JW's, Sccientologists, Moonies.. when does a cult become a religion?

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by mee

thats because you are thinking that the slave is an individual ,but the slave is a class of people not an individual .


the slave was serving spiritual food back in the first century and according to Jesus would still be doing so when he arrived. (in 1914)

not even Methuselah lived that long!—Genesis 5:27.


yes there is a composite slave


Their servitude is voluntary and stems from their love for the Master.



For example, the Bible writers Paul, James, Peter, and Jude identified themselves as slaves of God and of Christ. (Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1) Paul reminded the Thessalonian Christians that they had “turned to God from [their] idols to slave for a living and true God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9)


Christian slavery is based on love for God. When we come to know and love the true and living God, we are moved to serve him “with all [our] heart and all [our] soul.” (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13)
A slave has been defined as “a person who is the legal property of another or others and is bound to absolute obedience.


As a class that is what the slave class is like, they are obedient to God and christ because of LOVE


but thinking about us ,Jesus said: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.” (Matthew 20:26, 27) As Jesus’ followers, all of us are slaves.

That sounds like a servant, not a "Slave". There is a huge difference. A servant usually chooses to be one, wherein a slave usually has no choice...

Maybe we are arguing nuances here...

[mee]

[quote=Quahom1;131936]That sounds like a servant, not a "Slave". There is a huge difference. A servant usually chooses to be one, wherein a slave usually has no choice...



some choose to slave for the Lord and are obedient to him.

Ungodly and unscriptural traits must also be stripped off and replaced by Christlike qualities.

How can this be done? For one thing, note Paul’s answer by means of a forceful illustration: “I pummel my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.”—1 Corinthians 9:27.


thats what slaving for the Lord means ,and the class spoken of in matthew 24;45-47 has and is doing that .


but all christians including the great crowd spoken of in revelation 7;9-10 are a work in progress

[mee]

did anyone see that program on telly last night ,(here in England) about that cult, and the guy who claims to be the son of God ......... creepy , talk about twisting scripture . seemed to me they were all a bit strange , the program was called THE END OF THE WORLD CULT seems to me they need some accurate knowledge of the bible and what it REALLY teaches

[Virtual_Cliff]

Hey! Doubly weird. Not only do I agree with you, mee (which is a first ) but I also agreed with something the cult leader said (which was unsettling).

This was when he described the sort of life we know - based around TV, cars and debt - was not really living. Real life was living in response to the call of God.

Seems to me that he was the biggest victim of his own cult.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Virtual_Cliff

I also agreed with something the cult leader said (which was unsettling).

This was when he described the sort of life we know - based around TV, cars and debt - was not really living.

Don't be unsettled VC, I too can easily agree with this sentiment (but I didn't see the programme). It clearly isn't the only life to "know" and it is one that means nothing to me.

s.

[mee]

Originally Posted by Virtual_Cliff

Hey! Doubly weird. Not only do I agree with you, mee (which is a first ) but I also agreed with something the cult leader said (which was unsettling).

This was when he described the sort of life we know - based around TV, cars and debt - was not really living. Real life was living in response to the call of God.

Seems to me that he was the biggest victim of his own cult.

did you see the stare of those women looking at him , now that was creepy

[bob x]

the sort of life we know - based around TV, cars and debt - was not really living

How about a life entirely consisting of internet surfing?

[mee]

Originally Posted by bob x

How about a life entirely consisting of internet surfing?

I like to throw in some of the following ,



(Ephesians 6:15) and with YOUR feet shod with the equipment of the good news of peace.


A nice walkies doing good things keeps me active .

[Saltmeister]

Originally Posted by bob x

How about a life entirely consisting of internet surfing?

G'day, Virtual Bob. I actually thought you were real.

Yeah, a good thing none of this is real. I walked over Virtual Cliff and . . . hey I'm still alive.

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by mee

did anyone see that program on telly last night ,(here in England) about that cult, and the guy who claims to be the son of God ......... creepy , talk about twisting scripture . seemed to me they were all a bit strange , the program was called THE END OF THE WORLD CULT seems to me they need some accurate knowledge of the bible and what it REALLY teaches

Maybe he is a reincarnation of Charles Taze Russell !!!

[mee]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

Maybe he is a reincarnation of Charles Taze Russell !!!

Its good to know that a bible student is just a bible student, and never ever claims to be the son of God . Charles Taze Russell was after the truth of the bible , and those who are after the truth of the bible have many blessings indeed . but those who claim to be what they are not ,have no blessings at all. i am glad to say that in this time that we live in NOW there is abundant knowledge and understanding about the bible ,and it came about because CHARLES TAZE RUSSELLwas after truth , not after self glory . one thing is for sure he never claimed to be the son of God because he knew from his study of the bible that Jesus was in heaven .

and now because of the early bible students roving around the bible , abundant knowledge in line with bible prophecy and chronology is abundant indeed .


And as for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of [the] end. Many will rove about, and the [true] knowledge will become abundant.”Daniel 12;4


yes its all happening in this time of the end , but many many people are in complete darkness to the abundant knowledge.


and the reason why they are in complete spiritual darkness is because they are held captive to people like the one on the telly the other night.


yes the truth will set them free, but first there has to be a turning to Jehovah . psalm 83;18


and as the bible tells us DRAW CLOSE TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW CLOSE TO THEM.

drawing close to men who claim to be the son of God ,will end in no true knowledge at all.


“Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.”—JAMES 4:8.

[Tao_Equus]

Mee,

Whether you claim personal divinity or special insight on the divine is a moot point. Facts are Russell was by today's standards clinically certifiable as having a delusional personality. But he was industrious and compelling and built enough of a fan base among the uneducated to start a small movement. But it was Rutherford, who took over after Russell's death in 1916, who really got The Watchtower Inc. rolling. That he diverted a good deal of the funds to enjoy an extravagant lifestyle, and formed the secret hierarchies that still run the organisation clearly, to my mind leaves the JW's a typical cult.

Tao

[mee]

[quote=Tao_Equus;132044]Mee,

Whether you claim personal divinity or special insight on the divine is a moot point./quote]


i am HOPEFULLY one of the other sheep spoken of by Jesus in JOHN 10;16 , and there are millions of these sheep all over the world and they are all feeding from the channel that Jesus is feeding Matthew 24;45-47



yes in this time that we live in NOW Jesus has lots of other sheep who are all learning to live in unity and peace . here we are in REVELATION 7;9-10 , Yes, from small beginnings in charles taze russells day , things have moved along in big ways . yes those who are humble and willing to be faithful great blessings arise. and one of the things that is abundant right now in these the last days is .... abundant knowledge ..... and it is all inline with the bible

yes the Lord gives the key of understanding to whomever he chooses , and he was just the first .


For example, C. T. Russell could not have correctly understood the meaning of the symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast mentioned at Revelation 17:9-11, since the organizations that the beast represents, namely, the League of Nations and the United Nations, did not even exist until after his death.

but now in our day things are well along especially when it comes to the bible book of REVELATION

ITS ALL HAPPENING

[mee]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

But it was Rutherford, who took over after Russell's death in 1916, who really got The Watchtower Inc. rolling.

Tao

from small beginnings great things are happening and Jehovah uses whomever he pleases, but the leader of them all is Jesus christ and their ourthority is the bible .



yes many things have happened to Gods people especially in this time of the end since 1914 ,when Jesus took up his kingship .


yes the book of revelation is certainly an uncovering and revealing .

[mee]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

clearly, to my mind leaves the JW's a typical cult.

Tao

a cult has a living human leader ,but JW have Jesus christ as their leader , and yes Jesus is feeding a channel on the earth . matthew 24;45-47 and it is all good food and it is all beneficial to good spiritual health and those faithful ones spoken of in matthew 24;45-47 feed all of the other ones spoken of in John 10;16 and it is all from Jesus . yes Jesus has been GIVEN great ourthority Daniel 7;13-14