Arauna

It was custom to congregate at the city gates or market places. Paul was the "apostle to the nations" and preached to Greeks as well as other nations. He was here in Albania via the Via Ignatius from Corinth - then called Illyricum. (He could have been in the port city here where I live because Rome later considered to make this the eastern capital instead of Byzantium). At the gates or market Paul usually would find someone favorable and go home with them and preach further. On occasion he would use this house as a base. He also went to the Synagogues. In most cities it was the Jews who started the riots because he was teaching a new form of Judaism. (To them it sounded like blasphemy, when they refused to acknowledge the Messiah had come.) In the week, I am sure, he would have done some house preaching after working on tents. Although the Greeks had the oratory tradition, I wonder how much of a help it really gave to the poor and those who moved in the lower echelons of society? Religion was run by the upper echelons or educated segments of society. It was also very set in tradition and ritual. To my thinking, it offers only an empty framework of tradition and many stories of Gods - as much as Hinduism with its many gods and its caste system does today. With skillful preaching (and the miracles during the lifetime of the Apostles), the gospel message was appealing to those with a searching heart. (The other points mentioned above about angels and other points, were good to think about.) Not only did the Christians teach a different god, a creator with a Name (using the Septuagint translation of Hebrew scriptures), but this god was interested in humans because he sent a loving, human son who came to earth to show us how to live. This representative of God was killed as a man because he preached about a future kingdom which would restore the earth..... and this ONE was killed in a very ghastly way by the authorities (which I supposed appealed to anyone ever treated unjustly by authorities or even a few rebels). He taught that all humans were brothers and war and violence was wrong. (The military machine of Rome would not like this idea because one could only rise to the top in society through war such as humble donkey breeder, Vespasian.) The fact that this lowly Jesus (being the son of the true god), was prepared to die for our imperfections, and all his associates saw him raised up again, must have been a powerful message. The gospel message was simple - in that it taught love. That all should love and treat each other justly, to share material things, be hospitable, no biased, and to not be selfish or materialistic, not hang onto earthly things because Jehovah would provide. Also the pagan religions taught a lot of superstition. They were free from fear and superstition. I think those plagues against Christendom in Revelation 6 were all thrown down from heaven by the angels and distributed by Rutherford against Christendom in his public exposes - lol - (he had his fiery place in the unfolding of Jehovah's purposes). I appreciate your examples - I must add that these are all individuals that you quote during a period of the dark ages. A period when the Catholic church allowed no dissent to their false teachings. Very little true light was available. But a slow renaissance was coming into the church as well. JWs often cite these examples of faithful people, who stood up against the powerful church, as ones who were possibly also anointed by Jehovah as they often were burnt or executed by the Church. John Wycliffe, Johannes Huss, comes to mind. They kept their integrity with the available light they had at the time. Jesus taught that ALL Christians must carry the gospel (Romans 10) How will they know if they have not heard? (paraphrased). As I mentioned before, people who just read the bible with a sincere heart, understand that they have to preach. I have a Swedish friend who had never read the bible in her life or been to a religious class (her parents were atheists), who tried to preach on her own after she regularly read the bible. She did not know how to go about it and no-one listened. It was not long after this that Witnesses found her and she is still a full-time preacher today. We not only preach but we are an earth-wide community or congregation of people dedicated Jehovah. In the "last day" this prophecy is coming to fulfillment. Isaiah 2: 2- 4 " In the final part of the days,he mountain of the house of Jehovah Will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, And it will be raised up above the hills, And to it all the nations will stream.c 3 And many peoples will go and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, To the house of the God of Jacob. He will instruct us about his ways, And we will walk in his paths.” For law* will go out of Zion, And the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. 4 He will render judgment among the nations And set matters straight* respecting many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Nor will they learn war anymore. From the above we learn that they are under heavenly mount Zion, New Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22 But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads* of angels). Jesus is now ruling invisibly in heaven and we fall, as a world-wide nation under his heavenly government. The identifying mark is our love because we refuse to kill our brothers in other nations - we are not influenced by the nationalistic wars propagated by beastly nations. My husband grew up as a Brethren, which also has different sects. Some of them do not even eat with their children if they have not been baptized.

Sorry - I had problems with the reply and it posted.... lol. This has been going on for quite some years. Muslims are "voluntarily" going for re-education to these work camps where they are forced to listen to government re-education and then write tests. On non-private interviews (someone from govt watching), they are in fear and they all say they are very happy. Their children (who have been taken away and put in schools for the right education) are now learning that the state cares for them also with state propaganda. Their parents make clothing (forced labor) for the State who in turn gets contracts from Nike and other top brand Western companies. The other secret which rarely gets coverage in western media and only "leaks" out at unfortunate moments, is the Falun Gong sect which has been vilified by the government to such an extent that no-one cares when they are killed for their body parts. CCP have been doing this for 20 years and make profit from high officials coming from other countries. One can get a perfect match for your transplant within 2 weeks. 60,000 transplants are done per year (this is what I found out while I could still get this kind of information - A few years back Chinese doctors in america where making arrangements for transplants in china and getting information this way. There are 6 or 7 (cannot remember ) hospitals dedicated 24-7 hours a day to transplants. About 60, 000 a year. People (whose DNA is a match), are taken in and their organs harvested while they are alive and then put directly into the waiting patient. Reports came out to the UN a few years back that this was going on. China assured them it will not happen again. All that changed was that less information is coming out of China regarding this. Now and then there are headlines which indicates that there are more allegations but rarely investigated. You will notice that this BBC report is showing pictures of Muslins before 2019. After this most of the records seem to be encrypted. The UN is so blind - they think that China is the model to follow..... but I am not surprised, even other WEF trained leaders such as Trudeau think China's dictatorship is wonderful. He has openly said so.

Yes - 1.3 million in re-education camps. This has been going on for q

I think they take people off here when they show extreme abuse not just threats. Talking of abuse - the photos at the end of this article shows the physical restraint of the Muslims in China. It is a BBC article of a secret cash of documents stolen off a Chinese computer. The UN thinks that China is the model for the rest of the world. A " Chinese approved " man is heading the WHO. Tedros comes from Ethiopia and has the backing of Mr Gates and China. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/85qihtvw6e/the-faces-from-chinas-uyghur-detention-camps?xtor=ES-208-[52635_NEWS_NLB_ACT_WK21_Tue_24_May]-20220524-[bbcnews_china_newsworld_uyghurs]

I agree, one should at least get a warning that one is overstepping the line. I myself have overstepped the line I set for myself, so I can feel for you. I think it happens when someone specifically was badly targeted in an abusive way for a period of time and the victim said something on the thread itself. It need not necessarily be a private complaint. So I hope you can continue here and be your normal self. ...even if we do not always agree.

No - I think us plebs want to know when people are trying to bamboozle us. I get suspicious when I see the same characteristics in the writing. But I do not like to do that kind of research....to see who it is. So I welcome it when someone points out that someone is toying with us - which is a deceit and unchristian.

That was only his personal opinion. If I recall correctly he had a lot of verbal abuse - and he went too far! None of us wanted him off! The only reason people are kicked off here is when they really go over the boundaries of mild abuse to extreme abuse.

Fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom! Not of people.....

The right word is "accusation" True, but he can learn to say what you thinks but in more polite terms.

I recon we are far in the time of the end - the pushback will fail. (but I could be wrong). They tried to do this before and it failed. I seem to think they have all their ducks in a row now. Some governments are being taken to court with the true facts of the pandemic....... so now they are forced to bring in the world government with more powers (and the powers are frightening because nothing is clearly defined), to get done what they want done. It is most probable that DARPA, NASA and other organizations such as CIA which is assisting Biden to get it done. They now have the technology to suppress information and believe me all who do not comply and talk differently and do not comply will see the abomination wreak its destruction. Religion is the main obstacle in their way at present.

I am an idiot, as this same character always says, and anyone else who dares to ask him questions or disagrees: but it seems, no matter what he masquerades as, or which mask he puts on, in the end we recognize the nastiness in the aliases. In Africa we say, a leopard does not change his spots....just like in other countries. Unless there is humility - this never changes. And as we learnt recently, we also need Jehovah's Spirit to change. We cannot do anything by ourselves. I think this character, whichever one he assumes, cannot get away from that. So as a fellow human I encourage him to at least try to please Jehovah even if he has no wish to get along with us. I will do the same. Our time is running out in this system. It is not worth the strife. We must rather try to encourage one another. I heard about an interview with doctor Malone (searching for it today), where he talks about the WHO taking over the rule of the world. WHO is the only UN organization with a constitution (I checked). The rights given the WHO in this Amended Agreement, which will be voted on next week, can put the Western world under the most terrible lockdown for a dark winter when fall comes this year - if not before. (I am not sure of the implementation date - within 6 months or 2 years). Those who are pulling the strings have a timetable they are working on. All countries will be forced to comply and I will not put it beyond them, to use and international army on those countries who do not comply. This reminds me of the abominable thing of destruction, as the second lockdown of Rome came along........ Very few will escape - only those who know Jehovah will. Talk of calling out false germs in food plants, businesses, areas, officials going from house to house to force "sleever" those who have not complied, identifying those humans who are vermin (carrying the germ). It is germ warfare to bring health and food 'security". The soft touch will be gone. It seems the King of the North and some of his alliances will not sign.... but the UN works according to majority vote (democracy). ALL countries are forced to accept when those who agree accept the terms. .... BUT it seems China has a large stake in it. The current head of the WHO was appointed due to China wielding to much power in this organization. He is pro-China. Those who are working behind the scenes to put him in power may put another in his place or keep him. I just watch this development......

Wrong- I will not hurt someone with real OCD. I call the apostates hate-OCD because all they can do is repeat the same stuff over and over about the GB

You're digging yourself in a deeper hole. More like an abyss! You know what Jehovah says about those who call others idiots!

You have called people here idiots and stupid etc. Do you think that is Christian behavior? Please explain.

Very funny observation!

Assumptions and sexist too!

It does not really matter who said it - it is true.

This is an amazing interview. I see many similarities with what is going on in the education system today. Young children learning the morals and the jargon of the future. The craziness and divisions going on in society with the new philosophies which are focused on only the material - what the body can produce. No land ownership, no rights for humans; no police and NO rights or even the choice of a religion. We are slowly moving into the next totalitarian phase of the world. I have the 5 minute talk this week which is a heartfelt interview of a young child (now a sister) who survived the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. She often prayed to the true God in her severe distress when children were killed for a small mistake. My eyes fell on this interview and it was very insightful. https://www.theepochtimes.com/survivor-of-the-cambodian-genocide-nal-oum-a-heartfelt-warning-to-the-west_4466876.html?utm_source=enewsnoe&utm_campaign=etv-2022-05-15&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1

Ha-ha We have now identified two kinds of illness on this forum. Hate-OCD and Tourette syndrome.

Yes, I compare it as the American equivalent of the old folk music in European countries. Negro spirituals is another brand of American folk which came from suffering. The old Scottish, the highly religious ones, used to sing spiritual songs in the theme and answer style which is very much similar to the African style of singing (main theme and a group which answers). These two styles blended when the Africans sang of their pain in the new religion.

I say again - ditto!

What a nasty piece of work you are! That is all I have to say!

When a thread reaches a point were the slanderers have nothing more to say than to openly attack and slander...... I guess the thread is done.

Excellent example of how you twist any sentence to suit your hate agenda.

There is no contradiction..... . One cannot conflate all history into "one box" of the present. One must see all history in its context of time..... Modern people do not walk around with elaborate hair braiding done by slaves ike the Greeks and Roman's did.....but it is the principle which must be upheld. Similarly, people today still eat whole blood in many foods and misuse whole blood in satanic rituals, as well as many other ways. If one applies the principle out of love for God, you will abstain from blood and respect the life it represents. In order to obey as far as possible one will educate yourself about modern equivalents. Such as the use of blood in creating fake meats etc.