[Some opposers have claimed that since Ray Franz was a member of the Governing Body and then 'left' the organization that this is somehow symbolic of Watchtower failure.]
[However, this kind of] logic is fatally flawed and [this] reasoning is faulty.
“Was Satan the Devil having been a member of Jehovah’s “angelic assembly” and one of the highest order of angels symbolic of God’s failure?”
“Was Judas Iscariot having been a member of Christ’s inner circle and “having an office of oversight” symbolic of Christ’s failure?”
Peter and Paul both noted that the Christian Church could expect false teachers to arise from WITHIN THE CONGREGATION ELDERS (Acts 20:29, 30; 2Pt 2:1-3).
“However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons” (1Tim 4:1).
Ray Franz was just a person who sought to promote himself rather than his Lord Jesus Christ. And he secretively tried to insert his own contrary ideas into Scriptural truth. When he was called to account by his fellow Christians he refused to correct himself. He continued to be admonished and attempts were made to resolve his perceived issues until all efforts failed. Being unwilling to repent and seeing the "writing on the wall" he "left" the organization and published his self-serving and twisted version of the facts. His personal opinions simply reflect his own prideful animus and require others to have an ignorance of the Scriptures (2Pe 2:17-22).
While he was one of Jehovah's Witnesses he worked without payment and only for room and board. But after he was kicked out for his prominence seeking, he made money and gained personal prestige by writing against the Witnesses. He had to go promote himself to those who were used to a clergy class to find people gullible enough to buy his books so he could make a profit off his ideas. I think I will trust someone without such a strong personal motive.
At the same time, Ray Franz' teachings are being repeatedly disproved even on this forum. Anyone who would "buy into" Ray Franz's story clearly will believe ANYTHING no matter what the facts are!!
Ray Franz and others like him left a vibrant, growing, active and truly Christian organization. Now they have withered up and become just like any other cult leader in Christendom. They have nothing to offer. Their followers cannot even agree on what to believe on the most simple of Bible doctrines.
Ray Franz, and those who were infected by him, left correct doctrine. They worship with and make common cause with religions which turn a blind eye, or outright allow, homosexuals, fornicators and adulterers to be accepted members of their congregation. These religions also allow their members to drop bombs even on fellow "Christians." So, those who leave the True Christian Congregation either abandon Christian morals themselves or become guilty by association. Literally or spiritually they are debased.
Like "swine to the mire and dogs to the vomit," they have become just like Christendom.
Matthew Henry: "The apostle, in the last two verses of the chapter, sets himself to prove that a state of apostasy is worse than a state of ignorance; for it is a condemning of the way of righteousness, after they have had some knowledge of it, and expressed some liking to it; it carries in it a declaring that they have found some iniquity in the way of righteousness and some falsehood in the word of truth. Now to bring up such an evil report upon the good way of God, and such a false charge against the way of truth, must necessarily expose to the heaviest condemnation; the misery of such deserters of Christ and his gospel is more unavoidable and more intolerable than that of other offenders."
I need no further proof to see that there remains no Christian Truth or Holy Spirit in these individuals!
Actual evidence irrefutably proves that Jehovah's Witnesses are the true Christian Congregation and it alone has the Truth. On the other hand all other religions have abandoned following Christ, in actions and morals. And ALL who make common cause with these religions are unfaithful to God.
SOURCE: This is an answer provided by BAR_ANERGES to a question at Yahoo Answers.
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[However, this kind of] logic is fatally flawed and [this] reasoning is faulty.
“Was Satan the Devil having been a member of Jehovah’s “angelic assembly” and one of the highest order of angels symbolic of God’s failure?”
“Was Judas Iscariot having been a member of Christ’s inner circle and “having an office of oversight” symbolic of Christ’s failure?”
Peter and Paul both noted that the Christian Church could expect false teachers to arise from WITHIN THE CONGREGATION ELDERS (Acts 20:29, 30; 2Pt 2:1-3).
“However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons” (1Tim 4:1).
Ray Franz was just a person who sought to promote himself rather than his Lord Jesus Christ. And he secretively tried to insert his own contrary ideas into Scriptural truth. When he was called to account by his fellow Christians he refused to correct himself. He continued to be admonished and attempts were made to resolve his perceived issues until all efforts failed. Being unwilling to repent and seeing the "writing on the wall" he "left" the organization and published his self-serving and twisted version of the facts. His personal opinions simply reflect his own prideful animus and require others to have an ignorance of the Scriptures (2Pe 2:17-22).
While he was one of Jehovah's Witnesses he worked without payment and only for room and board. But after he was kicked out for his prominence seeking, he made money and gained personal prestige by writing against the Witnesses. He had to go promote himself to those who were used to a clergy class to find people gullible enough to buy his books so he could make a profit off his ideas. I think I will trust someone without such a strong personal motive.
At the same time, Ray Franz' teachings are being repeatedly disproved even on this forum. Anyone who would "buy into" Ray Franz's story clearly will believe ANYTHING no matter what the facts are!!
Ray Franz and others like him left a vibrant, growing, active and truly Christian organization. Now they have withered up and become just like any other cult leader in Christendom. They have nothing to offer. Their followers cannot even agree on what to believe on the most simple of Bible doctrines.
Ray Franz, and those who were infected by him, left correct doctrine. They worship with and make common cause with religions which turn a blind eye, or outright allow, homosexuals, fornicators and adulterers to be accepted members of their congregation. These religions also allow their members to drop bombs even on fellow "Christians." So, those who leave the True Christian Congregation either abandon Christian morals themselves or become guilty by association. Literally or spiritually they are debased.
Like "swine to the mire and dogs to the vomit," they have become just like Christendom.
Matthew Henry: "The apostle, in the last two verses of the chapter, sets himself to prove that a state of apostasy is worse than a state of ignorance; for it is a condemning of the way of righteousness, after they have had some knowledge of it, and expressed some liking to it; it carries in it a declaring that they have found some iniquity in the way of righteousness and some falsehood in the word of truth. Now to bring up such an evil report upon the good way of God, and such a false charge against the way of truth, must necessarily expose to the heaviest condemnation; the misery of such deserters of Christ and his gospel is more unavoidable and more intolerable than that of other offenders."
I need no further proof to see that there remains no Christian Truth or Holy Spirit in these individuals!
Actual evidence irrefutably proves that Jehovah's Witnesses are the true Christian Congregation and it alone has the Truth. On the other hand all other religions have abandoned following Christ, in actions and morals. And ALL who make common cause with these religions are unfaithful to God.
SOURCE: This is an answer provided by BAR_ANERGES to a question at Yahoo Answers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO HOME PAGE INDEX