Who's taking this seriously? I thought it was just for fun. I giggled at the 'yelling shark' at the beach. If all of this was ever true, then someone would have to be running around playing pranks to make people laugh.
Tammy
Posts by tec
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242 Year Meeting After Armageddon (Circulating Email)
by CrimsonAshes indear brothers,.
please include the reminders below in the nro (new resurrected ones).
2-year review meeting.
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69
There Are Some Extremely Bright People On This Here Forum!!!
by snowbird iny'all are nothing like the people with whom i work, nor like those with whom i attended meetings at the kingdom hall.. what gives???.
lol.. sylvia.
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tec
((((Gladiator))))
Seven straight hours of spring cleaning, and your kind words just made my night! Thank you!
Tammy
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69
There Are Some Extremely Bright People On This Here Forum!!!
by snowbird iny'all are nothing like the people with whom i work, nor like those with whom i attended meetings at the kingdom hall.. what gives???.
lol.. sylvia.
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tec
This is one of the best discussion forums on the net, period. And it has to do with the quality of many of the posters here. - BTS
This is my first and only forum ever, so I'll have to take your word for that. That and I spend every free personal moment on this site! I've learned a lot of scientific and intellectual information here; but I've also learned a lot about people and their individual philosophies and faith and morals.
My outlook on the world has been happily expanded.
Tammy
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tec
I think it becomes clearer if you read from verse 19 to verse 23. I think Paul acted in accordance to the beliefs and customs held by different groups of men; so that he could relate to them and vice versa, and in doing so, bring as many men to Christ and salvation as possible.
Tammy
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Why all the 'Hell' topics this week?
by AK - Jeff inthere is no such thing is there?.
no such place, but it sure gets alot of publicity.
could it be that hell is one helluva tool for control?.
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tec
Hell is a hot topic?
*groans at herself*
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DEBATE: Reliability of BIBLE TRUTH
by Terry inthis is the very end of a compelling debate.
if it grabs you go back and watch the whole thing.. .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzxkqz8xx1e&feature=related.
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tec
I understood that 'that hardly means' is Mindmelda offering another possible perspective. Do I misunderstand what an absolute statement is?
Tammy
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tec
Regardless of what people may think about the reasoning or time wasting or whatever- that is one amazingly intricate and skillfully prepared cake!
Tammy
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46
Why I'm going to burn in Hell for eternity.
by Open mind inyou must love me.. .
and if you don't, i'll kill you.
(or, as perry often emphasises, eternal non-existence isn't enough to balance the scales of god's justice, so i'll roast for eternity.).
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tec
Lot of threads about hell the past few days.
OTWO - I know that I defend God a lot on this forum, to you and to others, and the other day I had the thought: why am I defending a God that people believe ordered rape and murder of innocents, as well as baby head-bashing? Would God want someone to follow that idea of Him?
I don't think anyone is going to be shoved into 'hell' because they refused to advocate rape, murder and infanticide.
But the truth is that I am defending the God that Jesus showed us by word and example: loving, forgiving, protective of innocents, merciful and compassionate. People might not believe in Him, and they may cast judgment on the manner of ancient wars that might have been needed to stop far worse atrocities; but I don't think many have something bad to say about the God Jesus showed us.
Tammy
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277
Do any of you still believe in 'Hellfire'? heh
by theMadJW inthat they (trinity) are burning billions alive...forever?
with worms that live forever gnawing on them?.
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tec
PSac - We can't make a call on punishment after death, we just don't know.
True. But we can try and discuss our thoughts on it - even though I completely trust that God will make the right and just decision, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks is right and just.
And since I mess up all the time, that thought is comforting in itself.
Tammy
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277
Do any of you still believe in 'Hellfire'? heh
by theMadJW inthat they (trinity) are burning billions alive...forever?
with worms that live forever gnawing on them?.
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tec
PSac is right, of course.
But in my experience, fear over the doctrine of hell has chased people away and/or impeded them from knowing the love of God. This is just me, though, and others obviously feel differently.
Mary - Words have been translated incorrectly, and I think that serves as a bias in itself. In the KJV, hell is used in place of Sheol. But Sheol is not described as a place that needs to be feared. So while I may be looking at the scriptures with the opposite bias, I'm trying to see if it is possible, and if that original thinking was biased on its own.
I am still in the process of doing this, and it is as you say, a very difficult thing to do.
And as for your question that you don't understand "the purpose or point of a place of eternal torment", hey---we do the same thing to people in this life. Look at someone like Scott Peterson. He'll spend the rest of his life in prison. While he may not be physically tormented, I'm sure he must be mentally tormented every single day. What makes you think God couldn't do the same thing?
I'm going to describe the problem I have with this particular line of reasoning, though you've probably heard it before.
We put people in prison for three reasons:
1) to deter bad behavior to the individual and others learning by example.
2) to correct bad behavior, and ideally rehabilitate an individual
3) to protect the innocents that this individual poses a continued threat toward.
(if there is another reason, I welcome being informed of it)
But our punishment is not eternal. It may last for the life of the individual - if that individual has proven that he/she is a continued threat against others. Then the person dies, and the punishment is at an end. In an eternal torment, a single person can suffer for one hundred/one thousand/one millions years - and still be no closer to an end to their torment.
My personal reasoning tells me that we have misunderstood something. Others are more than welcome to their own reasoning. But this is why I began looking at the bible to see if there is a bias to the original view of hell.
So I'll try and put those three points in perspective with eternal torment:
1) the consequence of eternal torment (and I'm going to say mental, and not physical) may deter bad behavior. I can see the point and purpose in a deterrent.
But...
2) eternal torment is not going to correct anything; nor is it going to rehabilitate anyone - because they can NEVER be free of it.
3) locking a person into a place of eternal torment might protect the innocent from physical harm. But mental? There are many 'innocent' who would be tormented by the knowledge of such a place of tormented souls existing constantly outside of their paradise - especially if some of those within were loved ones. Myself included.
Possible that we have simply misunderstood what this 'hell' is actually supposed to be. But I still see no purpose for it to be eternal for any individual.
Tammy