Heres an interesting correspondence with a hypocrite who attacks the WTS and other churches, but forces his conscience on others just the same. On his web site letusreason.org Mike claims no Christian should practice reflexology. Some emails I lost and I summarise what was said in them at stages .
Here is my first argument.
everyone seems to have their own ideas about how it works. im a christian and i'm a qualified reflexologist. i havent had any problems whatsoever with spirits or anything alike. i'd say 85-90% of people respond to treatments. just because science cant explain how it works doesnt automatically mean that its occultic. true there are occultists interested and perform reflexology, but then you cant class it as occult just for that reason. theres a lot more to the human body than we 'humans' with very limited knowledge realise. its good to be sceptical, as i was, but when someones conscience allows for it then nobody should tell them otherwise. i think what energy the body gives off is just the very basics of what we were originally intended to be by god, physical and spiritual.
This was his reply to that email.
Greetings, Thank you for writing us.
of course there are things we do not understand or have discovered yet . however one must realize its been practiced by unbeleivers for thousands of years.
this practice is attached to eastern religions and has another worldview other than Christian -- called pantheism and panantheism
teaching on meridians speaking of an energy that permeates
the body that is part of the universe that you must balance, this is clearly
not a Christian worldview, and no christian should practice it.
This was my reply to what he said:
thanks for your reply. i can quite understand your view point. however i feel that to dismiss something as occult on the basis that heathens relate it in a pagan way, can cause problems, and isnt a sound basis for reasoning. if i used your argument i can apply it to the use of the cross as a Christian symbol. it has been used thousands of years before Christ as part of pagan worship, by many different pagans even going back as far as the Phoenicians. in Ezekiel it talks of women crying over the cross of tamuz, and i dont have to tell you about the story of tamuz i think you probably already know. many pagans have used the cross and have related its meaning in their own religious beliefs, so using your reasoning should all Christians abanden the use of the cross? i'm sure you can understand my point of view. one doesnt want to be found hypocritical in any sort of way. truth and holiness is want we all want to strive for.
This was his response:
Greetings, Thank you for writing us
well the cross is a pagan symbol and Christ was crucified on the cross. so this is clearly a personal choice of people to wear it or present it. we are not legalists
I felt he was evading the issue so I replied:
thank you for your previous email. i'm glad you recognise the cross as a pagan religious symbol, and you recognise peoples personal choice. i'm just wondering if you would now hold to the same reasoning and write on your web site "the practice of reflexology is a personal choice of people if their conscience allows it", instead of "no christians should practice it". OR, keep your page on reflexology as it is, and add to your page on the cross, "no christian should use the cross as an idol, or representation".
i'm not suggesting you're legalists, and i'm not suggesting i am either. i've had to put up with a good few years of WTS hypocrasy. i left the JWs because of it. when i see people write web sites critising other religions for their hypocrasy, whether its the WTS or any other church, i expect them to be without hypocrasy. i dont like people no matter who they claim to be, filling the boots of other churches that they critise for hypocrasy. i can only hope and pray that the truth will set you free from human traditions and teachings, and stop putting yourself into a position of apostleship and authority to suit your own ends, at the expense of others. thats exactly what the WTS do, and if i cant take them doing it i certainly aint going to stand by and let others do the same.
He replied saying that what he said stood and that was all there was to it.
I replied by saying that the judgement of Christ stood and what he says means nothing, and any other religious organisation that says its way is the only way of salvation, means nothing. I also said that I expected a reasonable defence of the way he reasoned things out.
He was not impressed with what I said:
you want a reasonable reply to an unreasonable person who says there is not
a true way to salvation.
ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS
ORG THAT SAYS IT'S WAY IS THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION, MEANS NOTHING.
you don't believe the words of Scripture so why should I want to convince
you what the Scripture says, you don't care. I used to be part of the new
age movement and know all too well its deception and inclusiveism, Its not
Christian, but then you arleady said it doesn't matter.I don't know if you
are a Christian or think you are but you don't seem to want to see what the
Bible has to say. so this is my answer to you who want to argue over the
things you practice.
Basically the last reply I gave him told him that he knew what I was talking about and that it wasnt a case of whether he was right and I was wrong, but a case of him forcing his conscience upon others which was clearly wrong and was no different from the WTS mentality. What he said about me not believing the scriptures was untrue and a diversion tactic that JW elders try to use to avoid answering difficult questions. I also told him that what he was doing was nothing new and that people like CT Russell and Joseph Smith had done the same thing and had been more successful at it. I also told him that when people learn to stop giving their minds away to people like him that we will all start getting somewhere.
What the world needs is not judges, but love.
Anyone else had experiences with people who put themselves in the position of apostleship?