Posts by simwitness

62

Yesterday's public talk.

by VioletAnai in

jw
friends

i'd like to make a few points which i know i will be eaten alive for, but here goes...... is there really a devil?.

history of religion has always believed in the devil, but has portrayed him in different lights....he himself transforms into an angel of light, making something that is evil seem innocent and fun.

his best ploy: having people believe he don't exist...this is to his own advantage.. he is a malignant enemy of god and man!

simwitness

Definition of an apostate?

Just compare the teachings of the WTBS over the years...

Rutherford was the first, he rejected all he was taught by Russell (Who cares if it dealt with Pyramids!)

Then comes Knorr/Franz who reject most of what Rutherford "taught", and they needed the help of "spiritists" to prove stuff...

Now, the latest folks have gone and rejected 90 years (or so) of what the freakin' word "Generation" means....

SO, who is an apostate? those that question, or those that follow men instead of God?

8

Being the patient Father He is...

by Jigrigger in

jw
friends

why didn't god wait a couple of days.... to send jesus down here.

if, as jws believe, a thousand years is but a day to jehovah - literally - then if he would have waited a couple of days, imagine the media coverage jesus could've had if he were here today.

what a way to get the message of salvation out - if you had real live coverage and verifiable proof of a man performing the sorts of things that bible writers claim jesus did wow!

simwitness

I think miracles happen everyday, but go unnoticed.

yup...

It's all about focus...

8

Did you know?

by Tammie in

jw
friends

did you know it is against the law to say the word prayer out loud on an airplane?

i was watching tv last night and this man was nearly arrested.

he has been a christian for over 30 years.. he was on an airplane here in the united states, with his wife and another friend.

simwitness

I don't pray on take-off, I pray before landing!

(Think of it this way, if you never get off the ground, you have a real good chance of surviving a crash, but once you are off the ground, chances of surviving a "bad" landing are not so good.)

:)

14

armageddon

by Realist in

jw
friends

quick question: .

they say 1914 is the date when the end begins or something like that?

they also say that within the lifetime of that generation armageddon will come.

simwitness

Keep in mind that the WTBS can not simply change the 1914 date.

2 reasons:
1. If they back off of the 607 date, too many "apostates" will be proved correct, and there is way too much in current print to easily sweep away.
2. the 1914 date is central to their teaching that Christ appointing them the F&DS in 1918(?) if they change the 1914, then they would have to change that as well, and they would lose even more ground. Couple that with the "Annointed class" in 1935(?) and you know the days are numbered for their chronology.

It never ceases to amaze me... and why they choose to ignore Luke 21:8:

He replied: Watch out that you are not decieved. For many will comie in my name, claiming, "I am he" and "the time is near", Do not follow them.

And, just what, have the WTBS been doing since thier very beginning?

Oh, that's right, they got "specail" permission....

46

Proof of the "historical" Jesus...

by simwitness in

been wondering about this lately.... what proof (outside the bible, of course) do we have for the "historical jesus"?.

in my earlier days (post jw to "born again christian") i remember reading that the one thing that differentiates christianity vs. "all the others" was that we had secular historical proof that there was a man that was called jesus, who died on a cross and was resurrected.

now i am wondering just what that proof is/was?

simwitness

Valis: Thanks for the links. I am actually not looking for "answers" or to form an opinion.

My point for the post:

To start a conversation based on the "other" aspect of christianity. There have been numerous posts recently debvating the biblical nature of Jesus, I thought it would be interesting to discuss the historical nature. Since, as I pointed out before, it was what made Christianity the "real" religion, our prophet was resurected, there's was not.

The "Josephus" writings are what was pointed to as "proof" to me many years ago, but I could not remember the actual references until now.

Kennesen:

For those who do not believe in Jesus, no amount
of proof will convince you, and for those who believe, no proof
is necessary.

I simply do not agree with this statement.

a) Thomas did not "believe" until it was proved to him that it was Jesus.
b) Those that already believe, extra "proof" never hurts, in fact it often helps (see above).

...

46

Proof of the "historical" Jesus...

by simwitness in

been wondering about this lately.... what proof (outside the bible, of course) do we have for the "historical jesus"?.

in my earlier days (post jw to "born again christian") i remember reading that the one thing that differentiates christianity vs. "all the others" was that we had secular historical proof that there was a man that was called jesus, who died on a cross and was resurrected.

now i am wondering just what that proof is/was?

simwitness

been wondering about this lately...

What proof (outside the bible, of course) do we have for the "historical Jesus"?

In my earlier days (post JW to "born again christian") I remember reading that the one thing that differentiates Christianity vs. "all the others" was that we had secular historical proof that there was a man that was called jesus, who died on a cross and was resurrected.

Now I am wondering just what that proof is/was?

Any thoughts?

12

JW opposer conversation stoppers

by Leander in

jw
friends

for some reason on my way to the meeting last night i was thinking what if there was a reasoning book for talking with jws.

in particular a section with rebuttals for common jw thinking.

jesus disciple's made false predictions too.. jehovah has always used an organization.. the light keeps getting brighter.. who else is doing the work that we are?.

simwitness

One more "stopper" that I am aware of:

"No one else teaches the Kingdom"

58

Did Jesus have a BEGGINING?

by gumby in

jw
friends

in a thread called" can any jw answer this" by jerome, alan f had stated that the term.

everlasting to everlasting applied only to the god of israel.

he could find no scripture in which this term applied to jesus.. i found some good info.

simwitness

One more question, if I may:

What order should the NT be read, to more clearly see the evolution?

also, what is your view of the "other books" (Gospel of Thomas, etc...)

Okay, that was 2 questions, go ahead, shoot me...

Thansk again?

58

Did Jesus have a BEGGINING?

by gumby in

jw
friends

in a thread called" can any jw answer this" by jerome, alan f had stated that the term.

everlasting to everlasting applied only to the god of israel.

he could find no scripture in which this term applied to jesus.. i found some good info.

simwitness

Thank you.

That is alot to digest. Was there any single book that helped you to get past the bias? Years of study/experience?

The more I learn, the more I learn that I have a lot to learn.

26

how do we know when we interpretate correctly?

by evangelist in

i would like your help on this matter of the interpretation of the bible, because many people say we interpretate diffently and we have diffent understanding.

how do we know when we interpretate the bible correctly?.

i have a relative for instance says the gay sex life is ok and they interpretated the bible to back up the right to live a gay life.. how can i prove their interpretation is wrong?.

simwitness

JA...

Thank you for clarifying the translation.