Posted by WorldlyWitness [WW] on October 23, 1999 at 17:56:42 {Fflr7qpqSgOfSZqlzZ0Um1EPSMpKF.}:
In Reply to: **Great need of nonsense posted by N.H. on October 23, 1999 at 15:23:19:
Okay Norm, since you refuse to admit your errors, here they are!
>1. Do all of them know how the earth and humans came into existence?
The Bible do not give us any information of how this happened, it present a few folkloristic old stories about it.
The Bible is not a scientific textbook.
Have you read Davis Young's two works on this subject? You will find that not all of the evidence is the same black/white that you ex-jdub atheists contend. Fundamental literalists make claims that are not held by the Bible's text.
Also, science can only ASSUME that we have evolved from microbe to fish to amphibian to Furry Little Smart Rats to monkey to cro-magnon to homo sapiens. Some vital links don't exist in our family tree.
However, even if some form of evolution has brought us about, this in no way detracts from our creation by a superior entity.
>No one in our time can take such old tales serious when it comes to the origin of the earth and mankind. To believe in such a matter requires
superstition.
Again, the Bible is not a scientific textbook as you should know.
Hmmm. My 'tree' above may not be entirely accurate but to any thinking human being they might consider this 'scientific' theory as needing just as much faith as 'old tales'.
>2. Does all mankind know the true God and his Son?
Anyone familiar with the history of Christianity in general and the Watchtower Society in particular know that they are extremely far from anything even resembling such knowledge. They are all still totally unable to even point to any evidence of the existence of such an entity. Let alone if he have any son. Again you must be superstitious.
This statement is a 'sweeping generalization', since you lump all relgion into the same category.
Evidence in the Bible and through independent secular historical sources confirm the existence of Yahshua. The Bible and many apocryphal books found in various lands also confirm this man's existence. A case can be made for independent confirmation of some of his miracles due to these separate books of evidence.
As far as being God's son, of course that is a matter of faith and cannot be confirmed.
>3. Is everyone aware of the issues that Satan has raised regarding divine sovereignty and human integrity?
Hardly any of the nonsense that the Watchtower keep harping on reveals how deep the superstition is then this rubbish about some kind of argument in the heavens. Anyone who have seen the cartoon about Hercules of course know that the “gods” are
always fighting amongst themselves.
How would you know? Is this the story that the Bible tells or not? There is some dispute on this.
Speculating:
Since we are very similar to these 'gods' in our make-up, is it unreasonable to wonder if we may be the products of superior beings, not necessarily omnipotent? How would 'evolutionary pressure' force simians to become highly intelligent beings who appreciate our fellow humans, animals and life giving planet? Why should any higher life form than basic animals have ever formed?
>4. Do people in general know why we grow old and die?
Yeah, right! Does the Watchtower Society know why we grow old and die? Does the Bible give us any believable explanation? Not at all, unless of course you are extremely superstitious.
Again, the Bible is not a scientific textbook. Only fundamentalists contend such (I hope I am moving away from that). I believe there are some general statements made in the Bible other than 'inherited sin' but can't remember offhand.
>5. Do all of earth’s inhabitants realize that God’s Kingdom is now ruling and that we are living in the last days?
Well, this one you really got to be extremely gullible and superstitious to believe in.
I will agree with that.
>6. Are they aware of wicked spirit forces?
This the Watchtower Society has in common with even the most primitive religions we know.
How can you deny the existence of evil, seemingly beyond human comprehension? 'Primitive' does not necessarily mean 'wrong'. There have been and continue to be unexplained events of various types which do not fall into scientific explanations and are as 'unknown'. Whether this influence or force is an actual entity is specualtive.
>7. Do all humans have reliable knowledge about how to have a happy family life?
After having lived for over 50 years I have at least learned one thing regarding this. Avoid all contact with the Watchtower Society and you have at least a fighting chance of having a happy family life.
Amen to that!
>8. And do the masses know that joyous life in Paradise is our Creator’s purpose for obedient mankind?
The masses thankfully don’t know any such thing and neither do the Watchtower Society. Only the extremely superstitious think they “know” anything like this. Notice that the Watchtower uses the world “know” in these questions. The “world”, or
“mankind” doesn’t “know” or "realize" this or that. To use such a word to describe all the fantasies written down in the Bible and in the Watchtower is of course nonsense in itself, as it haven’t got anything to do with knowledge. It has to do with faith. It is something they believe. They don’t KNOW anything.
When you know something you don’t have to believe it anymore. No matter how vividly you believe it. No matter how “real” such nonsense seem to you, it is still superstition, and superstition isn’t knowledge. There are still people who “know” that the earth is flat, as we all know that doesn’t make it flat.
Ha ha hah, you use that old 'flat earth' claim against all of the religious when this is a completely false notion. There is evidence in ancient texts that confirm the idea that much of mankind has believed the earth to be spherical for ages. This is a 'straw man' used frequently by anti-religionists to make the spiritual minded appear inferior.
WW