i tend to believe that the book of genesis is allegorical and not historic.
the first part including the flood is a creation story similar to many others, although the jewish one has distinct insights into man's relationship with god.
another literary device employed is anthropomorphism or personification as in the talking snake,aka satan.
Thanks - manputo95
BurnTheShips: The human body may have developed through evolution, but the human spirit is a special creation from God.
This is a new one to me. I am trying to be open minded and accommodating with modern Christian beliefs, as they manifest.
As you are so sure, could you give us some idea of when this specially created human spirit, was inserted in man by god? The Bible Say's that this took place at the creation of man but I am sure you will be able to correct this error.
i tend to believe that the book of genesis is allegorical and not historic.
the first part including the flood is a creation story similar to many others, although the jewish one has distinct insights into man's relationship with god.
another literary device employed is anthropomorphism or personification as in the talking snake,aka satan.
"God Created Man Through Evolution"
How about Man created God through evolution.
Animals have no sense of self and no idea why we have earthquakes, volcanoes and thunderstorms. As man developed consciousness he sought reasons. He decided that a powerful invisible man was angry and responsible for these phenomena. In time man found there was power to be had by representing this disturbed Being, by now known as God.
Organising people to worship this Being in return for the promise of mercy followed. The evolution of man's consciousness continued until a few brave souls declared that God was a trick. They were tortured to death in an attempt to silence such dissent.
But the evolution of consciousness continued and we now realize that earthquakes, volcanoes and thunderstorms have a predicable scientific cause. How long before the whole human race wakes up to reality?
i thought this was good:.
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http://loveyourchaos.tumblr.com/post/505826969.
No mythical God has killed anyone.
No mythical Satan has killed anyone.
Gladiators have - so watch out!
if fractions of blood are now allowed,.
by the same reasoning what fractions of fornication can i have?.
"ABSTAIN from...fornication, and blood."
Are you trying to put me out of work?
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Very good Mary - a witty send up.
i am really on the fence on this issue right now and would love some opinions.. i find that i dont sit down and read the bible for long periods since becoming inactive, but on the other hand, individual scriptures mean much more to me now.. i will sit down and look up some favorite passages from time to time and feel like its the first time i really "got it" - without the jw goggles on.
i love matthew chapter 23, since i think it describes to a tee the situation in jw congregations.
i think if jesus returned today, he would blast the elders and "leaders" of the borg in a similar fashion (along with most religious leaders) .matthew 24 is actually more interesting to me now, simply because my whole life was waiting for the 1914 generation to end sometime during the reagan era!
Thanks for your remarks Tec (Tammy)
I appreciate that the things Jesus is reported to have said can be uplifting. In most cases, for them to do that, the reader has to 'believe' or have 'faith' for them to make sense. Also Psalms, proverbs, Ecclesiastes & John are worthy writings.
There are also many secular psychological and philosophical writings that can also be uplifting and helpful in bringing comfort and raising our spirits.
Having read the bible many times, I now prefer to read new and exciting books that offer different perspectives. There are so many good books to read, ancient and new. In the end there is a basic truth about living that repeats itself no matter which approach to reading we have.
this is just a note to all who have assured me of their fondness for me, on board and in pm.. i really appreciate it, and i feel the same about y'all.. this is a great site, and i do get a bit carried away at times.. blame it on too much loneliness and not enough to do on the job, but not on deliberate crassness.. ok?.
thanks!.
sylvia.
You can quote your southern bible at me all day Sylvia - It's water of a gladiators back.
I got me amour and me gods to protect me from that sandal loving son of a god you fancy.
i hear a lot, both on this forum and elsewhere, about all kinds of things jehovah's witnesses believe.
but i've never felt that outsiders were a good source of information about what faithful watchtowers actually believe.
in fact, i've discovered that the worst source of information about a religion is from those who were members but left the faith.
Ynot: We are in the midst of a storm of 'new light'......things we have held for decades have been cast aside, and now a more recent change to the definition of what 'Jesus meant' regarding the generation has come into greater clarification!
Which means when translated, we got it wrong and for more than 100 years, while claiming to speak for Jehovah, we told lies. Now we have dreamed up a new twist on the generation teaching. Members will be expected to believe our new farce or be shunned.
You couldn't make it up. Hold on they just did!
i am really on the fence on this issue right now and would love some opinions.. i find that i dont sit down and read the bible for long periods since becoming inactive, but on the other hand, individual scriptures mean much more to me now.. i will sit down and look up some favorite passages from time to time and feel like its the first time i really "got it" - without the jw goggles on.
i love matthew chapter 23, since i think it describes to a tee the situation in jw congregations.
i think if jesus returned today, he would blast the elders and "leaders" of the borg in a similar fashion (along with most religious leaders) .matthew 24 is actually more interesting to me now, simply because my whole life was waiting for the 1914 generation to end sometime during the reagan era!
Like many on this thread, I continued to read the bible after I fell from the tower. I visited churches and wore sandals to be like the man from Galilee. I continued to look to the bible for truth. Alas it made no sense to me. I explored Eastern religion, meditation and learned a lot about the mind eventually becoming a Hypnotherapist.
Now I look at reality not holy books. I read factual text books with an open but critical mind. The mind is capable of deceiving us if wrongly informed. Our imagination is capable of almost anything if allowed to accept ideas that have not been proved beyond doubt. The brain is a wonderful but also deeply flawed organ and it houses our mind. The mind can be tricked so easily. Now I am very wary of opinions driven by emotional needs.
In answer to the original question, the WT did not kill my appreciation for the bible - it did that all on its own!
i was just wondering how a jehovah's witness would answer this.. in john 5:22, the nwt states:.
"the father judges no one, but has committed all the judging to the son".
in rev 18:8, the nwt states:.
Thanks for pointing out the modern 'I love Jesus' trend in churches.
It is understandable that Christians would want to love the trendy hippie styled man in sandals from Galilee, who only wants to spread love. Any idea that he may be the vengeful God of the 'old testament' could be very upsetting. Best not read The Revelation to John or most of the 'old testament.'
I personaly no longer care what people believe in, as long as they don't block the sidewalk, drop litter or ban beer on my watch.
i was just wondering how a jehovah's witness would answer this.. in john 5:22, the nwt states:.
"the father judges no one, but has committed all the judging to the son".
in rev 18:8, the nwt states:.
The Witnesses have been led to believe that belonging to a Society, which claims to be Israel restored - a new nation, is the way to righteousness, that calling on the name of Jehovah, just as the original nation did, is the way to salvation. They can show this in their Bible. Can they show it in any other bible?
The following quotes show how other alterations have been made to rob Jesus of his Divinity:
“For it is in Christ that the complete being of the godhead dwells embodied, and in him you have been brought to completion.” (Colossians 2:9,10 – NE)
“…because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily.” (Colossians 2:9,10 - NWT)
….“God answered, ‘I am; that is who I AM. Tell them I AM has sent you to them’” (Exodus 3:14 - NE)“At this God said to Moses “I SHALL PROVE TO BE WHAT I SHALL PROVE TO BE” (Exodus 3:14 – NWT)
….“Jesus said, ‘In very truth I tell you, before Abraham was born, I AM.’” (John 8:58 – NE)
“Jesus said to them, ‘Most truly I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I have been.’” (John 8:58 – NWT)
In Exodus, I AM has been replaced with I SHALL PROVE TO BE, and in John with I HAVE BEEN. Jesus is quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures, and an interlinear Bible will show that Jesus used the Greek ‘EGO EIMI.’ This is present tense and is always translated as I AM. According to Greek scholars there is no exception. For Witnesses to accept that Jesus has always been would mean that other Christians are correct to believe he is not part of creation.
To fully grasp the import of the alterations in these texts, it is necessary to read the complete texts in your own Bible and compare them to the New World Translation.
(From Opening the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses - Download available @ Lulu)
