On another thread about a totally different subject some comments have been made about the JWs, which I consider are important to come under this different heading. Respecting all people of religious belief is paramount in equality and diversity, and I apologize if you feel that this is a bit over. Jehovah Witnesses (JWs) are knowing to be very evangelistic, knocking on doors and giving out a magazine called the Watch Tower. There strong beliefs have torn families apart, particularly if a person who was a member has left their sect. Such a person if then ostracized by the whole community for life. I had a friend who was a former minister in the JWs and left - he lost half his family, he was ignored by all the friends that he had in the JWs. I was with him in the last days of his life - he and his family were very bitter on the impact that that religion had had on their lives. His wife told me how to get rid of the JWs so they never come to your house again or near you. Just say to them that "I was defellowshipped by the JWs and I do not want to speak to an elder". They will not come again, and they will not bother you.
many Jehovahs Witnesses are in fact--nice people---and sincere in their beliefs. But the parent " organisation"---the Watchtower--is --in fact a multi billion dollar printing and property developement business.... the watchtower organisation is currently selling off its high value properties--including the headquarters in New York---much is now sold for £billions----and in London UK. they are in the process of resiting to much cheaper developement sites-----built with a small army of volunteer labour drawn in from its members. even local to me---a " Kingdom hall"---one of the first "quick builds"---is for sale at half a million ££. this was again built with voluntary labour back in the 80's. here it is. the members of the congregation---who paid for its construction--are being told to attend another kingdom hall in another town, however--the money raised from the sale goes to the watchtower !!!
A good mate of mine was a JW, but saw the light and realised what a load of garbage it was. His wife however, remained a JW and accordingly, she sees him as a 'dead soul', and they've been long divorced (and it was a bitter divorce). They had 2 kids, both had JW forced on them, both of them went off the rails, drugs, alcohol, the lot. An ex-workmate of mine was also a JW, she was constantly breaking down in tears at random intervals, for no apparent reason. JW messes with people's minds and confuses them, and leaves them scarred for life. The watchtower makes brilliant toilet paper though. We once had a load of watchtowers left by some JW on the canteen table at work, I promptly threw them out.
I'm not condemning those who attend a church of whatever denomination, but I would be suspicious of any quasi-religion that originates in the USA. I'm certainly not anti-American, but I feel that most of the American 'religions' are infected with capitalism, and capitalism is based on the concept of treading all over your fellow man before he treads on you. Not so Christian. When I was a youngster in Australia, Sunday morning TV was utter cr4p, (no cartoons!) and populated by American evangelist preachers such as Tammy and Jim Bakker and fellow crooks, beseeching the bewildered to buy their salvation in handy weekly instalments. I could see what they were, and could never understand how these charlatans managed to con their millions from Joe T Spitzenhauser III until I became aware that the States has a massive population of people called Cletus and Ellie-May, whose prize possession (and sometime lover) was their coondog. These people paid for the lavish temples that were shown off in little features in the show. "Praise the Lord above that our fifteen-million-dollar campaign has been reached, with just enough left over for Tammy to have her hair done the same shade of pink as her brand new Cadillac." Hare Krishnas were everywhere in the 70's too, but orange has never suited me and I prefer a more tailored look to my strides. Bagangavitagupta (or whatever) is a bit of a difficult thing to get my Caucasian palate and tongue round, and my fingers have always been too pudgy for tiny little cymbals. Becoming a Mormon appealed for a little while because the clothes looked smart - a little Moddish, and at the age of 20 I was little more than a seething mass of pimples and hormones, and the idea of having multiple wives fitted in nicely with some of my darker thoughts. But no smoking, no coffee, no alcohol. Deal Breaker. Buddhism? Probably more appropriate to my body shape, but no meat. Judaism? No bacon? Islam? Very noisy, and I'm not an early riser. It all got so confusing. Why should I be facing in a particular direction to pray, if God was all around? Why should I grow a beard? Shave my head? Grow my sideburns? Wear a skull cap? It all seemed to me to be reasons to keep you out of their club, to ostracise and obstruct. And then I saw the light if you will. These are the false prophets and idols that we were warned about. I already had within me a voice which told me if something was right or wrong. And if there was a Divine Entity, he would be that voice. I realised that my relationship with such a Divine Being didn't need any special clothing, freaky haircut or restrictive dietary regime. It depended on me, trying my best to take care of the people around me, and surrounding myself with people who appeared to feel the same way (in that they did their best to reciprocate). Eventually I came to realise that any such Being was not outside, but inside of me. Portable. Not dependant on me being in a church, temple, mosque or chapel. Consequently, and this will be contentious to a lot of people on this website, I do not agree with any organised religion and believe it to make things more difficult for people, instead of easier. Some people find the opposite to be true, and love going into a specific building, eating specific foods or dressing in a specific way and uttering specific words. If it works for them, who am I to deny them? But actions speak louder than words, and as is written somewhere, by their deeds shall they be judged. I guess what I'm trying to say is.......Just try to be nicer!
lets say--for the sake of arguement---that God is real. He created the universe and everything in it. so there can only be the one almighty God. there are god knows how many religions in the world----and they each worship God. so--how can a religion claim to be the one true religion--the only one God approves of.? and yet thats exactly what jehovahs winesses claim. Furthermore--according to them--Jehovah is " shortly" to start the battle of Armageddon--when he will destroy all the wicked--and preserve the righteous into a cleansed Earth where they will live--in paradise--forever. ( and guess who the righteous ones are ? ) please note--the watchtower suggested back in the late 1960's onwards---that 1975 was to be a very significant year--marking the end of 6000 years of mans existence on earth. jehovahs witnesses took this to mean armageddon would happen that year. wrong again !
I hadn't seen it before - and I won't see it again, but I wondered why the book of Mormon was everywhere on the escalators on the London tube .......a load of drivel ...... Mind you you'd be good in a Burqa.......
The Sikhs have an answer to your question. When asked by a young student why there were so many religions in the world, his guru said; "A mountain, depending on which angle it's viewed from, looks slightly different to each person who sees it. Each is convinced that he can see the mountain just fine, and doesn't need to view it from someone else's perspective - or even want to try, for fear of losing his own view."
This is all goes to how you interpret religion, for example look at the Roman Catholic Church for example - how true is the message? It appears to me a lot of Filipinos go to church to be seen, but how many of them believe? How many pedophiles are priests?
Or, instead, something completely different. Dearly Beloved, We are gathered here today to decide on which is the true religion. As God's chosen messenger, I bring you no Bible, no Koran, no Torah. I shall repeat no words of Confucius, no Shakras, no Buddhist chants. I will ring no bells, turn no prayer wheels. There are no stone tablets, nor burning bushes..... Nay and verily, for it was spake unto me that the truth lies in The Holy Video. And so, without further ado......with no delay.....no piffle and squawk ...... no moment of indescribab....... "Speak Up!" ....le moment of tension....the Holy Video.......which explaineth all. Probably.
(I am a Pentecostal Christian btw but I am not pushing this on you guys / gals - only to add that I am certainly not living by face, and certainly aware of life's struggles). When was the last time that you went to a football match? I saw Milton Keynes Dons last year get beaten by Preston North End. For most of my life I was a nurse, and for nine years was a district nurse, and one of my patients was an 80 year old man born in Southern Ireland out of wedlock - he told me how the Christian brothers had taken him away from his mum and sister, and they had abused him everyday in the name of Catholicism. He was still hurt by it. - He had arrived in Liverpool and when and saw a priest and the priest didn't give him any money. So today when I think of the systematic abuse of the Catholic Church and their pope in denying divorce in the Philippines - I think it is just yet another abuse - in the name of Christ - not at all it is the name of those whitewashed tombs in that church! My girlfriend has three children and like James I could also be done for adultery! - The catholic church puts heavy burdens on the Filipino people, while quite a number of these so-called priests commit child abuse behind closed doors.
Hinduism. Yeah. That's what I meant. <cough> Buddhists aren't going to sell their faith with "All the spiders you can eat buffets." I thought they weren't allowed to kill things, hence my confusion.
@DavidAlma .....And the patience of the Saints. A splendid effort yesterday, culminating in a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of those giants of British football, Brentford.
Catholicism is an awful cross to bear for the Philippines, I agree. I have a Catholic wife, so it's difficult to bite my tongue at times, but of all the worlds 'great' religions, with the exception of Islam, it's the one which appears to worship a cruel God. The constant demands for penance and the expectation that people should bear incredible suffering because of some crackpot 'original sin' theory makes me want to tear their gilded churches apart. It's Easter here in Spain. Here's a photo of Penitents in Granada, crawling on hands and knees with a bloody great statue on their backs, throughout a procession in a bid to seek forgiveness for their sins. Now who put such a ridiculous concept in their minds?
