What would Jesus think of Crosses everywhere? (page 10)

FlyingHighNow

Christmas tree stuff is still bothering my conscience from secular non-JW sources

Early Christians kept evergreens in their homes as a symbol of eternal life.

mP

THe stake hardline is simply an attempt to be different from everyone else. Its the same reasoning behind the ban on Pork in the Torah. Theres no practical reason except to create a divsion.

tec

Tammy, do you celebrate Christmas or have you changed your mind on the Cross, Trinity or Hell-fire? Just curious, Christmas tree stuff is still bothering my conscience from secular non-JW sources, I respect your opinion as a fellow Christian on these matters.

I do celebrate Christmas (but I never joined the jws, so I have never NOT celebrated Christmas). It was tainted for me during my study, and a bit afterward too. But I could not take it from my family or children, who love the season - especially my dad who loves the excuse to go overboard and give to his loved ones, lol. I also realized that even though we are to give and keep our eyes to Christ and His teachings every day, and not just one... that one day is a day that many people use to give. I don't really care about their reasons why they give, and I doubt the people who receive care either.

The Christmas tree to me is just a tradition and it doesn't mean anything more to me than that (good or bad). It is just a fun and pretty thing.

Were I bothered by it, and had no one else to worry about taking it away from, then i would simply not use one. Just because lots of people do something does not mean you have to do something, and vice versa.

It might be similar as what Paul spoke about... regarding eating certain types of food. He could eat anything, and his conscience not be bothered, because he knew that he was free. But he also did not judge those who could not eat freely. Each person must decide for themselves.

The Spirit matters. What we do matters; most especially what we do to or for others. These are the things that matter to me.

I also don't care about cross or stake (what they represent matters, not the design of the device for crucifixion... though I keep none of these and it would feel wrong to me to have one, perhaps because i do not need it...but I do not judge others for having theirs); I do not believe in the trinity (never even heard of it before the jw's taught it to me to unteach it, lol... though i get that they teach it wrong); and I do not believe in hell.

Sorry if that did not help at all. Nothing that I think really matters though. Christ is the one who knows, and so we look to Him. (I know that you know this already, just repeating)

Much peace to you,

tammy

rip van winkle

cantleave-

Relevant Joke.....

Jesus Christ walks into a hotel. He hands the inkeeper three nails and asks...

"Can you put me up for the night?"

LOL!!!

FlyingHighNow

Jesus walks up to a group of people who are about to stone a lady that they think is guilty of adultery. Jesus raises his right hand and says, "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone." So one guy hands him this huge stone and the crowd chimes in, "Okay, have at her, Jesus."

Scott77

I don't know - would the dead marines who raised the American flag on Mt. Suribashi take offense at the famous photos and the statue of it being widely distributed?

There is something of a religious sense of ironic justice that the implement of death was transformed into a religious symbol of hope which became extremely powerful in later history.

james_woods

You have stated it better than I could have done.

Scott77

fakesmile

awesome. i was going to say that if jesus had a sense of humor, he would use it as a way to pick up chickas. "hey babe, i want you to wear this to think of me." or being a jew and not wanting to spend the money, he could always give her a "WWJD" braclet. im sorry, im drunk... and that is hilarious.

ÁrbolesdeArabia

Hi Tammy! You did answer my questions and were exteremly helpful, I was treated like dung when the "friends" saw me with a "Santa Claus" beard, I was shooting for Russell Crowe or Gerard Butler maybe even funny guy from "The Hang-Over"?

I never thought I needed a "rabbit foot" as a child even though they were quite popular in my birth city at the time. The Cross or "Stake" with Jesus suffering gave me personally, the creeps! Still as you brought out (1 Corth 8:13), my conscience is my consciene and even though we are Free, we have to watch out for brothers and sisters not fully developed in Christ, and not judge! (Matthew 7) I can't say I've never been without a Christmas Tree, been there and done that, lots of presents with Granpa's house and guilt does not set in when your six years old. Lots of presents, poor JW kids with "ALL IN-Relatives" claimed they got gifts all year (New bookbags little-his/ little-her b-bag designed by "Stoops Bible printing" with a new NWT in "gold etching", New Meeting Shoes, New Assembly Dresses or Suits for Men. Lot's of New items for Watchtower Preaching Activities or Meetings (Bookstudy, and Sunday's) Oh Boy!

My first discussion of the Trinity was at the age of 13 years old, as you too said, I too never thought much of this doctrine because nobody talked about it, or I never paid attention to the boring talks. I had to study "Babylon the Great has Fallen", after was my second book was "Let Your Name Be Sanctified"? Yellow Big Book that was not appropriate for a 14 year old who was stonned with weed during his studys.

JW Theology we don't scare the Hell out of anyone with "Hell-Fire", we used "You will be part of the great feast of the Vultures", "Paradise Lost Book" the child being offered to Baal", or "God will remove you and all the dead bodies with "anti-matter(brother Sci-fy) at the Big "A" if you don't "get with the program", "think of Bethel Service" or "Aux or Regular Pioneer" as all Jehovah's Witnesses are commanded to perform this service WT 1991 y 1993.

Good talking with you, lots of fun with various opinions and now strange to think that "Not everyone in the JW World serves Jesus Christ and not everyone In the World serves Satan. I kick myself for thinking we were the only ones who God choose after the crazy doctrines Russell, Ruther-nut, Knork, Fantasy-Franz created out of thin air.

mP

@Flying

I'm pretty sure that Jesus is much more offended by the stupidity done in his name than he is by all the crosses.

mP:

Really ? Have you read all the violent offensive speaches by Jesus ? Ever notice his sexist attitude to women ? Ever notice he never condemns slavery as evil ? Ever wonder why he says the Torah is perfect include laws like rape victims must marry their rapist ? Jesus supported a society worse than Saudi Arabia or Iran today, how could anyone think this type of society was just or good ? Only an idiot would agree with such a statement.

PSacramento

I'm pretty sure that Jesus is much more offended by the stupidity done in his name than he is by all the crosses.

Indeed.

And while the OP was funny, no denying that, I for myself was responding to the post under it thatmentioned that JW fallacy of viewing the cross as a horrific thing.

It is clear that 1st century Christians didn't view it as such.

The issue of the cross is leik the issue of birthdays and CHristmans, it is one of division, of US ( JW's) VS Them ( the rest of thr world).

It's kind of sad because, at least in reagrds to Crosss, Christmans and BDays, Russel got it right and it was Rutherford that decided to screw it up for the next generations of JW's.

It does amaze me how many JW's have left their religion because they found it to be so wrong and YET cling to many fo the doctrines/POV that they had, expecially in regartds to Christmans and Crosses.

Heck, if the JW relgion go so much wrong, why on earth think that they got those right?

Especially when you can see for yourself, in the words on the NT writers, that they did NOT view the cross as soemthing shameful and disgusting but a symbol of hope and victory over death.

What would Jesus think of Crosses everywhere?

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