What differences have you noticed between RELIGION and the GOSPEL?

by Fernando 30 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Fernando
    Fernando

    On our journey we are learning that:

    RELIGION is a preoccupation with man's views on God.

    The GOSPEL is a preoccupation with God's views on man.

    "Man's search for God" versus "God's search for man" if you will.

    It seems to us that there is no intention or prospect of ever reconciling the two. Therefore it seems we have to choose one or the other, no matter how hard.

    What are your observations?

    (The Gospel = the Good News = the Good Message = Glad Tidings = Sacred Secret = the Evangel)

    (The phrase "good news" appears roughly 152 times in the NWT - more than half by Paul in the books Romans through Hebrews)

    (Why does the "true religion" secretly blind its followers to the "Good News" according to Paul, Moses, Isaiah and Psalms?)

    (Why and when did the Watchtower stop teaching that ALL religion is a snare and a racket?)

  • Fernando
    Fernando

    RELIGION - contrived centralised command/control, inevitably reducing us to mindless rule-bound (legalistic, moralistic, formulistic, combative, judgmental, hypocritical, inconsistent, fundamentalist, supremacist or elitist) automatons despite "good" intentions/aims (Keynesian: poisonous latent underpinnings, despite the overt premise being seemingly fundamentally sound)

    The GOSPEL - distributed, devolved, decentralised control, aka self-control, aka self-determination, where we operate as semi-autonomous beings, full of life and inspiration and peace and passion and love, directed by healthy consciences and a healthy human spirit, where great achievements, discoveries and outcomes result naturally/organically and not by any visible/tangible/temporal/human authority (Austrian)

  • Vanderhoven7
    Vanderhoven7

    OK Fernando, add to that:

    Religion is "DO" Christianity (the gospel) is "DONE"

    His blood washes; His sacrifice reconciles; His work redeems; His resurrection justifies

  • *lost*
    *lost*

  • Fernando
    Fernando

    How succint and true, thank you Vanderhoven7.

  • Fernando
    Fernando

    RELIGION - divides Christians, Jews, and Muslims

    The GOSPEL - unites Christians, Jews, and Muslims

    (The gospel is known as Bissar in Hebrew, and Injil or Injeel in Arabic and Urdu. The gospel about Jesus/Messiah/Isa was at the core of the prophets' message. It was deep in their hearts. It was their driving passion. They knew Jesus/Messiah/Isa intimately: 1 Pet 1:11. Christians, Jews and Muslims share at least 15 prophets in common. The Bible represents 3 of the 4 extant Muslim holy books: Tawrat/OT, Zabur/Psalms and Injeel/Injil/NT. See http://www.injil.org/Kalimatullah/revelations.html.)

  • return of parakeet
    return of parakeet

    Gospel is good news.

    Religion is bad news.

  • ÁrbolesdeArabia
    ÁrbolesdeArabia

    Fernando how is your quest for finding the Truth going? Hiding in plain sight is how the Organization writes their literature, how can they complain and write about their history of attacking Organized Religion while they became what they opposed and ripped to shredds?

    I would be very interested in any books you deem worthy to read to help me on my spiritual journey. I am finding I am doing very well helping even the most diehard JWs with the Bible and asking them for their opinions. With my status of still being in the Organization but faded, I am allowed to speak with anyone except the zealot Pharisees and Sadduccees.

    How goes your quest for the Holy Grail, I suppose we are all chasing one thing or another. God Bless You Fernando!

  • Fernando
    Fernando

    Hey ÁrbolesdeArabia!

    Thank you for popping in on this thread.

    It is great that you have a heart to help those trapped in the spiritual prison that is the Watchtower. It is indeed "Good News" that your questions are getting some to start thinking and reasoning for themselves.

    Having chosen an overtly spiritual and overtly non-religious orientation, I pray for more time to devote to the amazing journey that seems to come from unrelentingly following the "unabridged gospel" or "full Good News". At the moment it is a real struggle (working long and very stressful hours).

    Reading and writing has been very cathartic and mind opening.

    I have read and enjoyed "What is the gospel" by Greg Gilbert.

    I next intend to purchase "The explicit gospel" by Matt Chandler.

    Some other books that have stood out on the journey:

    • "Christless Chritianity" by Michael Horton
    • "The lost message of Jesus" by Steve Chalke and Alan Mann
    • "Pagan Christianity" by George Barna and Frank Viola
    • "Two trees" by Robert Ingleson
    • Any of the books by Philip Yancey
    • "The mystery of Christ & why we don't get it" by Robert Farrar Capon
    • ISOCF (more so than CoC)

    Free e-books:

    Favourite video clip: The Good-O-Meter.

    Favourite movie: "Indiana Jones and The last crusade" (20 minute Holy Grail scene - religion versus the gospel)

    Favourite websites: Jesus: Victor Over Religion, God hates religion.

    Overview of simple church: How to Explain Simple Organic Church in 2 Minutes on a Napkin , What is Simple Church?

    God bless you and yours too ÁrbolesdeArabia.

  • *lost*
    *lost*

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