Posts by venus

23

Why "Most high"?

by Doug Mason in

if there were only one god, why do we encounter the expression, "most high god"?.

is this not indicative of polytheism, and of levels (or degrees) of god-ness?.

doug .

venus

In the Bible, one can take things literally and figuratively. I take most of the things figuratively, and I benefit because of that.

The expression Most High is rich in meaning. It suggests that we are all His children, spirits in human costumes, whereas He is the Supreme Spirit, hence Most High.

Similarly, when I read the account of Adam and Eve, I apply the same logic. Behind the details, there is some interesting lesson. See the automatic response in Adam and Eve after they sinned: They immediately felt ashamed and hid themselves which defines sin as something that makes one feel no longer worthy of God’s love, care and protection (not that they felt they were naked physically).

60

Can someone tell me why Joan's ark and the flood not true and impossible?

by Gokumonkey in

hey everyone.

i have a question and i hope i'm not confusing this with something else i heard.

while watching ex jw videos on youtube many of them talk about how noah's ark and the flood didn't happen and it's impossible.

venus

Even if Noah’s ark is scientifically possible with a bigger vessel that takes care of 8.7 million species, theologically it is not possible for God to handle a situation that puts greater hardship on the righteous than on the wicked who died in a few minutes after getting drown in the water.

However, if we look beneath the details, story tells God intervenes when it is necessary. God’s established practice is “Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile.” (Revelation 22:11) This would mean that there is no intervention in the case of individuals and in each individual cases of free-will use; and it would also mean there would be a time when the righteous would find life is impossible because of the increasing number of the wicked (according to Law of increasing entropy). God, being the master of the universe, would need to act only on whole sale basis, hence would restore the original perfect condition, says logic (and also scriptures Rev 21:1, 5. Law of increasing entropy would again set things into a downhill trend, which would mean God would renew system of things again.

The above view takes care of the principle on which both theism and atheism stand: Theism says “From the more comes the less,” and atheism says “from the less comes the more.” Thus both agree that something comes from something. If something comes from something, it has always been true, it has always been there—infinite into the past and infinite into the future.

59

Common Figure of Speech/Colloquialism?

by rstrats in

1. the messiah said that three nights would be involved with his time in the "heart of the earth".. 2. there are some who believe that the crucifixion took place on the 6th day of the week with the resurrection taking place on the 1st day of the week.. 3. of those, there are some who believe that the "heart of the earth" is referring to the tomb.. 4. however, those two beliefs allow for only 2 nights to be involved.. 5. to account for the discrepancy, some of the above say that the messiah was using common figure of speech/colloquial language of the time, i.e., that it is was common to forecast or say that a day or a night would be involved with an event when no part of the day or no part of the night could occur.. 6. in order for someone to legitimately say that it was common, they would have to know of more that 1 example to make that assertion.. 6. for the purpose of this topic, i would like to ask if there are any 6th day of the week crucifixion advocates who think the messiah was employing common figure of speech/colloquial language of the period?.

venus

Problem is not about common figure of speech. Truth is that Jesus got it wrongly, or Jonah's account was later addition for which writers were seeking endorsement through the mouth of Jesus.

This is similar to Jesus referring to Noah's day. In Noah's days violence plummeted; yet Jesus was not aware of this fact because he said: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark." (Mathew 24:37, 38)

Why such discrepancies? Richard Dwakins has got it correctly: “To be fair, much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents, composed, revised, translated, distorted and 'improved' by hundreds of anonymous authors, editors and copyists, unknown to us and mostly unknown to each other, spanning nine centuries." (God Delusion)

31

You may PRETEND to care - in reality you are SELFISH!

by wannabefree in

that;s what my wife (and all jw's) gets to hear about us at the kingdom hall today, (hmmmm, i wonder if she'll raise her hand to answer this one) ... .

watchtower study ... today, apostates and others who create divisions in the congregation use “smooth talk and flattering speech.” (romans 16:17, 18) they may pretend to care about others, but in reality, they are selfish.. (the watchtower - study edition (simplified version) 10/17 page 4 paragraph 7).

venus

_Morpheus & Finkelstein summed it up very nicely—absolutely correct. Their care is conditional--they care as long as you care for them, which is not care/love at all (Mathew 5:44-48). Thus those who understood the truth about "the truth" would naturally care for those trapped in "truth" which is the real care.

2

This sums Wt up to a "T"

by joe134cd in

just saw this on you tube.

although he is talking about religion generally and from a christian perspective.

it very much sums up the transition wt is going through.. https://youtu.be/mkejzeh5ee8.

venus

What he says is correct. Religions have been reduced into mere social clubs. Many are realising now that people can live without religion but religion cannot live without people. Even during my school days I realised that religion is not needed because I am created in God's image--there is a divine spark in me that sustains my body.

I understood people have varying responses to others' action which shows people create their emotions such as unhappiness and happiness, depression and joyfulness, anger and contentment ...

I create happiness

I create moving pictures in mind--even while sleeping (dream)

I created my body

If such a great power resides in my body, it is a divine spark--exact representation of God's very being. Hence why do I need guidance of religion? I can always turn to my soul within.

20

what is the sales technique here?

by Kevin McFree in

jw's will never knock on your door and say, "hi, we are here to convert you".

speaking to a reporter recently a jw media rep at hq said " our main purpose going door to door is not to convert but to share bible truths with people".

does anyone know the sales techniques involved here?

venus

Exactly the way an Insurance Agent frames his wording--I am not here to sell insurance, but to share information about insurance.

After purchasing one, when you really need insurance coverage for some loss, then their concern would be how to not give insurance, seeking for all loopholes that would make you ineligible.

51

Stop harassing jws

by pomo6780 in

we want people to learn ttatt.

we have numerous resources online to draw jws in so that they will wake up.

however, i've noted some radical methods that have been used by fellow exjws, and quite frankly, this must stop.

venus

pomo6780, you said: "Humanity is lost when people attack others for no reason. Complete strangersconfronting others is not normal."

Very valid point, must be known by God too which means He would not authorize one human preaching to another!

51

Stop harassing jws

by pomo6780 in

we want people to learn ttatt.

we have numerous resources online to draw jws in so that they will wake up.

however, i've noted some radical methods that have been used by fellow exjws, and quite frankly, this must stop.

venus

My own twin sister who is a zealous JW stopped preaching to me when I asked her this question:

If God is able to listen to the prayers of billions of people (as all religions teach), then it must equally be easy for God to communicate with all people simultaneously. Without going for such an easy option, why does He use people like you to communicate with other people?

35

Bible is good if we look for implied truth

by venus in

thumbs-up gesture doesn’t covey much if we see only four fingers closed and thumb standing upward.

but if we look for the implied meaning, then it is a positive, informal signal indicating a job well done, and saying ‘keep it up.’.

similarly, biblical accounts don’t convey much if we see them as mere accounts.

venus

days of future passed

If what religions teach (God can listen to prayers of billions of people simultaneously) is true, then it would mean He can also communicate with billions of people simultaneously.

Yet He doesn't do that? Why? It is of no use. Everyone knows one day he would die, and has seen the death of many people, and billions of people who ever lived on earth are no more--yet most people behave as though they won't die, get immersed in accumulation of things in abundance which they won't finish using before their death. Why does this sure thing as death have no effect on people? If this doesn't influence people, what else would influence?

51

Stop harassing jws

by pomo6780 in

we want people to learn ttatt.

we have numerous resources online to draw jws in so that they will wake up.

however, i've noted some radical methods that have been used by fellow exjws, and quite frankly, this must stop.

venus

To JWs coming to me I always say: "Religion must be chosen after you are mature enough to do so--may be in the second half of your life, after making enough observations." This is implied in the famous verse of Jesus:

"By their fruit you will recognize them"--Mathew 7:16

Then I put a question to them: If you really follow Jesus, what you will do first?

Jesus defied/rejected the Scriptures of his time, and appealed to each one's conscience--Mathew 7:12