Are the WTBS the modern day Pharisees and Saducees

by Leander 28 Replies latest jw friends

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  Leander

  I've been thinking about this for sometime now and I wanted to know how other people felt about this comparison.

  The Pharisees were known for hypocrisy and for also promoting traditions of men and other non-bibical teachings.

  When we look at the WTBS in light of the actions of the Pharisees there are some amazing similarities.

  1. For example take notice of the preaching or field service activity. The bible does make mention of the good news being preached to all the inhabited Earth but to the best of my knowledge I don't recall that verse being applied to the entire congregation. In fact if I remember correctly I beleive Matthew the 24th chapter was directed toward the apostles. But lets just say for the sake of the argument that all christians are commanded to preach, does this mean that an organization has the right to determine for us how many hours we should be preaching each month? Furthermore when members of the congregation don't acheive the standard the WTBS has set, should they be criticized? No where in the scriptures does it regulate or even suggest how much time a person should spend preaching. But yet this is just what the society does, therefore they are going above and beyond the scriptures just like the Pharisees did.

  2. Another area that WTBS has shown simlarity to the Pharisees is in unscriptural traditions and rules. A JW can have his privilege of service restricted for wearing a beard, in fact he can even be labeled bad association and shunned for simply wearing facial hair. Then there is the practice of the WTBS in policing the congregation on issues ranging from music to sex. JWs can actually be disfellowshipped from the congregation on matters that are not found in the scriptures while on the other hand there have been numerous cases of child molesters who are retained in positions of oversight despite being known sex offenders.

  These are just surface observations, I'm sure if a person was to investigate further that more problems would be discovered. One thing I found to be interesting is the situation of where an elder or ministerial servant had made a serious sin (fornication, adultery, maybe even murder) as long as that person did'nt continue to practice the sin it did'nt have to brought up to the elders. However this is not true for the rest of the congregation, they are obliged to confess any such wrong doing to the body of elders. I read about this practice in one of Amazing's posts. So basically its not hard to see how the WTBS resembles the actions of the Pharisees.
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  ozziepost

  Firstly Leander, let me clarify the question. You mention Pharisees and Sadducees.(Please note the spelling!)

  Now these are two distinct groups or sects within Judaism. The Sadducees believed in neither the resurrection or angels (Avts 23:8) As for the Pharisees, you have ably described this sect of "separated ones" for that is what their name means. They avoided ceremonial uncleanness to an exaggerated degree. In this you have seen parallels with the WTS, as have many others who have reached the conclusion that the WTS binds people with heavy loads of rules and regulations.

  It was interesting for us in the land of Oz to see the reaction of many Witnesses a few years back when the "Greatest Man" book was being studied at the Congregation Book Studies. Many have said to us that their seeds of doubt and more were sown during that time. They saw clearly the similarities between the Pharisees and the elders who govern the congregations at the Kingdom Halls. The result? Australia started its decline in publisher numbers. The Australia Branch has sought to explain the decline by blaming the change in the 'generation' teaching in 1995. But I wonder if it was also the result of some having their eyes opened by the book study material.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
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  Will Power

  Leander

  1.... Notice how most of the bible is said to be written for the "sons of God", esp. when the bible talks of heavenly hopes it is only talking to the spirit annointed but the superior gifts of the spirit to teach and preach the gospel, i.e. field service is mandatory for all who wish to be in good standing, are bestowed upon all JWs. (like taxation without representation).
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  DB

  Leander, I agree with your assessment. And after reading Crisis of Conscience, my suspicions were also verified; I have felt for a long time that the example of Pharisees actually applies in more ways to the WTS than it does to the leaders of Christendom.

  The examples that you mentioned were the same that I would mention as well. And I know that Ozziepost and Prisca feel the same way as you do also, judging from Ozzie's post above and comments Prisca had made on another thread.

  Matthew 23:1-8 are very applicable, in my opinion, to the WTS, with the exception perhaps that they do not have particular titles, like "Rabbi" and "Father". Of course, a good argument could be made that the jw religion still has a heirarchy, and in Crisis, R. Franz discusses the almost royal treatment given to Governing Body members, especially when they travel; and by the way, he also points out that they get to travel to places and in extent that most people could only dream of.

  So yes, I am in agreement with your post, and I think it's a good one!
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  Will Power

  At least the title of rabbi is found in the bible.
  where is circuit overseer, district overseer, governing body, branch overseer,

  weren't they called deacons & bishops?

  Ozzie
  I'm curious about the "greats man" book. Can you elaborate since I've seen it hanging around but have not had the pleasure of reading it.
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  ozziepost

  The Greatest Man book was a rather thick study book on the life of Jesus. The method of 'study' was to spend a part of each week's book study reading theBible narrative from which the week's lesson was based. This made it nye impossible for the R&F to miss seeing so many similarities between the Pharisees that were condemned by Jesus and the very similar situations that they (the R&F) were experiencing within the congregations.

  Some have said that this book was one of the best that the WTS has produced. I reserve judgment on that. But I will say that the authors still managed to sneak in Watchtower doctrines by inserting their interpretations and contextual notes at the conclusion of most chapters. "Scripture application made clear" I think they would call it!

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
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  Will Power

  thanks ozzie

  Is this book & format still used?
  Has the book been revised, suspiciously re-printed?
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  D wiltshire

  Oz,

  Your right about the Greatest man book it help me come out to the Borg. All the time we were studying it I would think how we were not any different from the Pharisees. A couple of time durring the different book studies I even mention that, but was looked at by my brothers in a negative way.

  If someone lived a trillion X longer than you, and had a billion X more reasoning ability would he come to the same conclusions as you?
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  picosito

  DB Says:

  "Matthew 23:1-8 are very applicable, in my opinion, to the WTS, with the exception perhaps that they do not have particular titles, like 'Rabbi' and 'Father.'"

  One of my peeves was the excessive use of "Brother" and "Sister" as titles among all levels of JW's, virtually eliminating the use of first names in the congregation. I started saying 'Brother John' and 'Sister Mary' but it sounded like Catholic usage for monks and nuns and I stopped it.

  When Jesus said "all you are brothers" he did not mean to start using the term as a title.
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  picosito

  I'M DUPLICATING MY PREVIOUS POST WITH AN EDITING AT THE END BECAUSE I TRIED TO EDIT IT IN THE USUAL WAY JUST MINUTES AFTER POSTING BUT THE SITE TOLD ME MY POST WAS TOO OLD TO EDIT. A FEW MINUTES AFTER POSTING MAKES IT TOO OLD TO EDIT?

  DB Says:
  "Matthew 23:1-8 are very applicable, in my opinion, to the WTS, with the exception perhaps that they do not have particular titles, like 'Rabbi' and 'Father.'"

  One of my peeves was the excessive use of "Brother" and "Sister" as titles among all levels of JW's, virtually eliminating the use of first names in the congregation. I started saying 'Brother John' and 'Sister Mary' but it sounded like Catholic usage for monks and nuns and I stopped it.

  When Jesus said "all you are brothers" he did not mean to start using the term as a title, but JW's sure figured out how to get around that.