Posts by fulltimestudent

14

Part of the USA's Violent Past

by fulltimestudent in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdd64sudz1a

fulltimestudent

Village Idiot20 minutes agoMorpheus, "Part of chinas violent present"
And what relevance does that have for this thread?

It's not particularly relevant, VI, as you say - but I do not mind that Morpheus says it. But I do mind, that he did not bother to read it properly. The particular publication, applied the whole 200 million claimed abortions on China, whereas the article was talking about the whole world.

I quote a section from Morpeus's cited article:

The United Nations estimates that about 200 million girls are missing from the world due to this rampant genocide – now commonly called “gendercide.”

Misquoting (whether intentionally of carelessly), is not a particularly good way to conduct an argument, is it?

"Gendercide," as Morpheus' article named the practise, has indeed been a problem in China, and to an extent still is. For those to whom the one-child policy applied, the clear preference was to have a son. It was a common practise for many, to go to an ultra-sound clinic to identify the sex of the foetus, and to abort females. The use of ultra sound technology for that purpose is now banned in China.

The same problem exists in India and other places in the world, and is certainly complicated by the issues surrounding abortion in the west.

So a calm cool examination of the problem leads our thoughts in other directions to the "China bad, America good" narrative that Morpheus tapped into.

14

Part of the USA's Violent Past

by fulltimestudent in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdd64sudz1a

fulltimestudent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDd64suDz1A

A beautiful song, sung in Tibetan at a Tibetan University

by fulltimestudent in

you'll probably have to click to start, qq is not linked as youtube is.

and there is an advertisement at the beginning.. the setting is the university's cafeteria.. the university could be qinghai university in xining, the capital of qinghai province, which is mainly tibetan and mongolian.

the song itself is a cover of a hit called, love you, by a hongkong group named, beyond.. i think i have all that correct.. http://v.qq.com/cover/k/k2ji773zcyf8x11.html?vid=h0149dikkob.

fulltimestudent

you'll probably have to click to start, QQ is not linked as Youtube is. And there is an advertisement at the beginning.

The setting is the university's cafeteria.

The University could be Qinghai University in Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, which is mainly Tibetan and Mongolian.

The song itself is a cover of a hit called, Love You, by a Hongkong group named, Beyond.

I think I have all that correct.

http://v.qq.com/cover/k/k2ji773zcyf8x11.html?vid=h0149dikkob

24

Impossible conversation: Jesus and Nicodemus: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

by Terry in

i am a member on new testament scholar bart ehrman's blog, and the professor is currently outlining a new book he is writing about false memory and the life of jesus.. an interesting post occurred today in which he gives an example of a very famous scripture,.

example of a false memory of jesus teaching i turn to a famous passage in the gospel of john, jesus dialogue with nicodemus (john 3:1-15).

nicodemus is said to be a jewish leader who comes up to jesus and affirms that jesus must come from god because of the great things that he said to have done.

fulltimestudent

Thnx for posting that viewpoint.

Another perspective, that I use form time to time, is that we all live our lives in a storied framework of our own writing. The gospel writers published their stories of Jesus (whether it was an historical Jesus or mythical Jesus does not really matter).

Does anyone here, really remember, word for word, the Public Talk at your first ever big convention? So how could anyone recall exactly what Jesus said, some 30 years + later?

24

JWs through the eyes of an eight year old

by maksutov in

my wife is a jw, and is teaching our eight year old daughter jw beliefs.

i am trying to teach her about evolution and critical thinking skills.

here is a conversation we had today (as best i can remember it):daughter: "why do bad things happen?

fulltimestudent

Good enough, or not good enough, is of no importance. Your daughter is on her own road, she has to travel it for herself, enjoying some beautiful things and weeping over the inevitable tragedies.

All we can do as parents is to attempt to outfit them with the best strategies - and I would assess your effort as helpful to her emotional and intellectural growth. But time will tell.

54

Polytheism in the Book of Daniel, a late second temple religious document

by fulltimestudent in

as jehovah's witnesses we committed ourselves to a blind belief in a monotheistic judaism that was automatically transmitted to a new religious organisation, started (we were taught) by jesus.. that's the premise which this thread will discuss.

i suggest that sufficient evidence is available to throw doubt on both those beliefs.

so this thread will argue (over about a week-hopefully) that:.

fulltimestudent

jhine6 hours ago
fulltime , sorry if I misrepresented you in any way .I was just trying to point out to TTTE ( who I am not sure is still with us , on the thread I mean ) that exchange of ideas is a healthy thing .
You are right about Ignatius of course and it might be him who says that this teaching came down from the Apostles as he was so close to John . This is obviously why the WT resorts to misquoting the Early Church Fathers in their literature ..

Jan, I hadn't seen myself misrepresented, so that's OK!

If you have not yet found the site, a site called 'Early Christian Writers" provides an opportunity to read what they wrote. (link: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/ ).

These writers 'flesh' out what other 'Christians' were thinking/believing after the Apostles were dead. Sad, that we know so little about those of the 12 who are 'disappeared' by the well-known names. A good collection of these writings can be found in Bart Ehrman's, 'After the New Testament- A Reader in Early Christianity.' It just may be in your local library.

Ignatius, is most famous, for his peddling a church structure controlled by the Bishop (who must be obeyed), assisted by Elders and Deacons. My previous Ignatius quote (provided courtesy of Vermes) came from Iggies, "Letter to the Romans." Ch.3. verse, 3. It says in full,

"Nothing you can see has a real value. Our God Jesus Christ, indeed, has revealed himself more clearly by returning to the family. The greatness of Christianity lies in its being hated by the world, not in its being convincing to it."

Here's old Iggie being eaten by lions, a little after writing the above. The lions, of course, (grin) have no real value. Though, I guess the lions thought a mouthful of Iggie was real value.

The painting is from from the Menologion of Basil II (c. 1000 AD)

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

There are some interesting quotes, about "god" that I've culled from Verme's book. Cant spend time to post them right now, I must submit a visa application this morning, for a planned trip to southern China, next month.

14

"Try-harders" going on witnessing "holidays" to countries under ban!

by stuckinarut2 in

i can't get over how many "try-harders" are going on "holidays" to countries that are under govt ban!.

they get tourist visas to get into the countries (such as parts of asia) but are really there to preach.... .

how dishonest!.

fulltimestudent

hahaI I wonder how many are game to try North Korea??? In fact, I dare them, surely Yahweh/Jesus will protect them - (another grin)

As far as China goes, there are many people and many religions doing the same thing. Its evidence, not of spiritual bravery, but a sign of obsession. Contrary to what many think, Christianity is not banned in China. The government wants all religions to be registered and if they do not register, they could be in some trouble. If you go to Wenzhou, you'll see buildings with crosses on all over the city. Some of these churches are 300+ years old (established by Dominican Catholic Missionaries).

54

Polytheism in the Book of Daniel, a late second temple religious document

by fulltimestudent in

as jehovah's witnesses we committed ourselves to a blind belief in a monotheistic judaism that was automatically transmitted to a new religious organisation, started (we were taught) by jesus.. that's the premise which this thread will discuss.

i suggest that sufficient evidence is available to throw doubt on both those beliefs.

so this thread will argue (over about a week-hopefully) that:.

fulltimestudent

hine:
an hour agofullime student - We are clearly.offering two different possible explanations for the vision in the book of Daniel . I see the "son of man " as the second person of the Trinity , you see him as proof of polytheism .
Either way it does challenge the WT view of scripture

The way you wish to view any information, must be your own personal decision. As you likely have realised, I am not a believer in either view, I'm simply interested in the transfer and development of ideas. I used to wonder how the trinity doctrine developed. I now have a rather comprehensive view of that.

Quite likely, Daniel 7 may have been part of the story. I think it is arguable that Jesus did exist (as a small time Galilean, would-be prophet) and came to be under the delusion that Daniel 7 (and other texts) would be fulfilled in/by him. It is clear that in less than 100 years of his death, some Christians were seeing him as (smile) Divine.

I turned to Geza Vermes, one of the best of modern scholars, for some more information. But the men are unimportant, the arguments they present, and the supporting evidence they call attention, to are far more important. Vermes has been both Catholic and Jewish, so may have a unique way of seeing the world.In his, "Christian Beginnings-From Nazareth to Nicea," AD 30 to 325 (Allen Lane, 2012) he notes that the well-known Ignatius, as early as 110 CE, could talk about, "Our God, Jesus." (p.170). Ignatius is seen (according to church historian, Origen) as the immediate successor to Peter as the Bishop of Antioch. (Eusebius, however lists him as third in line ) he's an important early source of information, as on his way to martyrdom in Rome, in 110CE, he wrote to many early churches. And, if the WTS chronology for John was/is correct, Ignatius could have known the Apostle John.

So here's this man, writing about, "our God Jesus." I'm not sure how Charlie Russell or Fredy F, would've explained that.

84

1975 failed prediction?

by Garrett in

jw
friends

heyo,.

your favorite garrett here.

so, i'm about to have an elder tell me allll about the failed 1975 doctrine.

fulltimestudent

Giordano I Kid you not here in their own words is one of my favorite quotes ............lord have mercy.
(Speaking about the resurrection after 1925 when there would be the start of the new world and no death....... the writer suggests the following in TWTP pg 228 on how to recruit decorators to redecorate the homes that would now be available.) “You will have secured the services of the best decorators you can find. Some of them used to be undertakers; but since there are no more people dying, they have to seek some new occupation. Their experience as undertakers prepared them to become decorators with very little difficulty.”

Thank you for that reminder of the vivid imaginations of Rutherford's. Here's one of my favourites.

Remember Joe Rutherford's startling prophecy:

Millions Now Living Will never Die.

Sadly, most of those who believed Joe's prophecy, have already faded away and turned to dust. So it is already a failed prophecy.

Statistically, it is estimated that in 2014 there were less than 320,000 people on earth who had achieved the age of 100. ( Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centenarian ).

Here's how old Joe (himself dead) prophesied - and of course at many Public meetings on the topic - "Millions Now Living Will Never Die."

An extract from one of Joe's books.

Link: http://www.strictlygenteel.co.uk/millions/millions.html

Millions Now Living Will Never Die
THE emphatic announcement that millions now living on earth will never die must seem presumptuous to many people; but when the evidence is carefully considered I believe that almost every fair mind will concede that the conclusion is a reasonable one.

3

Louvre Exhibition of Thracian Art Treasures from modern Bulgaria.

by fulltimestudent in

thracian kings epic.

archaeological discoveries in bulgaria.

if you're anywhere near the louvre museum in the next few weeks, you may find this exhibition of archaeological treasures from bulgaria exciting.. its bulgaria's first ever exhibition in the louvre museum in frances capital paris which will showcase the most impressive treasures of ancient thrace, and the way of life of the little known internationally odrysian kingdom, the most powerful state of the ancient thracians.. .

fulltimestudent

There are more images in the overview from, 'Archeology in Bulgaria.'

Link: http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2015/04/10/bulgaria-anticipates-opening-of-ancient-thracian-treasures-exhibit-in-louvre-museum-in-paris/