I never said you did.
But you did propose a scenario involving religious people.
As I am not religious, I am not represented.



Christianity is based on the Bible.
About 33% of the world is Christian.
Both Judaism and Islam are based on the Bible.
So I would say that it is appropriate to post Scriptures on any discussion on religion.
Any discussion about religion that lacks Scripture I would consider to be incomplete.



Of course, you do not know anything about me. Making assumptions like this only exposes what you are made of. But your comment is much like the kettle calling the pot black.

CLV Prov. 16:25 There is a way that seems upright before a man, Yet its end becomes the ways of death.

Love in the New Testament...

agapao - This seems to be the main one. That means, chances are, when you see the word love in the NT, it will be this one. It is used 142 times and is translated into...

Love 135
Beloved 7

It means love of persons, of things, and to be well pleased and/or content with a thing. Literally translated, it means Love.

In John 3:16 (I am sure we are all familiar with this verse) this term is used as an Aorist verb. This means that it's tense is past, present, and future all in one verb. It might read, God loved the world, God loves the world, and God will love the world.

agape - Used 116 times. it comes from Agapao and is translated into...

Love 86
Charity 27
Dear 1
Charitably (+ kata) 1

It means brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence, and love feasts. Literally translated it means Love.

thelo (or ethelo) - from haireomai (which is obsolete), used 210 times and is translated into such words as...

Will/Would 159
Will/Would Have 16
Desire 13
Desirous 3
List 3
To Wil 2
Miscellaneous 4

It means to will, to have in mind, intend, to be resolved or determined, to purpose, to desire or wish, to love, to be fond of doing something, to take delight in, and/or have pleasure. Literally translated is-willing.

philadelphia - From philadelphos (fraternal:--love as brethren), is used 6 times and translated into...

Brotherly Love 3
Brotherly Kindness 2
Love of the Brethren 1

It means love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love. The early Christians called each other brethren, and expressed a brotherly love for each other.

philandros - From philos (actively, fond, i.e. friendly) + aner (fellow, husband, man, sir), is used one time as love their husbands. Titus 2, literally translated as fond of men.

philanthropia - From philos (actively, fond, i.e. friendly), is used twice, once as Kindness and once as Love Toward Man. It means the love of mankind, benevolence. Literally translated as FONDness-of-humanity.

phileo - From philos (actively, fond, i.e. friendly), is used 25 times and translated as...

Love 22
Kiss 3

It means to love, to approve of, to like, sanction, to welcome, to befriend, to show signs of love, to kiss, to be fond of doing, to be used to or accustomed to. Literally translated it is be-fond.



The words in the Bible illustrate just how the English word "love" falls short.

Love in the Old Testament...

ahab (or aheb) - Is used 208 times in the OT and translated in to such words as

Love (169 times)
Lover/Lovers (19 times)
Friend/Friends (12 times)
Beloved (5 times)
Like (1 time)
Lovely (1 time)
Loving (1 time)

This is the main one. It includes family love, love for another, and sexual love. It also includes the human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom. It is the act of being a friend, lover, participant. It can be lovely, lovable, lovers, just friends, or someone you just like. It is used for God's love for man, to individual men, to a people (Israel), and to righteousness; as well as the love for or toward God. It can also describe adulterers.

As this is the Primitive Root Word, other words on love will stem from this term. It is literally translated you-love.

ahabah - is used 40 times in the OT and translated into Love.

Such types of love include human love for a human object, of man toward man, of man toward himself, between man and woman. It also includes sexual desire and God's love for His people.

It comes from ahab (it's a Root word) and is literally translated as love or lovers.

dowd (or dod) - Is from an unused root word which means to boil. It is translated into...

Beloved (34 times)
Uncle (16 times)
Love/Loves (8 times)
Father's Brother (2 times)

It means beloved, love, loved one, uncle, and love in the Plural Abstract.

chashaq - Another Primitive Root Word that is used 11 times and is translated into...

Desire (3 times)
Set his Love (2 times)
Filleted (3 times)
Log (1 time)
Delight (1 time)
In Love (1 time)

Now, filleted does not mean it was cooked in butter sauce with a little lemon. Although the Apostles were fishermen (for the most part) this word has nothing to do with fish. The Etymology of the word tells me it is short for Fil (yeah, short), which means a thread. Now this word is the origin for the word File (in case you want to know how it arrived into English).

It means Attached or Connected to. If you look at all the instances it is used, it's meaning will become clear.

egeb - from agab which means to love sensually, dote (to be lavish or excessive in one's attention, fondness, or affection), or lover. It is used twice and is translated Love and Lovely, each once.

agab - Another Primitive Root Word is used 7 times and translated into Doted 6 times and Lovers once.

It means an inordinate affection or lust. Tactile love. Literally translated it is she-is-doting or ones-doting.

agabah - from agab it is used once and is translated, Inordinate Love. It can mean Lustfulness and is used in connection with prostitution.

rea (or reya) - Is used 188 times and is translated into such words as...

Neighbor 102
Friend 42
Another 23
Fellow 10
Companion 5
Other 2
Brother 1
Husband 1
Lovers 1
Neighbor (+ ben) 1

Literally translated as associate-of, it means friend, companion, fellow citizen, another person, and/or intimate friend.

rayah - comes from rea and is used 10 times. It is translated as My Love or Friends. It means Female companions and is literally translated shepherdess-of-me or dearests-of-me.

I don't know who you are talking to or what you mean.

The fact is I have read the Song of Solomon, as I have read the entire Bible.

Have you?

So, do you have the guts to be a bit less cryptic?

I don't know what you are trying to accomplish.

But the Scriptures do not tell us to just be a good person.

Good is relative. But I would say if something is good, it has to be good for something.

I am not religious.



Much like the Pharisees, you lack the understanding of what the Scriptures are and especially what they are for.



The issue I have put forth in this thread is the Scriptures. Not the beliefs of others.



Yes, I have seen how you conduct yourself. It leaves much to be desired.

But I waste my time trying to talk to someone who has never read the book and does not understand it.

CLV Matt 22:29
Now, answering, Jesus said to them, "You are deceived, not being acquainted with the scriptures, nor yet with the power of God.

And yet there are only 613 Mitzvot in the Scriptures. It seems that some churches tend to add a few...

CLV Matt 11:30 for My yoke is kindly and My load is light.

Apparently, the load of the church is not as kindly.

That is the major problem here. As long as we are using our opinion we are not using the Scriptures.
The Scriptures will teach us how to interpret the Scriptures. I suppose the hardest part is getting yourself out of the way.
The simplest version of the Bible is the oldest and most complete. These are the English versions based only on the Ancient text. Not manuscripts that were written over 1000 years later.
Ignore what the Scriptures teach about interpretation and you are creating your own religion. Something other than Christianity.

CLV Prov. 16:25 There is a way that seems upright before a man, Yet its end becomes the ways of death.

Before we get into the mistranslation of this passage, I feel that I have to point out this poster's use of the word "should." I have noticed that when people use this word, that they are trying to inflict (or impose) their own morals on you or someone else.

Strong's

G283 amiantos am-ee'-an-tos
from G1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G3392;

unsoiled, i.e. (figuratively) pure.

We are told what this word 'amiantos' means in relation to the marriage bed.

CLV Heb 13:4 May matrimony be honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, for paramours and adulterers will God be judging.

Paramours and adulterers.

A paramour is very different from someone who is "sexually immoral." Immoral implies that there is someone's morality involved. Yet God does not use morality.

I would be willing to bet that most people here do not know what a paramour is. I can almost hear the clicking of search engines heating up this site. Let us not forget that this is an Ancient Greek term and not subject to the rules and interpretations of English.

Strong's

G4205 pornos por'-nos
from pernemi (to sell; akin to the base of G4097);

a (male) prostitute (as venal), i.e. (by analogy) a debauchee (libertine).

And let us note that from this definition a male prostitute gets paid for his services.

We all believe we know what adultery is. You have to be married to commit adultery, or do with someone married.

But there is another meaning to this word. One more specific to Israel. Someone who has been beguiled by "other" gods. Much like the Israelites who worshipped the golden calf that Aaron fashioned.

Adultery is not always about having sex.

Perhaps this is tantamount to how we have traded our Lord and Savior for the comfort and Christian substitution of the church.

It's nice that there are some who prefer to have their marriage bed "pure," as he or she defines it. What I find confusing is how these people are able to ignore what the Scriptures actually say.

Perhaps in English


Strong's

H430 'elohiym el-o-heem'

plural of H433;

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative.



IEUE is Hebrew.
It translates to
will be-ing-was
Future - Present - Past

Strong's

H3068 Yehovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from H1961;

(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God. Compare H3050, H3069.



In Ancient Greek it is 'theos'
It translates as "Placer."

Strong's

G2316 theos theh'-os

of uncertain affinity;

a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

I seem to recall several you were involved in.

The term "hell" is attached to a Christian, yet unscriptural doctrine. It implies burning in an unquenchable fire for eternity. It is NOT like getting caught in a burning building.

Having a bad day is not like going to a symbolic "hell."

Not only do you misrepresent the doctrine of "hell," but you have confused "hell" with death.

There is alot incorrect about what you have already said. And now you are doing what we call back-peddling to try to and undo what you have already said. The problem is, you have already said it. And you cannot unsay it.

I can only hope that these are your last words. Just remember, I will be around to correct whatever future untruths you decide to tell.

And yet you have posted disinformation about their beliefs in the afterlife. And you seem surprised that someone would correct you on it.

The explanation you gave was bogus. It does not explain how "hell" can be symbolic. You don't seem to understand what "hell" is. How can your life represent "hell" when it is finite?

Of course, I post Scripture. It is the only authoritative Chrisitan source we have. Your opinions are not taken as authoritative. Just so much hot air.

CLV John 5:39 "Search the scriptures, for in them you are supposing you have life eonian, and those are they which are testifying concerning Me,

We are commanded by Jesus to read and search the Scriptures. It seems that all you are doing is making up your own version of Christianity as you go along.

CLV Matt 22:29 Now, answering, Jesus said to them, "You are deceived, not being acquainted with the scriptures, nor yet with the power of God.

Right. This is the topic that you have chosen to address.

So, you have set yourself up as the topic police and I didn't even get the badge number.

May I remind you that it was YOU who brought up the JWs belief (or lack thereof) of a "hell." And still not explaining sufficiently how there could possibly be a "symbolic hell." It just makes no sense.

So, as long as no one is trying to correct your disinformation their comment must be within the boundaries of the topic. However, if anyone exposes your lack of knowledge, all of the sudden they are "off topic"?

Hmmmm. I sense at least two standards here.

The facts remain the same. The JWs do NOT believe in a "hell" and they would be happy (for the most part) to discuss this with anyone who wishes.

As a further note, there is no "hell" in the Scriptures. Many here (including MSLeeHM) tend to confuse What the Scriptures say about death and their own made up doctrines of a "hell."

CLV Matt 22:29 Now, answering, Jesus said to them, "You are deceived, not being acquainted with the scriptures, nor yet with the power of God.

Actually, this is the perfect place to discuss JW doctrine. The title of this thread is "JW." I would say anything relating to the JWs is fair game.

But this is not doctrine. The fact is that there is no "hell" in the Scriptures. And the JWs know it and are willing to discuss it.

Perhaps you just don't have enough knowledge to discuss this topic like an adult? Perhaps, much like the Japanese, you are only interested in "saving face"?

CLV Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems upright before a man, Yet its end becomes the ways of death.

There is no "hell" in the Scriptures. Yes, it was a vehicle that the church used to control the populous. It seems to be working pretty well, even today.

The is no Ancient term for "hell."

I can see that you have confused death with "hell." There is no "hell" in the Scriptures. And we say alot of things that are not Scriptural, so it is no surprise that we use the word "hell."

I can also tell by your response that you have not read the Scriptures. The Ancient Jews did not have a "hell" either. They believed that we sleep until the Resurrection.

(CLV) John 11:23 Jesus is saying to her, "Your brother will be rising."
24 Martha is saying to Him, "I am aware that he will be rising in the resurrection in the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who is believing in Me, even if he should be dying, shall be living.
26 And everyone who is living and believing in Me, should by no means be dying for the eon. Are you believing this?"

JWs do not believe in a "literal" hell. But I don't see how there could be a "symbolic" one. Do we symbolically burn in symbolic flames? Do we spend a symbolic eternity there?

Perhaps you can see the problem now.

The word "hell" does not appear in the Scriptures anywhere. To suggest that it does is dishonest at best. The JWs know this and talk about it.

To suggest that they do not talk about it just because you and some of your friends did not get around to it would be presumptuous on your part.

"Witnesses are trained to keep personal records on all people hey talk to."

If that is true, I am sure that once they have talked to me they are told to avoid my house. I can respect someone's religion, but I have little patience for lies, mistranslations, and misinterpretations.

"Seems no matter the denomination, all are afraid of something and try to offer me comfort for some type of hell they feel is imminent?"

Of course, we all know that the JWs don't believe in "hell." I doubt this poster has ever actually talked to one.