Once again I tried to post a brief reply on another thread, but I started sharing some of my exit story, and it turned into a thesis, again... Darn...
It seemed better to spare the thread and start a new topic...
When Jesus was on earth the only sinS he was preoccupied with and constantly spoke against were religious sinS (Matt 15 and 23 esp v15).
Religionists however to hide their sinS are preoccupied with and constantly speak against sexual sinS plus a whole laundry list of do's and don'ts. Their legalism and moralism actually lead them away from God and his "plan of salvation" as embodied in the "good news".
This is why Governing Body member Raymond Franz left religion/ists. He observed the "morass of inconsistencies" arising from their legalism, and the resultant destructiveness on spirituality and faith (by design).
Jesus came to legally set us free from SIN which is a much broader concept which only the Holy Spirit can fully open up our spiritual eyes to discern. SIN is dysfunction, aberrance, corruption, and decay.
Jesus quite literally came to set us free from religion which is "the tree of the knowledge of good and bad". When I practice legalism, moralism, ethnocentrism, and Gnosticism, which are Watchtower specialities, I am eating from the very same tree Adam and Eve ate.
As a 3rd generation Watchtower religionist, I did this for 4 decades before hearing the gospel which was completely opposite (the tree of life). Needless to say it was a lifechanging encounter which opened up a pathway to a far more liberal, inclusive, rational, and organic (natural) worldview.
Here is a great example of dysfunction (SIN): Despite 75% of HealthCare spending in the US being directed towards Bio-medicine oriented Chronic Disease interventions 7 out of 10 Americans die from Chronic Disease (CDC)!!!!
Our deep yearning to get away from dysfunction (SIN) is the reason we keep chasing human messiahs (for example US presidents) only to find they are themselves dysfunctional (aka failure prone because of SIN). Then we simply wait for the next human messiah, and keep repeating the process...
In this we are actually captives of dysfunction (SIN) and need to be set free, liberated...
This is what the real, full, and true "good message" or "good news" is actually about, and why the Watchtower dare not promote it. Imagine their entire flock taking off to follow that Jesus fellow instead... I mean he is INVISIBLE and MUTE...
The enormity of Watchtower dysfunction versus the enormity of the gospel is what continues to fuel their "militant ignorance" (evil) and "malignant self-righteousness" (Psychiatrist Morgan Scott Peck).
Marking the words sin/sinned/sinful/sinfulness and the phrase "good news" in the June 15, 2011 Watchtower from pages 7-15, is an eye opener.
Yup, major surreptitious Watchtower backflip seemingly caused by our family's beginning 2010 letter of resignation exposing Watchtower spiritual nakedness, confusion, inebriation, and insanity. In the end though, as always, the "good news" can be found in their publications (albeit fragmented), but not in their hearts and not on their lips - the ultimate reason for their dysfunction, aberrance, corruption, and decay (SIN).
I have never found a single Watchtower religionist that can answer the request: "Please explain to me what is the gospel in one word" even though their own publications often accurately refer to the gospel in this way. One Pharisee even RAN away when asked this question! He had encountered something that terrified him witless! He simply had to find a way to “kill” this “Jesus pest” without delay.
Watchtower Pharisees, the ruling religious hierarchy, really HATE the gospel because it really is the answer to and end of "all religion" which as rascal Rutherford correctly pointed out "is a snare and a racket". No ways will Watchtower Pharisees give up the power, authority and glory they have stolen from Jesus! Never! Death to anyone that tries to take it off them!
Sorry about the "thesis" - it is at least sincere and from the heart... And if it helps even one person in even some small way on their particular journey I'd be delighted...