Posts by Ireneus

31

Jesus tempted by Satan, real or just a vision.

by pleaseresearch in

not with their shunning policy.

me and my brother seldom communicate sadly, but no way would we go anywhere for fear of being seen with an inactive jw for over 10 years.. https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-simplified-march-2016/questions-from-readers/.

from the website:.

Ireneus

Pleaseresearch,

You said "Ezekiel was clear saying it was a vision. Matthew and Luke did not."

Good thinking.

53

Bible comes alive if we look for meaning behind the symbols it uses

by Ireneus in

bible contains too much human thinking presented as though from god, thus much of its information brings dishonor to god.. yet it contains great beneficial truths behind the symbols it uses.

let us take the only two cases of miracles jesus performed without any request from anybody which would show the very purpose of his ministry:.

1) jesus healed a woman who “was bent over and could not straighten up at all.” (luke 13:11-13).

Ireneus

Hi Punkofnice,

In John 8:35 Jesus used the institution of slavery to make a contrast, and in Mathew 24:45 Jesus used the term "slave" in favorable light which creates the impression that Jesus didn’t repudiate slavery. Problem with such references is that it can be misused, as done in the history. "The first British slave ship to reach the Americas was known as The Good Ship Jesus." (http://www.kaystrom.com/blog/the-slave-ship-jesus)

53

Bible comes alive if we look for meaning behind the symbols it uses

by Ireneus in

bible contains too much human thinking presented as though from god, thus much of its information brings dishonor to god.. yet it contains great beneficial truths behind the symbols it uses.

let us take the only two cases of miracles jesus performed without any request from anybody which would show the very purpose of his ministry:.

1) jesus healed a woman who “was bent over and could not straighten up at all.” (luke 13:11-13).

Ireneus

2+2=5,

This is how I read Scriptures and I derive tremendous benefit.I weed out things and take whatever good things I fihd in it.

Punkofnice,

I treat all the favorable references Jesus made to slavery as attributed to him. His life is his message, and he would not make such references.

53

Bible comes alive if we look for meaning behind the symbols it uses

by Ireneus in

bible contains too much human thinking presented as though from god, thus much of its information brings dishonor to god.. yet it contains great beneficial truths behind the symbols it uses.

let us take the only two cases of miracles jesus performed without any request from anybody which would show the very purpose of his ministry:.

1) jesus healed a woman who “was bent over and could not straighten up at all.” (luke 13:11-13).

Ireneus

Bible contains too much human thinking presented as though from God, thus much of its information brings dishonor to God.

Yet it contains great beneficial truths behind the symbols it uses. Let us take the only two cases of miracles Jesus performed without any request from anybody which would show the very purpose of his ministry:

1) Jesus healed a woman who “was bent over and could not straighten up at all.” (Luke 13:11-13)

2) Jesus healed a man disabled for 38 years. His problem was ‘no one helped him into the pool when the water was stirred because while he was trying to get in, someone else was going down ahead of him.’

(John 5:1-9)

Whether such miracles did happen or not is not important. Essence of these two accounts is that Jesus became friend of the friendless enabling men and women to stand up—something he himself showed through his life, symbolized in the saying “not one of his bones was broken.” (John 19:31-34) In other words, purpose of his ministry was to tell humans to stand on their bones [which support our whole body], the symbolic meaning of which is: ‘Be of strength, courage, and confidence, don’t be manipulated by others.’

7

John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son" ...Really ?

by smiddy3 in

for four thousand years god never gave two hoots about the world of mankind that is suggested by john 3;16 and how do we know that ?

simply by looking at his dealings with mankind for the first 4000 years of his dealings with humans as shown by the "old testament".

1. god only dealt with a couple or a few individuals early on in the o.t.. 2.god only dealt with one family line whom he chose above anybody else .. 3.this family line the israelites became a nation whom god dealt with exclusively.. 4.to the exclusion of every other peoples on earth ,he favoured who became the israelites and he obviously had a hatred for any other people and was instrumental in trying to get the israelites to commit genocide on many occasions against these people who god had never taken an interest in .. 5.jehovah god on numerous occasions instructed the israelite`s/jews wipe out the amorite`s , the hittites ,the jebusite`s ,etc ,etc, and with the blessing of him not to feel sorry for them kill old man woman and child and do not feel sorry for them.. jehovah god actually gave the israelites /jews sanctions to commit genocide amongst these nations in the "old testament ".

Ireneus

God has never thought of sacrificing anyone, let alone Jesus. (Jeremiah 7:31) The whole concept of sacrifice is the invention of priestly class. (Jeremiah 8:8) Jesus unequivocally declared through an illustration that He did not come to die. (Mathew 21:37). Hence Jesus would not contradict himself as given in John 3:16. This concept is from John, not from Jesus just as John 3:13 is from John (not from Jesus).

91

Proof of God

by MrDantastic in

i'm an atheist as i do not see any evidence for the existance of a god.

i encourage critical thinking in everyone and am ready to debate anyone on whether or not there is a god and what that god might be like.

hmu..

Ireneus

Earth is like a tiny dust particle in comparison with the rest of universe. Hence on one on earth is qualified to say God doesn't exist.

20

Satan temping Eve. Had she not ate

by pleaseresearch in

being the loving god that he is :).

how do you imagine this playing out.

let's say eve didn't eat and so we didn't fall into sin.. what do you think god would have done with satan and his demons?.

Ireneus

Once in abundance greed appears which is personified as Satan, hence Eve will eat at any cost.

91

Proof of God

by MrDantastic in

i'm an atheist as i do not see any evidence for the existance of a god.

i encourage critical thinking in everyone and am ready to debate anyone on whether or not there is a god and what that god might be like.

hmu..

Ireneus

“The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being.” (Principia Mathematica, Sir Isac Newton). Like Newton there are many scientists who see evidence for the existence of a Supreme Organizer. Whether such ones are a minority or materialists are a majority matters not.

Problem is that people often look for high-profile reasoning for the existence of God. I have found proof for the existence of a Supreme Organizer in simple things. It is observed that there are some plants that wilt and die if enough care is not given. Dry soils cause plants to wilt. Why even wet soils can also cause plants to wilt. Plants grown in containers that do not have holes in the bottom for drainage, can be overwatered. As a results, roots rot and drown without sufficient oxygen in the soil. Outdoors, heavy rains can drown the roots.… How did such tender ones survive till today? This shows designer is also a Master Care-Giver.

Using symbols of lilies and birds, Jesus describes God as one who looks after everything. He looks after every living creature, and feeds each one according to its time. Here what is being highlighted is that sustenance is real, something we all depend on, which means Sustainer is more real (in much the same as saying if robbery is real, robbers are more real). If each one were taking according to his need (rather than greed), sustenance would have been felt more pronounced and The Sustainer would have received more acceptance!

13

In Search of An Analogy

by InjusticeSystem in

i hope this finds all of you well.

i'm also hoping some of you might be able to help me with a particular type of de-witnessing strategy that i'm trying to develop more in my own discussions with active family members.

it seems to me that analogy and metaphor plays a prominent role in the society's teaching (critical thought killing) techniques.

Ireneus

Here is one for you:

Would you still go to a tailor who made many times for you suits which had some problem, hence had to be discarded? See the changes JWs have made to their teachings. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UrjfNBy6jlZ8lSibVe7VSRgihTxkwqbrLUzIHLGFH-E/edit)

14

Do you still want to be identified as a Christian?

by eyeuse2badub in

most americans want some form of religious identity - even atheists are creating churches.

by j. warner wallace | fox news.

the number of self-proclaimed christians is shrinking in america.. i’ve been collecting data on this trend for over 10 years, and the surveys reveal an important truth: fewer people claim a christian affiliation than ever before, and those who claim no religious affiliation are the fastest growing group in america.. but while fewer people may belong to christian churches or communities, americans will likely retain some form of religious identity – especially if what’s happening in europe is an indicator of things to come.. a new pew forum survey conducted in western europe reveals that christianity is waning there even faster than it is in the united states.

Ireneus

My friend was saying priests, bishops, and even Cardinals in his homeland are filing case against each other in secular courts giving the impression that religious leaders are not able to sort out simple problems among themselves which raises the question: How can they be of any help to laymen?