Posts by smmcroberts

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

EndofMysteries: "No it's time to read the hebrew scriptures as they were written, not by the faulty english translations of them. "

So now we all need to learn Hebrew? What about "God revealed himself to the unlettered?"

More importantly, if God wanted his "word" understood, then why would he allow all these faulty English translations to exist? If it was really his "word" then you'd think he would've seen to it that it was translated properly (especially since, according to the Bible, he was the cause of different languages existing.)

Do you really think that if we read the Bible in Hebrew it would no longer depict its god as a blood-thirsty dope? Would he no longer command "his people" to rip open the bellies of pregnant women and "not feel sorry"? Would it say "suffer witches to live"? Would Jonah make his trip to Nineveh unswallowed and unspewed by a great fish?

I have my doubts.

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

mP,

I don't know why you insist on arguing with me when I already said I agree with you.

Don't you get it? I'm assuming the argument of a Christian. I am not one myself. I don't "claim Paul and Jesus are good and just"; Christians do.

Maybe it works for you, but when I come at believers blasting both barrels and telling them Jesus is immoral they shut down on me. So, I'm trying a more gradual approach: Can they at least see, as a first step, that the OT is immoral nonsense? Okay, then in a future discussion, after they've gotten used to that idea they may be more receptive to hearing the points you are making (and which I have made myself in other articles) regarding the immorality of the NT.

You may not agree with my approach [I'm not sure it will work, myself, but think it's worth a try], but I don't see why you say "it makes no sense."

Peace, bro! We are in agreement; I'm just trying a less forceful approach.

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

mP & WTWizard: I agree with everything you say. My blog is just an attempt at a different strategy. We often assume the argument of believers in order to point out inherent inconsistencies. It doesn't mean we believe the argument.

It's difficult to pull the rug out from under someone's feet without giving them some sort of temporary crutch to cling to in the meantime. Since the full-frontal attack of "The entire Bible is nonsense" falls on deaf ears, then why not try a step-by-step approach:

1. You as a Christian believe Jesus was a perfectly moral individual and taught us about God.

2. You believe that Jesus taught that his God was merciful and loving.

3. The OT clearly shows a vengeful God, and has many stories that we know are false.

4. What if I showed you a way to easily retain your Jesus and NT while letting go of the OT that is an embarrassment to Christianity?

Once we reach that point [having eliminated over half of the Bible], then we can start examining points 1 and 2 as the second phase, starting with something like What Would Jesus Do?

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

Yes, Glenster, of course the boastful tales of the Israelites exterminating entire nations of people with few or no casualties to themselves are fictions. Their writings that claim some god ordered them to commit genocide are also fiction. Their descriptions of a vengeful god are also fiction...

How much more do Christians need before they can admit that the OT is largely a fiction; the god it describes is not the one they want to worship; and they abandon their stance that the OT is "inspired by God"?

If I keep a journal, and in an early entry I write:

God is vengeful, jealous, and angry: quick to punish the wrongdoer, and punishes his decendants down to the third or fourth generation. He loves the smell of burning flesh, and will only forgive sins if you slaughter an animal. He also wants us to butcher the children of our enemies without mercy.

And then 10 years later I write:

God is love. He overflows with undeserved loving kindness, is quick to forgive, cares about every little sparrow, loves little children, and wants mercy, not sacrifice. He also wants us to love our enemies. And he never changes.

You might say I "progressed in my faith" or something like that. But if you agreed with my more recent journal entry you couldn't honestly say that my 10 year-old entry was "inspired by God". Why would God inspire me (or anyone) to depict him the opposite of what we now believe him to be? It doesn't make sense. If the more recent journal entry is correct then the old one wasn't correct; it did not depict the same god in any sense. (Personally I'd say neither was correct, but I'm trying to depict the Christian stance here and show its inconsistency.) Why does anyone believe these opposite depictions of their god when they are found in the Bible?

If Christians want any semblance of consistency they need to dump the OT. They still have problems after that, but I can't see why they would want to keep this albatross around their neck.

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

glenster: In other words, the people were more HUMANe than the god their priests had created. The prophets etc., make up the law: "God says you must stone your sassy sons". But the people, with their inherent empathy, reintepret the command so that they don't stone their sons. Humankind's own empathy is shown, once again, to be more moral than the gods foisted upon them.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way. As we all know, the JW's have had their sense of empathy over-ridden by the laws of the WT when it comes to such things as blood transfusions and shunning.

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

@MrFreeze: LOL! I like that explanation!

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

CA: It sounds like you didn't read the blog.

Qcmbr: That Marcion was my kind of guy! At least insofar as he could see that Jehovah was a radically different god than the one Jesus reputedly called "father".

47

It's Time to Dump the Hebrew Scriptures.

by smmcroberts in

why do christian religions continue to pretend that the hebrew scriptures (aka the old testament) is god-inspired and that it describes a loving god?

don't they see that the ot is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

please read my blog to see why i think christianity should dispense with the ot all together:.

smmcroberts

Why do Christian religions continue to pretend that the Hebrew Scriptures (aka the Old Testament) is God-inspired and that it describes a loving God? Don't they see that the OT is largely an embarrassment to its believers?

Please read my blog to see why I think Christianity should dispense with the OT all together:
http://smmcroberts.net/blog/dispensing-with-the-hebrew-scriptures/

15

Come one Come all to the Jehovah's Witness Circus of Horrors!!

by Terry in

step right up ladies and gentlemen...step right up!.

behold the spectacle of spectacles in the center ring!.

in the bigtop you'll stare in amazement as parents deny lifesaving medical intervention for their innocent children, refuse higher education and turn their backs on charities for the poor and while claiming to be christian!.

smmcroberts

Margarett: " Dying after refusing blood equals dying 'from' refusing blood. This is irresponsible."

Margarett, I lost a lot of blood when I underwent surgery to correct the curved spine your Jehovah gave me when I was born. You can play games with your semantics all you like, but if I had refused blood I would've died.THAT would've been irresponsible. Irresponsible of me for not having researched the facts about blood transfusion [just about the safest medical procedure there is], and irresponsible of the people who had lied to me about blood (the publishers of the Watchtower). Fortunately for me I did the research, so I am still alive 25 years later, and can respond to your cold-hearted post.

I have dontated whole blood, and now donate platelets. I'm truly sorry that you refuse them for yourself and any children you may have due to your leaders' lies and misunderstanding. But I'm glad to know that at least non-Witnesses are having their lives saved. It's much better than anything I ever did as a Witness.

You can learn the real truth about blood and why the Watchtower is dead wrong from my online blood course.

BTW: The Bible Students didn't get anything right in any of their predictions. 1914 was supposed to be the END of the "last days" not the START of "last days" that would last a generation -- and now generations... They've never gotten anything right, so why trust their stance on blood?

The WT is a bloody mother!

by smmcroberts in

i wrote my latest blog while donating platelets at my local red cross.

it gives the #1 reason why the wt stance on blood is wrong, cutting through all their defenses.. please take a look and let me know what you think!.

http://smmcroberts.net/blog/the-watchtower-a-bloody-mother-thou-art/.

smmcroberts

I wrote my latest blog while donating platelets at my local Red Cross. It gives the #1 reason why the WT stance on blood is wrong, cutting through all their defenses.

Please take a look and let me know what you think!

http://smmcroberts.net/blog/the-watchtower-a-bloody-mother-thou-art/

Then, please go donate some blood! It's one of the best ways to thumb your nose at the GB while doing something good for humanity.

Thanks!!!