The JWs maintain that the Bible sanctions “Theocratic War“: So in time of spiritual warfare it is proper to misdirect the enemy by hiding the truth. It is done unselfishly; it does not harm anyone; on the contrary, it does much good. Today God’s servants are engaged in a warfare, a spiritual, theocratic warfare, a warfare […]
Apart from Christianity and Islam, what are the other major religions?
Apart from Christianity and Islam (which, respectively, rank 1st at 2.1 billion, and 2nd at 1.5 billion adherants), these are the world’s major religions ranked by number of adherants (according to this site): Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion Hinduism: 900 million Chinese traditional religion: 394 million Buddhism: 376 million primal-indigenous: 300 million African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million Sikhism: […]
Does turning the other cheek mean that you shouldn’t protect your family?
Jesus says: But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Mat 5:39) Taken at face value, this says that if someone wants to hurt you, you should not resist. (See also John 18:36, Rom 12:19-21, […]
How can we feel the Holy Spirit in our lives?
To give a little context which might help answer this question, the person who originally asked the question also said: I want to built a relationship with God but…I do not feel the holy spirit. … How can I feel the Holy Spirit…? There is some good news for the person who asked this question. […]
What does the Bible say about fortune tellers and crystal readers?
What the Bible says about fortune tellers and crystal readers: Lev 19:26 … You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes. Lev 19:31 NET. Do not turn to the spirits of the dead and do not seek familiar spirits to become unclean by them. I am the LORD your God. Lev 20:6 If a person […]
If the earliest manuscript we have for a book of the Bible is relatively late, does that mean the book is a forgery/unreliable?
No. A late date for the earliest manuscript of any ancient book could be evidence that the book is a forgery or unreliable;1 but it does not necessarily follow that a late date for an earliest manuscript means the book is a forgery or is unreliable. There is other evidence to take into account. Some […]
Who are the 144,000 chosen ones mentioned in Revelation?
The 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 14:1-5 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. (2) And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The […]
What did a cherub and a ‘wheel within a wheel’ look like?
Although, probably to varying degrees of success, people have made attempts at depicting them,1 no one knows for sure what either a cherub or a ‘wheel within a wheel’ looks like. The descriptions we have about what they looked like can be found in places like Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10. In the answer to […]
If you fail to stop sinning after becoming baptised, can you still be forgiven? How do you deal with sexual desire?
Wrong behaviour needs to be avoided. Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, (20) idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, (21) envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will […]
What does the Bible say about taking up an offence against your brother?
There are examples in scripture of dramatic turnarounds. Joseph was kidnapped and sold into slavery by his brothers. His response is interesting. Joseph did not lightly dismiss the evil that was done to him. He dealt with his brothers, ultimately winning them back, but not before testing them severely. Joseph saw beyond what had happened to […]