by Snoozy 49 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If there is a god or gods, surely it is the height of arrogance for any human being to claim that they 'know' how it wants to be worshipped or followed.
To my simple way of thinking, religious people, that is all religious people of all creeds and denominations are by default the most arrogant people on earth.
Many of them are very humble and kind wonderful people, but still, in my opinion, extremely arrogant.
TC-
The Cult of Charismatic Personality
Curious isn't it, we were caught up in it as Witnesses as much as any Catholic or Evangelical is to their persuasion.
Can one be humble and arrogant?
designs said:
PS- I appreciate the philosphy behind your Church Statement but you do realize 'Jesus' was decidedly against any other approach to Truth and God except for himself.
Personally designs, I don't believe that Jesus would ever utter such a statement exactly as it is presented in the Bible. It just doesn't fit in with the rest of his teachings. Jesus taught Oneness of ALL with the Father. What we have is what came out of the Roman councils. They took a man who had incarnated the Christ and turned him into the only one we can look to for salvation. If that's the case, then the "Body of Christ" is a closed entity and NO ONE can join. The Bible simply doesn't say that. It says that the Body of Christ are ALL Christs, or "anointed ones". That would render all their subjects powerless to ever incarnate the Christ. Jesus said we would do things greater than he. That would have been a big nightmare for them, and that's why they killed the gnostics and burned all their writings. As anyone who has studied Bible translations knows, it only takes altering one word here or there to change the entire meaning or context. They weren't going to allow anyone to bypass the middleman.....THEM.
Here's an interesting quote from a gnostic website article...
http://gnosticteachings.org/the-teachings-of-gnosis/gnostic-jesus/497-the-baptism-of-jesus.html
"Understand that (as Jesus) we have to incarnate the Christ within us in order to ascend to the Father. Christ is not an individual; Christ is the Army of the Voice, the Word of God. No one comes to the Father but through the Son (the Cosmic Christ).
Within Christ we are all One. Within the Lord there are no differences between one man and another, because we are all One within Him. Thus, individuality does not exist within Him. So, the one who incarnates Christ becomes Him, Him, Him. “Variety is Unity.”
Therefore, we have to terminate with the personality and the “I” for in order for the Being to be born within us; we have to terminate our individualism.
If a mystic in a state of ecstasy abandons all of his seven bodies in order to investigate the life of Christ, he will then see his Self (his Glorian) represented in the drama of the passion of the Lord. He will then be his Glorian performing miracles and marvels; he will experience his Self dead and resurrected on the third day; that mystic will occupy the place of Christ and in those moments he shall be Him, Him, Him, because in the world of the Christ there are no individuals; within the Christ there is only one Being that expresses his Self as many.
When the “I” and the individuality are terminated, then only the values of the consciousness remain; these are the attributes of Eternal Absolute Abstract Space, who only can say, “I Am the way, the truth and the life, I Am the Light, I Am the Life, I Am the good shepherd, I Am the door, I Am the bread, I Am the resurrection.”
This is how the Being receives the Being of his Being, his “I Am,” which is a breath from the Great Breath within each one of us, our particular ray, He, He, He. The “I Am” is the Inner Christ of every human being, our divine “Augoides,” the Logos. Whosoever receives the Crown of Life has the right to say, “I Am He, I Am He, I Am He.”
Jesus said that HE was the WAY, the only way, he didn't say, "The religion that will be founded and developed after I am ressurected is the way the one true way".
It is important to understand that, why?
Because:
Jesus: If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.
Buddha: If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words.
Jesus: Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,” when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You, hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
Buddha: The faults of others are easier to see than one’s own; the faults of others are easily seen, for they are sifted like chaff, but one’s own faults are hard to see. This is like the cheat who hides his dice and shows the dice of his opponent, calling attention to the other’s shortcomings, continually thinking of accusing him.
Jesus: Your father in heaven makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
Buddha: The great cloud rains down on all whether their nature is superior or inferior. The light of the sun and the moon illuminates the whole world, both him who does well and him who does ill, both him who stands high and him who stands low.
Jesus: He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.”
Buddha: Then the Lord addressed the monks, saying: “I am freed from all snares. And you, monks, you are freed from all snares.”
Jesus: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Buddha: If by giving up limited pleasures one sees far-reaching happiness, the wise one leaves aside limited pleasures, looking to far-reaching happiness.
Jesus: Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.
Buddha: With the relinquishing of all thought and egotism, the enlightened one is liberated through not clinging.
Buddha:Hatred do not ever cease in this world by hating, but by love; this is an eternal truth... Overcome anger by love, Overcome evil by good. overcome the miser by giving, overcome the liar by truth.
Jesus: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. From anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.
He not only tells people to go to Hell, he tells them he will send them there for not kissing his toes and worshiping him.
He says no such thing, and I think you know that.
Tammy
As for the op, most Christian denominations believe that Christ is the Way... not a particular denomination. (at least as far as I know, they think so) There are just a few, I think, who believe the rest of the denominations are products of Satan.
Tammy
Do all religions think there's is the only true one ?
Most mainstream religions certainly do including the WTS/JWS
Announcing that they are the one and only chosen channel to god goes into play as a self supporting marketing scheme
to gather adherent followers. Using the JWS as a model and and can see that it does work, instill this proclamation with fear
and superstition and you have the capability to create a religious organization.
My wife teaches at a school that is run by a Hindu/yoga offshoot. They clearly do not beleive that they are the only ones with "the truth."
I have also seen what TEC said about most Christian denominations. Most mainstream churches do not go on about exclusive knowledge the way JW's do.
Everyone, whether they have a religion or not, thinks that the way they live is the right and true way for them - otherwise they would change the way they live.
Religion is a vehicle that believers hope will carry them through life and beyond. If it carries them through life, it will have served its purpose and the beyond will take care of itself.
May your gods go with you.
