Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17) Many people have “inherited” their religious beliefs and have never seriously examined them in the light of reason. Yet, is it a sign of disrespect to examine what you believe so as to ‘prove to yourself’ that your thinking is in harmony […]
Explanation of Deuteronomy 22:23-27 During Geoffrey Jackson’s testimony in the Australian Royal Commission, Angus Stewart questioned the requirement of at least two witnesses in relation to cases of sexual abuse. He referred to Deuteronomy 22:23-27 to support this proposition. Stewart. Mr Jackson, that is exactly the point I want to get to. You will be […]
During World War II, the term “brainwashing” was introduced to describe methods employed by one group to force its ideas upon another group. An individual’s previous ideas would be “washed” from his brain and replaced with new ideas and beliefs. The techniques used and the reasons for their use give some insight into the workings of […]
The Watchtower society teaches that it is wrong to quote an authority out of context. This statement appeared in the publication Live With Jehovah’s Day in Mind: “Who of us has not said or done something unkind and then later been confronted about it? We likely felt embarrassed or somewhat guilty. Such feelings can lead […]
Bob Deffinbaugh Introduction Apart from His sacrificial work on the cross, the most significant thing our Lord did upon the earth was to make disciples. Our Lord had written no books, He had built no organization; there were no physical structures or monuments left to commemorate Him. He had placed the future of His earthly […]
Those doing and not doing the will of the Father “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy […]
By Rachel Held Evans, on March 18, 2013 No More Silence: An interview with Boz Tchividjian of G.R.A.C.E. This is the second post of a weeklong series, Into the Light: A Series on Abuse and the Church, which featured the stories of abuse survivors, along with insights from professional counselors, legal experts, and church leaders about how […]
In the 1930’s, Swedish artist Oscar Reutersvärd drew and made public a series of what came to be called impossible figures. A modern example is shown at left. At a quick glance, these drawings seem to make believable what clearly violates all rules of common sense. When examined carefully, however, they can be seen […]
Shortly before his ascension to heaven, Jesus gave his disciples these parting words: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And look! I […]
In the previous post I ended with the question: Can a person leave the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses, choosing to worship God willingly, from the heart apart from the organization and not face repercussions? Let’s analyze the rest of his testimony and see if Geoffrey Jackson can answer that for us: The following exchange is […]