GromitSK

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Posts by GromitSK

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  36

  The stupid "ants" at the Watchtower Society!

  by somebody in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for those who haven't seen the video yet on youtube of ciro's ( a bethel speaker?

  ) sick talk given in, i believe, 2007, i provide the link:.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwa9kx5wjtm.

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  GromitSK

  Am I wrong or did the talk mention a huge Janus?
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  11

  Progamme for 2010 "Remain close to Jehovah" District Convention

  by iknowall558 in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  lorraine catherine barriehttp://stuffofinteresttojws.blogspot.com/2010/05/program-for-2010-draw-close-to-jehovah.htmljehovah's witnesses: program for the 2010 "remain close to jehovah" district conventionstuffofinteresttojws.blogspot.comthank you for this post, reading through it this morning, shows what timely reminders we need and intensifies the anticipation of our forthcoming convention, it was a real lift for me this morning.

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  GromitSK

  It look as boring as it did 25 years ago.
• 
  99

  Is the Gospel of Matthew a clever fake ?

  by wobble in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the answer to the above question hinges on when the gospel was actually written.

  many scholars feel it was written some time after the destruction of the temple in 70 c.e.

  if this is so, it is a clever fake, pretending to have been written earlier by an eye-witness to the events, or someone close to an eye-witness.

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  GromitSK

  I am confused PS. Are your remarks addressed to me? It was not my aim to blame the Bible for anything and I don't think I did. It is a collection of books assembled by adherents of a religious and political tradition. it is a propaganda document. I simply stated that it is dangerous to assert that it is true and divinely inspired. As far as I am concerned it has some interesting passages in it but is of no intrinsic moral value in today's world. I certainly don't believe its own assertion that is 'inspired' in any way. If there is any wisdom or insight in it then as far as I can see this is incidental. The fact alone that it is claimed to originate from God makes it different from other kinds of writing that do not claim divine provenance doesn't it?

  If a philosophy can be misused (however you define misuse) by a person either atheistic or otherwise then it is clearly fundamentally flawed or poorly defined. I would say that the Bible is a construct built by people with a philosophy in an attempt to support that same philosophy. I do not think it came into existence independent of such motivation and was adopted by others.

  However you look at it, the Bible has been used to support atrocities from time immemorial. If one accepts its assertion that it is from God, one has to wonder what kind of God, if he either endorses such violence or is incapable of having its intentions stated unambiguously.
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  99

  Is the Gospel of Matthew a clever fake ?

  by wobble in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the answer to the above question hinges on when the gospel was actually written.

  many scholars feel it was written some time after the destruction of the temple in 70 c.e.

  if this is so, it is a clever fake, pretending to have been written earlier by an eye-witness to the events, or someone close to an eye-witness.

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  GromitSK

  It wouldn't make Socrates teachings any more or less historical I agree. The difficulty is determining to what extent any such writings are 'accurate'. The problem lies in implications of adopting those writings as divinely inspired and therefore authoritative. I agree that what people choose to do with the writings is the key. It is only THEIR problem if they don't force their choices on others.

  At the moment it doesn't matter whether I accept Socrates view or not. In some parts and in many families all over the world if I don't accept God's view as stated by the Bible/Koran/Watchtower (delete as appropriate- what the hell, delete em all) I may find I have problems.

  I don't recall in recent times Socrates being cited to support war, murder, exclusion, prejudice etc.
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  99

  Is the Gospel of Matthew a clever fake ?

  by wobble in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the answer to the above question hinges on when the gospel was actually written.

  many scholars feel it was written some time after the destruction of the temple in 70 c.e.

  if this is so, it is a clever fake, pretending to have been written earlier by an eye-witness to the events, or someone close to an eye-witness.

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  GromitSK

  Ditto LOL
• 
  99

  Is the Gospel of Matthew a clever fake ?

  by wobble in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the answer to the above question hinges on when the gospel was actually written.

  many scholars feel it was written some time after the destruction of the temple in 70 c.e.

  if this is so, it is a clever fake, pretending to have been written earlier by an eye-witness to the events, or someone close to an eye-witness.

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  GromitSK

  The accounts of the gospels are as historicly valid as any other ancient manuscript of biography or writing.

  The major difference is that they are presented by some Christians as a moral authority resting on divine inspiration. It is one thing accepting Josephus' account of happenings at the time or Samuel Pepys for that matter which may or may not be accurate but in the end have no or few implications for those alive now, isn't it another to accept as 'god-sent', unverifiable, apparently supernatural elements such as talking bushes (I know its OT), shepherds 'buzzed' by angels, stars moving and portable astrologers (the Magi) and so on and so on mixed up with centuries of intervention by probably one of the most brutal and sophisticated political regimes in history (the organised Church)? Given that even many non-religious historical documents are products of their time and subject to the political and philosophical inclinations of the authors this sounds like 'game over' to me for the Gospels as any form of authority to run one's life (and others).
• 
  99

  Is the Gospel of Matthew a clever fake ?

  by wobble in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the answer to the above question hinges on when the gospel was actually written.

  many scholars feel it was written some time after the destruction of the temple in 70 c.e.

  if this is so, it is a clever fake, pretending to have been written earlier by an eye-witness to the events, or someone close to an eye-witness.

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  GromitSK

  It occurs to me that even if we were able to speak to the apostles directly (assuming they even existed), and hear their reports of what they saw or think they did, we would be taking their evidence on trust wouldn't we, as we would be hearing the matter 2nd hand?

  Suppose one accepts the Gospels were written by those who claim they saw the reported events, even that takes us one step away from the events again. We would not be in a position to determine the character of the apostles and so form a view of their evidence. We would not know what had been omitted from the reports (I understand there were a number of 'Gospels' whittled down in Constantine's time?).

  As it stands, it seems to me that there isn't even any way of knowing for sure whether the books were even written by the people to whom they are ascribed. Therefore they are of provenance unknown or at least uncertain as far as I can see. To my simple eye, attempting to prove they are true or "God's word" looks like an exercise in futility and would not be acceptable to anyone other than a person inclined to want to believe them in the first place.

  Paul's writing's are even worse since they were written by someone who never even met the person he is claimed to represent. Even if one accept's the writings are the genuine article.
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  26

  Are the Ten Commandments still in force?

  by wannabe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  are the ten commandments still in force?.

  many today believe they should still follow the ten commandments.

  but are they correct in believing that?.

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  GromitSK

  I am Lord of the Sabbath? Cool I always wanted a Title :) - can I put it on my Mastercard?
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  86

  Perhaps Had a " Ghost " Experience the Last 6 weeks on a Job ? You tell me

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've never been one to believe in " ghosts " .

  i'm open to the possibility that there may exist something in the afterlife or spirit world- i just don't know what it is.

  having been out of the witnesses over 6 years i had my fill of being a jehovah's witness and being told how " scared " i should be of satan or the demons.

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  GromitSK

  What do you mean by verifiable evidence in this context NVL?
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  86

  Perhaps Had a " Ghost " Experience the Last 6 weeks on a Job ? You tell me

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've never been one to believe in " ghosts " .

  i'm open to the possibility that there may exist something in the afterlife or spirit world- i just don't know what it is.

  having been out of the witnesses over 6 years i had my fill of being a jehovah's witness and being told how " scared " i should be of satan or the demons.

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  GromitSK

  I always thought volts went across something and amps through? :)