Posts by paul from cleveland

5

idolatry

by paul from cleveland in

is the attention directed toward the accomplishments of the organization really a form of idolatry, as some contend, or is it simply following jesus' admonition to "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven"?.

paul from cleveland

"The ultimate trick of hypocrisy (and idolatry perhaps) is making God's "name" your brand name"

I've never thought of it that way before.

25

Do you still want to live forever?

by paul from cleveland in

jw
friends

do you still have the desire to live forever on a paradise earth?.

paul from cleveland

Regardless of the logic or possibility, I still have a strong desire to live forever on a paradise earth. The idea is so ingrained in my mind I can't give it up.

As Woody Allen said, "I don't want to gain immortality through my work; I want to gain immortality through not dying."

25

Do you still want to live forever?

by paul from cleveland in

jw
friends

do you still have the desire to live forever on a paradise earth?.

paul from cleveland

Do you still have the desire to live forever on a paradise earth?

46

If Adam hadn't sinned, where would he be right now?

by paul from cleveland in

if it wasn't god's purpose for us to live forever on the earth, where would adam be right now?.

paul from cleveland

No, this is seriously a question that I have. It was directed toward those that still believe the Bible is God's word. Many here still do believe that but contend that the bible only offers a heavenly hope. If that's true, it raises questions in my mind about what God's original purpose was for the earth. If he didn't want us here, why did he create us here in the first place. Was death part of his original plan? Did God change his plan for the earth because of Adam's sin?

Of course I knew I'd get a lot of silly answers. Some are hilarious. (especially the video) That doesn't mean I'm still not waiting for an answer that makes sense to me.

5

idolatry

by paul from cleveland in

is the attention directed toward the accomplishments of the organization really a form of idolatry, as some contend, or is it simply following jesus' admonition to "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven"?.

paul from cleveland

Is the attention directed toward the accomplishments of the Organization really a form of idolatry, as some contend, or is it simply following Jesus' admonition to "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven"?

36

Who Really IS the Faithful and Discreet Slave?

by AGuest in

jw
friends

to the household of god, isarel... and those who go with... may you have peace!.

when among those loyal to the wtbts, i recall having conversations with those of "the great crowd," who believed that, while perhaps christ led "the anointed," it was the ""faithful and discreet slave" who led them.

certainly, the wtbts teaches this lie.

paul from cleveland

Dear AGuest,

If it weren't for that "stack of bound paper pages with words written on them", where would you have learned about Christ? You quoted that "OBJECT" to justify your entire belief system and discredit the source of that belief all at the same time. Your reasoning does not make sense to me.

24

Creation - struggling

by wantstoleave in

i am in the process of leaving, and those of you who have followed me will know i spoke to my family briefly the other day about my doubts, but not since.

my dad has offered the occasional prayer for various things in the past week, as well as say he wants to study with my preschoolers.

he has also added in the extra tidbits to do with jehovah being the only true god etc.

paul from cleveland

I believe In God because of the nature of our consciousness. Our consciousness is apparently the result of the electrical rhythms within our brain. The universe is composed entirely of energy. Is it inconceivable that the dynamic fluid energy of the universe, given enough time, couldn’t, by sheer chance, replicate a pattern of energy similar to that which creates consciousness within our own mind? To me this seems more plausible than our consciousness arising first from energy in the form of lifeless matter.

46

my dad has offered the occasional prayer for various things in the past week, as well as say he wants to study with my preschoolers.

he has also added in the extra tidbits to do with jehovah being the only true god etc.

paul from cleveland

solipsism?