So are 'Ray's group' & 'Anthony's group/The Restoration Fellowship' operating as two different churches? I didn't know there was a divide or a distinction between them.
Could you share what the differences are?
General Christian Monotarians | What We Believe
- Thread starter Lori Jane
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Could you share what the differences are?
I don't know what is 'silly' & what isn't in this regard. I only knew RT as a home church that Anthony opens up online & has a website that shares articles & he's written books. But I keep hearing RT & Anthony spoken of as having a following & people feeling they 'belong' to it. Forgive the question or any offence. I'm ignorant really. I've been in touch with you, Tracy, very recently but other than only a handful of meetings with Ray Faircloth about 7-8 years ago. I'm been 'out of the loop'.I think changing it enough to clarify that you are being specific would be helpful, yes. I don't think saying Christian monotarian implies anything different to Biblical unitarian or Christian monotheist or Biblical monotheist,... (are there more?). Captialising the 'monotarian' might imply to some a particular brand of Christian monotarianism though. So keep that if it's what you're aiming for (although do state it too).
Tell me, is the Restoration Fellowship slowly becoming its own religion now? I heard someone refer to someone else as a Buzzardite recently (as opposed to 'a Watchtower devotee').
I'm happy to share what points I disagree on but I wouldn't welcome a bash or convert Jewel festSo maybe privately.
"A statement of faith, no matter the title of the church or ministry, reflects what the webpage, ministry or church believes..."
I know but I didn't realise Simply Christian was its own church or ministry. I thought it was a general forum for Christian discussion & that, in being set up by an exJW, had a particular interest in ex-high control group members & Christian unitarians, which is quite unusual on the internet.
Again, I'm sorry for any annoyance or offence.
No just two different fellowships. Just like there is a COGGC church in Arizona and one in Albany NY. They have similar beliefs but aren't connected but know of each other.
I know it's "loosey goosey" and it drove me nuts at first but I got used to and accepted it. I so wanted a unified JW type experience but then realized that i what got them into trouble in the first place!
Well they certainly have a following if their YouTube channel is any indication but they only have a home church with less than a handful of people and now with covid they are really just doing it remote. They are gracious enough to broadcast it and do allow questions via the chat. I think Anthony is very influential and well spoken and you see his material all over when seeing unitarian information. And yes I've been called a Buzzardite - but I'm also a follower of MANY other teachers but for some reason RF gets people talking <g>.
Your questions are totally fine - you are not offending at all.
It seems to me like we are still struggling in the wash of the ‘Great Ship’ “Christendom’s Churchianity”.
We don’t like where the ship is going, whose commanding it and how it is operated, or where we have found a cabin to call our own!
We have been either involuntarily pushed off the deck, or voluntarily decided to jump off the ship.
Now we are floundering in the water, trying to keep breathing instead of drowning in unbelief or disbelief.
Then we see a life raft with some other people already in it! We swim toward it, while they row towards us maybe. The people onboard have different coloured life jackets but they seem to be happy and getting along. Then, as they extend a beckoning, helping hand we ask them what deck and what cabins they were in ?! (As if it really matters!)
Then we notice that the name on the life raft says, “Jesus Christ-Saviour”.
We need to find a way of thinking that lets us get onboard the life raft without rejecting the helping hands, or tipping somebody else off, don’t we?
We don’t like where the ship is going, whose commanding it and how it is operated, or where we have found a cabin to call our own!
We have been either involuntarily pushed off the deck, or voluntarily decided to jump off the ship.
Now we are floundering in the water, trying to keep breathing instead of drowning in unbelief or disbelief.
Then we see a life raft with some other people already in it! We swim toward it, while they row towards us maybe. The people onboard have different coloured life jackets but they seem to be happy and getting along. Then, as they extend a beckoning, helping hand we ask them what deck and what cabins they were in ?! (As if it really matters!)
Then we notice that the name on the life raft says, “Jesus Christ-Saviour”.
We need to find a way of thinking that lets us get onboard the life raft without rejecting the helping hands, or tipping somebody else off, don’t we?
Wow! I really appreciate this statement of beliefs. It’s both simple enough yet open to interpretation. I believe God can become all things to anyone He chooses!
It is everyone's duty to prove all things, not by going to man, but to God. Men can be wrong but God is never wrong. If you desire truth go to the source. I too disagree with things being taught in the churches, I can judge the truth or error of those things but have no right to condemn. We should not be finger pointers.
Statement of faith is a list of doctrines believed by a person or group. While we may have disagreements the goal should be seeking the truth. I have communicated by e-mail and phone with Anthony Buzzard many times and have found his mind closed to dissenting opinions. He cuts you off with short comments having no meaning. I think he has resorted to blocking my e-mails. I like Anthony but firmly believe he is teaching things that are not true. I do not make demands or attempt to force my stand on anyone, rather seeking together truth and hearing a matter before you judge. People are the church, not the location or label used. We must be willing to hear fully each side and not let pride keep us from admitting error. A wise man accepts correction.
It is the truth of the gospel, the message of salvation, that must be understood and believed. No lie is of the truth and God hates lies. Satan has attacked the spirits of people to blind their eyes to see and understand the gospel. I should not have to quote scriptures here , we all should be very familiar with them. It is important to live Christlike but not to the elimination of truth of doctrine. Look how many gospels, doctrines and churches exist today, this is the result of Satanic attack. There is to be only one faith, one gospel, one baptism, one Lord Messiah and one God and Father but today we have what amounts to a Christian smorgasbord, a buffet style belief system where people determine what is or is not truth rather than God. We are living in the last days and the perilous times are here and the precious hope of salvation is far to important to entrust to some man who claims to know it all. Put your salvation in the hands of God and no man. Ask the Father to teach you by His Spirit and when you do this you will need no man to teach you.
This is my first day here. I have to say that I love this Statement of Beliefs. That being said, while I have some disagreement with a couple of those statements, they cause me no angst as they do not affect my salvation. I have a degree in Pastoral Ministry and one is Scriptural Studies plus many years in further studies. I have to surrender my ordination because of the results of my studies. Since my beliefs (understandings) have changed, I have been invited to no longer serve at my local church in a teaching/preaching capacity. I am a Monotarian. I have asked God to change my belief so that I can fit back in, but He has not done that for me. I also agree with the requirement for Baptism, which was the beginning of my unacceptability in a denominational church. Here, however, I already feel "at home." Thank you so much for being here for me to find. May God bless us with understanding, patience, and love for our brethren.
May mention that there are two resurrections seperated by the millennium, the first to immortality the second to mortal flesh of those who never understood the truth.
Glad to have you here and welcome. Sounds like you left a high control religion. Many of us here have done so as well. We also don't 100% agree on all doctrine and most of us somehow get along in spite of that. For me personally the deeper I get in my studies the more I am able to tolerate differences of opinion. I find the radical, shunning, ostracizing, banishing and disfellowshipping types of people don't really do their research.
Shunning is a tool used to address the violation of the two great commandments of Christ; love God and neighbor. Whatever is not of Gods love is sin. It is not to be used or applied to disagreements or respectful challenges to disputed doctrine or doubtful things. This amounts to lording over the brethren and is an open door for Satan.