After reading a few of the posts here I think that if I had been exposed to this that type of Christianity, I'd probably be an atheist.
PSacramento
JoinedPosts by PSacramento
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120
Christianity gives you....ummm...ummm....exactly what?
by Terry inchristianity:.
you get struck on the cheek and you pony up for the other slap.. you pray for the enemy who wants you face down in the mud with his heel on your neck.. you get treated like pond scum but you force a smile and forgive.. .
if you are abused?
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Matthew 10:23
by pixel in"23when they persecute ?you?
in one city, flee to another; for truly i say to ?you, you?
will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of israel until the son of man arrives.".
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PSacramento
In MHO the former event that Jesus said would come with visible signs And would be fulfilled in that generation, was fulfilled on that Jewish nation that ceased to exist in 70AD. The later event with no visible signs like a "thief in the night" is yet to come on the Gentile/ Christian world.
I agree with this also since Jesus is quoted saying at least a couple of times that NO ONE knows when it will happen, it will be unexpected AND for His followers to NOT focus on it.
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Matthew 10:23
by pixel in"23when they persecute ?you?
in one city, flee to another; for truly i say to ?you, you?
will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of israel until the son of man arrives.".
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PSacramento
The "Son of Man" event expected in the synoptic gospels and the Book of Parables does not correspond to what occurred in AD 70. In fact, this is probably why the gospel of Matthew, written later than Mark, revises the Olivet discourse to distinguish the parousia from the destruction of the Temple and to emphasize a theme of apparent delay in the fulfillment of "all these things", as Christians were still waiting for them to be fulfilled for quite some time after AD 70.
Perhaps, but were they waiting because that is what Jesus said or because thatis what they WANTED it to mean?
Jesus makes it clear that no one KNOWS when the parousia will happen, even so far as to command them to not dwell on it but to focus on being His witnesses through out the world ( ACTS 1).
It seems that in Jewish apocolyptic writings and prohesizing, the use of "thuner and lighting" and the "sky rolling up" and the "mountains falling" and the "son of man" coming, was typical of the language used in that genre and used to describe a life altering event for all of Israel.
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Is the Jehovah's Witness religion Christian?
by Zagor Almanah inis the jehovah's witness religion christian?the answer to the question is, "no.
it is not christian.
" like all non-christian cults, the jehovah's witness organization distorts the essential doctrines of christianity.
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PSacramento
If you believe Jesus is the Christ and try to keep his commandments, aren't you already a christian?
Depending on what you beleive Jesus to be, yes.
And NO, the accepteance of ANY human doctrines is NOT needed for salvation, only belief in CHrist and all that goes with it.
BUT what do they believe in Christ for? Believe Christ to be?
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An Interesting Question for the Board...
by AGuest ini just saw this done on a tv show and was intrigued by the answers (almost unanimously yes).
"yes, but my husband is about to retire so i'm going to have to start telling him the truth!".
"ohhh, yes - if my husband knew the truth he'd need medication!".
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PSacramento
Outside of suprise gifts for Lisa, I tell her everything I buy.
Not that it matters since we have the same account and I use "debit cards" for the vast majority of my purchases.
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Matthew 10:23
by pixel in"23when they persecute ?you?
in one city, flee to another; for truly i say to ?you, you?
will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of israel until the son of man arrives.".
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PSacramento
Pterist,
Good points. The "son of man" event is synonimous with a "life altering event" for "corporate Israel".
While it CAN be read as hinting to the second coming, it probably was referring to the clamatic events of 70 AD.
That many followeres beleived the the end would come in their lifetime is also true.
They just didn't get WHAT that "end" was.
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PSacramento
AN oldie but a goodie:
Dear Santa,
How are you? How is Mrs. Claus? I hope everyone, from the
reindeer to the elves, is fine. I have been a very good boy this year. I
would like an X-Box 360 with Call of Duty IV and an iPhone 4 for
Christmas. I hope you remember that come Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas,
Timmy Jones* *
Dear Timmy,
Thank you for you letter. Mrs. Claus, the reindeer and the elves are all
fine and thank you for asking about them. Santa is a little worried all the
time you spend playing video games and texting. Santa wouldn't want you to
get fat. Since you have indeed been a good boy, I think I'll bring you
something you can go outside and play with.*
Merry Christmas,*
Santa Claus
* *
Mr. Claus,
Seeing that I have fulfilled the "naughty vs. Nice" contract,
set by you I might add, I feel confident that you can see your way clear to
granting me what I have asked for. I certainly wouldn't want to turn this
joyous season into one of litigation. Also, don't you think that a jibe at
my weight coming from an overweight man who goes out once a year is a bit
trite?
Respectfully,
Tim Jones
* *
Mr. Jones,
While I have acknowledged you have met the "nice" criteria,
need I remind you that your Christmas list is a request and in no way is it
a guarantee of services provided. Should you wish to pursue legal action,
well that is your right. Please know, however, that my attorney's have been
on retainer ever since the Burgermeister Meisterburger incident and will be
more than happy to take you on in open court. Additionally, the exercise I
alluded to will not only improve your health, but also improve your social
skills and potentially help clear up a complexion that looks like the
bottom of the Burger King fry bin most days.
Very Truly Yours,
S Claus
* *
Now look here Fat Man,
I told you what I want and I expect you to bring it. I was
attempting to be polite about this but you brought my looks and my friends
into this. Now you just be disrespecting me. I'm about to tweet my boys
and we're gonna be waiting for your fat ass and I'm taking my game console,
my game, my phone, and whatever else I want. WHAT EVER I WANT, MAN!
T-Bone* *
Listen Pizza Face,
Seriously??? You think a dude that breaks into every house in the world on
one night and never gets caught sweats a skinny G-banger wannabe? "He sees
you when you're sleeping; He knows when you're awake". Sound familiar,
genius? You know what kind of resources I have at my disposal. I got your
shit wired, Jack. I go all around the world and see ways to hurt people
that if I described them right now, you'd throw up your Totino's pizza roll
all over the carpet of your mom's basement. You're not getting what you
asked for, but I'm still stopping by your crib to stomp a mud hole in
your ass and then walk it dry. Chew on that, Petunia.
S Clizzy* *
Dear Santa,
Bring me whatever you see fit. I'll appreciate anything.
Timmy* *
Timmy,
That's what I thought you little bastard.
Santa -
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Matthew 10:23
by pixel in"23when they persecute ?you?
in one city, flee to another; for truly i say to ?you, you?
will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of israel until the son of man arrives.".
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PSacramento
If you take the context of chapter 10 in its whole and then read chapter 11, it can be viewed as the instructions and warnings of Jesus to his apostles and discilples before he sends them out.
Of course, it does also sem to imply a prophetic view of the coming persecutions that they and other believers would endure after His death.
So which are we do believe?
One can argue that the writer of Matthew ( or at least the later editor and/or copiest) lived after Jesus death and during the early persecution of Jesus' followers ( as per ACTS), it seems logical that, since Jesus had NOT returned yet ( the greek version of GOM is dated to about 80-100 AD though some date the hebrew version ealier to the 50-75 AD range), that the writer/copiest didn't interpret it that way ( or He may have worded it different or perhaps even omitted it) and probably read it as instructions to the apostles before Jesus sent them out to preach His word.
We may never know for sure but that some did beleive that Jesus would come in their lifetimes is true and that they wer eincorrect in that view is a fact.
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Christianity gives you....ummm...ummm....exactly what?
by Terry inchristianity:.
you get struck on the cheek and you pony up for the other slap.. you pray for the enemy who wants you face down in the mud with his heel on your neck.. you get treated like pond scum but you force a smile and forgive.. .
if you are abused?
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PSacramento
We should always be careful when we say moral codes are artificial or relative.
There is such a thing as absolute morals, at least I believe so.
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Wouldn't the Almighty God have done a much better job than that?
by Terry inhere is some good advice:.
ask the jw you are studying with where the original manuscripts of the bible are kept.. see if they are even aware of the fact there are none in existence anywhere!.
their religious views are from men who assert that the bible is their foundation.
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PSacramento
God's word is NOT limited to the writings of Man ( the Bibel in its various forms).
That we do have such old manuscripts and samples, even complete ( or close to it) codexs just shows how esteemed they doceuments were.
The codex Siniaticus and Vaticanus are perfect examples.
The fragments we have are good only to date the time frame that copies were already circulating.
The fragment of the GOJm, for example, that is dated in and around 100-150 CE gives as proof that a copy of the GOJ was alreadt ciruclating at the atime, which mens the orginal was older which means the other gospels are older still.
All that does is give as an idea of the timeline, nothing more.
Sure if they had been carved in stone like the egyptian prayers and poems found on the pyramids, they'd last longer but they'd be a bitch to carry around, LOL !