jesus is a password! good call Ding
If Jesus is not my mediator, why was I taught to pray through him?
by irondork 19 Replies latest watchtower bible
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james_woods
Witness theology actually teaches (in a veiled manner) a "secondary mediator" between the great crowd and their JEHOVAH.
This is supposed to be the "faithful and discrete slave". Which is - in itself - another veiled reference.
At one time this was said to be the "annointed remnant left alive on earth". But this has been diluted by their recent statement that they do not know who the "annointed" really are any more. Also, that these "individual" annointed do not have input to religious governance in their organization.
Which means that the supplemantary "mediator" class is essentially the Governing Body, and extends into the ruling parts of their organization.
This (in a strict Christian sense) is the most blasphemous teaching of the Watchtower Society: The place themselves in the place of the Christ.
I think they know the contraversial nature of the above theology - which is why they hint around about it while keeping their true belief hidden most of the time.
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designs
Its an offshoot to Russell's idea of who 'the Christ' is which was the Consecrated class and Jesus.
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sir82
The WTS likes to redefine words when it suits their purpose.
One example is "lying", which they have defined as "not telling the truth to someone who deserves to know it".
Another example is "mediator", which they have defined as "someone who is the link between 2 parties in a formal pact".
Of course, by strictly defining the term in that way, then they are able to say with a straight face that "Jesus is not the mediator for humans in general - he merely mediated a covenant between Jehovah and a small subset of humans".
It is utterly irrelevant that that is clearly not what Paul had in mind when he wrote the "mediator" text. But it suits the JW purpose to have "mediator" defined in that strict sense, so voila! The Bible verse now supports their doctrine.
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tootired2care
I'm sorry what is the point here?
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james_woods
I'm sorry what is the point here?
The point is that the Witnesses have placed their "annointed" ruling class as an intermediary between the Great Crowd (rank & file) and God. This out-Popes the Pope.
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tootired2care
But the operator is suggesting that they told us to pray through them, I've never heard any instruction like that. They've always said pray through Jesus to my recollection.
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james_woods
But the operator is suggesting that they told us to pray through them, I've never heard any instruction like that. They've always said pray through Jesus to my recollection.
A technicality. They have repeatedly said that nobody can approach god or christ except through their instruction and organization - and by explicit obedience to their rules. They have repeatedly said that only they (the "ruling class") are in the New Covenant - thus, Jesus is not the mediator for the great crowd of ordinary witnesses. The reason they still teach their ordinary people to pray through Jesus (even if he is NOT their mediator) is because they are aware of the toxic nature of this hidden doctrine, and want to keep it hidden as much as possible - while still using it to retain the so-called "god-given authority" over the ordinary witnesses.
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tootired2care
Interesting, I've never realized that. I have noticed how they always downplay the importance of the great crowd in the washtowers though, yet the last time I checked the great crowd is doing all the heavy lifting, but hey Jeehoover provides!
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james_woods
Interesting, I've never realized that. I have noticed how they always downplay the importance of the great crowd in the washtowers though, yet the last time I checked the great crowd is doing all the heavy lifting, but hey Jeehoover provides!
Yup. As I recall, this notion of Jesus not really being the mediator for the great crowd first came out in a Watchtower in the late 1970s - and it really caused a lot of murmering. Of course, most of the loyal rank & file swallowed it whole and pretty much overlooked the implications. This was, incidentally, Ed Dunlap's primary beef with the society's teachings at the time - he thought it was actually anti-Christian.