by TerryWalstrom 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Finkelstein - "...this differentiation by the WTS/JWS has been an important part of the created structure of their theology toward self identifying their own organization... 'are you in The Truth'?"
Yup; credit where credit's due.
By repeatedly calling it "The Truth", the implication was that to leave it or reject it was to choose "The Lie".
When a person (not fully informed) is constantly bombarded with that, what other choice would he feel compelled to take?
Sadly people are not aware they being brainwashed into accepting that all the doctrines being professed by the WTS. leaders is true, honest and accurate. Since their very lives are being put into jeopardy if they don't accept what the WTS teaches, they are subjectivity persuaded to do so without scrutiny of evaluation.
Its Jehovah's organization after all, chosen by him exclusively for his will and purpose.
ummmm ........ thats good brainwashing
What was Christianity?
It was a pointillist painting:
Little blobs of ideas, legends, stories, opinions, activities--all at odds--are like those little daubs of color.
Step back and away (through millennia) and BOOM! the "subject" mysteriously appears--but--it is a trick of the mind.
If we stop saying "CHRISTianity" and subsitute MESSIAHianty or ANOINTEDianty we get a grasp of it.
Messianic Jews had their own idea of Jesus. Gentiles accustomed to demi-gods had another idea of Jesus.
Arguments, debate, fulminations, fistfights--led to brawls, bloodshed and bullying: all forming the blobs and daubs into CHRISTIANITY.
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What were these people called? What was their idea of who or what the "Christ" required of them in their lives?
AKOLOUTHONTES is the term used in the NT. SEVENTY-NINE references to akolouthontes appears="followers."
Anything else? Yes.
MATHETAI is used NINETEEN times. Mathetai=learners (i.e. disciples.)
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What were these persons following as akolouthontes (followers)? What were they learning as mathetai (learners.)?
Did they walk up to each other and say, "Are you in the TRUTH?"
No.
They would ask if somebody was akolouthonte of He Hodos (Follower of THE PATH.)
Okay--what WAS this Path?
What did the teacher (Didaskale) teach?
Answer: OPINIONS!
Depending on where you lived and who you spoke to--you followed other people's opinions, and those opinions were CHRISTIANTIY (in Antioch) but merely OPINIONS HELD, FOLLOWED and TAUGHT elsewhere.
Each neighborhood where persons gathered to discuss, debate, praise and learn about Jesus was like a denomination today.
There are about 40 Thousand denominations calling themselves "Christian." Each of these thinks THEY are correct and everybody else is not.
(That much hasn't changed in our own contemporary Christian community.)
There were groups who came to chat and argue who had to be served drinks and snacks.
Who served this function? DIAKONOS (deacons) served.
Sometimes neighborhood groups wanted to get together with other neighborhood groups. Who arranged that liaison between neighbors?
These were called PRESBYTEROI or "Elders."
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As in every movement, it takes somebody with a genuine drive and genius for promotion who can make things happen.
(Saul)PAUL of Tarsus was that guy. He had never (previously) met Jesus or spoken to his chosen (apostles) followers--but--
***************HE CLAIMED to have encountered a supernatural vision of Jesus.*************
This is like a modern day UFO sighting where a man gets kidnapped an probed by aliens!
It was a helluva exciting story! A great one to tell . . . and believe because it was exciting and definitive.
If you believed that story and Paul's letters (epistles) you began to have some kind of ORGANIZED teaching (or right belief: orthodoxy.)
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Jesus' apostles (chosen ones) were not teaching the same thing Paul was teaching. But, Paul was INCLUDING Gentiles and corrupting the ironclad
grip of Jewishness (Law of Moses) by making it non-binding!
If you don't think that was horrifying to Messianic Christians . . . think again!
Were it not for the fact the Romans destroyed the center of worship (Jerusalem) in 70 c.e.---Paul's version of Christianity probably would never
have gained traction.
With Jerusalem destroyed, the Jews fled to avoid round-up and crucifixion leaving the door wide open for PAUL.
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The tensions between Jewish Christianity and Gentile Christianity is evident in the TRINITY doctrine which only
took a firm hold after it was incorporated into the official imprimatur of Constantine (with no Jews around to decry it in force.)
Our so-called BIBLE was an apologetic mish-mash assembled to thwart yet another branch of burgeoning Christianity: MARCION's Gnostic Christianity.
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And off we go . . .
Early Christianity was ONE BIG ARGUMENT of orthodoxy vs. apostacy, i.e. my OPINION vs your OPINION.
The official nature of the institution of Catholic (i.e. Universal) Church made THAT version more pervasive.
To study the early Church Fathers is to study a litany of debates, accusations, wild battles and pious pronouncement.
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Until the masterworks of Augustine and Aquinas literally became the official doctrines of Catholicism, the AUTHORITY of the Pope and Cardinals and Priests were all that was necessary to be a "true" Christian.
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THE MAGISTERIUM of the Church did not require "learning a script" of right Christian belief for 99% of Christians on earth for 1500 years.
Going to Mass, confession, taking the bread and wine, being forgiven by the Priest . . . THAT was Christianity.
Then, Martin Luther came along and the corruption of the political and religious Catholic institution lost its status.
DENOMINATIONALISM was brought back!
Protestantism is opinion-ism.
Any hack with a Bible and folded hands can cook up a crazy religion (Mormons, JW's, you-name-it) and that
is what brings us to 2014.
Rutherford used the Jehovah's Witnesses name because he understood the lingo, remember, he was "Da Judge".
Judges, witnesses, circuits, judicial committees, etc, are all part of the law lingo.
Good thread Terry as always!
pixel: Rutherford used the Jehovah's Witnesses name because he understood the lingo, remember, he was "Da Judge".
And Da Judge did not capitalize the second word.
His new religion was called Jehovah's witnesses.
In addition to being influenced by his 'law lingo', Rutherford structured his new religion using a military arrangement. His new salesforce was sometimes called "Joe's Army".
Terry: THE MAGISTERIUM of the Church did not require "learning a script" of right Christian belief for 99% of Christians on earth for 1500 years.
Going to Mass, confession, taking the bread and wine, being forgiven by the Priest . . . THAT was Christianity.
Then, Martin Luther came along and the corruption of the political and religious Catholic institution lost its status.
DENOMINATIONALISM was brought back!
Protestantism is opinion-ism.
Any hack with a Bible and folded hands can cook up a crazy religion (Mormons, JW's, you-name-it)...
Martin Luther King, and the rise of Protestantism, owes everything to the invention of the printing press in the mid 1400s.
It was the ability to control the "Word', and the ability to profit from the printed word, that allowed the Protestant movement to evolve into the corporate structure that fostered the likes of men like Charles Taze Russell.
The printing press was the primary component that influenced the development of textual authority.
"...and the Word was God."
Thanks Terry , good read and other posters
Thinking reflectively its interesting how C T Russell was able to commercialize his opinions and turn them into what eventually become a world wide publishing house. There is no doubt that J Rutherford and his own personal drive for power and notoriety was the core source which developed this manipulative and exploitive religious cult.
A theological false religion with a calculating agenda of sustenance and expansion.
Finkelstein
Thinking reflectively its interesting how C T Russell was able to commercialize his opinions and turn them into what eventually become a world wide publishing house.
I think that a lot of Russell's success can be traced to his financial concerns and investments that impacted his publishing company.
The WT revisionist history paints Russell as a poor man who 'gave up all his earthly concerns'... or words to that effect. That is erroneous. Charles Russell's investments included interests in spin-off industries of paper production. For example, he owned shares in Brazilian Turpentine. Turpentine is a by-product of the paper making process. He also owned shares in a clay extracting company. Kaolin clay is used in the papermaking industry - it is what was used in the whitening process.
Charles Russell was not the man who the WTS has presented him to be.
