for those of you who still respect the bible, which translation/s are you using now?
why?.
A Textus Receptus based bible is what I mostly use. Otherwise, you'll be missing around 3000 Greek words from the NT. These include:
1. King James Version - KJV
2. King James Version ER (Easy Reader) - KJV - ER
3. New King James Version - NKJV
4. Modern English Version - MEV
5. Green's Literal Translation - GLT
6. Third Millennium Bible - TMB
7. New Cambridge Paragraph Bible - 2005 edition of the KJV (paragraph format with modernized spelling)
8. 21st Century King James Bible
2022-10-s-147-announcements and reminders.
2022-10-04-mandatory reporting training.
2022-10-04-questions and answers concerning the online course for mandatory reporting.. .
Let me get this straight - The WT is using a government that belongs to Satan to train their Elders to do the right thing regarding child abuse?
Oh the irony!
so a few years i watched a lecture series by a man named dr. micheal heiser called the two powers in heaven, jesus in the old testament.
funny thing was it wasn't even very evangelical in nature, so i turned off my religious binders and just watched it like a regular person.
it turns out that the new testament is a hinge point in the bible.
That is because in Judaism beliefs are not nearly as important as what a person does. In that respect I think Judaism is better than Christianity.
I have to disagree with DJW here.
In order to correct this common view, Jesus three times told Nicodemus that he must be born again.
Belief precedes sin, not the other way around. Jesus is starting to address the sin nature from the inside, not the outside. Christianity is not about trying harder, running faster, of jumping higher. It is not wrong-behavior modification, it is wrong-behavior death.
This is related to the topic because what actually happens when we decide to believe God and everything he says, he gives us a new identity, a new personhood - and a new spirit, which is one of the three parts that make up our beings. We are made in God's image who is also a tri-partite being.
Just so people wouldn't try to foolishly work their way into God's grace through good works, Jesus made it clear that just looking a woman with lust would make you guilty of adultery.... which every Jew knew carried the penalty of death I might add.
by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight - Rom. 3: 20
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. - Gal. 2: 16
God has made it clear in his word that we are not allowed to work in any way, shape or form for our salvation. If we persist in doing so, we are only racking up more debt that we will personally pay for on Judgment Day.
Now to him who works, wages are not given as a gift, but as a debt. But to him who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. - Rom. 4: 4-5
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” - Mt. 9: 13
God gives us a choice. In Christianity, God seeks to destroy the sin nature, not simply modify it. We merely decide if we are going to give him permission or not. He does it all.
sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?
' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?
' what do you folks say?.
he has received high honors in regards to his intellect. His intellect is what is relevant
Really? I would think truthfulness would be what is most important. Otherwise, you just end up valuing smart liars who are far more dangerous than dumb liars.
"Krauss is quoted in a 2015 Reuters article saying Epstein's “interest is in interesting people and interesting ideas,” adding that he had no idea of the accusations.
However, in a 2011 article from the Daily Beast, Krauss is quoted defending Epstein, attesting that none of the "beautiful women and young women" he's seen surround him were underage."
Are you asking your audience to just ignore this lie?
"Several women accused Krauss of sexual misconduct, describing behavior that went unchecked for over a decade. By the time Krauss stepped foot on Stanford’s campus for the gathering, he had been banned from three universities, removed from multiple speaking events, and was under a formal investigation by Arizona State University, his primary affiliation. " Article
Does a person's moral character not matter to you DJW? Especially someone who is described as displaying sexually predatorial conduct and who had connections to Jeffery Epstein?
Kaczynsk (the Unibomber) was a genius, scoring 167 on an IQ test. Big deal. Morality matters... a lot.
so a few years i watched a lecture series by a man named dr. micheal heiser called the two powers in heaven, jesus in the old testament.
funny thing was it wasn't even very evangelical in nature, so i turned off my religious binders and just watched it like a regular person.
it turns out that the new testament is a hinge point in the bible.
I guess I just think that it should be enough to serve God
That is where I started after the WT, and after atheism. I finally learned that believing God is far superior to serving God. Serving God won't get righteousness imputed to you, belief will. Scripture says that we are a tri-union of soul, spirit and body, each with personhood, individually or collectively. We experience the differences all the time....every day. Most of us can accept that we have three parts and yet are one being.
We are made in God's image, who is one being with three manifestations.
so, we had this meeting with 3 elders ( larry, moe and curly) my uncle who is the lawyer sat in the room and stayed quiet, and fact for 40 minutes we let them talk.
we would just sit there.
they went into along winded monolog about how the world is in bad shape and getting worst.
At this point it’s just a club and if all you know is the name “Jehovah” and “new system”, you’re good in their eyes.
"Sister Ann Droid please".
so, we had this meeting with 3 elders ( larry, moe and curly) my uncle who is the lawyer sat in the room and stayed quiet, and fact for 40 minutes we let them talk.
we would just sit there.
they went into along winded monolog about how the world is in bad shape and getting worst.
Excellent story.... thanks for sharing.
LHG: I think it was smart to ask them questions about past teachings of the religion. Most Witnesses are ignorant about past teachings or scandals. Many are even ignorant about current teachings!
I agree Long Hair Gal. I once met with an Elder and MS at a nearby KH a few years after leaving to ask them a few questions. When I asked why Jesus wasn't allowed to be their Mediator, the young MS quipped, "He is our Mediator"! I turned my head to the Elder and waited a second, then said, "Do you want to tell him or do you want me to"? The elder was forced to tell the MS that Jesus was not his Mediator. The MS looked back at me with a combination of shock and hatred. I was there with my wife and 4 and 5 yr. old boys, so they were forced to keep things civilized.
Maybe the same thing will happen to their KH that happened to the former KH below. I just love happy endings.
so a few years i watched a lecture series by a man named dr. micheal heiser called the two powers in heaven, jesus in the old testament.
funny thing was it wasn't even very evangelical in nature, so i turned off my religious binders and just watched it like a regular person.
it turns out that the new testament is a hinge point in the bible.
Dr. Micheal Heiser is described as a gnostic heretic here.
i'm using google translate, my native language is spanish .
hola, esta es mi primera publicación en este sitio.
tengo 22 años, me dediqué a jehová y lo que creo que fue la organización de él a los 18 años.. ai am currently inactive in spiritual activities, which led me to wonder and question if the watchtower has the truth.
Hi El Martin,
My advice is that if you meet with an elder you keep it to only one topic....like the UN for instance. I would simply present them with the original documents and ask what they personally think about it.
Keep in mind that a half million JW's accepted the resolution that pointedly stated that members of the United Nations are idolaters and that they are no part of it:
the United Nations, with international headquarters at New York city. This international organization stands for world sovereignty by political men. For years men without faith in God’s kingdom have endeavored to get all people to worship this international image of human political sovereignty as the best hope for earthly peace and security, in fact, the last hope for humanity. To date 111 nations have given worship to this political image by becoming members of it. However, we, as witnesses of the Sovereign God Jehovah, will continue refusing to engage in such idolatrous worship
Since you have already made up your mind about leaving, this is basically for your mother. So, there is no need to get into an extended conversation with them. Just say, Oh, OK, and move on. You can tell your mom that they pretty much minimized your concern.... and that will be the end of it.
Good luck on your next steps after leaving. Will be praying for your success.
sometimes jws wonder if the wt/jw is not the truth, 'then where else are we to go?
' i say 'why not atheistic/scientific philosophical naturalism and why not a secular philosophy which teaches a way of life?
' what do you folks say?.
DJW,
"I chose to believe in reality - not superstition".
You are welcome to believe anything you want.... including things that are demonstratable false. But, if you believe that you (including your reasoning) are a product of copying mistakes (falsities), how could you possibly trust any of your reasoning as being true? How do you know that your reasoning isn't just another mistake on the road to entropy?
I think a lot of folks are opposed to science that disproves evolution based upon principle, not the evidence. They then segregate their thinking according to their a priori commitment to atheism. I think that is what you are doing.
There have been tens of thousand of reviews of Dr. Sanfords peer reviewed research on genetic entropy. Where is the academic challenge of this peer-reviewed paper? None... just pot shots from poorly informed and partisan people. By contrast, Dr. Sanford delivered his research out in the open, to the National Institutes of Health. He laid it all on the line. That is what truth does.... it likes the light and doesn't mind the scrutiny.
The evidence of genetic entropy is overwhelming. Viruses tend toward randomness and less lethality due to copying mistakes in a very short period of time. "Several current COVID-19 treatments now employ pharmaceuticals that accelerate RNA mutation rates, which is essentially accelerated genetic entropy".
So, why is genetic entropy acknowledged and used when it suits a naturalists' purpose but rejected when if rubs their naturalist world-view the wrong way? Isn't this another example of hypocrisy?
Regarding your reference to Laurence Krauss, I recommend:
Also:
"their relationship dates to at least 2002... "when he reportedly flew...on Epstein’s private jet".
Krauss is quoted in a 2015 Reuters article saying Epstein's “interest is in interesting people and interesting ideas,” adding that he had no idea of the accusations.
However, in a 2011 article from the Daily Beast, Krauss is quoted defending Epstein, attesting that none of the "beautiful women and young women" he's seen surround him were underage.
How can we trust a man who says that he's not aware of accusations against a monster like Jeffery Epstein, yet earlier was defending him when he said, none of the "beautiful women and young women" he's seen surround him were underage.
Krauss also said:
"I don't feel tarnished in any way by my relationship with Jeffrey; I feel raised by it," he said.
I would ask Krauss a similar question I earlier asked you, If your reasoning is based on copying mistakes & randomness, how could you possibly know if your reasoning isn't just another random mistake?
