Elder calls this site apostate

barry

As some of you may know my ex wife has been studying with the witnesses, and has allways had a soft spot for the WT teaching of neutrality in wartime. Ive been sending her information from this site with issues I feel are important such as silent lambs, blood,the two witness issue and shunning. Anyway she has been useing the information to ask questions one elder after reading information from here said that he shouldnt be reading apostate literature. The ex is going to another religious convention this weekend a group called the Coonites who dont beleive the trinity and wear old fashoned clothes. I just wonder where she will end up. Barry

refiners fire

Shes only Studying and has been admonished against looking at "Apostate" sites? Geez. Id tell them to drop dead myself.

..."Coonites".... Bazza. If my missus was sttending meetings of a group called "coonites" Id be worried about her long term state as well. The name alone would be enough to put me off.

ozziepost

G'day Barry,

Mrs Ozzie and I met a whole group of ex-Cooneyites at a Katoomba Christian Convention. We swapped stories and realised how similar was their experience to our own.

Many are attending the Gladesville Anglican Church in Sydney and some are in Perth, W.A.

Cheers, Ozzie

plmkrzy

a group called the Coonites who dont beleive the trinity and wear old fashoned clothes. I just wonder where she will end up. Barry

do they meet for services late at night in secluded remote wooded areas?

Edited by - plmkrzy on 20 November 2002 7:33:42

barry

Ive never heard of coonites before now but from what my ex wife said they dont have bible studies and you have to go to the meetings they hold to learn what they beleive also they sing very old hymns and that is all I know what I have been told. Barry

ozziepost

Barry,

I'll look up some info. I can't remember the sites. I'll check and post tomoro.

Cheers, Ozzie

detective

I ran a search on Coonites. I found something called Cooneyites which appears to be the same thing. Apparently related to the group 2x2s.

I didn't get a chance to read too much about it, but here are some sites:

http://www.meta-religion.com/New_religious_groups/Destructive_issues/cooneyites.htm

http://www.cephasministry.com/index_2x2.html

Disclaimer: I don't know much about these sites

I've heard of 2x2. They don't celebrate Christmas either which I've mentioned to my JW friend when the subject of celebrating came up... you know, "well, the two by twos don't celebrate Christmas either. How do I know they aren't the 'right' way?" In your case Barry, it doesn't sound like a good idea to bring up an example like that as your ex seems hellbent on checking out even the most questionable groups. That's really too bad. I wonder what it is that she is searching for and I wonder why she is susceptible or drawn to high-control groups.
I'm sorry she's struggling but obviously joining up with the witnesses or the cooneyites without being thoroughly versed in their doctrines and understanding that you are signing away your personal freedoms is really not the best answer in a spiritual search. I hope she feels better soon. Information will help her make an informed decision though. Let's hope, at least.

The Cooneyites
The Nameless House Church -
This is one cult on which very little has been written despite the fact that they are one of the largest cults in Australia.
The Cooneyites
Although known as Cooneyites members will quickly tell you the Cooneyites are another group and have no association with them. The group we know as the Cooneyites have also been known as Irvingites, Go-preachers, Two-by-twos, Workers and the Nameless House Church or Christian Convention Church. They prefer to call themselves The Way, The Jesus Way or The Truth.
They began in Ireland toward the end of the 19th century. Their founder was William Irvine. For a time they were accepted by the churches but this was withdrawn when Irvine publicly denounced all other churches. In later years Irvine was excommunicated along with another top leader, Edward Cooney. Those who followed Cooney also became known as Cooneyites.
The Cooneyites have no headquarters nor do they construct meeting places, yet they are extremely well co-ordinated and effective in seeking and gaining converts. Many a Christian has been caught, believing they are in a normal. albeit strict, Christian church - similar to a strict Brethren group. So good is this front that some Christians (including leaders with a solid knowledge of the Bible) have ALMOST been deceived into accepting them as Christian. There are some who still do not believe this group is a smooth and subtle counterfeit - a cult. This opinion is due to lack of information. Unlike other cults they do not print literature stating their beliefs, and members will not discuss them. It has only been in recent years that some who broke away have given this vital information.
Their Organizational Structure
They have a clergy-laity distinction - the ordinary member and the Preachers. The Preachers are men and women who have given up all their worldly possessions and live according to Jesus words in Matthew 10:17 e.i. working in pairs, without money etc. They must walk as Jesus - no permanent place to lay their head. While in the early days these preachers often lived as street people, today they move into members homes when they are in the district and it is the members who keep them. Each state has a Senior Preacher, under which the others operate. The Preachers exert enormous power and rule with iron fists. Fear of excommunication is used to obtain total submission.
They regard themselves as the only true Christians. Conversion to Christ through any other church is Satanic. Any deviation from their teachings is earthly, sensual and devilish. They believe their preachers are direct descendants of the apostles.
Current members do not know their movement only began last century and if challenged will tell you there have been groups of them scattered throughout Europe since the first century.
In the past they avoided cities, preferring country districts where there was less opposition. However, they now have large numbers in city areas where they have had great success in wooing people away from their own church. Many a Pastor has lost members to them without even known who they were.
Conversion Techniques
They present themselves as ordinary Christians and do not disclose their true identity. Members will not discuss beliefs but will refer you to their Preachers. They are very friendly to a prospective convert and if a person shows promise they arrange for their Preachers to visit. The Preachers only visit someone deemed worthy - someone prepared to listen. They state they have come to preach the true gospel and belong to no sect. If their gospel is rejected they have been known to be quite insulting, even literally shaking the dust of their feet in front of those who reject them.
If the prospect shows signs of accepting, the Preachers generally rent a local hall where they hold weekly missionary meetings just for this persons benefit. All preaching at these meetings (and the house church meetings they attend) is directed at the prospect. These special meetings continue until the person either converts or leaves.
Converts are baptised by immersion and renounce all former religious connections. If necessary, opposing family members are renounced also. Children have been known to forsake parents and leave home under their influence.
Christians should be on guard - especially with the current popularity of House Church groups.
Meeting Arrangements
Normal meetings are held in the homes of saints but they also have large groups set aside in various locations for their conventions. They hold 2-day conventions twice a year and a 4-day convention during the summer holiday season. The convention site for our hometown, Brisbane, (only 10 minutes drive from our home) covers 10 acres. Of this, 5 acres is used from the car park and the other 5 acres is crowded with people. You can drive past at convention time and not even know that there are so many people there, yet the Brisbane convention needs TWO conventions over the Christmas/New Year period to handle the numbers!
In the early 1970s it is known that there were about 120 such convention sites in the United States. In the State of Oregon it was estimated that there were about 5000 members at that time. This number would have increased dramatically since then.
In Australia it is estimated there are over 70,000 members. Based on the number attending their annual conventions in Australia at least 50,000 are adults. With no headquarters, no organization and no public seeking of converts, there are almost as many Cooneyites in Australia as there are in BOTH Jehovahs Witnesses (appros 90,000) and Mormons (Approx 80,000). (As of 1991)
Their Beliefs
They declare the Bible is a dead book and can only be understood through their preachers. While they seem to profess the Historical Church belief in the Deity of Christ when one first talks to their preachers, it becomes clear late that they do not hold to this. They believe that Christ was neither perfect man nor perfect God. He is seen more as a pattern preacher who showed the way in which one must walk for salvation. Their view of the incarnation and atonement is very limited, and they do not refer to Jesus as their Redeemer. There is a definite antagonism to the Biblical Gospel. The new birth is denied and replaced by conversion to the Jesus Way. The Holy Spirit has no part in this work, not has the blood of Christ. Instead their preachers get the credit. They believe that the blood of a dead man cant save anyone and salvation comes through following the Jesus way after baptism. If you do this faithfully you MIGHT be saved.
In Summary
Their salvation is based on works, not faith. (Eph 2:8,9) Their Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible which tells us that when He walked on this earth He was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16) They deny that salvation is through faith in the shed blood of Christ and without this there is no redemption of justification. (Romans 3:24, 25; Acts 10:34; 1 John 1:7)

NameWithheld

Barry, sounds like your wife is bound and determined to join a cult of any kind!!

waiting

The ex is going to another religious convention this weekend a group called the Coonites who dont beleive the trinity and wear old fashoned clothes. - barry

Man..............you Aussies sure do get the names! "Hi, I belong to the local Coonite religion." Cooneyites doesn't sound a bit better, btw.

I just wonder where she will end up. Barry

Hopefully, with a good therapist. Sounds like your x has some real issues.

waiting

pettygrudger

I've never understood how we as JW's were constantly told to "challenge our faith to determine we had the truth", yet we were not allowed to compare it against anything worldly.

Go figure!

Elder calls this site apostate

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