Posts by THE GLADIATOR

49

A world without God? What would it be like...

by Snoozy in

another thread got me to thinking..something i do once in a while .

what if no one believed in a god .

what do you think the world would be like?.

THE GLADIATOR

Originally, wars were fought between tribes over territory and the spoils of war. As each tribe adopted a set of religious beliefs they were able to justify their killing and looting. As religion became a political force, religions fought over territory. Wars are still fought over territory.

A God is not religion but religion has used the concept of a God to justify its aims and conduct. It is likely that the world would be much the same with or without religion.

Morals are a human, social set of measures and checks on the way we live. They too would evolve without religion as we see them doing among western Christians despite the 10 commandments and the Gospel.

25

Is the teaching of religion really a form of child abuse?

by Snoozy in

is the teaching of religion a form of child abuse?

don't be so quick to answer, read this first.

it is pretty convincing against it doing so.. if someone can make it a clickable link i would appreciate it.. http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/religion_as_child_abuse.html.

THE GLADIATOR

All children will encounter the idea of God as they grow up. It runs through most classical literature and has shaped history. It is part of children's education to inform them of religion. I think that encouraging children to allow for the possibility that there to more in heaven and earth than can be presently known is a healthy outlook.

To allow room for the idea that there may be something greater than themselves that permeates the universe is sensible. A balanced view is likely to help children to feel secure. If they want to call that possibility God then that is as good a name as any. As they grow they will decide for themselves.

Indoctrination into a cult that causes children to live in fear is a very different matter.

37

Has anyone ever heard this theory about God and Satan?

by serenitynow! in

that satan is the evil alter ego of god?

that god has some sort of split personality.

that would explain the mass killings of people while still saying that he is a god of love.

THE GLADIATOR

Mysticism and religion has always used gods, demigods and spirits to represent the collective human psyche. Mythology is rampant with invisible beings who are either good, evil or not sure where they fit into the symbolic jigsaw of projected human emotions.

Jehovah and Jesus are newcomers and Jaheshua Mischajah is the very latest schizophrenic offering. Many more are yet to be invented. Satan is indeed intended to be representative of all that is negative and opposed to the positive plans of the Most High.

An honest appraisal of the Bible leads to the conclusion that the mythical Satan has done more to help humans enjoy their stay on earth than the big Daddy himself. He has a smaller ego, does not tell lies and does not delight in punishing or slaughtering humans.

These mythological charachters do appear to be one and the same, with one thing in common, the desire to rule the world. We could simplify things and project our collective psyche onto just one powerful being capable of both good and evil. A voice in the back of my head suggests that we name him, Caesar-Jaheshua-Mischajesus-Satanus.

13

How Many Demons Are There ?

by moomanchu in

my attempt at answering.. first how many angels are there?.

revelation 5:11; .

then i looked and heard the voice of many angels, .

THE GLADIATOR

Thanks for the reminder. I just emptied my pockets and found 2 plus a hobgoblin.

I will have to reprimand my gods for slacking on the job.

117

If God truly loved humans...why not reveal himself ? So that they could make an informed decision ?

by smiddy in

we learn from the bible that god spoke to adam ,then certain faithful ones,then after moses only the preisthood that was established,and individuals, raised as prophets,and this by the way is only a a small select group on the planet.never mind about other groups of humans.

fastforward to the era of christ ,again, god is only dealing with a small select group to advise and admonish.during the time from moses to christ he was only dealing with what became one small nation.the rest of humankind were left to their own devices.fastforward down to this 21st century we have no guidance/instruction/prophets to instruct or guide us.

( i know this is where jw`s would say but we have been preaching & teaching you god`s truths since 1879 ) all i can say their, is take your head out of the sand and look at all the changes ,corrections adjustments,re-adjustments,reversals,and failed expectations of prophecy you have published over this last century )so as to my question why hasn`t the god of the universe revealed himself to all humans of every race on all continents instead of just a small select group, if he truly was interested in the human race.

THE GLADIATOR

LIFE has revealed itself on this planet and likely on others. The nature of reality is that it is always real.

The concept of a male god being responsible for life and what we subjectively label good and bad, will remain a concept until all doubt has been removed.

To those who claim they know he exists because he talks to them, I can only marvel. I couldn't even get my JW father to talk to me.

33

Quotes by Voltaire - Do you agree and Why?

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

ok i want to stimulate some thinking.

i'm going to list a bunch of quotes attributed to voltaire - someone i had never thought to read.

but coming across a couple of quotes of his i thought they were rather profound.. so here is the deal.

THE GLADIATOR

Caedes wasblind

Why don't you two kiss and make up - it would be an education for you both.

33

Quotes by Voltaire - Do you agree and Why?

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

ok i want to stimulate some thinking.

i'm going to list a bunch of quotes attributed to voltaire - someone i had never thought to read.

but coming across a couple of quotes of his i thought they were rather profound.. so here is the deal.

THE GLADIATOR

These are all pithy and worthy quotes. Some I can concur with, while others need clarification. Morality is seldom a black or white issue but contains shades of grey.

Voltaire makes these bold statements with certainty as though they were fact, yet states: 'Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.'

By his own reckoning he becomes absurd. This illustrates the error of being dogmatic.

3

Want your DNA analyzed?

by Nice_Dream in

jw
friends

there's a code out for 23andme dna kits.

you can find out your ancestry and risks for certain diseases.

you can use a code from gizmodo to save $400!

THE GLADIATOR

Nice offer, Nice_Dream but do you mind if I pass on this offer?

My living relatives are bad enough without digging up the whole tribe and all their foibals.

9

Please send me some e-books

by aqwsed12345 in

jw
friends

please send me some e-books, about jws and the wbts practice and doctrines: critical literature, analysis etc.

pdfs, docs, and other ebook format.

for example franz's second book, the "captives of a concept" book and others.

THE GLADIATOR

Hi aqwsed12345 If you go to Lulu.com and search for book 5456415 you will be able to download 'Opening the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses' FREE. A paperback version of this book is available from Amazon.co.uk and sells for £8.95. That is a UK site. The book has already paid for itself, so for a limited time it is available as a FREE download as part of an awareness campaign. Well worth reading!

45

Nobody forced us to believe. We CHOSE to follow their crap advice.

by hamsterbait in

have you noticed that the recent trolls are now claiming that if anybody drew conclusions or made decisions based on what the society was printing, it was their own fault?.

kind of "we didn't force you to believe what we said or adjust your life because of it.

you chose to think we were teaching the end would come in <insert time range>".

THE GLADIATOR

More so than other children, the child born into a JW family finds that his or her main security comes from winning the approval of their parents. They find that to win this approval they must do whatever the Society and their parents tell them will win Jehovah God’s approval.

I was told, by my own parents that if I ever left the religion they would never talk to me again. If I were to ever marry outside the religion the same penalty would apply. Although these threats are not always carried out, the Witness child grows up believing that the continuation of their whole world depends upon gaining their parents approval.

In addition to this pressure to conform, is the threat that God himself will kill the child, if he or she should go against their parent’s wishes. The child is also puzzled by the parent’s willingness to lose them in this way and often concludes that the parents do not love him or her. How can they threaten a child they love in this way, or say that the God they love may kill their child?

To say a child treated like this has a choice, shows a lack of understanding regarding a child's dependence. Once the child becomes an adult he or she may choose to break free, but sometimes the cost by then is too high.