Search Related Sites

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Does Science Contradict the Genesis Account?

A careful study of the Bible text reveals no conflict with established scientific facts. For that reason, Jehovah’s Witnesses disagree with “Christian” Fundamentalists and many Young Earth Creationists.

(For more see: "Are Jehovah's Witnesses Creationists?"; Watchtower Online Library)

The Bible most certainly is in harmony with our most current scientific understanding. Consider:

The Genesis account clearly outlines how certain animals were created BEFORE MAN was created. Some dinosaurs (and pterosaurs) may indeed have been created in the fifth era listed in Genesis, when the Bible says that God made "flying creatures" and "great sea monsters." Perhaps other types of dinosaurs were created in the sixth epoch. (Genesis 1:20-24)

And fossil evidence clearly shows that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago - LONG (65 million years) before man was created. So they became extinct well before Adam and Eve's time.

The reason that some "Christian" Fundamentalists and Young Earth Creationists "believe "the devil" made fossils and buried them while we weren't watching" is to support their belief that that the Earth itself is only 6-10,000 years old. This conclusion by them is based on Bible genealogy and interpreting the 'days' mentioned in Genesis as literal 24 hour days. The Biblical creation account as recorded in Genesis IS compatible with scientific evidence...it is just that the conclusion mentioned above is a misinterpretation of the Genesis account.

Bible genealogy *does* provide evidence that MAN has been on earth for only thousands of years. But that does not have to mean that the "heavens and earth" have only been around that long as many "Christian" Fundamentalists and Young Earth Creationists will want one to believe.

Gen. 1:2 and on describes God's terreforming of the earth over a period of what the account calls as "days". However, these "days" were most likely NOT literal days, but rather figurative "days" such as the descriptive sayings: "Back in the 'day' of my youth" or "In the 'day' of the dinosaurs". The creative "days" mentioned in Genesis could not have been literal 24 hour days because, in just one example in Gen.1:11-13, grass is described as shooting forth and vegetation bearing seed and fruit trees yielding fruit in just one of these "days". So because these creative "days" were figurative, they could have actually been hundreds, thousands or even millions of years in length.

So in harmony with scientific evidence, God most likely created the earth billions of years ago and THEN created man only thousands of years ago.

For more, see:

Does Science Contradict the Genesis Account? (g 9/06 pp. 18-20; Watchtower Online Library)

Day - Links to Information (Search For Bible Truths)

Creation - Links to Information (Search For Bible Truths)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Only-Begotten (Monogenes) - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

ONLY-BEGOTTEN (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

ONLY-BEGOTTEN (Insight-2 pp. 556-557; Watchtower Online Library)

Monogenes (only begotten) (Defending the NWT)

Begotten and Created (Examining the Trinity)

OBGOD - Jn 1:18 - "only-begotten god" - NWT (Examining the Trinity)

Does Coptic John 1:18 contradict Coptic John 1:1? (NWT & Coptic)

DEF (Examining the Trinity)

THEON (Examining the Trinity)

John 1:18 "the only-begotten god" / Son (Defending the NWT)

Worship - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

WORSHIP (Insight-2 pp. 1210-1212; Watchtower Online Library)

WORSHIP - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Worship (as used in Scripture) (Examining the Trinity)

Is It Proper to Worship Jesus? "Worship" (Proskuneo /Shachah) - Different Levels of Meaning in Scripture (Search For Bible Truths)

Worship or Obeisance? (Bible Translation and Study)

PROSKYNEO-Always "Worship"? (In Defense of The New World Translation)

Heb. 1:6 - "Let all the angels of God worship him [Jesus]." (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Heb. 1:6 "All angels of God worship him" KJV (Search For Bible Truths)

Weddings / Wedding Rings

Click on any of the following links to view:

WEDDINGS - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

RING (Insight-2 p. 812; Watchtower Online Library)

Why are wedding anniversaries acceptable to celebrate but not birthday anniversaries? (Search For Bible Truths)

Should WEDDING RINGS and the use of days and months of the GREGORIAN CALENDAR be avoided by true Christians? (Search For Bible Truths)

A wedding ring has no direct relationship to any act of worship... (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

No pagan worship can be found in the history of the wedding ring. (Cyclopaedia Quotes from 1972 Watchtower article, p. 63 (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Water - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

WATER - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

WATER (Insight-2 pp. 1172-1174; Watchtower Online Library)

Water (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

The unusual (and beneficial) properties of water (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Should a person be baptized by a mere pouring or sprinkling or by complete immersion? (Search For Bible Truths)

If the Holy Spirit is really a person, wouldn't the water and blood be persons too according to Trinitarian reasoning and 1 John 5:8? (Search For Bible Truths)

Flood
From what source was the Flood of Noah's day? (Search For Bible Truths) What effect of a rapid diminishment of a global water canopy? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers) Is there any evidence to support the idea of a global flood?

Water Witching (Dowsing) and Other "Paranormal" Powers (Search For Bible Truths)

Did Jesus turn the water to wine or grape juice? (Search For Bible Truths)

Claim About Moses - The First Dowser?
Is it from this crag that we shall bring out water for YOU?" With that Moses lifted his hand up and struck the crag with his rod twice; and much water began to come out, and the assembly and their beasts of burden began to drink. (Search For Bible Truths)

Dr. Emoto and his claims of the power of water and prayer (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Vote / Voting

Click on any of the following links to view:

How do Jehovah's Witnesses View Voting? (11/1/99 Watchtower via Search For Bible Truths)

Voting in Political Elections (lv pp. 212-215; Watchtower Online Library)

Why Don't Jehovah's Witnesses Vote? (Slate article)

Why Don't Jehovah's Witnesses Vote, Pledge Allegiance Or Support The Military? (Search For Bible Truths)

Watch Tower Society

Click on any of the following links to view:

WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC. - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

WATCHTOWER EDUCATIONAL CENTER (Patterson) - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

WATCHTOWER FARMS (Wallkill) - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Watch Tower Society (Pastor Russell)

Watch Tower Society Incorported (Pastor Russell)

Brooklyn Bethel—100 Years of History (Subjects considered: "Why Move to Brooklyn?" and "Why Called Bethel?") (Pastor Russell)

The Bible House (Pastor Russell)

Their Modern Development and Growth (Pastor Russell)

No Claim of Inspiration (Pastor Russell)

Watchtower

Click on any of the following links to view:

WATCHTOWER (Insight -2 p. 1172; Watchtower Online Library)

WATCHTOWER, THE (Magazine) - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Watchtower and Awake! Magazine Downloads (JW.org)

Why is the Watchtower magazine called the "Watchtower"? (Pastor Russell)

Is it true that Jehovah's Witnesses print the 1st & 2nd most widely distributed magazines in the world? (Search For Bible Truths)

Countering the Claim That the Watchtower is of Pagan Origin (Pastor Russell)

War - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

WAR - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

War (Insight-2 pp. 1166-1170; Watchtower Online Library)

War (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

What is the difference between war in Biblical times and warfare today? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

What is the crucial difference between "biblical" or 'good' warfare and the wars between nations today? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

What is the war of Armageddon and does the use of the name Armageddon (Har–Magedon) mean that the war will be fought at a literal Mountain of Megiddo? (Search For Bible Truths)

Monday, November 15, 2010

April Fools' Day - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

How Should a Christian View April Fools' Day? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)

Origins of April Fools' Day (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

When it comes to having fun or playing practical jokes at another's expense, what scriptural principles should be kept in mind? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Holidays (Search For Bible Truths)

Arianism - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

Arianism (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Arius - HIST. pt. 3, pars. 1-8; HIST. pt. 5, par. 6 (and f.n. #109, 112, 113, 143, 146) (Examining the Trinity)

Jehovah's Witnesses, not a form of Arianism (Pastor Russell)

Apologizing - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

Apologizing - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Apologize (Search results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Cultivate the Spirit of a Lesser One (THE WATCHTOWER (STUDY EDITION) NOVEMBER 2012; JW.ORG)

"Apologizing - A Key Way to Making Peace" (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Is 'Allah' simply translated to English as "God"?

Allah - "the one and only God in the religion of Islam. Etymologically, the name Allah is probably a contraction of the Arabic al-Il'h, 'the God.' The name's origin can be traced back to the earliest Semitic writings in which the word for 'god' was Il or El, the latter being an Old Testament synonym for Yahweh. Allah is the standard Arabic word for "God" and is also used by Arab Christians as well as by Muslims." - Encyclopedia Britannica.com.

The Britannica article above is OK except for its statement that El is an Old Testament synonym for Yahweh. El is sometimes used in Scripture as a title ('God') for YHWH (Yahweh/Jehovah). The usual title in Old Testament Scripture, also meaning 'God,' is Elohim. It is a common TITLE, whereas YHWH (Yahweh/Jehovah) is a proper name given by God Himself in Scripture. Allah has come to be used as a proper name, but it originated as a title, like EL, which simply means 'a god.'

So, yes, Allah is simply translated to English as 'the god.' Muslims, however, would probably tell us that it is a proper name for God.

For more, see:

"Some think that “Jehovah” in Hebrew means “Allah” (God). But..." (T-72 pp. 1-6, The Greatest Name; Watchtower Online Library)

The Greatest Name (JW.ORG)

ALLAH (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Ahaziah - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

Ahaziah - Links to Information (Insight-1 pp. 62-63; Watchtower Online Library)

Ahaziah (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Abraham - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

ABRAHAM (Insight-1 pp. 28-32;Watchtower Online Library)

ABRAHAM - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Abraham—A Friend of God (My Book of Bible Stories; JW.ORG)

Luke 16:19-31 - A Parable That Does NOT Teach a Literal Torment in Hell (Search For Bible Truths)

The Biblical Hell (Jehovah's Witnesses United; Includes analysis of Luke 16:19-31)

Even though the story about Abraham's Bosom is supposed to be symbolic, what is the meaning behind it? And why does it say that the angels carried them off after death? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers; Question #2)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Archaeology - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

ARCHAEOLOGY - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

ARCHAEOLOGY (Insight-1 pp. 147-156; Watchtower Online Library)

Archaeology (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries of the Twentieth Century Relating to the Biblical World (biblicalstudies.info - Article by Keith N. Schoville; Professor Emeritus of Hebrew and Semitic Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Biblical Archaelogy Review

American Standard Version Bible (ASV) - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

American Standard Version - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online library)

What is the ASV Bible? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Links to ASV Bibles online (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

1975

Click on any of the following links to view:

1975 (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

1975 and Jehovah's Witnesses - The Opposers' Claims Vs. The Facts (Search For Bible Truths)

The Problem with "False Prophecy" Polemics (Bible Translation and Study)

Response to anti-JW video concerning 1975 (AB; Daniel2)

Dates (1914; 1975) (Search For Bible Truths)

False Prophet (Search For Bible Truths Category)

"The JW organization itself didn't actively promote 1975 as a definite date for Armageddon by any means..." (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

"The WTS NEVER said the "End" would come (in 1975). The problem was the people, not the WTS..." (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Alcohol - Links to Information

Click on any of the following to view:

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

WINE AND STRONG DRINK (Insight-2 pp. 1187-1189; Watchtower Online Library)

Alcohol (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Beware of the Intentions of the Heart (THE WATCHTOWER (STUDY EDITION) FEBRUARY 2013; JW.ORG)

How Do Jehovah's Witnesses View the Consumption of Alcohol? (Search For Bible Truths)

How do Jehovah's Witnesses view the consumption of alcohol? (AB; Elijah)

Did Jesus turn the water to wine or grape juice? (Search For Bible Truths)

Birth Control - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

BIRTH CONTROL - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Is it compatible with Bible principles for a Christian married couple to use birth control pills? (Search For Bible Truths)

Are birth-control pills a form of abortion? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)

Is it compatible with Bible principles for a Christian married couple to use birth control pills? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers; 'Questions From Readers', 6/15/89 Watchtower)

Abiogenesis - Links to Information

Click on any of the following links to view:

Could life have occurred spontaneously? ("Impossible" Creatures) (Search For Bible Truths)

Does the 'artificial life' breakthrough recently announced by scientists prove 'abiogenesis'? (Search For Bible Truths)

How Did the Universe and Life Originate? (g02 6/8 pp. 4-7; Watchtower Online Library)

Monday, November 8, 2010

Noah - Links to Information

(Also see the "Flood" category.)

Click on any of the following links to view:

NOAH - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Noah (Insight-2 pp. 506-508; Watchtower Online Library)

Noah (Search Results From the Watchtower Online Library)

Did the Great Flood of Noah's Day Really Happen? (Search For Bible Truths)

From what source was the Flood of Noah’s day? (Search For Bible Truths)

In what year does the Bible indicate the Great Flood occurred and why didn't Noah's father and grandfather enter the ark? (Search For Bible Truths)

For how long did Noah preach and how can this be proved Scripturally? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)