Posted on 01/31/2013 8:44:30 PM PST by Dallas59
When I come by my friends house they are always there. They are polite to me but act like I'm interfering. Anyone here associated with them or been to their church? Thanks.
My wife is a 7th Day Adventist. She’s a great person and noting about her faith resembles your characterization.
I studied with them for a short time
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
I should add that Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that all non-Jehovah's Witnesses are going to hell too, so it's not like the sentiment is one-sided...
My youngest son couldn't stand to visit them. They threw out all his record albums because they didn't approve of the music he was listening to. My son told me one of the main reasons her son left the home was because he wasn't able to play sports or attend school events.
My ex hasn't had contact with our two sons for many years. I've been divorced since '79, and my kids are in their 40's now. My ex moved to S.C. sometime in the late 90's. Never bothered to inform our children. I found out about the move accidentally when I took my car to a Midas Muffler shop and they checked their database to see if my name was in it. My ex's name popped up with a S.C. address.
his mother has little to do with him....disavows him because he doesn't still "belong"....its a sadness that he carries his whole life IMO....she wouldn't even come to his wedding.....
Prior to the Nicene Creed, what was the test for Christianity? Could such person have been saved if they merely responded to the Gospel message without going deep enough to develop a triune understanding?
Jim Jones was everything you described.
It is positively scary how someone can lure people in like that.
Alright, let’s get some full disclosure going. You a witness?
I’m not sure I would classify them as a cult, but they’re close.
Go to a Bible bookstore and ask them if they have any good literature regarding the Jehovah’s Witness’ faith.
Otherwise, try the internet and see what you can find which tells the truth about their sect. They have some very strange rules to live by .. and they make it hard for you to leave them, if you decide you don’t want to be there anymore.
Just make sure the person understands what they’re getting into.
Once he joined the JWs he was literally a different person. Pretty much shunned me and all of his friends. Dropped out as a sophomore.
In retrospect, I realize he was searching for something. But he ended up thinking everything he did before was "evil". Gave up his beloved music, beer, etc.
I went to couple of Kingdom Hall meetings with him. Nice people, but sorry, quite strange.
They have "Communion" where they pass around cermonial bread and wine. The only people "allowed" to take it are members of the 144,000 elect. So nobody in the Hall partook. He told me that if someone tries to take Communion they often times are physically stopped, because taking the bread and wine is a grave sin if you are NOT one of the elect.
He also told me that Jesus was not THE son of God, however A son of God, an archangel. Gabriel? Who was re-incarnated.
I had many discussions with him after that. He broke off all contact with me soon thereafter.
The Nicene Creed represents the Christian faith as handed down from the Apostles and as held by the Church Fathers. The teaching of Christ as God is reflected in the Didache as well as in the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, Melito of Sardis, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Clement of Alexandria, and others — it was hardly a creation of the Nicene Fathers nor an innovation. It was formulated in the Nicene Creed after coming under challenge from a priest named Arius, who gained quite a following and has the distinction of having been slapped by St. Nicholas himself during the Nicene Council.
Personally, I believe that Christ will forgive an individual for making an honest mistake if their faith in Him and His death and resurrection are sincere. To be faced with true teaching and to maintain a hardened heart towards it in contradiction to the facts is not an honest mistake or the sign of a sincere heart. All the same, and most importantly, God alone can judge the honesty of one’s heart — there are so many factors involved that it is never our place to say that one’s mistake is insincere and mercenary.
But we can always trust that God’s judgment in such matters is True and Just, and that in His Good Mercy he will never condemn the honestly mistaken nor will He, in His Infinite Justice, allow a liar into His Heavenly Kingdom.
That’s my take on it, anyway.
Type in “Millerites”
You will see how they began. Rev. Miller and the “Great Disappointment” -—
They were disappointed since the world did NOT end!
And this happened several times, after several EMPHATIC predictions.
And they're big on not having ANY symbols in the Kingdom Hall. They believe that the crucifixion was on a stake, not a cross, so you won't see a cross anywhere.
One thing that Mormons have over JWs is if you say "no thanks" they leave. JWs are persistent. I don't agree with them on much, but I do think the Watchtower magazine artist is fantastic.
I find that to be one of the saddest aspects of the cult mentality.
In the name of control, people are convinced to give up the very things in life that make perhaps the greatest arguments for God of all — great music, great art, great food, and great beer. The beautiful things which God gave us to open our eyes to the power of His grace in the world are renounced as evil, things to be cast aside. Our world is corrupted by sin and that sin is manifestly ugly but insofar as the world has beauty and goodness it has it as a reflection of that grace which God chooses to bestow upon it.
I’m sorry for your loss... a friend who introduced you to jazz and Bass (one has to love English ales... I’m quite fond of Samuel Smith myself) was a dear friend indeed.
Maybe this man doesn’t need more religion. Maybe instead of pointing him to another denomination, he should be pointed to Christ.
Promote Jesus Christ, not your particular denomination.
I feel sorry for the kids. They are sometimes outcasts because they don’t celebrate holidays or birthdays.
My friend the teacher says they are a pain in the @$$. Doing traditional things in the classroom, like writing about their Christmas traditions, doing a Halloween crossword puzzle, or even singing “Happy Birthday”, becomes a nightmare because of these kids. You either feel guilty for excluding them or hurting the feelings of the non-JW kids, which is 95% of the class. And don’t even get her started on the classroom parties, which are a rare occurrence these days because of “respect for diversity.” Kids can’t even bring cupcakes to celebrate their birthdays anymore—they’re banned. The stated reason is allergies to foods, but the real reason is respecting the ones that don’t celebrate, the 5%.
I’m seeing a number of Roman Catholics posting comments in this discussion, vitriolic Roman Catholics who have proven over the years that they care more about their denomination than about Jesus.
I would encourage you to ignore their advice. Perhaps your friend is tired of Roman Catholicism, and is looking for relationship and meaning. Pointing him back to the RC church would prove fruitless. Instead, point him to Jesus, and be a real friend to him.
Jesus above all, even above denomination (including the Roman Catholic denomination, which considers all other denominations to be anathema).
The nearer your friend comes to Jesus, the more clear it will become to him that JW doctrine is false.
He should research former member discussions on the internet. There will probably be a theme of organizational abuse.
It’s a cult and although it feels good to be part of a close knit group, it has it’s downside in being kind of owned by the group which is not always that sane.
I have heard they have organizational requirements for recruitment to the cult. Not quite the same spirit as talking to people about Jesus for the purpose of saving souls for Him.
He should worry about his soul!
Get yer damned friend to confession or sumbpin!
I ain’t Catholic but, consider Catholics part of the canopy of Christian Family.
Put your punk friend in front of a priest and let him confess his ills. Whatever it takes!!!!
His future is at stake and his current state is temporary at the miminmum but, FK’d to the MAX if the JW’s get’hold of him.
Please, please, please...Become Catholic for a month and get your jackass friend back into to the fold!!!
Be a Friend.
“Oh, and I left the minimum thing above as my lisp thingy.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
BE A FRIEND....you do understand friend? That’s Fri-to the-End...or FRIEND...
Don’t let these happless losers FK your friend up to the point he becomes a roboton or a worse, wakes up to the fakery of their leech religion and worn out from trying to make himself worthy.
Remember, there is none worthy, no, not one...and your friend is going to have to do a lot of work that is completely unnecessary, unwarranted and a waste of time.
He needs to understand “he sucks” but, God is okay with him.
if you want I can call your friend and speak with him.
I won’t yell, won’t judge and will let him lead what his direction is. Let me know.
Happy to help
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