The Bible is NOT Error-Free

by FusionTheism in

for many christians, the bible is viewed as the 100% error-free, perfect book straight from god, where every single word was carefully chosen by god for a reason.

but, usually, when you have a discussion on the topic, these christians will end up saying that only the original copies written directly from the hands of the prophets and apostles were error-free, and all manuscript copies since then are subject to copyist mistakes and other errors.. since zero original copies are in existence, how do we know the originals were error-free?

why should we think the originals should be error-free to begin with?

Splash

Fisherman But regardless of anyone's view today about that law, does not invalidate the Bible from being inspired.

If the Bible contradicts itself, in your view would that indicate the Bible is not inspired?

If it states something that is provably incorrect, would that indicate it is not inspired?

Even if the Bible was inspired does that actually make a difference to how relevant it is to us today, or does it just mean it was inspired but that adds nothing of substance to it being any more useful as an ancient book?

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Is this doctrine still in in effect?

by WasOnceBlind in

so something i never knew was the fact jw's were taught that jesus is only the mediator for the anointed class and not for everyone.

i only found this out after reading "crisis of conscience" and i was actually pretty shocked to learn so.

if that is the case, when they pray why even bother saying the words "in the name of jesus christ we ask"?

Splash

Datadog has explained the doctrine, the WT teach these two positions:

1. Jesus is mediator for only the anointed.

2. Jesus is intercessor for the non anointed.

This begs the questions Whats the difference? and, before Jesus died who interceded prayers?

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Where are the Young Elders?

by James Jack in

i was appointed as an elder when i turned 30, 25 years ago.

which was the norm back then.. now, i very rarely here of a young man becoming an elder.

in our town we have 2 english congregations.

Splash

Maybe they have lost Jehovah's holy spirit when it comes to appointments, since they changed the method of appointment away from being scriptural:

WHO APPOINTS ELDERS?

The GB - w08 10/15 p. 23 par. 12 Do You Take the Lead in Showing Honor?
"First, it is Scriptural for "the faithful and discreet slave" through its Governing Body to appoint men to positions of responsibility."

Circuit Overseers - Letter to Body of Elders 7/3/14/E
Dear Brothers:
1. As previously announced, effective September 1, 2014, circuit overseers will be responsible for the appointment and deletion of elders and ministerial servants. This letter provides further direction regarding this adjustment.

So if it was 'scriptural' in 2008, did it become unscriptural in 2014, or was it actually unscriptural in 2008 all along?

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Where are the Young Elders?

by James Jack in

i was appointed as an elder when i turned 30, 25 years ago.

which was the norm back then.. now, i very rarely here of a young man becoming an elder.

in our town we have 2 english congregations.

Splash

In the last 25 years at my hall we've had ONE ministerial servant appointed as an elder.

The MS was about 55 when this happened.

In the same time frame we had three elders die from old age and two others reduce their activity on the platform due to age.

The average age of our elder body is now in the high 60's, with no elder under 50.

We had a few elders move in from elsewhere, but that's movement, not increase.

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Two creation stories in the bible, why have I never noticed this??

by purrpurr in

i'm reading a very interesting book right now "your god is too small" by the atheist republic.

it makes the point that there are two creation accounts in the bible!.

in one humans are created after the animals in the second humans are created before the animals.

Splash

I don't see the contradiction in the creation accounts.
The second account reads:

(Genesis 2:18, 19) Then Jehovah God said: “It is not good for the man to continue to be alone. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.” Now Jehovah God had been forming from the ground every wild animal of the field and every flying creature of the heavens, and he began bringing them to the man to see what he would call each one;

God 'HAD' been forming... It's past tense. Other translations I looked at render it the same or similar.

This says that God created Adam, and the animals God HAD created were then brought to Adam to name.
It doesn't say that Adam was created, then animals were created afterwards.

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Australian Football player Alex Rance

by Mattieu in

how can i describe alex rance?

if i was from the uk or europe, imagine your best football goal keeper.

if from the usa, imagine your best defence player in the nfl.

Splash

That will offend the elders, that he ignored their 'wisdom' and counsel. I doubt they would refuse any of his "self-glory" riches though.

They will get vindictive when he starts modeling underwear and releasing his own fashion/male products/grooming lines.

Let's be honest, any of those elders would give a limb if they could earn what he does, but there's just not that much pay for low skilled manual labour.

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Changes for Volunteers at Conventions and Assemblies in Spain

by RayPublisher in

someone sent me this from jwtalk.

a guy on there just posted this regarding changes to the way the jws volunteer at conventions in spain and the changes seem fairly major:.

we had a special meeting today called a training session for volunteers.

Splash

I wonder if someone had an accident, or worse, and the society had to unravel some of it's KHAA insurance fund.

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Royal Commission into Child Abuse - Australia

by biometrics in

saw this in the paper today:.

the jehovah's witnesses church in australia is the latest religious group to come to the attention of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.. the child sex abuse royal commission will hold a public hearing into controversial christian group the jehovah's witnesses, next month.. the inquiry, to be held in sydney, will hear from people who were allegedly sexually abused within the jehovah's witnesses church in australia.. it will examine how the jehovah's witnesses church and its company, the watchtower bible and tract society of australia, responded to claims of child sexual abuse within the organisation.. a victorian inquiry into how churches handle child sex abuse claims has previously taken submissions from former jehovah's witnesses who alleged instances of paedophilia, sexual assault, blackmail and death threats.. the organisation has 64,000 active "disciples" in australia but has also been described as a cult.. jehovah's witnesses believe their church is the one true religion and all others are wrong.

they are among a number of religious groups which have been examined by the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse including the catholics, anglicans, australian christian churches and the salvation army.. the jehovah's witnesses australian headquarters has been contacted for comment about the inquiry which is scheduled to begin on july 27.. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nsw/jehovahs-witnesses-to-appear-before-sex-abuse-royal-commission-20150622-ghue73.html.

Splash

I can't imagine trying to defend a policy where an abused minor has to relive the intimate details in front of three old men, then being told they are in the wrong because there was not another witness to the abuse, and if they say anything they will be in huge trouble.

Oh, and by the way, the man being accused has a history of abuse but no-one was allowed to share that information so people could protect themselves.

For an organisation that takes pride in how it looks to everyone else, denies there's a problem and denies they practise shunning, this public stream will knock down many of their walls.

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