Posts by pseudoxristos

1

Significant Coptic Text discovered.

by pseudoxristos in

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pseudo

Follow the Star All the Way to Bethlehem

by Schizm in

jw
friends

the report below serves as an excellent example of the shallow understanding that people in general have regarding the so-called "star of bethlehem".

notice that the "star" is held in awe ... some sort of an object that satan himself caused to glow in the dark in order to cause the premature death of jesus.

satan's worst nightmare is jesus, was back then, and still is.

pseudoxristos

Schizm,

The first few chapters of the book of Matthew, including the narrative about the Magi, contain some of the most obvious exaggerations and inaccuracies to be found in the entire Bible.

Matthew starts off with the claim that throughout history the theme of 14 generations repeated itself until the time of Jesus.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. Matt 1:17 (NRSV)

Apparently the author of Matthew couldn?t count. Not only does his claim conflict with other parts of the Bible, it conflicts with his own statements. He lists only 13 generations from Abraham to David, unless you count Abraham as the first generation. He next lists 14 generations from David to Jechoniah, but from Jechoniah to Jesus there are again only 13 generations.

Even more interesting is comparison of Matthew?s genealogy list with Luke?s list. In Luke, if we don?t count Abraham, there are 14 generations from Abraham to David. The difference is that Luke includes Arni and Admin in place of Matthew?s Aram. From this point on, things get even worse. In Luke, there are 42 generations from David to Jesus, compared to Matthew?s 27 generations

Starting at Matthew 1:22, the author attempts to portray the events of Jesus? birth and the events surrounding his birth as foretold through the prophets. This continues through Matthew 3:3.

22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." Matt 1:22-23 (NRSV)

5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" Matt 2:5-6 (NRSV)

14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." Matt 2:14-15 (NRSV)

17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more." Matt 2:17-18 (NRSV)

22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean." Matt 2:22-23 (NRSV)

3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" Matt 3:3 (NRSV)

In slightly more than one chapter, the author has presented 6 prophecies that have been fulfilled by the birth of Jesus. Like many of the authors from the first century, it seems obvious that he is not above exaggerating the truth to support his claims.

Moving on to the narrative about the Magi, it should be obvious to anyone in their right mind that you cannot follow a star to a specific location such as a town, much less a specific house in that town. The Magi would have known this. The story is pure fiction.

pseudo

22

Gehenna

by Leolaia in

as john day discusses in his book on the god moloch, it is well known that in jewish literature and in the nt, gehenna is a term for the fiery portion of the underworld where the resurrected dead are destined to be punished (e.g.

4 ezra 7:36; 2 baruch 59:10, 85:13; mark 9:43, 45, 47), and gehenna itself derives from the aramaic name for the valley of hinnom, gehinnam, the valley to the southeast of jerusalem.

as an eschatological term, gehenna is constantly associated with fires that bring punishment to the wicked.

pseudoxristos

Leolaia,

There is a popular notion (endorsed by the Watchtower Society) that Gehenna became the term for Hell because there was a garbage dump there which was constantly being burnt up by an incinerator and that corpses were thrown onto it. However, besides the fact that cremation was unusual for the time, there is no archaeological support for this view and no ancient writer mentions it. It is found for the first time only about A.D. 1200 in Kimhi's commentary on Psalm 27:13:

After finally having a chance to look into this, I've found the practically everything I read on the subject suggests that the valley of Hinnom was a garbage dump. The Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary says the following:

Because of its nearness to Potters Street (cf. 18:1) and the consequent dumping of a lot of potters? rubbish just outside it, one gate of Jerusalem was known as Potsherd Gate. This gate led to a valley known either as the valley of the son of Hinnom, after a previous owner, or as Topheth. This 2 nd name may originally have had other vowels, e.g. Tephath (see above on 7:16-20). ?Tephath? may have had a particular significance which is now lost, or it may have been just a place name. Because of its previous association with child-sacrifice cults, Josiah made this valley into a garbage dump for the city (II Kings 23:10) and it smoldered continually with rubbish fires. When the doctrine of an afterlife with rewards and punishments became widespread among the Jews ? during the 2 nd and 1 st cents. B.C. ? (?valley of?) Hinnom was corrupted into Gehenna, the NT term for hell.
- Interpreter?s One-Volume Commentary, page 386a ?

2 Kings 23:10 (NRSV), suggests that Josiah defiled (garbage dump???) Topheth.

10 He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom, so that no one would make a son or a daughter pass through fire as an offering to Molech. - 2 Kings 23:10 (NRSV)

Can you offer a little more information on the idea that the valley of Hinnom was not a garbage dump, or be a little more specific on what is meant by Josiah's "desecration" of the valley?

pseudo

84

Urgent Plea from Jehovah by One of His Anointed (sacred secret revealed)

by Brownboy in

in all of my postings i have sounded out a message of warning to all of those that cared to listen.

we are at the point where a warning is in the form of a solemn plea.

i am revealing to you a secret that most everyone has always asked.

pseudoxristos

"Jehovah will first cause your heart to beat heavily.", "You then begin to sense the taste of blood in your mouth.", "And finally, you feel a distinct impression on your forehead."

Have you ever considered getting a "Frontal lobotomy?"

pseudo

126

Does the Bible scare anyone else here sometimes?

by missy04 in

maybe i'm just messed up, but i get really freaked out sometimes.

i can't understand the bible,.....in some places it seems like it's saying all you have to do is one or two things, then it seems like it's saying you have to do different things to be saved.... so many different people and religions have so many different takes on the bible.

i don't know which to beleive, and it scares me that if i beleived the wrong thing that i could go to hell, or just go to sleep forever as the witnesses say.

pseudoxristos

Leolaia,

I see the error of my logic (or lack of logic). Thanks for the clarification.

pseudo

126

Does the Bible scare anyone else here sometimes?

by missy04 in

maybe i'm just messed up, but i get really freaked out sometimes.

i can't understand the bible,.....in some places it seems like it's saying all you have to do is one or two things, then it seems like it's saying you have to do different things to be saved.... so many different people and religions have so many different takes on the bible.

i don't know which to beleive, and it scares me that if i beleived the wrong thing that i could go to hell, or just go to sleep forever as the witnesses say.

pseudoxristos

afin,

There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking at the NT within its historical context. In order to do this it is necessary to look at non-canonical writings of the Jews prior to and during the first century. I never said that you had to base your faith on their content. If you refuse to examine how early Christians fit within the Jewish society of that time period, then that is your choice.

pseudo

126

Does the Bible scare anyone else here sometimes?

by missy04 in

maybe i'm just messed up, but i get really freaked out sometimes.

i can't understand the bible,.....in some places it seems like it's saying all you have to do is one or two things, then it seems like it's saying you have to do different things to be saved.... so many different people and religions have so many different takes on the bible.

i don't know which to beleive, and it scares me that if i beleived the wrong thing that i could go to hell, or just go to sleep forever as the witnesses say.

pseudoxristos

afin,

Have you followed the links I gave you?

Here are a two abbreviated quotes from Jewish writings prior to the NT.

(17)After our death in this fashion Abraham and Isaac and Jacob will receive us, and all our forefathers will praise us." (18)And to each one of the brothers as they were dragged away, those who were left said, "Do not shame us, brother, nor be traitor to our brothers who have already died."
(36)Then the place of torment shall appear, and over against it the place of rest; the furnace of hell shall be displayed, and on the opposite side the paradise of delight.

Follow the links, read the information, and come back with a reasonable argument in support of the NWT's placement of the comma.

pseudo

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/63386/973216/post.ashx#973216
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/63946/988434/post.ashx#988434

126

Does the Bible scare anyone else here sometimes?

by missy04 in

maybe i'm just messed up, but i get really freaked out sometimes.

i can't understand the bible,.....in some places it seems like it's saying all you have to do is one or two things, then it seems like it's saying you have to do different things to be saved.... so many different people and religions have so many different takes on the bible.

i don't know which to beleive, and it scares me that if i beleived the wrong thing that i could go to hell, or just go to sleep forever as the witnesses say.

pseudoxristos

afin,

It only fits if Jesus and the criminal were still alive the next day. I pretty sure that you do not believe that they were.

Here are a couple of links to previous threads concerning the afterlife beliefs of the Jews prior to and during the first century.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/63386/973216/post.ashx#973216
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/63946/988434/post.ashx#988434

pseudo

126

Does the Bible scare anyone else here sometimes?

by missy04 in

maybe i'm just messed up, but i get really freaked out sometimes.

i can't understand the bible,.....in some places it seems like it's saying all you have to do is one or two things, then it seems like it's saying you have to do different things to be saved.... so many different people and religions have so many different takes on the bible.

i don't know which to beleive, and it scares me that if i beleived the wrong thing that i could go to hell, or just go to sleep forever as the witnesses say.

pseudoxristos

afin,

"I'm telling you tonight, it will rain tomorrow." (for instance').

A little better, but still not quite right.

Unfortunately it assumes that we will both be alive tomorrow to see if what you are telling me "tonight" is in-fact accurate. So it still does not quite fit.

Have you looked into what was commonly believed about the afterlife just prior to the first century?

pseudo

126

Does the Bible scare anyone else here sometimes?

by missy04 in

maybe i'm just messed up, but i get really freaked out sometimes.

i can't understand the bible,.....in some places it seems like it's saying all you have to do is one or two things, then it seems like it's saying you have to do different things to be saved.... so many different people and religions have so many different takes on the bible.

i don't know which to beleive, and it scares me that if i beleived the wrong thing that i could go to hell, or just go to sleep forever as the witnesses say.

pseudoxristos

afin,

I'll give you a 'for instance'. Tonight, I am posting on this site. Does that mean there is some deep, mysterious reason I used the word tonight? I used a comma too.

Your example is not really equivalent to the manner in which the idiom was modified in Luke 23:43.

A better example would be something similar to the following:

?Dude I?m telling you tonight I am posting on this site.?

If you did not normally use commas and you constantly used the phrase ?Dude I?m telling you?, most people would recognize ?Dude I?m telling you? as an idiom and assume that a comma would normally follow the idiom. Unless there was some significant reason, the comma would always follow the idiom. So, the above phrase would read as follows:

?Dude I?m telling you, tonight I am posting on this site.?

It is not at all surprising that Jesus or the writer of Luke would have believed in a literal Hell. This is not to say that they believed exactly what many people today believe about Hell, but it is obvious that they were influenced by teachings that had become popular prior to the first century.

pseudo