Having said that, Rev Barry Lynn is a total jerk in this interview. While Ken seems very laid back and non insulting the cocky smirk on Lynns face is insulting. The way he talks is meant to tear down credibility, instead of have a rational debate about the issue.
brotherdan
JoinedPosts by brotherdan
-
25
Ken Ham vs. Rev. Barry Lynn Over Tax Funded Bible Theme Park
by whereami inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gvjevtcotm .
-
-
-
25
Ken Ham vs. Rev. Barry Lynn Over Tax Funded Bible Theme Park
by whereami inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gvjevtcotm .
-
-
brotherdan
I am a Christian and bible believer. However, I think that the laws on non-taxable religious organizations has gone on for too long. The idea of an Ark theme park is cool...but to do it and get religious tax breaks and yet still reap all the monitary benefits...I'm not agreeable to that. I have respect for Ken Ham, but this is an abuse of the system. Plus, this IS a ministry. To say otherwise is totally false. I'm sure there are FAR greater connections between Ark encounters and AIG than Ken Ham let on...
-
98
New Light
by Spade ini've noticed quite a few dissidents of jehovah's organization that have left with some fixation on jehovah's witnesses concept of new light.
i really don't understand.
the antiquity of religion may be historically educational, but not always personally illuminating.
-
-
brotherdan
I've read enough of the Bible to back the things I say.
I've read half of war and peace. Does that make me an authority who can expound on its deeper meanings and tell you what Tolstoy REALLY meant when he was writing it? Of course not.
I'm glad you have exposed yourself as a non-authority.
-
116
Does Genesis 19 condemn Homosexuality?
by brotherdan inthere are many "proof" texts that people (including jws) use to justify their rejection of anyone that is gay.
there are a few scriptures that you can pull up and try to make a case for show homosexuals why they are evil and wrong.. i've been researching more of these scriptures and i'm coming to some very different conclusions than many other christians hold, especially jws.
i wanted to talk about the first text used by many people to condemn homosexual behaviour.
-
-
brotherdan
This supposed justification of rape is a misreading of the text of Deut 22:28,29. You have to look at the context of this scripture. Look at the preceding verses of Deut 22:22. It commands the death penalty for adultery; both the man and the woman are to be put to death! Then 23, 24 says that both the man and the woman are to be put to death if the woman is engaged. This is speaking of consentual sex. 25-27 says that the man is to be killed if the woman is engaged and he rapes her.
Also, the word here translated "rape" does not necessarily mean "rape". THere are 2 different words used here. In verse 25, the word "chazaq" is used. It means to "seize" or "take hold of". It does not necessarily mean "rape". Verse 28 uses the word "taphas". While it has a similar meaning as "chazaq", it is not actually the same word. In both verses 25 and 28, the Hebrew word shakab is used, and while it literally means “lie down,” it is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to sexual intercourse. So, both verses 25 and 28 describe a man seizing and having sex with a woman. While this is a possible description of rape, it does not explicitly refer to rape. Also, the differences in the Hebrew words between Deuteronomy 22, verses 25 and 28, could be interpreted as verse 25 referring to rape, with verse 28 referring to consensual sex. Remember, the modern understanding of rape is not discussed in these verses. All it describes is a man seizing a woman and having sex with her.
To automatically assume that it was a violent encounter with the man brutally attacking the woman is not biblically supportable. It could just as easily be describing a man forcing a woman, with whom he was romantically involved but not betrothed, to have sex with him before she was willing/ready. While that would still be rape, there are definitely different degrees of rape and different amounts of violence that occur in connection with rape.
We also have to remember that the Old Testament nowhere records a rape victim being forced to marry her rapist. Even if that is the correct interpretation of Deuteronomy 22:28,29 the Bible nowhere records the command being enforced. Also, if a rape victim being forced to marry her rapist IS the correct interpretation, it must be viewed in light of the culture of the time. In the case of Tamar (2Sam 13:13-16), she would have rather have married her rapist than remain single the rest of her life. Reading modern Western societal mores into ancient Israel warps the meaning of the passage.
But we digress. We were talking about using the Bible to condemn homsexuality...
-
98
New Light
by Spade ini've noticed quite a few dissidents of jehovah's organization that have left with some fixation on jehovah's witnesses concept of new light.
i really don't understand.
the antiquity of religion may be historically educational, but not always personally illuminating.
-
-
brotherdan
I know a lot of it, but I've never read the Bible from cover to cover.
Then why are you acting like you are an authority on the Bible? All you are doing is looking up topics from the WT library and then pasting them here. Here is an idea, go and read the bible from cover to cover. Then study it. Then study it some more. Spend a few years doing this. And THEN come back and give me a defense on how the Watchtower has a correct or incorrect view of the Bible. That is what I have done. It is what alot of people on this site have done. The indesputable conclusion is that IF God has an organization on earth today to be His sole channel of communication...well...it's definitely NOT the Watchtower.
-
13
Watchtower Bible School of Gilead in Germany
by freetosee ini was a member of an english-speaking congregation in germany.
before i started fading a german "branch" of the gilead school was being set up in the german branch office.
a long time and well known do dietrich forster was assigned to our cong.
-
-
brotherdan
I've never heard of anything like this. When I was at Patterson from 2000-2002 I knew a lot of Gilead students that when to the school. There were many European ones as well. I think it is interesting that you MUST speak english to go to the school.
There have been certain branch initiatives, but never in the realm of education. ALL education is done in the states. All branch committee members, regardless of location, will come to Patterson to go through the school. There have been some training initiatives regarding translation, however. When I was at Patterson they trained a group of former missionaires, CO's, DO's, and former bethelites to go to each of the branches and teach them English and how to translate from English.
The purpose of this was because the writing departments style is very "americanized". For example, if an english speaking person was to write about turning the tables on someone, a reader in Africa would not understand the term. If someone was to talk about "rubbing elbows" with another person, non-english speakers would be confused. So they sent these men out to train the branch translation departments in english comprehension.
But as far as I know, there has never been an attempt to set up a Gilead school outside of the US.
-
13
Watchtower Bible School of Gilead in Germany
by freetosee ini was a member of an english-speaking congregation in germany.
before i started fading a german "branch" of the gilead school was being set up in the german branch office.
a long time and well known do dietrich forster was assigned to our cong.
-
-
brotherdan
In what year did you hear about this?
-
68
Your Opinion: Do You Believe In The Idea Of Having One Soulmate In Your Life?
by minimus ini know some couples that truly believe this.. what's your view?
do you believe there's a soulmate out there for you?.
-
-
brotherdan
I used to think so. But now my idea is different. I have my children. They are part of me and my soulmates. My wife is my soulmate in that she is the mother of my children. But is there ONLY 1 person for each person? It's a romantic concept...but no. I can't believe that anymore.
-
116
Does Genesis 19 condemn Homosexuality?
by brotherdan inthere are many "proof" texts that people (including jws) use to justify their rejection of anyone that is gay.
there are a few scriptures that you can pull up and try to make a case for show homosexuals why they are evil and wrong.. i've been researching more of these scriptures and i'm coming to some very different conclusions than many other christians hold, especially jws.
i wanted to talk about the first text used by many people to condemn homosexual behaviour.
-
-
brotherdan
I should edit where I said, "One word: Life long commitment". But it made me laugh especially since I didn't realize what I was saying til after it was posted, so I'm letting it stay. :-)
-
116
Does Genesis 19 condemn Homosexuality?
by brotherdan inthere are many "proof" texts that people (including jws) use to justify their rejection of anyone that is gay.
there are a few scriptures that you can pull up and try to make a case for show homosexuals why they are evil and wrong.. i've been researching more of these scriptures and i'm coming to some very different conclusions than many other christians hold, especially jws.
i wanted to talk about the first text used by many people to condemn homosexual behaviour.
-
-
brotherdan
My point was the wicked act Lot was reffering to couldn't have been rape since he himself was willing to let his daughters be raped.
Well Lot was not refering to anything. He did not write Genesis.
That's just an assumption on your part. The story doesn't tell us why they rejected the women or why they targeted these two men in the first place.
And this was my point. The account ALSO does not say why they wanted the men to come out of the house. As I already brought out, "Yada" was used over 900 times in a non sexual way. And even if Genesis DOES refer to a desire for sex with the angels, it was not the orientation but the actual desire to rape that was wrong.