Posts by superpunk

sanders says, we really don't know--is that jesus' followers--distraught, sad, and disillusioned--had visions in what we now call altered states of consciousness, a condition that can be induced by fasting, sleep deprivation, and fatigue.

superpunk

It was having to admit that God had matched my inability to suspend critical thinking skill with a chain of circumstances that I was not able to deny without denying my ability to think and know anything at all.

Sheesh that was hard to follow. So God gave you irrefutable proof, which negated your skepticism? Interesting that in this case proof preceded belief. Lots of contradictory ideas being presented in this thread.

53

What made Jesus' followers believe that Jesus rose from the dead?

by John Kesler in

what made some of jesus' followers believe that jesus rose from the dead?

my best guess--and as e.p.

sanders says, we really don't know--is that jesus' followers--distraught, sad, and disillusioned--had visions in what we now call altered states of consciousness, a condition that can be induced by fasting, sleep deprivation, and fatigue.

superpunk

And still others, nothing except absolute proof is enough - but then those people would not have faith, not technically, because proof would turn faith into fact.

That's an incredibly interesting thing to say. And what's more, it's true, and was basically what I was saying earlier. Once proof enters the equation, it's no longer faith. Faith is, of necessity, based on nothing. Otherwise it's not faith.

She is in a quandry since she has found that her church has no recognition of the difference that knowing God is truly is the first part of faith. And doctrine doesn't produce that ever so hard you study.
The proof is in the pudding.

The Born Again Experience, I guess? Do you give credence to all faiths that experience such things? For isntance when Muslims experience Allah, do you think it is legitimate based on your knowledge of God?

Do you find it odd that God would bless us with intense cognitive abilities and then make it IMPOSSIBLE to understand him unless we FIRST suspend our critical thinking abilities - and put faith before proof? That seems antagonistic.

22

"Finished Their Earthly Course"

by snowbird in

this is how the wt characterizes "anointed" christians who died faithful to wt doctrine.. a careful reading of matthew 24 (a trumpet blast from an angel will gather the chosen ones), 1 corinthians 15 (ditto), 1 thessalonians 4 (ditto), will reveal that all the dead will remain dead until that event occurs.. it takes a lot of twisting and turning of scripture for the wt to conclude that the dead in christ began to arise after 1918, and that those who died after that time experienced an instantaneous resurrection.. i tremble for them!.

syl.

.

superpunk

It's actually pretty simple and straightforward how they arrive at it, if you're willing to attach futuristic fulfillment to OT "prophecies" and play the 3 and a half times game.

Or if Jerusalem had actually fallen when they say it did.

But like John Doe said....if you're willing to believe that some Pied-Piper angel is going to blast his horn and raise the dead, I really can't see why you object to anyone assigning it a specific year. Their guess is just as good as the next guy's.

53

What made Jesus' followers believe that Jesus rose from the dead?

by John Kesler in

what made some of jesus' followers believe that jesus rose from the dead?

my best guess--and as e.p.

sanders says, we really don't know--is that jesus' followers--distraught, sad, and disillusioned--had visions in what we now call altered states of consciousness, a condition that can be induced by fasting, sleep deprivation, and fatigue.

superpunk

I hope one day you'll allow yourself to believe

Belief first...proof never?

103

Why not make a true religion?

by frigginconfused in

jw
friends

with everthing ive read here it seems like eeveryone has the attitude that they cant fix the wts.

why havent you all joined together and made a declaration of independence?

why not fix it and make a true religion of peace and jesus' message?

superpunk

There is of course, the Church of Google

http://www.thechurchofgoogle.org/

We at the Church of Google believe the search engine Google is the closest humankind has ever come to directly experiencing an actual God (as typically defined). We believe there is much more evidence in favour of Google's divinity than there is for the divinity of other more traditional gods.We reject supernatural gods on the notion they are not scientifically provable. Thus, Googlists believe Google should rightfully be given the title of "God", as She exhibits a great many of the characteristics traditionally associated with such Deities in a scientifically provable manner.