Thanks Connie for your words.
It is a challenge for us all to stay objective in religious matters. There is so much faulty information circling us everywhere that the truth often is not so obvious.
Many Christian followers would like to believe that simple answers can be found from one single religious source. This is why JWs as a religious group are so popular with those looking for straight answers.
The truth is that not everyone is right or wrong in everything. Various religious groups display adherence to God's Word in varying degrees. Are the JWs wrong in every doctrine or statement? No! Are Protestants right in most things related to the Bible? No! Are all Jews lost? No! Can we learn some things from Catholics? Perhaps. And so on.
It is a common belief that the higher education one gets from prestigious sources increases the surety or accuracy of available information. Generally true, but not always. Universities have limits. So do professors. The whole system is subject to corruption and tradition, including government and religion. The WT Society is not exempt from either corruption or tradition. Those who always defend the JWs like to stick their head in the sand, ignoring glaring deficiencies in the system. The same can be said of Evangelicals, Catholics, Muslims, or other.
Hence, it is wise to be open to new ideas, and not be so gullible so as to worship the feet of religious authority. We can learn from anyone, whether they represent a majority view or a minority one. I have learned a lot of things from various posters here. Some posters in this forum display depth of knowledge which exceed my own by lots. However, that does not mean I cannot present a valid argument for someone else willing to hear it.
One thing that has helped me in my biblical studies, is to have various publications from different religious sources. That includes bibles and commentaries from various religious faiths. Some ex-JWs proudly say that when they leave the org. the throw away every WT publication. Why? I don't think that is necessary. I personally keep some like the Bibles, Insight, All Scripture, Reasoning book, etc. I like to see how JWs, Evangelicals, Catholics, Jewish sources, among others, explain things. Then I decide which makes more sense to me. This is not always the right procedure, and wrong conclusions will be a product of that. Hey, I'm only human, as everyone else here.
In our search for truth, let us not forget Jesus' own words (probably my favorite biblical text): "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14.6)
From this text alone we learn that Jesus is the way to the truth and to the Father. Notice that as simple as these words are, most religious systems err in their traditional interpretations. For instance, JWs do not give Jesus the "honor" he so much deserves. (John 5.23) The WT gives more prominence to their hierarchy than they give to Jesus. The WT opponents on the other hand do NOT honor "the Father" as they claim when pretending to be honoring Jesus. The Father is virtually absent in their daily worship. Jesus taught that the Father was "greater" than him, and that the Father was God Almighty. (John 20.17) This is so true, that the NT was written for that purpose...that Jesus, the Son of God, is the way to God. (John 20.31)
Yet, most traditional groups cannot get this right. Yes, words with a meaning so simple, but religious believers prefer something more meaty, more complex, which explains why the Trinity is so popular. Intermingling Greek philosophy with Scriptures may be the norm today, but Christianity is far simpler than religious people wants us to believe. It is simpler than what the WT Society teaches overall. It is simpler than the stuff Christendom pushes to the masses. The truth shall set us free!
