i personally believe moses was largely or entirely mythical.
is because much of his biography, if not most of it, is tied to events.
that never happened, meaning that a historical moses could not .
The same evidence that support jesus or Arthur Pendragon as a real, historical figures. None, nothing, nada.
There is no direct evidence, outside of the Torah and the literary traditions which followed, that Moses ever existed.
Take care,
Ismael
at the risk of being shouted down, i thought i'd point out that "tithing" means giving 10 percent of your income to a church.
it comes from the old english word teogotha meaning tenth.
i've seen nothing that establishes tithing in the watchtower.. while i'm all in favor of pointing out the watchtower's lies, hypocrisies and faults, the language we use matters.
"Language is a funny thing. My understanding is that strictly, it means a "tenth."" - Antioch
I agree. In Spanish the word is "diezmo", and is commonly used and accepted when payments or contributions are given on regular bases. It doesn't have to be monthly installments nor 1/10 of any particular amount of money.
at the risk of being shouted down, i thought i'd point out that "tithing" means giving 10 percent of your income to a church.
it comes from the old english word teogotha meaning tenth.
i've seen nothing that establishes tithing in the watchtower.. while i'm all in favor of pointing out the watchtower's lies, hypocrisies and faults, the language we use matters.
Synonyms: assessment, bite*, brokerage, capitation, contribution, cost, custom, dues, duty, excise, expense, fine, giveaway, imposition, impost, levy, obligation, pork barrel, price, rate, salvage, tariff, tithe, toll, towage, tribute
i previously posted under howthebiblewasinvented however since then my comouter died and all info lost..thus the new name and new intro.
btw my post are always pg rated.. first i am a born in, baptized at 16 but could never kick the masterbation habit lol.
i felt jehovah would either 1: kill me at armagedden or 2: forgive me.. for the later hope i lived and after my father died i continued.
"My eventual goal .. once my wife and kids are free.. is to detroy the WT.. then every single church-synagouge and mosque by 'wisdom;" - HTBWC
Civilization will not attain perfection until the last stone from the last church, falls on the last priest. --Emile Zola
Welcome, again. Good luck with your family, eradication of religion would be a great thing, count me in.
Take care,
Ismael
i want to begin with a quotation by stephen colbert: "we're not talking about truth, we're talking about something that seems like truth the truth we want to exist" - stephen colbert on the origin of the word "truthiness.".
moses brought 10 plagues upon egypt to change pharoah's mind about letting jehovah's people go.. the 5th plague is to destroy only the egyptian livestock:.
6 and the next day the lord did it: all the livestock of the egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the israelites died.. a few days later the 7th plague is described:.
You must blindly accept the Bible by faith. Remember that an open mind is the devil's favorite toy. When you open your mind, Satan jumps right into your head and will show you countless contradictions, inconsistencies, absurdities and downright silliness present throughout the "Good Book".
It is important that we not exercise any rational thought when reading the Bible, for such tends to make God look bad and the whole book look like something even Mother Goose would reject. After all, it was God's first published work, and there were no publication houses with editorial departments when it was written.
We must believe every word of the Bible and all its incredible pronouncements. The only way a rational person can believe such jibberish is to accept it by faith, without question. We must turn off our brains.
Praying all will recognize that a closed mind is the key to fundamentalist thought,
Praying that, thanks to the support of Christian institutions, children abroad will learn to accept Christ right before they die of starvation "10/40 Window",
Praying all will recognize that the Bible isn't all chocolate and strawberries,
AMEN
Take care, Ismael
had a long conversation with one of our local mount shasta denizens about sasquatch.
he says he has heard sasquatch, but hasn't seen one.
says there is a law in oregon against shooting sasquatch, $500 fine and a year in jail.
" Was that Sasquatch on the wing of that airplane in the Twilight Zone?" - stillin
No, that was a gremlin.
Ismael
had a long conversation with one of our local mount shasta denizens about sasquatch.
he says he has heard sasquatch, but hasn't seen one.
says there is a law in oregon against shooting sasquatch, $500 fine and a year in jail.
Sasquatch sightings have been reported all throughout rural areas in the United States. Most sightings usually involve a Sasquatch crossing a path or street. Some sightings also claim that Sasquatches live in communities and sometimes befriend people. Most of these sigtings are collected on various websites to help prove the existence of Sasquatch or to be read at the amusement of everyone else.
One of the most famous Sasquatch encounters was in California where the famous Patterson-Grimlin Film was made. This gainy film showed a blurry version of Sasquatch taking a stroll through the California wilderness. For many Sasquatch/Bigfoot "researchers", this sole video was considered one of the most solid pieces of evidence...until years later, when the video was admitted to being man made, false "bullcrap".
In the summer of 1969, Sasquatch paid a visit to Texas and decided to attack a couple who were "Parking" outside of Lake Worth (which "parking" was just a fancy way of saying "boning" back then). The couple was unhurt, but apparently Sasquatch scratched their truck, and probably due to a slow newsday, the story made the front page on the newspaper the next morning. Due to this, a few dozen people went to the lake to see if they could catch a glimpse of Sasquatch in all his blurry goodness.
These people, most likely Hippies, got more than a glimpse when instead of hanging out and smoking weed with them, Sasquatch decided to throw a f*cking tire at them! It could be argued that Sasquatch was ahead of his time and realized how annoying Hippies are.
The following weeks, Sasquatch was a little more chilled out. His only shenangins involved jumping in front of a car causing it to crash into a tree and another case where he jumped into the back of a truck where a person was sleeping and stealing his chicken.
Sasquatch has tamed down the rock and tire throwing and has become less reclusive. In fact, Sasquatch now can be seen in a co-staring role in various Jack Links commercials, and has made a cameo in Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. He's also gained world-wide recognition by appearing in the 2010 Winter Olympics
Despite many "findings" of evidence, Sasquatch tales are usually laughed off by the general science community as many times they turn out to be pure bull. Despite the lack of solid proof, every habitable continent has a "Sasquatch" history, mostly originating from indigenous people's tales dating centuries back. Over a third of Sasquatch tales and findings take place in the Pacific Northwest.
A majority of "Sasquatch evidence" turn out to be eyewitness reports, which usually take place in very rual areas by one or a handful of witnesses who are the only people around. (Like UFO's and religious related events).
Usually they go into great detail to describe how they aren't lying and have perfect eyesight. Since the 1920s, the number of eyewitness stories have grown significantly.
Modern evidence is usually presented as hair samples and cast footprints. More recently, a 2008 YouTube video gained fame when a group of Georgia hunters "found" a Sasquatch body and posted a video online showing the body in a freezer. The video managed to show up on several newscasts including, ABC News, CNN, Fox News, and BBC. However at a press conference, the body was thawed out and it was revealed that the body was just a costume with deer guts thrown in for good taste.
Despite this, there is still a large group of people who believe that Sasquatch is real and some groups even pay rewards for information that will lead them finding evidence that Sasquatch is real.
I really respect flipper.
Take care,
Ismael
im in a bit of a bind and im not quite sure what (if anything) i can do about it.
i was recently hired as a business consultant for a rather large company.
the company that hired me mentioned that they are concerned about a certain department and the way its being run, as this department affects every other department in the company.
"Ismael, it is true that the book can be used as one pleases. There are many beliefs that I was once dogmatic about. As my spiritual life has grown, I have learned that it is much more about my personal relationship with God and less about criticizing others. If others choose to believe the same thing that I do, great. If not, that is their choice. My job is to cultivate my relationship with God and share with others the love of Christ. Please don't assume that I mean one thing when I say another." - ICA
Thanks, so your deity have nothing to do with the one portrayed in the bible?
There are a lot more Bible verses than John 3:16
A book that can be used anyway you want is worthless.
Take care,
Ismael
I'll give you a hand with #4.
Sort answer YES.
Long answer: Yeah,
Repentance: Repentance is the activity of reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs.
2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Acts 3:19 ESV Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.
Luke 13:3 ESV No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Acts 17:30 ESV The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
2 Peter 3:9 ESV The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Ezekiel 18:21-23 ESV But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
Revelation 2:5 ESV Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
James 4:8-10 ESV Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Proverbs 28:13 ESV Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Acts 2:38 ESV And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Revelation 3:19 ESV Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Mark 1:15 ESV And saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and belie
Take care,
Ismael
For all questions involving praying: Matthew 7:7, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:24, John 14:12-14, Matthew 18:19 and James 5:15-16.
