Scripture of the Day:

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 596-2B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION, AND LEARN HOW JOHN”S GOSPELS COULD EFFECT YOU AT wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1982325?q=INTRODUCTION+TO+2+JOHN&p=doc [CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS] [2] WHAT HAPPENS TO HUMANS AT DEATH?


[1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [596-2B]

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Genesis 6:11 -13, [AV] “

Yes, in the days of Noah, a righteous man, Almighty God (YHWH) was disgusted with what most of mankind had done to the earth; to wit, changing it from a righteous paradise into a den of evil. He saw everything that was occurring on earth as shown at Hebrews 4:13, [AV] “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” He searches the righteous, but hates the workers of evil as shown at Psalms 11:5, [AV] “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.”

Today, this world is approaching the conclusion of the end times for its wicked system just as in the days of Noah. This is made clear at Revelation 11:18, [AV] “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” Yes, it is similar to the days before the Almighty wiped the earth clean in Noah’s day per Matthew 24:38, [AV] “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,” Since the conclusion of the end times is at hand we must be vigilant per 1 Peter 4:7, [AV] “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

VIEW A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-revelation/

[2] WHAT HAPPENS TO HUMANS AT DEATH?

INTRODUCTION:

Many wonder what happens to humans at death, and most of the world's religions give many different and conflicting answers to this question. Most of the world's religions teach that something inside of a human continues to live on after the body dies.

Some religious groups even believe that the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, punishes the wicked by subjecting them to eternal suffering is a fiery hell. But what is the real truth in keeping with John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Authorized King James Bible; (Authorized King James Bible; AV)? What does the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, really teach about death?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT DEATH?

Now, the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, states at Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 and 10, "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." and "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

The inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, clearly shows that the dead are NOT conscious of anything at all; they cannot hear, see, speak, feel, or think. The no longer earn any wages. They are incapable of any work! Also, they no longer love, hate, or have greed for they can not express of have any emotions.

What the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, says on the subject is quite simple and clear; the dead do NOT continue to live somewhere. To wit, there is nothing that leaves our body at death and lives on somewhere so as to be reborn in another body. There is no reincarnation a false belief that many believe in. This can be illustrated by the flame of a candle that while it flickers and burns exist, but when the flame is extinguished, it simply goes out and does not go anywhere.

Now think of the implications that this one simple powerful truth has! When a student of the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, learns this truth that the dead are not conscious, he/she should easily be able to reason that no matter how hateful or greedy were his dead ancestors during life, they can not trouble him. He/she should also quickly grasp the fact that his/her dead loved ones are incapable of hearing, seeing, speaking, feeling, and/or thinking.

CONCLUSION:

This simple to understand fact clearly shows that dead humans can not be experiencing unbearable loneliness in purgatory or be eternally tortured in a fiery hell. The inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible clearly teaches that the dead who are in the true God's (YHWH's) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, memory will be resurrected. What a wonderful hope that is assured us per John 5:28-29, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of d**nation." (AV).

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 598B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS, [2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Garcinia livingstone


[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [598B]

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: Acts 17:26 – 27, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Genesis 5:2, [AV] “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” Clearly shows Almighty God (YHWH) created them, and that He wanted them to be per Genesis 1:28, [AV] “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” And as stated at
Deuteronomy 32:8, [AV] “When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.” And that bounds were placed on them per Psalms 74:17, [AV] “Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.” His intention is for the righteous to inherit the earth forever as shown at Isa 34:17, [AV] “And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein.” Therefore, we should per Isaiah 55:6, [AV] “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”

VIEW AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-genesis/

[2] Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Garcinia livingstonei (African mangosteen), lowveld mangosteen,Livingstone's garcinia or imbe) is a species of Garcinia, native to a broad area of tropical Africa, from Côte d'Ivoire east to Somalia, and south to South Africa.[1]
It is an evergreen small tree, growing to 6–18 m tall. The leaves are borne in opposite pairs or whorls of 3–4, each leaf blue-green, oval, 6–11 cm long and 3–5.5 cm broad. The flowers are produced in clusters on the stems. The fruit is a small, bright, orange, thin-skinned berry 1–4 cm diameter, with one single large seed; the small yield of edible fruit is pleasantly sweet, yet acidic, but also containing a latexthat some people find unpleasant.[2][3]

Cultivation and uses
A traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known fruit has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.[4]

It is mainly grown as an ornamental fruit, but is sometimes eaten. The juice is known for staining very badly. Mostly eaten fresh, it is also used in drinks. It can be grown in southern Florida.

Both a male and female plant are needed in order to obtain fruit, although both sexes can be grafted onto the same plant to achieve the same effect.

ReferencesJump up^ Germplasm Resources Information Network: Garcinia livingstonei
1. Jump up^ PlantsZAfrica: Garcinia livingstonei
2. Jump up^ University of Pretoria: Garcinia livingstonei
3. Jump up^ National Research Council (2008-01-25). "Baobab". Lost Crops of Africa: Volume III: Fruits. Lost Crops of Africa 3. National Academies Press. ISBN 978-0-309-10596-
[sourc - retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_livingstonei on 10/15/2015]

In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to http://www.jw.org].

To view this plant, go to, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_livingstonei

LEARN ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 599B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS, [2] GOD'S WORD THE BIBLE PROVEN UN-CHANGEABLE BY THE QURAN

ALSO, A VIDEO ON ‘WHY STUDY THE BIBLE, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/request-a-visit/video-why-study-the-bible/



[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [599B]

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

As Isaiah the Prophet said about Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) word at Isaiah 55:1, [AV] “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.’ This same truth is highlighted also at Luke 6:21, [AV] “Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.” And Jesus (Yeshua) said at John 6:35, [AV] “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” And Revelations states the same at Revelation 7:16, [AV] “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.”

VIEW A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/SeriesBibleBooks/pub-nwtsv_20_VIDEO


[2] GOD'S WORD THE BIBLE PROVEN UN-CHANGEABLE BY THE QURAN:

Muhammad (pbuh) in reciting The Quran says that it (the Quran) is the Word of God, it cannot be wrong it cannot be changed.

"None can change His words:" (sura 6: 115).

Sura 6:115 in three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: The word of thy Lord doth find its fulfilment in truth and in justice: None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all.

PICKTHAL: Perfected is the Word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is naught that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

SHAKIR: And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

"no change can there be in the words of Allah." (sura 10: 64)

If we accept that this is true, then we must also accept that the following statement is true.

Sura 10:64 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: Say: "Of your 'partners', can any originate creation and repeat it?" Say: "It is Allah Who originates creation and repeats it: then how are ye deluded away (from the truth)?"

PICKTHAL: Say: Is there of your partners (whom ye ascribe unto Allah) one that produceth Creation and then reproduceth it? Say: Allah produceth Creation, then reproduceth it. How then, are ye misled!

SHAKIR: Say: Is there any one among your associates who can bring into existence the creation in the first instance, then reproduce it? Say: Allah brings the creation into existence, then He reproduces it; how are you then turned away?

But consider:

(Sura 4: 163)
"We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms,"

Sura 4:163 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms.

PICKTHAL: Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms;

SHAKIR: Surely We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh, and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and Isa and Ayub and Yunus and Haroun and Sulaiman and We gave to Dawood

This passage informs us that God sent;

the Quran through Muhammad,
and that this same God also sent at the very least the following writtings of the Bible;

the Torah through Moses,

the Gospel through Jesus,

the Psalms through David,

the book of Job,

the book of Jonah.

If we accept this as true because it is God's Word and His word cannot be "changed" by Him (Sura 6: 115, and 10: 65) then we must also accept that the following is true.

"there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah." (sura 6: 34)

Sura 6:34 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers.

PICKTHAL: Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before).

SHAKIR: And certainly messengers before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the messengers.

Conclusion One:

The Quran is the Word of God, it was spoken by Muhammad, but the words were given to him by the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, , therefore the Quran is the Word of God.

These words cannot be changed because the time of all revelation has now ceased with the death of Muhammad, and as Muhammad is the Last Prophet the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, will send, there can never be any change to the Quran.

Now here is the problem that I find in this, as I see it:

If All of the Above is true, then it is also true that;

the Torah through Moses,

the Gospel through Jesus,

the Psalms through David,

the book of Job,

the book of Jonah.

are also the Word of God.

Sura 4: 163 says of Muhammad that

"We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to ..."

Sura 4:163 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms.

PICKTHAL: Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms;

SHAKIR: Surely We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh, and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and Isa and Ayub and Yunus and Haroun and Sulaiman and We gave to Dawood

This tells us that the inspiration that Muhammad recieved was the same as that which God had previously given to Moses, Jesus (Yeshua), David, Job, Jonah and others.

Therefore as this is the same inspiration, these prophets also received the Word of God. How then can there be any error in anything that they received?

Surely there cannot be any corruption, change or mistakes because the Quran also tells us;

"there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah." (sura 6: 34)

Sura 6:34 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers.

PICKTHAL: Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before).

SHAKIR: And certainly messengers before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the messengers.

"None can change His words:" (sura 6: 115).

Sura 6:115 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: The word of thy Lord doth find its fulfilment in truth and in justice: None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all.

PICKTHAL: Perfected is the Word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is naught that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

SHAKIR: And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

"no change can there be in the words of Allah." (sura 10: 64)

Sura 10:64 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present and in the Hereafter; no change can there be in the words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme felicity.

PICKTHAL: Theirs are good tidings in the life of the world and in the Hereafter - There is no changing the Words of Allah - that is the Supreme Triumph.

SHAKIR: They shall have good news in this world's life and in the hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement.

So then is the Word of God as given to Moses any different,
"We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of messengers," (Sura 2:87).

Sura 2:87 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of messengers; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!

PICKTHAL: And verily We gave unto Moses the Scripture and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty), and We supported him with the Holy spirit. Is it ever so, that, when there cometh unto you a messenger (from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay?

SHAKIR: And most certainly We gave Musa the Book and We sent messengers after him one after another; and We gave Isa, the son of Marium, clear arguments and strengthened him with the holy spirit, What! whenever then a messenger came to you with that which your souls did not desire, you were insolent so you called some liars and some you slew.

If God gave Moses the Torah and God's word cannot be changed, then the charge of corruption of the word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, must be wrong because,

"there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah." (sura 6: 34)

Sura 6:34 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers.

PICKTHAL: Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before).

SHAKIR: And certainly messengers before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the messengers.

Conclusion Two:

The Quran says that God gave Moses the Book, it is God's word, it is not the word of Moses, it is the Word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is,

The Quran also states that no person is able to change any Word or Decree of God..

Therefore the Torah must be and remain extant, it must be uncorrupted, unchanged.

The same must also be true of the other writings that the Quran mentions, for the inspiration is the same, the manner of communication is the same (Books).

Therefore these also must be the Word of God, about which the Quran says,

"there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah." (sura 6: 34)

Sura 6:34 three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers.

PICKTHAL: Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before).

SHAKIR: And certainly messengers before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the messengers.

"None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all," (Sura 6:115).

Sura 6:115 in three different versions of the Bible knockoff, the Quran:

YUSUFALI: The word of thy Lord doth find its fulfilment in truth and in justice: None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all.

PICKTHAL: Perfected is the Word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is naught that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

SHAKIR: And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Conclusion Three:

If any one holds the Quran to be 100% the infallible Word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, and they believe that Old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah," is YHWH, then there is no corruption within the mentioned biblical books.

There can be no corruption or alteration, for the Quran states that God gave these prophets the books, the Quran states that no one can change God's Word.

Therefore to say that there is corruption in the word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, to say that any of these have been changed is to say that the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, has lied, and that the Quran is wrong when it sates that God gave these prophets Books which are the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, His word and cannot be changed.

But that is blasphemy in Muslim circles, that is slander against Muhammad, the Quran and God!!

The Truth therefore must be,

That the error is in the claim of corruption and alteration of Old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah's" word? Which has been shown before is also the conclusion of some Muslim scholars,

Muhammad 'Abduh (Egypt) - the charge of corruption:
... makes no sense at all. It would not have been possible for Jews and Christians everywhere to agree on changing the text. Even if those in Arabia had done it, the difference between their book and those of their brothers, let us say in Syria or Europe, would have been obvious.

Mawlawi Muhammad Sa'id (Pakistan):
Some Muslims imagine that the Injil is corrupted. But... not even one among all the verses of the Quran mentions that the Injil or Tawrat is corrupted... it is written that the Jews -... not the Christians... alter the meaning of the passages from the Tawrat while they are explaining them. At least the Christians are completely exonerated from this charge. Hence the Injil is not corrupted and the Tawrat is not corrupted...

Sayyid Ahmad Husayn Shawkat Mirthi:
The ordinary Muslim people...believe through hearsay...that the Injil is corrupted, even though they cannot indicate what passage was corrupted, when it was corrupted, and who corrupted it. Is there any religious community...whose lot is so miserable that they would shred their heavenly Book with their own hands...? To say that God has taken the Injil and the Tawrat into heaven and has abrogated them is to defame and slander God...


As this is the only possible logical conclusion that does not deny the Quran or Muhammad. Then this is the error.

Thus every Muslim must today begin reading and studying the Bible for the full knowledge and teaching of the Lord God Almighty. Just as they must also desist with the denial of the Quran and Muhammad, the Bible and all the prophets.[this work draws heavily on the work of Malcomite].

LEARN ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 599B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS, [2] MURDER OF ONE'S DAUGHTER TACITLY APPROVED BY ISLAM,

ALSO, A VIDEO ON ‘WHY STUDY THE BIBLE, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/request-a-visit/video-why-study-the-bible/



COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] MURDER OF ONE'S DAUGHTER TACITLY APPROVED BY ISLAM,

[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [600B]

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Jesus (Yeshua) also conformed this at Luke 6:20, [AV] “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.” And 1 Corinthians 2:14, [AV] “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Therefore, we must per James 2:5, [AV] “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-leviticus/

[2] MURDER OF ONE'S DAUGHTER TACITLY APPROVED BY ISLAM,

The World News proves that Islam even tacitly approves of murdering your daughter if she gets raped, can you imagine? Why penalize the victim? Let's look at the evidence.

<<<"Turkey works to stop 'honor' killings
The government, under pressure from feminists and the European Union, responds at a level unheard of in the Islamic world.
By Tracy Wilkinson, Times Staff Writer
January 9, 2007
DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY - Desperately unhappy, 21-year-old Sahe Fidan left the husband she despised and sought refuge in her parents' home. They refused to take her in. A married woman can leave her husband only in a coffin, they told her.

Fidan returned to the husband, and she left him in a coffin. A few weeks ago, she was found hanged in the bathroom, her infant son strapped to her back with a sheet.

Her corpse was discovered when the baby, unharmed, began to cry. Fidan had committed suicide.

Or had she?

After her death in a village in southeastern Turkey, another version circulated. Some activists and officials suspect that Fidan may have joined the ranks of Turkish women forced to kill themselves, or whose slayings are disguised to look self-inflicted.

The killing of women and girls by male relatives who think the females have brought shame to the family's honor is an atrocity that has plagued Turkey and other Islamic countries for generations. Thousands of women have died, been attacked or compelled to commit suicide in so-called honor killings.

In Turkey, the government has finally taken action. Under pressure from an invigorated women's movement and eager to win approval from the European Union, the government has launched a major campaign against honor killings, at a level and with a breadth virtually unheard of in the Islamic world.

Turkish imams have joined pop music stars and soccer celebrities to produce TV spots and billboard ads condemning all forms of violence against women. Broaching a topic that remains largely taboo in many conservative societies, the nation's top Islamic authority has declared honor killing a sin.

Late last year, jail sentences for men and boys who commit the crime were stiffened, and new provisions in the penal code make it harder for a court to reduce sentences. (As recently as 10 months ago, in a typical case, the life sentence of a young man who had killed his sister was substantially reduced because the judges decided he had been "provoked." He had buried her up to her neck in rocks after she was impregnated in a rape.)

In cities and towns with the highest honor killing rates, officials working with advocacy groups are holding town hall meetings and setting up rescue teams and hotlines for endangered women and girls.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the head of a conservative, Islamist-rooted party, went before a gathering of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in November to argue for better treatment of women and to condemn honor killings as a scourge that must be eradicated from Islamic societies.

"We can say these murders are isolated incidents, yet we cannot turn a blind eye to such inhuman acts that are largely the product of ignorance," he said. "Discrimination against women is worse than racism. We must reject the treatment of women as second-class beings."

The challenge is enormous: fighting archaic customs based not so much on religion as on deep-seated tradition and feudal clan systems.

Many of the experts, social workers and officials involved speak of a new era of openness and willingness to confront the problem, but they caution that it will be a long time before attitudes are changed. There is no indication that the number of killings or forced suicides has dropped, though advocates say they feel they now have a better arsenal.

"On paper, we seem to have achieved a lot," Fatma Sahin, a lawmaker with the ruling party who oversaw the drafting of a 300-page report on honor killings, said in an interview in Ankara, the capital. "But when we go out into the field, we recognize that a lot more needs to be done."

A significant segment of the Turkish population defines all-important honor in terms of the chastity and obedience of each female member of a family. As "owners" of women, men must defend honor by safeguarding their bodies and sexuality.

In a United Nations poll conducted last year, 17% of Turkish men said they approved of honor killing. Many more approved of lesser punishments, one of the most common being the slicing off of a woman's nose.

Such attitudes persist in many segments of the Turkish population, especially in the Kurdish southeast. But local activism in behalf of women is also flourishing.

"This is a part of the country where it is not accepted that women work or travel, where they are not valued as individuals," said Canan Hancer Basturk, deputy governor of Diyarbakir. "But girls see the other side, modern Turkey, on TV or in the media, and with the rise in literacy, people's expectations are rising.

"So they want to break out of their shells, and that's where the clash comes between girls and their families, and for some boys too," she said. " 'Honor' is another way of clinging to values and resisting change."

Alarmed by the soaring number of women seeking help, the Diyarbakir government opened the region's first proper shelter for abused women in 2005.

Behind a metal gate on the forlorn northern outskirts of the city, the low-slung complex houses about 50 women. Its location is discreet and, theoretically at least, kept secret out of fear of attack by angry relatives. (The Times was given access on the condition that the women's names not be published.)

One resident was a tall, fair 16-year-old who said her father had ordered her to kill herself.

He had arranged for her marriage to a man she wanted nothing to do with, and she went along at first, long enough to become pregnant. Then she left her husband, hoping to join her true love. But he had married someone else. She returned to her parents' home.

Incensed, her father labeled her damaged goods and gave her a single option: suicide.

She fled to the police and was placed in the shelter, where she gave birth.

Many residents of the shelter were young, in their teens or early 20s, and had been raped; several were toting babies, the product of the rapes. A woman who is raped is often blamed for the crime and risks punishment, even death, at the hands of her relatives. Sometimes she is given the "option" of marrying her rapist, on the theory that no one else will want her and that the marriage wipes away the shame.

Only one of the rape victims interviewed said she thought she could go home again. "My parents know it wasn't my fault," she said. The woman was at the shelter under court order because the rapist was loose and considered a threat.

Sacide Akkaya, an official with KA-MER, the leading women's organization in southeastern Turkey, has seen a progression in the women she works with, from a resignation to violence as a part of their hard lives to a timid but growing willingness to challenge the status quo. It enables social workers to save more people, she said.

"I wouldn't say the volume of incidents has been reduced, but it is less secret now," Akkaya said. "The relatives of the women are often the ones who will tip off authorities, or maybe the neighbors will call. Even the men are starting to get it - many of the tipsters are men. That's what gives us so much hope."

Among the hundreds of honor killings in Turkey, it is impossible to quantify the forced suicides. A special U.N. rapporteur, Yakin Erturk, was dispatched to the country's south last year to investigate a rash of suicides. She concluded that some probably had been "instigated" and cited a host of contributing factors: forced and early marriages, denial of reproductive rights, poverty, migration and displacement, among others.

Victims say they've been ordered by relatives to kill themselves, locked in rooms with a gun or rope, watched over while they were expected to slit their wrists. The infraction can be as slight as a desire to work or the wearing of jeans, the sentence often decided in a family council.

Handan Coskun, a former journalist, started a women's center in Diyarbakir in response to suicides she began investigating several years ago, when the rate in southeastern Turkey was two to three times the national rate. There were dozens of cases, many not related to honor issues. One consistency was that far more females committed or attempted suicide than males, which is the opposite of the worldwide pattern.

Women typically feel isolation or alienation more acutely than men, Coskun said, especially if the family has been transplanted from its rural village to a city. Tens of thousands of families, primarily Kurds, were forced to move into southeastern cities during the Turkish army's fight against Kurdish guerrillas in the 1980s and '90s.

At not quite 5 feet tall, Coskun has had to shout down angry fathers as she rescued women and girls, or gone toe-to-toe with 17 armed clansmen who invaded her office looking for their female relative. She believes she and her team have prevented 17 killings in the last year.

"When we intervene with a family that seems likely to kill a daughter, we have to be very tough to show the same toughness that the family shows," she said.

Turkey's failure to improve the status of women has long been one of the impediments to its integration into Europe. Outsiders are watching to see whether the latest steps will bring real change.

"There is no evidence yet that we are changing the mentality," said Meltem Agduk, a Turkish expert on honor killings who works with the U.N. "The important thing is that people are not so quiet about the issue. And because of that, change will be more rapid than it has in the past.">>>.

This definitely is not in keeping with what Jesus (Yeshua) said at Matthew 22:37-40, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Authorized King James Bible; AV) .

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 601B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS, [2] MURDER OF ONE'S DAUGHTER TACITLY APPROVED BY ISLAM,

ALSO, A VIDEO ON ‘WHAT HAPPENS AT A BIBLE STUDY’, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/request-a-visit/video-bible-study/


COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] SELF-DEFENSE VS. INSULTS:

[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [601B]

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:15 – 16, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Here we have an account with respect a disciple of Jesus (Yeshua) who had been taught the scriptures from childhood. This is mentioned at Acts 16:1, [AV] “Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:” All, like Timothy (Timotheus) continued daily to search the scriptures which testified on Jesus (Yeshua) as shown at John 5:39, [AV] “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Yes, as Jesus (Yeshua) was about to ascend to his Father, he stated, at John 14:26, [AV] “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” In fact, all things written were per Romans 15:4, [AV] “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-numbers/


[2] SELF-DEFENSE VS. INSULTS:

Self-defense, a Biblical view. The Bibles' view of self defense depends a lot on the circumstances surrounding the situation. First, it shows we should seek peace at all times with our fellow man and not return insult for insult. The Apostle Peter shows that we should seek peace with all and always be ready to give an answer to all, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 ¶ Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing." (1 Peter 3:15-17 AV)

And Jesus Christ (Yeshua) clearly showed he was no pacifist and the Bible shows he will lead God's (Yahweh - JHWH) at the end-times; however, he stated, " But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44 AV). Here he plainly shows we should love our enemies. With respect insults, he showed, " And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also." (Luke 6:29 AV); this clearly showed we must do all within our power to maintain peace with others including enduring insults and other abuses without reacting in a violent way. In other words, we must always keep our temper in check and often this is quite difficult to do.

Often instead of a kind inquiring question or comment you will be confronted by individuals with harsh demands or words. For example, when dealing with a person that 'blows-up' in a road rage incident over a wrong or perceived wrong, the individuals words are quite harsh and threatening and the natural tendency is to answer them in kind. This, however, should not be done as the situation could easily escalate into a violent confrontation. It is imperative that one take all steps to avoid a violent confrontation and failure to do so could lead to blood shed. There are many other situations that can arise that can lead to similar confrontations. The genuine follower will do all in his power to defuse such situations and this includes absorbing insults rather than also making them in retaliation as it takes too to make a fight. If violence can not be avoided, one may need to use the necessary force to protect him/her self which will be dealt with later.

Another situation that may arise is that someone in authority will want you to fight for him/her or his cause. Here the genuine Christian must remember he is a follower of Jesus Christ (Yeshua) and his father God. Long ago when Jesus Christ (Yeshua) was on earth he was questioned on whether to pay tax by his enemies ot entrap him, but he answered, "But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:18-21 AV). Here he showed we should render the governments things to the government, but God's things to God. Since the lives of genuine Christians belong to God and not to man, we should give them in his service not mans. Therefore, when governments and others seek to have us put our lives into dangerous situations for them; we must remember our lives belong to God and not to them. We must, " Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it." (1 Peter 3:11 AV), " Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalms 34:14 AV). These scriptures clearly show it is our obligation if we are genuine Christians to seek peace and pursue it; therefore, we would not become a party or get involved with the wars of men and their other violence. We should remain neutral, remembering our lives belong to God and not to man. Of course this is up everyone's conscience, and each must make his/her own decision whether to obey God or man, " Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29 AV).

Clearly we are to make every effort to steer clear of situations that could result in violent confrontations as shown by Jesus Christ (Yeshua), "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison." (Matthew 5:21-25 AV). Some of the situations and possibilities that could lead to violent confrontations and bloodguilt have already been dealt with, and the scriptures are clear on the matter, " Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness." (Psalms 51:14 AV). We must work hard at maintaining a good consciousness, " And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." (Acts 24:16 AV). We must maintain a good conscience no matter how the militaristic minds and violence prone minds of this world may criticize us as genuine Christians. In his sermon on the mount Jesus Christ (Yeshua) clearly showed we should do on to others as we would want them to do onto us, the 'Golder Rule;' however, he went further and showed we should at all times love peace and pursue it, "Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 38 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:36-41 AV).

Unfortunately, try as we might to avoid violent situations where we may need to defend ourselves, sometimes these situations may occur through no fault of our own. The Bible does recognize very limited situations where killing of a fellow man may be justified and one will not incur bloodguilt. In the case of a thief breaking in during the night whom the householder kills while defending his house, there results no bloodguilt upon the householder, "If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft." (Exodus 22:2-3 AV). This scripture clearly shows the right to even kill a thief who comes at night since he can not be readily identified and also might be with weapon to kill the householder; however, if by day the thief could be easily identified and also whether he had a weapon and planned to use it. Moffatt's translation makes this even more clear, "If a thief is caught breaking into a house and struck so that he dies, the householder is not quilty; but if it was after dawn, the householder is guilty." Therefore if a householder delivers a fatal blow at night to a thief and it is reasonable under the circumstances no bloodguilt is incurred; whereas, killing the thief, unless he had a weapon and showed inclination to use it, during the day would be going too far and bloodguilt would be incurred.

Clearly, genuine Christians must not take the law into their own hands, and return an injury to others. However wen can postulate from Exodus 22:2-3 that if a householder was justified in striking a thief at night and would not incur bloodquilt, he/she would likewise have the right to defend his life or those of his/her loved ones and if this resulted in having to kill another who was actively intent on killing one or his loved ones and there was no other way of stopping him/her this would be reasonable under the circumstances. Killing one just to save property is not reasonable as revealed at, " For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26 AV), since what material item could be of equal value to a life?

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 602B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY, [2] MURDER OF ONE'S DAUGHTER TACITLY APPROVED BY ISLAM,

ALSO, A VIDEO ON ‘WHAT HAPPENS AT A BIBLE STUDY’, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/request-a-visit/video-bible-study/


COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] SOME MUSLIMS DEFEND DISGUSTING SEX PRACTICES

[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [602B]

Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. Romans 2:21 – 24, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

This point about not stealing is restated at Joshua 7:11, [AV] “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.” And show that hypocrits are not doing Almighty God (YHWH) Will at Mark 12:40, [AV] “Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater d**nation.”

But as shown at 1 Corinthians 6:9, [AV] “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,” And the Prophet Malachi delineates some of these wrongs at Malachi 3:8, [AV] “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” Yes, many will not heed His laws per Psalms 78:10, [AV] “They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;”

A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-deuteronomy/

[2] SOME MUSLIMS DEFEND DISGUSTING SEX PRACTICES

INTRODUCTION:

Some Muslims seem to be in favor of disgusting sex practices such as oral and anal sex, sodomy, homosexuality, etc. These same ones even try to twist the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, to support these disgusting practices.

ATTEMPTS AT SCRIPTURE TWISTING:

Her are some actual examples of their attempts to twist scripture,

Anal Sex in Accordance with God's Will

In fact, many Biblical passages allude to the act of anal sex between men and women. Lamentations 2:10 describes how "The virgins of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground," indicating how a virginal maidens should position themselves to receive anal sex. Another suggestive scripture tells of a woman's pride in her "valley" (referring to her buttocks and the cleft between them) and entices her lover to ejaculate against her backside: "How boastful you are about the valleys! O backsliding daughter who trusts in her treasures, {saying,} ' Who will come against me?' (Jeremiah 49:4) And in the Song of Songs, the lover urges his mate to allow him to enter her from behind: "Draw me after you, let us make haste." (Song of Solomon, 1:4)

"Isn't anal sex dirty?"

The Bible says, "To the pure, all things are pure." (Titus 1:15) The Lord created your body, and no part of it is imperfect or unclean. God also created our bodies for pleasure, and anal sex is just one of the many ways, including standard sexual intercourse, that we can enjoy this pleasure and share it with a partner.

Disgusting isn't it?

THE BIBLE' CORRECT TAKE ON DISGUSTING PRACTICES:

First, a definition of terms to assist the understanding of all:

Now let's look at the dictionary/encyclopedia definition of Sodomy and Homosexual

SODOMY:

[1] The American Heritage(r) Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

sodomy

Any of various forms of sexual intercourse held to be unnatural or abnormal, especially anal intercourse or bestiality.

[2] Glossary of Unusual Sexual Practices

Sodomy: oral or anal intercourse involving penetration with male, female, or animal
[source - The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices]

HOMOSEXUAL:

[3] The American Heritage(r) Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

Homosexual

Of, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to persons of the same sex.
Now let's look at Romans 1:27 and 28 and compare what it says to the definition for Sodomy and Homosexuality given by dictionaries and encyclopedias.

THE BIBLE'S TAKE ON THE MATTER:

Romans 1:27-28, "Their women have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural[], and their men in turn, giving up natural relations with women, burn with lust for one another; males behave indecently with males,[] and a paid in their own persons the fitting wage of such perversion. 28 Thus, because they have not seen fit to acknowledge God, he has given them up to their own depraved reason. This leads them to break all rules of conduct." (The New English Bible; NEB).

Colossians 3:5, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:" (Authorized King James Bible; AV)

1 Corinthians 6:18-19, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (AV) .

Galatians 5:19-20, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies," (AV).

Hebrews 13:4, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies," (AV).

1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (AV).

WHAT BIBLE SCHOLARS SAY- IN BRIEF:

And here is what world renown Bible scholar Barnes had to say on the matter on Romans 1:27-28:

<<<"Verse 27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

Ver. 27. And likewise the men, etc. The sin which is here specified is that which was the shameful sin of Sodom, and which from that has been called sodomy. It would scarcely be credible that man had been guilty of a crime so base and so degrading, unless there was ample and full testimony to it. Perhaps there is no sin which so deeply shows the depravity of man as this; none which would so much induce one "to hang his head, and blush to think himself a man." And yet the evidence that the apostle did not bring a railing accusation against the heathen world, that he did not advance a charge which was unfounded, is too painfully clear. It has been indeed a matter of controversy whether paederasty, or the love of boys, among the ancients, was not a pure and harmless love, but the evidence is against it. See this discussed in Dr. Leland's "Advantage and Necessity of Revelation," vol. i. 49-56. The crime with which the apostle charges the Gentiles here was by no means confined to the lower classes of the people. It doubtless pervaded all classes, and we have distinct specifications of its existence in a great number of cases. Even Virgil speaks of the attachment of Corydon to Alexis, without seeming to feel the necessity of a blush for it. Maximus Tyrius (Diss. 10) says, that in the time of Socrates this vice was common among the Greeks; and is at pains to vindicate Socrates from it as almost a solitary exception. Cicero (Tuscul. Ques. iv. 84) says, that "Dicearchus had accused Plato of it, and probably not unjustly." He also says, (Tuscul. Q. iv. 33,) that the practice was common among the Greeks, and that their poets and great men, and even their learned men and philosophers, not only practised, but gloried in it. And he adds, that it was the custom, not of particular cities only, but of Greece in general. (Tuscul. Ques. v. 20.) Xenophon says, that "the unnatural love of boys is so common, that in many places it is established by the public laws." He particularly alludes to Sparta. (See Leland's Advantage, etc., i. 56.) Plato says that the Cretians practised this crime, and justified themselves by the example of Jupiter and Ganymede. (Book of Laws, i.) And Aristotle says, that among the Cretians there was a law encouraging that sort of unnatural love. (Arist. Politic. b. ii. ch. 10.) Plutarch says, that this was practised at Thebes, and at Ellis. He further says, that Solon, the great lawgiver of Athens, "was not proof against beautiful boys, and had not courage to resist the force of love." (Life of Solon.) Diogenes Laertins says that this vice was practised by the stoic Zeno. Among the Romans, to whom Paul was writing, this vice was no less common. Cicero introduces, without any mark of disapprobation, Cotta, a man of the first rank and genius, freely and familiarly owning to other Romans of the same quality, that this worse than beastly vice was practised by himself, and quoting the authority of ancient philosophers in vindication of it. (De Natura Decrum, b. i. eh. 28.) It appears from what Seneca says, (epis. 95,) that in his time it was practised openly at Rome, and without shame. He speaks of flocks and troops of boys, distinguished by their colours and nations; and says that great care was taken to train them up for this detestable employment. Those who may wish to see a further account of the morality in the pagan world may find it detailed in Tholick's "Nature and Moral Influence of Heathenism," in the Biblical Repository, vol. ii., and in Leland's Advantage and Necessity of the Christian Revelation. There is not the least evidence that this abominable vice was confined to Greece and Rome. If so common there-if it had the sanction even of their philosophers-it may be presumed that it was practised elsewhere, and that the sin against nature was a common crime throughout the heathen world. Navaratte, in his account of the empire of China, (book ii. ch. 6,) says that it is extremely common among the Chinese. And there is every reason to believe that, both in the old world and the new, this abominable crime is still practised. If such was the state of the pagan world, then surely the argument of the apostle is well sustained, that there was need of some other plan of salvation than was taught by the light of nature.

That which is unseemly. That which is shameful, or disgraceful.

And receiving in themselves, etc. The meaning of this doubtless is, that the effect of such base and unnatural passions was to enfeeble the body, to produce premature old age, disease, decay, and an early death. That this is the effect of the indulgence of licentious passions, is amply proved by the history of man. The despots who practise polygamy, and keep harems in the east, are commonly superannuated at forty years of age; and it is well known, even in Christian countries, that the effect of licentious indulgence is to break down and destroy the constitution. How much more might this be expected to follow the practice of the vice specified in the verse under examination! God has marked the indulgence of licentious passions with his frown. Since the time of the Romans and the Greeks, as if there had not been sufficient restraints before, he has originated a new disease, which is one of the most loathsome and distressing which has ever afflicted man, and which has swept off millions of victims. But the effect on the body was not all. It tended to debase the mind; to sink man below the level of the brute; to destroy the sensibility; and to '' sear the conscience as with a hot iron." The last remnant of reason and conscience, it would seem, must be extinguished in those who would indulge in this unnatural and degrading vice. See Suetonius' Life of Nero, 28. [source - Barnes New Testament Notes] >>>.

ATTEMPTED JUSTIFICATION OF DISGUSTING PRACTICES BY MUSLIMS:

Now let's look at how some Muslims try to justify their practice of disgusting oral and anal sex by sidestepping and trying to paint others in a bad light and my reply to such obfuscation and deceit.

<<<" In Moslem Countries, although the Islamic Shari'ah is not enforced, We do
NOT have Single Moms + We do NOT have Live-in Couples (living without
wedlock) + We do NOT have Same Sex Marriages.">>>.

And, My reply to their sidestepping and deceitful obfuscation,

<<<" So, you execute them as they did to a Saudi Arabian Princess that got pregnant from her boy friend some years ago. Now is that supposed to be better or is that just a Sunni act?

Also, is killing victims of rape, i.e., murder, better than the wrongs of apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians? Some Muslims even kill their daughters for getting raped or want them dead just because they made the mistake of marrying an abusive husband as revealed by Tracy Wilkinson, Times Staff Writer, on January 9, 2007, in a report,
<<<"DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY - Desperately unhappy, 21-year-old Sahe Fidan left the husband she despised and sought refuge in her parents' home. They refused to take her in. A married woman can leave her husband only in a coffin, they told her. Fidan returned to the husband, and she left him in a coffin. A few weeks ago, she was found hanged in the bathroom, her infant son strapped to her back with a sheet....

The killing of women and girls by male relatives who think the females have brought shame to the family's honor is an atrocity that has plagued Turkey and other Islamic countries for generations. Thousands of women have died, been attacked or compelled to commit suicide in so-called honor killings...

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the head of a conservative, Islamist-rooted party, went before a gathering of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in November to argue for better treatment of women and to condemn honor killings as a scourge that must be eradicated from Islamic societies.[[Openly admitted that it exist.]]...

In a United Nations poll conducted last year, 17% of Turkish men [[Muslims.]]said they approved of honor killing. Many more approved of lesser punishments, one of the most common being the slicing off of a woman's nose...

"This is a part of the country where it is not accepted that women work or travel, where they are not valued as individuals," said Canan Hancer Basturk, deputy governor of Diyarbakir." [[So much for Islam's claim of equal rights and treatment for women.]]...

One resident was a tall, fair 16-year-old who said her father had ordered her to kill herself.

He had arranged for her marriage to a man she wanted nothing to do with, and she went along at first, long enough to become pregnant. Then she left her husband, hoping to join her true love. But he had married someone else. She returned to her parents' home...

Among the hundreds of honor killings in Turkey, it is impossible to quantify the forced suicides. A special U.N. rapporteur, Yakin Erturk, was dispatched to the country's south last year to investigate a rash of suicides. She concluded that some probably had been "instigated" and cited a host of contributing factors: forced and early marriages, denial of reproductive rights, poverty, migration and displacement, among others.

Victims say they've been ordered by relatives to kill themselves, locked in rooms with a gun or rope, watched over while they were expected to slit their wrists. The infraction can be as slight as a desire to work or the wearing of jeans, the sentence often decided in a family council....">>>.

This definitely is not in keeping with what Jesus (Yeshua) said at Matthew 22:37-40, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

CONCLUSION:

With respect to the deceitful practice of trying to trist scriptures of the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, to justify such disgusting practices, it makes you pity their their poor wives and girl friends.

What is being done in many Muslim lands is just unconscionable, yet was admitted to by some of the highest officials in Turkey as previously shown.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 603B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA, [2] THE BOOK OF ENOCH IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:,

ALSO, A VIDEO ON ‘WAS THE UNIVERSE CREATED? , CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleTeachings/pub-ebtv_1_VIDEO



[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [603B]

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: Deuteronomy 6:4 – 6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

We should love Almighty God (YHWH) with all our heart and per Deuteronomy 5:7, [AV] “Thou shalt have none other gods before me.” Jesus (Yeshua) echoed the same truth as recorded at Matthew 22:37, [AV] “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

This same thought was expressed at Deuteronomy 11:13, [AV] “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,” But per Mark 12:30, [AV] “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-joshua/


[2] THE BOOK OF ENOCH IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:

INTRODUCTION:

While the Book of Enoch is NOT an inspired writing of the word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, it is an important writing as it, like the four books of Macabbabees - 1 Macabbabees, 2 Macabbabees, 3 Macabbabees, 4 Macabbabees, fill in an important part of history between the ending of the Old Testament in approximately 443 BC and the beginning of the New Testament in approximately 41 AD with the Gospel of Matthew.

In fact, some maintain it is referred to in the Bible by various book writers as is the Book of Jasher, another NONE inspired writing which likewise is NOT apart of the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible. The Book of Jasher is referenced as follows in the Bible:

Joshua 10:13, "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

2Samuel 1:18, "(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) " (AV).

However, reference in the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, of a book in no way makes or infers that it is an inspired writing. With respect, the Book of Enoch, I could find no reference to it in the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, although some claim that Jude 1:14," And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints," (AV) is just such a reference. Numerous Bibles read similarly, but none seem to qualify it as a book, but seem to deal with Enoch as only a person of faith. Same holds for all the other places where the name Enoch appears in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE APOCRYPHA IS:

Now an explanation of what the apocrypha is needs to be given to help all understand.

First, let's consider what they are as defined by the Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition, by Columbia University Press. This encyclopedia defines the Apocrypha as, "(pk´rf) (KEY) [Gr.,=hidden things], term signifying a collection of early Jewish writings excluded from the canon of the Hebrew scriptures. It is not clear why the term was chosen." In reality they were nothing but uninspired writings, many purporting to be written by other than who was actually their author, or basically illegitimate and lacking credence. In fact, the real author of only one of the Apocrypha is actually known. Some religions, unfortunately, have included some of the Apocrypha in their Bibles, but even these were few in number. A list of most of the Apocrypha follows:

1 Clement, 1st Apocalypse of James, 2 Clement, 2nd Apocalypse of James, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Acts of Andrew, Acts of Apollonius, Acts of Carpus, Acts of John,Acts of Paul, Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas, Acts of Peter, Acts of Peter and the Twelve, Acts of Pilate, Acts of the Apostles, Acts of Thomas, Additions to the Book of Esther, Anonymous Anti-Montanist. Anti-Marcionite Prologues, Apelles, Apocalypse of John, Apocalypse of Peter, Apocryphon of John, Apollonius, Apology of Aristides, Aristo of Pella, Ascension of Isaiah, Athenagoras of Athens, Authoritative Teaching, Bardesanes, Baruch, Basilides, Eel and the Dragon, Book of Elchasai, Book of Thomas the Contender, Books of Jeu, Caius, Celsus, Christian Sibyllines, Claudius Apollinaris, Clement of Alexandria, Colossians, Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, Dialogue of the Savior, Diatessaron, Didache, Didascalia, Dionysius of Corinth, Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, Dura-Europos Gospel Harmony, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, Egerton Gospel, Epiphanes On Righteousness, Epistle of Barnabas, Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Epistula Apostolorum, Excerpts of Theodotus, Fayyum Fragment, Fifth and Sixth Books of Esra, Fronto, Galen, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of the Ebionite, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazoreans, Gospel of the Savior, Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Truth, Hegesippus, Heracleon, Hippolytus of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Infancy Gospel of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Inscription of Abercius, Irenaeus of Lyons, Isidore, Judith, Julius Cassianus, Justin Martyr, Kerygmata Petrou, Letter from Vienna and Lyons, Letter of Jeremiah, Letter of Peter to Philip, Lost Sayings Gospel Q, Lucian of Samosata, Mara Bar Serapion, Marcion, Marcus Aurelius, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Maximus of Jerusalem, Melchizedek, Melito of Sardis, Muratorian Canon, Naassene Fragment, Octavius of Minucius Felix, Odes of Solomon, Ophite Diagrams, Origen, Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel, Oxyrhynchus 840 Gospel, Pantaenus, Papias, Passion Narrative, Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs , Philostratus, Pistis Sophia, Pliny the Younger, Polycarp to the Philippians, Polycrates of Ephesus, Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Prayer of Manasseh, Preaching of Peter, Ptolemy, Quadratus of Athens, Rhodon, Secret Book of James, Secret Mark, Serapion of Antioch, Shepherd of Hermas, Signs Gospel, Sophia of Jesus Christ, Suetonius, Susanna, Tacitus, Tatian's Address to the Greeks, The Additions to the Book of Daniel, Tertullian, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Theophilus of Antioch, Theophilus of Caesarea, Tobit, Traditions of Matthias, Treatise on the Resurrection, Trimorphic Protennoia, Valentinus, Victor I, Wisdom of Solomon, etc.

As can be seen many of these none illegitimate books try to give themselves credence by closely mimicking the names of actual legitimate canonical books of the Bible. These books are often called the pseudepigrapha? The term is a transliteration of the Greek plural noun that literally means "with false superscription". According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (p. 1830), the term can be defined as, "spurious works purporting to emanate from biblical characters". The Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines the term as, "Certain writings (other than the canonical books and the Apocrypha) professing to be Biblical in character, but not considered canonical or inspired. These are NOT lost books, just NOT legitimate books of Bible cannon.

THE VALUE OF SOME UNINSPIRED BOOKS:

However, a few of these uninspired books have value from a historical point of view in that they fill in a time period not covered in the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible. The Book of Enoch, - 1 Macabbabees, 2 Macabbabees, 3 Macabbabees, and 4 Macabbabees are examples of such apocrypha books.

For example, the Book of Enoch, as shown by the Internet column Frankly Answered Questions - FAQs, as follows:
<<<" The Book of Enoch is a book written between the Old and New Testaments. Probable date of writing was between 150-80 B.C. Copies of the Book of Enoch have been found among the Dead Sea scrolls. If this date is accurate, obviously the Book of Enoch was not written by the real Enoch who lived before the flood.
Your question raises the whole issue of what books are inspired by God and what books are not. There are many other Jewish writings from this time period which are like the book of Enoch, such as the books of Maccabees, The Wisdom of Solomon, Judith, Tobit, etc. These books give supposed prophesies, visions, and history of the Jewish people between the Testaments. Protestants usually call these books the Apocrypha (Greek, apokruphos = "hidden") and do not consider them inspired writings.
However, it's not just Protestants that think the book of Enoch is suspect. The Roman Catholic Church doesn't consider the book inspired either. The Roman church does include books in their Bible that Protestants don't, but Enoch is not one of them. So this is not an issue that divides Roman Catholics and Protestants.
Through the years some translations of the Bible have included the Book of Enoch and other Jewish works; other translations have not. The Douay version of the Bible was one of those translations that included parts of the Apocrypha and also in this case, the Book of Enoch.
Now back to Jude's quotation from the Book of Enoch. Jude's quotation of the book of Enoch does not mean that Jude considered it inspired. The book of Enoch was a well respected writing among some of the Jews in New Testament times. Even though it was not inspired, it contains some truth (and some falsehood - like angels marrying humans) like most books. Jude simply uses a passage from the book of Enoch to prove his point about the coming judgment of wicked men. It would be similar to me appealing to a book by some famous author: "Even Tim LaHaye in the Left Behind series talks about the judgment of wicked men when he says...".
Other New Testament quotations from, or allusions to, non-Biblical works include Paul's quotations of Aratus (Acts 17:28), Menander (1 Corinthians 15:33) and Epimenides (Titus 1:12). Such usage in no way suggest that the quotations, or the books from which they were taken, are divinely inspired. It only means that the Biblical author found the quotations to be helpful confirmation, clarification, or illustration.[source - Frankly Answered Questions - FAQs , www.new-life.net/faq013.htm ]

R. H. Charles who actually translated the Book of Enoch had this to say about it,
<<<"The Book of Enoch, written during the second century B.C.E., is one of the most important non-canonical apocryphal works, and probably had a huge influence on early Christian, particularly Gnostic, beliefs. Filled with hallucinatory visions of heaven and hell, angels and devils, Enoch introduced concepts such as fallen angels, the appearance of a Messiah, Resurrection, a Final Judgement, and a Heavenly Kingdom on Earth. Interspersed with this material are quasi-scientific digressions on calendrical systems, geography, cosmology, astronomy, and meteorology." [source - The Book of Enoch. by R.H. Charles in 1917 , www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/ ]>>>.

Also the Encyclopedia Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia says,
<<<"The Book of Enoch is a title given to several works that attribute themselves to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah; that is, Enoch son of Jared (Genesis 5:18). Enoch is also one of the two people in the Bible taken up to heaven while he is alive, as the Bible says "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him."(Genesis 5:24) . (There are also three other characters named Enoch in the Bible: the son of Cain (Gen. 4:17), the son of Midian (Gen. 25:4), and the son of Reuben (Gen. 46:9; Ex. 6:14). The last two are transcribed "Hanoch" in the modern translations).
Most commonly, the phrase Book of Enoch refers to 1 Enoch, which is wholly extant only in the Ethiopic language. There are also 2 other books called Enoch, 2 Enoch (surviving only in Old Slavonic, c. 1st century; Eng. trans. by R. H. Charles (1896) [1][2]) and 3 Enoch (surviving in Hebrew, c. 5th-6th century[3].) The numbering of these texts has been applied by scholars to distinguish the texts from one another. The remainder of this article deals with 1 Enoch only.
Most modern scholars consider the Enochic literature to be pseudepigraphal.[citation needed]
Whilst this book does not form part of the Canon of Scripture for the larger Christian Churches, various groups, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church of Alexandria, regard parts or all of 1 Enoch to be inspired Scripture. The currently known texts of this work are usually dated to Maccabean times (ca. 160s BC).

The book consists of five quite distinct major sections:
? The Book of Watchers (1 Enoch 1 - 36)
? The Book of Parables (1 Enoch 37 - 71) (Also called the Similitudes of Enoch)
? The Book of the Heavenly Luminaries (1 Enoch 72 - 82) (Usually abbreviated to The Book of Luminaries. Also called the Astronomical Book)
? The Dream Visions (1 Enoch 83 - 90) (Also called the Book of Dreams)
? The Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 91 - 108)
According to some recent scholars,[1][2] these five sections were originally independent works, themselves a product of much editoral arrangement, and were only later redacted into what we now call 1 Enoch. However, this view is opposed by many scholars who maintain the literary integrity of the Book of Enoch, one of the most recent (1990) being Wossenie Yifru.
A great deal of the undercurrent to the narrative of the sections has been claimed to be concerned with the era of the Maccabees and it is for that reason that these western scholars date the sections as having originated during or after the 2nd century BC, although these assertions have not proved convincing to all concerned, for what they say is lack of any legitimate evidence of Maccabean-era authorship. 1 Enoch 6-11, part of the Book of Watchers, is thought to have been the original core of that Book, around which the remainder was later added, not least because Enoch is not mentioned in it.

The Book of Parables appears to be based on the Book of Watchers, but presenting a later development of the idea of final judgement - rather than being a final judgement of the fallen angels, the Book of Parables instead presents a final judgement of earthly kings. The Book of Parables contains several references to a Son of Man, as well as messianic themes, and has only been found in Christian editions of 1 Enoch, so several scholars have taken the view that this section dates from more Christian times. However, since the term was also just a Jewish way of saying human, and since the final chapters of the section appear to identify Enoch himself as the Son of Man in question, the work may be earlier, and a number of academics have proposed that the Book of Parables may be as early as the late 1st century BC.

The Book of Dreams contains a vision of a history of Israel all the way down to the revolt of the Maccabees, leading scholars to date it to Maccabean times.

Before the discovery at Qumran (among the Dead Sea Scrolls) of fragments from 1 Enoch, there was some dispute about whether the Greek text was an original Christian production, or whether it was a translation from an Aramaic text redacted in Jewish circles. The chief argument for a Christian author was the occurrence of references to the Messiah as the Son of Man, however such references can also appear in Jewish texts around the turn of the era. The Ethiopian Church considers its Ethiopic version to be the original, since it is the only complete version, while the other languages only have different fragments of the work. Despite this, the majority of western scholars now claim a 3rd century BC Jewish authorship for its earliest parts. Before the Qumran discovery, scholars had been unwilling to date it any earlier than the next earliest known reference.
Józef Milik has suggested that the "Book of Giants" found amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls should be part of the collection, appearing after the Book of Watchers. For various reasons, this theory has not been widely accepted." [source - The Encyclopedia Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia].

Likewise the four books of Maccabbabees, 1 Macabbabees, 2 Macabbabees, 3 Macabbabees, and 4 Macabbabees contain a lot of valuable historical information that fills in the time period between the ending of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New testament.
Interestingly and paradoxically the Roman Catholic Bible includes 1 Macabbabees and 2 Macabbabees, but does not include 3 Macabbabees and 4 Macabbabees. This clearly shows there is a problem with the Catholic Bible since if two of them are mistakenly considered inspired by them, they should all be. Obviously, none of the books of Macabbabees is inspired; therefore, none should be included in any Bible, i.e., they are all aprocypha.

THE EXTERNAL BOOKS QUOTED IN THE BIBLE:

Also, There are many external books quoted by inspired Bible writers as references. Many are, "not aware that the Old Testament authors depended upon other writings as their sources which they freely admit. Among these are: the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (Num. 21:14), the Book of the Jashar (Josh 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18), the Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Ki 14:19; 2 Chr 33:18), the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah (1 Ki 14:29, 15:7), the Annals of Samuel the Seer (1 Chr 29:29), the History of Nathan the Prophet (2 Chr 9:29), the Annals of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer (2 Chr. 12:15), the Annals of Jehu the Son of Hanani (2 Chr. 20:34), and others. Some teach that Moses compiled the Book of Genesis from other writings that surely had to have been handed down and preserved by his forefathers. Genesis can be broken down into eleven separate history books, each being separated by colophons at the conclusion of the books. This is known to have been a popular style for such ancient writings. ...According to this theory we have eleven separate books having the following authors: Adam, Noah, and eight other authors which Moses merely compiled into one book. [source= Ronald G. Fanter Cutting Edge Ministries].

One of these books is still existent today, the Book of Jashar or as it is sometimes called the Book of the Just, and another, the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, is actually thought my most scholars to actually be the Book of Jashar. The Book of Jashar is quite interesting, but one must be careful in obtaining a copy as there are counterfeit books masquerading as the Book of Jashar which are not. Also, there is a counterfeit Book of the Wars of Yahweh which is of course a fake since as previously said, this book is thought to just be another name for the Book of Jashar.

CONCLUSION:

Just because a writing, a book, is quoted or referenced by an inspired writer in the word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, in no way makes it an inspired writing. To understand what is an inspired writing, we should consider, the Bible was NOT written by one person, but had over 40 individual writers who wrote under divine inspiration/guidance putting the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of men much as transcribing secretaries today taking transcription and then later typing it out. In other words one real author, God (YHWH), and many scribes each of whom wrote in his own style over a period of approximately 1,600 years. All of what people call or consider inconsistencies are really not such, but most often just a problem of translation and/or understanding, i.e., lack of understanding of what the original writer writing in his own language and culture meant/said in his original writing. What is remarkable, is the writers over such a period of time all wrote in harmony when even most posters on threads on this forum can not even stay on track or subject over a period of a few days and/or weeks at most with the original subject of the thread. This fact of harmony over a period so great as to almost stagger the imagination shows that it had one guiding force or author who divinely inspired its writers as humans of their own volition can not keep on track over short periods of time.


To wit, the Bible is the ONLY book God (YHWH) ever inspired men to write as his scribes. In other words, God is its author and men only put his thoughts given to them by divine inspiration into their own words, the words of men. Not only that, all the other writers of later so called religious guidance books borrowed from it and made changes in accord with their strong man or so called prophet. Take the example of Joseph Smith who borrowed from it to write the Book of Mormon, but failed to give credit or source to the Bible and twisted some borrowed things into bizarre distortions. Other examples are of course the bizarre writings of David Koresh the Prophet of the Branch Dividians of Waco, Texas; and the Quran, etc.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 604B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES, [2] RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Garcinia madruno

ALSO, A VIDEO ON ‘WAS THE UNIVERSE CREATED? , CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleTeachings/pub-ebtv_1_VIDEO


[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [604B]

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3:10 – 13, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Yes, the foundation of the genuine congregation of Christ will be founded on him, and he desires all true followers to per Romans 15:20, [AV] “Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:” As stated at 1 Peter 4:11, [AV] “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Jesus (Yeshua) was to be the cornerstone of the genuine Christian congregation per 1 Peter 2:6, [AV] “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”

A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-judges/


[2] Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Garcinia madruno (charichuelo) is a fruit-producing tree species from the rainforests of Central and South America.[1] The leaves are dark green and leathery. The fruit looks like a shriveled droopy lemon, and has a similar rind. The interior is soft white pulp and has a popular, slightly citrusy taste people have compared to a sweet santol fruit or lemony cotton candy. The species was formerly included in the genus Rheedia, which has since been absorbed into Garcinia, as Rheedias species are now known as "new world mangosteens".

Cultivation
Garcinia madruno is well adapted to a wide variety of soils, tolerating even poor soils or heavy clay. It is a slow grower and takes about 5 to 7 years to fruit. When young, it must be protected from frosts and it will not fruit in cold areas.
Distribution
The fruit is not very well known outside of South America and a few backyard growers in South Florida.

References
1. ^ Jump up to:a b "Taxon: Garcinia madruno (Kunth) Hammel". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Area. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
[sourc - retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_madrunoon 10/15/2015]

In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to http://www.jw.org].

To view this plant, go to, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_madruno

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 605B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO RUTH, [2] MANY MUSLIMS WHEN CORNERED BY REALITY RESORT TO A PLAY ON WORDS

ALSO, VIDEO ON “RUTH—A REAL FRIEND’ , CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/music-songs/become-jehovahs-friend-children-original-songs/ruth-a-real-friend/


[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [605B]

And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Genesis 8:21, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Almighty God (YHWH) is not satisfied with animal sacrifices, but wants the genuine love and obedience from the created. This is clearly stated at Hebrews 13:16, [AV] “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” But most men were not obedient to their creator as shown at Genesis 6:6, [AV], “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Yes, God searches for genuine followers with the right heart condition as testified to at Genesis 31:7, [AV] “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” Why? Because as the Apostle Matthew wrote under inspiration at Matthew 15:19, [AV] “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”

VIEW A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO RUTH, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-ruth/


[2] MANY MUSLIMS WHEN CORNERED BY REALITY RESORT TO A PLAY ON WORDS:

INTRODUCTION:

Many Muslims when cornered by reality and fact resort to a play on words, Logomachy, to avoid seeing the reality, the truth, per John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

For example they will say that "Allah," is the Arabic word for 'god' which it is not or that Mosque means a place of prostration implying it is not a proper name (noun), but none of that is in line with how proper names and nouns are constructed in Semitic languages. Names and words for specific items/buildings in Semitic languages such as Arabic are many times made up of two or more words. They well know this, but use this trickery or deceit to avoid reality.

Let's look at some specific examples that illustrate this fact.

EXAMPLE ONE FROM HEBREW A SEMITIC LANGUAGE:

When Moses asks, in response to the calling of God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" He is first given a description and told to tell the sons of Israel that "I AM the One I AM" ? ??, or "I AM whatever I need to become".(Exodus 3:13) This phrase is shown to be the meaning of the name when, in poetic parallel "I AM (??) has sent you." is replaced by the name. "Say to the Israelites, 'YHWH, the God of your fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob-has sent me to you.' This is MY NAME forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."(Exodus 3:15).
According to one Jewish tradition, the Tetragrammaton is related to the causative form, the imperfect state, of the Hebrew verb ? (ha·wah, "to be, to become"), meaning "He will cause to become" (usually understood as "He causes to become"). Compare the many Hebrew and Arabic personal names which are 3rd person singular imperfective verb forms starting with "y", e.g. Hebrew Yôsêph = Arabic Yazîd = "He [who] adds"; Hebrew Yi?yeh = Arabic Yahyâ = "He [who] lives".

And,

<<<"Another tradition regards the name as coming from three different verb forms sharing the same root YWH, the words HYH haya ?: "He was"; HWH howê ?: "He is"; and YHYH yihiyê ??: "He will be". This is supposed to show that God is timeless, as some have translated the name as "The Eternal One". Other interpretations include the name as meaning "I am the One Who Is." This can be seen in the traditional Jewish account of the "burning bush" commanding Moses to tell the sons of Israel that "I AM (??) has sent you." (Exodus 3:13-14) Some suggest: "I AM the One I AM" ? ??, or "I AM whatever I need to become". This may also fit the interpretation as "He Causes to Become." Many scholars believe that the most proper meaning may be "He Brings Into Existence Whatever Exists" or "He who causes to exist'".[source - Answers.com - world's greatest encyclodictionalmaanacapedia, www.answers.com/topic/tetragrammaton]>>>.

And,

<<<" Then, too, we must keep in mind that names then had real meaning and were not just "labels" to identify an individual as today. Moses knew that Abram's name (meaning "Father Is High (Exalted)") was changed to Abraham (meaning "Father of a Crowd (Multitude)"), the change being made because of God's purpose concerning Abraham. So, too, the name of Sarai was changed to Sarah and that of Jacob to Israel; in each case the change revealed something fundamental and prophetic about God's purpose concerning them. Moses may well have wondered if Jehovah would now reveal himself under some new name to throw light on his purpose toward Israel. Moses' going to the Israelites in the "name" of the One who sent him meant being the representative of that One, and the greatness of the authority with which Moses would speak would be determined by or be commensurate with that name and what it represented. (Compare Ex 23:20, 21; 1Sa 17:45.) So, Moses' question was a meaningful one.
God's reply in Hebrew was: ´Eh·yeh' ´Asher' ´Eh·yeh'. Some translations render this as "I AM THAT I AM." However, it is to be noted that the Hebrew verb ha·yah', from which the word ´Eh·yeh' is drawn, does not mean simply "be." Rather, it means "become," or "prove to be.'"[source - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2]>>>.

Thus as can be seen, in Semitic languages proper names are made up of words strung together. The proper noun or name may or may not bear a relationship to the words that make it up. This will clearly be shown with respect to 'Old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah,"' and its relationship to the two words making it up.

ALLAH, AND ILAH AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP IN ARABIC:

As stated in the last part, in Semitic languages proper names are made up of words strung together. The proper noun or name may or may not bear a relationship to the words that make it up. This will clearly be shown with respect to 'Old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah,"' and its relationship to the two words making it up.

Scholar Syed Abul Ala Maududi said, with respect one of the words, 'ilah,' which is the Arabic word for 'god' and is one of the words used to make the proper Arabic name "Allah,".
<<<"The root of this word consists of the three (Arabic) letters, alif, lam, and ha and the connotations of various derivations, as one finds in lexicons are as follows:

Became confused or perplexed.

Achieved peace and mental calm by seeking refuge with someone or establishing relations with him.

Became frightened of some impending mishap or disaster, and someone gave him the necessary shelter.

Turned to another eagerly, due to the intensity of his feelings for him.

The lost offspring of the she-camel rushed to snuggle up to its mother on finding it. Became hidden, or concealed. Also, got elevated.

Adored, offered worship to.

If we reflect upon these original meanings, we can gain the necessary idea of how the verb came to mean the act of worship and the noun to denote the object of worship. There are four considerations to bear in mind in this connection :

1. Foremost among the factors which engender a sentiment of some degree of adoration for some one is a person's own state of being in distress or need. He cannot even conceive of worshiping someone unless he has reason to believe that someone to be in a position to remove his distress, to fulfill his needs, to give him shelter and protect him in time of danger, and soothe his troubled heart.

2. It goes without saying that the above belief is accompanied by a belief also in the superiority of the other in status, power, and strength.

3. It is also a matter of fact that where any of the needs of a human being are met under the ordinary process of give and take, which takes place perceptibly before one's own eyes, it leads to no sense of reverence, much less of adoration, for the other. For example, if I should be in need of money and, having applied for, and been given a job, am paid for it, since the whole transaction would take place within the full ken of my senses, and I would be fully aware of the circumstances or the reason for giving me the money, I would experience not the slightest desire to offer my employer any adoration. That sentiment arises only when there is some element of mystery surrounding the personality, the power, or the ability of the other to fulfill peoples' needs or to influence events. That is why the word chosen to denote an object of worship includes in its meanings the senses of mystery, perplexity, and superiority in status, etc.

4. Lastly, it is only natural that if one believes another to be in a position to fulfill one's needs, to provide shelter and protection, to soothe a disturbed heart and fill it with peace and calm, one turns eagerly to that person as a matter of course.

We may therefore safely conclude from the above that the connotation of the word ilah includes the capacities to fulfill the needs of others, to give them shelter and protection, to relieve their minds of distress and agitation, superiority, and the requisite authority and power to do all these, to be mysterious in some way or hidden from men's eyes, and the turning of men eagerly to him.

The Pre-Islamic Concept

Having discussed the various literal senses of the word, let us now see what the pre-Islamic concepts of ilah were, and which of these the Qur'an strove to reject :

And they have taken for their ilahs others than Allah, that they may according to their reckoning be a source of strength to them (or that coming under their protection may confer security).
(19 : 81) Surat Mariam

And they have taken others than Allah as their ilahs hoping that they would help when needed.
(36:74) Surat Ya'aseen

From these two verses we learn that the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of Ignorance) believed that those whom they regarded as ilahs were their patrons, would come to their rescue in time of danger or difficulty, and that by placing themselves under their protection they rendered themselves safe from fear, molestation or harm.

And when the Decree of your Lord had gone forth (and the time came for its execution), the ilahs they used to invoke instead of Allah proved of no avail to them and contributed only to their Doom.
(11 : 101) Surat Hood

And those whom the people call to instead of Allah have not created aught, but are themselves creatures. Dead they are, and not alive, and they know not when they would be raised from their state, the real ilah is the One and Only Ilah.
(18 : 20, 21) Surat Al kahf

Invoke not; or pray to, any ilah along with Allah. There is no ilah but He.2
(28 : 88) Surat Al Kassas

And those who, instead of praying to Allah, pray to His supposed associates do but follow suppositions and idle guesses.
(10:66) Surat younus

These verses point to three aspects. The first is that the Arabs used to address their prayers to those whom they regarded as their ilahs and invoke them in times of distress or for fulfillment of any of their needs. The second is that these ilahs included not only Jinns, angels, and gods, but dead humans too, as one can see from the second of the above verses. The third is that they believed that these ilahs could hear their prayers and could come to their rescue.


It seems desirable to clear up one point, at this stage, about the nature of the prayer made to the ilah or ilahs and the help or succor sought of them. If I feel thirsty, and call to my servant to give me some water, or am unwell and call for a doctor for treatment, my summons to them does not constitute du'a, that is, it has no similarity to a prayer sent up to a deity, nor does this make either the servant or the doctor into an ilah. Both these are common, in everyday happenings, with nothing of the supernatural about them. However, if I should, while feeling thirsty or unwell, call to some saint or god instead of the servant or a doctor, that obviously would amount to treating the saint or god as an ilah and to my addressing a du'a to him. Addressing a prayer to a saint confined to his grave hundreds or even thousands of miles away3 clearly indicates that I believe him--though dead--to be possessed of the power to listen to a prayer at such a distance or to otherwise being aware of things so far off or, if one may use the appropriate Arabic words, to be both samee and baseer 4. My action would clearly imply belief in their exercising such a way over the realm of creation as to be able to have the water reach me or to make me recover from my illness. In the case o***od, my prayer would mean that I believe him to possess power over water and over health and sickness, and to therefore arrange, by supernatural means, to fulfill my needs. Thus, the basis on which a prayer is addressed to someone includes necessarily a concept of his being possessed of some supernatural authority and power.

And, verily, We did destroy the places of which you see ruins about you, and We showed them Our signs in diverse ways that they might turn (away from their wrong ways to Us). So why did not those whom they had made their ilahs, and presumed to have access to Us, help them in their hour of doom? Far from helping, they abandoned them and made themselves scarce, exposing the hollowness of their falsehoods and fabrications 5.
(46 : 27, 28) Surat Al Ahqa'af

And wherefore should I not give my worship to Him who created me and to Whom all of you will return? Should I take for myself ilah other then Allah Who, should He Who is also Ar-Rahman wish me any harm, will avail me naught by their intercession, nor will they be able to come to my rescue?
(36 : 22-23) Surat ya'aseen

And those who have taken others then Allah as protectors or helpers say, "We do not worship them except that they may bring us closer to Him." Allah will decide for them on the Day of Judgment regarding that in which they differ.
(39:3) Surat Al Zoumar

And they worship other than Allah those who have power neither to harm nor benefit them, and they say that they are their intercessors with Him.
(10 : 18) Surat younus

What we learn from these verses is, firstly, that it was not that the Arabs believed their ilahs to account for the whole of divinity among themselves or that there was no Supreme Being over and above them. They quite clearly believed in the existence of such a Being for whom they employed the special Proper name of '"Allah"." As for their ilahs, their belief consisted essentially of the concept that they enjoyed some share in the divinity of the Supreme God, that their word carried some weight with Him, and that their intercession could result in some gains or ward off some harm or loss. It was on these grounds that they regarded them as ilahs besides Allah and, considering their precept and practice, we may say that it was the belief about someone to have power to intercede with God, the act of addressing of prayers to him for help, the performing of certain devotions indicative of respect and reverence and adoration, and the making of offerings, that constituted in their terminology, the treating of Him as ilah.

And God said : "Do not make two ilahs ;there is but one ilah ; So, fear Me alone." (16:51) Surat Al Nahl

And (Ibrahim said to them): I fear not those you associate with God. Any harm can come to me only if He should will it, and not otherwise (through any or all of your supposed gods).
(6 : 81) Surat Al Ana'am

(And said Hud's people to him All we think of yon is that you are under the curse of someone or other of our ilahs.
(11:54) Surat Hud

According to these verses, the Arab belief about their ilahs was that if they should give them any cause for offence or should otherwise be deprived of their favors and attentions, they would suffer epidemics, famine, lose of life and property, or other calamities.

They made their religious scholars end rabbis their rabbs instead of Allah, and Jesus son of Mary too into one, although they had been told to worship but one ilah only, besides Whom there is no ilah at all.
(9 :31) Surat Al Tawba

Have you noticed the men who has made his selfish desires his ilah ? Can you assume any responsibility about such a one?
(25:43) Surat Al Forqa'an

And in this wise did the supposed gods of pagans make infanticide appear an approved act in their eyes.
(6 : 138) Surat Al Ana'am

What! Have they partners in godhood who have established for them some religion without sanction from Gods?
(42:21) Surat Al Shura'h

Here we have yet another concept of ilah very different from those dealt with above. Here there is no element of the supernatural. The ilah here is some human being, or man's own selfish ego or selfish desires. No prayers are offered to it, nor is it regarded as being in a position to will any harm or benefit to someone nor is it looked to for help or succor. It is an ilah in the sense that its dictates are accepted and obeyed to such extent that that which it declares to be permitted or prohibited is treated as such, and it is deemed to have an inherent right to make us do or not do certain things, with no higher or superior authority whose approval might be necessary for its orders or which might be appealed to against them.

The first verse we have quoted here (9:31) speaks of religious scholars and rabbis having been made into ilahs. We get a very lucid explanation of this in Hadith. Hazrat 'Adi bin Hatim once asked the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, about the verse, and in reply the Prophet told him that whet was characterized as taking as ilahs was the practice of accepting as permitted or prohibited anything pronounced as such by the scholars or rabbis, without caring to ascertain what God had actually said about it.

As for the second verse, (25:43) the meaning is clear enough. He who obeys only the dictates of his selfish desires or inclinations or, rather regards his personal views as the only law, in effect makes his self his ila'h instead of God.

The last two verses use the word shuraka which we have translated as supposed gods or partners, in godhood, but although the word ilah has not been used, the implication clearly is that to treat any beings, etc., as shuraka amounts, in effect, to believing them to have a share in divinity. The import of these verses is that those who regard any custom or rule or practice as permissible although it has no divine sanction, are guilty of treating the originators of the custom, etc., as having a share in divinity, i. e., of treating them as ilahs.

The Criterion for Godhood

There is a clear logical inter-connection between all the different concepts of ilah set out above. Whosoever regards any other person or being to be his helper or patron in the supernatural sense, or capable of solving his problems or fulfilling his needs, of hearing and granting his prayers, or of doing him harm or good, does so only because he believes that Person or being to enjoy some measure of authority in the management of the universe. Similarly, if a person's avoidance of certain actions or performance of others is governed by the hope or fear that they would win him the pleasure or displeasure of some other person or being, he does so obviously because of belief that that person or being possesses some hind of supernatural authority in shaping the affairs of men. As for him who believes in God and yet turns to others for the fulfillment of his needs, he too can do so only because he believes them to have some share in God's authority. And, lastly, no different is the case of the person who accords the status of law to the commandments of someone other than God, and binds himself to obey the injunctions or prohibitions of that someone. for he in effect thereby accords him supreme authority. We can therefore safely conclude that the essence of godhood is authority, whether it is conceived as sovereignty of a supernatural kind over the whole universe, or on the basis that man is bound by God's law in his worldly life and that all of His injunctions are to be complied with because they emanate from Him."[source - www.islam101.com/tauheed/ilah.htm]>>>.

So, now let's look at how the "Allah," is constructed. The word "Allah" comes from the compound Arabic word, al-ilah. Al is the definite article "the" and ilah is an Arabic word for "god." It is not a foreign word. It is not even the Syriac word for God. It is pure Arabic, and as can be seen follows the general rule for Semitic languages that proper names are made up of words strung together. The proper noun or name may or may not bear a relationship to the words that make it up. This has clearly been shown with respect to 'Old middle eastern celestial Moon god's name, "Allah,"' and its relationship to the two words making it up.

Now let's look at what others say about the old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah."

[1] Dr. Arthur Jeffery, one of the foremost Western Islamic scholars in modern times and professor of Islamic and Middle East Studies at Columbia University, notes:

<<<"The name Allah, as the Quran itself is witness, was well known in pre-Islamic Arabia. Indeed, both it and its feminine form, Allat, are found not infrequently among the theophorous names in inscriptions from North Africa">>>.

[2] The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, states, <<<"The origin of this (Allah) goes back to pre-Muslim times. Allah is not a common name meaning "God" (or a "god"), and the Muslim must use another word or form if he wishes to indicate any other than his own peculiar deity">>>.

[3] The Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, states,<<<"The name Allah goes back before Muhammad">>>.

[4] Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics I:326, T & T Clark, states:
<<<"Allah" is a proper name, applicable only to their [Arabs'] peculiar God.">>>.

[5] And scholar George W. Braswell, Jr. states:
<<<"Pre-Islamic Arabia also had its stone deities. They were stone statues of shapeless volcanic or meteoric stones found in the deserts and believed to have been sent by astral deities. The most prominent deities were Hubal, the male god of the Ka'ba, and the three sister goddesses al-Lat, al-Manat, and al-Uzza; Muhammad's tribe, the Quraysh, thought these three goddesses to be the daughters of Allah. Hubal was the chief god of the Ka'ba among 360 other deities. He was a man-like statue whose body was made of red precious stone and whose arms were of solid gold." [source - George W. Braswell, Jr., Islam Its Prophets, Peoples, Politics and Power" (Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville, TN; July, 1996), p. 44]>>>.

[6] And by numerous scholars, a summary:
<<<"The old middle eastern Moon god who has gone by many names is still well venerated. This is shown by "The Archeology of The Middle East" which states, "The religion of Islam has as its focus of worship a deity by the name of "Allah." The Muslims claim that Allah in pre-Islamic times was the biblical God of the Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. The issue is thus one of continuity. Was "Allah" the biblical God or a pagan god in Arabia during pre-Islamic times? The Muslim's claim of continuity is essential to their attempt to convert Jews and Christians for if "Allah" is part of the flow of divine revelation in Scripture, then it is the next step in biblical religion. Thus we should all become Muslims. But, on the other hand, if Allah was a pre-Islamic pagan deity, then its core claim is refuted. Religious claims often fall before the results of hard sciences such as archeology. We can endlessly speculate about the past or go and dig it up and see what the evidence reveals. This is the only way to find out the truth concerning the origins of Allah. As we shall see, the hard evidence demonstrates that the god Allah was a pagan deity. In fact, he was the Moon-god who was married to the sun goddess and the stars were his daughters.

Archaeologists have uncovered temples to the Moon-god throughout the Middle East. From the mountains of Turkey to the banks of the Nile, the most wide-spread religion of the ancient world was the worship of the Moon-god. In the first literate civilization, the Sumerians have left us thousands of clay tablets in which they described their religious beliefs. As demonstrated by Sjoberg and Hall, the ancient Sumerians worshipped a Moon-god who was called many different names. The most popular names were Nanna, Suen and Asimbabbar. His symbol was the crescent moon. Given the amount of artifacts concerning the worship of this Moon-god, it is clear that this was the dominant religion in Sumeria. The cult of the Moon-god was the most popular religion throughout ancient Mesopotamia. The Assyrians, Babylonians, and the Akkadians took the word Suen and transformed it into the word Sin as their favorite name for the Moon-god. As Prof. Potts pointed out, "Sin is a name essentially Sumerian in origin which had been borrowed by the Semites." [source - The Archeology of the Middle East]"[additional references - "South Arabia's stellar religion has always been dominated by the Moon-god in various variations" (Berta Segall, The Iconography of Cosmic Kingship, the Art Bulletin, vol.xxxviii, 1956, p.77).; Isaac Rabinowitz, Aramaic Inscriptions of the Fifth Century, JNES, XV, 1956, pp.1-9; Edward Linski, The Goddess Atirat in Ancient Arabia, in Babylon and in Ugarit: Her Relation to the Moon-god and the Sun-goddess, Orientalia Lovaniensia Periodica, 3:101-9; H.J.Drivers, Iconography and Character of the Arab Goddess Allat, found in Études Preliminaries Aux Religions Orientales Dans L'Empire Roman, ed. Maarten J. Verseren, Leiden, Brill, 1978, pp.331-51); Richard Le Baron Bower Jr. and Frank P. Albright, Archaeological Discoveries in South Arabia, Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1958, p.78ff; Ray Cleveland, An Ancient South Arabian Necropolis, Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1965; Nelson Gleuck, Deities and Dolphins, New York, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 1965).; Another Aramaic Record of the North Arabian goddess Han'Llat, JNES, XVIII, 1959, pp.154-55."]>>>.

[7] Answering-Islam says,
<<<Allah (allah, al-ilah, the god) was the principal, though not the only, deity of Makkah. The name is an ancient one. It occurs in two South Arabic inscriptions, one a Minean found at al-'Ula and the other Sabean, but abounds in the form HLH in the Lihyanite inscriptions of the fifth century B.C. Lihyan, which evidently got the god from Syria, was the first center of the worship of this deity in Arabia. The name occurs as Hallah in the Safa inscriptions five centuries before Islam and also in a pre-Islamic Christian Arabic inscription found in umm-al-Jimal, Syria, and ascribed to the sixth century. The name of Muhammad's father was 'Abd-Allah ('Abdullah, the slave or worshiper of Allah). The esteem in which Allah was held by the pre-Islamic Makkans as the creator and supreme provider and the one to be invoked in time of special peril may be inferred from such koranic passages as 31:24, 31; 6:137, 109; 10:23. Evidently he was the tribal deity of the Quraysh. (Ibid., pp. 100-101; underlined emphasis ours)
[source - answering-islam.org.uk/Shamoun/ishmael-baal.htm]>>>.

OTHER EXAMPLES OF FORMING OF PROPER NAMES IN SEMITIC LANGUAGES:

As previously stated and shown, in Semitic languages proper names are made up of words strung together. The proper noun or name may or may not bear a relationship to the words that make it up. This was clearly be shown with respect to 'Old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah,"' and its relationship to the two words making it up, "Al" and "Ilah".

Now here is another example provided Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia with respect to the name of a former Crown Prince,
<<<"Example, Crown Prince 'Abd al-Ilah (also written Abdul Ilah), (1913-1958), was the cousin of and brother-in-law of King Ghazi, and was regent of Iraq for King Faisal II from April 4, 1939 to May 2, 1953, when Faisal came of age. He also held the title of Crown Prince of Iraq from 1943.

A son of King Ali ibn Hussein of Hejaz, who was the elder brother of King Faisal I of Iraq, he assumed power upon the death of his brother in an automobile accident. He was deposed briefly by former prime minister Rashid Ali al-Kaylani, who led a pro-German coup during World War II but was restored after the United Kingdom invaded the country in May 1941.

'Abd al-Ilah stepped down in 1953, when Faisal came of age, but he continued to be a close adviser of the young king, and an advocate of a pro-Western foreign policy. He was killed, along with most of the royal family, on July 14, 1958, in a coup d'état led by Colonel Abdul Karim Qassim that brought an end to the Iraqi monarchy."[source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]>>>.
Note, His name like that of old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah," contains the Arabic word for god, "Ilah". Just another example of proper names are made up of words strung together in Semitic languages. The proper noun or name may or may not bear a relationship to the words that make it up.

In fact some members of Islam even seek to deceive with respect to the meanings of Arabic proper names that are made up according to how proper names are made up of words strung together in Semitic languages by claiming the proper name has the meaning of the two or more words that make it up. Of course this is nothing but pure grammatical nonsense only meant to deceive when they are in a state of denial with respect to the truth. Let's look at one example by a member of Islam,
<<<" Mosque literally means a place of prostration. As such, it is not necessarily characteristic of a dome or a building. If the Quran had said that Muhammad(saw) visited the Temple(using the word "haykal"), an anachronism would appear. However, the pertinent verse says "masjid" which in this case means a ground whereon a worshipper prostrates.">>>
Whereas, knowing how Semitic languages construct proper names of things, places, and people from words in those languages making up the proper name this is sheer grammatical nonsense used only to deceive.

CONCLUSION:

The construction of proper names of things, places, and people in Semitic languages has clearly been shown to be by combining words in those languages to form the. The proper noun or name thus may or may not bear a relationship to the words that make it up. This was clearly be shown with respect to 'Old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah,"' and its relationship to the two words making it up, "Al" and "Ilah", the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, that of a former Crown Prince, and that of the name of the building used by members of Islam to worship in, "Mosque," which is made up of two Arabic words, "haykal" and "masjid" per a member of Islam.

Also, as noted by scholar S.A.Ala Maududi, sometimes the original meaning of a word gets obscured,
<<<"But as centuries passed, the real meanings of these terms gradually under went subtle changes so that, in course of time, instead of the full connotations, they came to stand for only very limited meanings or restricted and rather vague concepts. One reason was the gradual decline of interest in the Arabic language and the other that the words ceased to have the same meanings for the later generations of Muslims that they had for the original Arabs to whom the Qur'an had been revealed. It is for these two reasons that in the more recent lexicons and commentaries many of the Qur'anic words began to be explained not by their original sense but by what they had by then come to stand for, e.g., The word ilah, as used in respect of others than God, came to be synonymous with idols or gods; The word rabb came to mean only someone who brings up or rears or feeds another or provides for his worldly needs; 'Ibadah began to be understood as the performance of a set of rituals of "worship"; Deen began to mean a religion, or belief in some precepts; and the word Thaghut began to be translated to mean an idol or the Devil." [source - The Meaning of ILAH, (taken from S.A.Ala Maududi's article : "Four Basic Terms"), www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/shariah/ilah.htm]>>>.

And as noted by Teri Riddering, on Jul 13, 2005 at 13:28,
<<<"I am very surprised (and aghast) at Daniel Pipes' candid comparison between "Allah" and the God of the Jewish & Christian Scriptures. Even semantically, there is no equivalence! The muslims would have the world believe that "Allah" is a generic term for the god of all humanity because, in that manner, they can more easily convert people to Islam.

I want to quote some paragraphs from David Hunt's section of Questions and Answers in "The Berean Call" of April 2003. As he clearly states, the generic term in Arabic for God is NOT "Allah", but "ilha", which is also used throughout the Koran. Example: "There is no 'ilah' save him... Allah is the only one 'ilah'." (2:255; 4:171, etc.)

Allah is a contraction of "Al-ilah", meaning the chief or greatest god. Allah was the chief god in the Ka'aba, a pagan temple that held more than 300 idols. Allah was the Moon god who, by his spouse the sun goddess, had 3 daughters: Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat. The presence of the crecent moon marking Islam is evidence of that long-established paganism. Muhammad carried the rituals associated with the Ka'aba and Ramadan over to Islam almost exactly as pagan Arabs practiced them for centuries.

But the true and honest Muslims have to admit that theologically, Allah is not the Christian God. In the Koran it says: "Far is it removed from his transcendent majesty that he should have a son" (Sur 4:171). For that reason, it is blasphemous for a Muslim to say that the Christian God is the same as Allah, because they would never say that Jesus is "Allah's Son"!

On the other hand, it is also a huge mistake to say that Allah is the same as the Jewish/Hebrew God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because of the vast difference in their instrinsic qualities. Their "personal traits" are totally opposite, as well as their ultimate goals.The Biblical God's motivation for doing things is always love, so as to bless His people and the nations of the world, while the motivation of the Koran's god is always domination and subjugation of his people and all the nations of the world using any avaliable means, including treachery, deceit, maiming and death.

On the other hand, the Hebrew God clearly states that He has chosen the descendants of Jacob to be His people, and not the descendants of Ishmael, whose nation of people is called by God in Genesis 16:12 as a "wild man" (lit. mountain donkey). Try asking some Muslim if Allah says that about the descendants of Ishmael!

No, even though there may be some similarities between the Koranic/Muslim god and the Biblical God, whether Jewish or Christian, (as stated by their respective followers), the difference far outweigh the similarities, thus belying any attempt to make them equal![source - Teri Riddering, www.danielpipes.org/comments/23458 ]>>>.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 606B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 1 SAMUEL, [2] LOVE, THE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE OF GOD (YHWH)

ALSO, VIDEO ON THE FRUITAGE OF THE SPIRIT”—MEMORIZE THE QUALITIES, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/ChildrenFeatured/pub-pkon_29_VIDEO



[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [606B]

And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Genesis 8:21, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Almighty God (YHWH) is not satisfied with animal sacrifices, but wants the genuine love and obedience from the created. This is clearly stated at Hebrews 13:16, [AV] “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” But most men were not obedient to their creator as shown at Genesis 6:6, [AV], “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Yes, God searches for genuine followers with the right heart condition as testified to at Genesis 31:7, [AV] “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” Why? Because as the Apostle Matthew wrote under inspiration at Matthew 15:19, [AV] “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”

VIEW A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 1 SAMUEL, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-1-samuel/


[2] LOVE, THE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE OF GOD (YHWH):

INTRODUCTION:

The true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, chief attribute is Love as testified to at 1 John 4:8-11, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (Authorized King James Bible; AV); and 1 John 4:16-19, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us." (AV).

MANIFESTATION OF LOVE SHOWN BY GIVING HIS SON SO MEN MIGHT LIVE:

But let's look a little more at the subject of love.

John 3:16, says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (AV); and 1 John 4:9-10, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (AV).

REQUIREMENT TO DEMONSTRATE GENUINE LOVE:

But you can not come to know the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, to gain his love as brought out in 1 John 4:7-8, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (AV) .

Love for the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, and his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua) is shown by obedience per 1 John 2:5 and 1 John 5:3, "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (AV) and "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." (AV); and 2 John 1:6, "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it." (AV); and John 14:15-21, "f ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 ¶ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (AV)

LOVE IS THE MARK OF TRUE CHRISTIANS:

True Christians are marked by outstanding love for one another as shown at John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (AV); and John 15:12-13, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (AV); and 1 John 3:10, "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." (AV).

This is in sharp contrast with other religions such as Islam where in just one Muslim country members of different flavors of Islam killed over 34,000 of their brother Muslims in just 2006 alone. No love there.

Strong bonds of love should unite families, and it does among genuine (true) Christians in keeping with Ephesians 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" (AV): and Titus 2:4, "That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children," (AV).

Godlike love motivated by principle and the seeking of the lasting welfare of the ones loved per Proverbs 13:24, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." (AV); and Revelation 3:19, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." (AV); and Hebrews 12:6, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." (AV).


GODLIKE LOVE MOTIVATED BY PRINCIPLE:

Love is not to be limited to those who love us per Matthew 5:43-47, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?" (AV); and Luke 6:27-33, "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.[[Refers to insults.]] 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same." (AV).

And we should be guided by accurate knowledge of the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, per Philippians 1:9-11, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." (AV).

CONCLUSION:

Many say they have love for their fellow man, but their actions clearly show otherwise since they are not acting in accordance with 2 Corinthians 8:24, "Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf." (AV). Clearly most do not comply with 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;" (AV); and Ephesians 4:1-2, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 ¶ With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;" (AV).

Remember Proverbs 10:12, "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." (AV); and Galatians 5:13, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." (AV); and 1 John 3:17-18, "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (AV).

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 607B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 2 SAMUEL, [2] MODERN SEX PRACTICES VS. THE WORD OF GOD: NOTE: AT END AN EXAMPLE OF SHARI LAW INJUSTICE.

ALSO, VIDEO ON THE FRUITAGE OF THE SPIRIT”—MEMORIZE THE QUALITIES, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/ChildrenFeatured/pub-pkon_29_VIDEO



[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [607B]

Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 1:8-10, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

The Apostle Paul wrote the following Colossians 1:9, [AV] “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;” in which he showed he was praying for all to seek knowledge and be filled with it. And at Romans 16:25, [AV] “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,” he wrote to note the importance of the gospel of Jesus (Yeshua). And at 2 Timothy 1:9, [AV] “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”

VIEW A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 2 SAMUEL, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-2-samuel/


[2] MODERN SEX PRACTICES VS. THE WORD OF GOD:

INTRODUCTION:

Many sex practices that would have been rejected outright as disgusting and against the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, are now considered okay by many of the 'new' generation. However, is this really the case?

All should bear in mind 1 Peter 4:18, "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (Authorized King James Bible; AV); therefore, all should openly mindedly check out the facts. However, many so called moderns consider the disgusting unnatural forms of sex such as oral, anal, man-with-man, women-with-women, man-with-animal, women-with-animal, adult-with-child acceptable.

Now are these disgusting forms of unnatural sex acceptable to the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is/

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT NATURAL AND UNNATURAL SEX:

First, one needs to understand the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, purpose for creating man and women as sexual beings. He made us this way and natural sex pleasurable to ensure the continuation of the human race.

Second, girl thingyl intercourse is natural sex as the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, intended for continuation of the human race and whose function is clearly attested to in medicine as the design function of the human body. All other sex is unnatural.

Third, Let's consider what the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, says on the matter at Romans 1:27-28, "Their women have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and their men in turn, giving up natural relations with women, burn with lust for one another; males behave indecently with males and a paid in their own persons the fitting wage of such perversion. 28 Thus, because they have not seen fit to acknowledge God, he has given them up to their own depraved reason. This leads them to break all rules of conduct." (The New English Bible; NEB).

The scripture is clear when it says, ", "Their women have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural..."

Natural intercourse = girl thingyl intercourse.

Unnatural intercourse (sex) = anything other than girl thingyl intercourse.

Fourth, This same scripture with comments in double brackets to bring out the significance of Romans 1:27-28, "Romans 1:27-28, "Their women have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural[], and their men in turn, giving up natural relations with women, burn with lust for one another; males behave indecently with males,[] and a paid in their own persons the fitting wage of such perversion. 28 Thus, because they have not seen fit to acknowledge God, he has given them up to their own depraved reason. This leads them to break all rules of conduct." (The New English Bible; NEB).

Fifth, An anatomy observation of the sexual organs of both sexes should be sufficient for anyone to see what their natural intended function is. I have been married for many years and neither I or my husband have ever had any problem with comprehending this so I am quite perplexed why you do. It is so elementary.

CONSENSUS AMONG WRONG DOERS VS. WORD OF GOD:

Many so called modern individuals wrongly believe that because the two individuals indulging in self-gratification through unnatural sexual acts and/or fornication do so by mutual consent that these wrong acts are okay and none of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, business. But is this so?

The inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, clearly shows otherwise as previously shown with respect Romans 1:27-28. Likewise, the Bible clearly shows that we must properly train our conscience at Hebrews 9:14-15, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 ¶ And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). And 2 Timothy 3:16-17 clearly shows that, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (AV).

As Colossians 3:5 shows, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:" (AV) clearly referring to the sexual organs of male and female and showing per 1 Timothy 1:19, "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:" (AV).

Let's now consider just what sin is by looking at 1 John 3:4, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (AV); and 1 John 5:17, "All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." (AV). As Galatians 5:19-21 states, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (AV); and as Mark 7:21-23 says, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (AV).

SEXUAL RELATIONS BEFORE MARRIAGE ARE WRONG:

The inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, clearly shows sexual relations before and/or without marriage are just plain wrong, sin, at 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." (AV); and Ephesians 5:5, "For this ye know, that no sleepermonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." (AV).

And 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (AV).

HOMOSEXUALITY AND UNNATURAL SEX ACTS ARE JUST PLAIN SIN:

Today, many people believe homosexuality and unnatural sex acts such as oral and anal sex are just a different "life style" and should be respected. In fact, it has gotten so bad that some mainstream religions are even appointing homosexuals and practitioners of unnatural sex acts to high church positions. However, the Bible is clear on this wrong practice as shown at Romans 1:27-28, already explained and quoted, 1 Timothy 1:9-11, "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For sleepermongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust." (AV); and Jude 1:7-8, "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 ¶ Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." (AV); and Genesis 19:4-9 and 24-24, "But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door." And "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground." (AV).

Let's face it, the genuine (true) followers of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ well know that even deeply rooted wrong desires are not insurmountable for individuals who really want to please the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is.

SINFUL SEXUAL PRACTICES BY MUSLIMS AND APOSTATE (COUNTERFEIT) SO CALLED CHRISTIANS:

Let's look at some of the wrong sexual practices of apostate (counterfeit) so called Christian leaders and members of Islam as documented from world news and internet sources.

<<<" Among both apostate (counterfeit) Christians and members of Islam some practice deviant forms of sex and both religious groups say this is wrong, but wink at its practice. On 11/02/2006, one leading Evangelical leader was uncovered to be publicly denouncing homosexuality as condemned at Romans 1:27, "and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due." (Authorized King James Bible; AV); here is the news account of this winking at wrong doing by The Rev. Ted Haggard, <<"CATHERINE TSAI, Associated Press Writer (11/03/2006), COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A leading evangelist and outspoken opponent of gay marriage has given up his post as president of the National Association of Evangelicals while a church panel investigates allegations he paid a man for sex. The Rev. Ted Haggard resigned as head of the 30 million-member association Thursday and also gave up leadership of his New Life Church pending the investigation into allegations he had monthly trysts with a gay prostitute over the past three years...

"I just know that there has been some admission of indiscretion, not admission to all of the material that has been discussed, but there is an admission of some guilt," Ross Parsley told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs.
Parlsey did not elaborate, but in an e-mail addressed to congregants, he wrote that the church's four-member board of overseers had since met with Haggard. "It is important for you to know that he confessed to the overseers that some of the accusations against him are true. He has willingly and humbly submitted to the authority of the board of overseers, and will remain on administrative leave during the course of the investigation," the e-mail stated. A copy was obtained by KMGH-TV in Denver...

[outted by]Jones, who said he is gay, said he was also upset when he discovered Haggard and the New Life Church had publicly opposed same-sex marriage. "It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex," he said.

Jones claimed Haggard paid him to have sex nearly every month over three years. He said he advertised himself as an escort on the Internet and was contacted by a man who called himself Art, who snorted methamphetamine before their sexual encounters to heighten his experience...

At the time, Haggard said that he believed marriage is a union between a man and woman rooted in centuries of tradition, and that research shows it's the best family unit for children.">> [[Note, the Los Angeles Times also had a very telling article on this, "Evangelical leader steps down amid allegations The Rev. Ted Haggard denies a man's public charges that the pastor of a mega-church had been paying him for sex. By Stephanie Simon, Times Staff Writer (11/03/2006).]].

Of course this is no isolated case. The cases are so numerous that the accounts would definitely fill a library rack many meters or yards long. Some references on this dysfunction would be "The Church and the Homosexual Priest Facing the challenges and accepting the gifts offered by homosexual priests in the Catholic Church" by James Martin - in The National Catholic Weekly, The Changing Face of the Priesthood, Rev. Donald B. Cozzens, Prince Charles Praises Openly Gay Anglican Priest, by Terry Vanderheyden, published Oct 11, 2006, by LifeSite News:, etc.

And this wrong practice is not limited just to apostate (counterfeit) Christians but the winking at violation of Romans 1:27 carries over into Ialam where gay members of Islam actually operate a web site implicitly implying Muhammad (pbuh) may have been gay, called Gay Egypt>com which states, "sponsors 3,500 forums for 175 million GAY muslims & their admirers across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, & Worldwide."

Gay Egypt said this of Muhammad (pbuh), <<"These essays reveal a forgotten history including the amazing saga of the Prophet Muhammad [(pbuh)]and Zaid Ibn Haritha. A story which has been suppressed in order to justify the persecution of gays in the name of Islam.

Zaid was a slave, a wedding gift from Muhammad's [(pbuh)'s] wealthy older bride Khadija, so there was no question of adultery under Sharia law. When the Prophet eventually freed Zaid, he proclaimed a formal partnership or union, equivalent to a marriage. Zaid became, in effect, a "male wife" who was equal in status to Khadija.

First with Zaid, and later with Ali, Muhammad [(pbuh)] formed a bond which was even closer than those of his ten "heterosexual marriages." Love that was tested through extreme adversity and martydom. [source - www.gayegypt.com/archivesonly.html]>>.

Of this organization, Newsweek said,<<"GayEgypt.com "pokes fun at Egypt's autocratic regime with an irreverence no domestic site would dare express,">>, and the The Middle East Times said, <<"GayEgypt.com has emerged as a key source of information and communication for the gay community in Egypt.">>.

Interestingly Islam is winking at this and doing nothing about Gay Egypt.com, nor are members of Islam protesting what most would take as a serious attack on their prophet's moral character; yet they rioted over silly cartoons of Muhammad (pbuh). Makes one wonder does it not? "[source - False Religion Spreads False Doctrine and Practice by Iris the Preacher - can be read at, religioustruths.proboards59.com/index.cgi?board=false&action=display&thread=1163033881 or
www.network54.com/Forum/392643/thread/1163034897/last-1163034897/False+Religion+Spreads+False+Doctrine+and+Practice- ]

ISLAM TACITLY CONDONES IMMORAL SEX:

Now Islam condemns what they see as immoral conditions in western lands, but it too permits immoral sex and sometimes severly punishes women who resist rape. Let's look at an actual case.
<<"Rape Victims Held Criminally Libel, a news item on page 17a, of the Sunday, June 2, 2002, The Palm Beach Post article, "Pakistani rape victims the criminals." This article stated, "The evidence of guilt was there for all to see: a newborn baby in the arms of its mother, a village woman named Zafran Bibi.

Her crime: She had been raped. Her sentence: death by stoning.

Thumping a fat red statute book, the white-bearded judge who convicted her, Anwar Ali Kahn, said he had simply followed the letter of the Koran based law, known as hudood, that mandates punishment.

Furthermore, he said, in accusing her brother-in-law of raping her, Zafran had confessed to her crime.

"The lady stated before this court that, yea, she had committed sexual intercourse, but with the brother of her husband," Judge Khan said. "This left no option to the court but to impose the highest penalty."

Although legal fine points do exist, little distinction is made in court between forced and consensual sex.

When hudood was enacted 23 years ago, the laws were formally described as measures to ban "all forms of adultery, whether the offense is committed with or without the consent of the parties." But women are almost always punished, whatever the facts.">>
This is of course absurd and a tacit approving of rape; a total injustice.

Here is another example,
<<"Imam justifies rape of unveiled women
Australian cleric compares victims to 'uncovered meat' that attracts cats

October 26, 2006
(c) 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Australia's top Muslim cleric rationalized a series of gang rapes by Arab men, blaming women who "sway suggestively," wear make-up and don't cover themselves in the tradition of Islam.


Sheik Ibrahim Mogra with Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly. (Courtesy Sydney Daily Telegraph)

Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly's comments in a Ramadan sermon in a Sydney mosque have stirred a furor in the country with even Prime Minister John Howard weighing in with condemnation.

The cleric also said the judge in the case, who sentenced the rapists, had "no mercy."

"But the problem, but the problem all began with who?" he said, referring to the women victims - whom he said were "weapons used by Satan."

The victims of the vicious gang rapes are leading the national outcry - with some calling for deportation of the sheik. In a Sydney Daily Telegraph online poll, 84 percent of people said the Egyptian-born sheik should be deported.

(Story continues below)

"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered meat?" the sheik said in his sermon. "The uncovered meat is the problem. If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab, no problem would have occurred."

A 16-year-old girl, whose gang rape investigation was the subject of a secret police report, issued an open letter yesterday.

"You are a sad person who has no understanding of what really happens when these people inflict harm and degrading acts upon me or any other young girl," she said.

Initially, the mufti of Australia would not back away from his comments. But today he apologized.

"I unreservedly apologize to any woman who is offended by my comments," he said in a statement. "I had only intended to protect women's honor."

Howard said the sheik's remarks were "appalling and reprehensible." ">>

Now one can ask what was the antecedent for such an outrageous speech by the grand Mufti of Australia? Well, let's look at it.
<<" FrontPageMagazine.com | December 15, 2005
In Australia this week amidst anger over an Islamic man's rape conviction and the bashing of two Aussie life savers, working-class locals erupted in a rampage of anger and brawling in some of the worst racial riots in decades. But there is more to the story than is being repeated in the American mainstream media....
Four days after he set foot in Australia, the rape spree began. And during his sexual assault trial in a New South Wales courtroom, the Pakistani man began to berate one of his tearful 14-year-old victims because she had the temerity to shake her head at his testimony.
But she had every reason to express her disgust. After taking an oath on the Qur'an, the man - known only as MSK - told the court he had committed four attacks on girls as young as 13 because they had no right to say "no." They were not covering their face or wearing a headscarf, and therefore, the rapist proclaimed: "I'm not doing anything wrong."
MSK is already serving a 22-year jail term for leading his three younger brothers in a gang rape of two other young Sydney girls in 2002. In his own defense, he argued that his cultural background, was responsible for his crimes.">>.

Let's look at one more case so all can see they are noy isolated incidents,

7 January 2006 -- Iran's "Etemad" newspaper reports today that an 18-year-old woman has been sentenced to death by hanging for killing a man she said was trying to rape her.

The newspaper reported that the woman, identified only as Nazanin, testified during her trial that she and her niece were out with their boyfriends when they were accosted by two men who chased away the boyfriends then tried to rape the two young women.

Nazanin admitted stabbing one of the men to prevent her and her niece from being assaulted.

Nazanin was only 17 years old at the time, but under Iranian law a boy can be executed from the age of 15 and a girl from the age of nine.

At least 81 people were executed in 2005 in Iran, which has been heavily criticized within the international community for its laws and practices on capital punishment. [source - AFP]">>.

And,

<<<" Omar-khanah (Persian for "Omar's house") (pron. omar-khaneh in Farsi and omar-khanah in Urdu and Panjabi)in reference to Omar ibn al Khattab, the second Sunni Caliph. See also Shia view of Umar bin al-Khattab.
In Iranian and South-Asian Shi'a slang the omar-khanah designates the toilets or latrines. This scatological expression is typical of the Shi'a tradition of tabarra or disassociation from the enemies of Ahl ul Bayt (as). Cursing Abu Bakr (la), Omar (la) and Uthman (la) the first three caliphs of the Sunnis is a way of proving that one disassociates with the ennmies of Ahl ul Bayt (as). In this Omar (la) has a privileged position. Shi'a humour associates him with sodomy and other scatological themes such as faeces.One has to remember that this is even attested in Sunni sources. Omar (la) seems to have had zoophilic tendencies as attested by this Sunni hadith:
Umar ibn al Khattab placed his hand inside a camel's anus and commented 'I'm afraid that someone might ask me what is wrong with you.' Al-Tabaqat Al Kubra by Ibn Sa'd, Part 3, Page 286
Omar (la) also seems to have had homosexual tendencies as shown in this Sunni hadith:
"The Servant of Hadhrath Umar narrates when Umar would urinate he would call out to me to bring something with which he could clean himself, I would bring him a piece of wood or a stone, would hold Hadhrath Umar's thingy and rub it against a wall or on the ground, Imam of Ahl as-Sunnah Baihaqi stated that of all types of wiping cleaning this is the most correct method". Fatawa Abdul Hai page 303
Based on the devient tendencies of Omar as attested by his own followers, many Shi'as have developped a whole slang and humour based on Omar ibn al Khattab (la).
Even in the diaspora this humour expresses itself easily in English as the following examples show:
To visit the three kings = to visit the toilet (three kings = three caliphs), To visit Omar = to visit the toilet, To give Omar chocolates = to defecate, To be an Omar pain = to be a pain in the anus, Omaroids = hemoroids
This article has only mentioned a few of these new uses but there is no doubt that even in the diasporic context tabarra humour finds new ways of expressing itself. A study of it in the context of the translatability of cultures is still pending.
Certain Sikhs use a variation of it, wazir-khanah (the house of Wazir) after the governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan who had the two youngest sons of Guru Gobind Singh executed.Wazir-khanah also means toilet or latrine.
The sactological dimension of Omar (la) is further reinforced by the fact that he was stabbed by Abu Lulua (ra) in the anal region and bled to death in that way. His last words were:"Kill the son of a pregnant dog!" (Compare with Imam Ali's (as) last words). Omar (la) thus confirms the saying: "He lived by the arse and died by the arse!"[source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]>>>.

These articles speak for themselves; hence no comment needed.

CONCLUSION:

Some continue to defend wrong and unnatural sexual practices with arguments that it is not wrong if between two consenting adults, but that as has been shown is contrary to the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible.

As stated previously, girl thingyl intercourse is natural intercourse as the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, intended for continuation of the human race and whose function is clearly attested to in medicine as the design function of the human body. All other sex is unnatural.

Unnatural sex can be many different forms of sex, but would definitely include all forms other than the natural girl thingyl sex. It would include lesbianism, oral, anal, etc. Even a cursory examination of the male and female body should reveal to any thinking person the natural intended use of the reproductive organs.

Yes, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, sanctified marriage between man and woman, but not for self-gratification through the unnatural use of the reproductive organs.

Now to know the truth, go to:

1) religioustruths.forumsland.com/

2) www.network54.com/Forum/403209/

3) religioustruths.lefora.com/

4) religioustruths.boardhost.com/

5) religious-truths.forums.com/

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Your Friend in Christ Iris89

Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!

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NOTE: SPECIAL ON INJUSTICE BY ACTUAL EXAMPLE OF SHARI LAW WITH RESPECT RAPE:
SHARI LAW INJUSTICE TO RAPE VICTIMS, YES THIS TERRIBLE LAW ACTUALLY PUNISHES PEOPLE FOR BEING VICTIMS OF SEXUALLY DEVIANT MUSLIM MEN.
Saudi Arabia Jail
139

Woman’s Rights In Saudi Arabia?
A 19-year-old gang rape VICTIM was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in jail for the crime of indecency and speaking to the press. Yes, you read that right, the rape victim, the woman who was gang raped, is being flogged and jailed for six months.
Really Makes A Women Who Has Been Raped Eager To Turn In The Perpetrators
It’s hard to believe that there are people in this world who adhere to such cruel, archaic customs. Where is their sense of decency? Where is their brain? To punish a woman who has already been tortured in the worst way, where is their sense of compassion?
Makes you wonder why any American, especially a woman, would ever consider allowing Sharia law to exist in their country. When these liberal Sharia law advocates start getting flogged for their everyday actions they are going to change their tune fast!
In Saudi Arabia woman must be accompanied by a male guardian — typically a relative — at all times in public according to Sharia law. The rape victim violated this law by meeting a friend to retrieve a picture. Then she spoke to the press. Guess they’re not much for First Amendment rights either.
From Read Share
Saudi Arabia defended a controversial verdict sentencing a 19-year-old gang rape victim to 200 lashes and six months in jail. The Shi’ite Muslim woman had initially been sentenced to 90 lashes after being convicted of violating Saudi Arabia’s rigid Islamic Sharia law on segregation of the sexes.
The decision handed down by the Saudi General Court more than doubled her sentence last week. The court also roughly doubled the prison sentences for the seven men convicted of raping her, Saudi media said.
The upholding of a decision to punish the victim triggered international outcry.
Canada said it would complain to Saudi authorities about the sentence, described as “barbaric”’ by Jose Verger, the Canadian minister responsible for the status of women.
The New York based Human Rights Watch said the verdict “not only sends victims of sexual violence the message that they should not press charges, but in effect offers protection and impunity to the perpetrators.”
While not directly criticizing the Saudi Arabia’s judiciary, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, “I think when you look at the crime and the fact that now the victim is punished, I think that causes a fair degree of surprise and astonishment. It is within the power of the Saudi government to take a look at the verdict and change it.”
However, the Saudi judiciary stood by its decision. “The Ministry of Justice welcomes constructive criticism, away from emotions,” it said in a statement.
The statement also said that the “charges were proven” against the woman for having been in a car with a strange male, and repeated criticism of her lawyer for talking “defiantly” about the judicial system, saying “it has shown ignorance.”
The woman’s lawyer, Abdul Rahman al-Lahem, reached out to the media. The court has since banned him from further defending the woman, confiscating his license and summoning him to a disciplinary hearing later this month.
The justice ministry implied the victim’s sentence was increased because she had spoken out to the press. “For whoever has an objection on verdicts issued, the system allows to appeal without resorting to the media,” said the statement carried on the official Saudi Press Agency.
The rape took place in 2006. The victim said it occurred as she tried to retrieve her picture from a male high school student she used to know.
While in a car with the student, two men got into the vehicle and drove them to a secluded area. She said she was raped there by seven men, three of whom also attacked her friend.
The case was referred back to the General Court by an appeals court last summer, after the woman’s lawyer contested the initial verdict, saying it was too lenient for the rapists and unjust for the victim.
Editorial Footnote: The male friend of the female in this occurrence was also raped and he received the same punishment as she did. [SOURC - RETRIEVED FROM occupydeplorables.com/19-year-old-gang-rape-victim-to-receive-200-lashes-and-6-months-in-saudi-arabia-jail/ ON 6/5/2017]
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 608B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS, [2] COMMENTARY ON BOUNTIFUL TREES AND VEGETABLES GOD (YHWH) HAS PROVIDED FOR MANKIND, SPECIFICALLY THE GARCINIA MAGNIFOLIA 

ALSO, VIDEO ON THE FRUITAGE OF THE SPIRIT”—MEMORIZE THE QUALITIES, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/ChildrenFeatured/pub-pkon_29_VIDEO


COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES - Garcinia magnifolia With the Scripture of the Day first.

[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [608B]

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1 – 3, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

The Apostle Paul although a prisoner wrote at Ephesians 6:20, [AV] “For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Yes, he spoke boldly, but cautioned all followers of Jesus (Yeshua) to per Philippians 1:27, [AV] “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;” He cautioned all at Romans 12:3, [AV] “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Lastly stated should be one in purpose at Romans 12:5, [AV] “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

VIEW A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-1-kings/


[2] Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Garcinia magnifolia , (Giant Leaf Madrono), Other Names: Charichuela,

Related To: [Clusiaceae] Mangosteen, Imbe, Mameyito 

Main Uses: Fruit, Ornamental 

Growth Rate: Slow to moderate. Grows "exponentially;" the bigger it is, the faster it grows. 

Mature Height/Spread: Small understory tree, to 20' 

Flowering/Pollination: Self-fertile flowers are born in clusters on wood that is at least 2 years old. 

Tolerance: No salt tolerance. Moderate drought tolerance. 

Soil/Nutrition: Tree is adaptable to many soil types, but on neutral, deficient, or alkaline soils, like many American garcinia species it may suffer from iron defiency. Micronutrient supplements both in the soil and as a foliar spray are highly recommended to keep all garcinias growing happily and constantly, under cultivation. 

Light: Part shade to full sun. Can grow in full shade, but fruiting will be limited. 

Wind: Small, sturdy tree. 

Temperature: Tropical, to warm subtropics. Will survive brief frosts; mature trees survive short 27-28 F degree drops without much harm. Young trees will be killed by temperatures below freezing, requiring juvenile protection from cold. 

Dangers: None. 

Diseases Prone: 

Bearing Age: 5-7 years from seed. Trees are not as prolific as other closely relatedgarcinia species, with mature trees bearing perhaps 200 fruit in a good year. 

Fruit: The fruit wall is firm, about 1/4" inch thick, and inedible, containing a stick yellow latex. Inside are seeded segments surrounded, edible whitish flesh of an agreeable sub-acid to sour flavor. Fruits occur twice a year, in the spring and fall. 

History/Origin: Native throughout the Amazon basin in South America. 

Species Observations: 

Propogation: Exclusively by seeds, which must be planted soon after harvest and not allowed to dry out. Seeds can be slow to germinate, sometimes taking 3 weeks. 

Container Culture: Like many garcinia species of small stature, it is possible to grow this species in 15 to 25 gallon containers. 

Medicinal Uses: 

Nutritional Information: 

Preparation / Food: Fruits are eaten fresh. Rind is scored around the equator, with care to to get the bitter sap on the edible portion, and the segmented flesh is eaten. [source - retrieved from www.skyfieldtropical.com/encyclopedia/giant-leaf-madrono/ on 8/14/2014]

Garcinia magnifolia 4x4x10 tree pot
Syn. Rheedia magnifolia. Family: Clusiaceae.  Common Name: madrono. One of several species with the common name madorno. Prized in South America for its edible fruit. Medium sized tree with large dark green leathery leaves. Young plants need some shade. Protect from dry wind. Prefers a slightly acidic soil high in organic matter. Use a complete fertilizer with micro nutrients. Iron and magnesium help maintain deep green color. This species was formerly classified as Rheedia magnifolia. Botanist moved all of the South American Rheedia species into the genus Garcinia. This species is not expected to tolerate cool or cold temperatures. The tree pots are 10 inches deep. When transplanting into a larger pot be sure to use one at least 12 inches deep. [source - retrieved from www.store.hawaiiantropicalplants.com/Garcinia-magnifolia-4x4x10-tree-pot-1576.htm on 8/14/2014]

In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to http://www.jw.org].

To view fruit, go to www.indonesiatraveling.com/component/content/article/1326-trees-fruit-/10072-garcinia-magnifolia.html

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 609B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS, [2] BOOK REVIEW SHOWS QURAN A KNOCKOFF OF THE BIBLE

ALSO, VIDEO ON THE FRUITAGE OF THE SPIRIT”—MEMORIZE THE QUALITIES, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/ChildrenFeatured/pub-pkon_29_VIDEO


[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [609B]

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4:6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Yes, Almighty God (YHWH) gives to the humble, but resist the proud as revealed at James 4:6, [AV] “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” He shall per Isaiah 4:11, [AV] “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.”

VIEW A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-2-kings/


[2 BOOK REVIEW SHOWS QURAN A KNOCKOFF OF THE BIBLE

INTRODUCTION:

A book review of Christoph Luxenberg, a world renown linguistic scholar, clearly reveals that the Quran is nothing but a distorted knockoff of the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible.

This book review is contained in, "HUGOYE: JOURNAL OF SYRIAC STUDIES," book review of Christoph Luxenberg (ps.) Die syro-aramaeische Lesart des Koran; Ein Beitrag zur Entschlüsselung der Qur'ansprache. Berlin, Germany: Das Arabische Buch, First Edition, 2000. Pp. ix + 306, Vol. 6, No. 1, January 2003.
[http://syrcom.cua.edu/Hugoye/Vol6No1/HV6N1PRPhenixHorn.html ]

THE EVIDENCE:

Let's look at the evidence contained in the book review of Christoph Luxenberg's latest book in German, "Die syro-aramaeische Lesart des Koran; Ein Beitrag zur Entschlüsselung der Qur'ansprache." He clearly shows that the Quran draws on personal names of Biblical origins, that the name "Quran' even indicates its origin, that it was NEVER intended to replace the written source - the Bible, that it was distorted from the writings of Muhammad early on, as follows:

<<<"The rest of the section draws on personal names of Biblical origin in the Qur'an to demonstrate that the so-called Arabic matres lectionis, 'alif, waw, and ya, must also be polyvalent. Luxenberg points out that Islamic tradition admits a reading of the mater for long /a/ in certain instances as /e/ because this pronunciation was a peculiarity of the Arabic of Mecca. Luxenberg shows that the term harf, "sign" must also carry a meaning synonymous to qira'at, "(way of) reading" and that this is not only supplying the vowels in an unvocalized text, but also supplying the diacritical points that distinguish consonants. It is only gradually that these diacritical points became fixed so that consonants came to have just one reading. This process of determining the value of each letter of the Qur'an unfolded over some three hundred years. This is known from the oldest manuscripts of the Qur'an which do not have the diacritical points distinguishing readings of a single consonant. By the time these became commonly used, Arabian commentators were no longer aware that many words were either straight Aramaic or were calques peculiar to Meccan Arabic. From this resulted the difficulties that the Qur'an posed to even the earliest Arabian commentators...

The section concludes by demonstrating that the technical meaning of "lectionary" is preserved in the word qur'an. Most striking is the conclusion that the term umm kitab, an aramaism, must be a written source and that the Qur'an was never intended to replace this written source. One might complain that the details of the argument for the reading of suras 12:1-2 and 3:7 are squeezed into footnotes, but nevertheless the argument is clear. Luxenberg proves that the term qur'an itself is the key to unlocking the passages that have given commentators in and outside of the tradition frustration. If quryan means "lectionary," and if the text itself claims to be a clarification of an earlier text, then that earlier text must be written in another language. The only candidate is the Old and New Testament in Syriac, the Penutsta. Hence the influence of Aramaic on the Arabic of Muhammad has an identifiable, textual origin. At the very end of the work, Luxenberg makes a compelling argument that sura 108 is a close allusion to the Penutsta of 1 Peter 5:8-9. Indeed this sura, which is only three lines long, is one of the most difficult passages for the Arabian as well as the Western commentators. Luxenberg shows why: it is composed of transcriptions into Arabic writing of the Syriac New Testament text, i.e., there is almost no "Arabic" in the sura. These are "revealed" texts, and insofar as the Qur'an contains quotations or paraphrases of them, the Qur'an is also "revealed." ...

Many dialects of Arabic existed at the time of Muhammad. In the ten places where the Qur'an claims to have been written in Arabic, Luxenberg shows first that these passages have grammatical forms which are difficult for the commentators and have varying interpretations among the translators. He notes that in sura 41:44, the Arabic fassala means "to divide," but the context here requires "make distinct" or better "interpret." Nowhere else does the Arabic word have this meaning, and the Syriac-Arabic lexica do not give the one as a translation for the other; tarjama (a direct borrowing from Syriac) is the usual Arabic word for "interpret." However, the Syriac praš / parreš can mean both "divide" as well as "interpret" (like Hebrew hibdil; also this is an example of a "semantic calque" mentioned above). Tabari too understands fassala to be a synonym for bayyana (sura 44:3), which also has the meaning "interpret." Sura 41:44 also clearly attests to a source for the Qur'an that is written in a foreign language. Luxenberg, following Tabari, notes a corruption in the text of this verse that clearly shows that part of the Qur'an has a non-Arabic source. His argument here is somewhat weak if not for the further evidence deduced from eleven other locations in the Qur'an where Luxenberg consistently applies these and similar arguments to difficulties all of which center on the terms related to the revelation and language of the Qur'an. These arguments leave little doubt, that Luxenberg has uncovered a key misunderstanding of these terms throughout the Qur'an....

In section twelve Luxenberg demonstrates that not only the origin and language of the Qur'an are different from what the commentators who wrote two hundred years after its inception claim it to be, but that several key passages contain words or idioms that were borrowed from Syriac into Arabic. From his analysis of sura 19:24 (in the so-called "Marian Sura"): "Then he called to her from beneath her: 'Grieve not; thy Lord hath placed beneath thee a streamlet,'" he concludes that it should be read "He called to her immediately after her laying-down (to give birth 'Grieve not; thy Lord has made your laying-down legitimate.'" Luxenberg's lengthy discussion of the complexities of this passage resolve grammatical difficulties in the Arabic in a way that fits the context: Jesus gives Mary the courage to face her relatives even with a child born out of wedlock. The section then presents lengthy arguments dealing with various lexical, morphological, syntactic and versification problems in sura 11:116-117...

In that same section, one also finds a study of how Syriac roots were misread and altered by later commentators. In one case, the word jaw (sura 16:79) misread "air, atmosphere" is from Syriac gaw, which means both "insides, inner part" and can also be used as a preposition meaning "inside." In sura 16:79 Luxenberg demonstrates that the prepositional use makes more sense than the solution posed by the commentators. Classical Arabic grammar, which was created three hundred years after the Qur'an, does not recall the prepositional meaning of the word. However, dialects of Arabic preserve the original Syriac prepositional use. So where sura 16:79 reads fi jaw as-sama' "in(side) heaven" referring to birds held aloft and kept from falling down by God, the dialects agree: fi jawwat al-bet "inside the house" is perfectly good Arabic. The misreading of Qur'anic Arabic jaw as "air" has become part of the technical vocabulary of modern standard Arabic: "air mail," "air force," "airline," and "weather report" all use jaw. The imaginary meaning of the grammarians lives on. ...

Section sixteen follows this investigation as it points to a similar misreading of paradise's grapes as youths, Arabic wildun. Sura 76:19 "Round amongst them go boys of perpetual youth, whom when one see, he thinks them pearls unstrung" (sura 16.1, citing Bell's translation). Wildun is a genuinely Arabic word, but it is used in a sense which is borrowed from Syriac yalda. Youths like pearls is somewhat suspicious, especially given that "pearls" are a metaphor for the grapes of paradise from the previous section. Luxenberg uncovered that Syriac has the expression yalda dagpetta, "child of the vine," appearing in the Penutsta: Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, and Luke 22:18, in which Christ foreshadows his death and resurrection: "I will not drink of this child of the vine (yalda dagpetta) until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of my Father." Here it is the juice of the grape that is the "child." Entries in the Arabic-Syriac lexica for each of yalda and gpetta give in addition to "child" and "vine" "fruit" and "wine," respectively. Luxenberg gives further evidence from suras 37:45, 43:71, and 76:15 that Ephraem the Syrian's depiction of the grapes of paradise is behind the original Qur'anic text.

A central question that this investigation raises is the motivation of cUthman in preparing his redaction of the Qur'an. Luxenberg presents the two hadith traditions recounting how cUthman came to possess the first manuscript. If Luxenberg's analysis is even in broad outline correct, the content of the Qur'an was substantially different at the time of Muhammad and cUthman's redaction played a part in the misreading of key passages. Were these misreadings intentional or not? The misreadings in general alter the Qur'an from a book that is more or less harmonious with the New Testament and Syriac Christian liturgy and literature to one that is distinct, of independent origin. " [source - book review is contained in, "HUGOYE: JOURNAL OF SYRIAC STUDIES," book review of Christoph Luxenberg (ps.) Die syro-aramaeische Lesart des Koran; Ein Beitrag zur Entschlüsselung der Qur'ansprache. Berlin, Germany: Das Arabische Buch, First Edition, 2000. Pp. ix + 306, Vol. 6, No. 1, January 2003.]>>>.

CONCLUSION:

The inescapable conclusion is that Muhammad (pbuh) used the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, as his guide without giving credit to the source which is called plagiarism, and that at a later date, the Quran was corrupted by those who did not fully comprehend the specific dialect it was written in.

To learn even more with respect the Quran just being a distorted Bible knockoff, go to the following,

[1] Apparent Contradictions in the Bible Compared To Real Ones In The Quran and the Book of Mormon: at,

Series Apparent Bible Contradictions vs. Real Contradictions in the Quran: - SinandCompositeScriptures (tapatalk.com)

[2] The Bible's Correctness is Testified to In The Quran: at,

religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-post-4928.html#4928

[3] Contradictions in the Quran at,

religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-post-4929.html#4929

[4] God's Word The Bible Proven Un-Changeable by the Quran: at,

religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-post-4930.html#4930

[5] Series Apparent Bible Contradictions vs. Real Contradictions in the Quran: at,

religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-post-4936.html#4936

[6] Now let's get down to reality On The Bible, The Quran - Without Word Games:

religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-post-4937.html#4937

[7] Digital Book on the Quran and Quranic Contradictions With Proof

religioustruthsbyiris.freeforums.org/post155.html#p155

LEARN ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

[iris89]

HERE IS VOL 610B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES, [2] DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MONOTHEIST AND POLYTHEIST IS IN WHO THEY WORSHIP:

ALSO, VIDEO ON WAS THE EARTH CREATED, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleTeachings/pub-ebtv_1_VIDEO


[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [610B]

A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time. Isaiah 60:22, [authorized King James Bible; AV]


The Apostle John in a vision saw as recorded at Revelation 7:9 – 10, [AV] “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” But the meaning of this vision has only come to light in this time of the end just as the Prophet Habakkuk stated at Habakkuk 2:3, [AV] “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

VIEW THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS: www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-1-chronicles/


[2] DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MONOTHEIST AND POLYTHEIST IS IN WHO THEY WORSHIP:

INTRODUCTION:

Many truly are ignorant and have a misconception between the difference between a Monotheist and a Polytheist and do NOT realize the difference is with respect whom they worship and NOT who is or is NOT a god or god(s). Let's get an accurate understanding with respect the meaning of these two words so the remainder of this article will have real meaning.

The standard dictionary definition for monotheism is confusing as it really embraces that which is really polytheist, i.e., the Trinity. This biased definition, which is refuted by both genuine (true) Christians and members of Islam in that both groups define monotheism as the worship of one supreme god whom both say is the creator in the singular tense. Of course, these two groups differ with respect to whom they consider is the creator.

Genuine (true) Christians believe the creator is the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is; whereas, members of Islam believe in another, a mythical god, Al-Ilah, the god [al-, the + 'ilah, god], where some of them claim Ilah means the 'only one' in Arabic, they commonly call this mythical god, Allah, and wrongly claim he is the creator.

Many religions have many gods that they worship such as the Hindus and apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians, but herein lies the confusion. Both the Hindus and apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians have so called Trinities of gods.

In Hinduism this triad of gods consist of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer as the three highest manifestations of the one ultimate reality. The last part where it is said that the three are one ultimate reality or three separate gods make one god is what causes confusion with respect who is a Monotheist and who is a Polytheist.

In apostate (counterfeit) Christianity this triad of gods consist Jehovah (YHWH) - Almighty God; his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ ; and the Holy Spirit - the active force and/or power of Jehovah (YHWH) as shown by the ancient Hebrew word which came from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit."

This fact with respect the Holy Spirit in Koine Greek is the ancient Greek word for spirit (pneu'ma) is used, the neuter pronoun "it" is properly employed. This fact is conveniently over looked or hidden by most Trinitarian translators as admitted in the "New American Bible Catholic Bible," regarding John 14:17: "The Greek word for 'Spirit' is neuter, and while we use personal pronouns in English ('he,' 'his,' 'him'), most Greek MSS [manuscripts] employ 'it.'" So when the Bible uses masculine personal pronouns in connection with pa·ra'kle·tos at John 16:7, 8, it is conforming to rules of grammar, not expressing a doctrine. This causes a lot of confusion and many are mislead by it.

The common, but erroneous, definition of Monotheism is as follows: <<<"Belief in the existence of one god. It is distinguished from polytheism. The earliest known instance of monotheism dates to the reign of Akhenaton of Egypt in the 14th century BC. Monotheism is characteristic of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all of which view God as the creator of the world, who oversees and intervenes in human events, and as a beneficent and holy being, the source of the highest good. The monotheism that characterizes Judaism began in ancient Israel with the adoption of Yahweh as the single object of worship and the rejection of the gods of other tribes and nations without, initially, denying their existence. Islam is clear in confessing one, eternal, unbegotten, unequaled God, while Christianity holds that a single God is reflected in the three persons of the Holy Trinity." [source - the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia].

But in reality Monotheist worship only one single entity god, and one can be a Monotheist and worship a false god as long as he/she only worships one god and no more.

In reality one is a Polytheist if he/she worships more than one god even if he/she claims a triad is just one god. This fact has been highlighted by many Islamic and Genuine (true) Christian writers. One Francis David pointedly made this point in his book, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitione," (The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), he co-authored with Georgio Biandrata.

WHO WORSHIP IS DIRECTED TO IS DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN MONOTHEISM AND POLYTHEISM:

As shown in the introduction, the real differentiating feature between Monotheism and Polytheism is to whom worship is directed.

Monotheism:

Both members of Islam and Genuine (true) Christians direct worship exclusively only to one god; therefore, they are Monotheist.

In the case of Islam, this is a mythical god, as previously pointed out, a false god. Nevertheless, they direct worship only to one god, even though this is of course a false god, it does NOT change their status as Monotheist.

In the case of Genuine (true) Christians, the real footstep followers of Jesus (Yeshua), the Son of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, this is to his Father, and not him. This is clearly testified to by his Son, Jesus (Yeshua), at Matthew 4:9-10, "And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Authorized King James Bible; AV); and at Luke 4:7-8, "If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (AV). In these two scriptures and many others, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, the only begotten Son of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, made it clear that his genuine followers were only to worship his Father, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, Almighty God, and no other including himself.

In the case of Jews, they too, like Genuine (true) Christians only direct their worship to the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, and no other. They fail to recognize that the long awaited prophet, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, the only begotten Son of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, has already arrived and been resurrected by his Father as testified to at Acts 10:38-40, "Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things that he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem: whom they killed, hanging him upon a tree. 40 Him God raised up the third day and gave him to be made manifest," (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB). The "Encyclopaedia Judaica says: <<<"The Jews of the Roman period believed [the Messiah] would be raised up by God to break the yoke of the heathen and to reign over a restored kingdom of Israel" [source - the Encyclopaedia Judaica, Jerusalem, 1971, Vol. 11, Col. 1407]>>>. In other words they failed to recognize Jesus (Yeshua) Christ as the Messia because he did NOT liberate them from the yoke of Rome.

Polytheist:

Both Hindus and apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians are polytheist because they worship more than one god in their respective triad of gods.

In Hinduism the members of this religion direct worship to all three members of their triad of gods. That is to of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer which make up their peculiar triad of gods or Trinity of gods. The fact that they direct worship to more than one god makes Hindus Polytheist.

With regard to apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians, they direct their worship to all three members of their triad of gods. That is to Jehovah (YHWH) - Almighty God; his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ ; and the Holy Spirit - the active force and/or power of Jehovah (YHWH) as shown by the ancient Hebrew word which came from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." The fact that they direct worship to more than one god makes apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians Polytheist.

MEMBERS OF ISLAM MAKE FALSE CHARGES:

Some members of Islam try and claim that Jesus (Yeshua) Christ is another creator; whereas, the truth is that only his Father, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, is a creator. Let's look at the fact that the only begotten Son of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, is not a creator as is his Father.

Jesus (Yeshua) took part with respect the creative works, but this did NOT make him a co-Creator along with his Father (YHWH). Why not? Because all the power for creation came from God through his Holy Spirit, or active force as shown by Genesis 1:1-2, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (American Standard Version; ASV); And at Psalms 33:6, "By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." (ASV). Of course some may object and have different views with regard to what the Holy Spirit is, but let's look at the facts. The "New American Bible Catholic Bible," says in a footnote regarding John 14:17: "The Greek word for 'Spirit' is neuter, and while we use personal pronouns in English ('he,' 'his,' 'him'), most Greek MSS [manuscripts] employ 'it.'" So when the Bible uses masculine personal pronouns in connection with pa·ra'kle·tos at John 16:7, 8, it is conforming to rules of grammar, not expressing a doctrine. And in Ancient Hebrew the word here rendered Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, or Spirit which is translated from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In Latin, it is spiritus, and in Sanskrit, 'prana' which means both "breath" and "spirit." Thus God (YHWH) is the source of all life, all animate creation, both visible and invisible, as shown at Psalms 36:9, "For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light." (ASV). Thus all of creation including his only begotten Son owes their lives to him. Thus, rather than being a co-Creator with his Father (YHWH), Jesus (Yeshua) was the agent or instrumentality through whom God (YHWH), the Creator, worked using him as his 'master worker.' Jesus (Yeshua) himself gave credit to his Father (YHWH) for all of creation, see Matthew 19:4-6, "And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made [them] from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? 6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (ASV).

Also, only the Father, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, is called Almighty God in the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible. Here are some scriptures that show this fact, [all taken from Authorized King James Bible; (AV) ]

Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Genesis 28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
Genesis 35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
Genesis 43:14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
Genesis 48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
Exodus 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Whereas, no where does the Bible call Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, Almighty God.

These members of Islam make false charges against Genuine (true) Christians who ONLY RENDER WORSHIP to the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, and NOT his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, that they are Polytheist, an outright lie. Let's look at one example of their false charges,

<<<" Why are you posting as a Christian when you are actually a polytheist? Why do you call Jesus (PBUH) a "lesser God" ****? And why do you say Jews believe Jesus is the son of God ****?">>>

Yet the fact is that Genuine (true) Christians only worship the Father, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, in keeping with Jesus (Yeshua) specific instructions which are, per Matthew 4:9-10, "And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Authorized King James Bible; AV); and at Luke 4:7-8, "If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (AV). Clearly this shows that his, Jesus' (Yeshua's), true followers are NOT TO WORSHIP HIM, but only his Father, Almighty God, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is.

So the distinguishing feature of Genuine (true) followers of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ would be their Monotheist practice of worshipping only the Father of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is. And NOT also worshipping his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua) or his Father's active force and/or power commonly known as the Holy Spirit or some saint or charismatic leader such as Father Divine.

WRONG WORSHIP BY FALSE RELIGIONS:

Interestingly neither, Islam or apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians, worships the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, the creator of all there is as the only God. One, apostate (counterfeit) Christians claims to, but in actuality does NOT; whereas, Islam believe in and worships another, a mythical god, Al-Ilah, the god [al-, the + 'ilah, god], where some of them claim Ilah means the 'only one' in Arabic, they commonly call this mythical god, Allah, and wrongly claim he is the creator.

Let's first look at so called Christianity who falsely claim to worship the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, but actually worships a hybrid three-in-one god known as the Trinity - no where mentioned in the Bible. To try and 'prove' this none Biblical god, Trinitarians use questionable translations of John 1:1, but conveniently miss the point that this is "a singular anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb," that is, not just that the noun theos lacks the Greek definite article. Similar Greek construction such as,
Mark 6:49, Mark 11:32, John 4:19, John 6:70, John 8:44a, John 8:44b, John 9:17, John 10:1,
John 10:13, John 10:33, John 12:6 as usually have an inserted either an "a" or "an" there in most translations.

But we need not get so technical as a quick application of logic to the usual questionable translational construct for John 1:1 quickly shows that it can in no way support a trinity god. Let's look at why. John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.) (AV) - now to have a trinity of anything, one must have THREE like items and only two spirit creatures are mentioned, not three, hence no trinity. In addition, someone can NOT be with someone and be that person also.

Now how did this false god get into so called Christianity? Well it came about in 325 AD when a pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a wordhipper of the Unconquered Sun, wanted religious unity in his empire and called a church conference with the view of getting them to accept some pagan doctrines so he could bring about a fusion of so called Christianity with paganism. This council went on a very long time and through coercion and political skull drudgery he finally got most of the attendees, bishops, to go along with what he wanted. This amounted to most of the so called Christian church going apostate.[Reference sources - Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957); BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933 and ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D.; Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02); The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976); Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960; Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75.].

Let's next look at Islam who falsely claim to worship the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, but actually worship the old middle eastern celestial Moon god, "Allah."

Dr. Arthur Jeffery, one of the foremost Western Islamic scholars in modern times and professor of Islamic and Middle East Studies at Columbia University, notes:

<<"The name Allah, as the Quran itself is witness, was well known in pre-Islamic Arabia. Indeed, both it and its feminine form, Allat, are found not infrequently among the theophorous names in inscriptions from North Africa"[source - Islam: Muhammad, and His Religion, New York: The Liberal Arts Press, 1958, p. 85.">>>.

The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, states, <<<"The origin of this (Allah) goes back to pre-Muslim times. Allah is not a common name meaning "God" (or a "god"), and the Muslim must use another word or form if he wishes to indicate any other than his own peculiar deity"[source - Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, I:326, Hastings]>>>.

The Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, states, <<"The name Allah goes back before Muhammad"[ Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, I:41, Anthony Mercatante, New York, The Facts on File, 1983]>>>.

And, <<<"The word "Allah" comes from the compound Arabic word, al-ilah. Al is the definite article "the" and ilah is an Arabic word for "god." It is not a foreign word. It is not even the Syriac word for God. It is pure Arabic."[reference - There is an interesting discussion of the origins of Allah, in "Arabic Lexicographical Miscellanies" by J. Blau in the Journal of Semitic Studies, Vol. XVII, #2, 1972, pp. 173-190.]>>>.

And, Neither is Allah a Hebrew or Greek word for God as found in the Bible. Allah is a purely Arabic term used in reference to an Arabian deity.

Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics I:326, T & T Clark, states:
<<<"Allah" is a proper name, applicable only to their [Arabs'] peculiar God."[source - Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics I:326]>>>.

<<"Pre-Islamic Arabia also had its stone deities. They were stone statues of shapeless volcanic or meteoric stones found in the deserts and believed to have been sent by astral deities. The most prominent deities were Hubal, the male god of the Ka'ba, and the three sister goddesses al-Lat, al-Manat, and al-Uzza; Muhammad's tribe, the Quraysh, thought these three goddesses to be the daughters of Allah. Hubal was the chief god of the Ka'ba among 360 other deities. He was a man-like statue whose body was made of red precious stone and whose arms were of solid gold." [sources - George W. Braswell, Jr., Islam Its Prophets, Peoples, Politics and Power" [Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville, TN; July, 1996], p. 44]>>>.

CONCLUSION:

Monotheist are those who worship but one god whether it be a false mythical god such as that worshipped by Islam or the genuine true God worshipped by Genuine (true) followers of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, and also by Jews, the descendents of Abraham's son, Isaac.

Polytheist are those who worship more than one god, often as members of a triad of gods such as the Hindu triad of gods that consist of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer as the three highest manifestations of the one ultimate reality. Or apostate (counterfeit) so called Christians that worship a triad of gods that consist of Jehovah (YHWH) - Almighty God; his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ ; and the Holy Spirit - the active force and/or power of Jehovah (YHWH) as shown by the ancient Hebrew word which came from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit."

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

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HERE IS VOL 611B – COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES, [2] RECREATIONAL DRUG USAGE AND IMMODERATION IN USE OF ALCOHOL SIGNS OF A SICK SOCIETY

ALSO, VIDEO ON WAS THE EARTH CREATED, :CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS:
www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleTeachings/pub-ebtv_1_VIDEO


[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [611B]

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Isaiah 60:17, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

King Solomon was very wealthy as shown at 1 Kings 10:21, [AV] “And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.” However, the Apostle Peter showed that Almighty God (YHWH) was not concerned with wealth, but having genuine gifts in men for the care of his flock as stated at 1 Peter 5:2, [AV] “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;” This same thought was illuminated by the Prophet Isaiah centuries earlier at Isaiah 1:26, [AV] “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;” clearly show that God was interested in His flock and not the wealth of individuals.

VIEW THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A VIDEO ON AN INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES, CLICK OR POST IN ADDRESS: www.jw.org/en/library/videos/books-of-bible-intros/book-of-2-chronicles/


[2] RECREATIONAL DRUG USAGE AND IMMODERATION IN USE OF ALCOHOL SIGNS OF A SICK SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION:

Use of narcotic type drugs for recreational use and alcohol used in an effort to escape from reality, i.e., the problems of life, to get a dreamy feeling, or a sense of well-being or of elation is a sign of a sick society. This article will deal with the wrongs of this type of use, but will NOT deal with substances that are used for medically necessary conditions.

Drugs as herein discussed are nonfood, mood-altering substances that are not being used for medical purposes. Alcohol usage will deal with the immoderate use of alcohol.

NARCOTIC DRUGS NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE:

The Bible does not specifically mention drugs per say; however, although it does not name such substances as heroin, cocaine, LSD, PCP [angel dust], marijuana, and tobacco. But it does provide the guidelines so that we can know what to do and what to avoid in order to please the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is. Similarly, the Bible does not say anything about the use of guns to kill someone, but it does forbid murder.

Now let's reason a little with respect Luke 10:25-27, "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). Now is a person really loving the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, with their whole heart and with their whole soul and with your whole strength and mind if he makes a practice of things that needlessly shorten his life and cause his mind to be blurred? Is he showing love for his neighbor if he steals from others to support his drug habit?

Also, consider 2 Corinthians 7:1, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (AV). Now can we expect to have the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, approval if we deliberately do things that defile our bodies?

Also, consider Titus 2:11-12, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" (AV). Now is the use of drugs that impair one's judgment or that cause a person to lose self=control in harmony with that counsel?

Narcotic drugs include everything from the common usage of tobacco to hard-core drugs. Now let's first look at the usage of tobacco and its detrimental effects on humans.

TOBACCO USAGE A SCOURGE ON MANKIND:

Now let's get back to narcotics that many Islamic governments and none Islamic governments permit, but are very harmful to the health. Specifically, I am speaking about the use of tobacco for recreational purposes. Now the subject of this thread is wrongful use of drugs, so consider the following with respect the most commonly used drug of all, tobacco.

Acts 17:24-27 says, "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:" (Authorized King James Bible; AV). Now, per Science 80, <<<"The evidence that cigarettes shorten life is overwhelming; the causal connection is firmly established as any in medicine"[source - Science 80, September/October, page 42.]>>>.

Statistics show that in the United States, alone, the annual death toll from smoking is over 300,000 individuals; in Britain the annual death toll is over 50,000, and the same is true for Canada. The Journal [Toronto] says, <<<"More than one million people die annually because of smoking-related disease and the Third World, which accounts for 52% of world tobacco consumption, is making up a rapidly increasing proportion of these deaths."[Source - The Journal (Toronto), September 1, 1983, page 16.]>>>.

In fact, the former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, Joseph Califano, said: <<<"Today there can be no doubt that smoking is truly slow-motion suicide."[source - Scholastic Science World, March 20, 1980, page 13]>>>.

Now it is evident that committing suicide by slow-motion is no more approved of by the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, than is suicide by becoming human bombs as some do in Islam. Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

The former surgeon general of the U.S., C. Everett Koop, said: <<<"Cigharette smoking is clearly identified as the chief preventable cause of death in our society."[source - The New York Times, February 23, 1982, Page A1]. The World Book Encyclopedia said, <<<"Medical studies show that...the average life expectancy of a smoker is three to four years less than that of a nonsmoker. The life expectancy of a heavy smoker-a person who smokes two or more packages of cigarettes a day-may be as much as eight years shorter than that of a nonsmoker."[source - The World Book Encyclopedia, 1984, Vol. 17, page 430.]>>>. Now is it proper for a person to present his life for service to the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, and then slowly to destroy that life?

One university said, <<<"Smoking is so devastating, especially to the heart and lungs, that the other aspects of preventive medicine become comparatively insignificant if the person smokes." [source - University of Southern California News Service, February 18, 1982.]>>>. And Dr. H. Mahler, said, <<<"Smoking is probably the largest single preventable cause of ill health in the world."[source - Dr. H. Mahler, director general of the World Health Organization, in "World Health," February/March 1980, page 3.]>>>. Now, is it consistent for a person to present himself to the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, for sacred service and then deliberately to ruin his health?

Let's face it, smoking is a violation of the divine requirement that we love our neighbor as pointed out by James 2:8, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:" (Authorized King James Bible; AV). How so? <<<"A recent study...revealed that the nonsmoking wives of men who smoke die on the average four years younger than women whose husbands are also nonsmokers."[source - The New York Times, November 22, 1978, page C5]>>>. Also, Family Health said, <<<"Smoking during pregnancy can cause congenital malformations so severe that either the fetus dies, or the infant does shortly after birth."[source - Family Health, May 1979, page 8]>>>. Thus, smoking constitutes unloving treatment of family members and others and is clear evidence that a person is not acting as a genuine (true) Christian, see 1 Timothy 5:8, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (AV).

<<<"Studies have shown that since the average smoker actively smokes his/her cigarette for only a small portion of the time it is lit, a nonsmoker may actually be forced against his/her will to breathe almost as much carbon monoxide, tar, and nicotine as the active smoker sitting next to him." [source - Today's Health, April 1972, page 39]>>>. Thus, a person who is thus unloving toward his fellowman does not give evidence of loving the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, either.

HARD-CORE DRUG USE:

let's look at the facts with respect right uses of hard-core narcotic type drugs, but first let's consider 2 Timothy 3:1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). Clearly the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, warns against craving pleasure to such an extreme that we put it ahead of applying the righteous principles of the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, and the gaining of his approval.

Some narcotics bring relief from pain and can produce a feeling of contentment, but they are also addictive and can have very severe results such as death from an overdose or long term health effects. Also, sniffing of some solvents and other chemicals can produce a feeling of excitement, but it can also cause severe health problems so their use should NOT be indulged in for just feeling content or for so called recreational use.

However, these powerful drugs, narcotics, have a proper use also. This use is in the treatment of patients with severe pain under the strict control of a qualified medical professional. Properly used for medically legitimate purposes they can be very beneficial to man and makes one think of what King Solomon said at Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" (Authorized King James Bible; AV).

This dual use for narcotics, one very bad, and one very useful, begs the question with respect to why did the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, make plants from which drugs are derived. It is because he intended mankind to use them for his benefit and not his detriment. The true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, did not intend for man to abuse them, but to use them for proper and beneficial uses. It is true of both wine and Marijuana for example. Marijuana is made from the dried leaves and flowering tops of the hemp plant, but this plant also provides useful fibers for making rope and cloth. Same is true of tobacco leaves, which many abuse by smoking them for their narcotic effect, a wrong purpose, but the leaves of this plant can also be used for making disinfectants and insecticides. This is also with respect many of earth's resources such as sodium nitrate that can be used for making bombs to kill other humans or for mining and fertilizer. Even weeds are beneficial in preventing erosion and providing mulch when soil is not under cultivation.

DECEPTION WITH RESPECT MARIJUANA:

Some falsely say marijuana is harmless, but let's investigate what doctors have to say on the subject. David Powelson, M.D., formerly chief of psychiatry, Cowell Hospital, University of California at Berkeley, at one time advocated legalizing the use of marijuana, but later, after more evidence was available wrote,
<<<"I now believe that marijuana is the most dangerous drug we must contend with:1. Its early use is beguiling. The user is given an illusion of feeling good; he cannot sense the deterioration of his mental and physiological processes. 2. Its continued use leads to delusional thinking. After one to three years of continuous use, the pathological forms of thinking begin to take over the thought process." [source - Executive Health Report, October 1977, page 8]>>>.

Dr. Robert L. DuPont, former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the United States, who in the past was quoted as minimizing danger from marijuana, more recently stated:
<<<"The real issue is the health danger posed by this epidemic [of marijuana use by the younger generation], danger of at least two kinds. One is the effects of the intoxication, ranging from the hazardous impact on driving to caring less about everything [including one's creator]. The other area is purely physical. Here the concerns range from the regular occurrence of chronic bronchitis among marijuana users to the very real possibilities of harmful hormonal effects, effects on the immune system and possibly even cancer." [source - Montreal Gazette, March 22, 1979, page 9]>>>.

Science Digest says,
<<<"Regular marijuana puffing may, in the long run, widen the gaps between nerve endings in the brain that are necessary for such vital functions as memory, emotion and behavior. In order for nerves to perform their functions, they must communicalt between themselves." [Then, commenting on the results of animal test, the article continues: "The most marked effects occurred in the septal region, associated with emotions: the hippocampus, concerned with memory formation; and the amygdala, responsible for certain behavioral functions." [source - Science Digest, March 1981, page 104.]>>>

IMMODERATE USE OF ALCOHOL:

Now let's deal with alcohol which is a different case from illegal drugs. Alcohol is a food and is metabolized by the body to provide energy; the end products are disposed of by the body. However, a psychopharmacologist said: <<<"Marijuana is a very potent drug, and the biggest mistake we make is comparing it to alcohol." "Molecule for molecule, THC [in marijuana] is 10,000 times stronger than alcohol in its ability to produce mild intoxication...THC is removed slowly from the body, and many months are required to recover from its effects." [source - Execitove Jea;tj Re[prt. Pctpber 1077, page 3]>>>.

The true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, knows how we are constructed, and his inspired word, the Bible, permits moderate use of alcoholic beverages per 1 Timothy 5:23, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." (AV); and Psalms 104:15, "And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart." (AV). But he also strongly condemns immoderate consumption of alcohol, just as he condemns gluttony per Proverbs 23:20-21, "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." (AV); and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (AV).

But some take an extreme ridicules view against alcohol that defies common sense. One individual said the following, <<<"Actually there are problems in hospitals today!! Muslims are refusing to use the hand-cleaner at patient's bedsides.

It has alcohol in it, so they say it is against their religion to use it.

Hand-washing is so important in disease control.">>>.

This situation, absurd and beyond reason actually occurred in a medical facility in Dearborn, Michigan. It clearly shows that some can not draw the distinction about the abuse of alcohol such as getting drunk from its immoderate use, and its correct use in moderation and for necessary medical reasons. So absurd religious views serve only to confuse the issue and not to solve the real problem, the immoderate use of alcohol.

CONCLUSION:

Use of illegal drugs for so called recreational usage by genuine (true) Christians is prohibited as the inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, clearly show that works of the flesh including drug usage are not for genuine (true) Christians at Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, 21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (American Standard Version; ASV). An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W.E. Vine, in commenting on the word "phar-ma-kia", is 'practice of spiritism' or 'druggery.' And Vine says, <<<"In socery, the use of drug, whether simple or potent, was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers, with provision of various charms, amulets, etc., professedly designed to keep the applicant or patient from the attention and power of deamons, but actually to impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer"[source - An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W.E. Vine, Vol. IV, pages 51-52, London 1940] >>>.

Similarly today, many who use drugs are involved in spiritistic practices or associate with those who are, because of a blank mind or one that experiences hallucinations is easy prey to the demons, this danger is highlighted at Luke 11:24-26, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first." (AV).

Remember that a person's life and breath are in all things as brought out in Acts 17:24-25, "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;" (AV). This fact was obviously forgotten by the Tobacco/Marijuana smoking Sunnis that attacked the Amani"s Restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan last week and the many youths in apostate (counterfeit) so called Christian groups that use drugs.

The inspired word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, creator of all there is, the Bible, does NOT prohibit drinking of alcohol if done in moderation, but it does definitely prohibit drunkenness which is over indulging.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG