ANYONE JOINED A NEW RELIGION?

by Mary 40 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  RR

  I hope youre kidding . I went and visited the Berean Bible Institute here in Melbourne myself. So I'll ask you the question I wanted to ask them. How do you justify Russells entire prophecy interpretation as being fallacious? The guy wrote, what, 7 major books? 3 of them are totally invalid. A Curious mind wants to know.

  Sorry to disappoint you RF, but, I'm not kidding. I've been serving with a local ecclesia [congregation] of Bible Students for some ten years.

  As to the brethren in Australia? Most, and I do mean MOST, are from the 1909 schism. They don't even know who Russell is for that matter. Most have never even read his books. Although there are some pro-Russell Bible Students spreadf about in the area.

  As to Russell's major accomplishments? He did more than just write a few books.

  He was the author of the following publications, issued between the years 1881-1914, each having phenomenal circulation: Food For Thinking Christians 1,450,000 Tabernacle Shadows 1,000,000 Divine Plan of the Ages 5,532,500 The Time is at Hand 1,878,500 Thy Kingdom Come 1,792,500 Battle of Armageddon 714,000 The Atonement 663,500 The New Creation 646,500 What Say the Scriptures About Hell? 3,000,000

  The Divine Plan of the Ages alone, had a circulation second only to the Chinese Almanac, the first being the Bible.

  He was also the author of WHAT SAY THE SCRIPTURES ABOUT SPIRITISM, OLD THEOLOGY TRACTS, the PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION, which had been exhibited prior to his death to more than nine million persons. He wrote and published the SCENARIO of the PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION, which has had a very wide circulation. His publications were translated into thirty-five different languages.

  Each year he wrote practically all of the articles for the BIBLE STUDENTS MONTHLY, the annual distribution of which amounted to approximately fifty million copies.

  His weekly sermons were handled by a newspaper syndicate. More than 2,000 newspapers, with a combined circulation of fifteen million readers, at one time published his discourses. All told, more than 4,000 newspapers published these sermons.

  so I think he did more than just write a few books, that does not ibnclude theWatch Tower magazine he also wrote for.

  Now that being said. BIble Students for the most part don't have a problem with his chronology. Remember, they didn't chnage it, the Society did. Of course there are some Bible Students who see a problem, but most don't and have been able to reconcile the 607 date.

  Also, unlike the Society of today. Russell was admited to his mistake. Not so much in the dates, but what was expected. What Russell expected and what the Witnesses today say he expected are two different expectations.
• 

  Satanus

  After the wt, i went to churches for a couple of years, but i never joined any of them. I went where i wanted to. I finally ended up joining the human race, at least in my head. It's taking some time to fully externalize that, but i think it's a good point of view.

  SS
• 

  RR

  SS, the human race is the biggest cult around!
• 

  Satanus

  RR

  I won't be in it forever, just a few more yrs. After i check out, i'll be back to what i was before.

  SS
• 

  larc

  Not only did I not join another religion, I did not join much of anything. I was never again into organizational life, except for work. I consider myself to be a social person, but not a joiner.

  I never did care to socialize with coworkers, with a few exceptions. I prefered to spend time with people outside of the work envirnment, who I met in the neighborhood.
• 

  dsgal

  I haven't joined another religion but I have gone to several functions of various churches.Everybody I've met there has been so friendly and not looking at everybody they didn't know with skepticism.So different from the witnesses.
• 

  refiners fire

  Well i got pretty heavily involved in the Toronto Blessing movement. I think the churches I was mainly going to at that time were Baptist. Or maybe they were just Assemblies of God. Never bothered to ask.Anyway, whichever it was rolling on the floor laughing your ass off and rolling in the gutters manifesting the appearance of drunkenness under the influence of the holy spirit was pretty good fun. I especially used to enjoy going to Baptist churches that decided the "holy laughter" movement was a manifestation of Satan and laughing my ass off during their meetings. Laughter is hard to resist, theres something compulsive about someone who insists on laughing hysterically until they cant breathe and is rolling on the floor and bellowing "Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!". People just couldnt help themselves from shouting "praise jesus!" and Laughing and having that laughter "bubble up from the belly" As Rodney Howard Browne used to say. Never believed any of it though.

  http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/holylaugh.htm

  Hey RR, we all know Russell was one of the great men of history and a prolific writer. But Im pretty Sure L Ron Hubbard wrote WAY more words in his lifetime. L Rons followers claim that "Dianetics" is the biggest book other than the Bible dont they? Someones lying somewhere.

  Edited by - refiners fire on 14 September 2002 0:29:48
• 

  Dawn

  I started going to a non-denominational church 2 years ago. I also was really scared to go at first - thought I'd be committing the "unforgivable sin".

  But I've since learned that God doesn't live in ANY church or religion. Religion is just man's attempt to reach God - and humans create various forms of such religions all with their own little rules and customs.

  Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is within you - I believe that. He lives within our hearts and we can develop a relationship directly with him.

  I now go to church because I enjoy associating with other people that have similar beliefs as me, I like the outreach programs that they're involved in, and it's a place to go and worship God with other people. But I do not believe that any ONE church has all the answers.

  I would encourage you to visit a few and find one that feels comfortable so that you can meet other Christians and share your story. It really helped me a lot to ask my questions to other pastors who were knowledgable and not biased by JW thinking.

  PS - they just LOVE when ex-JW's start attending a christian church because we're viewed like the "lost sheep" that have been found and brought back to the fold. Funny isn't it? Exactly the opposite of what the JW's think of us.
• 

  ozziepost

  Yes! and No!

  We haven't "joined" anything in the sense the WTS means. We have become convinced of our Christian beliefs, and so in Christian freedom we can associate with many diferent churches and groups.

  Nevertheless, we regularly attend an evangelical Anglican church. It's just great! Bible teaching is wonderful.

  Cheers, Ozzie
• 

  gsx1138

  I went to various Christian churches for a few years to see what they were about and never really liked any of them. So I decided to study the origins of christianity and the Bible from people in a nuetral position and not. Well my journey of discovery led to dissappointment as I found the origins of both the religion and bible were not as divine as I had been led to believe all my life. So I went the Deist route until my boss told me about Wicca. I wanted to know more and was told I had to do it on my own. After two years of studying Wicca and other religions (he required me to study other religions to make sure I had a clear view) I decided the Pagan path was the way for me. I don't think it is for everyone as there is allot of work involved and discipline but I'm more happy now than I have ever been in my life.