EdenOne

Joined

• started 155 topics
• posted 2,912 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by EdenOne

• 
  13

  UK LGBT press responds to Jehovah's Witness Governing Body member Anthony Morris

  by Balaamsass2 in

  1. social
  2. current

  http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/11/10/jehovahs-witnesses-boss-dont-wear-tight-trousers-theyre-designed-by-homosexuals/.

  get the latest lgbt headlines straight to your inbox with our free daily newsletter.

  advertise.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  

  Eden
• 
  23

  Religion without revelation - any examples from the past?

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm researching on the common trait of mostly every religion coming from pre-humanist times, and that would be, the notion of "revelation", that is, that at the beginning of every [i say this with caution because i'm admitting to exceptions] religion there is some sort of "revelation" from supernatural being(s) of some sort.. my question is: do you know of any example of religions from the past that you can confidently say that were exempt from "revelation"?

  this is not the same as asking if there were religions without gods, or religions of nature.

  i'm not even considering what i understand as philosophical-ethical systems, such as confucionism or platonism my purpose is to find out if, at the starting point of all religions of the past, there is a "revelation", or merely "observation / contemplation".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  Ruby,

  you need to clarify what you mean by "observation / contemplation"

  mmmm, I think what I really mean is "non-revelation dependant", "non-dependant on a mystical connection with the supernaural", "non-dependant on enlightenment from a supernatural entity". Strictly speaking, this doesn't necessarily narrows it down to empiricism, although would be a substantial part of it. There are other ways to knowledge beyond sensory experience, such as imagination, mathematical logic, methaphysics ... In a sense, Descartes would say that our senses may trick and deceive us, so they're not entirely reliable. Let's say that "revelation" is prone to deception - voluntary or involuntary.

  So, a religion which, at its core, doesn't need to resort to the supernatural in order to satisfy the human drive for "spirituality" or explain the world around us. To be sure, those movements do exist, but, to my knowledge, they are all post-rationalism. I'm interested in realizing if there are any such BEFORE rationalism era.

  Eden
• 
  20

  Governing Body sick of waiting! They want the paradise they were promised!

  by donuthole in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this post is going to suggest that the governing body remains, as ray franz wrote, "captives of a concept".

  like every jehovah's witness they were raised with the belief that the the paradise would be here by now.

  unlike others, they are in a position to do something about.. why wait to rule over the earth?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  Once the "big disappointment" of the 100 years of Jesus' kingdom dawns upon the GB and the upper echleons of the Org, they will start scrambling for new theological explanations as to why Armaggedon hasn't happened yet. Expect lots of "new light" over the next couple of years ...

  Eden
• 
  13

  Theory

  by Theredeemer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  someone mentioned this in a post and i feel the need to make this theory its own thread.. i think that this past zone visit was intended to be that weird!

  i think it was a test of faith in this regard, are you loyal enough to ignore the crazyness of all that was stated?

  what if they are setting up for radical changes and are testing the waters to see if this current group of jdubs are going to readily drink the kool aid?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  BTW, Tony Morris' discourse was the same as the one he delivered in Italy about 2 months ago on the Zone visit there. It's clearly an outline talk, therefore, not erratic, not mere impulse tirades. Of course, it makes you wonder where's the spiritual depth of these men.

  Eden
• 
  13

  Theory

  by Theredeemer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  someone mentioned this in a post and i feel the need to make this theory its own thread.. i think that this past zone visit was intended to be that weird!

  i think it was a test of faith in this regard, are you loyal enough to ignore the crazyness of all that was stated?

  what if they are setting up for radical changes and are testing the waters to see if this current group of jdubs are going to readily drink the kool aid?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  I think there's a "masterplan" ... but it's not the GB that's thinking it. Something else is at play here.

  Eden
• 
  24

  Show this to the young ones in the congregation

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  hopefully it will make them think.. .

  .

  eden.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  Sorry to hear that, PJIII; that's exactly why there needs to be awareness of the stupidity of the Watchtower's stand regarding higher education. We know WHY they do it; but the youngsters within the congregations and their parents are peer-pressured and obfuscated as to the real reasons why this is done. So, make them face history.

  Eden
• 
  26

  Year 3: Personal Experiences

  by Londo111 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://youtu.be/nnnabt9x5lm?list=plynx0om_bmgdobkrzev2tax1jzdquagy8.

  this is my third year since i signed up on jwn and i wanted to do something a bit different--a slight unmasking of sorts and greet everyone face to face.

  even with the help of a few notes, this is rambling, raw, and by no means the best personal experience video out there.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  Londo, great to put a face on that avatar! Stay strong.

  Eden
• 
  443

  Zone Visit: An Announcement That Will "Test Your Faith"

  by breakfast of champions in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this is the scuttlebutt in one of the "bethel congregations" by us.. no details as to exactly what this "faith-testing" announcement might be.. anyone else hear any of this pre-zone visit hype?.

  .

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  They are inadvertently admitting that they use emotional manipulation to hook JWs.

  you nailed it.

  Eden
• 
  32

  Books about early Christianity

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i've just finished reading two (imo) great books:.

  "a history of christianity - the first three thousand years", by diarmaid macculloch.

  "misquoting jesus", by bart ehrman.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  Phizzy, tell me: For a Jew, is it man that outreach for God, or is it God that outreaches for mankind In the first place?

  Eden
• 
  32

  Books about early Christianity

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i've just finished reading two (imo) great books:.

  "a history of christianity - the first three thousand years", by diarmaid macculloch.

  "misquoting jesus", by bart ehrman.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  Doug, regarding the assumption that Mark and Matthew are less "Pauline" than Luke and John, and therefore, keep a more "authentic" record of the early Christian tradition, you really should read Eisenman's "James, The Brother of Jesus", because it utterly debunks that notion. Eisenman makes too much of certain "themes" and "reversions" [such as the 'cast out', 'whiteness', 'eat', etc] found in the synoptics and John, but he's absolutely thorough in demonstrating the anti-Jesus famiily [anti-Qumran] agenda that pervades Mark and Matthew. I was blown away. It's not an easy read, especially for me, a non-english native speaker, but it's based on fresh research, published very recently - and Eisenman is one of the scholars involved in the publishing of the Dead Sea Scrolls texts.

  Eden