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Practices and beliefs that cause God to reject entire religions

Eli G

Well-Known Member
Many people believe they worship the God of Jesus (the same God of Abraham and Moses), but if we study the Bible we can understand that no matter what they think, their religious beliefs and/or practices actually distance them from Jehovah.

An example of the above is related in the Bible itself: the Israelites themselves whom Jehovah had brought out of Egypt. Very few days after being saved from the Egyptians, while Moses was receiving instructions from Jehovah on the mountain, they built an image of a golden calf, because since Jehovah is invisible they wanted to have some figure with which to represent him. So, they didn't give that image another name, they said that it was Jehovah himself (Exodus 32:4-6). They had no intention of worshiping another god... They had done this because they wanted Jehovah close, so they made up a way. BUT that did not please Jehovah, so he punished them and killed many. They thought they were worshiping him, but in reality they were insulting him.

This example shows that religions that use objects and figures to worship the God of Jesus are not approved by God. Can one really know what offends Jehovah in religious practices and beliefs?
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
Many people believe they worship the God of Jesus (the same God of Abraham and Moses), but if we study the Bible we can understand that no matter what they think, their religious beliefs and/or practices actually distance them from Jehovah.

An example of the above is related in the Bible itself: the Israelites themselves whom Jehovah had brought out of Egypt. Very few days after being saved from the Egyptians, while Moses was receiving instructions from Jehovah on the mountain, they built an image of a golden calf, because since Jehovah is invisible they wanted to have some figure with which to represent him. So, they didn't give that image another name, they said that it was Jehovah himself (Exodus 32:4-6). They had no intention of worshiping another god... They had done this because they wanted Jehovah close, so they made up a way. BUT that did not please Jehovah, so he punished them and killed many. They thought they were worshiping him, but in reality they were insulting him.

This example shows that religions that use objects and figures to worship the God of Jesus are not approved by God. Can one really know what offends Jehovah in religious practices and beliefs?

Your reference is an ancient anthropomorphic God that reflects the ancient tribal culture of the time that God acts like a fallible human king. IF God or Jehovah exists God would not be limited to one ancient tribal culture and scripture that has very limited relevance to the world today.

For example, The Genesis description of God and Creation reflects an even more ancient Sumerian description of Creation and God(s) not remotely related to what we know of the nature of our physical existence and the history of our earth.
 

Eli G

Well-Known Member
I posted this question in the subforum SAME FAITH DEBATES for a reason.

Thanks for your opinion though.
 

Eli G

Well-Known Member
About this question: Can one really know what offends Jehovah in religious practices and beliefs? (addressed to those who consider themselves "Christian") ...

If the Bible did not exist, could it be known with true certainty what God approves and what he will never tolerate in terms of worship practices?
 

syo

Well-Known Member
Many people believe they worship the God of Jesus (the same God of Abraham and Moses), but if we study the Bible we can understand that no matter what they think, their religious beliefs and/or practices actually distance them from Jehovah.
Nah.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Many people believe they worship the God of Jesus (the same God of Abraham and Moses), but if we study the Bible we can understand that no matter what they think, their religious beliefs and/or practices actually distance them from Jehovah.

An example of the above is related in the Bible itself: the Israelites themselves whom Jehovah had brought out of Egypt. Very few days after being saved from the Egyptians, while Moses was receiving instructions from Jehovah on the mountain, they built an image of a golden calf, because since Jehovah is invisible they wanted to have some figure with which to represent him. So, they didn't give that image another name, they said that it was Jehovah himself (Exodus 32:4-6). They had no intention of worshiping another god... They had done this because they wanted Jehovah close, so they made up a way. BUT that did not please Jehovah, so he punished them and killed many. They thought they were worshiping him, but in reality they were insulting him.

This example shows that religions that use objects and figures to worship the God of Jesus are not approved by God. Can one really know what offends Jehovah in religious practices and beliefs?
No of course one can't.

One can develop theories about it, of course. My theory is that God would not be so thin-skinned and petty as to get offended by the various ways that members of humanity choose to symbolise the God they worship.

(I respond on the basis that Jehovah's Witnesses are, just about, a branch of Christianity.)
 
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Eli G

Well-Known Member
No of course one can't.

One can develop theories about it, of course. My theory is that God would not be so thin-skinned and petty as to get offended by the various ways that members of humanity choose to symbolise the God they worship.

(I respond on the basis that Jehovah's Witnesses are, just about, a branch of Christianity.)
My post was intended for persons with similar beliefs; those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God and the Bible is the guide to know the truth.

Experience has shown that religions that underestimate what the Bible says end up lost in their own speculations. In these religions, many of their members contradict each other, because by not giving the information in the Bible the importance it deserves, they overvalue their own ideas.

This becomes even worse when some want to stand out from the rest, or when everyone believes that their ideas are as or more important than the rest'. They all want to say something, they all think they are theologians and capable of contradicting the Bible and choosing how to interpret it. They think they all are annointed, enlightened, chosen. They never agree.
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
This becomes even worse when some want to stand out from the rest, or when everyone believes that their ideas are as or more important than the rest'. They all want to say something, they all think they are theologians and capable of contradicting the Bible and choosing how to interpret it. They think they all are annointed, enlightened, chosen. They never agree.

And does not the above description apply to yourself as well? That only JW's have the 'correct' interpretation of Christian faith?
 

RestlessSoul

Well-Known Member
About this question: Can one really know what offends Jehovah in religious practices and beliefs? (addressed to those who consider themselves "Christian") ...

If the Bible did not exist, could it be known with true certainty what God approves and what he will never tolerate in terms of worship practices?


If The NT did not exist, we may have no written record of Jesus of Nazareth, but we would still know of the existence of God, and each person would be free, through prayer and meditation, to seek knowledge of His will for us; and without the written word we would still, would we not, have the presence of The Comforter?

John 14:26
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
My post was intended for persons with similar beliefs; those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God and the Bible is the guide to know the truth.

Experience has shown that religions that underestimate what the Bible says end up lost in their own speculations. In these religions, many of their members contradict each other, because by not giving the information in the Bible the importance it deserves, they overvalue their own ideas.

This becomes even worse when some want to stand out from the rest, or when everyone believes that their ideas are as or more important than the rest'. They all want to say something, they all think they are theologians and capable of contradicting the Bible and choosing how to interpret it. They think they all are annointed, enlightened, chosen. They never agree.
I agree. We all have our own interpretations of our faith, which is inevitable, given the complexity of the ideas and the contradictions and obscurities in scripture, so it makes no sense to claim that one view is the only way or the "true" way to understand it.

This is why I don't have much time for the exclusivism of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
 

Eli G

Well-Known Member
I agree. We all have our own interpretations of our faith, which is inevitable, given the complexity of the ideas and the contradictions and obscurities in scripture, so it makes no sense to claim that one view is the only way or the "true" way to understand it.

This is why I don't have much time for the exclusivism of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
I understand what you say as everyone invents their own religion with which they feel satisfied.

However, the one who is going to judge people is God through his Son, and that judgment is not going to happen according to our own personal criteria. It is like pretending to use a manual of laws that one has invented in a government court. Ridiculous isn't it?

We must know God's criteria about what is good and what is bad, because it is according to his scale of values that each one of us will be judged. That is why God in his goodness gave us the manual that we have to study: the Bible.
 
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