Article and pictures of JW's paradise

compound complex

http://www.unc.edu/~elliott/icon.html

This is really good; please click on.

CoCo

But surely the utopian hope that nurtures the vision of the total resolution of all evil and injustice in a millennial paradise on earth is precisely the consequence of the Witnesses' obdurate refusal to accept "life as it is." It is instead the hope-indeed, the passionate certainty-of eternal life in an Edenic paradise when humanity's fallen nature will be redeemed and Jehovah will finally harmonize the divisive cacophony of human voices into the perpetual theocratic harmony and univocal same-ness of life on a paradise Earth.

Judge Dread

What are the religious beliefs of Joel Elliott?

JDW

compound complex

JDW:

Let me investigate ...

Thanks,

CC

compound complex

http://www.unc.edu/~elliott/

MrMonroe

Andrew Holden's "Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement" book (pg 92-3) noted the stark contrast between imagery in their literature of the paradise ("deliriously happy faces with surrounding emerald green slopes, clear blue skies and bright sunshine ... an exaggerated vesion of contentment") with life on the outside ("pictures of people being murdered, thieves breaking into houses, couples acting promiscuously, all of which show life outside the organisation as debased and riddled with moral danger. These images are presented in dark colour and portray characters with unattractive features.")

He added: "This contrast of salvation on the inside and risk on the outside implies that not only can there be nothing in between the two systems but that morality cannmot exist outside the Watch Tower community."

Judge Dread

coco,

I see everything except his religious affiliation.

JDW

blondie

[email protected]

This is his e-mail on the site. If it works, could ask him.

designs

Elliott's observes that the Society tells JWs that you cannot and must not try to change this world and its cultures is very telling.

One thing we have learned- We can make a difference.

compound complex

"One thing we have learned- We can make a difference." thanks, designs!

"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." [Margaret Mead]

Thank you, too, MrMonroe, Blondie, Judge.

cameo-d

Coco,

I got side-tracked after the first couple of paragraphs. What intrigued me was the "curse of Babel". Before the Tower was built, it seems that there was almost a parallel of a "one world system" where everyone spoke the same language and was of one accord. It would seem that the NWO would attempt to bring this back again full circle. A system of uniformity; of hive mind.

According to the story, Jehovah himself came down and destroyed the Tower building and "cursed" the people with diversity of languages. Frankly, I do not view diversity as a curse, but rather, a delightful intrigue and something to be appreciated. However, diversity does seem to have brought out the worst in the human race. Everyone is divided about something whether its race, religion, etc. For pete's sake, they even argue over food types, when some people have none at all! Our entire world is based on divisions it seems. Should there really be only ONE right way? Only ONE right answer?

Tolerance seems to be a public or "politically correct" facade which hides smug contempt. Tolerance does not really work. Does compromise really work? Not really, because the points are continually debated and argued in trying to convince the opposing side. So what's left? Force? It would seem that this is why man has given his power up to the rulers to make those decisions for him. And then, the masses become so great that the rulers can please neither because the crowds become equally divided and noisy.

Here's an interesting take on the Curse of Babel. I wish I could read more of it.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/20024145

Article and pictures of JW's paradise

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