Posted by Jason [Jason] on April 02, 1999 at 21:19:51 {ppHCdFLRUMstjQMitR4A0TOck3Zt.o}:
Hi Gary,
Though we differ on beliefs greatly, I admire the fact that you were at least polite to me and open. Maybe I don't agree with you, but for that I at least respect you.
In our previous discussion below you said,
"But that's all I have to offer. And this is just "theoretical" discussion for those who are curious, but for those new ones who are being sealed, they may need to know and understand this. Or ultimately, as is usually the case, they just need to know that I understand this.
So ultimately this might not be aimed at you, so you don't have to take any of this seriously; other than, it's an opportunity to reexamine the scriptures and reexamine our beliefs about the details of the first resurrection and see what the Bible actually says about it."
I admire your willingness to admit that it is theoretical and not to be taken seriously at this point. As for being difficult to explain, I know where you are coming from. I'm a little bit of a scatter brain myself, especially on the weekend because I work such crazy hours on the weekends. Spontaneous posts can be difficult because you are so excited to post any new discoveries here so that everyone can see it immediately and of course it ends up seeming disorganized and what not. So when I get to my serious posting, I actually think about things, pray on it long and hard, get my scriptures together, and write it out before I post, so that I can place everything in order and think about how it sounds before I post it to make sure it makes sense. But that can be time consuming when you don't have much time to begin with.
Perhaps others, such as the scholars etc, here on the board may not have much respect for you on here, but then I have felt their wrath before as well, several times. I couldn't hold a torch in a conversation about chronology, or the hebrew or greek, or even latin languages, or WW2, etc. I am yet young, and the only knowledge of spiritual things that I have I learned from Jehovah, not a university. Jehovah teaches me more and more all the time, but only what I need to know. Sure, if I had the time, and a memory that could actually function when I WANT it to, I would love to get into chronology and linguistics. But I feel that Jehovah uses those ones here that already know such things to fulfill that need. But either way, I may not agree with you on spiritual matters, though even as you admitted to Watchman, you share some similar beliefs. You may believe that black is really white, and I may say White is Black, I may not even like you one bit (not saying that's the case necessarily), but so far in your conversations with me, you have at least been respectful. I appreciate that.
You hold to your findings and beliefs and try to prove them, and I commend that and respect that. It's not easy to post your findings in front of the entire world where it is open to every slanderous statement and every nitpick that people can come up with. I've been there done that. I also have my beliefs that I hold dear to, and would not hold dear to them due to their particularly controversial nature if I did not believe it was absolutely true. I have seen enough scriptures to realize that there is no other way around it. Yet, I have recieved every type of rebuttal possible WITHOUT actual proof against me.
Now, I am not skilled in the tactics of debate and the specific types of debate and all that goes with it. All I know is I call it as I see it, and reply with my thoughts and what scriptures I can find (again that memory thing, uggghhh). So when it comes down to it, just to pick on Jan for a moment, in a formal debate, he would kill me easily, cause I don't know the different types of debate or the rules therein. But I speak what is screaming out in my heart. I'm sure you understand what I am saying.
As for me being any of the ancients from Israel, I don't believe I could fit that description, I have a poor memory as it is and can barely remember any of my childhood. As for how this resurrection will actually be performed by Jehovah, who knows. I will just sit and wait patiently and watch, until he tells me otherwise. I can't say I actually agree with your view on the matter, but then you did claim it was just a theoretical thing.
I do have something I would like to get your take on, just to see your view on it, because so far I have shut up more elders and other JW's with it, and even a few people from other religions. It will take a couple days for me to post it as I don't have a whole lot of time this weekend because of schedule changes because of the holiday, I had to work some days I normally wouldn't. But if you're game, let me know. If you'd rather take it to email, my address is included.
And once again, thanks for at least being respectful. I appreciate that.
Forever Jehovah's Servant,
Jason