| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Prominent Bethelite" |
| Date: |
28 Jan 2006 11:36:31 PM |
| Object: |
Is God Always Superior to Jesus? |
Hi, I'm Prominent Bethelite. The highest ranking Jehovah's
Witness on Usenet. I bring the word directly from the spirit
directed faithful and discreet slave itself at the heart of
Brooklyn Bethel. Take a seat and consider the following bible
truths for yourself before requesting a free home bible study
from Jehovahs Witnesses.
Vignette StoryServer 5.0 Wed Jan 25 20:49:21 2006 The title of
Pope Benedict XVI's (The Antichrist as head of the new world
order of babylon the great)first encyclical, "God is Love,"
might suggest a religious twist on a late Beatles song, but to
those who know the life's work of Professor Joseph Ratzinger,
the 72-page document "Deus Caritas Est" carries the imprint of
an exceptionally clear-minded and utterly convinced Catholic
theologian.
As the title of the first comprehensive theological teaching of
Benedict's papacy suggests, there is little grist for those
looking for controversy or doctrinal bombshells. Yes, the Pope
confronts modern sexuality, declaring that " 'sex', has become a
commodity," and even takes a parting slap at Marxism in his
defense of a Christian vision of good works. But the message is
ultimately a clear and simple call for Christian love and
charity. Popes typically use their first encyclicals, the most
authoritative form of Church writing, to set the tone for their
reign rather than to spark debate or overhaul Catholic
teachings. With this work, released Wednesday by top Vatican
officials, the pontiff may have once and for all moved beyond
the caricature painted by his opponents of a cold and rigid
doctrinal enforcer from his quarter-century as John Paul II's
chief of orthodoxy.
Citing the First Letter of John as the source for the work's
title, Benedict lays out his simple vision of Christian faith. "
'We have come to believe in God's love': in these words the
Christian can express the fundamental decision of his life.
Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a
lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which
gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction."
The pontiff-theologian then dissects the two categories of
Christian love: "eros" (erotic love) and "agape" (spiritual
love). Modern society, he argues, has debased eros, put sex up
for sale, and defied the singularity of monogamous man-woman
love. "Eros needs to be disciplined and purified if it is to
provide not just fleeting pleasure, but a certain foretaste of
the pinnacle of our existence," he writes. He concludes that
eros and agape ultimately share a single destiny. "Love is
indeed 'ecstasy', not in the sense of a moment of intoxication,
but rather as a journey, an ongoing exodus out of the closed
inward-looking self towards its liberation through self-giving,
and thus towards authentic self-discovery and indeed the
discovery of God."
Benedict thus connects his initial reflections on love to the
second part of the document, which focuses on charity. Here he
has a message not just for individual believers, but for the
Church as a whole. "As a community, the Church must practice
love," he concludes. In practical terms, Benedict uses the
document to reaffirm that the Church must not "replace the
State," which must be responsible for caring for the needy and
creating a just society. "The Church cannot and must not take
upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just
society possible," he writes. "But this does not mean that
charitable activity must somehow leave God and Christ aside." He
said Catholics doing good works need not proselytize in the
process, but added that "a Christian knows when it is time to
speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let
love speak alone."
Despite Benedict's references to modern sexual mores, the
encyclical does not single out the issues of birth control,
homosexuality, divorce or married priests. At Wednesday's
presentation of the encyclical, veteran Vatican correspondent
Marco Tosatti asked Archbishop William Levada whether a
reference to the Eucharist was a sign that Benedict was
reconsidering Church policy that denies communion to divorced
and remarried Catholics. Levada, who has Ratzinger's old job as
the Vatican's top doctrinal official, politely told Tosatti he
was reaching. "I hadn't even considered it before your
question," he said. Though he has already said that he plans to
issue far fewer documents than his predecessor, one might expect
a future Benedict encyclical to address emerging questions in
the field of bioethics, a topic he's raised several times in
public remarks since his election last April. The old caricature
of the "panzer cardinal" may indeed be fading, but the Pope's
opponents will no doubt have their chances to rejoin the
doctrinal battles anew.
Still, Ratzinger's writings — dating back to his seminal 1968
work "Introduction to Christianity," in which he confronts many
of the same themes addressed in "Deus Caritas Est" — stand out
for their depth of thought and clarity of prose. He never shies
away from confronting the modern challenges to faith head-on,
rendering his work relevant for believer and non-believer alike.
An avid Mozart fan, the new Pope might even be open to the
message from the old Beatles' song "All You Need is Love." He
would insist, of course, on ergo to the title: "All You Need is
God."
()""""""() ()""""() ()""""() ()""""() ()""""""()
() () () () () () () () () ()
() () () () () () () () () ()
() () () () () () () () () ()
() `""""""` `"""""` `"""""` `"""""` ()
() ()
() The Watchtower and the Jehovah's Witnesses Cult ()
() is a CUNNING CONTRIVANCE, a FRAUD, a DIRTY LIE, ()
() a CRUEL HOAX, a SATANIC TRICK, a SCAM, a WICKED ()
() CHEAT, a SPIRITUAL PORNOGRAPHER and FORNICATOR, ()
() the FOULEST DISEASE masquerading as a religion, ()
() a PARADISE for FILTHY PEDOPHILES, a BLASPHEMOUS ()
() INSULT, an ABOMINATION, a DISGUSTING THING, the ()
() GREAT HARLOT OF BABYLON, an ANTICHRIST, a FALSE ()
() PROPHET, a WOLFISH DECEITFUL WITNESS, a SCANDAL ()
() and a DAMNED OUTRAGE right from start to finish ()
() ()
`""""() So, ()""""`
() why ()
() argue ()
`"""() about ()"""`
() it? ()
() ()
Love
___ _ __
/ _ \_______ __ _ (_)__ ___ ___ / /_
/ ___/ __/ _ \/ ' \/ / _ \/ -_) _ \/ __/
/_/ /_/ \___/_/_/_/_/_//_/\__/_//_/\__/
___ __ __ ___ __
/ _ )___ / /_/ / ___ / (_) /____
/ _ / -_) __/ _ \/ -_) / / __/ -_)
/____/\__/\__/_//_/\__/_/_/\__/\__/
Examples of FINE SPIRITUAL FOOD AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME FROM
"THE SLAVE":
"We need not here repeat the evidences that the 'seventh trump'
began its
sounding in A.D. 1840, and will continue until the end of the
time of
trouble" {WT Nov 1880 p1}; "masturbation is no mere innocent
pastime but
rather a practice that can lead to homosexual acts" {WT May 15
1970 p315;
also WT Oct 1 1970 p604}; "If heaven were made the receptacle of
the
heathen, savages, barbarians, the idiotic, simple, insane and
INFANTS, it
would cease to be heaven to a considerable extent, and become a
pandemonium
.. billions of ignorant, imbecile and degraded .. never formed
characters
[not] fit companions for saints" {WT Oct 15 1896 p245} Fine JW
Wisdom!!
---------------------------------------------------------------
-------
THE LIST OF AMAZING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' CLAIMS, BELIEFS &
PREDICTIONS
Prepared by MYSELF may be found at the following
websites:-
http://angelfire.com/rant/scumbag/
http://www.freeminds.org/history/part1.htm
http://www1.tip.nl/~t661020/wtcitaten/part1.htm
http://localsonly.wilmington.net/jmalik/TheList.zip
http://watchtower.org
It is FULLY IN ACCORDANCE with the teachings of the WATCHTOWER
Bible &
Tract Society (WTBTS) for every member of JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES to
Carefully
Study the LIST mentioned above, which comprises truly fine
scriptural food
from its own publications. Remember the WTBTS told you to
confirm whether
what was taught by the WTBTS was in harmony with the Bible - and
if not,
not to circulate it {WT Mar 1 1894 repr p1629}, to confirm WT
teachings
against the Bible {WT May 1 1934 p131}, to invite critical
examination of
your faith {WT Aug 15 1950 p263}, that, far from being wrong, it
is your
duty to examine religion to see if it is true or false {WT Nov
15 1963
p688}, that you should actively examine your own religion {The
Truth That
Leads To Eternal Life 1968 p13, a WTBTS publication}, that you
should check
and examine BOTH sides of a matter {Awake! Oct 22 1973 p6}, that
your
religion was in no way afraid of being exposed to scrutiny {WT
Aug 1 1978
p12}, that you should to be willing to submit everything to
scrutiny
{Awake! Aug 22 1984 p22/28}, that you should not have a closed
mind {WT Nov
22 1984 p3-4}, that you should actively refer to the older
publications {WT
Jun 15 1985 p12}, that all people are encouraged to examine
other religions
and with an open mind {WT Apr 1 1991 p17} and that you are
encouraged to
exhibit freedom of thought {Awake! Jun 8 1994 p21}. So, please
follow this
advice of the WTBTS, and study that LIST very carefully. "You
will know the
Truth and the Truth will set you free."(John 8:32). Fine advice
indeed!
THE LIST IS PRODUCED IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO A RECENT REQUEST BY
THE WTBTS in
{WT Dec 1 1990 p19}, where it quotes {WT Dec 15 1914 p377-8}:
"If any one
knows anything better, let him take it. If any of you ever find
anything
better, we hope you will tell us." Kindly, Prominent Bethelite
has duly
obliged. Having read it, if you find the WTBTS has ever told
falsehoods,
follow the WTBTS advice clearly given in {WT Dec 1 1991 p7} "A
religion
that teaches lies cannot be true."; if you find the WTBTS has
even made one
false prophecy, follow the WTBTS advice clearly given in {WT Feb
1 1992 p3}
"Beware of False Prophets!" - and cut yourself off from these
Foul Cheats.
-=-
This message was sent via two or more anonymous remailing services.
.
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| User: "Panama Floyd" |
|
| Title: Re: Is God Always Superior to Jesus? |
29 Jan 2006 03:48:58 AM |
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Prominent Bethelite wrote:
Hi, I'm Prominent Bethelite. The highest ranking Jehovah's
Witness on Usenet.
Isn't that like being the best telemarketer in the sweatshop?
snip.
-Panama Floyd, Atl.
aa#2015, Member Knights of BAAWA!
"..the prayer cloth of one aeon is the doormat of the next."
-Mark Twain
Religious societies are *less* moral than secular ones:
http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/2005/2005-11.html
.
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