Posts by Perry

Suffering appeals to many hard working proud people. It makes them feel special as part of their overall works-based ideology. The WT feeds that notion.

Sinners on the other hand are not special, but commonplace.

Jesus' offer of salvation apeals to sinners, not special people.

16

Authority in the Witnesses

by Band on the Run in

jw
friends

now that pastor russell is persona non grata, i was wondering how this movement ever started.

i always find it surprising that educated people refuse to read the bible.

they will just follow someone.

Perry

I was wondering how this movement ever started.

I can tell you what I know as a 4th Generation Witness.

My Great Grandmother was the first of several hundred desendants and relatives to join. She came to the US as an Italian imigrant from Sicily at age 9. She hooked up in the 20's with the Watchtower masquerading as an American style Christian organization. Probably seemed like the thing to do in her new country. My grandmother was a 1st generation American Sicilian who only had a 3rd grade education. Grandpa was a 3rd generation American who descended from the same village in Sicily, but also only had a 3rd or 4th grade education. They joined the cult as did my mother, who was a high school graduate. But she suffered in the WWII years with getting kicked out of school because of the flag issue. They made her feel proud to suffer for the Truth.

I finally read the bible and figured out that there is not ONE SINGLE SCRIPTURE that offers salvation outside of the New Covenant. Most of my several hundred Italian realitives on my grandmothers side are members. It is their "thing".

There is hell to pay for ignorance of sin and God's solution to the problem.

6

the subject of resurrection

by Crazyguy in

were the earliest believers of a resurrection the egyptians, i have yet to find an earlier culture believing in this idea?.

Perry

I'm wondering if a better question might be: Was there EVER any culture that did not believe in an after life?

38

What is your favorite gospel music?

by Zoos in

my taste in music is pretty eclectic.

i was listening to some andrea bocelli this afternoon and found this on youtube.. .

oh my god!!!.

Perry

I saw Bocelli last year in Austin , Tx. .....Amazing.

35

My first post: Pet Peeves from my JW past

by BarHarborBarbara in

jw
friends

first post here: longtime lurker but hesitant to take the leap.

my story is pretty much like everyone elses with little variance, but i thought id add a few details that especially tormented me when i was in.

im sure these are familiar, im afraid this is a bit of a rant.. --paradise: the constant chatter about a perfect world when most in the hall were not even slightly interested in taking care of the earth now.

Perry

I feel so much freer along with much closer to Jehovah and Jesus now because I'm relying on them and not men.

Welcome to Christian Freedom. Glad to have you aboard!

That's me at 5:05. I used to be a Regular Pioneer & 4th generation witness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhbwwe0nn1I

14

Visited Baptist church on Easter

by snakeface in

i live in a rural area; in field service we had to drive from house to house.. i have not had any desire to visit any church for several years now.

saturday i was doing chores in my yard - washing the car, etc.

- and 2 ladies drove in, dressed like witnesses would be dressed.

Perry

First time I went to an independent baptist church, the preacher blew my mine and my wife's hair back. Wow! Is all I could say.

We found one a little closer to home (not quite as dramatic) and went there for three years. Made some great friends we still keep in touch with.... including Pastor and wife.

69

Any Suggestions on what to say if elders ask why you stopped going in FS?

by BU2B in

jw
friends

i was curious what might be some good things to say if i am questioned by the elduurs about my decline in fs.

anything too honest may get me a jc (although that would be for the best in the end..) the co visit is this week so they may be getting more agressive than usual.

Perry

Tell them that if they can show you even one NT scripture showing how a person can have their sins forgiven outside of the NEW COVENANT, you are willing to have something to preach about at the doors. If they can't, what is there to talk about?

9

What exactly did Jesus say when he meant Eternal Life?

by MissConfused in

saw a movie - 'gospel of john', recently.

had some questions:-.

1) when jesus said come follow me and you will get eternal life, what did that mean?

Perry

Is it as simple as just believe him and there is a place booked in paradise for followers?

Yes. But the key is to believe Jesus alone. Trust in him alone.

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house." - Acts 16

" That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. 10 For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. - Romans 10

The offer from God is nullified by trusting in him and another object of salvation..... like we did with the Watchtower, or like other groups do with their churches or church leaders.

If you will put on Christ like a parachute and trust in him like a parachute, you will be saved from judgment, and be ushered immediately into heaven with God at death. Later, you will get your body back, only better at the resurrection.

However, you cannont put on a parachute and then rely on flapping your arms to help the parachute. Or, you cannot trust in the parachute and at same time trust in the plane that is going down.

It doesn't work like that.

One act of disbelief sold us into sin and death, and because of the blood payment, one act of belief gets us freedom and life. One we had no control over, .... one we do. Because of Jesus, we have the same choice Adam and Eve faced in the beginning - whom to believe.

Many will testify that just asking God to give them this belief will get the relationship going. It did for me.

11

1 John 1.9

by quellycatface in

jw
friends

shame the jw's don't take much notice of this scripture.. the key of christian faith.. hope everyone had a peaceful weekend.

.

love qcf x.

Perry

You must be thinking of a different Reformation, Perry. :P In my mind, that was a 'continuation' of the Dark Ages ... it was just as brutal as the Inquisition.

The Reformers made great strides in bringing biblical christianity into the mainstream. However, they were not the originators of biblical christianity, they were just politically connected and thus magnified its precepts. Neither did they do this without error, or go far enough. They got most of their ideas from the indiginous Christians of Europe who were called by a number of derogatory names and who were also the objects of much of the inquisitions and Papal bulls.

Groups like the Waldenses, Albigenses, Anabaptists and others were originally aligned with the Reformers until it became politically expedient to also alienate these groups.

A good read on this is The Reformers and Their Stepchildren.