Posts by fulltimestudent

29

China's New export drive - trains and rail systems

by fulltimestudent in

four or five times a week i travel on sydney's extensive suburban rail network.

these days, most services use a train like this,.

which are modern, double-decked, comfortable carriages.. it's not generally known that most of these train-sets (i.e.

you forgot Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Well, so I did - thnx for pointing that out! Actually there are two Chinese rail projects in Ethopia
The first is a light rail system with two intersecting lines, in the capital:

Addis Ababa’s rail project keeps Ethiopia on track for transformation

Although there will be shortfalls in the country’s infrastructure programme, the railway will be an impressive achievement

Addis Ababa’s $475m light railway system, part of a five-year growth plan, covers a 21-mile stretch through the Ethiopian capital. Photograph: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty
Out of the dust and rubble of decimated junctions, soaring slabs of concrete are returning a semblance of order to the centre of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s mushrooming capital.
The edifices are there to prop up Africa’s first light rail system, an arresting sign of Ethiopia’s progress since the dark days of famine and military rule (pdf) in the 1980s. The government hopes the project, funded and built by China, will be running next year – possibly in time to transport voters to polling booths at national elections in May.

The $475m (£295m) electrified rail is one of many projects in an ambitious five-year growth and transformation plan that ends in July. Although there will be shortfalls in the Soviet-style strategy based more on aspiration than expectation, the rail is set to be an impressive achievement by a nation desperate to shed its tag as a poster child of poverty.

There's more - read it if you want at: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/oct/22/addis-ababa-monorail-ethiopia-on-track

===================================================================

China-funded Light Rail Project Puts Ethiopia on Track for Transformation.

Reference: http://english.cri.cn/12394/2015/02/08/3801s865446.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13

Which school of thought is right about How long were the Israelite's in Egypt 215 or 430 years?

by terrypike in

a lot is out there about how long the israelite's were in egypt which can be devided into two schools of thought, those for bishop ushers 215 model or the ex 12: model which stays faithful to the 430 years to the very day ex 12:41 the israelite's left egypt.. historically the dispute goes back a long way at least to the time of jophesus who advocated the view that the isarelites were in canaan before they entered egypt true enough when taken at face value, but look more closely at what the bible says about when jacobs name was changed to israel and then ask the question is there any evidence in the bible that israel was used for the decendent's of abram, isaac or jacob before god changed the name of 97 year old jacob to israel?

a jw i invited to research this confirmed none could be found so that done it remains to look again at the definitions 'decendents' and 'israelite's' to further clarify.. the 400 years affliction as in gen 15: speaks of the decendents of abram only, nowhere does it say anything about the israelites, ex 12: on the other hand refers to the israelite's who came out of egypt 430 years to the very day and says nothing about the decendent's of abram so ex 12: is referring to 'israel' the decendent's of jacob not the decendent's of abram.

consider here that isaac the first born of the line of the promise and a decendent of abraham, died 180 years of age never having set foot in egypt, 10 years before 130 year old jacob/israel entered to reunite the tribal family's as one people, so by no stretch of the imagination can isaac be confused with the israelite's as is so easy to do when the ex 12: 430 year timeline is tied back to the days of abraham as is advocated by the bishop usher model that argues the israelite's were only in egypt 215 years.. gal 3: can be a problem only when read in isolation of other texts, use the same procedure as you would if someone said there was a contradiction with the gospels saying different things and ask them to read all four gospels to get the full picture, like wise with gal 3: which appears to be saying, by itself, that there are only 430 years between the circumcision covenant and the law covenant , read gen 47: and acts 7: to get a more complete picture of what paul has not said about 130 year old jacob's entry into egypt in the second year of famine.. to get the age of jacob start with 30 year old josephs age when he stood before the ruler of egypt and add the 9 year total of 7 years plenty plus two years famine which makes joseph 39, then take josephs 39 years off the age of 130 year old jacob to get 91 the age of jacob when joseph is born as jacob completes his 7 years work with laban for rachael.. jacob then agreed to work on for the beasts and he confirms he had worked a total of 20 years when laban caught up with him: 7 for leah, 7 for rachael, and 6 for the beasts.gen 31:38-41.. the key question when talking with jw's is how old was jacob when his name was changed, ask the questions and let them confirm from the book they trust what it really teaches.. terry.

fulltimestudent

Half bananaa day ago

According to Egyptian records the Israelites never were in their land en masse. Since the land of the Canaan was near Egypt, for generations they had sought work as paid labourers or went to market their meat or olives at Goshen in the north east .
It must be remembered that the Israelites lived very much in the political and economic shadow of their neighbour. Egypt influenced almost everything they did and believed (and therefore the Bible too). There had been a time when Canaanite (Semite) influence had been present in Egypt during the Hyksos period but this was back in the early Bronze Age before the Israelites or Jews arose and it seems that the biblical captivity and Exodus stories are a folk memory reworking of this earlier event. The story was vital propaganda to Judaic nationalism since it upholds symbolically the nation’s escape from Egyptian authority.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To add to Half banana's comments, consider the areas controlled by the Egyptians at various times in world history:

(Being very busy at the moment-New semester and all that!!! grin! - I've just grabbed these maps off the web, follow them up if you really want to understand that the Bible is just Israelite/Jewish nationalist stories (propaganda) used to explain why they (who had the only true god) were always being defeated by other nations (who all had false gods) ).

Note: 15th Century BCE

Note: and down to the 12th century BCE.>

The two important empires down to the Battle of Kadesh (circa 1274 BCE)>

The Battle of Kadesh (also Qadesh) took place between the forces of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River, in what is now Syria.[10]
The battle is generally dated to 1274 BC,[11] and is the earliest battle in recorded history for which details of tactics and formations are known.[12] It was probably the largest chariot battle ever fought, involving perhaps 5,000–6,000 chariots

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kadesh

Ramses II at Kadesh.jpg

Ramesses atop chariot, at the battle of Kadesh. (A Relief inside his Abu Simbel temple.)

The Assyrian Empire *824 BCE to 625 BCE

2

Rent-a-boyfriend (or, girl-friend) for Chinese New Year

by fulltimestudent in

the spring festival (also called chinese new year) is one of the biggest annual festivals in the world.

families try to re-unite which often means that people whose life-styles are diverging from that of their parents must try to reconcile their lives with hometown tradition.. so arises a new occupation: the boyfriend (or girlfriend) for hire:.

china central televison america explains this to americans:.

fulltimestudent

The twist of the satirical knife though, comes right at the end. The chunyun visit home has been a success, the hired boyfriend has completed his oscar standard performance and charmed Mum, Dad and little brother. And so the 'happy couple' return to big-city life.

As he's paid off, the hired boyfriend asks the girl to have dinner with him. He's turned down with a very cold, "Get out of the car."

And, so the real social problem of life in modern China is highlighted, the so-called "dry branches," over 100,000,000 surplus men who will never find an available woman to marry.

See: http://www.diplomaticourier.com/news/regions/brics/191-china-s-barren-branches

2

Rent-a-boyfriend (or, girl-friend) for Chinese New Year

by fulltimestudent in

the spring festival (also called chinese new year) is one of the biggest annual festivals in the world.

families try to re-unite which often means that people whose life-styles are diverging from that of their parents must try to reconcile their lives with hometown tradition.. so arises a new occupation: the boyfriend (or girlfriend) for hire:.

china central televison america explains this to americans:.

fulltimestudent

But today's China being what today's China is, the sharp eyes of Chinese social satirists soon saw the potential to have some fun with the concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hdA-Wd-b9M#t=369

2

Rent-a-boyfriend (or, girl-friend) for Chinese New Year

by fulltimestudent in

the spring festival (also called chinese new year) is one of the biggest annual festivals in the world.

families try to re-unite which often means that people whose life-styles are diverging from that of their parents must try to reconcile their lives with hometown tradition.. so arises a new occupation: the boyfriend (or girlfriend) for hire:.

china central televison america explains this to americans:.

fulltimestudent

The Spring Festival (also called Chinese New Year) is one of the biggest annual festivals in the world. Families try to re-unite which often means that people whose life-styles are diverging from that of their parents must try to reconcile their lives with hometown tradition.

So arises a new occupation: the boyfriend (or girlfriend) for hire:

China Central Televison America explains this to Americans:

Growing number of Chinese women “renting” boyfriends for New Year’s

February 23, 2015
A growing trend in China is the sale of fake boyfriend rental services, particularly on China’s largest online marketplace, Taobao. Many young women are buying these services as a way to stave off marriage pressure from their parents.
Unmarried female migrants returning home to celebrate Chinese New Year, often face reprimands from extended family members about their unmarried status. For many women in China, if they’re not married by the time they’re 30, they are considered old maids, or they could also face gossip for being abnormal.

To prevent such a reaction, many rent a boyfriend for the Chinese New Year for anywhere from 1,000 RMB ($160) to 10,000 RMB($1,599) a day, men put their companionship up for sale. Romantic “extras” — such as holding hands, going to the movies, cuddling, — cost extra, according to a Foreign Affairs report.
According to report, there are an estimated seven million unmarried women between the ages of 25-34 in urban areas in China. Around seven percent of highly-educated women won’t be married until they are 45.

Link: http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/02/23/growing-number-of-chinese-women-renting-boyfriends-for-new-years#ixzz3SmeuqnXJ

12

Does the NT condemn/outlaw polygamy for christians?

by Island Man in

yes, we all know that, according to the bible, god originally established a union between one man and one woman - adam and eve.

however, later in the ot we see that polygamy started being practiced and god permitted it and later even gave laws to regulate it.

so in the ot god does not condemn polygamy and israelites practiced it.. fast foward to the nt.

fulltimestudent

Jesus was a Jew and never denied his Jewish heritage. The oldest group of Christians had a Jewish background and, it seems, continued to think of themselves as a sect/group of Jews. It may have taken one hundred or more years for the two groups to see themselves as separate.

Possibly the next oldest group of Christians that we know of were in Antioch, where it seems there may already have been some divergence from the concepts that were held in common in the Jerusalem-Temple congregation.

Besides the OT, specifically the Septuagint version of the OT, the letters attributed to Paul seem to have been the first documents that were assigned a sacred value by the early Christians, so we can imagine we are seeing the adjustments that were necessary for the Jewish/Christian sect to expand in the Roman Mediterranean world,

Contrary to common thought, Christianity in the pagan world did not appeal to the lowest levels of society, a close reading of the Pauline documents shows that key people in the early Pauline churches had large households (family and slaves) and were wealthy enough to be able to travel or send members of their household on errands for Paul. Paul (and Barnabas) had associates who also had to be provided for. The key people in early gentile Christianity therefore were people of some substance

The Pauline texts that Island Man quotes, set standards of conduct. It would be a grave mistake to think that the idea of setting standards was an idea that sprang from the mind of Paul or one of his associates. Already in common circulation, among the social classes that were taking the lead in early gentile Christianity, were documents that have come to be called, "household codes." The Oxford Biblical Studies (i.e. from Oxford University) Online defines these household codes as:

household codes
Translation of the German Haustafeln, used by commentators for a literary type developed for ethical instruction in the Hellenistic world, adopted by Jewish Hellenistic synagogues, and thence by the NT (Col. 3: 18–4: 1, but also Eph. 5: 22–6: 9; 1 Tim. 2: 9–15; Titus 2: 2–10; 1 Pet. 2: 13–3: 7). The codes were an attempt by leaders of the Christian community to establish a pattern of family and social life not unlike that of traditional families among Gentile and Jewish contemporaries in the Graeco-Roman world. The patriarchal style represents a reaction against the egalitarian organization of the earliest Church in Jerusalem (Acts 2: 44–7) and is remarkable for the absence of Paul's radical teaching against sexual discrimination (Gal. 3: 28).
Reference: http://www.oxfordbiblicalstudies.com/article/opr/t94/e912

So the behaviour standards set for the early Christians reflect those codes with some small adjustments to reflect Jewish (OT) standards.

Hence the answer to my feeble attempt at riddling, should be looked for in the Roman world - not the Judeao-Christian world. So what's the answer to my riddle of which GOD commanded monogamy?

Not Yahweh, Not Jesus. But the most popular, the most important God (with the power of literal life and death to all inhabitants of the area) who commanded monogamy ....

was the Divine Caesar Augustus.

3

Chinese Landscapes transformed by winter and its snow

by fulltimestudent in

i do not have much experience of winter, that is a real winter with snow and ice.

here in sydney there's not much difference visually.

the imported deciduous trees still shed their leaves, and there is less color (flowers) but that's about it.

fulltimestudent

I do not have much experience of winter, that is a REAL winter with snow and ice. Here in Sydney there's not much difference visually. The imported deciduous trees still shed their leaves, and there is less color (flowers) but that's about it. I've only seen snow once or twice in my life. I could, of course, go to the hill areas near Canberra and experience the changes that winter snows bring to the landscape. So possibly, that's the fascination (for me). Landscapes lose their familiar appearance and are transformed.

It must have been a similar experience for these Singaporean tourists, hiking the Great wall in winter as the colours of the landscape are muted by the winter dieback and mists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQE4p2jjOik

and after a snow fall the scene changes again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rJy3G1JGhA

12

Does the NT condemn/outlaw polygamy for christians?

by Island Man in

yes, we all know that, according to the bible, god originally established a union between one man and one woman - adam and eve.

however, later in the ot we see that polygamy started being practiced and god permitted it and later even gave laws to regulate it.

so in the ot god does not condemn polygamy and israelites practiced it.. fast foward to the nt.

fulltimestudent

My wife says its not allowed so that's decided then

(Another grin!) - Even my GAYXJW's partner says NO! to him.

Island Man - That was an excellent analysis.

But here's a riddle (or, I think it is) - Which God commanded monogamy?

37

Are the trolley dollies* getting any results? Or, is it just another waste of life?

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

steve2 initiated a discussion on how our former loving brothers and sisters are behaving, while engaging in the 'trolley work.

' (link: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/93590001/within-one-minute-jw-trolley-directs-me-jw-org ).

my own observations are the same as the posters report on steve2's thread.

fulltimestudent

Went shopping yesterday afternoon, seemed to be only one witness 'on trolley-dolly duty' (and this time he had the trolley facing the oncoming pedestrian traffic, but had actually located it so that people had to walk around it).

But this (youngish) guy had found a way to keep himself from getting bored. He was really focussed on chatting up a rather pretty young woman - couldn't tell if she was a JW, but it was clear the trolley could look after itself.

10

Where can Gay people get married in the USA?

by fulltimestudent in

it does not seem long ago that the answer was, nowhere.

and yahweh and jesus don't seem to mind, they arn't hurling fire and brimstone or making it flood everywhere.

life goes on as normal, people are, "eating and drinking, men are marrying men and women are being given to other women, just as they have been doing in many places on this globe for as long as humans have been on the earth.

fulltimestudent

LoveUniHateExams17 minutes ago37 states out of 50 - this progress. It's not ideal but it's good. Despite the religious right being popular in the US, the majority of these states have changed to allow gay marriage.

Agreed, considering the political structure of the USA and the religious construction of Americans (example, some surveys suggest that 80% of Americans believe that there is a real supernatural devil) it likely had to be a gradual process.

In Australia, surveys indicate that 72% believe that gay marriage should be legalised. But the PM (an ardent Catholic - who studied for the priesthood) says NO! - So much for democracy.

fulltimestudent

Posts by fulltimestudent

SonoftheTrinity5 hours ago

Half bananaa day ago