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I think Hope12 wants those who believe in the heaven/hell afterlife teachings to reason on what the Bible says, not have me answer.

I thought my post was clear: the idea that people die and their...

Well, only one volume--the Bible--is necessary for a reliable answer, and it is very exact.

It's only a mystery when trying to combine unreliable human traditions and philosophies with what the...

That's just ignoring the facts, and really just shows that you are unreasonable and want to argue and attack.

I'm not going to rehash the history of translating the divine name with you. It's...

That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth. -- Psalm 83:18 (ASV)

And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name,...

It's a good thing the apostles didn't feel as you do, that loyalty and obedience are shortcomings. Imagine the damage such a permissive attitude would have caused the early Christian congregations. ...

Because JWs honestly try to obey and apply what the Bible teaches. And since the Bible truly is God's word, the resulting unity of thought and action should not be a surprise. In fact, I would...

If you're interested in what Jehovah's Witnesses believe about this topic, you may want to take a look at the series of articles on hell in the 15 July 2002 Watchtower magazine.

Chris

This suggests that you view the Bible writers as ignorant, which is not only untrue, but also leads to another point to consider. Bible critics often use two different yet contradictory objections...

I would assume that this statement is based on what the Koran says rather than the Bible. Do you have any scriptural support for this belief? Or do you not accept the Bible?

Just trying to...

How?

Chris

This is certainly true, although I would say it is more than an "attempt." ;) It succeeds completely. The history and science is secondary to the message. Yet, I find even that fact to be...

OK, I follow. You prefer the "hard" sciences. There are, of course, many archaeological sites that confirm the Bible record.

As for the flood, I don't think the geological evidence is so much...

So your doubt is not really so much about the subsequent written transmission as it is about the trustworthiness of the original message?

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "archaeological...

There is no need to "doubt" in this matter. It is simple to research and verify. There are source documents in existence today in libraries and museums around the world that date to within decades...

I hope no one gets the impression I view the Quran as having the same authority as the Bible! I do not. I hold that the Bible is God's only inspired word. But I do respect someone's right to hold...

1 Timothy 6:4
1 Timothy 6:20-21

Leave it to Paul to give inspired advice about these situations!

Chris

This view is certainly understandable if one reads the King James Version (KJV). Yet this position is not supported by the account in Acts 2:27-31 which tells us Jesus was in hell at one point, and...

You are truly disturbing. Are you the Official Thought Policeman on this forum or something? I guess you want everyone to preface their statements on this forum with: "Before I begin, I must...

Am I not entitled to communicate my belief? I respect what others believe, but I also ask them to consider what the Bible says. Just like Jesus did.

Really now, criticisms of JWs or the NWT have...

:rolleyes: OK, what specifically is it that I have said that you believe is not scriptural? Or do you intend to just stick to ad hominen attacks?

The accusations you make about the New World...

Yes, I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Chris

Here are some scriptures to consider:


" 'Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists ("familiar spirits" NKJV), for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. -- Leviticus 19:31...

It's true we must have strong convictions and sincerity, but it is possible to be sincerely convinced of something--and still be wrong. After all, at one time or another many were sincerely...

I agree. Worship must be firmly based on truth. God tolerates no falsehood in his worship.

But you will find that some professed Christians claim that you cannot rely on your Bible to tell you...

To my mind, such a position is a logical fallacy known as "Special Pleading." It appeals to scriptural authority in some cases (ie, to establish the authority of the Church), but denies it in others...

What authority can there be for the Christian congregation if not the inspired words of the God whom they profess to obey and worship?

I want to be clear on your position. Answer this question,...

Hmm. "An authority" is not the same as "equal or greater authority." Perhaps I don't understand your position clearly. Is it your position that The Church (which I assume means the Catholic Church)...

I assume you mean 1 Tim 3:15 which reads:


but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the...

You just had to kick over the beehive... [running for cover now] :D

Chris

See what I mean?

Chris

Morganite, this guy thinks you're me. I went round and round with him and he never would agree on any point. Take my advice: give up now or you will waste a great deal of time. He is not...

Well, those are only two of the points he makes. Let's look at 2 Tim 3:16-17 and highlight some other relevant points.


All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for...

Hey, I'd like to "get in on it" too. Let's not let a few centuries get in the way! :)


Do you mean the Bible itself making the claim to being the sole authority? If so, consider these NT...

I'd be interested to see what scriptural support you have for this statement. I can't help but recall how many times Jesus himself referred people (and even Satan) to the scriptures saying "It is...

I'm not sure what your point is here. Is it your belief that the early Christian congregations did not have access to the scriptures?

They certainly had the Hebrew scriptures, or the "Old...

That is your prerogative with the freewill you have been given. But never forget that freewill comes with responsibility and you must accept the results of your choice. The Bible lovingly invites,...

If I tell my son not to stay off the grass and he does it anyway, will he be punished for walking on grass or for disobeying my authority? Adam and Eve willfully disobeyed knowing the consequences...

No, that's not a good analogy. That's just someone selfishly abusing freewill and then trying to avoid responsibility. A good analogy would be a father allowing an errant child to learn from his...

NeedKarma comes from the atheist/impersonal God viewpoint. My opinion, however, is that the Bible's view is correct.

Mankind rejected both God's rule AND protection by the rebellion in the Garden...

ROFL!

And Paul, please, give it a rest. It's the off-the-wall stuff you're writing that makes people question the Bible.

Chris

The Bible promises a resurrection that will provide many with the "second chance" you are looking for.


I don't have time to answer all these points. Try this for now:

Why Does God Allow Us...

My point is the Bible writers were not illiterate bushmen as you seem to think. In fact, the prophet Daniel held a high-level position in the court of the king of Babylon. Even those who had humble...

I went round and round with someone else about this recently and it turned out that what he called contradictions were actually either silly claims made by others about what the Bible said or else...

Well, Jesus didn't view the scriptures that way. What about all the times he said "It is written"? What about all the scriptures Jesus himself quoted and fulfilled? Surely if we respect him, and...

Surely that's quibbling! And where does this line of reasoning end? That the Bible cannot be authentic unless it contains every detail, every thought and action of every person mentioned, and...

The more I think about this, the scarier it gets! If we start to think that anything we do is God's will, this can lead to absolute moral chaos.

Someone can justify any action with this...

CELTEARTH, you are free to believe what you like but it's not correct to say that it's scriptural!

In these two scriptures, the KJV translators rendered an original language word as "evil." But...

I think that's a bit of a stretch. It doesn't sound so much like a hypothesis as it does presuming the final outcome of the research. I guess my point is, why presume anything? It makes more sense...

Hey psi42--

Did you see this at CNN?

Harvard to explore origins of life

Here is the "scientific method" in action. Notice Professor David R. Liu's statement in the article:


"My...

Do you view Christian worship as an activity only for Sunday and maybe a few special holidays? Perhaps as a formal set of actions and prayers repeated during a service in your house of worship?
...