Posts by Island Man

20

Faulty Reasoning to Promote God's "Name"

by Dissonant15 in

as i am newly awoken, i am daily having epiphanies & revelations now.

i've been casually wondering to myself since the propagandist broadcast about the name "jehovah" if it would be more proper to call him "yahweh" to myself.

well tonight the answer suddenly came to me: it doesn't matter.

Island Man

You are spot on Dissonant15! The JWs focus on the need to use an inaccurate personal name is actually quite petty and silly when you think about it.

They say bible names have meanings and God's name has a rich meaning. But they then turn around and negate that argument about the importance of the meaning of God's name, by focusing instead on the need to use a personal appellation. So which is really important - the meaning of the name or the verbal appellation? Make up your minds already, you blind guides!

If it is the meaning of God's name that is really important then that meaning is already known by christians who study the bible. Also, studying the bible reveals God's name - his character and personality. Thus, whether a christian uses "Jehovah" or not, he gets to know and use God's name in the most important ways that would matter most.

This fixation on the need to use a particular appellation thus amounts to petty superstitious nonsense that only serves to paint their God as a petty snob.

74

That's it! The Jesus stories are most reasonably explained as myth. History makes this obvious.

by Island Man in

a careful examination of the historical pagan religious context existing at the time of the genesis of christianity leads any reasonable person to conclude that jesus is just another one of several similar myths.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn7teoa9ark.

Island Man

Perry, most objective scholars regard the few supposed references to Jesus in writings of old historians to be later fabrications by christians trying to plant evidence of Jesus into secular history.

You quoted an ancient writer who says Christians were named after Christus. However, Christus is not a name of Jesus but the greek word for the title of messiah. It seems like that reference to Christus was a later forgery by an ignorant christian trying to plant Jesus in secular history.

75

Lurker trying to gain clarity

by questioningmyfaith in

jw
friends

hello all, i would like to first say that i am basically questioning my faith in god.

i am not negative towards the wt at all.

so honestly i am to concerned with more ad hominem attacks towards the wt because i still love the organization and the people in it.

Island Man

I just want to mention too that my lack of disdain towards the WT will never change.

That statement is disturbing. It says to me that no amount of facts can change your mind. An honest person who values truth and bases his viewpoint on facts, will humbly change his mind on an issue if he receives new evidence that disprove his prior viewpoint.

An honest-hearted lover of truth would never make such a statement as you made. Yours is the kind of statement that a blindly loyal supporter of a political party or sports team, makes. It seems like you have a blind, tribalistic loyalty to WT and you proudly refuse to let any facts get in the way of it.

74

That's it! The Jesus stories are most reasonably explained as myth. History makes this obvious.

by Island Man in

a careful examination of the historical pagan religious context existing at the time of the genesis of christianity leads any reasonable person to conclude that jesus is just another one of several similar myths.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn7teoa9ark.

Island Man

One other thing, IslandMan, you do know that Jews don't believe Jesus is the Messiah or believe in the Gospel accounts right?
You brought up the gospels and their writers and the claims of Jesus' powers-- you are aware that while we Jews can accept Jesus as an historical person, we don't at the same time believe any of the other stuff?

Yes, I'm aware of that.

74

That's it! The Jesus stories are most reasonably explained as myth. History makes this obvious.

by Island Man in

a careful examination of the historical pagan religious context existing at the time of the genesis of christianity leads any reasonable person to conclude that jesus is just another one of several similar myths.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn7teoa9ark.

Island Man

Interesting experience, Cal.

I don't need Jesus to be a myth. In fact, for a good while I believed he was nothing more than a charismatic cult leader who was later embellished and imbued with godlike powers by the gospel writers. It never bothered me that he may have been a real person, because him being a real person doesn't change the fact that the gospels as written, are obviously filled with myth.

There are just too many examples of similar myths and a complete lack of secular historical mention of Jesus, for me to believe he actually existed as a real historical person on earth.

4

Free DEBATE in Dallas between Bart Ehrman and Dr. Justin Bass Friday 9-18

by Terry in

https://www.facebook.com/events/1666142046937367/.

from ehrman's blog:.

for anyone in the dallas area: on friday (two days!

Island Man

"Free admission. And my arguments will be worth every dime you pay to hear them."

74

That's it! The Jesus stories are most reasonably explained as myth. History makes this obvious.

by Island Man in

a careful examination of the historical pagan religious context existing at the time of the genesis of christianity leads any reasonable person to conclude that jesus is just another one of several similar myths.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn7teoa9ark.

Island Man

"Second Temple era Responsa is older than the New Testament. It takes time for myths to be created and accepted. The idea that a mythological, non-entity so quickly governed such a reaction among Jewish society and continued into the Diaspora before even the Gospels were canonized would have to be demonstrated."

Did you watch the video, CalebInFlorida? The video shows that the Jesus myth started in Judaism and pre-dates first century christianity.

74

That's it! The Jesus stories are most reasonably explained as myth. History makes this obvious.

by Island Man in

a careful examination of the historical pagan religious context existing at the time of the genesis of christianity leads any reasonable person to conclude that jesus is just another one of several similar myths.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn7teoa9ark.

Island Man

"An non-historical figure would not have inspired such complex Jewish rhetoric designed to defend Judaism's stand"

I beg to differ. I posit to you that the mythical Jesus character only needs to be compelling and charismatic and therefore seen as a threat to Judaism so as to inspire a complex response from Judaism.

Think of this fact: Atheists don't believe in god. Yet many atheist scholars have developed arguments and treatises that expose and debunk creationist claims.

So it is not the truthfulness of a character or teaching that determines whether or not it will be responded to but rather the influence and the threat it is perceived as having.

31

counting time

by Sabin in

yesterday jw knocked on my door, i was sitting in the office with the window right next to it, they couldn't see me & i decided not to answer.

they stood there for what seemed ages & as i watched something hit me.

they were here only because they were on the territory.

Island Man

Yes, counting time is an obscene practice. It cheapens what should be a heartfelt expression of love and devotion to God, into a cold, calculating metric. Keeping count encourages comparisons, egotism and boasting. It also encourages perfunctory service for the sake of having numbers to put down on a report. It encourages an attitude of making hours instead of making disciples.

The bible says to serve god whole-souled. But how often have you heard a JW pioneer or aux-pioneer commenting that they've made their quota and so they can take the rest of the month off? Are they really giving their best - or just fulfilling a quota. Remember the story of the widow's mite? Counting time violates all that that story stands for because it causes people to be spiritually measured by the quantity of time they put in rather than the subjective effort they put into their ministry. A "poor widow" secularly employed, struggling single parent publisher could be giving 5 hours of quality service out of their want. But they're seen as less spiritual than a "wealthy" pioneer who is a retiree with lots of time on his hands and able to give 70 hours out of their surplus.

Can you imagine a man keeping a written report of how many kisses and love-makings he gives his wife each month? How romantic do you think that would be? "Oh look, my kisses are down. Honey, could you come here a minute, I need to give you 5 kisses to maintain my monthly average. Muah! muah! muah! muah! muah! There, I've made my quota for the month! That means I don't need to kiss you for the rest of the month..."

75

Lurker trying to gain clarity

by questioningmyfaith in

jw
friends

hello all, i would like to first say that i am basically questioning my faith in god.

i am not negative towards the wt at all.

so honestly i am to concerned with more ad hominem attacks towards the wt because i still love the organization and the people in it.

Island Man

"Why do humans seem to be so unable to rule themselves."

I read in that question, the unstated premise that human society should be problem free, that conditions should be able to be perfect. So let me ask you another question to perhaps highlight that your thinking may be clouded by a false premise that you have accepted without question:

What makes you think that things are supposed to be perfect? Who implanted that idea in your head?

It is only natural and normal for human society to have problems and conflicts to varying degrees given the individual difference that exist from one person to another. Conflict is a normal and natural occurrence. It happens within all other species. Why do you think humans should be exempt?

I will submit to you that the expectation that things should be perfect is borne of religious indoctrination. The JW teaching that man was created perfect in the image of God and problems are the result of man's fall into sin, creates the false idea that the conflicts and problems we face as humans are somehow unnatural and we are a failure as humans if we're unable to permanently end all conflict.