Sign post will show you the way, it will not walk with you
Posts by venus
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8The Golden rule (Matt 7:12) - Do JW's apply it?
by doubtfull1799 inthere is no doubt (in my mind at least from my own personal experience) that in day to day matters most witnesses are genuinely loving and kind (or "nice") people (though their indoctrination and fundamentalist mentality often inhibits their natural kindness and tolerance and often gets in the way of fulling showing it).
however i would like to put the case that when it comes to their ministry and theological/scientific discussion of any type, they fail to apply even the most basic of bible principles that they claim to espouse - the golden rule!
here is what occurred to me.... some things jw's would like men to do to them:.
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lf you could be god would you and why and what would you change?
by atomant innot sure if this question has been asked before but thought it would be interesting to read peoples response..
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venus
Vanderhoven7, it is a great thought and I agree with you 100%.
We do not study about cold and darkness because they are absence of heat and light.
Similarly, we need not think about evil and suffering because evil is the absence of goodness and suffering is the consequence of choosing evil.
Without suffering, we will not know what the misuse of free-will would mean. Hence I cannot tell God: “You should ensure I experience no ill-effects even when I misuse my free-will.” Many have strongly been influenced by the proverb: “Friend in need is friend indeed.” Yet this proverb reveals something negative, a commercial mind-set that friend is a means (if a friend does not help me he is not my friend). Similarly many feel that if God does not ensure that they experience no ill-effects even when they misuse their free-will, He is not a God, or He doesn’t exist. Everyone (including animals) can be taught if we want.
Besides, humans have the ability to remove most of our sufferings, and we have shown our abilities many times—for example, when we found that separation is no longer working, Germany went for re-union. This can be tried with regard to countries such as Pakistan & India, South Korean & North Korean … so on, and finally with the whole world. But ego (individual and collective) is the only obstacle. Yet ego is the easiest thing in the world to destroy because it does when it is no longer nurtured.
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Either God’s non-existence or His majesty
by venus inin natural calamities, everyone (despite one’s faith) is affected.
when one denies god’s existence, he experiences no punishment from him.
when one worships him, he receives no special favor from him.
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Either God’s non-existence or His majesty
by venus inin natural calamities, everyone (despite one’s faith) is affected.
when one denies god’s existence, he experiences no punishment from him.
when one worships him, he receives no special favor from him.
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venus
giordano,
You rightly said "god is silent."
Why is He silent? God doesn’t have to speak to us through a medium (person/scriptures) because lessons are plenty in the universe. For example, flower teaches to be beautiful and fragrant in all our action. Water teaches us to be soft and yielding, and be firm and unyielding when situation calls for because it takes the form of its container (it becomes cup in a cup) which means ‘be fully involved in the now’) yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass water. When the sun comes daily illuminating and empowering all living beings, it teaches us to act in such a way that others get illuminated and empowered. When others’ action makes me happy/unhappy, it tells me how I should act towards others. There is a soft voice within me telling always what is beneficial and wasteful…. Lessons go on and on.
That means God would be a non-interventionist! God did not tell the Germans to go for re-union when the separation was not working, but they simply did it. It means it is possible for others such as Pakistan & India, S. Korean & N Korean, and then for the whole world. But the obstacle is ego (individual and collective) which is the easiest thing in the world to destroy because ego is just a thought that dies when it is no longer nurtured. There is great beauty in allowing man to run his affairs unhindered. Let him learn from experiences. If he refuses to learn, let him continue to refuse till he feels saturated with his refusal.
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Either God’s non-existence or His majesty
by venus inin natural calamities, everyone (despite one’s faith) is affected.
when one denies god’s existence, he experiences no punishment from him.
when one worships him, he receives no special favor from him.
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venus
deegee
You are asking “Has God ever told anyone that he created the world but prefers to be AWOL because he gave man free will to run things himself? … I think it would be nice to hear what the situation is directly from God himself.”
Whenever a particular thief steals, he steals only from the rich, and this is his history consistently. In this case, he doesn’t have to tell us that he doesn’t want to rob the poor even though ‘it would be nice to hear what the situation is directly from thief himself.’
Similarly, God has never intervened in the History, thus He doesn’t have to tell us that he doesn’t want to intervene in the affairs of mankind even though “it would be nice to hear what the situation is directly from God himself.”
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How Rutherford did a backflip (flop) off the Great Pyramid
by TerryWalstrom inin 1924, judge rutherford published an article which referred to the great pyramid as "the scientific bible" and added that measurements on the grand gallery inside the great pyramid confirmed the dates 1874, 1914 and 1925.. 1925 was the famous blowout date for the return of "ancient worthies" about which the judge said, "i made an ass of myself.".
just four years later, rutherford did one of his famous about-face reversals.. whereas previously the watchtower had taught that the great pyramid was probably built by melchizedek, or shem;*.
rutherford now said the great pyramid was constructed "under the direction of satan the devil.
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venus
smiddy3,
That's an interesting expression: "" past truths" .."present truths" and ..."future truths."
This means:
Every teaching is the offspring of the time and circumstances
Every religion is the offspring of the time and circumstances
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How Rutherford did a backflip (flop) off the Great Pyramid
by TerryWalstrom inin 1924, judge rutherford published an article which referred to the great pyramid as "the scientific bible" and added that measurements on the grand gallery inside the great pyramid confirmed the dates 1874, 1914 and 1925.. 1925 was the famous blowout date for the return of "ancient worthies" about which the judge said, "i made an ass of myself.".
just four years later, rutherford did one of his famous about-face reversals.. whereas previously the watchtower had taught that the great pyramid was probably built by melchizedek, or shem;*.
rutherford now said the great pyramid was constructed "under the direction of satan the devil.
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venus
Ultimately, convenience is the key.
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God will not lay down any commandments
by venus inin scriptures we find god laying down commandments.
in genesis 2:16, 17 god is shown as commanding humans to avoid “a tree of good and bad.”.
this is impossible to happen for the following reasons:.
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venus
In scriptures we find God laying down commandments. In Genesis 2:16, 17 God is shown as commanding humans to avoid “a tree of good and bad.”
This is impossible to happen for the following reasons:
1) When you are told to avoid doing both “good and bad,” it means you should not do anything at all because whatever you do would naturally fall into the category of either good or bad. Hence God would not make such a command.
2) Mind is pulled toward and hypnotized by the very thing it is trying to avoid. Hence prohibition at the very outset of human affairs is counterproductive.
3) Very important scriptural characters like Jesus are not aware of this account of “tree of good and bad” in which a serpent exhorted first human couple to “be like God” (which is treated as a rebellion—Genesis 3:5) because Jesus himself exhorted all humans to “be like God.” (Mathew 5:48)
This is why we find in one place God as making commandments and in other places we read God did not command so (Exodus 29:19-22; Jeremiah 7:22) which means humans were writing things as though God commanded.
God doesn’t have to make laws because lessons are plenty in the universe. For example, flower teaches to be beautiful and fragrant in all our action. Water teaches us to be soft and yielding, and be firm and unyielding when situation calls for because it takes the form of its container (it becomes cup in a cup) which means ‘be fully involved in the now’) yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass water. When the sun comes daily illuminating and empowering all living beings, it teaches us to act in such a way that others get illuminated and empowered. When others’ action makes me happy/unhappy, it tells me how I should act towards others. There is a soft voice within me telling always what is beneficial and wasteful…. Lessons go on and on.
That means God would be a non-interventionist! God did not tell the Germans to go for re-union when the separation was not working, but they simply did it. It means it is possible for others such as Pakistan & India, S. Korean & N Korean, and then for the whole world. But the obstacle is ego (individual and collective) which is the easiest thing in the world to destroy because ego is just a thought that dies when it is no longer nurtured. There is great beauty in allowing man to run his affairs unhindered. Let humans learn from experiences. If humans refuse to learn, let them continue to refuse till they feel saturated with their refusal.
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Bible contradictions.
by pleaseresearch inwhat are your biggest, funniest, scariest, etc.... wait wt says there are non hahahah.
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venus
One place it says we are sinners from birth (Romans 5:12-21), in other places it says repent which means you had freedom to choose, yet you chose wastefully, hence now choose to make U-turn.
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Either God’s non-existence or His majesty
by venus inin natural calamities, everyone (despite one’s faith) is affected.
when one denies god’s existence, he experiences no punishment from him.
when one worships him, he receives no special favor from him.
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venus
Diogenesister
Although when we say the scriptures of the ancients misrepresent him, are we not doing exACTly what they did and creating a God that fits the image of what we expect of him?
Looking at what God does not do would also reveal some details about God (which is not same as carving “an image of what we expect of Him”). For example, He is the recipient of our worship, says the scripture which is obviously written by humans who are known to put their own thoughts into the mouth of characters. For example, Jesus did not say what is said in John 3:13 where he supposedly said: “he has ascended into heaven” which he did after 3 years. If he has not said John 3:13, what about the famous verse in John 3:16? This shows scripture writers were putting their own thoughts as though dictated by God, hence we find too many human thoughts in the scriptures.
That means God is for receiving our worship is a human concept. But the fact is that He is the giver of worship (not recipient of worship). For example, when a child is born, or when a child grows and accomplishes something parents say (outwardly or inwardly): “Look at him, he is our child.” By saying this parents unwittingly take credit (as though being worshiped) for something which came into existence without them doing any programming. Truth is that parents were only seeking sexual pleasure from each other, and in the process a child came into existence.
Yet, Bible is like a forest where you find both wild animals and mild animals, sweet waters and muddy waters. Similarly, in the Bible too some truths have crept into by chance. For example, Mathew 5:44-48. A careful and impartial reading of those verses show that God, like sun, does not receive anything, but only gives; and He neither wants nor receives worship, but wants us to become worship-worthy by being a giver with no expectation from others.
When I tried that it made me happier than that is in receiving. This is in contrast to what the world understands to be love. For example, we have heard the proverb: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” And most people would agree with it. But deep down that reveals a commercial attitude! That is not friendship; that is not love. You want to use the other as a means. But the truth is that no man is a means, every man is an end unto himself. One need not be worried about who is a real friend?
The real question has to be: “Am I friendly to people?” Friendship is the highest form of love.In love, idea of getting something from the other does not exist, and a question of using the other does not arise. You have too much and you would like to share. And whosoever is ready to share your joy with you, your dance, your song, you will be grateful to him, you will feel obliged. Not that he is obliged to you, not that he should feel thankful to you because you have given so much to him. A friend never thinks in that way. A friend always feels grateful to those people who allow him to love them, to give them whatsoever he has got. Similarly, God feels thankful to us because His love has meaning only because we are there as recipients.
Making friendships with the idea of using people is taking a wrong step from the very beginning. Friendship has to be a sharing. If you have something share it and whosoever is ready to share with you is a friend. It is not a question that when you are in danger the friend has to come to your aid. If he comes you are grateful, but if he does not come, it's perfectly okay and he doesn’t automatically cease to be a friend. It is his decision to come or not to come.
You will not say to him, `When I was in need you didn't turn up what kind of friend are you?' Friendship is absolutely human. It has something for which there is no inbuilt mechanism in your biology; it is non-biological. Hence one rises in friendship; one does not fall in friendship. It has a spiritual dimension—something we gleaned from look at the way God acts.
No wonder, in some ancient languages, worship literally means egolessness, living in the now … etc. which means worshipfully engaging in whatever you do with 100% involvement. Those who have done this do not feel time passing as though living in heaven (compare Luke 17:21)