Posted by Jaypeeto [Jaypeeto] on April 02, 1999 at 04:44:05 {ppHCdFLRUM0hi4VK0MIQHq/lZhRVmk}:
In Reply to: *****WTS/Freemansonry/Crowley Links posted by Gary on April 01, 1999 at 23:34:05:
"Our RULE is Scripture"
No, Gary, your rule is your private interpretation of scripture.
Yes, Gary, there WERE apostasies very early on.
They are the ancient sects, none of which held
to JW views.
Because something is a
NON-ISSUE for you, Gary,
is irrelevant. It is NOT a NON-ISSUE to the JWs.
Communion must be observed only once a year?
BULL-FEATHERS. Read 1st Corinthians 11.
ALL of it.
In the early church, the weekly holy EUCHARIST
was
pre-ceded by the AGAPE, the love-meal, wherein people would come to share fellowship and food, followed by the EUCHARIST ITSELF.
Read what Paul says there. Tell me if that
HONESTLY can be construed as an ANNUAL event.
You are
absolutely wrong, Gary.
Jesus is the Archangel Michael.
It matters not whether you agree with this JW doctrine. NO early group in or out of the church ever taught it or even heard of it.
There is zero evidence for THIS
belief,
and total evidence of belief that contradicts it.
YOUR STATEMENT HERE:
"So just because things haven't changed since the early 2nd century means
absolutely nothing as far as the apostasy is concerned beyond the
historical fact that it took quick hold onto this movement."
This is purely an evasive assertion on your part.
Your PRIVATE interpretation of the scriptures leads you to believe there was a total EARLY apostasy from the apostolic
faith.
This is bullcrap. PURE unadulterated BULLCRAP.
You are maintaining that a widespread church,
without the benefit of modern means of rapid communication, and catechized by the apostles and their directly-appointed
evangelists themselves,
ALL apostasized at basically the same time
(what happened to GRADUAL, you elastic accuser, you?), and,
WONDER OF WONDERS, they all apostasized
in EXACTLY the SAME DIRECTION, into the basic beliefs of
Christendom and, EVEN MORE AMAZINGLY,
without a PEEP OF OPPOSITION from their FAITHFUL
ancient JW adversaries!
What happened, Gary?
Where did all the ancient JWs go?
WHERE, Gary? No one had ever even HEARD
of people who
believe what you believe.
WHAT HAPPENED to them, gary?
Did UFOs come down one night, say maybe
Memorial Night of 99 A.D., and WAFT THEM ALL TO HEAVEN?
My "apostasy" argument is conclusive.
My argument is based on solid
fact:
NOBODY in the ancient church EVER apostasized
from the belief system you hold. It never
existed. Yours is a brand new interpretation of scripture, not a revival of the original faith.
Your argument, Gary, is simply an
elastic appeal to your private interpretation of scripture, and all history be damned. That leaves any person who wants to know the truth with only one option:
Ignore all historical evidence, and go with private interpretation. No way.
Once again, scripture nowhere predicts an
early and TOTAL apostasy from the Faith.
Christ quite clearly predicted the opposite.
All of the data taken together indicates
a big falling away (but even THEN not TOTAL)
toward
the end of time, which brings about
the Return of the Lord.
Everything in Christ's parables indicate a growth of the church through the power of the Holy Spirit, from a mustard seed into a LARGE bush.
These arguments of yours amount
to,
well, since I "THINK" the apostasy had to be
early and total, then there was an early and total apostasy, cuz that's how I'm interpreting privately the scriptures.
What's that? Eh? No evidence anybody had
ever even heard
of what I believe in?
To hell with it, it happened, evidence be damned!
How do I know it happened? Cuz that's what I subjectively THINK the bible means by what it says.
Gary, this is incredibly dishonest.
Jaypeeto