The only conceivable alternative for many ex JW's wanting to remain Christian is simply to go to Jesus. There is a true church alright but it is a Church Without Walls. You will not find the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help us God in any man made religion or organisation but we will find sincere people in all Christian denominations who are also seeking the Lord. I personally believe Jesus alone is the way, the truth and the life and no one can come to the Father except through him and not any man made religion or Christ Monger. I find this rule of thumb to be very wise indeed and something to keep in mind when considering the vast array of different christian belief systems. In essential things, unity; in non-essential things, liberty; in all things, love. Seek out those who love Jesus as where two or three are gathered in his name, there he will be also. May we all find peace and enlightenment on whatever path we decide to go remembering that God is a God of Love and not a God of condemnation as they would have us believe and is greater than all our fears combined.
What is the alternative to JW?
by Formerbrother 475 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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jhine
Former brother , if you are being serious then I can only conclude that you have listened to all the WT lies about that nasty old " Christendom " For a start why do Catholics seem to be the main group to come in for criticism ? I would say that , yes they are way closer to the " truth " than the WT , and I'm a life long Anglican !
The Anglican and Catholic churches Witness all over the world and probably have been responsible for translating the Bibles into far more languages and dialects than the WT . Both Anglican and Catholic churches contain a huge mix of people from all over the world , yes in the same congregations . They also often accompany their witnessing with the building of orphanages and other socially beneficial programmes . The Catholic church may be worth squillions but at least some of it gets put to good use !
I don't usually take umbrage at things posted on this site but it does irritate me when I read posts regurgitating the WT propaganda about Christendom .
I feel better for that , Jan
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Half banana
Former brother, I’m glad you are hanging in here. What you don’t recognise as a witness is that you have lived, often for a lifetime, with your mind skewed towards interpreting everything in the black and white JW manner. Real life is not like this. Real life questions are not answered with such simplistic reasoning. It never could just be God or Satan could it? This is transparent 'cult talk' to create fear and obedience.
However I sense you are beginning to see the difference since you are asking which is the best religion.
There is a pattern of change which takes place in the mind of someone who has once been under the authoritarian control of Watchtower thinking. Nearly everyone on this site has experienced it. The penny drops; the JW religion is just another money grabbing business (or some such realisation). After a short while the usual thing is to cling onto the things we have cherished such as the paradise hope or the emotional security felt from believing in God. As time goes on we challenge all of our fundamentals, something never permitted in JW land, and often question the Bible’s truthfulness... for example if Adam did not live how could Jesus buy back the life Adam lost? If Adam was a myth, there is no need for a saviour, this sinks the need for salvation.
Inevitably we begin to realise how much more complex and fulfilling life is when we unlearn cult dogma and see evidence for what is true rather than hanging loyally onto unfounded “beliefs” promoted by the Watchtower org or other earnest religions. The unlearning take a surprisingly long time since we have been well and truly programmed... but in time we get both our independent identity back (we are not Watchtower drones) and we are able to think freely for ourselves.
I hope this gives a little insight into the process which will be going on...and may I say that the JW idea that there is such a thing as a ”true religion” is yet just another piece of cult talk.
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OrphanCrow
FormerBrother: The truth from the JW org, does have the ring of truth to it.
The "ring of truth" that you are speaking of, FB, is a designed process that the WT is really good at implementing.
Consider how that "truth" is fed to you. It is done in a revaltory model - a person is given information, and they are guided through a process that does not allow for any other thinking to intrude upon a person's mind. They are presented with simple questions that require a scan of the material presented, and then they are required to give the simple answer. This results in the participant having an "eureka" moment - but it is a moment that is carefully controlled. The person is left feeling like they have had a personal revelation about some matter, when in actuality, they have only responded to somebody else's "truth" - it isn't your own truth - it is the truth of the one who set you up to think that it is your truth.
The pedagogical process of how the WT disseminates their "truth" is what gives a person the notion that they have 'discovered' the truth...and that the discovery is one that they have personally made.
As far as who comes closest to interpreting correctly that old, old collections of books that have been made into a volume, which people refer to as the "Bible", you would have more luck with determining the "truth" of Aesop's Fables. The Bible is a collection of literature. That is all it is. A historical collection of a bunch of books written over a long period of time and translated countless number of times.
Critically examining the Bible is no different than critically analyzing a collection of another culturally grouped collection of writings. Interpreting it though, is what has allowed a multitude of people to control and manipulate its contents for their own purposes and greed.
The WT's interpretation of what is inside the Bible only appears to be truthful because of the way that they disseminate their interpretation of it. The WT educates people to accept their version of that old, old book. Acceptance of their "truth" is only the result of being subjected to their educational process.
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Giordano
Unlike other religions that have evolved over the years the JW's are a 19th century religion based on the fantasies of Pastor Russell, the chronologies of Miller with a bunch of Adventurism thrown into the mix.
They are not an original religion but a copycat of other failed religions.
It is both an awkward religion with a huge pedophile problem and an educationally backward religion. In fact the Pew 2015 Religious survey now has them in LAST place for higher education....LAST place for income and average with most other religions for Divorce at 11%. There is little to recommend them unless you enjoy beliefs that flip flop continuously. Check jwfacts.com for all the flip flops.
It's also a death cult.......... what with Armageddon killing most of humanity and it's members walking around with a suicide note in their pocket (The No Blood Card).
I noticed that you spoke about the JW's as jw.org that's kind of sad.
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Saintbertholdt
Hi Giordano,
... the chronologies of Miller with a bunch of Adventurism thrown into the mix.
Adventurism or Adventism?
If its Adventurism, what like Allan Quatermain, Indiana Jones or dodging dogs during field service? :)
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Vidiot
C0ntr013r - "You never bought the: 'God has humor' argument?
You're absolutely right; these things are f**king "hilarious": :wink:
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Saintbertholdt
Holy crap!
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Giordano
Saint...... I learned a good lesson....... never trust your spel chek!
Then there's......... 'Its ok to write when your drunk but wait until your sober to post.'
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JRK
I vote that no religion has "the truth."
JK
