Dear EmptyInside
Possibly your mom might benefit from these two articles most likely written by Raymond Franz:
- Search wt lib for "legalism"
- Search wt lib for “Learning from an Experiment That Failed“
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
my wife and i just decided to count all the elders that were deleted in our kh in recent years.
we couldn't believe that we counted .
upto 10. there are more deleted elders in our kh, than there are elders.
Dear EmptyInside
Possibly your mom might benefit from these two articles most likely written by Raymond Franz:
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
i'm quite new to this site, and i've noticed that many of you are more than happy to call yourselves "apostates", even though many of you evidently believe in the bible and in jesus as saviour, etc.. i'm aware that the society brands anyone who disagrees with them as being an "apostate", but just because they choose to do this, does this mean we should be comfortable with being so branded?
should we "bend over" and take it?.
here is what the insight book says on apostasy:.
How is this for one more instance of Watchtower spiritual confusion, inebriation and insanity?
Circuit Overseer: "If it is not in harmony with divine teaching it is teachings of demons"! (quoting Divine Teaching district convention of 1993)
Elderette: "It is better to be wrong with the Society than right on your own"
Now what about some 1 + 1 = 2?
CCT OV + Elderette: "It is better to eat at the table of demons with the Society than at Jehovah's table on your own"!
Insanity!
w52 2/1 p. 81 par. 15 "set a little spiritual table of their own"
w52 9/15 p. 572 par. 22 "withdraw and set up their own table "
w50 8/1 p. 231 par. 17 "on their own tables"
The Devil offers "loving" and "enlightened" Watchtower community on condition you embrace the arrogant GB's false, depleted, reductionist and "truncated gospel" and consequently allow them to steal your faith and salvation!
And if you reject these "generous terms" you are an unthankful apostate!
Insanity!
Next time a dub knocks please ask him to explain what the gospel ("good news") is in one word. Yup, you might find it in their publications, albeit fragmented, but it simply is not in their hearts and not on their lips. Yet they claim to be "publishers of the good news" and go to court to "legally defend and establish the good news".
Imagine that - more than half the Bible's references to the Good News are by Paul, but not one dub can explain the Good News according to Paul, even after studying it this very month (August) in the Watchtower of 15 June pages 7-15! Major back flip on the false gospel to try and hide decades of blatant Watchtower apostasy after being caught with their pants down. It would be a surprise if a single dub noticed.
The GB are indeed miserable, poor, blind and naked apostates.
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
i'm quite new to this site, and i've noticed that many of you are more than happy to call yourselves "apostates", even though many of you evidently believe in the bible and in jesus as saviour, etc.. i'm aware that the society brands anyone who disagrees with them as being an "apostate", but just because they choose to do this, does this mean we should be comfortable with being so branded?
should we "bend over" and take it?.
here is what the insight book says on apostasy:.
Dear Cedars
Thanks, yes I should have clarified.
I am not an apostate according to God who created the word to mean "spiritual unfaithfulness" to him via "spiritual intercourse" with demons. This might be evaluated by checking on the 37 occurrences of the word prostit* in the book of Ezekiel, used by God in relation to the Israelites.
God by his "unmerited favour" has granted me faith in Jesus, by opening my spiritual eyes to the message about him, and the full implications of that message.
I was unwittingly guilty of apostasy before by tolerating the Watchtower's anti-Christ, anti-gospel and sectarian religion.
The Watchtower is no different than many other groups infused with the religious spirit that falsely labels dissenters or conscientious objectors as apostates.
The governing body in Jesus' day also falsely labelled as apostate those that followed Jesus instead of them. Nothing has changed in thousands of years. Religious leaders still demand to be followed instead of Jesus. This makes them pseudo-mediators that have seated themselves in the seat of Moses (Matt 23:2), or the greater Moses namely Jesus who in scripture is the ONE mediator between God and man.
Nonetheless there may be a case in scripture for wearing the label "Watchtower apostate" with pride as some have noted above: “Happy are YOU when people reproach YOU and persecute YOU and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against YOU for my sake. Rejoice and leap for joy, since YOUR reward is great in the heavens; for in that way they [apostate religionists] persecuted the prophets prior to YOU (Matthew 5:11-12).
So it would seem to be a rather serious matter that one would like to be quite clear on.
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
i am new to jw dissidents.
a couple of weeks ago i created a post asking what attempts have been made in the past to organize some opposition.
personally, i don't feel it would be fruitful to challenge the wt first amendment benefits.
i'm quite new to this site, and i've noticed that many of you are more than happy to call yourselves "apostates", even though many of you evidently believe in the bible and in jesus as saviour, etc.. i'm aware that the society brands anyone who disagrees with them as being an "apostate", but just because they choose to do this, does this mean we should be comfortable with being so branded?
should we "bend over" and take it?.
here is what the insight book says on apostasy:.
Dear friends
The WBT$ is not consistent about the meaning of a word when defining it, versus when discussing it.
Apostasy = unfaithfulness.
That is spiritual unfaithfulness.
That is spiritual fornication/adultery/prostitution (with demons).
All religion by design steals our faith and salvation as a powerful agency of the demons. Religionists are the apostates.
They hide this by changing what words like "apostasy" actually mean.
Want to catch a Watchtower religionist with their pants down in the act of prostitution with a demon?
Just ask them to define each of the following in one sentence:
To hide their spiritual prostitution with demons, religionists always bang on about sexual sins instead of religious sins. Jesus did the very opposite (Matt chapters 15 and 23). Yup, Jesus was against religion and the teaching of religion (doctrinal dissection and supremacy) known as proselytising (Matt 23:15). Jesus denounced the legalism, moralism, ethnocentrism, and Gnosticism of the elders (Pharisees) and the governing body (Sanhedrin).
Raymond Franz' Crisis of Conscience had to do with the rampant legalism of the Watchtower Sanhedrin and clergy class. We all know how the Watchtower Sanhedrin hated him and thanked him for slipping these articles into the Watchtower and Awake: g79 6/8 pp. 27-28 Why the Emphasis on Christian Freedom, and w80 5/1 pp. 5-8 Learning from an Experiment That Failed.
Jesus called Paul out of religion and sent him to teach the "good news" instead - known as evangelising.
The Watchtower's claim to be "proclaimers of the good news" or "legally defending and establishing the good news" is false. When a Watchtower religionist explains the "good news" he excludes and avoids around 151 of the Bible's 152-odd references to the "good news", mentioning only Matt 24:14 and changing what is meant by the Kingdom to exclude present spiritual realities (1 Cor 2:14-15).
A Watchtower religionist cannot explain (from the heart) what the "good news" is according to Moses, Isaiah, the Psalmist, or Paul. This is a real problem when you consider that more than half the Bible's references to the "good news" are by Paul (2 Cor 4:4).
That rascal Rutherford, inebriated and delusional as he may have been, was right when he explained that "all religion"..."is a snare and a racket" (1937_enemies.pdf and 1940_religion.pdf and 4 minute phonograph audio and 1937_Model_study.pdf pp. 41,63,64 and 1936_Protection pp. 6,7).
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
PS - www.godhatesreligion.org.au and Christianity is not religion
does the watchtower give or create community, and take or steal faith and salvation?.
Does the Watchtower GIVE or create community, and TAKE or STEAL faith and salvation?
why do watchtower actions against thousands of conscientious objectors (such as ray franz) so closely resemble the devil's "rule or ruin" mentality?.
She [Rome, and the Watchtower] has determined to follow Satan's leading to "rule or ruin". This is but a glimpse of Rome's [and the Watchtower's] infamy, for time would fail any author to recount even the [Watchtower's] crimes of the last decade.
(Consolation Jan 6, 1943 p. 25, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)
Interesting how often what they write actually applies to them!
why do watchtower actions against thousands of conscientious objectors (such as ray franz) so closely resemble the devil's "rule or ruin" mentality?.
Why do Watchtower actions against thousands of conscientious objectors (such as Ray Franz) so closely resemble the Devil's "rule or ruin" mentality?
some of you may have had the same experience.
(i hope) i always worked hard on preparing to give talks to the congregation.
i am self-conscious and i need to feel as though i am really bringing something worthwhile "to the table.
Dear stillin
What we all have experienced and know can sometimes be difficult to put into words.
You have done so very well.
Every bit of confirmation and support helps on our journeys.
These authoritarian, dogmatic, prescriptive, coercive, and spiritually blind ways are quite Pharisaic to say the least...
After following and delving into the full and true "good news" for 3½ years loyally only using the fragmented, convoluted, contradictory and meager scraps found in the Watchtower library, it dawned on us that the "good news" may be in their publications, but not in their hearts and not on their lips, by design and by their preference.
It became clear that the entire harlotrous religious system is not from God, is an imposter (false Christ), is not the way to God, and is meant for extinction not reformation (John 14:6). We , like author Anne Rice (see Wikipedia), left religion for good - in the name of Jesus who was/is against religion, religionists, and teaching religion (instead of the "good news" according to Isaiah, Paul and others). Matt 23:15.
"The spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me [Jesus], for the reason that Jehovah has anointed me [Jesus] to tell [the] good news to the meek ones [sheep or wheat]. He has sent me [Jesus] to bind up the brokenhearted [spiritually deprived and unregenerated], to proclaim [spiritual] liberty to those taken [spiritually] captive [by religion/ists] and the wide opening [of the spiritual eyes] even to the [spiritual] prisoners [of religion/ists]" (Isa 61:1)
Greetings and blessings
Fernando
in 6 months, my life has completely changed!.
i have chosen to be gay, i no longer suffer with guilty suicidal feelings, i have the most amazing boyfriend, and my parents and friends accept me for who i am.. i was informed today that a judicial comitee will be formed to disfellowship me.
i dont feel any kind of bitterness or sadness despite the fact that this is all i have known for 20 years and im about to lose some very close friends.. on the contrary, i feel fabulous!!!
Dear newcomer1982
Welcome and sorry to hear about the stressful situation. Many here have been through the same and survived. Even doing much better spiritually after the WBT$ which steals the faith and salvation of the sheeple.
Our family managed to get out intact. We took it very slowly, with lots of research, prayer, and discussion, which allowed us to all be in sync along the way.
Hope some of us may be able to support and encourage.
Please feel free to share what you can without revealing your identity.
Greetings and blessings
Fernando