with some 30,000 different christian denominations, how would one know which one was for real?
some folks think jesus did start a church, others think no.
Im not certain if his intention was for a completely new religion or to merely change Judaism.
From what I gather Jesus is, at least, a historical figure that existed as a man. But, whatever you believe, if you choose to go by scripture, he appeared to be a Jewish "apostate" and introduced a new approach to worship that was based upon what we now call the Golden Rule rather than the legalism of the Jewish law.
HAF
hello, this is my first post, i would like to introduce myself and say thank you to every one on this forum, you have been a lifeline to me these last few years.. i had been a jw for 30 years when i walked away a few years ago disgusted by the treatment victims of child abuse, domestic abuse and rape receive from the wtbts.. at first i thought it was a local problem, elders personal opinions, the way they handled the situations, imperfect men etc., until i checked out jehovahs witnesses and child abuse/domestic abuse online.
that's when i realized they had the same modus operandi worldwide.
that led me here, tbuo this forum, and then to crisis of conscience, jw facts, watchtower documents, jw survey, old watchtower literature and cd s, reading a couple of steve hassans books, and more recently exiting the jw cult.. the feelings of shock, betrayal, anger at the wtbts, angry with myself for being so gullible, depression, reflection, loneliness, have taken their toll.
Wow, good for you to do the research and get out with your family! Welcome to the forum:-).
HAF
i haven't had anything to contribute for a while so i have been lurking, which is a pleasant pastime.. anyway i have really enjoyd slimboyfats way of thinking, and i don't think such thinking needs discharge from the mental asylum.
i guess i am out of ammunition to argue with coftys may i say more rational thinking.. so whilst i find it difficult to refute what cofty says, i also find slimboyfats thinking refreshing, and that's why i say they are both right.
maybe a better explanation would be i once worshipped an organisation which was referred to as " mother" and it wrapped me up in baby diapers.. as far as i am concerned both slim and cofty are independent thinkers, no longer controlled by the insane thinking and rhetoric of other people.
The POV's on here do challenge my thinking and beliefs. That's why I love this forum. Without exposure to different angles of thinking one cannot grow mentally. Perhaps this is why I find the Borg so repressive and unbearable with their one-note-tune teachings.
I find that when someone's fair statements make me angry or react than there is a reason for it, and I try to examine why I resist their ideas. Sometimes the ideas we find shocking at first are actually our minds introduced to a new concept. Shakes up our world!
HAF
edited to say: I really like cofty's factual approach and SBF's abstract thought.
Yes, I am definitely more moral. I am more conscientious of what I say and do because I don't feel like I'm elevated over others anymore. Ive finally joined the human race, and I want to make the world a better place starting with me.
HAF
this phrase made me perk up my ear for a moment during this week's video demonstration.
this "follow-up remark was to the "householder's" affirmation that we do not know what happens at death.
religions use scare tactics to keep members captive, so is this a hook wt introduces early?
this is a rant mainly in response to my wife's reaction to the stupid clam meeting last night.
bear in mind, while i am not sexist, i am also not politically correct.
.... it is no secret that the women in this organization outnumber the men.
besides the about 48 hours you worked there a week, you would have other duties too.
there was dish duties.
then you had the night watchmen duties.........once every 2-3 years in the home, you pulled an all night watchman duty.
New boy, I have been gobbling up these bethel stories. I don't want them to end! Several close friends and family of mine are/were in bethel. People don't always share their stories, but when they do I am never disappointed. Please tell me you have a part 8.
HAF
having looked over the february' 2016 wt study article ' learn from jehovah's loyal servants' and meditating on the 'advice' from the fds aka gb regarding the shunning of our own close relatives if they have been disfellowshipped.
the example in par 7 highlighting how a woman called anne shuns her own mother for 'as she says' cutting herself off from jehovah.
i can't help but wonder how audacious and wreckless watchtower is in writing this stuff.
