The original autographs are the objective standard, so you are correct about translation/interpretation. With textual criticism and hermeneutics, we can know the essential meaning of most passages if we watch our bias. The Word is objective from God even if we introduce a subjective element with our imperfect interpretations. Just relying on the Living Word apart from the written Word is more subjective leading to all kinds of false views about Christ and spiritual truth.
godrulz
JoinedPosts by godrulz
-
136
Theology
by sabastious intheology is the study of religion and religions are human systems of spirituality.
it could then be said that theology is the study of the applications of human spirituality.
human spirituality is a chosen way of life.
-
-
-
29
Is Matthew 24 future or fulfilled?
by Vanderhoven7 ini believe the wts has completely misapplied matthew 24:1-35. .
i believe the scripture is quite clear that jesus was speaking to his own generation and not some obscure future or 1914 generation.. if you happen to be a jw and/or futurist, what makes you believe jesus was talking about events that would transpire in the 20th/21st century?.
vander.
-
-
godrulz
Who said our generation? These signs will be during the future Tribulation of Rev. 6-19 (Daniel's 70th week with gap of Church Age between 69-70) immediately preceding Armageddom/Second Coming/Millennium. This could be 100 year away or start soon. The rapture of the Church will start the 7 year period. There is no historical fulfillment for most of Mt. 24-25, even if you allegorize the passage like WT does with prophetic Scripture.
-
49
Inactive (i.e. not reporting) witnesses won't survive armageddon
by Mickey mouse indid anyone else catch this in the talk at the convention 'are you behaving as kingdom citizen?'.
.
-
-
godrulz
It is about control, production, manipulation, not biblical necessity in the eyes of God.
-
27
Pentecostal Madness: Panties, Wife swapping, aggression and epylepsy
by Wonderment inthough i have never been a pentecostal, i remember well the frequent stories i heard of this religious movement while going from house-to-house in the past.
i wonder if you guys heard similar stories.
one story i heard a few times was about the confession of some males going to pentecostal churches to peek at girls throwing themselves all over the floor in epileptic movements, and some mention the word "panties" being exposed as an attraction to them.
-
-
godrulz
Just because there are corrupt lawyers and doctors does not mean all are. Just because there are medical quacks does not negate the truth of evidence based medicine. Jumping to conclusions/stereotyping is not fair.
-
27
Pentecostal Madness: Panties, Wife swapping, aggression and epylepsy
by Wonderment inthough i have never been a pentecostal, i remember well the frequent stories i heard of this religious movement while going from house-to-house in the past.
i wonder if you guys heard similar stories.
one story i heard a few times was about the confession of some males going to pentecostal churches to peek at girls throwing themselves all over the floor in epileptic movements, and some mention the word "panties" being exposed as an attraction to them.
-
-
godrulz
Your very own godrulz IS upset with so-called Pentecostals who are fakes, frauds, fleece the flock, elevate emotion/experience over Scripture, etc. Classic, conservative Pentecostals like myself (majority) expose the false beliefs/practices (snake handling fringe, etc.) as much as you would want to. The lunatic fringe of charismania is exceptional, not normative. Any individual can also be crazy, so don't assume this is endorsed by Pentecostal doctrine/practice. Pentecostals may be more zealous due to the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4). Paul had to deal with fleshly excesses in Corinth. He taught about the use and misuse of spiritual gifts rather than deny them.
It is easier to cool down a fanatic than to revive a corpse. I would rather channel the life found in Pentecostalism than endure the dead, Pharisaical, oppressive religion in cultic JW/Mormon circles.
What causes me to lose sleep at night is that the average JW peddles their faith more hours month than most Christians. The reasons are not great why they do so, but we should be willing to crawl on our knees over broken glass to share our faith given the validity of it. I pray for revival and spiritual awakening in the true Church and that the kingdom of the cults would eventually wane in influence/impact. It truly is a spiritual warfare for the souls of men (religion is Satan's tool; relationship with God/Christianity is the real thing, not Coke).
I don't deny stupid things happen in some Pentecostal circles. Don't forget that United Pentecostal Church is sectish, very zealous, anti-trinitarian (they think I am going to hell), legalistic, wrong in so many ways. Don't confuse this minority group with the largest one, Assemblies of God. There is also variance between local churches and leaders. Just because a JW in NY recently shot and killed people or some are pedophiles, does not mean the religion or the rest of the group condone or practice these things. In over 30 years as a Pentecostal in various churches, I have not seen or practiced most of what offends you and me. As an elder/former pastor, I would be tuning people in who get off track like some of these anecdotes you report.
-
-
-
godrulz
I heard Gerrit Losch from GB yesterday at JW convention. His biblical exegesis was terrible. I cringed when he said that the outline (notes he stuck to) says this or that or that WT says this or that (vs thus saith the Lord from the Bible).
-
-
-
godrulz
There are books written by lawyers, etc. who set out to disprove the resurrection, but now affirm it due to the evidence. The Gospel accounts are historical narrative and record eyewitness accounts, etc. You likely reject the Bible as divine revelation/Word of God, so I cannot prove it to you. The reality is that Jesus existed and the tomb is empty. Even those who accept the Gospel accounts come up with rationalizations to explain the empty tomb, etc. (swoon theory, hallucination, etc. Each of these false views can be refuted based on the evidence). How can I prove the existence of God to you? Prove to me that Plato existed and that it was not just a fairy tale.
I could prove Jesus rose from the dead by killing you (Phil. 2), but I don't want to go to jail. You will know the truth when you die. If you give your life to Him, you will also know His resurrection power/reality as He reveals Himself personally to you. Being godless, Buddhist, etc. keeps you in the dark, spiritually blind/deceived. Hundreds of millions do know the risen Christ and will died for that belief. It is hard to explain the disciple's willingness to die for the resurrection after being afraid and denying before it. It is a matter of cumulative evidence. If He did not rise from the dead, Christians are fools without hope (I Cor. 15).
-
49
Inactive (i.e. not reporting) witnesses won't survive armageddon
by Mickey mouse indid anyone else catch this in the talk at the convention 'are you behaving as kingdom citizen?'.
.
-
-
godrulz
Stats and accountability may have a place in sales, etc., but to make it a tool for assessing character, loyalty to God/org., salvation stick, etc. is wrong and unprecedented for true Christians who freely share their faith without record keeping for men that can be used against you.
-
13
Jesus Making JW the "True" Religion
by Cali Guy inthis thought has been crossing my mind frequently lately.
jw have undoubtably not always been correct in their interpretation of the bible.
yet, the wt claims that they are the true religion.
-
-
godrulz
I would not compare WT 144K to TULIP personally. If anything, WT is almost universalistic since most will be raised for a second chance.
-
136
Theology
by sabastious intheology is the study of religion and religions are human systems of spirituality.
it could then be said that theology is the study of the applications of human spirituality.
human spirituality is a chosen way of life.
-
-
godrulz
tec: Jesus had the Old Testament in writing, including the LXX. Ps. 119 is about His written Word which does not negate the fact that Jesus is the Living Word. People can be misled by subjective impressions that they think are Jesus (ACIM, Urantia Book, Conversations with God, etc.), but it is actually an angel of light/demon. The written word is more objective and God chose it for a reason (objective standard; does not change; not subjective/counterfeit impressions/demonic, etc.). The Bible is also the source for knowledge about Jesus.