VirusHead

I don’t like to get into biblical dickering. Maybe one day I’ll post on some of the reasons why, but for now I would just say that if biblical interpretations are central to your beliefs, then I urge you to do some research on biblical scholarship from reputable sources. There is an amazing amount of great scholarship out there now.

On the other hand, you will also find that the bible is a collection of very selective works culled out from different communities over a very large span of time. As a result, if you want to find an argument to support your point of view, you can probably do so (especially if you take things out of context).

I don’t agree with every detail of this, but then again I didn’t write it. Take what you find useful.

This comes via email from J Mason Emerson of the Christian Witnesses online fellowship for ex-JWs and friends.

1. The Watchtower Society over JWs notes Acts 15:20 says “abstain from blood” and says for JWs to not take emergency blood transfusions even to save lives. Christ said “God wants mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt 12:7) and 1 Samuel 14:32-35 says Saul’s army ate un-bled meat unpunished as it was an emergency to save life; they just built an altar of repentance due to the Mosaic law of that time. Despite the no-blood teaching JWs can get organ transplants and those have blood. Also, identical twins transfuse blood to each other via a shared placenta.

2. JWs have formal Judicial Committees of elders to judge wrongdoers and these sometimes declare those judged to be disfellowshipped, meaning shunned by all other JWs including JW family and friends. At 2 Cor 2:6, Paul says of a wrongdoer he had recommended be shunned, “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him,” which shows “the majority,” but not ALL, had complied with Paul. Those not shunning were not punished. Paul could only order Timothy as a worker otherwise Christians are equals free to obey conscience (Ro 14). James opposes formal judging; Christians can decide who to associate or not.

3. JWs judge holidays unworthy of celebrating. Colossians 2:16 and Galatians 4:10 say don’t “let anyone judge you” about holidays. JWs say Christians changing pagan customs to Christian objectives just mixed “darkness with light,” though we as Christians can say it instead turned “darkness into light.” Job’s kids celebrated days of birth (Job 1 then also compare Job 3 on “days” of banqueting and birth) and angels celebrated Christ’s birthday. Celebrating holidays brings JOY which is a fruit of God’s Spirit. (Ga 5:22). To not do so damages families. JWs teach Santa came from a god or wizard but he came from medieval gift-giver Nicolaus of Myra who wore red and carried a miter stick. The name Santa Claus is from the Dutch for Saint Nicolaus.

4. Countless Bible verses show Christ himself is the most “faithful and discreet slave” not, as JWs teach, their Governing Body men. 1Timothy 3:16 calls scriptures the only perfectly inspired source of answers that is the only perfect teacher which therefore isn’t the Governing Body?

5. JWs say theirs is the one and only true faith but when Paul at Ephesians 4:4 said there was just “one faith” this was universal or general Christianity which existed long before the Watchtower Society over JWs was formed in the late 1800s. Christ and apostles said the true faith helps the hungry, blind, lame, widows and orphans. Kind JWs sometimes do so but the men over JWs has done relatively little to help the the needy.

6. Romans 14 says Christians enjoy great freedom; Colossians 3:14 says the greatest bond of unity is LOVE not dictated sameness of views. JWs misteach being fitly united in unity is the same as uniformity in all beliefs.

7. Paul says “boast” of the cross which is a symbol of resurrection’s victory over death, (Ga 6:14, 1 Cor 1:17-18) not a “repugnant murder weapon” as the Governing Body men misteach JWs. Archaeology shows it was a cross, not a stake as JWs are mistold to teach. Crucifixion takes hours as Luke 23:44 and Matthew 27:45-6 say not minutes as would occur by stake. Greek “stauros” means cross or stake never just stake. Christians use rabbits and eggs to symbolize new life or resurrection not as a vestige of fertility rites as JWs teach.

8. At Matthew 6:9, Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6, Christ and Paul teach to pray using “our Father” in heaven or “Abba” (Dad) – not the formal conjectured names such as Jehovah or Yahweh. A child calls his father “Dad,” not “Mr Doe.” God taught Israel’s tribes to not misuse His name so that Christians and Jews often use “Lord” to show respect not in superstition as the Governing Body misteaches JWs to teach the public.

9. The Watchtower Society does not tell JWs it settled with 16 child abuse victims as Associated Press reports confirm for May 10, 2007. They keep sending all JWs preaching door to door including so-called “repentant” pedophiles even though their going declaring the name Jehovah is surely using God’s name in vain. JWs are told the newspapers lie but some have call headquarters in Brooklyn and insisted on hearing from the Legal Department who confirmed it. Gag orders ban details but some believe $3.5 million went to each victim. Pedophiles, murderers, rapists, wiretappers, stalkers and harassers need banned from preaching along with and around unsuspecting JW women and children. Besides informal witnesses is more effective and Luke 10:7 says “Do not be transferring house to house” in the New World Bible. Christ and the apostles went from a friendly house in one town to another in another town. Nowhere in the Bible does it say they banged on door after door.

10. Revelation 19:1 says a great crowd is in heaven not a little flock. Psalm 20:5 and Song of Solomon 2:4, 6:4,10 speak well of banners or flags as they show respect not idolatry. Paul says all have sinned and all die because of sin but the Governing Body misteaches that some JWs now living will never die. Most all Protestant and Catholic churches teach there are 3 different persons in one “Godship” (see New World Bible at Ro 1:20) or divine nature or trinity, but JWs are mistaught Protestants and Catholics say there’s 3 exact same persons, what only a few such as some Pentecostals teach. JWs have been mistaught that kind, loving former JWs hate them rather than the misdoings of the Watchtower Society and many also stay JWs to keep JW family and friends but happily more are cutting time and money donations to the Watchtower, giving more to help their families.

I can’t read the word “misteaches” or “mistaught” without flinching. That’s small of me, huh?

The number of uninsured children from birth through age 18 rose for the second year in a row, according to new data released earlier this week by the U.S. Census Bureau.

In the last year alone, another 707,000 children have been added to bring the total to more than 9.4 million uninsured children in America.

This increase is more than double the jump from 2004 to 2005.

This alarming jump demonstrates that our children need a strong national safety net so that every child has access to the health coverage needed to survive and thrive. It is shameful that despite overwhelming public support and passage of bipartisan bills in both houses of Congress that would provide health coverage to millions more uninsured children, the President appears to be doing everything in his power to prevent children from getting the critical health coverage they need. Not only has President Bush threatened to veto these bills, more recently, the Bush administration issued harsh new rules for those trying to enroll in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) — rules that will substantially increase the number of uninsured children.

Help your Members of Congress stand up to the President as children’s health legislation comes up for a final vote in September — contact them today and let them know that every child matters and comprehensive health insurance for all children is important to you.

(From the Children’s Defense Fund)

Republican senator John Warner of Virginia has announced that he is retiring and won’t seek re-election. I wonder if that has anything to do with his recent comments about Iraq. Here’s him trying to clarify/backtrack/whatever – maybe that wasn’t good enough.

White House Spokesman Tony Snow is resigning in September – “I feel terrific. It’s not a health matter. It’s purely financial.” I’ve told people when my money runs out, then I’ve got to go.” Only $168,000 a year just ain’t enough to sling the snow-jobs. He’s gonna hit the lecture circuit.

Lots of buzz about who might replace Gonzales as Attorney General. I sure hope they are wrong about Michael Chertoff being top choice. I don’t see that he’s done so much for the common good in any of this previous positions. I’m also curious as to why no one seems to care that despite his associations with groups like the Federalist Society, he actually carries dual citizenship: to Israel first, and then the USA. And wouldn’t that mean he’d need to be replaced as Secretary of Homeland Security? Can’t these people ever go outside the inner circle?

Here’s something interesting from OpEd News – Why the Right be Hatin’ on Hip Hop, by Min. Paul Scott

A few of the homies have gotten together and recorded a “diss” record aimed at those Right Wing talking heads who have been guilty of “dissing” Hip Hop. (And frankly, a few were thrown in just cuz we don’t like ‘em.) The track, “Drums of War” featuring Big Swagg, Mr. Cox and yours truly can be downloaded at http://www.hiphopstrikesback.com .

Let this be the song that sparks the revolution! The Left’s new anthem that makes the Right shake in their boots! The song that will bring about a wave of social equality that….

OK, I’ll settle for making Bill O’Reilly have nightmares about a bunch of “gangsta rappers” bum rushin’ the No Spin Zone, tying him up and forcing him to watch 48 uninterrupted hours of Black Entertainment Television…

Othmar Schroeder, the founding pastor of Holy Family Parish in Jasper, Ind., is accused of abusing several people. More than 10 victims have alleged sexual abuse by the late Monsignor Othmar Schroeder and reports are continuing to come in, the Catholic Diocese of Evansville’s bishop said Thursday.

Silentlambs will be leafleting along with SNAP (Survivors Network for Those Abused By Priests) in Evansville, IN on Sunday September 2, 2007 at the Catholic Church.

The program will start at 11:15am on the steps of the Church. If you would like to attend please contact silentlambs.org at info@silentlambs.org or call 270-527-5350 for more information.

Check out photos of the lunar eclipse at The Raven’s Journey! A total eclipse of the Full Moon in Pisces, and I slept right through it… just too early in the morning for me.

Here’s video from Chattanooga, TN.

Post links to more photos, if you know of some.