i've been lurking for about 3 months now and thought i'd better finally sign up.
you have all been an immense help to me as i have come to realize that this isn't the truth so i want to say a great big thank you!
what a crazy, emotional ride it is to finally face the truth about the doubts that i have carried for many years.
Chris Hannover
If you do what you're told, you're called spiritual.
This. It boils down to this. You may be an elder, pioneer, participate in every "privilege" ... the moment you hesitate in doing what you're told, question the direction or teaching ... you're no longer spiritually healthy.
Eden
if you are in the uk check out an interesting new documentary series that starts on bbc2 at 9pm, this evening or catch up on iplayer.. from pleasure to sindiarmaid macculloch explores how christianity has shaped western attitudes to sex, gender and sexuality throughout history, beginning by examining how the early christians transformed intercourse from a biological necessity into a vice and from a pleasure into a sin.
the historian explains how greek ideas of sexual abstinence were adopted by the early christians, looks at how st paul, st jerome and st augustine developed increasingly negative ideas about sex, and tells the story of the rise of monasticism across the west.
Interesting. Will look forward to get this in my country. Diarmaid MacCulloch is a great author. His work "Christianity - The First Three Thousand Years" is a remarkable book.
Eden
this is a subject of some importance, the view of the witnesses, likely inherited from franz's influence, seems to be that early christianity developed as a separate religion to the jews.. the view of most contemporary scholars is that the separation occurred slowly, and that influential early christians (e.g.
such as paul, peter, john and james) still saw themselves as jews.. to those of us that are no longer christians (and, most ex-witnesses here, seem to gradually move to that position) this is not an important issue.. but to an organisation that claims it has "the truth," surely it should know the truth about its origins.
yet the evidence is that the modern day religion of jehovah's witnesses, does not know the "truth" concerning the origins of early christianity.
The history regarding the Ebionites and the Nazorean groups should be of great interest, because they represent the best glimpse we got into the earlier core group of jewish folowers of Jesus, led or inspired by James, the Just and the descendants of one of Jesus' brothers, Joses. If we are to understand better what Jesus was and make an educated guess at what were his teachings and his world view, that's where we have to focus.
Although stretching a bit some conclusions, and not an easy reading, I recommend Robert Eisenman's "James, The Brother Of Jesus"; also the excellent work of James D. Tabor: "Paul and Jesus - How The Apostle Transformed Christianity". They should persuade you that the Jesus movement was not about starting a new religion separated from judaism, but it was Paul that took it in that direction.
Eden
ok, so if you haven't as yet watched the new cartoon clip on the website, be prepared to throw up!.
it is called "jehovah loves all sorts of people", and features an awful song about how "jehovah loves everyone" even "different colors", etc....yep...they actually say that!.
huh??????.
Does Jehovah love apostates too? Oh wait - apostates aren't people.
Eden
i've been lurking for about 3 months now and thought i'd better finally sign up.
you have all been an immense help to me as i have come to realize that this isn't the truth so i want to say a great big thank you!
what a crazy, emotional ride it is to finally face the truth about the doubts that i have carried for many years.
It's entirely legit to test if God is on your side. Gideon tested Jehovah with a fleece and wasn't chastised for it. - Judges 6:36-40
Eden
it just dawned on me.
the existence of god can't be proved, neither is there evidence of god's inexistence.
so, i'm neither theist neither atheist.
Watch it, mutt ! There's a nuke in store for you too.
Eden
i've been lurking for about 3 months now and thought i'd better finally sign up.
you have all been an immense help to me as i have come to realize that this isn't the truth so i want to say a great big thank you!
what a crazy, emotional ride it is to finally face the truth about the doubts that i have carried for many years.
Welcome to this forum, and what a great way to challenge a thinking Witness.
Indeed, if Jehovah is leading this Organization and even helps a contractor to find a leak so he can go to a meeting, for sure he can answer a prayer of a long faithful couple regarding if this is the truth or not. Well played!
Let's just hope that an invitation to the DC doesn't appear in your mailbox on the next 7 hours ...
Eden
it just dawned on me.
the existence of god can't be proved, neither is there evidence of god's inexistence.
so, i'm neither theist neither atheist.
Viviane: Ah, so not present like a student absent from class, existing, possibly with naughty bits implying a gender, then?
Eden
it just dawned on me.
the existence of god can't be proved, neither is there evidence of god's inexistence.
so, i'm neither theist neither atheist.
Eden
it just dawned on me.
the existence of god can't be proved, neither is there evidence of god's inexistence.
so, i'm neither theist neither atheist.
^^^that ^^^
Eden
