by Fernando 8 Replies latest watchtower bible
Raymond Franz never thought he could.
He opened his heart to the full message about Jesus.
This message is called the gospel or "good news" (according to Paul, Moses, Isaiah, Psalms and others).
Raymond realised Jesus is against religious rule making, imposing and keeping (called "legalism" and "moralism").
g79 6/8 pp. 27-28 Why the Emphasis on Christian Freedom? (Note "legalism").
Yes. Most ex-JW's I know no longer consider themselves christians---although some do---most that I know do not. So I figure Jesus didn't lead them away. He doesn't seem to be necessary to free anyone.
NC
Hey NewChapter!
In truth I suppose the majority of those that leave get to do it in their own strength.
In my case however it seems the addiction to religion, or the Watchtower's version of it, was just far too strong. I was also a 3rd generation born-in with no prior reference points or frameworks to hold on to.
I was able to rationalise away all Watchtower faults, even those that badly affected me and my family.
I actively rationalised away my father's tortured existence, his death, my brother's suicide, my wife's incestuous rape from ages 6 to 13, catestrophic fraud against our family business, widespread mental illness, physical illness, Silent Lambs and all the victims, 1975, 1914, birthdays, the generation of 1914, cultic mind control, a surreptitious clergy laity class, blind yet authoritarian Pharisees, star chambers, conditional "love", closed-mindedness, prejudice, ignorance, sectarianism, denominationalism, legalism, moralism, ethnocentrism, Gnosticism, teaching religion (proselytising Matt 23:15), a supremacist doomsday cult, and probably more...
I needed serious medicine.
I found it in Jesus.
I am no longer addicted to religion, or afraid of its power, or ignorant of its seductive mechanics, ploys and deception.
LOL Fernando. So what you're saying is Jesus was kind of a step down drug from WT. Kind of like Methadone is used to ease addicts off of Heroin.
I'm just messing with you. I hope you're happy--that's what matters.
And I also apologize for being too flippant. The second part of your post was very serious and moving, and I didn't look at it carefully before cracking my jokes. As it gets later, I get slap happy. I didn't mean to be insensitive.
Hey NewChapter!
I suppose you could say that.
Thanks, ABBA is an old favourite.
As happy as can be as we rebuild our lives from scratch...
Best wishes
Fernando
Ahh the patronizing call of the Jesusites. Never have read anything by Ray so he didn't really do much for me.
On the other hand, unlike Jesus ... Seneca, Paine, Diderot, and Gandhi are actually non-mythological/non-legendary humans who did more for me than Jesus. Although, I have to say, when it comes to Jesus, I picture a guy that was probably way misrepresented and overhyped and somewhat like the Dude from "the Big Lebowski". I'm sure he would dig the Jesusites on this board, maybe even share a white russian or two with the ones that don't have a stick up their butt and want to throw the whole messiah/savior crap in everyone's face on every other thread here.
But hey - here's to ancient legends and the crutch they are for all of us when we need them. I prefer the eastern kinds like Musashi. Much more popular on that side of the world than Jesus - for good reason too: Samurai stories are much less boring than the Jesus ones. Ohh to have been born in a land where such legendary tales are told as such and nothing more. And people are surprised when Asian children consistently outrank Westerners in education.
To answer the question: YES
why?
"Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successfull personality and duplicate it. " Bruce Lee
You are much more powerful than Jesus or anyone else in finding your own destiny. I say drop all crutches... don't stop with the Watchtower or you'll really never move forward.
Hey NewChapter!
No worries, its all good.
I'm enjoying the dialogue.
Isn't it great how stopping to listen to other viewpoints and perpectives here on JWN is eroding more of the "Plato Truth Virus" (PTV) in all of us (Westerners) allowing for more flexible interaction and agreeing to disagree even across a big gap.
Ciao!
Besides Raymond Franz, I can think of a few other books that might make witlesses realize that their whole platform is a scam. Dawkins book "The God Delusion" and the related "The God Virus" takes a bite out of people's faith in Jesus and God altogether. And, as the Age of Aquarius progresses, Thoth (a demon that invokes knowledge and truth) will start revealing vast amounts of fresh knowledge. Already, it isn't too difficult to do your own research--caution: It will shake everything you were ever taught about the Bible itself. (Which should become easier to handle as such knowledge becomes more mainstream.)
Yes, it takes courage--something this past Sunday's washtowel study highlighted. In fact, it takes more courage to do this research for the first time than it does to obey the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger. However, such courage will be rewarded. Trust that getting the knowledge, even against death or hell threats and the threat of losing everything you care about, will allow you to find the real truth. And, if you are willing to do what the LIE-ble refers to as "sin against the holy spirit" against a hell threat (again, taking lots of courage the first time), you can allow Thoth to do a better job at liberating you from the cancer than Jesus ever could. And, going beyond what Franz did--he just liberated you from the cult. Thoth wants to liberate you from the whole system of bad religions.
