Posts by Chalam

110

....And what if it IS the truth????

by MsGrowingGirl20 in

what next???

.

Chalam

"...truth is not a teaching, truth is a person..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGhQgCEerKU

754

Theists, why does God allow suffering..

by The Quiet One in

..specifically, the suffering of animals.

you can talk about free will/sin/people choosing to not listen to god etc to explain human suffering being allowed.. but how can you love a god that allows animals, that haven't sinned or chosen to not have anything to do with god, to have their short lives ended in often long, drawn out, painful ways.

i could list stories i've read that would probably make you feel ill, but i'm not looking to shock anyone or start an emotional debate.

Chalam

Because He appointed us over the animals.

Genesis 1:26

English Standard Version (ESV)

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

28

I have other sheep which are not of this fold

by Wayward Son in

john 10:16 - and i have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those also i must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.. setting: jesus was talking to a blind man he had recently cured and the pharisees were listening in.

it sounds like he had a larger audience that likely included his apostles.so, who is "this fold" he was referring to and who are the "other sheep"?according to wts doctrine, the heavenly calling (covenant) had not been instituted yet.

we don't hear about that until the last supper.

Chalam

All is good thanks :)

"First to the Jew, then the Gentile" reoccurs in Romans, see Romans 2:9, Romans 2:10

Clearly, God called the Jews first in the old covenant and also them first in the new.

There are plenty of prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the forthcoming inclusion of the Gentiles Amos 9:11-12, Isaiah 60:3

This is maybe the most telling

Isaiah 65:1

English Standard Version (ESV)

Judgment and Salvation

65 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here I am, here I am,”
to a nation that was not called by [ a ] my name.

Footnotes:

Isaiah 65:1 Or that did not call upon

Peter got the message after he had his vision :) Acts 10

28

I have other sheep which are not of this fold

by Wayward Son in

john 10:16 - and i have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those also i must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.. setting: jesus was talking to a blind man he had recently cured and the pharisees were listening in.

it sounds like he had a larger audience that likely included his apostles.so, who is "this fold" he was referring to and who are the "other sheep"?according to wts doctrine, the heavenly calling (covenant) had not been instituted yet.

we don't hear about that until the last supper.

Chalam

This says it all.

Ephesians 2:11-22

New International Version (NIV)

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

28

I have other sheep which are not of this fold

by Wayward Son in

john 10:16 - and i have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those also i must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.. setting: jesus was talking to a blind man he had recently cured and the pharisees were listening in.

it sounds like he had a larger audience that likely included his apostles.so, who is "this fold" he was referring to and who are the "other sheep"?according to wts doctrine, the heavenly calling (covenant) had not been instituted yet.

we don't hear about that until the last supper.

Chalam

Romans 1:16

New International Version (NIV)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Acts 3:25-26

New International Version (NIV)

25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

23

Does violence solve anything?

by d in

jw
friends

for me i think in some cases violence does solve problems.what do you think..

Chalam

Ali G answers the question ;)

Go straight to 1:25 if you are in a hurry :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XncucACVLzA

42

The boy that visited Heaven

by PSacramento in

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42191453/ns/today-today_people/t/meet-boy-who-says-he-visited-heaven-saw-jesus/#.tuzkdfbcbdc.

what's your idea of heaven ?

a little boy from nebraska thinks he has a good idea because he said he's been there.

Chalam

Having bought one copy for my brother's birthday I just bought another three copies of the book, two for friends and one for myself.

Looking forward to reading it!

Blessings,

Stephen

64

To all christians...

by wolfman85 in

...should we celebrate the memorial in our homes?

will you do it?

any ideas.

Chalam

My pleasure LV :)

It's great to know that there is a brotherhood in Christ outside the WT

It is my humble opinion one can only be "in Christ" outside of the WT.

Blessings in Christ,

Stephen

19

RE: Scripture Conflict Analysis.

by s-c-3-1-3 in

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Chalam

I know I should probably create a new thread, but perhaps one of you can provide me with an "Watchtower Society explanation" of John 2:19-21?

What's the point? None of it makes any sense, save to the flesh. None of it is born of the Spirit, only spirits.

As the Lord told me clearly in a dream one night, get rid of the NWT, it is "corrupting the bread", which indeed it was.

You can try to debunk the NWT and the WT explanations but they have answers for everything. The more you press, the more absurd they become.

Alternatively, you can get so lost in the other worldy "reality" that you never get out of the rabbit hole.

Focus on the light and come the appointed time, the Spirit will give you the words and the verses that really count i.e. what He wants to say. Without Him we can do nothing!

Blessings in Christ,

Stephen

19

RE: Scripture Conflict Analysis.

by s-c-3-1-3 in

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Chalam

cofty These sort of proof texting arguments are impossible to win with JWs.

Agreed again!

1 Corinthians 2:14

English Standard Version (ESV)

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

s-c-3-1-3, 1 Tim 4 describes the situation loud and clear.

Blessings,

Stephen