Those grafted in again

The apostle  Paul wrote about the dispersion, the dispersed House of Israel. They had been “without covenant“, but Paul was sent out to recover them. So they were “grafted in again“ (Romans 11/23). Or, Grafted back in“. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been …

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Religion and believers #14 Church and state

Constantine wanted unity in his realm, and his call in 325 C.E. for a council of his bishops at Nicaea, located in the Eastern, Greek-speaking domain of his empire, across the Bosporus from the new city of Constantinople was in a certain way his goal to achieve some agreement by which many could live. Constantine …

Religion and believers #13 Superstition, misunderstanding and hatred leading up to the Nicene Creed

Superstition, misunderstanding and hatred caused the Christians trouble for many generations, and governmental repression they had to suffer occasionally, as a result of popular disturbances. No systematic effort was made by the imperial authorities to put an end to the movement until the reign of the Roman emperor (249–251) who fought the Gothic invasion of …

Religion and believers #12 Ranking and days for days to holding worship in secret

Self-enhancing When the apostles had died there came a time when those in charge of teaching and going around telling about the gospel, started coming to see themselves as special people. Some even started to consider themselves as 'clergy of the highest order'. After a time the organisation of the church was given only to …

Religion and believers #11 Prospect of a life without end in a peaceful kingdom

A New Judaic movement The followers of Christ brought some new movement in action which spread quite naturally beyond the confines of Palestine. Their group found adherents among the Jews of the dispersion, and at an early day also among the Gentiles as well. Many of the latter had already come under the influence of …

Religion and believers #10 Infiltrating pagan teachings

In the previous posting we saw already how the pupils of the disciples from the apostles searched in other classic writings to add some flavour to their teaching and to gain more popularity because some Greek philosophers were very popular. Certain members of the community found themselves too weak to present strong teachings and therefore …

Religion and believers #9 Old and new cults

By the passing of years it happened that some pupils came to take over teachings from other cultures and religions and as such became considered to be antichrists.

Religion and believers #8 Groups following one or another apostle

As the disciples of Christ spread and made new disciples different opinions made new groups with new leaders.

Religion and believers #7 Independent and organised form of existence of a religion

When talking about religions we particularly look at the independent and organised form of existence of a religion which one calls 'Church'.

Religion and believers #6 Origin of a church

Origin of the Christian community Chosen disciples The Nazarener Jew Jeshua ben Josef, who worshipped the God of Israel (Who is One), in the first century of the common era, chose some talmidim or direct disciples and got several followers. Though the Roman and several Jewish rulers thought the death of that rabbi would end …

Religion and believers #5 Transition to Monotheism

In this chapter we look at the Roman-Greco influence of philosophers and at the 19th century terms henotheism and kathenotheism that were used to refer to the exalting of a particular god as exclusively the highest within the framework of a particular hymn or ritual—e.g., in the hymns of the Vedas (the ancient sacred texts of India).

Religion and believers #4 Order of Nature and Polytheism on the way to monotheism

We look at how personifications of truth, justice, and the cosmic order came to result in a search for one highest being.

Religion and believers #3 From father and mother gods to land and local gods

We have a look at the father gods and mother gods or rulers of all the gods that people choose to worship.

Religion and believers #2 Different forms of Truth

Observation of nature; closer attention to its contrasts of life and death, or light and darkness, or male and female brought people to worship elements of nature.

Religion and believers #1 Lots of groups and forms of belief to be taken interest in

In Christendom there are groups who find themselves exclusive, believing they are the holders of the absolute truth, while all others are heretics or even the work of the devil himself.

It is being claimed that the religious group now known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses was started by Charles Taze Russell

There are lots of people who think the Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded by Charles Taze Russell, but that is not true. It is a pity that the religious organisation of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society states that it would be founded by that preacher who was at the roots of the American branch of …

Many skeptics who raise objections to the Bible its veracity

In which way can the Bible be a book to trust?

In all circumstances preaching Christ

These days, there is not much changed concerning opposition against the teachings of Jesus Christ and the preaching of Good News.

The Most Appropriate teacher and Scoffers in our contemporary age

2000 years ago Jesus spoke about such teachers who think they are the only ones who can explain the Bible. Today people should be aware that it is the Scriptures itself that can explain everything and that it is Jeshua, Jesus Christ, whom we should follow as the most perfect teacher.

A Look at some Watchtower publications about baptism

A look at the bible Students and different Jehovah's Witnesses regulations or prescriptions and rules for undergoing baptism.