Jeff,
Thomas Jefferson did not believe Jesus was the Messiah but, as you said, he nonetheless found, and admitted, that many of his teachings had true merit. He kept what he thought was good and right and left off what he felt was not.
After leaving the JWs we are free Christians. Christians free to do as Jefferson did but for different reasons. We are free to make up our own minds on the Bible and where the various parts fit into our beliefs. Did the ancient Jews really believe that the whole of their scriptures were literal accounts? From what I've read they may not have. The literal view of all scripture is a relatively recent one. Fundy's like to take the literal view because it gives them more power. But we are free. We can use our powers of reason to see what may be literal and what is not. Where the "story" ends and facts come into play. Jesus used stories to teach. Would it not be possible that his Father did the same? Jesus brought his Jewish followers into a new era of understanding of scripture and his Father. He called Moses to account on various things. He moved them forward.
"But of course Jesus himself can't be allegory - now can he? But I ask the hard question - Why can't he be? And if he is - don't you owe it to yourself to think about that instead of chasing a tail with no salvation attached? Just asking - bitterness has nothing to do with this discussion. I am not. I have already figured it out."
It's fine to believe Jesus is allegory. It's fine to believe him the Son of God. It's fine to believe he was only a good man or prophet. It's fine to believe he never existed. Where the problems come in is not in the various beliefs but how we engage with others on our beliefs. If we do as the Watchtower does and claim that all who disagree with us cannot be true Christians or if we take our beliefs and force them down anothers throat then that is the problem. The beliefs themselves whether it be "Jesus never existed," to "Jesus is God," are personal beliefs and unless they are used as clubs to humiliate or force conversion they should be respected.
How is it that it's well recognized that after leaving the Organization we all go through a process of change and learning but those who remain Christians and do the same with their faith and understanding of the Bible are somehow less Christians for it? Or worse fools. And if a Christian is a fool for believing why is that a problem anyway? Not all Christians force their beliefs, not all Christians live self-centered lives. Christians can be productive members of their communities just as anyone else. They can support their government at times and other times firmly disagree. They can extend a hand of friendship and withdraw it when circumstances require it.
If one man believes Darwin had true things to say and another believes Jesus had true things to say so what? Should the believer in evolution look down on the Christian or the Christian look down on him? How does that promote reason? Jefferson and Adams did not agree on everything and there were times of difficulty between them but in their communications at least they attempted to reason together and it seems respected the others right to his own opinions on things. There is the Organization and its teachings and there is the Bible. Some of us have decided to leave both others have decided to leave one, the Organization, and keep the other. Why is that a problem? Or does the Organization's insistence on being right carry over to our lives after the Organization as well?
