leaving_quietly

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Posts by leaving_quietly

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  15

  Why is Paradise Earth to be taken literally?

  by I_love_Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  why do the jehovah's witnesses feel that paradise earth is a literal place?.

  i posted this question in yahoo answers if anyone is interested: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20150125163818aatmbtr.

  why believe poetic promised land prophecy is to be taken literally, but scriptures saying the earth will end must be taken figuratively?

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  leaving_quietly

  @FayeDunaway, that is my understanding, as well, after reading the Bible for myself. Try introducing THAT at the meetings, though! Ha!
  
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  15

  Why is Paradise Earth to be taken literally?

  by I_love_Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  why do the jehovah's witnesses feel that paradise earth is a literal place?.

  i posted this question in yahoo answers if anyone is interested: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20150125163818aatmbtr.

  why believe poetic promised land prophecy is to be taken literally, but scriptures saying the earth will end must be taken figuratively?

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  leaving_quietly

  The Jews did not have any idea of inheriting a paradise in heaven. Biblical and secular history proves that the Jews up to Christ's time looked to a restored earthly paradise. So when the Jews questioned him about how to “inherit everlasting life,” they were also confirming that the promises found in Psalms were of a literal earth (Mt 19:16; Lk 10:25-27).

  No, the Jews did not have any idea of going to heaven at all. However, when Christ came, things changed.

  “The Law and the Prophets were until John. From then on, the Kingdom of God is being declared as good news, and every sort of person is pressing forward toward it. 17 Indeed, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to go unfulfilled. - Luke 16:16, 17

  Christ offered the hope of heavenly life, and his apostles echoed it. (John 14:1-4; 2 Cor 5:1,2; Phil 3:13-21; Col 1:3-5; 1 Pet 1:4)

  Christians did not have the hope of paradise earth. Consider this: if they did, wouldn't at least ONE of them have spoken about it? But not a single one did. There isn't a single expression from Peter, Paul, James or John about a paradise earth. Of course, a paradise earth WOULD be good news, wouldn't it? If that were the case, then why did Paul say what he said at Gal 1:6-8? Especially verses 8 and 9. Even an ANGEL would be cursed if a DIFFERENT good news were declared. Something serious to think about.

  In addition, Ephesians 4:4 talks about "the one hope", not "two distinct hopes". (w13 12/15 p. 25 par. 13)

  The only way around the passages above is to say that the Greek Scriptures were written primarily for the anointed. (w08 1/15 p. 22 par. 11) That is a whole other discussion, and has all the markings of 'shutting up the Kingdom of the heavens.' (Matt 23:13)
  

  
  
  
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  15

  Why is Paradise Earth to be taken literally?

  by I_love_Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  why do the jehovah's witnesses feel that paradise earth is a literal place?.

  i posted this question in yahoo answers if anyone is interested: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20150125163818aatmbtr.

  why believe poetic promised land prophecy is to be taken literally, but scriptures saying the earth will end must be taken figuratively?

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  leaving_quietly

  You may, but I want to state that I don't believe that there will literally be a new earth. At least, not at this point. My only point was that there is more explicit Biblical proof for a literal new earth than a literal paradise earth. At least the former can be found in the Bible, while the latter cannot.

  "new earth" 4      "paradise earth" 0
  

  
  BTW, I'd love to see your final notes when you're done, if you wouldn't mind sharing.
  
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  15

  Why is Paradise Earth to be taken literally?

  by I_love_Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  why do the jehovah's witnesses feel that paradise earth is a literal place?.

  i posted this question in yahoo answers if anyone is interested: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20150125163818aatmbtr.

  why believe poetic promised land prophecy is to be taken literally, but scriptures saying the earth will end must be taken figuratively?

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  leaving_quietly

  For example, look at Ps 45:6 speaking of Christ’s eternal kingdom kingdom rule is found in poetic verses. And ALL the verses speaking of God’s eternity are in “poetic” sections of the Bible (See the poetic formatting in RSV, NEB, NIV, NAB, etc.).
  
  For example, look at Ps 45:6 speaking of Christ’s eternal kingdom rule and the corroborating quote at Heb 1:8: Christ’s throne is “forever and ever.”

  Will Christ rule forever? Or is it that the throne of the Kingdom is forever? 1 Cor 15:24-28

  
  

  Finally, Rev.21:3,4 shows that God’s original purpose would be realized. The ultimate outcome is God will be with HUMANKIND and there will be “no more death.”
  
  So Witnesses base their teaching on what God's Word *explicitly* states.

  Here's the thing, though. The Bible doesn't explicitly state anything about a "paradise earth". Period. Nowhere to be found. What CAN be found, however, are references to a "new earth". Isa 65:17, Isa 66:22, 2 Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1 (yep, same passage as the famed Rev 21:3,4). Also, "the re-creation" in Matt 19:28.

  If anyone's teachings are based on what the Bible *explicitly* states, then we would have to conclude that there will literally be a new earth.
  

  
  
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  72

  Last nights meeting...

  by DATA-DOG in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i know dubs are delusional.

  i know dubs don't reason well.

  i know dubs are a bit off, like many groups.

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  leaving_quietly

  Ugh... I have to sit through this this week.

  
  I was wondering if there was even ONE children's video about Christ. So, I went and looked. The only one that looked promising what the Caleb video "Forgive Freely" based on Eph 4:32. So, I watched it. And in there, the father opened the Bible and read it. He said, "He reminds us at Ephesians 4:32. It says, 'God freely forgave you'." The "He" that the father mentioned was Jehovah.

  I looked up Eph 4:32. It says: "But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you."

  The LEFT OUT "also by Christ"! Not even a mention of Christ in the ENTIRE video! If you're going to show the Bible being opened and read from, at least read ALL of the verse, not just the parts you want.
  

  I would have thought with the chalkboard and counting of the errors of Caleb and Sophia, they would have at least referred to Christ saying to forgive up to 77 times. But, no. Not a mention of Christ at all.
  

  
  
  
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  92

  GB says, "Our way of worship will soon be altered."

  by Separation of Powers in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my mom called me yesterday to ask how i was doing.

  i hadn't seen her in a while, so it was nice to hear her voice.

  we went through the motions of jw small talk and then she started telling me about her co visit from last week.

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  leaving_quietly

  Our C.O. recently said that more changes are coming, too. We'll see. However, I'm convinced C.O.s don't know anything more than the rest of us. Before the release of the RNWT, this same C.O. publically addressed the shortage of Bibles and said the reason we didn't have any was because the GB was focusing on foreign language Bibles, and not to speculate about a new Bible because that's not the reason for the shortage. Not a month later and the RNWT was released.
  
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  19

  Has the WT ever specifically said in print that GB is NOT the FDS in contradiction of current position?

  by Pubsinger in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  just out of interest.

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  leaving_quietly

  That '81 article is pretty damaging to it's current position. If I ever get asked if I believe that the FDS is God's channel for communication on earth today, I will say something to the effect of: "How can I believe that when they where confused as to who the FDS even was until 98 years after Christ was enthroned! They didn't even realize when they were appointed, and what they were appointed over. How can I believe that they are God's channel if they couldn't get that on simple thing straight 100 years ago?"
  

  
  
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  13

  Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) do you feel it?

  by sparrowdown in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  autonomous sensory meridian response.. any thoughts about or experiences with this sensation?.

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  leaving_quietly

  Wow... twice inside of as many days I came across this condition.I wasn't looking for it... was actually searching for a specific song by a soft-voiced female singer, but couldn't remember any of the words. But, can't get the tune or tone of voice out of my head. Came across this.
  

  http://mentalfloss.com/article/53220/listening-soft-voices-can-cause-brain-orgasms

  
  
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  119

  How many of you followed the WTS direction on education years ago and have been screwed by it?

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm really interested in this question because i've heard for years that if you forgo further education and go pioneering, when you have a family down the track you will get a good job because jehovah will provide for you because you pioneered.

  as long as i was a kool-aid drinker, even then, i thought, "how does pioneering pay your bills?

  surely education should come first.

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  leaving_quietly

  I'm fortunate that I have a talent in my chosen career. It's paid me well, so I'm living proof that one does not necessarily need a college education to succeed. I realize that my situation is unique. Most people in my profession DO need a college education. I happen to excel naturally at what I do. That said, I have indeed lost out on opportunities SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I didn't have a degree. Am I bitter about it? A little. It definitely took me a lot longer to get where I'm at.

  What I'm more bitter about is the admonition the organization gave years ago about not saving for retirement. I started very late, and currently have very little to show for it. The end was supposed to be here a long time ago. When it comes time for me to retire, well, just forget about it. I'm pretty sure I'll be working till the day I die.
  
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  53

  Display of National Flags in Kingdom Halls in Chile: WTS' Response

  by BluesBrother in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  remember this and other threads a few months back, on the subject that some kingdom halls in chile acquiesced to govt rules that every building should display the national flag on the day of celebration?.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/262505/kingdom-hall-chile-has-national-flag?size=20&page=1.

  many of us here and around the net, calling on our dub experiences cried "never would that happen!

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  leaving_quietly

  Luke 12:7: "Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."