Pentecostal Madness: Panties, Wife swapping, aggression and epylepsy

by Wonderment 27 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Wonderment

  For those who think that I think the Watchtower folks are much better than Pentecostals or other, let me just say that I am against organized religion. Period! Whether its the WT or Pentecostal, Baptist or other, I see flaws in all of them because they are all human.

  The only thing I am pointing out is that for some reason, I had more access to Pentecostal experiences from "door-to-door" service than from other groups. Here in USA, I have had more experience with Evangelical Protestants, (Baptists, etc). From my exposure of three main groups, Pentecostals, Baptists, and JW's, the Pentecostals get more easily fired up from bible discussion. But JW's are just as self-righteous, and closed up, if not more, than other religious groups, but they are usually more cunning with their approach.

  For instance, the Pentecostals and Baptists attack JW's in derogatory language, plenty of books out there are found focusing on "cults," and I have read many of them. The language is not pretty. It is insulting to not only JW's, but also insulting to the intelligence of evangelicals as well, by heavy twisting of facts and half-truths. On the other hand, the JW's do not write any books focusing on just one group, they usually attack the Catholics and Protestants in blanket fashion. And the tone of language is more subtle, "smoothed out" compared to the tone exhibited by cultist books. The end result is the same. One is not justified over the other. Both camps fail miserably at portraying Scripture. I see good and bad in both. And I for one, admit candidly that the "shunning" of JW's is as evil as anything evil of Catholics and Protestants. In the shunning department, the JW's win... they take it to the extreme and make the Pentecostals look tame. But the JW's do not kill directly in Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan, but indirectly they "kill" as well. Just different methods, but the end result is not so different between the groups. Both camps have a lot of accounting to do before the Father and the Son. I also believe that INDIVIDUALS from any of these groups, if sincere, can find truth and wisdom in God's Word.
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  AwareBeing

  A) It's clear that what we have today; called organized religion,

  is manipulative/money/power driven.

  B) It's nothing like the worship that JC taught the apostles,

  they prayed to God; not prayed upon victims.
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  Retrovirus

  Godrulz wrote:

  Just because there are corrupt lawyers and doctors does not mean all are. Just because there are medical quacks does not negate the truth of evidence based medicine. Jumping to conclusions/stereotyping is not fair.

  Setting aside that nothing religious is "evidence based", and therefore this is a false analogy. . .

  This sounds to me exactly like the argument that people should stay in the wt and not be put off by a few "fallible" people.

  There's not much to choose between dogmatic religions.
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  godrulz

  It is true that a JW who acts contrary to their religion is not a good JW (abortion, homosexuality, etc.). The same goes for a Christian. The issue is primarily about belief. A good living JW or Mormon is still not a Christian, but a bad living Christian is still a Christian if they know Christ's grace and truth. A good living atheist is not a theist. A bad living Christian is not an atheist.

  Christianity is evidence based as a historical space-time revelation in Christ. God's creation and His dealings with Israel and the Church are also reality, not fiction.
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  dgp

  Wonderment, you said:

  those who think that I think the Watchtower folks are much better than Pentecostals or other

  I am that guy. I don't get angry if you single me out. By the way, I still think you feel the Watchtower is better.

  the JW's do not write any books focusing on just one group, they usually attack the Catholics and Protestants in blanket fashion. And the tone of language is more subtle, "smoothed out"

  I disagree with "smoothed out". What about calling the Catholic Church "the Harlot"? There is nothing "smooth" in the language used by the Watchtower against other religions.
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  Retrovirus

  Christianity is evidence based as a historical space-time revelation in Christ. God's creation and His dealings with Israel and the Church are also reality

  . .. and Lord of the Rings is a historical space-time revelation of hobbits.

  Perhaps you need education in what "evidence" means. It doesn't mean written in a book.
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  Wonderment

  dgp: You are entitled to your opinion, i.e. that I feel the Watchtower is better. Though I have never said that, but I tend to react depending on the audience. Don't we all do that at times?

  If I see a lot of folks attacking the WTS here like if it was the worst evil imaginable... like if there is not anything good to be found there, I may react by pointing out something good about them to even things out, or something equally bad of other religions. But when I talk to JW's inside the Borg, I focus on the problems there. My brother for instance, don't want to see me at all, or hear from me. He thinks the opposite of you. And he certainly knows me better than you do. One of my daughters did not address a word to me for over 7 years. Ouch! In fact, I don't even know where she lives. Why?

  Because I said some things which made her feel like I was attacking Jehovah's Organization. And the rest of my family avoid me like I had leprosy. Watchtower better? I don't think so. However hurt I feel about the way I have been treated for nearly 20 years since I left the WTS, I make an effort not to dwell on hate, since I realize I have no right to do any judging (though I fail more than I would like). I also remember James words (2:13): "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment." Thus, we need to be merciful to everyone. Easier said than done.

  Though I have brought out some mishaps with my experiences with Pentecostals, I too have seen many Witnesses act very non-Christian toward others. In business dealings, I don't see how others could be worse than Witnesses taking advantage of their brothers, with fraud, non-payment of debts, etc. Sex wise, I have seen homosexuals in various congregations acting out. One sister, wife of an elder was having sex with another woman when her husband caught them in action. And how many times did I experience a sister trying to "cock-tease" me even though they were married. One time, as a traveling salesperson, I was passing by this street where an elder lived and his wife waved at me and asked me to come in. I did. I know it was wrong, but I did it anyway. Well, this elder's wife made sure to bend over with no bra and played with a kitten for a while, exposing her "soul" and during that time she kept looking at my crotch. Christian spirit? Not while I was there. But though I was turned on, I went away without touching or insinuating any sexual intention on my part, Yes, I did wrong by watching the scene, but in time corrected my sinful tendency.

  I could cite many other experiences. I have seen JW's pick up a total stranger at the Mall and have sex with the stranger ending in pregnancy, without ever knowing the other person's name. I have heard similar stories all around. Pentecostals may be more aggressive in some areas, but JW's are more secretive in their sinful ways.

  How true the bible statement: "[We] all have sinned and fall short of God's glory." (Romans 3:23)
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  dgp

  Wonderment:

  I tend to react depending on the audience. Don't we all do that at times?

  No. And I am still of the same mind.