Bible Topics and Questions

[kreagle]

A Message from the 'Prodigal Son'
"You don't have to eat 'Garbage' anymore!"

Luke 15:10-20
King James Version (KJV)

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

The account of the 'Prodigal Son', as told by the Bible, is one that 'most' people are familiar with. In it we find a particularly 'low point' in the life of the 'Prodigal' when he comes 'face-to-face' with the awful consequences, ( and results), of his decision to 'leave his father's home, ( and presence),' to begin with.

The 'facts' were overwhelming,......he was literally 'starving' and began to reminisce about the nourishment he once received,.....'back home!'

Verses 16 and 17, (above), inform us of the thoughts that were racing through his mind,....as the 'Prodigal' sat in the 'muck-mire' of the 'decision' that he had previously made by leaving his father's presence.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

It should be pointed out that the 'only' choice that the 'Prodigal' currently had for nourishment was the 'husks that the swine did eat', and that he also could not rely upon anyone else helping him out, for,....'no man gave unto him'.


It should 'equally' be pointed out that 'we', ( ie. humanity in general), have become the 'Prodigal',....( every last one of us!) When our 'original' ancestors, ( Adam and Eve), left the 'home,....and presence of our Father', and left the Garden of Eden, we 'all' became the 'Prodigal',......and as such,....we've 'all' ventured 'further, and further,...away from our Father's Home',......and the Utopian conditions that He originally had planned for us. Like it, or not, we 'all' inherited the 'fallen conditions' of our ancient ancestors, Adam and Eve, and as such,.....the 'Prodigality of Mankind' exists. Sooner,...or later,....we 'all' have the responsibility to decide whether or not we are going to 'return', ( turn around),....to our Father and His Home.


The 'muck-mire',....and his 'starving' initiated wisdom in the mind of the Prodigal Son,.....for his 'sordid conditions' fully prompted in him it was time to 'return,...turn around, ( ie. repent),.....to his father's home' and his ample, ( and plenteous), provisions!


Of the 'many' messages that the Biblical account of the 'Prodigal Son' teaches, one particularly stands out, here, in a very prominent way.


The 'Prodigal Son' is telling 'every one of us today',....."You don't have to eat 'Garbage' anymore!" "You can 'opt' to go back home!"

The 'only' thing he had to eat, at the time, was 'husks', which was intended for the swine, certainly not for 'humans'. It should be particularly noted that 'husks' carry 'very little nutritional value' and are primarily intended to simply be a 'filler', or to give one the 'sense' of being full to satisfaction, even though this is a 'false' impression.

In 'our' personal 'Prodigal' condition that we all find ourselves in, the 'muck-mire' of this world in which we live,....( along with our 'spiritually' starving conditions),.... should make us all acutely aware of what this 'world' has to offer to feed us in the first place! Of course,....I'm NOT referring to feeding the 'natural' man/woman,....but the 'spiritual' man/woman, here,.....for it's the 'spiritual' man/woman that's 'starving to death!'

Guess what this 'world' is trying to 'cram down our throats?' 'Husks', my friends,.....and it's 'all' pure garbage, with virtually no 'spiritually nutritional value!' I'm, specifically, speaking of the 'spiritual' nature, within us, that we all have,....and desperately needs to be nourished! Likewise,...as with the 'Prodigal Son',....'mankind' will NOT be able to give you what you need, ( see verse 16 above). You're going to have to 'go Home' to get that!


The 'Prodigal Son' made a very wise choice,.....there in the 'muck-mire' as he was 'starving!' He decided to 'go back home!' His 'hunger and thirst' got the best of him! He decided he wanted some 'more' home cooking!

Matthew 5:6 (KJV)

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

But, of course,....this 'type' of decision normally only comes when you've, finally, become completely tired of 'sitting in the muck-mire' listening to your soul's 'stomach' growling with 'hunger pains!'


A 'Divine' dinner bell is ringing in the 'distance', my friends!,.....Father is calling!

God Bless to 'all!',......your brother, friend, and servant,.......kreagle

[kreagle]

To Take His Name,.....or,.....To Not Take His Name?

'Studies' show that 88% of women take husband's last name,.......

What are 'your views' on this topic,.....and 'why?'


Your brother, friend, and servant,.....kreagle

[kreagle]

Getting Beyond the Taste!

Psalm 34:8 (KJV)

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Many, today, simply cannot 'trust' the Lord, and consequently never seem to be able to get beyond the 'taste' of His Word. The 'natural man/woman' will always find His Word to be non-palatable in relationship to their carnal instincts and it's going to require some serious 'maturity', ( spiritually speaking), in order to recognize just how essential His Word is for our lives and the need to 'ingest' It.

Our 'little fellow', here, has some pretty interesting 'reactions' to eating, ( then rejecting), his peas!

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=dmwVy2Se7WQ

Obviously, the natural food that we ingest 'fuels', ( and enables), us to propel ourselves in this 'fleshly' life that we all live. How much 'more' does the Word of God provide the 'spiritual food' that we so desperately need to propel down the 'spiritual highways' of life, also? Is it any wonder why we see so 'many' stranded 'motorists', ( ie. lost souls), on the side of the 'highway of life' simply because their 'tanks' are depleted, and void of a valid understanding, and/or, application of His Word within their respective lives?


It's fully understandable, ( and expected), for our 'little fellow', ( in the video), to reject his 'peas' due to their unpleasant taste. He simply isn't big enough to know any better, and hasn't developed a taste for the things in life that are healthy for him. However, we find that a 'major portion' of our society still hasn't properly matured, themselves, for they continuously reject His Word, spitting It out, and harboring disgusting looks on their face! Now I sincerely ask, my friends,....."who is it that REALLY needs to grow up?"

Ezekiel 2:7-8 (KJV)

7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

Sounds like our 'Heavenly Father' is saying,......."Eat your peas, son!",.....to me.


Your brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

Reminder!

Please take a look, again, at the previous topic,....Take, or Reject husband's name,....and respond according to your views on this!

[SilentFeathers]

Hi, I've been researching the Bible etc for years and have always been a bit fascinated with Daniels 70 week prophecy.

I found this video and thought you may want to check it out. It's a bit long but grabbed me a certain way. I don't agree with a lot in it but some stuff I seem to. If you have time and watch it, let me know what you think about it please.

Daniel's Timeline by Dewey Bruton
This video was made in 2005 after over 20 years of study, unedited, uncut and presented before a live audience

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=eRivtKcLqek

[kreagle]

Posted by SilentFeathers (here)
Hi, I've been researching the Bible etc for years and have always been a bit fascinated with Daniels 70 week prophecy.

I found this video and thought you may want to check it out. It's a bit long but grabbed me a certain way. I don't agree with a lot in it but some stuff I seem to. If you have time and watch it, let me know what you think about it please.

Daniel's Timeline by Dewey Bruton
This video was made in 2005 after over 20 years of study, unedited, uncut and presented before a live audience

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=eRivtKcLqek

Thank you, so much, SilentFeathers for this 'timely' video! It will take a 'serious student' of God's Word to 'listen and absorb' the contents of this video,....but if any thing else, it should highlight, ( and accentuate), how rapidly things are unfolding right before our very eyes!

Whether one realizes it, or not, we are all, literally, living at a moment in time that is referred to as the 'eleventh hour' by our Lord. This will be a 'last opportunity' to become employed, ( or inducted into), God's plan for His chosen Ones.

Matthew 20:1-16 (KJV)

20 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Your brother, friend, and servant..........kreagle

[SilentFeathers]

Here is the image/chart from the video....what really is interesting is if you look at the "now" time of the chart "30 days" of feb/Mar 2013, many things right now that are happening seem to resemble the chart.

The chart states alter shut down which could be the Pope resigning and the alter being shut down so to speak. It's any one's choice to see this as the temple mount alter or not, which basically has been shut down since 70ad, or the head of Christianity's alter being shut down (Vatican).

RE: In the video the date of March 22nd, 2013 is a focal date. Illuminati date? 322??? Skull and bones etc.

It also mentions in the chart that now is the time to watch for the "Abomination of Desolation"....oddly enough Obama will be in Israel on March 20th thru 22nd and possibly in to the 23rd this month.

Hamas has already warned him that if he went to the temple mount/dome of the rock that it would be basically an act of war. Could he actually be the "ObamaNation of Desolation"???? It's a stretch, but prophecy is weird sometimes and rather often symbolic more than anything.

Mat 24:15-21 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Also for the last 3 1/2 years we have had a nobel peace prize winner speaking peace, ending wars (Iraq/Afghanistan" etc in high office here, Obama. I don't think he's the anti-Christ, but he seems to fit in this prophecy somehow.

It'll be interesting to see what the woman fleeing means, two witnesses, etc etc.....too many things are happening that are either coincidence or part of the prophecy leading up to now.....quite strange for sure. It's rather hard to discount recent events being part of the prophecy after watching this video. IMO anyways....

PS: The video has a even more detailed version of this chart below with more precise dates etc.

[kreagle]

'Together We Stand',.....Divided We Fall!

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (KJV)

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

We have been studying the effects of 'root systems' in our Adult Sunday school class over the past several weeks. The massive Sequoia tree of Northern California can grow to a staggering height that is the equivalent of a 26 story building, but has a root system that is surprisingly shallow, perhaps only 20 feet in depth. How does it thrive, and survive, with such a shallow root system? The answer is 'togetherness!' While their root system depth may seem proportionally lacking for their massive height, weight, and diameter, they make up for this deficiency by 'spreading out their roots' and interweaving them together with each other. This is why they only grow together in groves, where they can draw from one another and flourish! While it may be possible to 'temporarily' grow a single Sequoia tree,....by itself, alone,.....it will NOT survive in the long run, for it will not be able to withstand winds, heavy rains, or flooding, that will surely come it's way, and ultimately will topple to it's death.


The 'same' is equally true for the Christian of today,....and the prophet Jeremiah fully endorses this 'law of nature' by wisely recording this in Scriptural Text for you, and I, to recognize and to implement it's 'same' principles within our lives. ( see above)


A 'massive' error that I see happening at an ever increasing, ( and alarming), rate today, is the 'lone Christian' who endeavors to 'branch out on their own',.....become that 'lone Sequoia' and abandon the 'togetherness' which has been afforded to the Church! Oh,....you may seem to 'grow and thrive',...for awhile,...but sooner, or later, you are going to require some 'stability' that only comes by 'intermingling yourself' with your fellow Christian Church brethren.


Did you know that a 'lone Sequoia tree' never happens on it's own? If you ever see one,...it's because someone specifically planted it there, by itself, ( and all alone!) This is not a 'natural' happenstance for a Sequoia tree to just 'pop' up, by itself, all alone, for this would be 'against the laws of nature',....and even nature won't allow that!


Satan would love to 'isolate' everyone today and is feverishly working overtime to do 'exactly that' by deceptively implying that,....."You don't need to go to Church to be saved!,.... You can stay home and worship God in your own way!,....You don't need organized religion!"


Would Satan be so brash as to try to destroy our 'root system'? Would he stoop so low as to endeavor to 'isolate' us and cause our Christian experience to completely 'topple' one day? Is he desperately trying to prohibit our 'root system' from intertwining itself with each other, thereby robbing us of our Christian strength as a member of the Church?

I really think we 'all' know the answer to these 'questions',....don't we?


The Apostle Paul wisely informs us, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, what has happened to the truly, Born-again believer, who has separated themselves from this world and joined themselves to the fellowship of God's household. A literal 'root system',...( Christian by designed, and supported by the original Apostolic Church as defined by Acts 2:47),.....has begun the grafting process to incorporate you fully into the kingdom of God!

Ephesians 2:19-22 (KJV)

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

*** Disclaimer***

I fully realize that 'quote,...religion',...has bruised many people who have become so 'disgusted' with the whole Christian scene,... to the point that they don't want anything to do with 'organized' religion. Consequently 'these' individuals have seen no other 'alternative' but to 'isolate' themselves, and to initiate their own 'religious' experience, ( or awakening), on their own, by themselves, and all alone!

Catholicism,....and other 'false' religions/doctrines,...are rampant everywhere, folks,....and are simply just another 'method' that Satan uses to 'isolate' humanity and to reproduce another,.....'lone Sequoia tree' out of you,....so-to-speak!

Just because someone hasn't found that 'original Apostolic Church' experience, yet,.....doesn't mean that it doesn't exist,...for it most certainly does! Just keep looking,....praying,....searching,....seeking,....and God will totally bring you to It's doorstep so you can enter in,... 'IF'... you are sincere and really want to find His ultimate Truth!


Don't let Satan 'isolate',.....and 'single you out', my dear friends!


Come join the 'root system' and become a 'mighty Christian Sequoia!'


God Bless to all,....your brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

[Prodigal Son]

Hi Kreagle!

Great thread.

I read somewhere, in an article about Jesus studying in India, that he took all the lessons from the parts of the Bible that existed at the time and condensed it into this one parable of the Prodigal Son. It is saying that there is no "judgement" as we have been led to believe. We bring all our own consequences upon ourselves through faulty thinking. God is not punishing us, we are merely reaping what we sow, and the True Father is indeed waiting with open arms the very moment that our thinking becomes clear.

From there, he further condensed the entire spiritual journey of mankind into this one verse (Note the chapter and verse #, not a co-incidence!):

Matthew 13:33 New International Version (©2011)
He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."

I chose the name Prodigal Son because it took me 45 years to learn that lesson... being raised as a JW, they made my childhood and teen years a living hell. The indoctrination started at age 8 and I was baptized at age 12. Once you are baptized, they own you and can threaten you with cutting you off from all your friends and family if you fail to toe the company line. They destroyed all my personal relationships and my own self-esteem. Armageddon was always right around the corner.... when Jehovah would rain down fireballs on every person who was not devoting their life to selling Watchtower literature. I disappeared from the Cult at age 19 before they had any chance to disfellowship me (their version of ex-communication). I still believed it was the truth but I was disgusted with them and the God they represented. I wanted no part of them or Him. This was a heavy burden... thinking that I was doomed to eternal destruction whenever Judgment Day came.... and I hated Jehovah and I hated all of them and their pompous, Pharisaic attitudes.

So after 15 years and a failed marriage to a Catholic woman, I decided I needed to go back and give it another try. Somehow, some way, I would find a way to live up to Jehovah's insidious demands, out of fear just to save my own arse. The elders did not like the fact that I took 15 years off from servitude.... they made it extremely difficult for me. It was like I was on probation.. for many months, they looked at me sideways. I was not exactly feeling like the Prodigal Son. I knew something was seriously wrong. In the meantime I developed close relationships with many in the Kingdom Hall... and some of them confided in me the cruelty and misery that the body of elders was causing amongst the sheep, meddling in their personal affairs. Mysogeny was rampant too... women were treated like second-class baggage, not allowed to offer congregational prayers or teach from the platform, which was an organizational thing, but this particular congregation was in extremely poor condition spiritually. Their attendance was running around 40% while the other 60% were attending neighboring congregations.

There was a mentally challenged brother who loved Jehovah and loved this religion with all his heart. He did not drive and lived very close to me, so I would pick him up and take him to the meeting and we became very close. The elders found a way to provoke him with their obnoxious judgmental attitude and he threw his Bible at them in disgust. They proceeded to punish him with "Public Reproof" and they devastated this 20 year-old kid. I went ballistic, demanded a private meeting with the Presiding Overseer and his two cohorts, and read him the riot act right from the Bible... something from 2nd Thessalonians where it talks about those in positions of authority who become full of themselves, are "over-reached by Satan", and lose their capacity from mercy and compassion. I told them that the congregation was very sick, many of them confiding in me that it was because of their treatment of people and that they had a lot of spiritual blood on their hands. They asked me to step out while they considered what I had to say, called me back in 10 minutes later and disfellowshipped me on the spot.

At the time, it was the most devastating thing imaginable. I really thought they represented "God". It turned out the be the best thing that ever happened to me, although I didn't realize that until another 10 years of mental and spiritual suffering had gone by... in my Epiphany year of 2006, when I realized hands down that this was not just another false religion, but the most insidious brand of Satanic mind-control in existence... one that perverts the highest truth into the worst type of Masonic fear propaganda... Enochian Black Magic in the extreme. (Look into the Tetragrammation YHWH and the four Watchtowers).

That is when I realized that my True Father in Heaven has never been apart from me, and that I am indeed welcomed back into his bosom whenever I am ready to make the necessary changes in my thinking.

[Kraut]

Posted by Prodigal Son (here)
... being raised as a JW, they made my childhood and teen years a living hell. The indoctrination started at age 8 and I was baptized at age 12. Once you are baptized, they own you and can threaten you with cutting you off from all your friends and family if you fail to toe the company line. They destroyed all my personal relationships and my own self-esteem. Armageddon was always right around the corner.... when Jehovah would rain down fireballs on every person who was not devoting their life to selling Watchtower literature. I disappeared from the Cult at age 19 before they had any chance to disfellowship me (their version of ex-communication). I still believed it was the truth but I was disgusted with them and the God they represented. I wanted no part of them or Him. This was a heavy burden... thinking that I was doomed to eternal destruction whenever Judgment Day came.... and I hated Jehovah and I hated all of them and their pompous, Pharisaic attitudes...

Wow, Brother, that's exactly how I felt/feel. I wasn't aware that you were an exJW. This feeling of hatred towards Jehovah is very, very familiar and I felt liberated when I understood that the Organization has a terribly flawed view of God. Could be my perception only, but the Pharisaical attitudes have been getting worse in the past years, which is why I realized how wrong my beliefs and my faith were. I'm still in officially, but inactive. Trying to stay under the radar so my family won't have to make that hard choice between me and Jehovah.

[Kraut]

The major point that made me question Christianity in its prevalent form was the focus on judgement. To me there is a discrepancy between the loving Father and the emphasis on judgement, destruction and everlasting cutting off. It is something I do not believe in anymore. Here's an interesting quote from Wikipedia (yes, it's hardly an "authority"...):

"Matthew 7:13 is the thirteenth verse of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse begins the concluding summary of the Sermon, a series of warnings about not following the teachings laid out.

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the
way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 7:13

The word here translated as gate refers to the large entrance to a city or a temple. In this era many cities had walls, and entrance was only through certain gates. Luz notes that the idea of the gates of heaven was in existence at the time of Jesus, and this verse may be a reference to that notion.

The metaphor of God providing two ways, one good one evil, was a common one in the Jewish literature of the period. It appears in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 30:19 and Jeremiah 21:8. A somewhat similar metaphor appears at Luke 13:24. The context and phrasing of Luke are quite different from that here in Matthew, and Davies and Allison feel that this makes it less likely that this saying comes from Q. Luz supports the idea that the two gate metaphor was present in Q, and that the author of Matthew merged it with the well known two paths metaphor to create this verse.

This verse, with its reference to the destruction in store for those following the wrong path is clearly eschatological. Implying that the destination for those who take the easy way is punishment by God. Davies and Allison note that J.D.M. Derrett supports a very different interpretation. He argues that if the metaphor is referring to the entrance to a city or to a gate in the middle of the road, that this implies that the ultimate destination is the same. Once both groups are through the gate they will find themselves in the same place. Derrett thus argues that this metaphor states that it is the journey of the sinner which is hard and destructive, but that after facing this turbulent journey the sinner, like the pious, will ultimately find God's grace."

It's a topic I've had plenty of discussion about. In my opinion there is no everlasting judgement, we are the ones who cut ourselves off from "God", which is like hell, the way back will always be open. While many will not agree with me I cannot help but conclude that early on Christianity strayed from the path with the over focus on judgement and destruction. How many people have been manipulated by the use of fear? Fear of hell, fear that if you aren't baptized, or your children aren't baptized that judgement will follow? It's a shame that many people today believe that a loving Father would punish sinners in eternal fire and torment. Which parent would bring never ending punishment upon a child? No parent in a sane frame of mind. Are we greater in kindness than God? That's doubtful.

[Prodigal Son]

Posted by Kraut (here)
“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the
way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

Of all the scriptures in the Bible, it was my misunderstanding of this one in particular that sustained my delusion in believing that the Watchtower was "The Truth". "We are the ONLY ones who follow the Bible"... blah blah blah "There is nowhere else to go" blah blah blah "No one else uses Jehovah's name" blah blah blah. (Not true! "Jehovah" is the most important word in Freemasonry!)

Well, none of that is true. They don't follow the Bible, only the verses they cherry-pick. Every "Christian" religion does this with the Bible, each and every one is very convincing and as a result we have 40,000+ denominations. The problem is, the Bible was written by Kabbalists. All of these parables and metaphors are astrological in nature, and are telling us under the surface what the real truth is. Trying to interpret it on our own through a literal reading (Madame Blavatsky interestingly called it the "vulgar" for non-initiates to be controlled and spiritually suppressed.) Once I studied Kabbalah, EVERYTHING in the Bible made 100% PERFECT SENSE.... and it became very easy to recognize the interpolated *BS*... including most of the stuff supposedly written by "Paul" who himself said to "rightly divide the word of truth". Ezra the Black Magician came back from Babylonian exile and proceeded to pervert the Torah with the stuff Jeremiah spoke of when he informed us of "lying scribes".

The metaphor of the narrow gate has to do with choosing the middle path, striking the balance between left and right on the Kabbalistic Tree of life, which has multiple levels of meaning. The human body can be superimposed over the tree, and this what it means to be impaled upon the cross.



In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus alluded to this when he said, "When you make your eye single, you will enter the Kingdom of Heaven".

I learned SO MUCH from reading this book....

http://www.amazon.com/Gnosis-Cosmic-.../dp/0738705918



Please read the review... here is an excerpt from the last 2 paragraphs....

In the view of the Tree of Life as three pillars, the right and left pillars are composed of three Sefirot each, and the middle pillar is composed of four Sefirot. The pillar on the right is called the Pillar of Mercy and the pillar on the left is called the Pillar of Severity-the Pillars of Jachin and Boaz in the temple of King Solomon. One is positive and the other negative; one is male and the other is female; one is white, the other is black-so that these two pillars represent the eternal play of opposites in dynamic interaction. Evil is imbalanced force, out of place or out of harmony. Severity in imbalance is cruelty and oppression, and mercy in imbalance is weakness that allows and facilitates great evil. True compassion is a dynamic balance of severity and mercy.

The Middle Pillar is therefore the path of the ascension, representing the dynamic balance of all polarities or opposites, and the integration of everything that would otherwise be fragmented. The Kabbalah teaches the Middle Way, akin to what is found in forms of Hinduism and Buddhism in the Eastern schools. For this reason, whether the tree is viewed in terms of the triads or the three pillars, the Sefirah Tiferet (beauty), w...

[Kraut]

Posted by Prodigal Son (here)
...and it became very easy to recognize the interpolated *BS*... including most of the stuff supposedly written by "Paul" who himself said to "rightly divide the word of truth"..

Thanks, Prodigal Son. Gnosticism is something I've been looking into lately, so far it's one of the few things that makes sense to me. I'll have a look at the book, the excerpt is interesting. Even while I was still a "Christian" believer I grew very skeptical of Paul, to say the least. Christianity is more Pauline than actually of Christ, but few notice that.

[Prodigal Son]

Posted by Kraut (here)
Thanks, Prodigal Son. Gnosticism is something I've been looking into lately, so far it's one of the few things that makes sense to me. I'll have a look at the book, the excerpt is interesting. Even while I was still a "Christian" believer I grew very skeptical of Paul, to say the least. Christianity is more Pauline than actually of Christ, but few notice that.

You're welcome!

From all my research, I've come to the conclusion that the earliest Christians were Gnostics, there were many different sects, and "Jesus" aka Yehoshua Ben Yosef was an initiate in the Sect of the Nazarenes, and Essene branch of Gnostics... he is mentioned at Acts 24:5-7 as the "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes". It is important to note that Nazareth did not exist as a city at that time.

Good website here:

http://www.thenazareneway.com/

You might also enjoy "Jehovah Unmasked" by former JW turned Gnostic Nathaniel Merritt. It's really all in the Bible very plain for all to see who exactly "Jehovah" is. Unfortunately Nate has removed all the links for free PDF download. If you google it you will come across some very eye-opening links like this one:

The God of George W. Bush is really the devil

Many Catholics, Jews, and Christians — George W. Bush, for one — actually worship the devil

http://www.rudemacedon.ca/kaminski/04/0929-jehovah.html

[SilentFeathers]

Bumping this post and adding an update for those that are interested....

Posted by SilentFeathers (here)
Hi, I've been researching the Bible etc for years and have always been a bit fascinated with Daniels 70 week prophecy.

I found this video and thought you may want to check it out. It's a bit long but grabbed me a certain way. I don't agree with a lot in it but some stuff I seem to. If you have time and watch it, let me know what you think about it please.

Daniel's Timeline by Dewey Bruton
This video was made in 2005 after over 20 years of study, unedited, uncut and presented before a live audience

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=eRivtKcLqek

UPDATE:

Daniels Timeline: IMPORTANT UPDATE

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=URShLBh3L9E

DANIEL 11:21 "And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue."

Note:

If you subract 1260 days from the date Dewey Bruton claims is the center of tribulation (3-22-2013), you come to the date of October 9, 2009, the date Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize! This gets more strange every minute!!!!

[kreagle]

Posted by Prodigal Son (here)

That is when I realized that my True Father in Heaven has never been apart from me, and that I am indeed welcomed back into his bosom whenever I am ready to make the necessary changes in my thinking.

Hey Prodigal Son and Kraut, also!

With your experiences in the JW movement, you 'both' seem to have a 'common thread', in that, you've been exposed to a great deal of anguish and pain as you have expressed to us, here. It 'all' has to do with the 'pathways' in life that we all choose to go down. In your case, Prodigal Son, you originally revealed that you, basically, didn't have a choice, for you were very young and forced to accept this 'pathway' whether you agreed with it or not. Upon leaving this 'pathway' you later decided to 'turn down that same road', once again, did you not?

Posted by Kraut (here)
Could be my perception only, but the Pharisaical attitudes have been getting worse in the past years, which is why I realized how wrong my beliefs and my faith were. I'm still in officially, but inactive. Trying to stay under the radar so my family won't have to make that hard choice between me and Jehovah.

Kraut, while it may be 'admirable' that you have currently elected to be 'still in officially', ( with the JW movement), in an effort to retain harmony within your personal family, it still comes down to what 'pathway' do you, also, want to go down, specifically?


There is literally no one who hasn't 'gone down the wrong pathway',...( ie. turned down the wrong road), from a 'natural' standpoint somewhere along the line in our respective lives. The 'real' question is,....."what shall I do now?,....shall I continue going down this pathway,....OR....shall I 'turn around',... go back,... and start over, again?"


Just because 'one' pathway doesn't enable you to arrive at your proper destination doesn't mean that a 'proper pathway' doesn't exist!


To be continued!,.......


Your brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

[Kraut]

Posted by kreagle (here)
Kraut, while it may be 'admirable' that you have currently elected to be 'still in officially', ( with the JW movement), in an effort to retain harmony within your personal family, it still comes down to what 'pathway' do you, also, want to go down, specifically?


There is literally no one who hasn't 'gone down the wrong pathway',...( ie. turned down the wrong road), from a 'natural' standpoint somewhere along the line in our respective lives. The 'real' question is,....."what shall I do now?,....shall I continue going down this pathway,....OR....shall I 'turn around',... go back,... and start over, again?"


Just because 'one' pathway doesn't enable you to arrive at your proper destination doesn't mean that a 'proper pathway' doesn't exist!


To be continued!,.......


Your brother, friend, and servant,......kreagle

Hello Kreagle,
it is a bit like a tightrope walk. My Mother knows where I stand, I told her clearly that I am no longer a believer. We've had many arguments and finally have seemed to reach a point where we can accept the other's stance. I am still careful though. Months ago I had started to write a letter of disassociation but friends in another forum with mostly exJWs gave me the advice to leave it. They said I would be playing by rules of the religion which aren't biblical in the first place and that it would be wise to leave the way open for friends and family members to still be able to deal with me. Some of them were at the same point many years ago and experienced in their own lives that cutting ties doesn't always accomplish what is intended, you can simply live your life away from the religion without saying you quit. It may seem cowardly but many don't fully understand the repercussions from leaving the shunning that is the consequence. Just to be clear, I do not share in any of the JW lifestyle and activities, I am only on the member list, that is all. I have left the whole form of worship and lifestyle behind and won't ever be turning back to these falsehoods and fabrications.

I don't view my past life as a Witness as the wrong pathway, there are many lessons I have learnt from that, important lessons. There is no bitterness in me about my past. My proper pathway is becoming more clear to me, it is just not linked to organized religion and is not a purely biblical pathway. What matters more than most things to me is truth, however far too often tradition trumps truth. That is why I will not link with religion anymore. My path is between me and God, going "home" to him is the destination.

[Prodigal Son]

Posted by kreagle (here)

Posted by Prodigal Son (here)

That is when I realized that my True Father in Heaven has never been apart from me, and that I am indeed welcomed back into his bosom whenever I am ready to make the necessary changes in my thinking.

Hey Prodigal Son and Kraut, also!

With your experiences in the JW movement, you 'both' seem to have a 'common thread', in that, you've been exposed to a great deal of anguish and pain as you have expressed to us, here. It 'all' has to do with the 'pathways' in life that we all choose to go down. In your case, Prodigal Son, you originally revealed that you, basically, didn't have a choice, for you were very young and forced to accept this 'pathway' whether you agreed with it or not. Upon leaving this 'pathway' you later decided to 'turn down that same road', once again, did you not?

Actually, I was quite an 'awake' little kid.... and I will never forget that when I started talking, people were astounded at my level of intelligence for my age. I was in search of basic answers to basic questions that the church neither was able to touch nor wanted to... like why is life so short... why does God allow suffering... why are we here... what is God's purpose for the Earth.

I was born into a Catholic family and it remained that way until one day in religious instruction they decided to start teaching evolution. I objected and it turned into a big melee between my parents and the deacon and a couple of nuns... and that was the end of Catholicism for my family. That's when my mother and I started giving the Witnesses that kept coming to our door a chance to answer those same questions, and sure enough they answered them all right from the Bible without hesitation. It was quite impressive to me as an 8 year old and so I started a Bible study with them and no one forced me to... my father never joined the cult and never started a study... neither did my 2 sisters.

At the time, humanity was on a potential Doomsday timeline and the case that the Witnesses were making was certainly believable.... this was the early 70's and the world was going to hell in a handbasket very rapidly. The case they were making from the Bible for Armageddon in '75 had ALL the Witnesses selling their homes and businesses and preparing for the "end of Satan's wicked system of things".

All the way until the age of 45 I believed with all my heart that the Bible was breathed from the lungs of God and that the Witnesses were correct in restoring the name Jehovah in more than 8,000 places in the Bible including several hundred in the New Testament in spite of the Tetragrammaton appearing NOWHERE in any any of the NT manuscripts. Basically, I went for the Holy Book delusion hook line and sinker.

My first step in awakening to it was a beloved fellow poster on one of my ex-JW boards pointing out that several Bible prophecies were NEVER fulfilled... such as the permanent desolations of Damascus, Egypt and Tyre. For the first time I investigated the Bible with clear vision and saw all its flaws, atrocities and contradictions.

[Beren]

Reading here about your experiences with JWs I see an honest hearts. That`s why religion as a planetary phenomenon is flawed. Because each group of people claims that they own the truth or at least they are appointed by God to translate the truth.

In a way it`s right and OK but if you want The Truth , only God is the truth. Its or his (God is a spirit)word is the truth.
Why?

Because God is. God is I am. Meaning that God can be whatever it chooses to be because of its omnipotence.
God can choose rock to testify about its desires or truths...

But people with lower conscience imagine that they are chosen ones to deliver the truth when in fact everybody is a chosen one if that person allows holy spirit to shape them.

Why pharisees hated Jesus?
Because he had the power and was free of their influence and they couldn`t tolerate or stand that.

Paradoxically they didn`t allow him to have a freedom of choice despite him being an incarnation of God-God in flesh.
So men with little understanding wanted to limit the one who is limitless and was angry when he refused???

hehe sounds like a kindergarten kids...

But above all God is good and God is Love. So leave the pharisees and their seed and embrace God and Love.

[kreagle]

'Old Pathways' Still Lead to Home!

Jeremiah 6:16 (KJV)

16 Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

I have, earlier, indicated that I was raised on my father's dairy farm in North Alabama. I can still vividly remember the many 'cattle trails', ( pathways), that our cows had blazed throughout the many pastures we had. Each day I would observe how our cows would faithfully 'fall in line' and follow these pathways from the fields towards the dairy barn. They never had to 'question' whether these pathways were accurate, for somehow they seemed to realize,....."if it got me there, yesterday,...it will get me there, today!" We seemed to have owned some pretty 'wise' cows, in my opinion!


Many people don't fully realize that a particular 'pathway' was blazed for humanity to use, right after the Divine act of Calvary. One of the last set of instructions that Jesus left to His followers is found in the Book of Luke, chapter 24, where we find that this 'pathway' is about to be established by them.

Luke 24:49-53 (KJV)

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Any serious student/believer in God's Word who is endeavoring to 'find their way Home' would be 'wise' to recognize the pathway that was blazed by our Christian forefathers and, likewise, faithfully 'fall in line', and follow it to it's conclusion. You can be sure that the 'same pathway' that they originally blazed, themselves, is 'still accurate' and it's destination will, once again, bring it's travelers to the 'same Divine location!' That Divine location that I am referring to, here, is the Church,....the same 'original' Church,....as defined and established by those '120' trail blazers, themselves! ( see Acts 1:15)


Those '120' followers, ( ie. Jesus' eleven remaining disciples, His mother Mary, His 'natural' brothers and sisters, and the rest of His followers),....obeyed Him and went to Jerusalem and tarried there until they were endued with power from on high, the Holy Ghost. It was with this 'nucleus of believers' that He would establish His Church, ( as He earlier promised to Peter), ( see Matthew 16:18). From this 'nucleus of believers', would come It's spokesman,....Peter, himself,.....who would deliver the original inaugural Gospel Message.


After the clamor that ensued from the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on those 'original 120 followers', a serious question was asked by those who earnestly wanted to join the ranks of these believers. Here is the 'question',.....and it's consequent 'answer'!

Acts 2:37-38 (KJV)

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The 'question',......"what shall we do?"


The 'answer',........"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."


The 'question,...and the.....answer' are still the exact same, today! Absolutely, nothing has changed!


You'll notice that 'when' they received, ( and accepted), the words of the Apostle Peter,.......they were 'added to the church', also!

Acts 2:41-47 (KJV)

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

( Conclusion)


The 'express' design of this post is to simply highlight, ( and identify), the 'original pathway' that was blazed for all future generations by the Apostles, themselves, and as specifically ordained by our Lord Jesus.


That 'pathway' involved,....1) Repentance,......2) Water Baptism in Jesus' name,.......and......3) The infilling of the Holy Ghost. It's with these 'three' specific directives of Peter's message that enables each one of us to 'spiritually be able' to fulfill His.......1) Death,.......2) Burial,......and......3) and Resurrection.


I recently expounded on this, in greater detail, back on post #462, and will supply the link, again, for those who might be interested.

Link: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post630987


Perhaps there will be those who will stop and pause, for a brief moment, and sincerely ask themselves,......"is 'this' the same message, ( or pathway), that I have been brought up with,...or have I been taught something entirely different from what the Apostles originally taught as doctrine within the original Church?"


A 'pathway' has been firmly established, ( and entrenched), within the Word of God, for 'all' to see, and to follow. At the end of this pathway,...you'll find yourself 'added to the Church', also,......'if' you will only have faith in this Scripturally sound pathway and 'fall in line' with the many who have gone on before you.


Sadly, our opening Scriptural Text declares that there were 'those' who refused to walk in the prescribed 'old paths' that Jeremiah was referring to. While so many 'other's turn down the wise council of our Lord,.....that doesn't mean it has to be 'you!' Wisdom awaits 'those' who will look out over the 'fields of humanity' and acutely recognize a 'pathway' that has been specifically blazed for you.


'If it got 'them' there, yesterday,.......It will get 'you' there, today!',.....my friends!


Your brother, friend, and servant,.......kreagle

[kreagle]

Posted by SilentFeathers (here)
If you subract 1260 days from the date Dewey Bruton claims is the center of tribulation (3-22-2013), you come to the date of October 9, 2009, the date Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize! This gets more strange every minute!!!!

SilentFeathers,

Yes, indeed,....it gets more strange, ( and profound), every minute, brother! I am genuinely expecting 'something' to happen around the '22nd' of this month. This 'selection of the Pope' fiasco is sinister in every sense of the word to me, so I won't be surprised in the least when 'all hell breaks loose', literally! I know that I used the word 'cataclysmic' earlier in my PM to you describing what I was expecting around the 22nd, and you personally felt that was a little 'harsh'. I'm almost convinced that whatever 'does' happen on, or about, the 22nd may not be originally perceived to be that 'earthshaking' to begin with,....but may very well prove to be, indeed, cataclysmic in the long run and that we just don't know it yet.

BTW, I have also found another rendition of your 'Daniel's Timeline by Dewey Bruton' video that appears to be the 'exact' audio,.....but with a much more professionally produced video, and graphics, account for this. I think you might equally enjoy this, brother!

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=GuTb99tBC0c

God Bless,.....your brother, friend, and servant,........kreagle