Posts by PaddyTheBaddy

27

The Bible - God's Word or Man's

by truth_b_known in

that is the title of one of the watchtower's seemingly endless list of books that was pushed out for sale placement in the jehovah's witness' ministry.

the title does ask a great question.

those who would deny that the bible is divine in origin usually point to failed prophecy, events that do not mesh with historic evidence, scientific evidence, or even plagiarism from other religions.

PaddyTheBaddy

If Bible was really the word of God, at least the following should be contained in the Bible:
Germ theory - Reason behind how germs, bacteria and pathogens attack or benefit other living things.
Astronomy - Should have mentioned the simple science of this solar system, planets, stars and galaxies.
Physiology of human body- How the human body (At least humans) works and is made up of.

Granted, it would have been nice if the bible contained the above information. Maybe God knew we would figure much of these things out by ourselves. What we personally want to hear from God and what God believes we need to hear in order to prosper may be different.

What we are struggling to figure out is how to live peacefully with one another. The Bible speaks a lot about core values we need to embrace if we want the human race to survive long into the future.

Jesus gave an account of some of these values below. He indicates that investing in values such as righteousness, mercy, humility, peacefulness are good long term investments. They aren't just man made concepts which will disappear if we disappear, but will continue to exist eternally.

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

32

Jehovah GOD a failed GOD in many respects.

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

isn`t there enough evidence to acknowledge the god of the bible has been a failure ?according to wt / jw teachings ?.

a god that has supposed to have created the visible universe and everything in it ?.

some points where i would challenge that from an earthlings point of view using the bible if only in paraphrase.. doesn`t god create everything perfect ?

PaddyTheBaddy

Gee-hober the Great Invisible Creator of The Universe has failed every time. Why even pray to such a looser with such a poor track record?

Well as long as God doesn't give up, despite his perceived failures, then he is still in with a chance of accomplishing what he set out to accomplish.

Herbert Kaufman said "Failure is only postponed success as long as courage 'coaches' ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory."

God's victory is our victory.

32

Jehovah GOD a failed GOD in many respects.

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

isn`t there enough evidence to acknowledge the god of the bible has been a failure ?according to wt / jw teachings ?.

a god that has supposed to have created the visible universe and everything in it ?.

some points where i would challenge that from an earthlings point of view using the bible if only in paraphrase.. doesn`t god create everything perfect ?

PaddyTheBaddy

I believed in him once upon a time ,the same as I did in Santa Clause.

Smiddy as you seem to be equivocating belief in God with belief in santa, if you had similar reasons for believing in both, then I can understand why you stopped believing in both.

I think many ex witnesses become atheist for similar reasons. They didn't have very persuasive reasons for believing in God in the first place. If the main reason you believed in God is because Tony Morris and company said he exists and the bible backs up their claim, then once you lose trust in both, you automatically lose your belief in the existence of God.

32

Jehovah GOD a failed GOD in many respects.

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

isn`t there enough evidence to acknowledge the god of the bible has been a failure ?according to wt / jw teachings ?.

a god that has supposed to have created the visible universe and everything in it ?.

some points where i would challenge that from an earthlings point of view using the bible if only in paraphrase.. doesn`t god create everything perfect ?

PaddyTheBaddy

Therefore, I challenge anyone to justify why they just happen to believe in the god more appropriate to their own era and culture.

If God is the answer as to why something exists rather than nothing, then it still remains an appropriate answer today.

32

Jehovah GOD a failed GOD in many respects.

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

isn`t there enough evidence to acknowledge the god of the bible has been a failure ?according to wt / jw teachings ?.

a god that has supposed to have created the visible universe and everything in it ?.

some points where i would challenge that from an earthlings point of view using the bible if only in paraphrase.. doesn`t god create everything perfect ?

PaddyTheBaddy

We sin because it is our nature to do so...Full payment is in the resurrection/rapture when we are glorified into immortality and the sin nature is removed.

Sea Breeze, do you believe this was God's intention right from the very beginning, when he created humans? Did God set things up in such a way in order to lead humans to the conclusion, that the best way humans could use their free will, would be to choose to have their free will curtailed? Choose to make it impossible for them to sin.

32

Jehovah GOD a failed GOD in many respects.

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

isn`t there enough evidence to acknowledge the god of the bible has been a failure ?according to wt / jw teachings ?.

a god that has supposed to have created the visible universe and everything in it ?.

some points where i would challenge that from an earthlings point of view using the bible if only in paraphrase.. doesn`t god create everything perfect ?

PaddyTheBaddy

But, you have to ask for it out of your own free will

Sea Breeze, are you saying we have to ask God to make it impossible for us to sin?

Their is a film called "The last days of American crime"

In 2024, the U.S. government prepares to activate the American Peace Initiative (API) signal, as a final response to terrorism and crime. The U.S. government plans to broadcast a signal making it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts.

As the government prepares to launch the American Peace Initiative (API), the citizens take to the streets for one last purge of death and destruction.

16

Even if God exists…….

by snare&racket in

i’m an atheist.. let’s assume i am wrong, i am willing to be.. let’s give people a god, let’s even make him the god of the bible…... does he deserve to be worshipped and obeyed?

if so, why does his abhorrent actions not morally make you question allegiance to him?.

does his authority alone allow him to murder and drown and order war, to throw people into a lake of fire?.

PaddyTheBaddy

Creation as we see it, rewards success. to us it may be immoral, unfair. but success is rewarded. The deity must want it that way, because the way it is. but not success to excess. success in balance.

This is what success in balance looks like. I'm not making light of this, but when it comes to morality, none of us are without blood on our hands. So all we can do is point a bloody finger at God and accuse him of being immoral.

Some of these guys may actually be ruling in Afghanistan now.

Boston.com / News / World / Middle East / Abuse of Iraqi prisoners

16

Even if God exists…….

by snare&racket in

i’m an atheist.. let’s assume i am wrong, i am willing to be.. let’s give people a god, let’s even make him the god of the bible…... does he deserve to be worshipped and obeyed?

if so, why does his abhorrent actions not morally make you question allegiance to him?.

does his authority alone allow him to murder and drown and order war, to throw people into a lake of fire?.

PaddyTheBaddy

yeah but scientists don't use thinking human beings in his experiments. That would be considered criminal.
So if Jellohoba is using humans for an experiment, then he is a monster with no ethical concerns.
Just accept the fact that there is no god. Or if there is, he doesn't give a shit at all.

The Nazi's and Japanese had no ethical concerns about using humans in their experiments. We get to view it a criminal because we won the war.

A Scientist's Nazi-Era Past Haunts Prestigious Space Prize - WSJ

As we speak the Chinese are experimenting on Muslims. Rewiring their thinking.

China's Campaign of Repression Against Xinjiang's Muslims | HRW

As to if it is morally correct to do so? it all depends upon where morality comes from. If there is no God, then everything is morally permissible. If you disagree, pick up either a gun or a pen.

31

Is the FACT that no God/god ever communicates with humans evidence that no God/god exists?

by Disillusioned JW in

is the fact that no god/god ever communicates with us evidence that no god/god exists?

i think it is very strong evidence that no personal god/god exits, especially a benevolent god who wants humans to know him him/her/it, to obey him/her/it, and/or to love him/her/it.

since no god/god communicates to us (including those who sincerely want communication with the/a god/god), wouldn't it be sensible for those who pray to what they believe is the/a god/god to cease all efforts to communicate to a god/god?

PaddyTheBaddy

In chapter one of Victor Stenger's book called GOD: The Failed Hypothesis: How Science Shows that God Does Not Exist, the very first argument he uses is under the heading of "Lack of Evidence". In that section he says the following.
"... as we saw in the preface, the overwhelming majority of prominent American scientists has concluded that God does not exist. If God exists, where is he? Philosopher Theodore Drange has termed this the lack-of-evidence-argument, .... Stenger later says that "... the very existence existence of nonbelievers in the world who have not resisted such belief [in God] is evidence against his existence. The problem of divine hiddenness is one that has taxed the abilities of theologians over the years--almost as much as the problem of evil ...."

Just because someone is a non believer at one point in time doesn't mean he or she is destined to an eternity of disbelief. Tom didn't believe until he got some blood on his hands. Maybe there is a time and a place for non resistant unbelievers to get what the are looking for.

It doesn't surprise me that most scientists don't believe in the existence of God especially if this is primarily due to a lack of scientific evidence proving his existence. Science looks to understand the workings of the material world and everything in it. It can't make any definitive statements about anything non material which may or may not exist, for the simple reason that it doesn't have access to anything outside of the material world.

If the material world has always existed, (that means it's eternal in the past) in one form or another, that solves the problem and science potentially will be able to explain everything. If however, matter hasn't existed eternally and came into existence, then it potentially came from a non material source. Matter can't bring matter into existence if it doesn't exist. This doesn't get you to God but it does get you to a non material reality.

So God isn't the explanation for why the apple fell from the tree, science can tell you that. God is the potential explanation for why the apple and tree exist in the first place.

16

Even if God exists…….

by snare&racket in

i’m an atheist.. let’s assume i am wrong, i am willing to be.. let’s give people a god, let’s even make him the god of the bible…... does he deserve to be worshipped and obeyed?

if so, why does his abhorrent actions not morally make you question allegiance to him?.

does his authority alone allow him to murder and drown and order war, to throw people into a lake of fire?.

PaddyTheBaddy

Does he deserve to be worshipped and obeyed?
If so why?
If so, why does his abhorrent actions not morally make you question allegiance to him?
Does his authority alone allow him to murder and drown and order war, to throw people into a lake of fire?

If God exist and morality is grounded in him, then the sense of morality I possess comes from him. My ability to judge his actions as abhorrent stem from this God given gauge. So either there is something wrong with my sense of justice or there is more to the account than I am aware off.

If God doesn't exist, then all we are are lumps of well organized clay telling other lumps of clay how they ought to behave. In this version of reality our sense of right and wrong is grounded in the clay. The concept of right and wrong held by the mightiest lumps of clay tends be the right one. In a materialists world, might is right.

The only hope we have of being able to truely state that abhorrent actions are objectively wrong, is if there is a source of morality beyond the mere attributes of matter.

So although we don't understand all of his actions and as a consequence feel uninclined to worship him, he does provide hope of ultimate justice being accessible to all. This can only be achomplished in an afterlife. It may even make him more likable in the end.

Someone once said "Everything will be ok in the end, and if it's not ok, it's not the end."