Posts by EndofMysteries

129

YHWH a minor pagan god: Ugaritic Texts and the Sons of El

by DoomVoyager in

interesting.. here is the first thing i've found on the subject, though i haven't read much of it yet.. http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/otesources/05-deuteronomy/text/articles/heiser-deut32-bs.htm.

pseudo.

EndofMysteries

marked for later, I've been researching this subject for quite some time now. On the OP post I've leaned toward a similar idea.

Any other's who are also researching this, along w/ the OP post other points to check would be who exactly is YHWH who is dealing w/ the Israelites, is YHWH the name of the father but the entity was a son who was using the name, when they made the golden calf idol and YHWH told them his angel was going to lead them and to obey that angel because he is very strict and not tolerant was it that angel who is leading in YHWH name who is unforgiving (any touch ark instant death, all the so called overly strict things) or YHWH himself, the first martry stephen brought out a quote from Isaiah that they had not been following God when wandering the wilderness but following another god and his star, was that talking about YHWH as the other they were following or that another was posing as him? When in the NT it speaks of the disgusting thing causing desolation and also of the man of lawlessness and the one who puts himself in the seat of GOd showing himself to be God, is that YHWH or one who disguises himself as YHWH? For example when wandering in wildnerness and commands and things supposedly from God were they from somebody posing as YHWH? In Revelation the beast puts everybody UNDER COMPULSION to worship him, does that mean everybody thinks it's the true God when it's not and that's how they are compulsed? Compare the flaming sword in the garden of eden w/ 2 cherubs on both sides with the sword portruding out of the mouth in revelation and with the descriptions in ezekiel of God's throne w/ 2 cherubs on both sides. Also compare that w/ the ark of the covenant w/ 2 cherubs on both sides.

It all at first seems to be random details but when you look closely at it, it then seems to all be internconnected as an advanced puzzle.

20

First trip to Europe this summer...only 20 years later than I planned :)

by Gypsy Sam in

jw
friends

so, i'm quite excited but also slightly freaked out as i'm able to go this summer instead of next like i had counted on (my daughter graduates next year and i was planning to go then).

this means i'm doing this last minute and i wanted to see if any of you have used https://www.go-today.com or gateone travel or go ahead travel?.

i'm planning on london, paris and rome for two weeks, likely july at this point.

EndofMysteries

BOTR - Yea it was the Uffizi Gallery. I forgot where David was at. My favorite in Uffizi was the venus painting. Speaking of any of the art musuems, either get early or prepare to have 1 to 2 hour lines to get in. (or pay almost double for tickets skipping the line). Florence is art, architecture, the buildings on the river, and unique gifts from italy like hand made masquerade masks.

29

Has your trust in charity been shaken lately?

by suavojr in

jw
friends

excerpt from the wt article, http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2003401.

jehovahs witnesses today are also quick to help when disaster strikes.

during the summer of 2001, for instance, torrential storms caused major flooding in houston, texas, u.s.a. in all, 723 homes of witnesses were damaged to some extent, many of them quite badly.

EndofMysteries

The WT made a great article up there. Because of the generosity of the WT, when growing up as a kid in a single parent family, my mother was forced to go to the satanic food banks of the salvation army.

Let me fix the WT article....

"The governing body today are also quick to find lucrative ways for more money when disaster strikes. During the summer of 2001, for instance, torrential storms caused major flooding in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. In all, 723 homes of Witnesses were damaged to some extent, many of them quite badly. A insurance fraud committee made up of qualified Christian elders was immediately formed to determine which homes had insurance policies that could mostly profit from insurance proceeds from the donated equipment, free labor, etc. Suckers from neighboring congregations performed all the work. One Witness was so suckered of the scam that when she received payment from her insurance company to cover the repairs by licensed contractors with paid experienced employees to her house, she immediately donated all the money to the governing body for the free labor so they and their friends could continue to live a lavish lifestyle.

When it comes to organized charity, though, we need to be cautious as we evaluate the many appeals we receive. Some charities actually give to people without any expectation and without having to belong to their religion. Donating to these charities may have one leaving only a small portion of their money left over to give to the governing body. Proverbs 14:15 says: “Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps.” So one should think twice before trusting anything the governing body says.

62

End shunning or lose tax free status

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

which would the watchtower choose if it came down to this in the united states or europe?

losing tax free status would mean losing millions of dollars.

ending shunning means people would leave by the boatloads.

EndofMysteries

Well when hitler and the nazi's started giving watchtower followers problems, Rutherford wrote a letter to hitler about how they were also against jews and shared common values.

20

First trip to Europe this summer...only 20 years later than I planned :)

by Gypsy Sam in

jw
friends

so, i'm quite excited but also slightly freaked out as i'm able to go this summer instead of next like i had counted on (my daughter graduates next year and i was planning to go then).

this means i'm doing this last minute and i wanted to see if any of you have used https://www.go-today.com or gateone travel or go ahead travel?.

i'm planning on london, paris and rome for two weeks, likely july at this point.

EndofMysteries

You don't need a tour company, and you don't need to know their languages. You can do backpack and hosteling. English is the 2nd language for most in Europe. I did ALL of Europe and don't know a single language other than english and i had no problems. I did it for several months.

You can train from London, to Paris, to Rome. In each city from the train stations you can take subways, trams, etc. So up to you if you want to do the tour company. If doing it yourself would let you go 4 weeks vs 2 from the money savings I'd do that.

If you insist on doing a 2 week tour then a tour might be the way so you don't waste time if you're unsure what to do and where to go.

Side note: If you do stay at hostels, generally the hostels are your starting point on what to do and you can usually do things w/ others at the hostels. I'd go to a city, check in the hostel, and see everything the hostel could tell me, then I was off.

In Paris definitely do the catacombs for something very unique. London definitely go to Tower bridge and the tower area if you want to see the crown jewels. London is also good to catch a broadway show.

Rome is neat for the ruins and coliseum, etc, but you should stop off in Florence on the way, it's one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, has many unique things you can get that you won't get in rome, such as hand painted masquerade masks, etc, and I forgot the name but the musuem is very nice, houses the venus painting. But it's super small compared to Lourve in Paris. Definitely go to the Vatican when in Rome, it'll take a good day just to see all the paintings and ancient ruins and statues they've looted and plundered over 2,000 years.

21

Does Death Exist? New theory says "No"

by jam in

maybe someone can post "www.robertlanza.co.

i hope mr lanza is right in his theory because it is scary not knowing.

where in the hell i will end up after i die..lol.

EndofMysteries

On death though, sometimes I wonder if it could almost be like a dream. When you are dreaming you are unaware that you are dreaming, you can be in a entire different world and oblivious that minutes ago you were in this world. Imagine if this life is just like a dream, you wake up and remember all the lives/experiences you had. In a sense it makes life sort of like virtual reality.

21

Does Death Exist? New theory says "No"

by jam in

maybe someone can post "www.robertlanza.co.

i hope mr lanza is right in his theory because it is scary not knowing.

where in the hell i will end up after i die..lol.

EndofMysteries

john_mann - in that theory, what happens when somebody is supposed to die of old age? is there a universe where everybody slips and they kept aging to thousands of years old looking like raisins?

21

Does Death Exist? New theory says "No"

by jam in

maybe someone can post "www.robertlanza.co.

i hope mr lanza is right in his theory because it is scary not knowing.

where in the hell i will end up after i die..lol.

EndofMysteries

I can't remember where, but I heard a theory that we do not actually 'remember' our past, our memories are actually our consciousness time traveling to that moment.

9

Is belief in heaven after death relatively new to Christianity?

by EndofMysteries in

i was surprised awhile ago when researching about cremation how until maybe 1940's or 1950's even catholics forbid cremation.

the reason for no cremation was because they believed in a physical resurrection and cremation was a rejection of physical resurrection.

it seems nowadays no christians believe in a earthly resurrection, only that they all go to heaven.

EndofMysteries

I was surprised awhile ago when researching about cremation how until maybe 1940's or 1950's even Catholics forbid cremation.

The reason for no cremation was because they believed in a physical resurrection and cremation was a rejection of physical resurrection.

It seems nowadays no christians believe in a earthly resurrection, only that they all go to heaven.

I wonder when this shift happened. If they all believed they were just going to heaven in 100 years ago, why would cremation be forbidden?

171

New to The Jehovahs Witness Faith and need some help

by jnjburkett in

jw
friends

hello there i am new to the faith and have been studying for about a month.

i am very excited and hungry for the truth and have not missed a meeting or study since the memorial.

we do about 2 bible studies a week.

EndofMysteries

Welcome back - the quickest eye openers to deception would be asking and seeing what they say about the following 3 questions and then seeing the 'history' of what has been published proving that they are lying.

1. Do Jehovah's Witnesses follow any man or leader? (they will say no, only Jesus, yet once in and in the watchtower study articles it's non stop about following and obeying the governing body (7 or 8 men on average) who run the organization and following them is vital to salvation.

2. Do Jehovah's Witnesses shun former members? On their own website under FAQ's you'll see them 'spin doctor' it as if they don't. Yet tons of watchtowers and instructions on not evening emailing or making any excuses to talk to family members who have left.

3. Have the governing body or any leader (rulers of the JW's) ever professed to be inspired? They will say all their false prophecies and false teachings were because they are imperfect and never profess to be inspired. yet you can find hundreds of quotes where they say their teachings should be treated as if from GOd's mouth himself, that they are spirited directed and nobody can understand the bible except through them, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.