Posts by Fernando

12

Rethinking "this world", "the world", and "worldly"

by Fernando in

if all religion is a snare and a racket as per judge rutherford, then has religion maybe lied to us on this score too?.

could jesus have meant: "if you belonged to the (religious) world, it would love you as its own.

as it is, you do not belong to the (religious) world, but i have chosen you out of the (religious) world.

Fernando

If ALL religion is a snare and a racket as per Judge Rutherford, then has religion maybe lied to us on this score too?

Could Jesus have meant: "If you belonged to the (religious) world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the (religious) world, but I have chosen you out of the (religious) world. That is why the (religious) world hates you." (cross ref John 9:22)

Could it be that religious leaders may be completely wrong about what “the world” or “worldly” means – in that it might refer mainly to them?

There seems to be some support for such a view in this Bible commentary that says "this world" in 1 Cor 2:8 meant “the Jewish church state” (a religious organisation): http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_corinthians/2-8.htm

What are your thoughts?

9

Wrestling with change, technology, jealousy, and spiritual need...

by silent in

jw
friends

hey gang, i'm a fader and i've made a few posts in the past, but i mostly lurk.

i had a visit with a family member the other night and they know how i feel about my life as a witness growing up.

my life as a witness was not fun, i had no friends "in the truth," was picked on relentlessly in school, and basically my life as a witness left me with not one real good memory.

Fernando

What a beautiful piece you've written silent.

It seems to me that your instincts are spot on, and that all your problems are directly related to ignoring your instincts.

Clericalism, hierarchy, magisterium, self-righteousness, hypocrisy, legalism and inconsistency are powerful proofs that these religious folks and their thinking are not of God. Quite the opposite.

Best wishes on the journey.

Fernando

26

What did you become after leaving Jehovah's Witnesses?

by Garrett in

jw
friends

hey guys,.

so, since my leaving i have been doing so much research on so many topics that it's been extremely enlightening.

not only have i learned a lot about the organization and what motivates it, but i have also learned a lot about the bible, god and most importantly, myself.. currently, i'm not quite sure where i stand, but i'm having some real issues with the bible and god.

Fernando

Liberated and liberal.

Whilst I was in the Watchtower I was introduced to the gospel, by means of a simple question, by someone who cared enough to ask.

I began to pursue the gospel in the Watchtower library.

It led me increasingly away from the Watchtower and religion.

It led me increasingly toward becoming a simple follower of and believer in Jesus.

This is exactly what the gospel was designed to do.

I now identify as SBNR (Spiritual But Not Religious).

I also identify as an ordinary person who has received the "free gift" of faith (a higher level of consciousness and intelligence).

I also identify as an ordinary person who has had a clean and right standing with God imputed to him by grace (unmerited favour).

As to evil, I am studying and learning the answers to the question: "Why do we humans permit evil by ignoring God's ultimate solution?"

3

Judge JF Rutherford's strong views on religion

by Fernando in

from time to time i read or search through two books written by the "judge" on religion.. one is titled "religion" (1940), and the other "enemies" (1937).. in these books it is clear that the terms "true religion" and "false religion" were foreign to the "judge" and later inventions by watchtower vice president and general counsel hayden c. covington in the early 1950s.. in the book "religion" on page 18, paragraph 2: "the scriptures show that organized religion originated with the devil, who created and brought into action religion for the very purpose of turning mankind away from god.".

for me the watchtower is a prime example of the "christless christianity" phenomenon..

Fernando

"...all Christians must avoid religion." (page 20)

"Nimrod set up religion, with himself as the visible representative of god..." (page 21)

"When Jesus came to the Jews he found the leaders teaching and practicing religion, showing that they had fallen under the influence of the demons." (page 39)

"Christianity and religion are two separate and distinct things, and the two are in complete opposition to each other." (page 46)

3

Judge JF Rutherford's strong views on religion

by Fernando in

from time to time i read or search through two books written by the "judge" on religion.. one is titled "religion" (1940), and the other "enemies" (1937).. in these books it is clear that the terms "true religion" and "false religion" were foreign to the "judge" and later inventions by watchtower vice president and general counsel hayden c. covington in the early 1950s.. in the book "religion" on page 18, paragraph 2: "the scriptures show that organized religion originated with the devil, who created and brought into action religion for the very purpose of turning mankind away from god.".

for me the watchtower is a prime example of the "christless christianity" phenomenon..

Fernando

From time to time I read or search through two books written by the "Judge" on religion.

One is titled "Religion" (1940), and the other "Enemies" (1937).

In these books it is clear that the terms "true religion" and "false religion" were foreign to the "Judge" and later inventions by Watchtower Vice President and general counsel Hayden C. Covington in the early 1950s.

In the book "Religion" on page 18, paragraph 2: "The Scriptures show that organized religion originated with the Devil, who created and brought into action religion for the very purpose of turning mankind away from God."

For me the Watchtower is a prime example of the "Christless Christianity" phenomenon.

7

In search of WWWW (What's Wrong with Watchtower)

by Fernando in

in more than 40 years of doorknocking not a single person was ever able to sit down with me and kindly and patiently explain exactly "what's wrong with watchtower" in simple terms and baby-steps that i could grasp at the time.. of course i have to admit it is not as easy as one might hope.. this morning one possible (not simple enough) summary came to mind:.

the bible promotes belief in jesus and the liberating and transforming gospel message about him (in both the nt and ot).. the watchtower instead promotes belief in a visible golden calf and pseudo-mediator between god and man in the form of:.

blind authoritarian clerics who have co-opted the word "elder" and turned it into a title (aka apostate "clericalism").

Fernando

In more than 40 years of doorknocking not a single person was ever able to sit down with me and kindly and patiently explain exactly "What's Wrong with Watchtower" in simple terms and baby-steps that I could grasp at the time.

Of course I have to admit it is not as easy as one might hope.

This morning one possible (not simple enough) summary came to mind:

The Bible promotes belief in Jesus and the liberating and transforming gospel message about him (in both the NT and OT).

The Watchtower instead promotes belief in a VISIBLE golden calf and pseudo-mediator between God and man in the form of:

blind authoritarian clerics who have co-opted the word "elder" and turned it into a title (aka apostate "clericalism")
a blind hierarchy of authoritarian clerics (COBE, CO, DO, ZO and so on)
blind authoritarian super-clerics who deceitfully claim the existence of a supposed "Governing Body" in the first century congregation, whilst covering up the fact that such a body only existed at that time in the form of the apostate Sanhedrin (aka apostate "magisterium").
cosmetic and hypocritical lawkeeping as a means to earn a right and clean standing with God (aka apostate "legalism") in direct contradiction of the gospel and the 5 solas. A simple search of all that Paul had to say on (imputed) "righteousness" (aka justification/justify/justified) exposes their fraud (aka snare and racket)
an apostate religious organisation that tells its followers they are "publishers of the gospel" but specifically and deliberately keeps them ignorant of most all of what the Bible has to say about the gospel. (Just ask any JW to explain the gospel according to Moses, Paul, Isaiah, or Psalms from their heart...)

When you were doorknocking what do you think a householder could have said or done that may have planted a seed and eventually saved you and your loved ones from the supremacist, authoritarian and Pharisaic cult?

5

Bono rocks! (U2 frontman talks about 50% decline in global poverty @ TED)

by Fernando in

http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2013/none/bono_2013-480p.mp4 (download - right click, save file as)http://www.ted.com/talks/bono_the_good_news_on_poverty_yes_there_s_good_news.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bddkf0lw-ag.

.

Fernando

5

Bono rocks! (U2 frontman talks about 50% decline in global poverty @ TED)

by Fernando in

http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2013/none/bono_2013-480p.mp4 (download - right click, save file as)http://www.ted.com/talks/bono_the_good_news_on_poverty_yes_there_s_good_news.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bddkf0lw-ag.

.

Fernando

http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2013/None/Bono_2013-480p.mp4 (download - right click, save file as)
http://www.ted.com/talks/bono_the_good_news_on_poverty_yes_there_s_good_news

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdDkF0Lw-ag

10

Which Online Discussion Archetype Are You?

by Simon in

taken from codinghorror blog, funny but insightful as well:.

if you've participated in usenet, mailing lists, or web forum discussions for any length of time, you're probably familiar with godwin's law:.

as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving nazis or hitler approaches 1.. .

Fernando

Much easier to recognise in others than in ourselves...

9

Is shunning a common religious punishment for reporting sexual abuse (or other crimes)?

by Fernando in

in other words, is it true that the watchtower is just like other religions when it comes to cover-ups?.

from personal experience (with incest and doctrinal/financial fraud) in the watchtower i would say so.. especially when i compare stories like the one i read today:.

"its impossible to know how many women have been raped by jewish men.

Fernando

I was very surprised a few months ago when reading how open and public a senior member of the Catholic Church was about child abuse and the root causes as he sees them (one of which is clericalism, aka the two class system of believers and the associated multi-tiered hierarchy of power).