How to Recognize Counterfeit Christian Religions (page 5)

garyneal

I like number 15, Interfaith Worship and not becoming unevenly yoked with an "unbeliever." Comments like that create so much division amongst Bible believers of all stripes. How can anybody claim they have the 'true' religion when everyone is off by one teaching or another?

LouBelle

They are all counterfeit.

I follow myself.

jgnat

I wonder if villagegirl is shunning me.

LostGeneration

Thanks for your reply Smartwater..30 years is a long time to be a JW. I'd like your thoughts on the quote below from the WT. Do you feel the GB is out of line by demanding individuals adhere to these rules? Do you feel the GB is not properly addressing "apostate" arguments? Just curious as you are not following the company line by posting here...

July 15, 2011 Watchtower (Study Edition) page 16
7 What is involved in avoiding false teachers? We do not receive them into our homes or greet them. We also refuse to read their literature, watch TV programs that feature them, examine their Web sites, or add our comments to their blogs. Why do we take such a firm stand? Because of love. We love “the God of truth,” so we are not interested in twisted teachings that contradict his Word of truth.

villagegirl

mP Jesus does NOT waste "pages in the gospels about taxation"

he was asked ONCE whether they should pay taxes and he said,

"render unto Caesar that which is Caesars(the coin )

and render unto God that which is God's"

I am afraid I am not who you think I am. I was a JW

for 30 years, I do not now belong to a church,

or follow the Nicene Creed, or subscribe to what

is taught to Protestant Pastors in Bible Colleges in North America.

I have no issues (mostly) with the various Churches,

I believe its all an internal Spiritual, journey, revealed

by thought, prayer, insight, spirit connecting to spirit.

Many ex-jws come from a book-magazine-word-for word- approach as if all

things can be summed up in a Watchtower, they can't.

The information in the Bible and especially the words of Jesus;

are mystical, incomplete, sometimes symbolic, sometimes literal,

an account or insight by those there at the time.

I think we are supposed to figure it out as individuals

according to our capacity. The Bible is not a Manual.

We live, we die, this much we know.

I believe in the existance of spirit, beyond the material.

jgnat

Yup. I'm on ignore.

villagegirl, there's an admired philosopher who also heavily influenced us in the separation of the material from the spiritual, a quote:

And on the twelfth day, as he was lying on the funeral pile, he returned to life and told them what he had seen in the other world. He said that when his soul left the body he went on a journey with a great company, and that they came to a mysterious place at which there were two openings in the earth; they were near together, and over against them were two other openings in the heaven above. In the intermediate space there were judges seated, who commanded the just, after they had given judgment on them and had bound their sentences in front of them, to ascend by the heavenly way on the right hand; and in like manner the unjust were bidden by them to descend by the lower way on the left hand; these also bore the symbols of their deeds, but fastened on their backs. He drew near, and they told him that he was to be the messenger who would carry the report of the other world to men, and they bade him hear and see all that was to be heard and seen in that place. Then he beheld and saw on one side the souls departing at either opening of heaven and earthwhen sentence had been given on them; and at the two other openings other souls, some ascending out of the earth dusty and worn with travel, some descending out of heaven clean and bright.

villagegirl

jgnat I just saw your post - I am not shunning you -

I PM you a while back didn't I?

If you want my personal email PM me.

I come from a different place because I was

a child converted ( 14 year old ) and for 30 years

I made choices, believed and lived

the watchtower.

I know you have the best of intentions as a Christian.

You have a Pastor belong to a church family, subscribe

to the Nicene Creed. This is your path. I have evangelical

cousins and relatives who believe the same.

I have been to church with them. My beliefs

are not standard issue, or mainstream.

I wonder about a lot of things but I never doubted

for one minute the presense of Spirit in me, in you,

and the oneness of Christ's spirit within the

universal priesthood of all believers.

jgnat -Your above QUOTE?? From Plato ?? Greek ??

Myth of ER ?? The vision of ER by Plato

Beowlf ?? same references- Plato had access to Hebrew Writings

The Greeks believed in Hell and the River Styx and resurrection.

But the Hebrews came before the Greeks, there are arguments

the Hebrews copied the Egyptians - I majored in Literature

I did take ancient History as well - a lot of books out there

jgnat

Nope, no PM. I've gone back four months. No need to pass on your e-mail. I've noticed that you've brushed past my comments a few times, and you made a rather harsh judgement a few weeks back and you never responded to my challenge.

You are correct that the story comes from Plato. I nearly gave my JW hubby a coronary when I told him this story predates Jesus by a couple hundred years. Boewulf came much later; somewhere between the 8th and 11th centuries Anno Domini.

mP

VILLAGE

mP Jesus does NOT waste "pages in the gospels about taxation"

mP:

We also have the story of the trip to Bethlehem to pay tax. That story shows that no matter what a good jew will risk his wife to pay tax.

There are multiple stories inthe gospels about slaves being obedient and others about paying tax. Theres not a single story about freedom and condemnation of slavery. There are about a dozen or more examples that emphasize these two points.

Why is Jesus so preoccupied with encouraging the masses to be obedient to Rome ? Why didnt he condemn slavery once ? Was he blind , could he not see half the peoples were slaves ?

mP

village:

Well dont defend Jesus or claim that he was a good person. He wasnt, he was a product of the time.

How to Recognize Counterfeit Christian Religions

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