Can a religion claim: “Only we have the truth”?

by Kalos 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Kalos

  Truth is self-evident (things like: The whole is greater than its part ….).

  Truth is always right (things like: Caring for the accident victim helplessly bleeding on the road ….).

  Claiming: “Only we have the truth” is like claiming: “Only my University is useful.” History shows that many school/college drop-outs have made significant contributions to the society like many those who completed their education! And on the contrary, many school/college drop-outs have made significant damage to the society like some of those who completed their education! Hence there is nothing unique about just one University!

  Lives of some atheists are a message that one’s life should be useful to himself and to the society just like the lives of many of the religionists! And on the contrary, some religionists are living their lives harmful to themselves and to the society, like some of the atheists. Religious prayers and rituals give the impression that God is A MEANS to get something in return (means valuing things of God more than God Himself)! JWs too preach the same message: ‘If you take up what we call true worship, you will get this’ (rulership with Jesus for some or material prosperity under his rulership for others)! Hence no religion can claim: ‘Only we have the truth.’ You know how you abhor when someone tells you: “I love you because I need you!”

  Hence, TRUTH is not the exclusive possession of any one religion. TRUTH is the possession of individuals whose lives are a message that one’s life should be useful to himself and to the society. (Mathew 21:43) This attitude comes naturally to a person who has a great mind (means one who values God more than His things!)
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  opusdei1972

  You may say that something is true if you can prove its truthfulness. For instance, religions based on the Bible can't comunicate truth, because the Bible itself propagates many lies.
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  exWTslave

  The following common ground can be observed behind the details of all religions--including JWs:

  1. There exists an Ultimate Reality, or transcendent God, which defines the purpose and meaning of life, and to which human beings are related.
  2. The universe is moral and purposeful, human beings are subject to spiritual laws, and each person reaps the fruit of his or her deeds.
  3. Each person has an eternal destiny, a life hereafter; the cosmos includes various spiritual realms.
  4. There is a highest goal (salvation, enlightenment, liberation, wholeness) which is potentially within the reach of every person.
  5. Human beings are tarnished by an evil condition that prevents people from reaching the highest goal unaided.
  6. Each person is free and responsible for his or her personal growth, yet can never fully realize that freedom unless the aforementioned condition of evil is dealt with.
  7. Each person has ethical obligations in the contexts of family, society, and the natural world.
  8. To become a moral person, one should train oneself to control the body and practice self-denial.
  9. The way of goodness includes an ethic of love and self-sacrifice.

  Hence no religion is unique!
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  Phizzy

  Not all religions can be right, they can all be wrong.

  Hence there is no need, logically speaking, for there to be a true Religion.

  It is my position that all are wrong, on so many levels.
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  Coded Logic

  Anyone can claim anything. What matters is the evidence you have to support your proposition.
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  Ocean1111

  The word "religion" is not in the Bible as far as I know. Rev 14:12 calls it the "faith of Jesus" I think. Its faithful or not, God determines, not man, I would guess. The "Us and Them" mentality always tries to enrich those running the "Us" group. Given the state of JWs now, it seems all organized religion is now officially just organized apostasy diverting attention to everyone else.
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  smiddy

  Jehovahs Witnesses can never , ever claim they have the truth .

  Why not ?

  Simply because they are a revisionist religion , they are in a constant state of reflux.

  What they beleived in Russells day as the truth doesnt hold water today.

  What they beleived in Rutherfords day is not what they beleive today.

  What they beleived in Knorrs day has been rejected

  What they beleived in Fred Franz`s day is not something you hear about anymore.

  And you can bet your bottom dollar that what is spoken as the truth today will be discarded tomorrow .

  smiddy
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  Bugbear

  Kalos

  You say basically that all religions and mind set with a higher spirit (ghost, daemon) above humanity must be to our advantage, since we feel responsibility to these ghosts? But what about if this “mind set just is a mind crack?

  Quote: means one who values God more than His things!)

  But if this god doesn´t exist.

  From an atheist point of view there are no rational fact that proves the existence of a God or creator. Meaning that an atheist think that all these ideas of daemons, ghosts, spirits are all fabrications in our mind (like nightmares, or dreams).

  Would you use your dreams to improve the world? Wouldn´t it be far more logic and less risky to use your intellectual mind, study proof able facts to investigate the world and then use these proof able facts to enlighten your fellow humans. This rather than using some old scriptures, interpreted by a large numbers of Prophets, with various ideas about moral ethics.

  If you chose to believe, ideas picked up in old scriptures, ancient prophets, modern interpreters (priests) or even Philosophers, it could end up with the IS, Taliban’s, or Jonestown.

  Bugbear
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  Fernando

  Religion versus the gospel

  In my experience religion by design leads us away from "the truth" namely our creator's message (the liberating gospel of grace and peace) and the personification of that message (Jesus).
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  Qcmbr

  If a religion doesnt claim this then they have no internal integrity.