Vidqun

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Posts by Vidqun

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  6

  What is theocratic warefare according to the watchtower bible and tract society?

  by koolaid-man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120120184445aag4gsd.

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  Vidqun

  Excuse the spelling. To add: I real "opening of the eyes"-moment for me.
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  6

  What is theocratic warefare according to the watchtower bible and tract society?

  by koolaid-man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120120184445aag4gsd.

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  Vidqun

  Good points, Trueone. I love reasoning on "confrontational and objectionable" questions. In the end, that's how one gets to the bottom of things, i.e., to the truth. Unfortunately that won't allow you to win a popularity contest amongst the Witnesses. Back to the thread, I always believed in time of persecution, you do not reveal the location of your family and friends by saying not sayng anything. What would be the purpose of lying?

  I remember in the original Guardian-article on JWs being part of the UN, an internal document the WTBT describes its policy as a "theocratic war strategy." It claims: "In time of spiritual warfare it is proper to misdirect the enemy by hiding the truth. It is done unselfishly; it does not harm anyone; on the contrary it does much good." This is evil, bordering on wickedness.

  So in this way you are allowed to sell your birthright for a pont of lentil stew, I mean a library card.
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  6

  What is theocratic warefare according to the watchtower bible and tract society?

  by koolaid-man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120120184445aag4gsd.

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  Vidqun

  I always thought lying is wrong (according to the Bible). The only two options one has: Speak the truth, or say nothing. The one quote: Throwing your pearls before the swine, has absolutely nothing to do with lying or speaking the truth.
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  11

  Is Iran the new Iraq?

  by Justitia Themis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  during the bush years, i tried to discuss the inaccuracies, errors, and misinterpretations in the bush administration's iraq intelligence that was used to rally the nation and march to war.

  but most people's eyes would glaze over and they would mumble some comment about foreign policy being too hard and too time consuming to understand.

  as a nation, we failed in our duty to check our leaders, which led to the iraq war, which deleteriously diverted our attention from afghanistan, and has contributed greatly to our financial demise.

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  Vidqun

  As another thread suggested, Iran is very far removed from Iraq. Iran is in bed with both Russia and China. If the US is stupid enough to become involved with Israel in a conventional war against Iran, they will go the same way as the Costa Concordia. It will be the final straw that breaks the camel's back.
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  80

  Is there one Bible Prophecy.....

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the form of a prediction, that can be proven to truly be a prediction,i.e written before the event, and it came true ?.

  it would be good not to have time wasters on this thread in the form of the common ones that are brought up to demonstrate the bible's prophetic prowess, like cyrus being named , these have been debunked already.. but does there seem to be a genuine prophecy in there somewhere ?.

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  Vidqun

  EP, no I won't go so far as to say no prophecy came true. Seeing that most prophecies were fulfilled in the past, there is no way one can prove that they came true or not. I believe in the benefit of the doubt until proved otherwise. As one scholar puts it: "For the critical scholar, however, the issue is one of probability." I think it highly improbable that the Bible, all the Bible characters, their stories, the prophets, and their prophecies, are the figments of a person's imagination. If it is all just another great con, it is certainly a most brilliant deception, worthy of intense scrutiny.

  I respect the Bible as a remarkable book, and worthy of study. Yes, it is very difficult to prove the authenticity of prophecy from secular sources. But how certain are those of their facts when they shoot it down? Unfortunately no firsthand information exists, so we all are dependant on historical sources.

  You might be surprised to know that "China" do appear in Lamsa's version (based on Aramaic texts) of Dan. 11. However, that is not the reason why I emphasize the role of China. I look for a fit of prophecy in history as well as current affairs, firm in the belief that God will point the way for his people during these difficult times.

  China do have an awesome GDP, 4 times higher than the USA. The IMF predicts that China is going to surpass the economy of the US in three years time. Then it will be the number one economy in the world. Now, being the number two economy, they are already calling the shots. Like PacMan they are gobbling up European companies because they have the cash.

  Dan. 2:28 and 11:40 mention "the latter part of the days" and "the end time" respectively. These do not fit the reign of Antioches IV Epiphanes at all, as modern scholars contend. I give you an interpretation which you can test by keeping up to date with the news. I have watched this phenomenon (called China) for over two years, and so far my observations have proved to be accurate. On the economic front, the China-Russia combination have already done a lot of damage to the West. Now the prophecy says the King of the North is going to "rule over the hidden treasures of the gold and the silver and over all the desirable things of Egypt," i.e., the world (Dan. 11:43). No, it's not another conspiracy theory, it's really happening. Time Magazine has a few interesting articles on the subject.
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  80

  Is there one Bible Prophecy.....

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the form of a prediction, that can be proven to truly be a prediction,i.e written before the event, and it came true ?.

  it would be good not to have time wasters on this thread in the form of the common ones that are brought up to demonstrate the bible's prophetic prowess, like cyrus being named , these have been debunked already.. but does there seem to be a genuine prophecy in there somewhere ?.

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  Vidqun

  I won't say nothing. Just take a look at China's economic figures out today. They had a real GDP growth rate of 9% for 2011, while West grovels in the dirt. The US is looking for 2%. Like I said, so far so good.
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  22

  How Dangerous Is Putin?

  by scotoma in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  russia is facing the same dilemma that the dictators in the middle east have been facing.. in the middle east the leaders have tried to kill or at least beat up demonstrators.

  this hasn't worked.. putin has been watching this and he has been opposed to the west getting involved.

  he no doubt knows what the consequences.

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  Vidqun

  Scotoma, interesting article. I believe he is a very dangerous individual. E.g. when that journalist opposed him, she was killed. When the elections needed to be rigged, no problem. When he needs to combat internal terrorism, he organises it. To make matters worse, he is in bed with the Chinese, and as a dual power they could do a lot of damage to the West, especially on the economic front.
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  80

  Is there one Bible Prophecy.....

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the form of a prediction, that can be proven to truly be a prediction,i.e written before the event, and it came true ?.

  it would be good not to have time wasters on this thread in the form of the common ones that are brought up to demonstrate the bible's prophetic prowess, like cyrus being named , these have been debunked already.. but does there seem to be a genuine prophecy in there somewhere ?.

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  Vidqun

  I must admit, prophecy is dicey for both the prophet and the interpreter. If it doesn't come true, a barrage of stones comes your way. So that's why I would prefer to remain anonymous. But that's what Daniel predicted for the end time, and that's my interpretation. That's the only one that I can see that can really be tested. Let's see what happens.
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  80

  Is there one Bible Prophecy.....

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the form of a prediction, that can be proven to truly be a prediction,i.e written before the event, and it came true ?.

  it would be good not to have time wasters on this thread in the form of the common ones that are brought up to demonstrate the bible's prophetic prowess, like cyrus being named , these have been debunked already.. but does there seem to be a genuine prophecy in there somewhere ?.

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  Vidqun

  Here I am willing to put my head upon a block. If it comes to pass, I'll be happy. If not, I’m sunk as a prophetic interpreter, which is no loss. So let me put my money where my mouth is. According to Daniel (11:40-12:2), this is what is to occur. I have aligned the prophecy with current happenings during “the latter part of the days” (Dan. 2:28), also known as the end time (Dan. 11:40). So far so good.

  King of the North: China-Russia (used to be USSR-China)

  King of the South: Anglo-America

  Land of Egypt : The world

  Libyans: Arab nations

  Cushites: African nations

  Dan. 11:40 : The Cold War (1948-1990)

  Dan. 11:41 : Invasion of the Beautiful land = the destruction of the organization of JWs

  Dan. 11:42 : Their hangers-on (as Ammon, Edom, and Moab) will escape

  Dan. 11:43a : The King of the North (China-Russia) will control the valuables of the “the land of Egypt”, i.e., the world, e.g., resources, industries.

  Dan. 11:43b : Arab and African nations will be followers of King of the North

  Dan. 11:44 : Reports from home will enrage the King of the North. All religion and religionists will be annihilated.

  Dan. 11:45 : The King of the North will hold sway until he’s destroyed.

  Dan. 12:1 : Michael will stand up by destroying all the governments of the nations. This will herald in the great tribulation and Armageddon (cf. Dan. 2:44, 45).

  Dan. 12:2 : Under God’s kingdom the resurrection will take place.

  This knowledge will be made available during the end time (Dan. 12:3)
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  80

  Is there one Bible Prophecy.....

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the form of a prediction, that can be proven to truly be a prediction,i.e written before the event, and it came true ?.

  it would be good not to have time wasters on this thread in the form of the common ones that are brought up to demonstrate the bible's prophetic prowess, like cyrus being named , these have been debunked already.. but does there seem to be a genuine prophecy in there somewhere ?.

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  Vidqun

  Let me try again. The dating of the Gospels are indeed disputed. No help there. Here's an interesting quote from Josephus. The fact that the tribe of Christians did not go extinct, tells you they survived the destruction of Jerusalem. I would venture to say that they had advance warning.

  3. (63) Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; (64) and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day . [1]

  Eusebius reported that some Christians fled to Pella. But as a Church Historian his testimony would not be accepted by all, seeing that he had a vested interest in the matter.

  Pliny mentions it as being famous for its spring (Nat. Hist. v. xvi , 70). It seems to have been destroyed by the Jews in ad 66, in revenge for the murder of the Jews of Caesarea, but Eusebius (Eccl. Hist. iii. v , 3) relates that the Christians of Jerusalem fled to Pella when Vespasian prepared his attack. In the later Roman and Byzantine periods it was one of the centers of the Christian community and its bishops in the 5th and 6th centuries ad are known. [2]

  If one can establish that Jesus' prophecy concerning Jerusalem is authentic, then one should examine the prophecy of Daniel carefully, because he referred to Daniel the prophet by name. That is one of the reasons why I take Daniel's prophecy seriously.

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  [1] Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1996). The works of Josephus : Complete and unabridged, p. 379. Peabody: Hendrickson.

  [2] Negev, A. (1990). The Archaeological encyclopedia of the Holy Land (3rd ed.). New York: Prentice Hall Press.