Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Again, with respect, that is not a very strong argument.

I could say that God was directing me to eat aardvarks and then simply say it was down to you to prove God was not truly directing me to do so. - In reality of course, the onus would be on me to prove my assertion.

God directed me to shag my wife's younger sister.
Fortunately she is skinny and foxy.
Wishing my wife was an understanding JW.

Originally posted by Captain Strange
God directed me to shag my wife's younger sister.
Fortunately she is skinny and foxy.
Wishing my wife was an understanding JW.

The Ghost is a chisel, the Captain a sledgehammer.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Again, with respect, that is not a very strong argument.

I could say that God was directing me to eat aardvarks and then simply say it was down to you to prove God was not truly directing me to do so. - In reality of course, the onus would be on me to prove my assertion.

No disrespect taken. I appreciate your comments.
Well if we were told to eat aardvarks in the Bible knowing that command was from God, I'd eat it but wouldn't be happy. Lol. I've caught a couple of them and their pretty nasty!!!
But we know that God and his son Jesus have told his followers to do certain things that not only please him but that are for other reasons such as teaching all that we can about the same things Jesus taught to all and that we can do it truthfully.
Most of the time that Jesus was an adult all he did was a preaching and teaching work that his Father told him to do. Jesus also exposed how most religions taught false teachings and that all his followers were to leave those teachings behind.
Jesus also clearly said that many false prophets would arise and teach many false things.
But Jesus said you could tell them apart by the "fruit they produce". Not real fruit of course but by what they did in regards to being a part of the world or not being a part which is what he commanded.
So by the fruits or results one can conclude if one is doing what the bible says to do.
One again would be removing oneself from false religious teachings, and by doing this the "light" of the truth would get clearer and brighter. It has taken awhile and there has been misunderstandings over the years, but as time has passed we have left old paganistic and burdensome teachings behind as we are directed by Jehovah and his son. That is why bibles from older times were sometimes tainted with false teachings which were purposefully done to promote such teachings as the trinity.

Originally posted by galveston75
No disrespect taken. I appreciate your comments.
Well if we were told to eat aardvarks in the Bible knowing that command was from God, I'd eat it but wouldn't be happy. Lol. I've caught a couple of them and their pretty nasty!!!
But we know that God and his son Jesus have told his followers to do certain things that not only please him but that are f ...[text shortened]... nted with false teachings which were purposefully done to promote such teachings as the trinity.

Have you read the Australian Royal Commisions report into child sexual abuse within JW congregations Galveston? Have you heard of it in the US?

Originally posted by Proper Knob
Have you read the Australian Royal Commisions report into child sexual abuse within JW congregations Galveston? Have you heard of it in the US?

Yawn....really? Again? Been there and talked about this enough don't ya think????? Now back to the thread.......

Originally posted by galveston75
Hey all. Just passing thru as I've been extremely busy with life. Wish it would slow down...
Thinking about this today and made myself sit down and ask this to all who profess being a Christian.

Do you doubt the bible? Do you doubt what God says in it? Do you doubt his son Jesus and what he said? Do you doubt that the Bible and God's words are not ...[text shortened]... ough for you? If there is something you don't understand or even agree with, where is the faith?

This post has absolutely zero to do with "Christian or not".

It is instead bashing people for not having the right level of certitude about their beliefs.

Whose faith is stronger - one who believes everything within their religion, without questioning it, or...

...one who holds to their spiritual path despite having some doubts about it and not fully understanding it?

As many issues as the Bible touches - slavery, rape, incest, murder, robbery, reverence, forgiveness, compassion, etc. - many of them being difficult moral issues that humanity has been wrestling with for centuries, our best minds trying to make sense of them and never getting it totally done within their lifetime - why would I believe anyone who says they agree with 100% of what the Bible says?!

To me, that's a person who hasn't really read the text. Who hasn't unearthed the parts that don't really make sense to them, haven't wrestled with it, haven't ... etc.

Or a person that wishes to appear far more certain about their beliefs than they really are. Someone who likes to speak to a room full of people and see nothing but smiling and nodding. Someone who likes the feeling of agreeing with everyone, and everyone agreeing with them.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
This post has absolutely zero to do with "Christian or not".

It is instead bashing people for not having the right level of certitude about their beliefs.

Whose faith is stronger - one who believes everything within their religion, without questioning it, or...

...one who holds to their spiritual path despite having some doubts about i ...[text shortened]... dding. Someone who likes the feeling of agreeing with everyone, and everyone agreeing with them.

Humm. No I'd say I posted this to help ones who do have doubts in their faith and in the bible, to get to the point of this post.
Satan has manged to derail so many on this planet not just with false teachings but with nothing more then the seed of doubt in their hearts when it comes to their worship of God and in trusting in the Bible that he gave us.
Too many have let their faith slip and have fallen into the trap of listening to mans philosophies and looking for answers there.
Yeah I'd say that's why I posted it..... 🙂

Originally posted by galveston75
Yawn....really? Again? Been there and talked about this enough don't ya think????? Now back to the thread.......

As a Christian, would admitting that there had been prolonged, systematic institutionalized wrongdoing of the most heinous kind by your church ~ and by people in leadership roles in particular ~ run the risk of causing you some doubts?

Originally posted by FMF
As a Christian, would admitting that there had been prolonged, systematic institutionalized wrongdoing of the most heinous kind by your church ~ and by people in leadership roles in particular ~ run the risk of causing you some doubts?

Nope. No human is perfect and because of that many in all churches, schools, work places, in family settings, government officials, etc, etc, etc, have done things that are terrible.
It seems to me that every time you guys try and bring these things up, as if we are perfect or something, all your doing is making my faith stronger in my association with my JW brothers. We must stand out as being special and that you hold us to a higher standard? Must be.
As a whole the odds of a JW attacking you, hurting your children, stealing your possessions or killing you in a war, are about as unlikely as humanly possible.........

Originally posted by galveston75
It seems to me that every time you guys try and bring these things up, as if we are perfect or something, all your doing is making my faith stronger in my association with my JW brothers.

So, just to be clear, what was brought up by the Australian Royal Commission's report has made your "faith stronger"? Is that right?

Originally posted by galveston75
We must stand out as being special and that you hold us to a higher standard?.

My question is about whether the integrity of an institution and worldwide community to which a Christian belongs can have an impact on whether one becomes - to some degree - a "doubting Christian" or not. What would you say to a Catholic believer who was doubting his Christian faith as a result of the terrible, well-documented scandals in the Catholic church, for example?

Originally posted by FMF
So, just to be clear, what was brought up by the Australian Royal Commission's report has made your "faith stronger"? Is that right?

Nope. It's what ones like you say and try to cause doubt and division that make me stronger.
You want to know why? Your fulfilling bible prophecy as we are warned that many like you would do this....

Originally posted by FMF
My question is about whether the integrity of an institution and worldwide community to which a Christian belongs can have an impact on whether one becomes - to some degree - a "doubting Christian" or not. What would you say to a Catholic believer who was doubting his Christian faith as a result of the terrible, well-documented scandals in the Catholic church, for example?

Sure many churches have done so many things wrong that it brings down the faith of it's followers. Why wouldn't that happen? Thank goodness I've never experienced that at any kingdom Hall. It is an oasis from this mad free falling world..

Originally posted by galveston75
Nope. It's what ones like you say and try to cause doubt and division that make me stronger.
You want to know why? Your fulfilling bible prophecy as we are warned that many like you would do this....

Do you think it was perhaps only right and fitting that the scandals in leadership and institutionalized behaviour in the Catholic church led to some "doubt and division", i.e. introspection, self-criticism, taking of responsibility and some plain spoken truths?

Originally posted by galveston75
Sure many churches have done so many things wrong that it brings down the faith of it's followers. Why wouldn't that happen? Thank goodness I've never experienced that at any kingdom Hall. It is an oasis from this mad free falling world..

Would you sympathize if there were members of the Australian branch of your church whose faith was brought down (by which I assume you mean some degree of 'doubting' was instigated) by the terrible examples of this "mad free falling world" (as you put it) that manifested themselves in around their kingdom halls?