It has been argued that a big factor in the NT canonization was apostolic connection. The books that made the cut were from the apostolic era. For the most part the books of the NT are well attested and often quoted by 2nd Century writers. As for when they became "inspired" - good question. Apart from the Revelation of John, the NT writers rarely claim inspration.
donuthole
JoinedPosts by donuthole
-
4
When did the NT books become "inspired"?
by VM44 inwhen the nt letters written by paul and others were first read about 2,000 years ago, were they considered "inspired" by god?.
what about the books of matthew, luke, mark, and john, as well as the book of acts?
were they considered "inspired" right from the beginning?.
-
-
-
54
To DF'd people: have you gotten your yearly visit? Ever?
by daringhart13 ini'm really curious how many of those df'd have ever received a yearly visit........ .
-
-
donuthole
No visit yet but I keep the J.C. Penny slacks, lemonade, and cookies on standby just in case.
-
23
UN & NGO - PRO-WT Apologetics is TOP HIT on Google search!
by Essan ini typed in 'watchtower ngo' into google search the other day and was shocked to see that the top result was for a pro-wtbts site called 'jehovahsjudgement'.
i'm very disappointed by this because it means that one of the first sites jw's searching for the truth about the society's involvement with the un are going to come across is this deceitful apologetics page which tries to make it seem like the society affiliating with the un is no big deal and perfectly acceptable!.
this pro-wtbts site is successfully debunked by a response site - http://jehovahsjudgmentexposed.blogspot.com/ - which takes apart their excuses and manipulative deceptions fairly expertly, but still, this site doesn't appear when you do a google search and i had to look really hard to find it.
-
-
donuthole
@middleman - Sorry, no paper trail on this one. These are just personal recollections and observances. I was on the old "Paradise Cafe" forum at the time and also had personal conversations over e-mail, PalTalk, phone, etc. with some of the individuals who defected to Al's board.
@avengers - The Watchtower has many victims, young and old. I try to have compassion for them.
-
23
UN & NGO - PRO-WT Apologetics is TOP HIT on Google search!
by Essan ini typed in 'watchtower ngo' into google search the other day and was shocked to see that the top result was for a pro-wtbts site called 'jehovahsjudgement'.
i'm very disappointed by this because it means that one of the first sites jw's searching for the truth about the society's involvement with the un are going to come across is this deceitful apologetics page which tries to make it seem like the society affiliating with the un is no big deal and perfectly acceptable!.
this pro-wtbts site is successfully debunked by a response site - http://jehovahsjudgmentexposed.blogspot.com/ - which takes apart their excuses and manipulative deceptions fairly expertly, but still, this site doesn't appear when you do a google search and i had to look really hard to find it.
-
-
donuthole
Al was formerly a disciple of Robert King (e-watchman). Al started a companion site called "Jehovah's Judgment"where he wrote his own essays along King's prophetic framework. The jehovahsjudgment.com domain was registered and setup by King's webmaster Timothy Kline, who also ran the Pathways forum. As a personal comment, Al's articles were much better written then King's own.
My first interactions with 3W were on King's old "Paradise Cafe" forums. At the time 3W hadn't developed the rabid pro-Watchtower persona he has since put on. We had some discussions about Revelation and he even conceded that the locusts from the pit were not the anointed and the abbadon was not Jesus as the Watchtower was teaching. At least online he was a seperate entity from Al.
I don't know what sparked it but Al had some misgivings about King's teaching and had a falling away from King that resulted in Kline seizing control of "Jehovah's Judgment" and shutting it down. (jehovahsjudgment.com now links to a static webpage with an ad for Kline's web company at the bottom.) Al was upset because he felt that Kline had setup the website as a favor for him and not that it was setup as an extension of the e-watchman network. Al switched over to a Watchtower apologist and began disavowing King's teaching. He registered jehovahs-judgment.co.uk and setup his own forum there.
At this time there were others on Pathways and e-Watchman that became disgruntled with Kline/Kine for whatever reason. Some were returning to a pro-Watchtower stance and they began posting on Al's new forum. (I was surprised today to see the forum still in operation and some of the original posters still active.) Al's site became a kind of base of operations for an anti-e-watchman movement that spilled out onto various forums (such as H20) and blogs.
Around this time 3W had begun to write up essays refuting Watchman's positions that the Watchtower was guilty of mishandling child abuse and had sullied themselves with involvement with the UN. The folks at Al's site saw him as a compatriot in their personal vendeta against King and offered to host his articles on their site.
As an end-note, despite their pretty staunch pro-Watchtower presence, many of these individuals deep down have personal difficulties with the Organization. One individual hadn't been to meetings in 10 years; another lost a child due to blood complications, was DF'd, and wasn't going to the meetings. So I guess that is the sad thing. What may be seen as strong Witnesses supporting their organization is really individuals that are grasping at whatever they can to make it right with "Jehovah" in the wake of their own failings to really make it in the Organization.
-
83
How to respond to "Whoelse is preaching the good news worldwide?"
by EndofMysteries inthis scripture stands out to me...... 1 cor 1:17-21 for christ dispatched me, not to go baptizing, but to go declaring the good news, not with wisdom of speech, that the torture stake of the christ should not be made useless.. 18 for the speech about the torture stake is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is gods power.
19 for it is written: i will make the wisdom of the wise [men] perish, and the intelligence of the intellectual [men] i will shove aside.
20 where is the wise man?
-
-
donuthole
In the context Jesus was talking to his twelve apostles and he stated "this good news of the kingdom" would be preached to the whole earth. He was talking about the same good news he had been preaching and the same good news that they had been preaching. Of course in Watchtower land he EVIDENTY meant the good news that he would be enthroned in 1914 blah blah blah blah blah but that Good News didn't get preached until the 1900's.
-
150
Most Ridiculous Thing You've Ever Been Counseled On
by MrFreeze ini'm sure topics like this have already come up but they tend to get hilarious with the absolute absurdity that goes on in the kh.
i was once counseled for not shaving after two days.
i was also counseled by a sister for eating lucky charms cereal.
-
-
donuthole
A friend of mine was counseled for wearing Nike shoes because Nike was a false God -- the brother counseling happened to be driving a Mercury.
-
10
Ever seen a witch hunt for apostates happen?
by highdose inafter an entire family in my cong went apostate followed by several others the elders went in to a witch hunt.. every missed meetings was questioned, rumours were spread like wild fire!.
i wish now i had followed the apostates out then....
-
-
donuthole
firsthand ... at least it felt like one.
-
101
"Jesus did not die on the cross" (Gunnar Samuelsson)
by Titus in"jesus did not die on the cross" .
a new doctoral dissertation in theology from gothenburg university claims that the bible has been misinterpreted when it comes to how jesus died.
gunnar samuelsson who wrote the dissertation has studied the original texts and sees no explicit references to crucifiction.
-
-
donuthole
Further it rather improbable that the sentenced would have had to lug a large pole to the execution site, rather they were yoked to the crossbeam and had to carry it to a stake or a tree already in place. This is consistent with the Bible description.
-
55
JW replies on my Shunning article
by besty ini have a google article on shunning -.
http://knol.google.com/k/why-jehovah-s-witnesses-practice-religious-shunning#.
its had almost 15,000 page views :-).
-
-
donuthole
Paul didn't command us to "high-five" everyone but he certainly commanded Christians to "greet one another with a holy kiss" @ Romans 16:16. It's in the Bible, so why don't JW's do this?
My big gripe with JW's when they state that they df because they follow the Bible is you can't find anything that the Bible that resembles their practices. It has been mentioned here by others - but show me private/public reproof in the Bible, show me judicial committees, appeal committees, show me where recordings are prohibited and witnesses not allowed, show me someone that you have to wait a min year to reinstate, show me that when someone is reinstated that they cannot comment at the meetings.
So yes Paul did order the Corinthians to remove the man from among them (in violation to Jesus' instructions, but perhaps Paul didn't know of them). Yet we cannot neglect were he relents in 2 Cor and tells them to restore the man shortly thereafter.
-
21
The FIVE exciting Watchtower Presidential Eras
by Dogpatch incharles t. russell era (1879-1916)date: late 1800's.
okay, july 1879 if you want to be picky.. current religious views: many apocalyptic leanings, prompting the origin of several major eclectic religious groups claiming that god had rejected the mainstream christian churches for their apostasy in the fourth century, and that he has now chosen a new prophet, a spokesman, a faithful messenger to re-educate the world as to the truths of the bible, long-lost and unattainable by any normal human being.
to gain eternal life, man must listen to the new gospel of this messenger(s).. this century sees the birth of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints (mormons), adventism and its various offshoots (including jehovah's witnesses), christian science, christadelphians and other smaller groups, each one claiming a modern-day prophet and new or once-forgotten revelations to the populace, many of whom we find shopping for new ideas, yet disenchanted with the churches.. scenario: a young man who can't understand theology from a historical development point of view begins to feel that he is the "seventh messenger" (rev.
-
-
donuthole
In light of recent times I see the eras as
1. The Russell Era 1879-1916
2. Rutherford Era 1916-1942
3. Knorr/Franz Era 1942-1980
4. Classic Governing Body Era 1980-2000 (Not sure where the break should be between 4 & 5)
5. Governing Body 2.0 Era 2000 - 2014
I agree with Neverendingjourney that in the early years the Org was defined by the character of her presidents, Russell, Rutherford, Knorr/Franz.
With Russell and Rutherford you have the president acting as chief executive and also chief theologian. After the passing of Rutherford this splits into two with Knorr leading the business and Franz acting as spirtual "oracle". With their passing the Org loses both the strong lead in both arenas. The Governing Body does not fill this void. As president, Henschel stays out of the spotlight and the GB enters the shadows. As the original GB begins to grow old and die out they sever direct ties with the management of the corporations. Time forces new appointments of post-1935 anointed ones and the new era of the GB dawns. Promotion of the GB as leaders continues to increase. Literature emphasises that they must be trusted fully and heavily promotes them as leaders. They begin to make their mark on the organization, making changes to practice and teachings.