Really need help- so confused about my faith

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MKJ

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- non-involvement in political issues. Jesus clearly commanded us to seperate ourselves from this world. Yet the Orthodox Church has been involved in many worldly controversies.

But what does that mean, exactly? Does it mean that we do not concern ourselves with the well-being of those not of the Faith? That doesn't seem to be what Christ meant. Does it mean that we do not get involved in government or pay taxes, or that government is evil? That doesn't seem to be what he meant either. As well, the world was clearly made by God, and he said it was good - the Bible does not support dualism. It is also quite clear that God leaves his imprint on each thing that is created. I think that this passage is meant to say that we live in the world, but always with the consideration that God's grace will bring it to it's proper perfection, and that we are to live with that constantly in mind. The seeming imperfections of the world are not to influence us to think that the world is somehow flawed or not of God.

- Jesus said you would know his followers by the love amongst them. If any of you have visited a Kingdom Hall or know any JW's you will know that they are so nice and the atmosphere is very welcoming. However, often the Orthodox Church can be bitterly divided by ethnic problems and politics.

The JWs also have nasty people among them, and even nasty congregations, and they have their controversies and scandals too. I have yet to see a religious organization where that is not the case. Keep in mind that they have a policy of being especially kind and welcoming to potential converts, that is part of their training.

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Jesus and the Apostles preached that after they had died, apostasy would occur. The true faith would be polluted. I am so worried that some of the beliefs I have held my whole life (such as the Trinity, immortality of the soul, veneration of the Virgin Mary and saints etc) are as a result of the leftovers or incorporation of paganism (something that really shocked me was how many pagan civilisations had a Mother figure, often with child, that are scarily similar to our icons of the Virgin Mary). It also appears that Greek philosophy polluted Christian thought.

Pagans, you know, were mostly people without the benifit of a special message from God. Thus, they practiced Natural Religion - that is, what they could understand about God and human nature and the universe, through looking at creation. And much of what they understood was on the right track - after all, God's creation reveals many things about what kind of God he is. It is not suprising that when God choose to give people a special message, that it was compatible with the things he had already revealed in nature.
Greek philosophy is nothing more than the application of reason, which was created by God. The Greeks were good at it, and developed it quite highly, and many educated people in the middle East had a background in this way of thinking - in the language it had developed, and conventions of form. It was natural of them to use that language and conventions to express the new information they recieved through the Christian message. If you study Greek philosophy, you will see there are unique features to Christian philosophy that differentiates it from what the pagan philosophers said, and even solved many of the difficulties those philosophers had. In my experience, people who say that Greek philosophy infected Christianity have never studied Greek philosophy, and don't really know what it is.

Additionally, you will find the theology of the JWs was strongly influenced by the ideas, language and philosophies of the time it was created.

- Jesus as God, or just God's Son. Jesus came as a 'ransom sacrifice' to make up for Adams's sin. Adam was the perfect man, and so God needed a perfect man to 'balance' things up. If Jesus was God then the balance would not be equal, it doesn't make sense.

This is something you perhaps should read more on. There is lots of good material available on this question. A pp has already made a recommendation from an Orthodox sourse, but it is perhaps a bit heavy for some - if you have a local Catholic priest you know, he might also be able to recomend something appropriate at a level appropriate for you.

I guess I am now totally and utterly confused. I know this is Satan's plan. This confusion and worry is distracting me from committing to the true faith, whatever it may be. I am so frightened of making the wrong choice and then when I die realizing it and paying for it forever.

Do your best, and pray, which is all that any of us can do. If we can't walk, God is pleased even with our stumbles, as C.S. Lewis tells us.
 
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Barky

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Any suggestions about what to do would be amazing. Is there anywhere I can look to properly refute the JW's accusations? I don't want to give up on the Church but that is the way I am heading.

Please help me if you can.

Hey man, good to see you.

Unfortunately, JW's are neo-arians. It's actually quite amazing, considering arianism was condemned in 325 ad by the Universal Church, but has popped up again over 1000 years later in the JW's. Arianism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Think about it: could a group 150 years ago have gotten Christianity right, and all the others are wrong? These are things you must wrestle with
 
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cristoforos

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Some really, really excellent replies which I greatly appreciate.
One poster suggested I am actually a JW trying to cause trouble- I was worried that might happen. All I can say is that simply is not the case, I give you all my word. I am sincerely trying to sort things out, nothing more. I have fought against this JW stuff for ages but its kept chipping away at me, simply because so much of what they say makes sense to me.

As I said before though, I am not ready to give up on the Church which is why I asked for advice.
 
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