Let's Review: It's a cult! (page 2)

Phizzy

The JW's object to the word Cult because of its pejorative meaning. They then wriggle and squirm and perform semantic Gymnastics to an Olympic standard to prove they are not, in additon they lie straight out.

For example, in "Wiki" above,they state that "individuals should do their own thinking", contrast that with this from the Kingdom Ministry :

"Does "the faithful and discreet slave" endorse independent groups of Witnesses who meet together to engage in Scriptural research or debate?-Matt. 24:45, 47.

No, it does not. And yet, in various parts of the world, a few associates of our organization have formed groups to do independent research on Bible-related subjects. Some have pursued an independent group study of Biblical Hebrew and Greek so as to analyze the accuracy of the New World Translation. Others explore scientific subjects related to the Bible. They have created Web sites and chat rooms for the purpose of exchanging and debating their views. They have also held conferences and produced publications to present their findings and to supplement what is provided at our Christian meetings and through our literature.

Throughout the earth, Jehovah's people are receiving ample spiritual instruction and encouragement at congregation meetings, assemblies, and conventions, as well as through the publications of Jehovah's organization. Under the guidance of his holy spirit and on the basis of his Word of truth, Jehovah provides what is needed so that all of God's people may be "fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought" and remain "stabilized in the faith." (1 Cor. 1:10; Col. 2:6, 7) Surely we are grateful for Jehovah's spiritual provisions in these last days. Thus, "the faithful and discreet slave" does not endorse any literature, meetings, or Web sites that are not produced or organized under its oversight.-Matt. 24:45-47.

It is commendable for individuals to want to use their thinking ability in support of the good news. However, no personal pursuit should detract from what Jesus Christ is accomplishing through his congregation on earth today. In the first century, the apostle Paul warned about getting involved in exhausting, time-consuming subjects, such as "genealogies, which end up in nothing, but which furnish questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith." (1 Tim. 1:3-7) All Christians should strive to "shun foolish questionings and genealogies and strife and fights over the Law, for they are unprofitable and futile."-Titus 3:9.

For those who wish to do extra Bible study and research, we recommend that they explore Insight on the Scriptures, "All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial," and our other publications, such as those that discuss the prophecies found in the Bible books of Daniel, Isaiah, and Revelation. These provide abundant material for Bible study and meditation, whereby we can be "filled with the accurate knowledge of [God's] will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension, in order to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him as [we] go on bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the accurate knowledge of God."-Col. 1:9, 10."

(Kingdom Ministry 9/07 p. 3 Question Box)

Rigid Information Control (Cult methodology) at its strongest, to stop the "individual doing his own thinking".

Rattigan350

Berrygerry said "If Jesus is the mediator only for the anointed, then how can he be the ransom for the R & F?"

Simple. Mediators do not ransom. Mediators mediate. Jesus as mediator, the antitype of Moses, mediates between Jehovah and the 144,000 the new covenant.

Jesus as high priest, the antitype of Aaron, offers his sacrifce to Jehovah for everyone who puts faith in it.

Skinnedsheep

Yep

SAHS

“Phizzy”: “All Christians should strive to "shun foolish questionings and genealogies and strife and fights over the Law, for they are unprofitable and futile."-Titus 3:9.”

Yah, I guess such “foolish questionings” would be “unprofitable and futile” – for the WTS, that is . . . because such questionings (inevitably) just serve to prove them to be the ridiculous and outlandish liars they are!

“Rattigan350”: “Simple. Mediators do not ransom. Mediators mediate. Jesus as mediator, the antitype of Moses, mediates between Jehovah and the 144,000 the new covenant.”

That is the “take” of the WTS alright. But according to them, all the non-144,000ers are not actually God’s children and won’t be until they pass the final test at the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign. What the WTS doesn’t realize – evidently – is that God’s son died for “the world” (all of it), for the benefit of “everyone exercising faith in him.” (John 3:16) Also, Galatians 3:23-26 (RNWT) tells us: “However, before the faith arrived, we were being guarded under law, being handed over into custody, looking to the faith that was about to be revealed. So the Law became our guardian leading to Christ, so that we might be declared righteous through faith. But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a guardian. You are all, in fact, sons of God through your faith in Christ Jesus.” I.e., all Christians are God’s children (or “sons of God”) – not just 144,000, which was symbolic and not meant to be a literal number anyway. . . . In other words, it is Jesus Christ who is the Mediator and Ransom of all Christians – not Moses, and certainly not a group of seven wingy old farts in New York!

Witness 007

NO WAY our leader is Jesus! Now I need to check the Watchtower to see if I can have a beard or not...I better ask the Elders.

cult classic

Thanks for the reminder Oubliette.

I almost forgot...rofl.

MadGiant

I don't know, but let ask someone with some sort of experience in the subject:

“When your own thoughts are forbidden, when your questions are not allowed and our doubts are punished, when contacts with friendships outside of the organization are censored, we are being abused for the ends never justify the means. When our heart aches knowing we have made friendships and secret attachments that will be forever forbidden if we leave, we are in danger. When we consider staying in a group because we cannot bear the loss, disappointment and sorrow our leaving will cause for ourselves and those we have come to love, we are in a cult… If there is any lesson to be learned it is that an ideal can never be brought about by fear, abuse, and the threat of retribution. When family and friends are used as a weapon in order to force us to stay in an organization, something has gone terribly wrong.” - Deborah Layton, Jonestown Survivor

Let's Review: It's a cult!