Raymond Franz What Religion?

by just4u 22 Replies latest jw friends

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  Vernon Williams

  J-4,

  First welcome aboard...looking forward to your posts...

  Ray Franz, for all the good he has done, has faulted in one huge area: he assists in leading people out of the WT: just outside the "gate," and, there they squat.

  He and many he has affacted progress, in my opinion, no further. Ray is as tied to WT theology more than ever because it is what he does NOT believe. OK....good and well. However, he has not led people to anyplace: in order to do so, in order to go to the beginning of the Christian Faith and start there and go forward: this would require an admission that Ray does not seem to want to make.

  My take,

  V
• 

  Gopher

  So Vernon,

  Ray Franz's first book was instrumental in freeing my mind from the illusion that the Watchtower had any special connection with any god whatsoever. For that I owe him a huge debt.

  So what was he supposed to do? He encourages people to go towards Christ , and in his way he's trying to steer them in the way he thinks best.

  Was he supposed to start a new organization to replace the WT Society? Or was he supposed to direct people to a particular denomination? What exactly would you have done in his place?

  I am grateful for the service he did, and I don't feel like he abandoned me in any way by failing to direct exactly where I should go next. I think that's best left to each individual.
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  Gayle

  Ray Franz is a non-sectarian Christian,,he does point to Bible scriptures and Jesus Christ. He does not lead to himself and does not "add" to scripture as many Christian zealots do. He still preaches and still has traveled to eastern Europe recently to preach basic scripture. All his GB peers of his time have passed away now but he still in active preaching. It should not be downplayed that Ray helped so many out of JWdom, freeing people of spiritual and emotional bondage. People truly freed can find their own path now.
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  Carmel

  ...hmmm a group that isn't organized.... what does that look like? Is there an oxymoron in the bushes? carmel
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  dinah

  Ray led us out of the bushes and then we don't have squat? Yes we do. We FINALLY can see Christ and we have each other.

  I admire the man for his courage, humility, and genuine love for people. He's awesome in my book.

  The reason he doesn't want followers is because it would be a bunch of ex-JW's with ISSUES. I mean, really, how much can one man deal with. (That WAS a joke--don't flame me).
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  OnTheWayOut

  Ray Franz, for all the good he has done, has faulted in one huge area: he assists in leading people out of the WT: just outside the "gate," and, there they squat.

  He and many he has affacted progress, in my opinion, no further. Ray is as tied to WT theology more than ever because it is what he does NOT believe. OK....good and well. However, he has not led people to anyplace: in order to do so, in order to go to the beginning of the Christian Faith and start there and go forward: this would require an admission that Ray does not seem to want to make.

  I suppose I am one of those that progresses no further with the Christian faith. It is not Ray's fault.
  He only assists in opening a door to freedom. Once each person opens the door, their path is theirs.
  WTS is guilty of telling people to stay away from the door.

  Many of us, once taken, do not desire to be taken again. If that means we remain out of any
  faith, I think God will forgive us for escaping a mind-control cult and not wanting anything to do with
  religion, the Bible, or all that jazz. That's in line with the Christian faith, isn't it?
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  moshe

  Since he does not want to belong to any organized church and have to conform to orthodoxy, he has small JW-like book study- Bible discussion groups with like minded peers. I think that is how Pastor Russell got his start.
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  Gopher

  So Ray Franz gets criticized because he wants to study the Bible with a few friends. He's "organized", he's "JW-like", this all must be sinister!

  Geez this can be a tough crowd here!
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  Satanus

  Ray is in a state of arrested development. It's ok, though. In the state in which he is, he is like a doorman, a god of the door; he is able to open the door for many jws to exit. Maybe that is his purpoise, in his life.
  
  S
• 

  yknot

  I think something else to keep in mind is that Bro Franz did not leave the organization, he was kicked out via DF like many here. They didn't want him and they arranged for him to be gone.

  Y