Posts by botchtowersociety

100

What would Jesus think of Crosses everywhere?

by Simon in

.

http://imgur.com/gallery/k9hiq.

botchtowersociety

The cross IS held up as an idol.

No it isn't. These objects aren't worshipped. I have two crucifixes in my home, and I do not worship them. I worship God alone. Nothing else is worthy of worship.

As far as JW's and the 'stake' issue---they don't actually hold that stake up as anything. It's not like a cross. It has not become some wierd symbol or idol. ....

...There is significance behind the cross. Deep significance. And to reason that it is not an idol is simply cognitive dissonance.

This sounds very much like what a JW would say. But it is true there is deep significance behind the cross.

58

Why did the Early Church Accept the Four NT Gospels and Reject the Gnostic Gospels?

by Christ Alone in

this has been a subject that has been explored by many secular scholars today.

bart ehrman is one of them.

the divinci code had this to say about why the gospels were chosen:.

botchtowersociety

I have read this twice now, and I simply do not see that a convincing case has been made that the "early church" - (whatever that is) - rejected the gnostic writings.

Paul letters wrote about it in the first century. 1 Timothy 6:20-21 for example. The word he uses there is gnosis.

Justin Martyr and Origen wrote about it in the second. There are others.

58

Why did the Early Church Accept the Four NT Gospels and Reject the Gnostic Gospels?

by Christ Alone in

this has been a subject that has been explored by many secular scholars today.

bart ehrman is one of them.

the divinci code had this to say about why the gospels were chosen:.

botchtowersociety

And we have no real proof that the four Gospels were really written by the apostles.

Do we have real proof that some of the ancient Latin and Greek writings are from the purported authors?

In the case of the Gospels, we have early, subsequent writings of those who claim to have known the apostles.

It would (to me) be quite incredible that four of the twelve apostles were actually literate enough in that era to have produced them first hand.

They were observant Jews. These people have always been largely literate even in societies where general illiteracy was common.Their religion commanded them to read the Shema daily, to learn Torah and teach it in synagogue, and to write a personal Torah scroll (how else can you read it daily in an age before printing presses?). When a boy came of age he read from Torah before the congregation.

18

Argentina Must Suffer!

by metatron in

jw
friends

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/03/argentina-paying-economic-vulture-fund.

the banksters are afraid.

argentina must suffer, not succeed!

botchtowersociety

Interesting how billions were given to the financial sector, and that is cool.

Who said it was cool? Hmmm?

46

I Still Can't Celebrate Xmas. Can You? Christians vs Atheists

by Malsonilla in

while in the organization we learned one bit of truth regarding christmas; that it was originally a pagan observance, the summer solstice, adopted by christians much later in church history, and has nothing to do with jesus christ whatsoever.

no biggy for most true believers who left the organization who have slipped into (or fell back into) the grind of commercialized christmas with all the trappings and traditions of ritual binge spending that takes them even farther away from jesus than christmas' pagan roots ever could.

these true believers might say something like, "i know xmas has its roots in paganism, but we celebrate anyway because of x y z", perhaps echoing or paroting the frustrating responses we use to hear from "worldly" goats/folks when we would explain to them how christmas is not a christian observance whatsoever.

botchtowersociety

You shouldn't have a problem. Atheists don't believe in God, but most have no problem enjoying the religious trappings of the culture they were born into that they consider to be positive. That includes holidays.

18

Argentina Must Suffer!

by metatron in

jw
friends

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/03/argentina-paying-economic-vulture-fund.

the banksters are afraid.

argentina must suffer, not succeed!

botchtowersociety

America is on the same trajectory.

18

Argentina Must Suffer!

by metatron in

jw
friends

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/03/argentina-paying-economic-vulture-fund.

the banksters are afraid.

argentina must suffer, not succeed!

botchtowersociety

Imagine that!

18

Argentina Must Suffer!

by metatron in

jw
friends

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/03/argentina-paying-economic-vulture-fund.

the banksters are afraid.

argentina must suffer, not succeed!

botchtowersociety

How to buy a country, lend them money you know they can't pay, then demand ownership of their country.

Oh bullshit. Lend them money and they don't pay, and you are a vulture for trying to stave off losses. Don't lend them money and the rates spike, and now you are an evil bond vigilante.

15