Good guess!
Here is an interesting book I read which would help you to think also in another angle.
https://www.amazon.com/FALL-Babylon-Great-America-Expanded-ebook/dp/B00X30HA4S
Ireneus
JoinedPosts by Ireneus
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How is Babylon the Great a kingdom in Revelation 17:18?
by jwdoctrine inin revelation 17:18 we read: "and the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”.
the watchtower's official position is that babylon the great is the worldwide false religion and nothing else but we never really think of babylon the great as a real country with physical borders and citizens?
i just finished writing an article on that, let me know what you think.how can babylon be a kingdom over other kingdoms in the last days?.
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You Know You're in the Wrong Religion When....
by Vanderhoven7 injust thought a review the following material many have contributed to might be helpful .
you know you are in the wrong religion:1. when the all important question is not: "do you believe in the lord jesus christ?"....but....
"do you believe in the "faithful and discreet slave" appointed in 1919?"2.
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Ireneus
From my association with JWs convinced me another point. Their spirituality remains stagnant—with the same spirituality level they had when they were associating with their former religion. This is because, once they are inside JW organization, they find that the focus of JWs are on the negative side of other religions—especially of the Christendom. It has its inevitable results: The more one dwells on what he doesn't want to see in others, the more of it he creates. What one puts his attention on grows. Thus they become more and more like the very organizations they publicly denounce!
This is in contrast to what Jesus said as of paramount importance which all the prophets summed up: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Mathew 7:12) Violation of this most important law which is the very foundation of all prophets means they flout all laws which means they fulfill the requirement of becoming the number 666 themselves.
Interestingly, context of this verse says: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Mathew 7:1, 2) In other words, don’t focus on the negatives of others; and if you do so, you will reap the same from others.
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You Know You're in the Wrong Religion When....
by Vanderhoven7 injust thought a review the following material many have contributed to might be helpful .
you know you are in the wrong religion:1. when the all important question is not: "do you believe in the lord jesus christ?"....but....
"do you believe in the "faithful and discreet slave" appointed in 1919?"2.
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Ireneus
Excellent summation!
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Jesus Christ—The Greatest Scientist (and Psychologist) who ever lived on earth!
by Ireneus inif we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) god which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to god in prayer (mark 1:35; john 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.. 1) jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about god’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in gospel had not been spoken/done by jesus).. 2) another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us.
(luke 17:21).
from his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree.
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Ireneus
I agree with Finkelstein
What Jesus really taught was beneficial to the true seeker. Unfortunately, his name was used by commercially minded people. Even the ship that was used to bring slaves from Africa was named Jesus.(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/311170655488138101/)
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Jesus Christ—The Greatest Scientist (and Psychologist) who ever lived on earth!
by Ireneus inif we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) god which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to god in prayer (mark 1:35; john 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.. 1) jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about god’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in gospel had not been spoken/done by jesus).. 2) another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us.
(luke 17:21).
from his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree.
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Ireneus
DATA-DOG, You could be right because Lao-tzu used to say:
“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream. At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.
He who knows much about others may be learned, but he who understands himself is more intelligent. He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still. Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. Who acts in stillness finds stillness in his life. If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be truly fulfilled. Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner. Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.If you realise that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. Rejoice in the way things are. When you realise there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve. Stop pushing yourself and feel gratitude and awe for what is. Your life is controlled by something far bigger and more significant than the petty details of your lofty aspirations.
In dwelling, be close to the land. In meditation, go deep in the heart. In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. In speech, be true. In ruling, be just. In business, be competent. In action, watch the timing. To attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things every day. If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present. Peace is our original state.”
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Jesus Christ—The Greatest Scientist (and Psychologist) who ever lived on earth!
by Ireneus inif we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) god which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to god in prayer (mark 1:35; john 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.. 1) jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about god’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in gospel had not been spoken/done by jesus).. 2) another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us.
(luke 17:21).
from his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree.
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Ireneus
If you (Jehalapeno) are asking ‘What empirical evidence I have that shows that God exists,’ that would change the subject of the OP. OP is my simple attempt to show that one can live in God’s kingdom even now, here, on earth, without waiting for it, using the enormous power that remains dormant in each one of us. Though proving existence of soul is not the subject, I have already mentioned in the OP how each individual can know such an entity exists in you -
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Jesus Christ—The Greatest Scientist (and Psychologist) who ever lived on earth!
by Ireneus inif we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) god which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to god in prayer (mark 1:35; john 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.. 1) jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about god’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in gospel had not been spoken/done by jesus).. 2) another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us.
(luke 17:21).
from his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree.
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Ireneus
Cofty wrote: “All the evidence from neuroscience shows that we are our brains. There is no 'ghost in the machine'.”
Let neuroscience come with full explanation. At present neuroscientists have only partial view. That is why you find both group in neuroscience—those who believe like you and those who believe ‘there is a ghost in the machine.’ Spiritual Brain--A Neuroscientist’s Case for the Existence of the Soul, written by Mario Beauregard and Denyse O’Leary)
It is true that when brain is damaged, or when brain chemistry is changed it affects functional activities of the mind because they are based on the physical substance of the brain (just like damage in the hardware of your computer would affect the functional activities of the software you use) because of which some may feel that the mind is what the brain does. It only says about the correlation between the mind and the brain; but would correlation imply causation?
Here is an interesting quote: “Has neuroscience revealed an empirical identity between psychological states and brain states? It clearly has not, nor does it seem that it ever could. What neuroscience does is to provide us with ever more precise descriptions of the goings-on in our brains that are correlated with our psychological states ….. Correlation is a far cry from identity; two phenomena can be perfectly correlated, without being identical.” (Mind, Matter and Nature, James Madden, page 108)
But Jesus was talking about something that has control even over mind. He was in link with God; hence to which level his consciousness would move we do not know because there are crude consciousness filled with physical reality, subtle consciousness filled with subtle reality, pure consciousness … etc. When the mind tells a physically crippled man ‘this is how I am, I can only accomplish this much’ it becomes a reality for him. But something in Stephen Hawking overruled his mind when it told him the same. That something is different from mind. That is why he could prove that one who has a physically challenging disability can overcome it in spirit and do even more than ‘able’ people can do.
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Jesus Christ—The Greatest Scientist (and Psychologist) who ever lived on earth!
by Ireneus inif we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) god which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to god in prayer (mark 1:35; john 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.. 1) jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about god’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in gospel had not been spoken/done by jesus).. 2) another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us.
(luke 17:21).
from his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree.
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Ireneus
If we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to Jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) God which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to God in prayer (Mark 1:35; John 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (Mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.
1) Jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (Mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about God’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in Gospel had not been spoken/done by Jesus).
2) Another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us. (Luke 17:21). From his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree. This shows some people had perfect control of their mind; some did have no control of their mind (like apostle Paul who lamented ‘what a miserable man I am who wants to do what is right yet does what is wrong’—Romans 7:19, 24-25); and others had some control of their mind in varying degree. This means one’s thinking creates his reality, as nicely put by Henry Ford: “Think you can, think you can't; either way you'll be right.”
Hence Jesus said: “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) because we are much more than our mind which is just a tool used by our very essence, the immaterial entity within, which is not in the time-space continuum. (If you resolve to live conscientiously you would find yourself firmly refusing to commit a mistake even in your dreams, which points to the existence of an immaterial reality still functioning even when your body is resting—this is a simple way you can find yourself the truth about yourself rather than depending on high-voltage debates of others). Life presents itself in present tense and we have control only on our current thoughts; hence when you live in the present tense fully focused on what you do now you enjoy it and you would not feel time passing as though you are living in heaven. But if you are torn between past and future worries over which you have no control, you would feel hours as days or months as though you are living in hell. Thoughts you choose to think create your experiences. If you believe it is possible to make changes in your wasteful habits, then your choice of this thought will make it true for you, and vice versa. Hence, it is you that decides whether you live in heaven or hell, now, here, on earth! What would happen in the future needs not be a worry as we did not worry about what would happen when we are pushed out of our mother’s womb!
When I practiced the essence of Luke 17:21 I found it is working in me, and I also find that there is an incredible power and intelligence within me constantly responding to my thoughts. It gives me comfort—the ultimate aim all scientists and psychologists are struggling to accomplish for us—which is already available within me, according to Jesus.
[Poor JWs who believe their GB who derails the understanding of Luke 17:21 saying Jesus as the head of the God’s Kingdom was ‘among or amidst of’ them without realizing that Jesus used the same Greek word, Έντóς (Entos), to refer inside the cup in Mathew 23:25, 26 when he said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within (έντός) the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” These are the only two occurrences of this word in the whole NT; and unambiguously it means “within.” This ties in with the context also where Jesus says: “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the Kingdom of God is within you.”—Luke 17:20, 21]
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Jesus Christ—The Greatest Scientist (and Psychologist) who ever lived on earth!
by Ireneus inif we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) god which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to god in prayer (mark 1:35; john 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.. 1) jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about god’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in gospel had not been spoken/done by jesus).. 2) another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us.
(luke 17:21).
from his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree.
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Ireneus
If we eliminate all the controversial and confusing verses attributed to Jesus we will get the crystal clear truth from him because his source was (1) God which can be seen from his habit of early morning talking to God in prayer (Mark 1:35; John 8:1, 2) which would not have been for material blessings (Mathew 6:8; 16:24), and (2) also observance of people.
1) Jesus who said judgment is based on whether we acted humanely or not (Mathew 25:31-46) would not have spoken about God’s people and pagans (which means bulk of the things found in Gospel had not been spoken/done by Jesus).
2) Another important truth he said was about the real key to our happiness which he said is with each one of us. (Luke 17:21). From his observance of history, he knew there are people from adversities who made great contribution to the world; and there are people from all abundance who lived a life of wastage accomplishing nothing; and there are people who are mixed in varying degree. This shows some people had perfect control of their mind; some did have no control of their mind (like apostle Paul who lamented ‘what a miserable man I am who wants to do what is right yet does what is wrong’—Romans 7:19, 24-25); and others had some control of their mind in varying degree. This means one’s thinking creates his reality, as nicely put by Henry Ford: “Think you can, think you can't; either way you'll be right.”
Hence Jesus said: “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) because we are much more than our mind which is just a tool used by our very essence, the immaterial entity within, which is not in the time-space continuum. (If you resolve to live conscientiously you would find yourself firmly refusing to commit a mistake even in your dreams, which points to the existence of an immaterial reality still functioning even when your body is resting—this is a simple way you can find yourself about the truth about yourself rather than depending on high-voltage debates of others). Life presents itself in present tense and we have control only on our current thoughts; hence when you live in the present tense fully focused on what you do now you enjoy it and you would not feel time passing as though you are living in heaven. But if you are torn between past and future worries over which you have no control, you would feel hours as days or months as though you are living in hell. Thoughts you choose to think create your experiences. If you believe it is possible to make changes in your wasteful habits, then your choice of this thought will make it true for you, and vice versa. Hence, it is you that decides whether you live in heaven or hell, now, here, on earth! What would happen in the future needs not be a worry as we did not worry about what would happen when we are pushed out of our mother’s womb!
When I practiced the essence of Luke 17:21 I found it is working in me, and I also find that there is an incredible power and intelligence within me constantly responding to my thoughts. It gives me comfort—the ultimate aim all scientists and psychologists are struggling to accomplish for us—which is already available within me, according to Jesus.
[Poor JWs who believe their GB who derails the understanding of Luke 17:21 saying Jesus as the head of the God’s Kingdom was ‘among or amidst of’ them without realizing that Jesus used the same Greek word, Έντóς (Entos), to refer inside the cup in Mathew 23:25, 26 when he said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within (έντός) the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” These are the only two occurrences of this word in the whole NT; and unambiguously it means “within.” This ties in with the context also where Jesus says: “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the Kingdom of God is within you.”—Luke 17:20, 21]
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God did not give dream to Pharaoh
by Ireneus inthough joseph declared ‘interpretation of dream belong to god’ (genesis 40:8; 41:16) what joseph supposedly presented as interpretation from god brings reproach on god himself because it implies god is responsible for famine which would mean natural calamities are caused by god.
(genesis 41:32) why should god spread untruth about himself?
things happen as part of a flow of events due to various factors and forces acting together.
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Ireneus
Though Joseph declared ‘interpretation of dream belong to God’ (Genesis 40:8; 41:16) what Joseph supposedly presented as interpretation from God brings reproach on God Himself because it implies God is responsible for famine which would mean natural calamities are caused by God. (Genesis 41:32) Why should God spread untruth about Himself? Things happen as part of a flow of events due to various factors and forces acting together. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Truthfulness of this is well attested by what is happening in our own bodies. If we choose food habits that would make us fall sick, we will become sick which is like a miniature natural calamity in the physical world called our bodies. This concept is well-known by the term doctors use—Lifestyle Diseases which include atherosclerosis, heart-disease, and stroke; obesity and type 2 diabetes; and diseases associated with smoking and alcohol and drug abuse… etc. Link between reckless and greedy exploitation of nature after Industrial Revolution and present day climate changes is another proof of its macro aspect.
Other details given about Joseph too cast doubt on the historicity of this character. Being loved by father more than other sons fosters enmity among other them to the point that “they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” (Genesis 37:3, 4) Joseph knew his brothers’ hatred—still revealed his inflammatory dream to his brothers (Genesis 37:5-8) which is unlikely to happen in real life. After seeing their “hatred increased all the more,” Joseph revealed to his brothers his second dream also which is extremely inflammatory (Genesis 37:9) which is again highly unlikely to happen in real life. Giving inflammatory dream to innocent ones is like praising Job with the intention of attracting trouble from Satan … a thing that doesn’t befit all-wise God which is the proof that such accounts are poor human imagination.
Interestingly, what began as an invented story of Joseph climaxes in something that puts a feather on the crown of unlikelihood. No passenger would feel ungrateful to a brave pilot who saved all passengers from a great plane tragedy. Yet we find Israelites who were saved from Egyptian slavery through such great feats such as ten plagues and parting of Red Sea …etc. building a Golden Calf and declaring to that single calf ‘You are our gods, who brought us up out of Egypt.’ (Deuteronomy Chapter 32)