by ProdigalSon 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I find that the teaching of Gnositcsm explains so many issues that I had when I left Watchtower. It explains an evil god like Jehovah creating man and animals to suffer. I love to read Elaine Pagels writings, and also the books listed in the Nag Hammadi Library.
Shana
I did not see the post earlier. My studies in Gnosticism were three to four college courses. Anyone attending a graduate seminary would know more. Gnosticism is her specialty, however. I wanted to take a graduate course but I needed to know Koine Greek to be approved. All my pass fails were used to satisfy the French requirement.
Apostate Watchtower Gnosticism is supremacist and postulates that only they have knowledge about God and his son, and are saved by such knowledge.
Compare John 17:3 NWT, KIT, RNWT, and John 7:23.
Fernando,
Are you stating that the WT teaches Gnosticism?
Understanding Gnosticism helped me see alternatives to the canonical gospels. I find it attractive. It amazes me how Jesus sayings very close to those recorded in the canonical gospels are used for such different theology.
By their fruits you will know them.
You do not get drones from an intelligent organization, do you?
Or you do not get people that behave as if they were God from a good philosophy, do you?
Countries are like people, for example in the US we have an elite of people that believe they are gods and that are filling the planet with drones, so it would be very helpful for everyone if they finally realized that THEY are the drones. We keep praying for their enlightment.
Understanding Gnosticism helped me see alternatives to the canonical gospels. I find it attractive. It amazes me how Jesus sayings very close to those recorded in the canonical gospels are used for such different theology.
Band OTR - I agree. I was amazed when I read them.
Shana
@BOTR
Yes, but maybe not the type you are referring to.
According to most Bibles' rendition of John 17:3 we are saved by KNOWING the father and son in a personal relationship.
The Watchtower however can't tolerate such a situation and instead teaches that we are saved by taking in KNOWLEDGE (supplied by the Watchtower) about the father and son. This teaching is also in evidence in their deceptive rendering of John 17:3 in the NWT. This is apostate supremacist religious Gnosticism.
The Watchtower's apostate anti-Christ agenda is advanced by four main pillars: legalism, moralism, ethnocentrism and supremacist religious Gnosticism.
Protestantism was always built on a sort of duplicitous foundation. They didn't like Rome's authority so they established alternatives of their own, and you better tow the line and accept their Creeds or be hunted as a Heretic.
Christ Alone,
The class was taught at a world class university supported by a graduate seminary that was nondenominational. It was a Rockefeller family production to improve the social status of Baptists. It gave me enough background to know that many, but not all, who post about Gnosticism are incorporating their own beliefs. This thread is a prime example. Jews are bad. etc. There were Jewish gnostics.
The Witness view on paradise earth would appear to contradict a gnosis belief. Gnostics view creation and material things as evil. Also, the quest with Gnosticism was to become like Jesus, not to worship Jesus. Not that the Witnesses worship Jesus. The CB would be anathema of Gnostics. I don't see Gnostics as having deferential personalities.
Before I took the course, I saw the Bible as magic handed down from JAH. All the magic is gone. A few personalities and economic/politican trends and it may have been something else. If the Witnesses would acknowledge critical history of the NT, I might feel warmer towards them. Foolish me believed the Witnesses knew their Bible. I've studied somewhat this makes me more qualified than the Witnesses. They always assume their victims have zero knowledge. I don't believe it was ever true. Does anyone wonder why we could not witness to Babylon the Great?
Some idiot with a slick presentation lied about Pagels work to my church in PA. He wanted to show that he knew so much so he asked the parish if we ever heard of Church Fathers and named the Fathers. Most parishoners had even read the Fathers themselves.
This video is by far the best on the subject of Christianity how it came to be its relations with other older pagan beliefs and Gnosticism. Its long but if one is really wanting to learn then this is a great place to start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=eM9-8qj_Js8
