The Poor

by tarsus 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • tarsus
    tarsus

    It's been said before, "If one went through the Bible with a pair of scissors and cut out all the references to the poor and the oppressed, you would have a Bible full of holes!" The Bible is laced with a myriad of references to the poor and since the WTS doctrine places such a strong emphasis on earning ones salvation. I'm curious as to why one doesn't see Jehovah's Witnesses out there feeding and clothing the homeless or caring for the elderly.

    There are SO MANY references but the one that comes to mind is Matthew 25.

    Matthew 25:35-45

    35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
    37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
    41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
    44 “Then they also will answer Him, [ a ] saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

    I'm curious as to how the WTS reconciles this?

  • lisaBObeesa
    lisaBObeesa
    I'm curious as to how the WTS reconciles this?

    They say these kinds of scriptures are talking about their fellow Jehovah's Witnesses, not poor people in general. They would say they take care of poor 'brothers and sisters'... of course they don't do a very good job of that and they don't do it in any organized fashion, but still they think they do it.

    Plus the JW's really just don't pay much attention to those scriptures anyway. They are way more interested in the ones that say 'no blood transfusions' and 'shun you children' and 'unity is the most important quality in a religion' and 'number of field service hours is the most important quality of a Christian.'

  • Heaven
    Heaven

    tarsus... this has been one of many thoughts of mine that just didn't (still don't) sit right with me regarding JWs. I was told as a teen that my eternal life was at risk if I didn't hand out the ragazines. Let me see now.... feeding starving people or handing them a useless bunch of crap on paper?

    Something ain't right with that idea at all!

  • Ding
    Ding

    I remember the WT always criticizing Christendom's hypocrisy, its "supposed" concern for the poor, etc.

    How many WTBTS soup kitchens are there in your city?

  • tarsus
    tarsus

    Isn't it interesting that they only seem to go door to door in predominately middle to upper middle class neighborhoods. That's been my experience anyway. I think this alone speaks volumes. The hypocrisy is infinite but this one really does stand out.

  • carla
    carla

    Don't they also use a quote from Jesus saying 'you will always have the poor among you" as well? my jw did.

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