The truth shall set us free!

by Wonderment 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Wonderment
    Wonderment

    The words below are taken from a post I submitted elsewhere. I decided to present it here as well.

    It is a challenge for us all to stay objective in religious matters. There is so much faulty information circling us everywhere that the truth often is not so plain.

    Many Christian followers would love to believe that simple answers can be found from one single religious group as a source. This is why JWs as a religious group are so popular with those looking for straight answers.

    The truth is that not everyone is right or wrong in everything. Various religious groups display adherence to God's Word in varying degrees. Are the JWs wrong in every doctrine or statement? No! Are Protestants right in most things related to the Bible? No! Are all Jews lost? No! Can we learn things from Catholics? Perhaps. And so on.

    It is a common belief that the higher education one gets from prestigious sources increases the surety or accuracy of available information. Generally true, but not always. Universities have limits. So do professors. The whole system is subject to corruption and tradition, including government and religion. The WT Society is not exempt from either corruption or tradition. Those who always defend the JWs like to stick their head in the sand, ignoring glaring deficiencies in the system. The same can be said of Evangelicals, Catholics, Muslims, or other.

    Hence, it is wise to be open to new ideas, and not be so gullible so as to worship the feet of religious authority. We can learn from anyone, whether they represent a majority view or a minority one. I have learned a lot of things from various posters here. Some posters in this forum display depth of knowledge which exceed my own by lots. However, that does not mean I cannot present a valid argument for someone else willing to hear it.

    One thing that has helped me in my biblical studies, is to have various publications from different religious sources. That includes bibles and commentaries from various religious faiths. Some ex-JWs proudly say that when they leave the org they throw away every WT publication. Why? I don't think that is necessary. I personally keep some, like the Bibles, Insight, All Scripture, Reasoning book, etc. I like to see how JWs, Evangelicals, Catholics, Jewish sources, among others, explain things. Then I decide which makes more sense to me. This is not always the right procedure to follow, and wrong conclusions will be the result of that. Hey, I'm only human, as everyone else here.

    In our search for truth, let us not forget Jesus' own words (probably my favorite biblical text): "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14.6)

    From this text alone we learn that Jesus is the way to the truth and to the Father. Notice that as simple as these words are, most religious systems err in their traditional interpretations. For instance, JWs do not give Jesus the "honor" he so much deserves. (John 5.23) The WT gives more prominence to their hierarchy than they give to Jesus. The WT opponents on the other hand do NOT equally honor "the Father" as they claim when pretending to be honoring Jesus. The Father is virtually absent in their daily worship. Jesus taught that the Father was "greater" than him, and that the Father was God Almighty. (John 20.17) This is so true, that the NT was written for that purpose...that Jesus, the Son of God, is the way to God. (John 14.6; 20.31)

    Yet, most traditional groups cannot get this right. Yes, John 14.6 contains a message so simple, but religious believers prefer something more meaty, more complex, which explains why the Trinity is so popular. Intermingling Greek philosophy with Scriptures may be the norm today, but Christianity is far simpler than religious people want us to believe. It is simpler than what the WT Society teaches overall. It is simpler than the stuff Christendom pushes to the masses.

    The truth shall set us free! (John 8.32)

  • Half banana
    Half banana
    Yes friend but it's not to be found in the Bible.
  • DATA-DOG
    DATA-DOG

    Here's the "truth" about higher education. The system itself, like religious systems, is a gold mine for those in charge. The system is also bogged down with traditions of men, if you will. The acolyte of higher education must be initiated and then jump through hoops, while paying for the privilige of being subjected to a curriculum that often contains non-essential courses.

    You can benefit from higher education, but you must be one step ahead of the game. You can easily end up with a mountain of debt, waking up at 4:00 am, and asking," Did you say quad grande peppermint mocha with whip? My headset is acting up."

    The advantage of higher education is that you can learn HOW TO REASON. That is the single most important thing I was taught by one very special teacher. "Not everyone uses reason! You MUST learn to reason!", he would say. He was 100% correct.

    I believe that you must be cautious when considering joining any club or group, espescially when they make promises of great futures for their members; promises that require YOUR $$$$$ to come true.

    DD

  • lsw1961
    lsw1961

    Dear friend,

    Jesus himself explained what truth will set you free in Mathew 25:31-46

  • Half banana
    Half banana
    The fairy tale told in the book of Matthew was religious fodder for the oppressed. A gleam of messianic hope for Jews under Roman occupation. It was a pick-me-up before there was democracy, social networking and coffee.
  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    To echo the words put in to Pilates mouth by the Gospel writer : " What is truth ?"

    I have decided, having been lied to all my life by the JW "religion", that what I trust as being true MUST be supported by evidence satisfactory to me.

    Such evidence, as far as I am concerned, must be backed by as many verifiable facts as possible, must be open to, and stand up under, the most vigorous scrutiny, and that scrutiny coming from true experts in the relevant field who are preferably sceptical of the claims, and , if possible must follow all the rules used by the Scientific Method.

    Following the criteria in the above paragraph means we do not have to consider anything in the Bible, it goes where it belongs, either in the trash can, or if you wish to be polite, in the Fiction Section, and we do not have to worry that we will be duped as we were in the past.

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