So much criticism...but what's the answer? (page 3)

fullofdoubtnow

Hi thankyou, and welcome to the forum, you will enjoy it here. you asked:

Does the bible not say that there's an organization of his on earth?

No it doesn't say that anywhere in the bible, or even allude to it, although the jws will tell you otherwise.

You don't say if you are involved with the jws or not. If you are, I urge you to examine their teachings very carefully before you decide to join them. Do independent research, not just their publications. I think you will find that christianity and the jws have very little in common.

Linda

Double Edge

What is real Christianity? Well, I believe, in it's pure form it is following after the example of Christ, and keeping it simple (He always did):

Matthew 22

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets

1 Corinthians 13 (New Living Translation)

1 If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth [a] but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; [b] but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. 6 It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

8 Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages [c] and special knowledge will all disappear. 9 Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! 10 But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.

11 It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. [d] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

13 There are three things that will endure--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.

onesong

I'm with purplesofa ...ask yourself anything and FEEL how it resonates inside you. Do you feel positive an strengthened or negative and weak?

geevee

Once at a district convention, a guy wandered in and sat in front of us. He had a couple of attendants tagging him. As the public talk ended and people called their hands of, he got real agigtated.
AS the clapping died down, he stood up and yelled at the top of his voice: "Use your instinct" we were dumbfounded at this guy, didn't understand his problem at all, but now...
He was absolutely correct. Use your instinct. Do you make the choices or are they made for you? What happens to you if you choose another path? Are you penalized for that choice? Will your "friends" still love and respect you? Will they still seek to associate with you?
Use your instinct. It is only JW speak that has us needing to belong to a true and correct and only one organization.

thankyou12

I agree with you guys.

I'm not a JW.

And I don't think I want to be one. But I have read a lot of their publications, etc.

I just don't understand why God would make things (the bible, etc) SOOoooo complicated.

I'll keep looking, thanks for the words you've shared.

Matt

peacefulpete

The Bible isn't really that complicated. What makes it appear complicated is the religious clap trap about it being inerrant and harmonious. Then you are left with hundreds of conundrums and contradictions that must be rationalized away or dishonstly glossed. Of course no two apologists will agree about which texts should be buried away in layers of exegesis and which should become the message.

THE SHOOTIST

The answer is in the criticism. If a religion or the Bible can't stand up to the criticism, then you've found the answer. Just make sure the criticism is just and the sources reputable. You're in the beginning stages of a great journey. Don't let anyone on this board or anywhere else tell you the route to take on your journey. Read all the maps but choose your own direction.

jgnat

Oh.....my.....God......I TOTALLY AGREE with PeacefulPete. This has GOT to be a FIRST.

I've had little problem understanding the bible read straight. I agree that trying to reconcile the Bible to the JW trappings is HIGHLY confusing.

thankyou12, you might check for an www.alpha.org banner in your neighbourhood. These Alpha courses are designed to welcome questioning, and are an excellent introduction to Christianity.

peacefulpete

Funny I agree with you quite often, except when your wrong of course

So much criticism...but what's the answer?

Matthew 22

1 Corinthians 13 (New Living Translation)

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