"Are the rules that hard to follow?"

by rebel8 34 Replies latest jw friends

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  AuldSoul

  (((blondie))),

  Thanks! That was exactly what I was thinking of. And if your husband minds me giving you a hug just give him a bit of dagger eyes and he'll back off.

  The coldhearted attitude of the Pharisees constituted a crime against humanity and a sin against God. (John 9:39-41) With good reason, Jesus warned his disciples, "Watch out for the leaven" of this elitist group and other religionists, such as the Sadducees. (Matthew 16:6) Leaven is used in the Bible to represent sin or corruption. So Jesus was saying that the teaching of the "scribes and Pharisees" could corrupt pure worship. How? In that it taught people to view God's Law solely in terms of their arbitrary rules and rituals, while ignoring "the weightier matters," including mercy. (Matthew 23:23) This ritualistic form of religion made worship of God an intolerable burden. (Watchtower October 1, 1998, p. 14, par. 2)

  "Abuse" is harmful corruption. "Leaven" is harmful corruption. "Leaven" is "abuse".

  "Arbitrary" means "depending on individual discretion" or "unrestrained use of authority."

  "Arbitrary rules and rituals" equals "leaven" which equals "abuse". Their ritualistic form of religion makes worship of God an intolerable burden. It constitutes "a crime against humanity and a sin against God." By their own words they stand condemned.

  Romans 2:1, 2 says: "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things." (KJV)

  So, I can't excuse them of judging the Pharisees for what they themselves do.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
• 

  rebel8

  I just figured out why I always have asked my supervisors at work and professors in college to be clear about what the rules are in advance, so I don't have to hear I'm breaking a rule after I already broke it. I also have been uncomfortable with supervisors/professors who give very little directions, I guess because I think the rules must exist and they're just keeping them secret.

  I have had a few supervisors who are really bad at managing people (and professors with poor skills--don't get me started telling you my Master's thesis story!) who don't tell you what the rules are up front, and only mention a rule you broke months or even years later.....it is humiliating to find out you've been doing something wrong all that time and they've been looking upon you poorly all that time.

  I better keep reminding myself not to let this bother me, because it is just one human who is displeased with me, not a superhuman ghoul who is going to zap me with lightning for wearing black panty hose instead of tan, or a red skirt instead of grey, or a skirt short enough to show the bottom of my kneecaps instead of just my ankles.

  DUH. I cannot believe I never realized why I feel uncomfortable with unspoken rules.
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  LittleToe

  Being raised a 3rd Gen, the rules weren't at all difficult, they were second nature. Further, you instinctively knew how far you could bend them, if you had experience of a few congs, while growing up.

  As for them being phariseeical, that's a given, but they can't see it for looking. There's none so blind...
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  cognizant dissident

  The rules aren't that hard to follow but the faulty doctrine behind them is hard to swallow.

  Hey, that rhymes.

  Cog
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  Mysterious

  I still find I can "second nature" quote the rules if someone asks me what JWs would think. What is this about new head covering rules though? I remember thinking it silly when sisters here used a magazine to cover their heads.