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Let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.—Rev. 22:17.
An open invitation has been extended to humans by means of holy spirit. The invitation is to “come†and satisfy one’s thirst with a very special type of water. It is not ordinary water composed of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Though literal water is essential for sustaining life on earth, Jesus had in mind a different type of water when he said to a Samaritan woman at a well: “Whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty at all, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water bubbling up to impart everlasting life.†(John 4:14) The extraordinary water that humans are invited to partake of imparts everlasting life. The water of life represents all of God’s provisions for recovering obedient humans from sin and death and giving them unending perfect life in Paradise on earth.—1 John 4:9, 10.
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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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A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress.—Proverbs 17:17.
When composing those words, Solomon may have had in mind the friendship that his father, David, enjoyed with Jonathan. (1 Sam. 18:1) King Saul wanted his son Jonathan to inherit the throne of Israel. But Jonathan accepted the fact that Jehovah had chosen David for this privilege. Unlike Saul, Jonathan did not become envious of David. He did not resent the praise David received, nor did he swallow the slander that Saul spread about David. (1 Sam. 20:24-34) Are we like Jonathan? When our friends receive privileges, are we happy for them? When they suffer hardships, do we comfort and support them? If we hear harmful gossip about a friend, are we quick to believe it? Or, like Jonathan, do we loyally defend our friend?
Now to know the truth, go to:
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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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The [Beroeans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, . . . carefully examining the Scriptures daily.—Acts 17:11.
‘Did the Thessalonian Christians have appreciation for God’s Word?’ you may wonder. The comparison made above, however, was with the Thessalonian Jews in general, not with the Christians. Those who became believers ‘accepted God’s word, not as the word of men, but as the word of God.’ (1 Thess. 2:13) The older men must have worked hard to feed such ones spiritually. Today, the faithful and discreet slave class is providing God’s flock with “food at the proper time.†(Matt. 24:45) Under the slave’s direction, the local elders work hard to feed their brothers spiritually. To satisfy the congregation’s spiritual needs, the elders spend hours preparing meeting parts so that they can present the assigned information in a meaningful way. Have you thought about how much time the elders spend preparing their parts for meetings, assemblies, and conventions? w11 6/15 4:4, 5
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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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God . . . will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out.—1 Cor. 10:13.
What is the source of the temptation mentioned by Paul, and how does God make the way out for us? As illustrated by Israel’s experiences in the wilderness, the “temptation†comes through circumstances that could induce us to break God’s law. (1 Cor. 10:6-10) The temptations that we face are common to human experience. If we put forth needed effort to resist them and rely on God to sustain us, we can maintain our integrity. Jehovah never forsakes us to the point of permitting us to come into situations that make it humanly impossible to do his will. (Ps. 94:14) By strengthening us to resist temptation, Jehovah makes “the way out.†He will not allow the situation to develop to the point where we cannot remain faithful to him. God can fortify our faith and give us the spiritual strength we need in order to maintain integrity.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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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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Let us not be judging one another any longer, but rather make this your decision, not to put before a brother a stumbling block or a cause for tripping.—Romans 14:13.
Some Christians in Rome were improperly judging others on purely personal matters. (Rom. 14:1-6) Paul counseled individuals on both sides of the dispute. (Rom. 14:10, 14, 15, 20, 21) He told ‘everyone there among them not to think more of himself than it was necessary to think.’ (Rom. 12:3) After counseling them all, Paul wrote: “So, then, let us pursue the things making for peace and the things that are upbuilding to one another.†(Rom. 14:19) When differences among fellow Christians occur today, should we not likewise settle disputes graciously by humbly seeking and applying Scriptural counsel? As was the case with the Romans, today those on both sides of the controversy may need to make adjustments in order to “keep peace between one another.†—Mark 9:50. w11 8/15 4:8-10
Now to know the truth, go to:
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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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Jehovah is aware of the days of the faultless ones, and their very inheritance will continue even to time indefinite.—Ps. 37:18.
It is beneficial to reflect on those whom Jehovah drew and knew favorably. Abraham and Moses were imperfect and had flaws, as we do. Yet, they were known by Jehovah as ones belonging to him. Korah’s example, however, illustrates that it would be possible for us to draw away from Jehovah and thus no longer be known by him with approval. Each of us does well to ask himself: ‘How does Jehovah see me? What can I learn from these Bible examples?’ You can take great comfort in knowing that Jehovah views as belonging to him faithful ones whom he has drawn. Continue to develop faith, humility, and other qualities that further endear you to our God. Being known by Jehovah is undeniably a precious privilege that brings satisfaction to our life now, and it holds out wonderful blessings for the future.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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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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Beloved ones, let us continue loving one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born from God and gains the knowledge of God.—1 John 4:7.
The apostle Paul noted one manifestation of God’s love for people when he described Jehovah as “the God of all comfort.†(2 Cor. 1:3) Jesus demonstrated such love when he did what was foretold in Isaiah’s prophecy. (Isa. 61:1, 2) During his entire ministry, Jesus lovingly comforted mourning ones, bringing them encouragement and peace of mind. All followers of Jesus need to imitate him by comforting those who mourn. (1 Cor. 11:1) Paul said: “Keep comforting one another and building one another up.†(1 Thess. 5:11) Especially do we need to comfort others, since mankind now faces “critical times hard to deal with.†(2 Tim. 3:1) More and more, honesthearted people throughout the world are being confronted by some whose words and actions cause grief, heartache, and sadness. w11 10/15 4:1, 2
Now to know the truth, go to:
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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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When you see these things occurring, know that the kingdom of God is near. Luke 21:31.
Professor Richard Kyle, writes in his boo, ‘The Last Days Are Here Again,†and states “sudden change and social chaos created an atmosphere conducive to predictions of the end of the world.†That is especially the case when the change and chaos seem hard to explain.
However the Bible prophets who spoke about the end were not trying to explain baffling events of their day; Instead, they were inspired by Almighty God (YHWH) to describe conditions that would indicate an imminent end of the world. Consider some of these prophecies and decide fro yourself whether they are now being fulfilled in our time.
# Wars, famines, earthquakes, and epidemics of deadly disease – Matthew 24:7 and Luke 21:11.
# Significant increase in crime – Matthew 24:12.
# The ruining of the earth by mankind – Revelation 11:18.
# People who love themselves, money, and pleasures, but do not love God – 2 Timothy 3:2 and 4.
# The breakdown of the family – 2 Timothy 3:2-5.
# General apathy toward the evidence of the approaching end – Matthew 24:37-39.
# The preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom worldwide – Matthew 24:14.
As Jesus (Yeshua) said, seeing, “Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors.†Matthew 24:33.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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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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If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.—John 15:20.
Responding in kind to disparaging comments does not produce good results. How should we react? The apostle Peter wrote: “Sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect.†(1 Pet. 3:15) Our displaying courtesy—responding mildly and respectfully—may soften the attitude of those who insult us. (Titus 2:7, 8) Paul recommended: “Let your utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt, so as to know how you ought to give an answer to each one.†(Col. 4:6) If we make it a habit to be courteous to family members, fellow students, coworkers, members of the congregation, and people in the neighborhood, we are better prepared to face mockery and insults in a way worthy of a Christian.—Rom. 12:17-21.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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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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The Fight Against Truth and Freedom of Speech by Some Muslims:
A Response to NIAC's Deceitful Fundraising Letter
by Sam Nunberg
Frontpage Magazine
January 9, 2013
Tehran's informal lobby in Washington just suffered a massive defeat in court. Rather than acknowledge this fact, its president, one Trita Parsi, sent out an extraordinary fundraising letter in which he takes perilous liberties with the truth.
In the letter, dated Dec. 31, 2012, Parsi raised the specter of a well-funded conspiracy "by a small but powerful group of prominent pro-war neoconservatives," headed by Middle East Forum (MEF) President Daniel Pipes, "to destroy NIAC [National Iranian American Council] and silence the Iranian-American voice for peace." He went on: "These elements do not want Iranian Americans to have an independent voice in the United States and they certainly don't want an effective Iranian-American voice that stands in the way of their dreams of war." Parsi claimed that the MEF-led conspiracy "spent several million dollars to silence the voice of Iranian Americans, starting with NIAC," and that the funds came "from people like Sheldon Adelson."
Mr. Parsi's letter consists of fabrications, distortions and lies:
• The Middle East Forum does not, and has never sought "to destroy NIAC and silence the Iranian-American voice for peace." Quite the contrary, its Legal Project came to the defense of Seid Hassan Daioleslam, editor of the Iranian American Forum and a brave Iranian-American opponent of the regime in Tehran only after NIAC sued him. The Legal Project preserves rights of free expression, specifically the right in the West freely to discuss Islam, Islamism, terrorism, and related topics. It does not deal with foreign policy.
• Daioleslam documented over a two-year period that NIAC is a front group lobbying on behalf of the Iranian regime. NIAC & Parsi responded with a law suit. Approached by Daioleslam in August 2008 The Legal Project coordinated his pro bono defense by Sidley Austin LLP, led by Timothy Kapshandy, a senior litigation partner and Best Lawyers' 2012 Chicago Products Liability Lawyer of the Year.
• Prior to Daioleslam's approaching MEF for help in this matter, neither MEF nor Pipes had any sort of relationship with him.
• As for Parsi's claim "that these neoconservatives instructed Iranian writers what to write against NIAC, how to write it, and where to publish it," the editor of the Middle East Quarterly responded in August 2008 to an article submission by Daioleslam with advice on how best to present his arguments. The Middle East Quarterly did not publish his article.
• Parsi claims that Pipes has launched a massive effort "to destroy NIAC and silence the Iranian-American voice for peace" and he does not want "Iranian Americans to have an independent voice in the United States." We challenge Parsi to prove that Pipes aims to silence Iranian-Americans and reserve the right to sue for damages unless he retracts it.
• Most importantly, The Legal Project did not spend "several million dollars" on this case, as alleged by Parsi. We challenge Parsi to document this claim and reserve the right to sue for damages unless he retracts it.
• The Middle East Forum has never received any financial support from Sheldon Adelson. We challenge Parsi to document this claim and reserve the right to sue for damages unless he retracts it.
• Parsi conveniently omits from his fundraising letter that he lost the case he initiated against Daioleslam and will have to pay a significant amount of Daioleslam's legal expenses. (For details on the verdict, see news accounts here and here.)
The above inaccuracies are consistent with NIAC & Parsi's record through 4½ years of litigation in the Daioleslam case, including 2 years of discovery and over 30 court motions. Not only did they lose their suit on the merits in D.C. Federal District Court, but they continually made false statements and attempted to hide evidence (for which they are being monetarily sanctioned). In particular, the discovery phase of the trial revealed NIAC & Parsi's shoddy modus operandi. Documents produced by NIAC established that:
• The NIAC board in 2008 intended to use the Daioleslam case to deter future scrutiny of NIAC's activities (as revealed by board minutes).
• Parsi, who pretends to advocate for sanctions against Iran allegedly based on human rights concerns, in fact works with Iranian oil consultants.
In his decision on Sept. 13, 2012, U.S. District Judge Bates described NIAC's & Parsi's legal malfeasance as "the sort of behavior that warrants deterrence measures" and expressed the hope that "an award of expenses [to Daioleslam] will act as a deterrent" that will stop "plaintiffs from future discovery abuses." Parsi et al v. Hassan, Civil Action No. 08-705, Doc No. 190, 23, (D.D.C. 2012).
The Legal Project, the Middle East Forum, and Daniel Pipes heartily endorse the judge's hope.
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It gets down to the simple fact that Islam’s clergy and others in Islam fear the truth most of all. For example, here is a piece of history that Islam has sought to hide for centuries, and even most Muslims in India where it occurred are ignorant of it. To wit, The truth about Aurangzeb
FACT, the Trust which I head, is holding an exhibition on 'Aurangzeb as he was according to Mughal documents', from February 16 to 20 at New Delhi's Habitat Center, the Palm Court Gallery, from 10 am to 9 pm.
Why an exhibition on Aurangzeb, some may ask. Firstly, I have been a close student of Indian history, and one of its most controversial figures has been Aurangzeb (1658-1707). It is true that under him the Mughal empire reached its zenith, but Aurangzeb was also a very cruel ruler some might even say monstrous.
What are the facts? Aurangzeb did not just build an isolated mosque on a destroyed temple, he ordered all temples destroyed, among them the Kashi Vishwanath temple, one of the most sacred places of Hinduism, and had mosques built on a number of cleared temple sites. Other Hindu sacred places within his reach equally suffered destruction, with mosques built on them. A few examples: Krishna's birth temple in Mathura; the rebuilt Somnath temple on the coast of Gujarat; the Vishnu temple replaced with the Alamgir mosque now overlooking Benares; and the Treta-ka-Thakur temple in Ayodhya. The number of temples destroyed by Aurangzeb is counted in four, if not five figures. Aurangzeb did not stop at destroying temples, their users were also wiped out; even his own brother Dara Shikoh was executed for taking an interest in Hindu religion; Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded because he objected to Aurangzeb's forced conversions.
Yet, Percival Spear, co-author with Romila Thapar of the prestigious A History of India (Penguin), writes: 'Aurangzeb's supposed intolerance is little more than a hostile legend based on isolated acts such as the erection of a mosque on a temple site in Benares.' L'histoire de l'Inde moderne (Fayard), the French equivalent of Percival Spear's history of India, praises Aurangzeb and says, 'He has been maligned by Hindu fundamentalists'. Even Indian politicians are ignorant of Aurangzeb's evil deeds. Nehru might have known about them, but for his own reasons he chose to keep quiet and instructed his historians to downplay Aurangzeb's destructive drive and instead praise him as a benefactor of arts.
Since then six generations of Marxist historians have done the same and betrayed their allegiance to truth. Very few people know for instance that Aurangzeb banned any kind of music and that painters had to flee his wrath and take refuge with some of Rajasthan's friendly maharajahs.
Thus, we thought we should get at the root of the matter. History (like journalism) is about documentation and first-hand experience. We decided to show Aurangzeb according to his own documents. There are an incredible number of farhans, original edicts of Aurangzeb hand-written in Persian, in India's museums, particularly in Rajasthan, such as the Bikaner archives. It was not always easy to scan them, we encountered resistance, sometimes downright hostility and we had to go once to the chief minister to get permission. Indeed, the director of Bikaner archives told us that in 50 years we were the first ones asking for the farhans dealing with Aurangzeb's destructive deeds. Then we asked painters from Rajasthan to reproduce in the ancient Mughal style some of the edicts: the destruction of Somnath temple; the trampling of Hindus protesting jaziya tax by Aurangzeb's elephants; or the order from Aurangzeb prohibiting Hindus to ride horses and palanquins; or the beheading of Teg Bahadur and Dara Shikoh.
People might say: 'OK, this is all true, Aurangzeb was indeed a monster, but why rake up the past, when we have tensions between Muslims and Hindus today?' There are two reasons for this exhibition. The first is that no nation can move forward unless its children are taught to look squarely at their own history, the good and the bad, the evil and the pure. The French, for instance, have many dark periods in their history, more recently some of the deeds they did during colonisation in North Africa or how they collaborated with the Nazis during the Second World War and handed over French Jews who died in concentration camps (the French are only now coming to terms with it).
The argument that looking at one's history will pit a community against the other does not hold either: French Catholics and Protestants, who share a very similar religion, fought each other bitterly. Catholics brutally murdered thousands of Protestants in the 18th century; yet today they live peacefully next to each other. France fought three wars with Germany in the last 150 years, yet they are great friends today.
Let Hindus and Muslims then come to terms with what happened under Aurangzeb, because Muslims suffered as much as Hindus. It was not only Shah Jahan or Dara Shikoh who were murdered, but also the forefathers of today's Indian Muslims who have been converted at 90 per cent. Aurangzeb was the Hitler, the asura of medieval India. No street is named after Hitler in the West, yet in New Delhi we have Aurangzeb Road, a constant reminder of the horrors Aurangzeb perpetrated against Indians, including his own people.
Finally, Aurangzeb is very relevant today because he thought that Sunni Islam was the purest form of his religion and he sought to impose it with ruthless efficiency -- even against those of his own faith, such as his brother. Aurangzeb clamped down on the more syncretic, more tolerant Islam, of the Sufi kind, which then existed in India. But he did not fully succeed. Four centuries later, is he going to have the last word? I remember, when I started covering Kashmir in the late '70s, that Islam had a much more open face. The Kashmir Muslim, who is also a descendant of converted Hindus, might have thought that Allah was the only true God, but he accepted his Kashmiri Pandit neighbour, went to his or her marriage, ate in his or her house and the Hindu in turn went to the mosque. Women used to walk with open faces, watch TV, films.
Then the shadow of Aurangzeb fell on Kashmir and the hardline Sunnis came from Pakistan and Afghanistan: cinemas were banned, the burqa imposed, 400,000 Kashmiri Pandits were chased out of Kashmir through violence and became refugees in their own land and the last Sufi shrine of Sharar-e-Sharif was burnt to the ground (I was there). Today the Shariat has been voted in Kashmir, a state of democratic, secular India, UP's Muslims have applauded, and the entire Indian media which went up in flames when the government wanted Vande Mataram to be sung, kept quiet. The spirit of Aurangzeb seems to triumph.
But what we need today in India -- and indeed in the world -- is a Dara Shikoh, who reintroduces an Islam which, while believing in the supremacy of its Prophet, not only accepts other faiths, but is also able to see the good in each religion, study them, maybe create a synthesis. Islam needs to adapt its scriptures which were created nearly 15 centuries ago for the people and customs of these times, but which are not necessarily relevant in some of their injunctions today. Kabir, Dara Shikoh and some of the Sufi saints attempted this task, but failed. Aurangzeb knew what he was doing when he had his own brother beheaded. And we know what we are saying when we say that this exhibition is very relevant to today's India.
May the Spirit of Dara Shikoh come back to India and bring back Islam to a more tolerant human face.
So the latest attempts to cover or hide the truth by Islam should come as no surprise.
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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!