Here are some publications you might find interesting:
http://brci.org/publications.html
Does God Work Through an Organization?
Where is the Body of Christ?
The Faithful and Discreet Slave and Jehovah's Witnesses
Blondie
What is the true Christian religion / faith?
by evergreen 79 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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evergreen
Hey every one thank you for all your replys.I am grateful for your views on this topic.
Right from the beginning i thought things were not right about some of the teachings of the society.I always hated the fact that we are so aloof from the rest of society.My 2nd year of being in the "truth" i suffered terrible depression. I will always remember all those lonely nights ,weekends ,months,years that i simply sat in my flat not going out as i couldnt mix with my old worldly friends. Of course ,i was a real party animal before i unfortunately got involved with the witnesses.
I remember going to a going away party for an elder and his wife in which the"brothers" hired a community hall.I was talking to an interested one and asked if she would consider getting baptized.Her response was that she wouldnt because we dont socialise and she said look ..wheres the music .I remember saying to her i,m sure they will play some later."They didnt"!! and believe me it was one very boring party ( perhaps seminar is more appropriate)
About 4 years later i decided to buy a book in a shop against the beliefs of jehovahs witnesses. I remember paying about £7 for it . I went to my car and browsed through the book,,,but then the programmed guilt factor came in and i decided to chuck the book immediately viewing it as apostate and bad...went home and prayed to jehovah about how sorry i was for getting this book. Boy was i controlled.
I could go on and on about different things but im sure most of you have been there .Years went by...got married ..ended up in a very unhappy marriage and drifted away from the "truth" for about 2 years.
It was only then when i was at a low point that i came across the year 607bce on a website and decided to read alittle further on the subject Knowing that what it would say would be total rubbish.
I was intrigued and printed about 12 pages of evidence that seemed to show that jerusalem wasn,t destroyed in 607bce.
This was where i started to see the beginning of many falsehoods by the society.I remember only 6 months ago finding the book crisis of conscience at my local library and my heart was pounding with excitement to find out the societys past and all the goings on at Bethel.It truly was an eyeopener and nothing surprised me at what i read.But some of the things mentioned astounded me.
Any way i will read some of your threads Corvin and have clicked your link (re books to read )to my favorites Blondie.This sight is fantastic in that i can express myself freely and get so many answers that help people to know the real truth.
Thanks again
Evergreen
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JamesThomas
Evergreen,
You will not find "the treasure you have been looking for" in religions, beliefs or faiths: simply because all these are abstract mind creations, or concepts. What you want is real and actual. What you want is closer than thought.
The key to finding is to first see that mind creations are fickle and empty of what you deeply desire. Then shift attention to what is seeing all this. Turn attention from ideas and interpretation of reality, and into the actual aliveness of the moment. What is here before the mind steps in and does it's thing? What is Life really, when void of what we think life is? Find out what you truly are; in other words when everything you think and believe yourself to be is absent.
Discover that there is no need for religious beliefs to fill the absence of Divinity, because It is not absent.
It's not about beliefs or faiths, it's about seeing what is here already at the Core of your BEING.
You, are the treasure that you have been seeking.
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jgnat
I can live with variety. I think God loves variey. God did not populate the world with one kind of tree, the "ideal" tree. He gave us many different types, all which serve their own function. There are many different types of Christians, which I see serve to fit in the many kinds of people God made. There is the Christian Biker's Association, who can approach and provide comfort to jailbirds and Hell's Angels. There is Mustard Seed, which feeds the homeless. Billy Graham, now that he has become dignified, has the ear of the rich and powerful.
There must be one true faith as there was in the first century. I find it hard to believe that God would use a mish mash of various religions that put out different views about God and his purposes
In the weave of fabric, many colors and textures weave in and out of the same warp. Try reading the New Testament without any study aids. Look for the thread of truth Jesus is speaking in your heart. Learn to measure that warp against any teaching that comes your way. That way, your faith becomes personal, and unassailable. It becomes yours.
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Doubtfully Yours
I don't believe there is ONE true religion.
There are many truths as well as many falsities, many good and many less than within every religious movement.
DY
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Flash
I,m going to cut to the chase here. I am not long viewing this website and am fascinated at much of what i have read. Currently i attend meetings, but sit there and think of what i now know about the society and its past. I just feel so confused at the moment with religion.
There is a lot that can be ligitimately found fault with the Witnesses, of that there is no doubt. Even so, much of their core doctrines are correct. Remember, the ancient Israelites were God's people, yet the majority of them regulary left the path God laid out for them. It's the same with the Witnesses today, especialy their leaders, they are Tricky Tongued manipulators. They also see things in scripture that aren't there then declare them as fact and demand that the congregation accept their views on everything without question. And just like a cult, they are very narrow and controling in ALL aspects of living. I would suggest that you learn about God and His purpose from them, yet limit your time with them. Their meetings and their magazines are very manipulating and will drain you of your ability to be criticaly thinking and take away your individuality. Which is NOT something God requires!
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barry
Gday from Australia Evergreen,
Im An SDA Seventh Day Adventist but sadly in my own Church many have it wrong and I would consider many in other Churches which I fellowship with have it right. Such is the state of the Church in our own century as it was in the early Church.
I beleive the gospel is the good news. News about something that has happened. It is about someone else. The good News of the gospel is that the son of god took our nature to pay the dept we owe to righteousness, to remove the barrier that we might be treated as he deserves.
There are and always have been only two religions in the world. The most popular religion is where humans endeavour to make themselves good enough for God to accept. It preaches. "Be holy and God will love you '.
But the true religion of the gospel , 'this man Jesus receives sinners Luke15;2 God "justifies the ungodly Romans4;5 for christ goes to be with those who acknowledge themselves as sinners Luke19;7
By Grace Alone
We are saved by grace alone received through faith alone beccause of the work of Christ alone as revealed the the only infallible of truth -the Word of God alone.
The moment we beleive . Christ,s own perfect righteousness is imputed to us and remains ours for all our days provided we continue to look to him, despite a hundred or a thousand failures.
At all stages of our experiance we are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. Even on Judgement day we will be saved by faith alone though our works will testify to the reality of that faith despite their infinite imperfections.
The gospel is the sweetest melody from human lips. 'the good , glad and merry tidings that makes a man,s heart to sing and his feet to dance.
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Brummie
In the Christian worldveiw: True Christianity is not an organisation but a person, put faith in a person and not in religion, Jesus said "I am the truth" thats self applicable (John 14:6). He is the one to accept and follow, you become a christian by accepting him, not by accepting the rules and regulations of a movement such as the Watchtower, catholic, cofe etc.
Thats the Christian veiw.
Brummie
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Narkissos
Flash:
much of their core doctrines are correct.
Which ones?
Not to engage another endless discussion, but just for Evergreen's information: I don't think so.
Barry:
The most popular religion is where humans endeavour to make themselves good enough for God to accept. It preaches. "Be holy and God will love you '.
As in,
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
??
My take is that both of your "religions" are part of the New Testament.
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gumby
Hi Evergreen....and a big welcome!
Already i am reading the scriptures without the aid of WT publications and what i am reading is amazing .I am starting to feel that i am now getting closer to God by simply doing this coupled with prayer.
There must be one true faith as there was in the first century.
Let's suppose you were Muslim living in Muslim territory and you had a copy of the bible and you put your faith in the bibles message rather than Islam. Now you pray to god for understanding. Do you think god would approve of you and answer you since your not connected with Jehovah's Witnesses whom you have never heard of and will most likely never encounter in your lifetime?
According to the WTBTS....you will NEVER understand the real truth nor gain life unless you worship through this "channell". The Watchtower represents Noah's ark and if your not ON the ark....or connected to the "Organisation", you have no hope. Do you believe god would be so callous as to turn a deaf ear to you in your earnest search.....apart from the "Organisation"?
Remember....Jesus himself approved of a man who did not "walk" with his diciples by saying...."He who is not against me, is for me"
GoodLuck,
Gumby