Jehovah's Witnesses - Long overdue for a Renaissance

by truthseeker 8 Replies latest jw friends

  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    The Renaissance was a revival that originated in Italy in the 14th century and later spread throughout Europe. The transistion was made from the Medieval era to the Modern era. During this time, a revival of classical literature, art, architecture and sculpture emerged.

    The Watchtower Society has never had a revival in its life time, there are no celebrated scholars, artists of musicians that have been enocuraged by the Society to advance their achievements and stayed the course of faith.

    There are those who ignore the Societys divine edict against "higher education" and go to university anyway. If these students are to achieve in life, they must first break the shackles of Watchtowerdom - or forever be a slave.

    The uniformity of "Jehovah's People" has produced a system whereby no one excels at anything and no one is encouraged to pursue their gifts and talents in whatever shape or form they come in.

    The Witnesses are encourgaed to "put Kingdom interests first" and not to pursue higher education or "programs for personal fulfillment" as the April 15, 2006 WT advises. Hence, you have a global homogenous group that has no personal goals and no fulfillment in the humanistic sense.

    Take the average congregation - apart from public speaking and recruitment, do you personally know what the average witness excels at? Do you know their dreams and goals? Are they literary, intellectual or philosophical? Do they paint, sing, play an instrument?

    There are Witnesses endowed with gifts and abilities - but they are generally not encouraged to use them, unless they are at Bethel.

    Congregation gatherings are becoming exceedingly rare, and even these are carefully structured so that no one has any real say in what happens there, except the elder body.

    Jehovah's Witnesses have enormous potential, but this is completely untapped - imagine - the Witness youth who aren't able to go to college or university, even participate in after school clubs - will go through a life time of denial of personal fulfillment - anything he or she becomes good at simply stays in the confines of their home.

    Their potential and creativity are never developed - hence the youth becomes a bland former shadow of theirself, slaving away at pioneering and working at a mundane job with low pay.

    If this is the future of the current generation of Jehovah's Witnesses, it is a very sad one indeed.

    With no social program for the youth, the elderly, mothers or children or anyone in particular for that matter, most witnesses only see each other at the Kingdom Hall or out in service. even there, they are not supposed to talk of worldly things but to talk of spiritual matters. In this limited social setting, friendships are sporadic and brief and rarely have depth.

    The time is long overdue for a renaissance in this religion, but sadly the cult is set up in such a way that personal achievement, and fulfillment will never be encouraged or celebrated.

  • rhian
    rhian

    I couldn't agree more, truthseeker. I am one of those JW children that lived a life of self-denial -- although I could never quite bring myself to be a pioneer, etc. I knew I "should" and I kept putting faith in the belief that if I just remained faithful, eventually I'd find joy in all this...it never came.

    rhian

  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    Rhian, sorry to hear your story, so many others had the same experience. Fortunately, I didn't have super-zealous parents that made me pioneer, the only time I was asked to do more was when my mother suggested aux. pioneering during the long summer vacation.

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    The Renaissance -which was followed by THE REFORMATION

  • jayhawk1
    jayhawk1

    I doubt there will ever be a true Renaissance in the JW clan. Although the JW doctrine rules the JW household, it does not rule everything like the Catholic religion of the 14th century. Inner rebellion is much different than national rebellion.

    It would be nice if it would happen though. I know of several very talented people trapped in a life of self denial. I also know some really great janitors and window washers too!

  • deneranys
    deneranys

    I don't know...it's hard to predict what's going to happen with the witnesses... I can't help but wonder what the religion will be like in 20 years. I think it is going to have a radical transformation. At that point, the only annointed left will be those magical "replacements" that have been cropping up. (An annointed brother gave a dedication talk at an assembly hall shortly before I left. He was only in his 50's or 60's.) All the young ones that are around NOW will be the elders and CO's. I don't know about the congregations YOU were in, but in the half dozen or so I was in, the younger generation just wasn't as anal or strict. The pioneers, ministerial servants...they watched sex and violence that anyone over 35 that was a "good witness" never would (or at least wouldn't admit to). I can't help but wonder if the changing of the guard that is to come just might usher in a renaissance of sorts...

  • wombat
    wombat

    In my JW family, my two older brothers have a few university degrees and a PhD between them. One is a self-made multi-millionaire. Nearly all of my JW nephews and nieces are in top-paying professions. And I can't pick up on any hypocritical behaviour amongst them.

    Half of my JW nephews and nieces have left the org but maybe the half that remain will help make a difference in their own community. Show the young ones that's okay to be ambitious.

    I just finished watching 4 Corners on Ice/Crack. I am so grateful that none of my 22 nephews & nieces are druggies. I'll thank the WTS for that.

    (Now don't you all jump down on this poor little Wombat for saying that).

  • EAGLE-1
    EAGLE-1

    JWs are roadkill.Let them stay in the Dark Ages.The stars shall be our destiny or something........

  • Honesty
    Honesty

    There ya go trying to influence the J-dubs into 'independant' thinking. Don't you know that Armageddon is just arooound the corner and has been since 1874 1914 1925 1975.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit