Let me see if I've got this right or not...

by Terry 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Terry

  Jesus argued with the religious authorities. He engaged them in discussion. He listened to their stupid criticisms. He answered them back.

  To them, Jesus was Apostate in his teaching. To Jesus, these authorities were Apostate with their legalism and traditions.

  But, neither shunned the other or labeled them mentally unbalanced.

  Jesus' Apostles had misunderstandings and ridiculous conversations in which they questioned and challenged him. He dealt with even the most ignorant of them with engaged interest and explanation.

  When Paul started teaching weird anti-Judaism teachings in the authority of a risen Jesus, the Apostles in Jerusalem had conversations and discussions about it. They did not kick him out, order him stoned, turn others against him.

  So, how is it the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses can get away with turning a deaf ear on questions, criticisms, complaints and such?

  What is their precedent for it?

  Who are they emulating?

  Am I missing something?
• 

  Mickey mouse

  What is their precedent for it?

  Cults.

  Who are they emulating?

  Cults.

  Am I missing something?

  No, so long as you don't forget thet are a cult.
• 

  dgp

  I'm not sure they are emulating anyone. I think that they just know they can get away with not answering. Whatever they do, there will always be someone whose fear will turn him or her into one of the "fold". Because there are people who just want to believe. "Anyone who can appease a man's conscience can take his freedom away from him", says the Grand Inquisitor in the Brothers Karamazov.

  Also, we live at an age and time when people are afraid to call a spade a spade. Men (and a few women) in positions of power can get away with "responding", never "answering" (I'll get to that in a minute) because so many of us refuse to demand that they speak clearly or else.

  One of my "aha" moments in life came when, in the course of my work, I was "given training" as to how people should "respond" to a journalist's question, "but not necessarily answer". The explanation is easy: Say what you want people to hear, not necessarily what answers their question. If I were to say, "Why are people told to die rather than take a transfusion", the response would be "Why do you say so? I'm afraid you've been misguided. Let me explain... and yada, yada, yada". "Response", not "answer".
• 

  AGuest

  Jesus argued with the religious authorities. He engaged them in discussion. He listened to their stupid criticisms. He answered them back. To them, Jesus was Apostate in his teaching. To Jesus, these authorities were Apostate with their legalism and traditions. But, neither shunned the other or labeled them mentally unbalanced.

  Interesting comment, dear Terry (peace to you!). Correct me, please, if I'm wrong (and I have been known to be, so...), but didn't the "religious authorities" at that time not only consider Christ mentally imbalanced, but possessing a demon? Didn't they think the same of Paul, et al.? True, my Lord neither shunned nor labeled them so, but I don't think he was treated the same by them.

  Just a thought... or two...

  Again, peace to you!

  A slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  watson

  Yes, the apostles challenged Jesus and asked questions.

  Jesus answered the questions.

  They accepted the answers.

  Watchtower followers ask questions.

  Watchtower answers questions.

  Watchtower followers accept answers, or...........

  Watchtower equals Jesus.
• 

  carla

  I've brought up all these points to my jw but he couldn't get past the part where I called Jesus and apostate in His time. sigh.
• 

  garyneal

  AGuest, good observation. I thought of that too.

  I can't see how someone could be labeled more 'mentally unbalanced' than when the phariseah said that Jesus had a demon in Him.

  This is not unlike what I've been accused of.
• 

  AGuest

  This is not unlike what I've been accused of.

  Nor I, dear GN (the greatest of love and peace to you!), and so you might consider yourself in good company - LOLOL! It was actually quite... ummmmmm.... "eye-opening" for me, though, when Carey Barber said that to me ("Young lady, you've been talking with demons!") after I told him who had sent me (and another "sister") to speak with them (as to the WTBTS false teaching that when you die, you pay for your sins - this is untrue, of course, because no human blood can atone for sin so that the sinner can receive LIFE after death; only Christ's blood does that. So if you die, yeah, sure, you've page the WAGE [cost] of sin... but you remain dead 'cause you own blood doesn't "pay" ENOUGH... to bring you BACK...FROM death TO life).

  Since the truth of this was so obvious, the fact that Mr Barber hastily (and quite nervously - ) accused me of talking with demons... but could not fathom that God and Christ speak (yet, who supposedly has more authority??)... made me start questioning just who HE (Barber) was at that very moment. Because I was starting to see... who he was NOT.

  It all became VERY clear when, after he asked the sister with me (who is also a Body Member) "Is of the anointed?!" (which we both thought was very odd)... and she replied "Yes, sir, we both are..." he looked more frightened than if I was holding a gun to his very nose!! I thought, "What the...?" and then thought... "Ohhhhhh! HE's not anointed! OMG!"

  At that moment I could see that he knew... that I knew: I could see it in the fear in his eyes. I've never seen anything like that look in all of my days. As a result, though, my whole outlook of those modern day Pharisees changed in that one moment. I KNEW then that if ANYONE was dancin' with demons... it was them.

  Again, peace to you!

  YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  tec

  Who are they emulating?

  They are emulating the "Pharisees" and religious leaders of Christ's day. Christ did warn his followers that they would be put out of the synogogues. That they would be hated. And as Shelby and Gary already mentioned, Christ was accused of having a demon, Paul was accused of being mad.

  JW's put people out who don't agree with them, accuse people of having demons, and 'hate' apostates to their religion.

  Peace,

  Tammy
• 

  sizemik

  What is their precedent for it?

  Cults.

  Who are they emulating?

  Cults.

  Am I missing something?

  No, so long as you don't forget thet are a cult. . . . Mickey Mouse

  That's basically it in a nutshell . . . it's all about power. Power = control = cult behaviour.

  Judaism as it existed in Jesus day was a cult.