by compound complex 10 Replies latest watchtower scandals
Dear Friends,
I'd like to have T.J. on the forum:
"Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself. She is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, unless, by human interposition, disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate; errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is free to contradict them."
Thomas Jefferson: Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, 1779
CoCo
CC..TJ is dead..We can dig him up though and sit him on your couch!..I doubt he`ll have much to say..........
...OUTLAW
OUTLAW,
Thank you!
CC
So true. I am reminded of a meeting I attending back when I was still a Witness. The circuit overseer was making the point that we should not allow ourselves to see or hear any information that was critical of the Watchtower or challenged our beliefs. Even though I was a good Witness, I knew that idea made our religion seem weak. I raised my hand and commented that this must be because we respect Jehovah and the Organization, not because we have anything to fear from a challenging argument, since we have the truth. I was surprised when the CO looked back at me with a skeptical look. It would be several more years before I finally left the WT, but I could see then that some things just didn't add up.
Dear Mrs. Fiorini:
Welcome to JWD and thank you for showing yourself bold in that authoritarian and potentially frightening scenario. You gave a fine, balanced answer that worked for you - and hopefully those taking to heart your meaning - at that particular time pre-enlightenment.
CoCo
Outlaw, that was funny
I'm a big fan of Thomas Jefferson. Great quote CoCo.
Yes Jefferson had it right. But what he failed to do, was realize that cults, do not seek truth or compromise, and error remains eternal.
The witnesses are an lesser example of this. Truth left to itself can find it's way, but in the witnesses, the governing body owns it, and it's not up for debate. This board, has been free in seeking that truth.
His comments however, preceded the Barbarry wars of 1801 to 1805, when Muslim pirates were boarding his ships and demanding they pay tribute.
Jefferson obtained a copy of the Koran and studied it to try and reach a negotiation and avoid more bloodshed. Here, he discovered that compromise was impossible, just as we see today, in all the Jihadist wars. This lesson has largely been forgotten.
The principles of freedom were derived from the Judeo-Christian ethics and today we see Keith Ellison swearing on the very koran that Jefferson studied!
In France the witnesses are recognized by the government as a cult. I think that his idea of religious freedom should not extend to cults, and should have been revised after the Barbarry wars.
Thank you, LoB and Tyrone, for your contributions.
That bit of early American history has piqued my interest, Tyrone. I'm reminded of a line from a movie where a daughter-in-law, in exasperation, declares to her stubborn and cold-hearted mother-in-law:
Not even love can stand before the likes of you.
Not a perfect analogy regarding the intransigence of the governing body but perhaps close enough ...
Gratefully,
CoCo
I raised my hand and commented that this must be because we respect Jehovah and the Organization, not because we have anything to fear from a challenging argument
Nice comment Mrs Fiorini...I would have liked to have had you in my last congo when I was conducting meetings and despaired at the sea of "Dumb blank faces staring back at me" from the audience - But since we have both ended up here, maybe that speaks for itself.
I also could never accept that we were not permitted to read other religions literature or accept it if offered to us in the Ministry . Truth will stand up and be self evident and has nothing to fear from comparison.
Tyrone,
Bravo to the French government for calling a spade a spade.
I always had a problem with the religion when it said we 'shouldn't question anything' .... etc., etc. It sounded suspiciously like they were afraid of dissenters and opposing views because they didn't have any real answers. They would act like a sacred cow in hopes that would shut everybody up.
What I hated was when they said we 'shouldn't trust our own judgment' and how our 'heart was treacherous'. Well, why then would I trust anybody else's?
LHG
