving jehovah at all?

humbled

I don't expect you will credit this, watcher, but I brought before the local brothers a question that pertained to the very truth and character of god and an egregious misinterpretation of Jehovah's words at Genesis 22 in our literature.

Now, I had already "met" God before I met the JWs. A fact that strengthened me to stick up for Him when shame and ridicule were implied in the eventual reply from Bethel. The Corporation's response agreed that my understanding of the text was correct. That truly all the references were abolutely in line with their own. But nevertheless,no, I was not to give the Bible's word precedence over their interpretation in their literature. I was never to even talk about the matter with the brothers and sisters.

As a matter of conscience before the wonderful and kind God to whom I had vowed obedience years before I ever heard of Jehovah's Witnesses I had to choose between God and men.

It was wrenching because after 22 years of incrementally surrendering my relationship to others who claimed to be brothers of Christ, the adopted sons of God--and not me--I recognised that the FDS don't even allow the non-Bethel anointed to follow the Lamb. So I had to trust God would understand why I would trust his mercy if I followed his son and not these men who told me NOT to bear witness to His Goodness.

I had some great times while I was a JW. I used to have great friends there too. I was shocked that nobody in the end trusted God as much as they feared disfellowshipping.

You are the only JW that talks to me. So what about that?

3

Even though the Pharisees knew of Jesus' miracles performed, did they not go by Mosaic law regarding false prophets?

by I_love_Jeff in

jw
friends

deut.

18:20-22. shouldn't god give them a break and allow them a second chance?

they were only following the rules.

humbled

Wasn't that the problem? They weren't doing 'the works of Abraham' who had no Laws to go by--He listened to God and trusted that "voice". Jesus said that he spoke the words/teaching of God but they found no place in the Pharisees.

287

What about your vow to Jehovah?

by a watcher in

did you get baptized without being dedicated?.

why did you allow men to come between you and jehovah?.

why were you serving jehovah at all?

humbled

You ask: "Why did you allow men to come between you and Jehovah?"

Right good question. When I saw that that is exactly what question my father in heaven was asking me, I quit listening to them and answered instead to my father in heaven.

So I ask you: Why do you allow men to come between you and your Father?

Maeve

34

"Do not be called teachers"--Doesn't Jesus OUTLAW all organized religion?

by humbled in

jw's and other churches all set up housekeeping in different theological areas.

some one person can't believe any more what their church is saying, gets a different "take" on god, and......starts trying to convince others to follow them and everything they teach.. nothing new about that.

but why are so many of us blind to this scenario: we allow that some people get to contemplate other thoughts and others are not allowed.only some lead and everyone else must follow or be thrown out.

humbled

JW's and other churches all set up housekeeping in different theological areas. Why? Some one person can't believe any more what their church is saying, gets a different "take" on God, and......starts trying to convince others to follow them and everything they teach.

Nothing new about that. But why are so many of us blind to this scenario: We allow that SOME people get to contemplate other thoughts and others are not allowed.Only some lead and everyone else must follow or be thrown out

We seem so tied to the idea of relating to life through another's experience or another's prejudice that we don't allow for the Father to be our father, for Jesus to teach each of us. Of course, this would even call into question the authority of the letters and the revelations of the apostles

The obvious hitch to this would seem to be this: Why would we even allow Jesus be our teacher? Well, oddly, stripping away as best I can other's commentary in the scriptures and reading "heretical" writings of other accounts of this remarkable Jew/shaman?/holy man/son of man/son of god/savior, I find he merely gave us back to the "only Good one--God" Luke 18:19

It would be the end of "theology" as I know it. But would it bring chaos? I think not if god is love and not the trash that others have taught us.

What do you think--Check it out at Matt. 23:8-10.

Maeve

This throws the door open

19

Tech49...Experiences

by Tech49 in

jw
friends

so given the amount of focus on things that we can be angry or upset about, or how we have been wronged or abused.... i thought it was time for a bit of a change.. how about sharing some fun experiences?!!

ok, i will start.

i promised, in my opening post the other day, that i would share some that have happened over the years.

humbled

Roberta! HA! HA!

287

What about your vow to Jehovah?

by a watcher in

did you get baptized without being dedicated?.

why did you allow men to come between you and jehovah?.

why were you serving jehovah at all?

humbled

coffee_black,

Maeve

31

144000, Where did Russell get his idea, and what do other religions believe

by jwfacts in

where did russell get the notion that the 144k are a literal number, and that they are the rulers in heaven?

what do other religions believe this group to represent?.

what did john really mean?.

humbled

Were the numbers from God..? Really, all this theology kept scribes scribbling and priests in power. And who in the rank and file could keep up with it?

Jesus told easy to remember stories---but no math problems.

19

Why should God answer a prayer to get a job while atrocities happen everyday?

by BU2B in

jw
friends

i had a conversation yesterday with my wife, who seems to think every good thing that happens to her just has to be jehovah, and every bad thing, she just knows is satan.

this irritates me to no end.

i told her yesterday that i have trouble praying to have relatively petty thing resolved in my life, meanwhile around the world, many people are raped mutilated, tortured, and killed everyday.

humbled

This is pretty much what Job said: Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people.

It bothered his idea of what God was "about"?

Nothing got resolved, really. What he saw didn't tell him there was no God but it didn't inform him about how God relates to our actions down here.

I don't pray for touchdowns or parking places. I don't pray for a cure for my cancer.

I do pray for love, the ability to keep from freezing up in the face of futility. I do believe we have to love.

That was in the end the big thing Jesus said. Love each other.

That is a huge thing to do, actually.

It is a really huge thing to do. That is why I pray for help with it.