Achristian
Do I really have to provide "proof texts" for the fact that the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was and is God? Forget about the fact that John 1:1 clearly says so in all non-JW Bibles. Isaiah 9:6 prophesied that Jesus would "be called Mighty God" by his followers. That's God with an upper case G even in JW Bibles. Why? Because the Hebrew demands it. Know any JWs who "call" Jesus their "God"? I don't. But Christians do. Thomas did. He called Jesus "My Lord and my God." (John 20:28) Jesus said that we are to "Worship God alone." (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8) Yet Jesus accepted "worship" - the same Greek word - numerous times. (Matt. 2:11; 14:33; 28:9,17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38) Of course, the JW Bible translates the Greek word for "worship" - the same one Jesus used when he said that we should "worship" God alone - as "obeisance" whenever it is used in reference to Jesus and as "worship" whenever it is used in reference to God. Tricky.What you proved to me is that the bible is very ambiguous, vague and contradictory.
You know I could go on and on with this. But I doubt you really want me to.No, actually I find it fascinating still. I use to do what your doing. Going through scripture, doing all sorts of twisting of things and logic. I think I sent myself nuts doing all that stuff. I had heaps of tricks to stop me from seeing it all for what it really is...
You know, I think Christianity in it's present form is dead. I think the only way forward for Christianity is a Shelby Spong view of things. I dont see why you cant call yourself a christian and at the same time believe that the bible is full of errors, contradictions, grosse inhumanity, and that Christ was a myth. I see Christianity moving from the view that the bible is Gods inerrant word to a view that it's mans attempt to express his spiritual nature...Same goes for the Islam, Buddhism (a much more mature religion than Christianity I believe at the moment) etc...I think religion should be viewed the same way we view a piece of Art: they are all just mans attempt to express something greater within. A person with this view isn't restricted to the Bible as a source of wisdom, though the he/she may predominately wish to use the Christian symbols as an expression of the transcendental nature that I believe is in all of us. A person with such a view can dismiss all the garbage in the bible and doesn't have to do mental gymnastics to try and explain everything too. I mean, why restrict yourself to one book as a road map to life anyway...seems rather foolish. There is a wealth of wisdom out there. Why put a straight jacket on your mind.
I mean take the crucifixion. The the story doesn't make sense. The story is so full of holes it's ridiculous to believe it's real. But if you suspend disbelief, the story itself has a certain beauty about it. The story that someone so full of love for people he was willing to suffer great pain for others is a good story. It does have a certain inspiring beauty that some people may wish to use to inspire their lives. But logically it doesn't make sense and cant be for real.
God, according to you, creates people destined to sin. When they do sin he deprives them of eternal life (which is punishment however way you look at. Deprivation is punishment). But anyway...he then decides he must save them. How does he do this. By killing himself as a ransom. EH? There is no sense to that. A god that requires that an innocent man die (that innocent man being himself in your belief system) inorder to save others makes no sense...The logic behind it is absurd. There is simply no need for him to do it to save anyone.
well theres my random views anyway. Dont know if it all makes sense or not???????????????????
nighty night!