Let's start with prophecy. No human can predict the future. This is something only God can do. The Bible contains many prophecies. Quite a few of these have come true. And those that are still outstanding, I believe they will come true.
Posts by Vidqun
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44Absolute knowledge vs. Relativism
by Vidqun inbelieving in a god is a leap of faith.
being an atheist is also a leap of faith, and that goes for the evolutionists too.
i believe in absolute truth as found in the bible.
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44
Absolute knowledge vs. Relativism
by Vidqun inbelieving in a god is a leap of faith.
being an atheist is also a leap of faith, and that goes for the evolutionists too.
i believe in absolute truth as found in the bible.
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Vidqun
Thanks Lars, not much more I can add, except perhaps relate a personal experience. One of my subjects used to be Microbiology. We went into the history and origin of the subject of Microbiology. There we learnt that the Greeks believed in spontaneous generation. Leave meat in a jar, and soon it teems with life. With the advent of the microscope (Antonie von Leeuwenhoek, if I'm not mistaken) they realized that there are organisms that the eye cannot see. Louis Pasteur with his experiments proved that micro-organisms exist, and that there is no such thing as spontaneous generation. From about that time doctor's started washing their hands. A Dr. Mendellsohn encouraged washing hands, and he was not popular. Before that, the more bloodied your apron, the more senior the doctor you are. Interestingly, the Bible encouraged washing hands from an early period. In Microbiology you learn that single celled organisms are as complicated as multi-celled organisms. Man can copy them, but he can't build one from scratch. But to come back to the point, when migrating to Zoology (and Biology) classes, lo and behold, there they teach spontaneous generation yet again.
And I agree with your assessment of the universe. All the laws are in place, and the position of the earth in our solar system is certainly no accident. Not too hot, not too cold. And I have noticed, there's not many atheists amongst the astronomers. These study the universe, and convinced of a Superior Being, being out there. The Bible puts it simply: "Every house is constructed by someone, but he that constructed all things are God" (Hebr. 3:4; cf. Rom. 1:20).
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Absolute knowledge vs. Relativism
by Vidqun inbelieving in a god is a leap of faith.
being an atheist is also a leap of faith, and that goes for the evolutionists too.
i believe in absolute truth as found in the bible.
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Vidqun
Believing in a God is a leap of faith. Being an atheist is also a leap of faith, and that goes for the evolutionists too. I believe in absolute truth as found in the Bible. This type of knowledge is in stark contrast to the type of knowledge that modern scholars cling to, classified under the term relativism. According to this theory, truth, being a relative concept, can change at whim, being dependant on people, circumstances and events. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11 th edition) defines relativism as follows:
1a. a theory that knowledge is relative to the limited nature of the mind and the conditions of knowing.
1b. a view that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them.
Conversely, [true] knowledge as absolute truth from God is indeed available in this day and age. I find these truths in the Bible. The Bible as a book has greatly influenced Western Civilization (see quote below). If you study the origins of Roman Law, where our modern system of Law comes from, the Bible has made its mark there. Then there is lots of principles in the Bible worth emulating, e.g., Love your neighbour as yourself, etc. I would concede that the Bible text has suffered under a multitude of editors, but enough has remained for us to use.
I am not alone in this belief. Many before me felt the same way. E.g., Rudolf Kittel, the first editor of Biblia Hebraica (BH), containing the Masoretic Text of the HAS, said: “Even so the Biblia Hebraica will remain subject to the saying, ‘One day instructs another’. May it find everywhere fair critics, but especially readers worthy of the greatness of the subject!” [i]
Adolf von Harnack, author of the authoritative two-volume work, Die Mission und Ausbreitung des Christentums in den ersten drei Jahrhunderten (‘The mission and expansion of Christianity during the first three centuries’) commented on the influence of the LXX on Western thought: “The most common attitude among Greeks who came into contact with the Old Testament was that this book and the cosmos are mutually related and must be understood together. Whatever they might think about the book, it appeared to be certain that it was a creation parallel to the world itself, equally great, and comprehensive, and that both are the work of the same Creator. What other book received a comparable verdict among thinking men?” [ii]
R.H. Pfeiffer, in his Introduction to the Old Testament, insists, “No book or collection of books have over the years been more carefully read, more widely circulated or more zealously studied than the books of the Old Testament”. I think Rudolf Kittel summed it up nicely. The Bible has no equal and it's worth studying, no matter what the critics say.
[i] Biblia Hebraica edidit Rudolf Kittel, Württembergische Bibelanstalt Stuttgart, 1973 edition, Introduction p. xxviii.
[ii] E. Würthwein, The Text of the Old Testament An Introduction to the Biblia Hebraica , p. 49.
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How important is or will be the WWC case? too good to be true?
by Aussie Oz inhow important is it now and how important will it be?.
i think of some of the cases in history that the wt has fought.... the 40s and 50s were spent defending the right to preach.
ok pretty important gains for everyone in freedom of speech etc.
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Vidqun
I don't want to digress from the thread, so here's a new thread: Absolute knowledge vs. Relativism.
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How important is or will be the WWC case? too good to be true?
by Aussie Oz inhow important is it now and how important will it be?.
i think of some of the cases in history that the wt has fought.... the 40s and 50s were spent defending the right to preach.
ok pretty important gains for everyone in freedom of speech etc.
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Vidqun
Not exactly on topic, but allow me to introduce myself. I am a free thinker (and a Witness), have always been, will always be. I study the news closely, to try and establish where I stand in the stream of time. I say my say. Not a compatible combination, making me very unpopular. Close family in the Truth view me as an apostate. To top it all I am a serious student of the Bible and prophecy. I have a library next to none. I believe in absolute truth as found in the Bible. Absolute truth is found all over, not only in Watchtower publications. This I pursue at all costs. I am not confrontational, but peace-loving. But I will defend truth as I see it, even to the death if necessary. In actual fact, the NWT is based on the Biblia Hebraica and the Greek W&H text, publications that have not been penned or printed by the Society. Most of the sources that are quoted do not originate with the Watchtower either. Early in my studies I realized that if you want to get to the truth, you need to have a thorough knowledge of the original languages of the Bible (30 years ago). I have written extensively about my studies and research, and will use it as I go. Oh yes, not that it's important, but I have studied at University. I think that was where my leperhood started. If one takes up secular studies, you automatically qualify as "a rebellious spirit" and "in want of heart". I believe the young ones must develop their brains (and study further), or they will turn into mush, i.e., their brains. On the one hand the Society discredits Higher Education, and on the other hand they invite registered doctors and nurses to work at Bethel. Something wrong here....
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How important is or will be the WWC case? too good to be true?
by Aussie Oz inhow important is it now and how important will it be?.
i think of some of the cases in history that the wt has fought.... the 40s and 50s were spent defending the right to preach.
ok pretty important gains for everyone in freedom of speech etc.
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Vidqun
James, you'll remember that Moses was out about forty years with his expectations. The apostles also wanted things to happen in their day (Acts 1:6). So the Witnesses are in good company. Everyone that adheres to a religion thinks he (or she) is right. E.g. the Catholic holds fast to the Catholic Church because he or she believes that is where salvation lies. And yes, they do look down on other religions, even though they might not say so. Look, my little boy is in step, all the others are out of step, says the mother from the pavilion. The same with the Witnesses. I believe Jehovah and the Bible are dependable, however, because of imperfection no human can be trusted.
Sweeney, if you are a keen student of history, you'll know that not all Israelites were killed by the Babylonians. They were taken into exile as punishment. And yes, you're right, Jehovah has not changed. As the Creator he decides between life and death. It is His right because it all belongs to Him. So it would be a good idea to get on His side, whoever you are. What I meant about the leadership, these ones are more reprehensible and would one day have to answer to Jehovah. James 4:4 says: "Adultresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God" (cf. Rev. 13:8; 14:4, 5). All these cases refer to spiritual adultery. Most of the time this would be the course fleshly Israel followed. Eventually God would reject them as His chosen people.
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How important is or will be the WWC case? too good to be true?
by Aussie Oz inhow important is it now and how important will it be?.
i think of some of the cases in history that the wt has fought.... the 40s and 50s were spent defending the right to preach.
ok pretty important gains for everyone in freedom of speech etc.
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Vidqun
Listener, one must distinguish between the group and the leadership. If you are of the rank and file (of the sheep), one rule applies. If you take the lead (as sheperd), it's a different kettle of fish. More is expected of you, as you "will render an account" (Heb. 13:17). If you refuse a reasonable request from Caesar, you must suffer the consequences, for Caesar carries the sword. The prophecies pointing in a similar direction as Rev. 11 is located in Ezekiel (38 & 39), Daniel (11:41; 12:7), and Zechariah 13:7-14:5.
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How important is or will be the WWC case? too good to be true?
by Aussie Oz inhow important is it now and how important will it be?.
i think of some of the cases in history that the wt has fought.... the 40s and 50s were spent defending the right to preach.
ok pretty important gains for everyone in freedom of speech etc.
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Vidqun
As a student of, and believer in, prophecy, I do see things in a different light. If God looks down from wherever He is, and He must choose a new people, which group will He choose to represent Him? (Acts 15:14) Going by Jesus' teachings, they are not doing too badly? Imperfect as they are, the group follows strict neutrality, has humility, obedience, obeying the lesser as well as more important things. Think of the Israelites, the fact that their leadership has let them down, doesn't change the above. But that's a different thread altogether. More importantly, if they are God's people, God is going to inspect them (cf. 1 Pet. 4:17). Jesus inspected the temple precinct twice while he was on earth, at the beginning of his ministry, and again at the end. According to the Society, this happened in 1914 (cf. Mal. 3:1-3). Why should it not happen again, before Jehovah passes judgement on the nations?
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How important is or will be the WWC case? too good to be true?
by Aussie Oz inhow important is it now and how important will it be?.
i think of some of the cases in history that the wt has fought.... the 40s and 50s were spent defending the right to preach.
ok pretty important gains for everyone in freedom of speech etc.
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Vidqun
Allow me to add my pound of flesh. I think a dangerous precedent has been set. If they are convicted or even fined, other Western governments may follow suit. Today the protection of children is a top priority for Western governments, and their law enforcement agencies, and this appeals to the voters. As a zealous student of Bible prophecy, I have discovered an interesting fact. The two witnesses in Rev. 11 are killed by the beast "ascending out of the abyss." This points to the League of Nations, and later the UN. However, this is not the beast "ascending out of the sea," as explained by the Revelation Book. In Rev. 13, breath was given to the image of the beast, and so has become a beast in its own right. Later it appears as the scarlet-colored wild beast in Rev. 17. This is the beast that "was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss" (of inactivity). Here the Revelation Book correctly identifies it as the UN. My point is, this has nothing to do with the 1914-18 period. The League only came in existence in 1919. The two witnesses are going to be taken out by the UN. After the NGO Debacle, the UN is well aware of the stance of the Witnesses. So, perhaps when the UN gets teeth (in the near future?) it might act. Other prophecies point to the same thing.
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How important is or will be the WWC case? too good to be true?
by Aussie Oz inhow important is it now and how important will it be?.
i think of some of the cases in history that the wt has fought.... the 40s and 50s were spent defending the right to preach.
ok pretty important gains for everyone in freedom of speech etc.
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