Zechariah

Joined

• started 40 topics
• posted 252 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Zechariah

• 
  32

  Non believers in god please.

  by Monster in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a poster( don't ask who said, it i don't want argument with the person) here implied a while ago that many of the xjw here no longer believe in god because they cannot accept the "fact" that they willl be destroyed during armageddon.

  in other words you are looking for ways to discredit that you ( you.

  meaning anyone) will be destoryed.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  My personal meditations on the scriptures have lead me to conclude the following about Armageddon.

  (====) The WT concept of Armageddon is their version of hellfire and the fear of it is used to keep the membership in line. This viewpoint has no validity nor is supported by scripture. (====) First of all God has encouraged christians to not let their battle be against flesh and blood but against wicked spirit forces. Certainly therefore his own battles would not be against flesh and blood. (====) Armageddon must therefore certainly be a spiritual battle against demonic spirit forces. Even though spoken of in literal terms in Revelation it must be understood it is symbolic of spiritual things. (====) Basically the Battle of Armageddon is a battle of good vs. evil in which good (the spirit of Christ) will win out. This battle was longtime recognized as such a spiritual battle by Charles Russel in his Studies in the scriptures book "The Battle Of Armageddon". (====) He accurately predicted almost 100 years in advance the current world political climate. He described the gathering together of the nations to the battle as being accomplished by means of "advanced communication". (====) Certainly he was referring to telephone, radio, television, and of course the internet. It is in this fashion the nations are gathering themselves together (on both sides) in a joint effort against all the satanic problems that the world globally faces. The War on Terrorism is a major phase of this battle. (====) Armageddon is not to come but is already ongoing. All the descriptions of blood and bodies are symbolic. Just as the descriptions of earthquakes, floods, etc. (====) There is no reason for the righteous to fear the battle. The righteous are all those who love God and their fellow man. They thus are submitting themselves to the spirit of Christ prophecied to take over in the earth and subject all nations to itself. This does not mean their destruction as it was prophecied that after the Battle the only nations that will prosper will be thoswho make pilgrimages (symbolically) to Jerusalem. (******) Zechariah (******)
• 
  32

  Non believers in god please.

  by Monster in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a poster( don't ask who said, it i don't want argument with the person) here implied a while ago that many of the xjw here no longer believe in god because they cannot accept the "fact" that they willl be destroyed during armageddon.

  in other words you are looking for ways to discredit that you ( you.

  meaning anyone) will be destoryed.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  Zechariah, you're full of crap.If anyone can't see why, let me know and I'll try to post a more detailed rebuttal.

  FunkyDerek....... I for one if that counts fail to understand why I am full of crap. Please try to give a more detailed rebuttal. Your rebuttal so far had no detail at all. ..............................
  Zechariah
• 
  32

  Non believers in god please.

  by Monster in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a poster( don't ask who said, it i don't want argument with the person) here implied a while ago that many of the xjw here no longer believe in god because they cannot accept the "fact" that they willl be destroyed during armageddon.

  in other words you are looking for ways to discredit that you ( you.

  meaning anyone) will be destoryed.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  ZECHARIAH- New Age Philosopher

  I have for many times both on the WTO and the H2O board offered a psychological explanation of the personality of an unbeliever in God (the creator). I present it now for JWD.

  Just as the Bible identifies spiritual attributes that are directly associated with God and belief in him as fruitages of the spirit there also is the converse spirits of the world. There are similar contrasts made in 1 Corinthians where it speaks of the physical (carnal) man versus the spiritual man. The spiritual man is conscious of his spirit inheritance as he believes he has been created in the image of the creator.

  If a person believes in anything spiritual (unseen) it has to be because of faith based on reason having witnessed the effects cause by the spiritual thing. This includes all such things as gravity, relativity, and all physical and spiritual laws. Unbelievers criticize believers for the exercise of faith. They want to give the impression they don't believe or know anything unless they personally see or hear it. They believe only that which they are willing to just as with everyone ele. They hypocritically claim to know things about life and its origin. They also claim their knowledge has nothing at all to do with faith. Does not what almost all things unbelievers claim to know about evolution or anything else that occurs in the world that they have not personally witnessed require faith. You must have faith in the person relating these unproven facts to you and in whom you are willng to believe. Willingness to believe is the essential prerequisite to faith and knowledge of any kind. The only thing we are debating though is faith in the creator.

  The only thing preventing the unbeliever from belief in God and encouraging him to block out all the overwhelming evidence of a creator is the unbelievers fear of disappointment which carries over to every aspect of their lives. They have had many disappointments in their lives and their greatest fear or phobia now is to be further disappointed. As fear is always worse than reality the unbeliever is willing to forego chances for happiness in close personal relationships by not giving anyone the opportunity to further disappoint them. This fear keeps them alone and unfulfilled. They are not able to fully commit or trust. This fear applies not only to romantic relationships but also to family relationships and ultimately to their relationship with God. The bad things they perceive those who they should be able to depend on for keeping them safe and well have allowed to happen to them are both unjustifiable and unforgiveable.

  They reason like this: Certainly he does not love me and even if he does who needs that kind of love. Even though he pleads for me to understand why he has abandoned me and allowed me to be hurt and abused. He says it was for reasons that at the time were beyond my understanding and had nothing to do with his deep love for me. I hate my mate. I hate my parent. I hate my God. They will never have the chance to disappoint me again. They are no longer and will never be again a part of my life. The unbelievers reason for his disbelief has nothing to do with scientific proof or lack of it. No one can prove anything to someone not willing to believe it. Job in the same way rejected the creator for allowing him to suffer at the hands of Satan, the great child abuser of us all. It was not until Job accepted the counsel of the young man Elihu that he ceased his criticisms of God and renewed his faith. Now God could reward and restore Job better than ever before. It is us that suffer the most for refusing to believe. Being willing to hear and accept God's explanation is the key to a mutually beneficial relationship with him our heavenly father.
  ....... It is a fascinating fact that virtually without exception one of a unbelievers least favorite colors is yellow. ............. Zechariah .........
• 
  33

  DO U BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER DEATH?

  by Mary in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  even though we were all raised with the firm doctrine that absolutely nothing happens to you after death, (except for those baptized before 1935 of course), does anyone here think that maybe something does happen after we die?

  i've seen some programs about people that have reported having near death experiences.

  while this doesn't offer proof, i find it very strange that one individual, during her nde, repeated a conversation she heard on an entirely different floor in the hospital while she was clinically dead.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  Past post on H2O............

  THEN AND NOW
  
  I used to believe as I was taught by Jehovah's Witnesses the soul is totally synonymous with all that man is. It was taught me it included the body which and is subject to death when the body dies for they are one and the same. Several scriptures literally and loosely interpreted are offered by JWs in support of their definition of a soul. The scripture stating how man was created tells us God blew into his nostrils and man became a living soul. I was taught that we must imply that from this statement that a soul is the entirety of a man which includes his body (false assumption). This is combined with the scripture that says that the soul that sins it itself wll die. I was taught that this proves that because the soul has been determined to be the body that the soul dies when does the body.
  I now believe what I inherently know to be the truth. A person's body is not at all themselves. Their bodys are just their vehicles to carry them through this human existence. The soul in actuality is a part of a physical person that cannot be seen. It is their spiritual essence that is not subject to death at the same time man is. So to reinterpret the scripture stating the soul that sins shall die we must make note of the fact that a persons body, a thing and not a person is incapable of sinning. Only our spiritual selves can. It is for certain we are spiritual creatures physically embodied. Another scripture says "do not be afraid of he that can just destroy the body but fear him that can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna (hell). Clearly this is proof the soul or the person survives inherently the physical death of the body. The death of the soul being spoken of due to sin is not referring to physical death at all. That death is spiritual death allowing us to understand that by saying men are inherently everlasting for their souls continue past physical death does not mean it is being said they are immortal. Immortality implies one is incapable of dying. The bible assures us that God has the power to destroy the everlasting souls he created on the grounds of sin (???). All statements and physical occurences that have occurred in the lives of biblical characters are not intended to teach us anything of a physical nature but are object lessons meant to teach us how to live spiritual lives in or out of the flesh. Animals being souls would imply that they too have inherently everlasting spiritual lives. After physical death or seperation the soul can go to one of two places. They are:
  Heaven- heaven is not a physical place seperated from us by physical distance. It is a different dimension of life which occupies the same physical space. It is a spiritual condition. At death as in sleep or out of body experiences the long journey in spirit can be made.
  Hell is also not a place as JWs have described it. They say hell is the common grave of mankind. Hell is not a place but a spiritual condition where one is in darkness completely seperated from God. It is a condition that Jesus Christ voluntarily agreed to be subject to and so for three days was in hell. God could not help him during that time that began even prior to his physical death. They never could have killed Jesus unless God had abandoned him. This is the very reason Jesus cried out at his death, Father ..Why have you foresaken me? A complete darkness encmpass the place of Jesus death at high noon because God could not have people look upon his son as he gave up his life. Jesus returning to his fathers right hand at the end of this time spent in hell required a rebirth of spirit making Christ the first person ever to be reborn. The descriptions of hell as a place of fiery torment only can be interpreted in a spiritual sense. Somehow a everlasting soul that is abandoned by God will experience in some spiritual sense tormenting conditions of such magnitude. A lifetime without love and beauty would in my estimation be intolerable making anyone in that situation desirous of death but yet not being able to die. Everlasting torment. ......... Zechariah..........
• 
  3

  My thoughts on Aug. KM insert

  by Zechariah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have just read the august km insert on disfellowshipping.

  on the surface it appears to be nothing new.

  but looks are deceiving in that there exists a all important difference.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  I have just read the August KM insert on disfellowshipping. On the surface it appears to be nothing new. But looks are deceiving in that there exists a all important difference. It is noteworthy that the WTS subtly in almost every instance they refer to a disfellowshipped person they include " or disassociated " as if the words are synonymous. ..............
  They base their shunning practice on the scripture at 1 Cor. 5:11,13 which says Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man....... Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
  Other translations render the scripture "seperate yourself" or " dont keep company with". ...............
  The WTSs interpretation of this scripture makes a few faulty assumptions. It assumes that singular instances of immorality can qualify someone as a wicked person. It also falsely assumes that a disassociated person can be classed a wicked man by virtue simply of the fact he refuses to idolize the Watchtower organization. .............. In reality it is one who remains loyal to an organization that is teaching falsehood and rendering injustice who is the idolater (from Gods viewpoint) and that makes him wicked. They also falsely assume that seperating ourselves from the wicked man means barring him from any fellowship making him no longer a brother in Christ. In any regard this seperation was intended to be a matter of individual conscience and not a autonomous decree by the church powers......... They make a outrageous presumptuous statement in Par. 5 . It quotes from the 9/15 1981 Watchtower which states: "The fact is that when a Christian gives himself over to sin and has to be disfellowshipped, he forfeits much: his approved standing with God, etc. ............. How in Gods name can they speak for God. It is remiiscent of what the Catholic priests believe about themselves. Namely that what they bind on earth beng bound in heaven . They believe this to mean that if they choose to cut somebody off from their organization that God must do the same. OUTRAGEOUS .......==== Zechariah ========
• 
  3

  Bill Bowen / A Christian martyr

  by Zechariah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  disfellowshiping i have for a longtime realized is spiritual death.

  the jews began the practice when under roman rule as they no longer had the authority to independently sentence people to physical death.

  the alternative was to cut someone off from all association in teir closed society with the intent of destroying their lives to the fullest extent they could........ it is very ironic that the wts in disfellowshiping bill bowen and others involved in the dateline program they unintentionally have made christian martyrs of them.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  Disfellowshiping I have for a longtime realized is spiritual death. The Jews began the practice when under Roman rule as they no longer had the authority to independently sentence people to physical death. The alternative was to cut someone off from all association in teir closed society with the intent of destroying their lives to the fullest extent they could........ It is very ironic that the WTS in disfellowshiping Bill Bowen and others involved in the Dateline program they unintentionally have made christian martyrs of them. What we know throughout history of christian martyrs is that their influence increased to mythic proportions after their death. ............ I clearly can see this is what is happening in regard to Bill Bowen who even though very much physically alive have been rendered dead from his old life as a JW. This is a blessing in disguise as he and the others like him were innocently executed for righteousness sake. Their disfellowshiping has made it possible for them to be resurrected to life again in another form. In this case it is as a ex-JW ............... I really believe this analogy fits and qualifys Bill as a Christian martyr or saint. Christ I know is well pleased with Bill and will greatly back him with holy spirit to perform well his chosen ministry of Silentlambs. I wish him well and am very proud of him. ............. Zechariah........
• 
  31

  ANGER!!!

  by Rado Vleugel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i surf on this discussion board i feel a lot of anger.

  this is totally understandable because a lot of us suffered or still are suffering from their association with the watchtower society.

  some of us are victims of child abuse.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  RADO..... Think about it.
  

  Righteous indignation toward the WTS is whats being expressed here. The WTS has hypocritically and self-righteously criticized and demonized the Catholics and other religions of socalled Christendom to the Nth degree.

  They have done this to such a degree our opinion and expectations of them is so low we can only be pleasantly surprised by things they do. To the contrary for JWs regard themselves as golden examples of christian morality .

  The Catholic church is at least willing to admit their errors and attempt to change. JWs presumptuously make claim to superior and exclusive righteousness. This distorted self image is the source of many abuses suffered by its members.

  The anger of the many they have harmed is well deserved. I for one am mad as hell and ain't gonna take it no more.

  Zechariah
• 

  added thougts on 1000 year reign

  by Zechariah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  link to h2o post

• 

  Zechariah

  link to H2O post
• 
  15

  Complexity, er..no, Simplicity demands a Designer

  by SixofNine in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  life's complexity defies demand for a designer

  by tom siegfried / the dallas morning news

  life is complicated, and explaining it is more complicated still or so it would seem.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  Bang..........

  You are not processing this data correctly in that our becoming Jehovahs Witnesses came first. The large number of early computer users are now Ex-JWs as the object lessons provided them from their experience with early computers forces them to understand the true complexity of life. .................. It also made people question old opinions and ideas which was both a blessing and a malediction depending on your point of view. It no doubt has given each of us an enormous object lesson that we are far more than physical beings. We are physically embodied spirit creatures. The spirit is the most real thing about us. Ou bodies is the hardware and all things invisible is the software (thoughts, events, emotions, etc.) telling the hardware what to do and when to do it. It stimulated our desire for new experiences and increased our openminded about new ideas. This in turn has lead to our early departure from WT captivity. It sounds like it would have done you well to also have had this experience. Maybe you wouldn't have stayed captive as long as you may have. Maybe your thinking would not be so chaotic and confused as your name implies (Bang as in Big Bang) . ............. This entire discussion has set the stage for for a decade of personal meditations on life. I am beginning now to share. IBM Corp. for whom I worked for 25 years has a motto. THINK has been its longtime slogan. Early experience with computers has stimulated and encouraged free thinking. What do you THINK about that. ............ =============== Zechariah =========

  Edited by - zechariah on 6 August 2002 7:37:37
• 
  15

  Complexity, er..no, Simplicity demands a Designer

  by SixofNine in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  life's complexity defies demand for a designer

  by tom siegfried / the dallas morning news

  life is complicated, and explaining it is more complicated still or so it would seem.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Zechariah

  Thanks Dizzy Cat ...................
  The website you suggested is indeed wonderful including the Discussion board. I will be spending a lot of time there. I am retired now and re-experiencing the C64 with my grandchildren is a greatly enjoyable pasttime for me. =========== Zechariah =========