Posts by Perry

the watchtower of december 2015 reports the following reaction of a family with four teenagers in the country of rwanda with the publication of the nwt, and how grateful they were for it.

the wt magazine said: .

things changed when the new world translation in their language became available.

Perry

Assuming for a moment that Jesus was an actual, real person, then where he is ... is dead ... and has been for a very long time.

Heaven,

That tomb was EMPTY. Many people have been converted to Christianity just by examining the facts surrounding the resurrection alone.

But aside from the logical conclusions. there is the experiential knowledge that believers get when they are "born again". When a person asks God "to come into their heart", they are giving permission for God to "posses" them by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God and who specifically bears witness to the deity of Jesus as well.

Shortly after being "born again" I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit around 4am one morning while studying and praying. I had direct and intimate knowledge that I had just met Jesus. Quite outside of my cognition or "will" but certainly voluntarily, I audibly confessed these words, "He's alive". At that moment, I had passed over from believing that Jesus was resurrected, to knowing that Jesus is alive. I remember that incident quite well...some ten years ago now.

Born again Christians know Jesus, primarily because he lives inside of them:

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another COMFORTER, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14: 15-17)

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God - Romans 8: 16

I can tell you from experience that knowing God the way a person does after he is born again is WAY better that the logical induction/deduction methods we are stuck with without this intimacy and knowing.

33

Can any believer make a case for the superiority of faith over knowledge?

by Half banana in

i find it curious why so many here on this site, in the face of factual evidence for things such as evolution and the impossibility for anyone to make a coherent interpretation for the bible, would still prefer faith to knowledge?.

can any believer attempt a defence of this position?.

Perry

Here's a short list of a few folks who started their investigation of the bible to disprove it and became Christian believers.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

I myself became a Christian in no small part by studying atheist accusations on this very discussion board. Fond memories.

CARM and Christian Think Tank can also be very helpful to those seeking "a coherent explanation of the bible", that you suggest doesn't exist. It most assuredly does.

25

Evil Bible

by Simon in

hadn't seen this site before, i thought i'd share it:.

http://www.evilbible.com/.

Perry

I have never researched any accusation made against the bible and found it to hold water. In fact many people have become real Christians just by studying atheist accusations. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

I highly encourage it.

Here's a critique of "evil bible".

Also, the field of apologetics is dedicated to examining "problem" areas that some are troubled by. Mostly, people are troubled by a great many things except their sin before a just, holy and righteous God who will judge people AFTER they die. Regardless of the outcome of that judgement, not one of us here will ever be able to stop being conscious....ever. It is part of our fallen nature to simply excuse ourselves rather than look to a Savior who deals with the problem of sin at the systemic level.

I have personally found CARM and Christian Think Tank to be very helpful. However, these are just web based ministries. Many bible colleges provide more in depth investigation into atheist claims.

Great claims by atheists require great proof.

33

Can any believer make a case for the superiority of faith over knowledge?

by Half banana in

i find it curious why so many here on this site, in the face of factual evidence for things such as evolution and the impossibility for anyone to make a coherent interpretation for the bible, would still prefer faith to knowledge?.

can any believer attempt a defence of this position?.

Perry

I find it curious why so many here on this site, in the face of factual evidence for things such as evolution and the impossibility for anyone to make a coherent interpretation for the Bible, would still prefer faith to knowledge?

I find it curious how in spite of the utter failure of science to explain how life began some people would try to stuff the evidence.

From a dynamic point of view, it is impossible to know God - or rather to be known by God without faith. As JW's we rejected the new covenant offered by Jesus which is necessary to make friends with Him. Since it is soooo obvious that our attempts to deal with Jehovah directly through the Watchtower ended in so much pain and suffering, I myself wonder what took me so long to figure it out. Took me 8 to 10 years.

The reason that God puts so much emphasis on faith, even to the point as to making it one of the necessary components (grace through faith) that makes us righteous (ie. have the right to life) is because we have the possibility of a reciprocal relationship with someone who not only knows everything, but also knows everything that can and will ever be discovered in all of eternity future. That changes everything.

12

I had a bizarre dream the other night

by Freeandclear in

jw
friends

quick recap.

i'm 44, been df'd about a 10 months.

got baptized when i was 18, in and out of the borg for years due to guilt.

Perry

All the attendants were going round taking the count and they were dressed really weird. They had on these very bright colored flowing outfits that looked like feathers but all rainbow colored and they had these long feathery things on the ends of their arms and hands. Very strange. I think they were trying to impress the children and also they were taking donations.

That's pretty creepy. Just your subconscious trying to make sense of things at the intuitive level.

44

Should I get babtized?

by BlackWolf in

jw
friends

i know this sounds like a ridiculous question but i was talking with my mom in the car today and of course we got on the topic of getting babtized again.

she told me that jehovah holds me accountable for my sins regardless of wether i am babtized or not so i have no reason to be holding back because it won't change anything.

my parents are the type of super strict jw who will shun you just for not being a witness.

Perry

I would question them constantly on the issue of justification.

It's a big word I know. All it means is "how we get our sins forgiven."

Read Matthew 26: 27 & 28 from the NWT :

As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf, and after saying a blessing, he broke it, and giving it to the disciples, he said: “Take, eat. This means my body.” And taking a cup, he offered thanks and gave it to them, saying: “Drink out of it, all of you, for this means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.

Tell them that you want to be shown from the New Testament how a person can get their sins forgiven OUTSIDE of the New Covenant. Assure them that once they can show you that scripture you'll be happy to get baptized.

When they start demanding that they ARE part of the New Covenant, even though they officially and very publicly show that they ARE NOT part of the NC each Memorial, ask to see a scriptural reference to people getting saved from judgment that reject the emblems.

When they cannot; remind them that the doctrines instituted by Jesus and the apostles cannot be changed without incurring a curse:

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. - Gal. 1: 8

Remind them that it is they that taught you to revere the scriptures and that your questions are sincere. You REALLY do not want to be judged by God for your sins.

Read up on the Reformation and how the issue of whether or not a person's church can save them was settled 500 years ago.

My website has some other info along these lines here. But keep it simple. Don't allow them to drag you into any other topic! Let this be your motto:

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Cor. 2:2