Posted on 06/14/2009 9:36:23 AM PDT by Colofornian
Dennis McConner climbs the front steps of a well-kept home on Holgate Avenue in Maumee and knocks on the door.
SNIP
Mr. McConner, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., smiles warmly and says, "Good morning sir, how are you?"
"Just fine. Can I help you?" the homeowner asks, polite but hurried.
"Yes, my name is Dennis McConner. I'm stopping by this morning leaving invitations to you and your neighbors to attend a convention we're having at the SeaGate Centre and to answer this question: 'How can I survive the end of the world?'•"
SNIP
Leading up to the first weekend of meetings, the Witnesses are working diligently to get the word out to nonmembers. The headlines on the flyers ask the catchy question, "How can you survive the end of the world?"
SNIP
The Jehovah's Witnesses were founded in the 1870s in Allegheny, Pa., by Bible student Charles Taze Russell. There are about 6.5 million members in 235 countries, including 1 million in the United States and 35,000 in Ohio. The Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches lists it as one of the four fastest-growing religious groups in the country.
Group members are used to hearing criticism of some of their non-mainstream beliefs and practices, including not observing Christmas, Easter, or birthdays; barring blood transfusions, and refusing to bear arms in a war.
Mr. Smith, an elder in the West English Congregation, which meets at a Kingdom Hall on Richards Road, says some people have angrily accused him of being in a cult. But he says that among the key characteristics of a cult is that its members follow one individual, which does not apply to Jehovah's Witnesses...
(Excerpt) Read more at toledoblade.com ...
Well, as the article already mentions, that's how JWs did start -- following one individual -- Charles Taze Russell. (With Judge Rutherford replacing him as the one individual to follow). From there, they decided to branch out into a governing society - The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
Ahhh..., JW’s ... one of two of the biggest cult groups in the U.S. (the other being Mormonism). Both are “home-grown” too, right here in the U.S.... :-)
We love our vacuum cleaner
We've found God
We gave at the office
You can leave now
They have them all over the country. They are actually pretty cool things. I attended one. They were actually giving away sack lunches during the intermission, I was very hungry by then too.
(I like the sign: We'd love to help you out
(Which way did you come in?)
(Did you get a bit suspicious when the koolaid accompanied the sack lunches?)
When these people visited my mom’s house, she would hide in the basement.
They learned their lesson way back then about following an individual. Now you can’t really figure out who is in charge anymore. Its pretty interesting.
I used to study with them back in my teens.
They are actually the meekest and kindest people I have ever met
Actually, if you know you're Bible...and just understand a few concepts of what the JWs believe, it can make for an interesting convo.
Ask them: "Is Jesus a true god?"
"Do you believe in Jesus as a true god?"
"Since you say Jesus isn't Jehovah God, how many gods, then, do you have?"
As in ALL CULT CHECKING, there is one question and one question only that divides any and all religions. Remember this is’t a good one “WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS?” Peter answered correctly. Cults answer incorrectly. The correct answer is Jesus is God, fully God and fully man.
JW’s do not believe that they say he is Michael the Archangel.
Mormons believe he is Michael the Archangel
and the Big Finale!!!Seventh Day Adventist believe he is Michael the Archangel
There was also a group know as The Way they did not believe Jesus was God.
oh ps the mother of all these religions was put together at the Nicea Council in 325 AD, compare that religion with Biblical truths and you will be 10 miles off the closest marker. However the Roman Religion does have one thing right and that is Jesus is God. Hence why it has had some efficacy. The Hebrew Faith movement today has a long way to go but at least it is walking in all the scripture.
They are, but I weary of hearing about the Apocalypse being tomorrow every week for the last forty years. They were just by yesterday.
I only studied with them for a few months
Best way to get rid of them is just take their junk and immediately trash it. Preferrably while they are watching.
Meanwhile, on July 5th, 2009, the Church of the SubGenius will be celebrating X-Day, the End of the World, in Sherman, NY.
http://www.subgenius.com/bigfist/fun/devivals/12XDay/12X-Day.html
You wrote:
“oh ps the mother of all these religions was put together at the Nicea Council in 325 AD, compare that religion with Biblical truths and you will be 10 miles off the closest marker.”
What you’re saying is utter nonsense. 1) There was no religion “put together” at Nicaea in 325. A religion - Arianism - was suppressed instead. And thank God for it! 2) There is no “10 miles” separation between the Church and the Bible nor could there be since they come from the same source - God Almighty.
“However the Roman Religion does have one thing right and that is Jesus is God.”
The Catholic Church has everything right in terms of doctrine and it begins with the Trinity and the divinity of Christ. Period.
“Hence why it has had some efficacy.”
Some? Single largest and greatest Church ever is “some efficacy” to you? What puny, no name, just erected yesterday sect would you rather people join?
“The Hebrew Faith movement today has a long way to go but at least it is walking in all the scripture.”
It’s a sect, less than 100 years old, founded by men, not God and it doesn’t walk in the scriptures. It doesn’t even have a complete copy of the scriptures to go by.
Kind sir, your zeal for Yahweh is admirable but misses the mark by a great deal. Study church history. Study Lev. 23 and then look up Mithra and Ishtar. Study how the Catholic church took out the 2nd commandment,split the 10th and wiped out the 4th. These are just for starters.
The ones I know are nice-—and they really take care of each other.
lol Patent it and sell it, you’ll make a fortune.
LadyL,
You wrote:
“Kind sir, your zeal for Yahweh is admirable but misses the mark by a great deal. Study church history.”
One of the fields for my PhD was Church History. I know it well.
“Study Lev. 23 and then look up Mithra and Ishtar.”
Why? I worship neither Mithra nor Ishtar.
“Study how the Catholic church took out the 2nd commandment,split the 10th and wiped out the 4th. These are just for starters.”
You’re completely wrong. Look at Exodus 20. There is no enumeration of the Ten Commandments there. In other words, no where are we told, “This is the second commandment....this is the third commandment, etc. If you look in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, after paragraph #2051 you’ll see that the Ten Commandments are listed in their entirety according to how they appear in Exodus and Deuteronomy. There is also the traditional Catechetical Formula that is used for memorization. Lutherans use the same Catechetical Formula.
Your misunderstading is a common one on the part of those who have done little or no research on the topic. You might want to read this: http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/NUMBERNG.HTM
And here it’s even easier to read: http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/numberng.htm
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