by nowwhat? 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
we had a saying, "the truth is simple but it is not easy".
everything is now so convoluted and nebulous!
the 1914 overlapping generations
blood fractions
lord's evening meal- spend half the time explaining the ground rules as to who partakes
now the fds-gb
how many annointed are really out there/
etc
I was thinking exactly the same recently.
At least we could explain and defend what we beleived - even if it was vacuous it made sense in a simplistic sort of way.
The truth is now and have always been very simple. Just read the Watchtower and obey the GB/elders.
When I was teenager going DtoD I would defend JW doctrine to vicars and other Ministers of religion, not brilliantly I bet, but to the point where we agreed to differ.
I doubt many adult JW's could defend present doctine in that way, if they even know what it is.
It was a simpler and more genuine faith that was encouraged when I was baptised as a pre-teen (by a few months), I was baptised vowing that I would serve god as he explained he wanted me to through Jesus and the Bible, we did not defend an Organization, but our own faith that we had proved to ourselves from the Bible, albeit that our understanding of the Bible was warped by the WT's input.
In those early days I don't remember any saying that a teaching was "too deep" to understand, such expressions came later when things got more and more convoluted.
Phizzy: That's true. I remember that some pioneers used to take me to theology students that they met in service. But, we must admit..we knew some soft spots in mainstream christianity. But those ministers/theologists didn't know that much of JW-doctrine. It was very easy winning a debate, but.....
I remember when I became a JW back in 1970 it seemed pretty straight forward, but as the time passed I began to realize there was a lot of rocks for tripping over beneath the surface waters. Organ transplants, blood transfusion changes, vaccinations, etc were all things I became of aware of still I stayed in it for 30 years because of my husband who became a JW same time I did. We put up with all kinds of baloney, he more than me. Finally I'd had enough of it all including him after he let our son die, refusing blood transfusions for him as he died. I'm glad to be free of the idiosy.
"When I was teenager going DtoD I would defend JW doctrine to vicars and other Ministers of religion, not brilliantly I bet, but to the point where we agreed to differ.
I doubt many adult JW's could defend present doctine in that way, if they even know what it is."
You are exactly right Phizzy. One that pops out at me is the "generation" debacle. Years ago....I would proudly state that Jesus stated that "this generation" will not pass away. That was step 1. Then I'd show them right from the bible how long a generation was. That was step 2. Then it was a matter of getting them to understand how we calculated 1914. Step three was much tougher.
I don't see how any witness can even get past step two with any reasonable individual anymore. Who in their right mind aside from those that are predisposed to kool aid drinking....can possibly read the society's explanation for the overlapping generation and actually take it seriously?
The wackier the society gets with their doctrines and explanations......the more they push away ones that had potential interest.......yet at the same time.....the more they tighten the grip on those already in. In the long run.....a losing proposition for the society.
everything is now so convoluted and nebulous!
That's what happens when you use a 2000 year old book containing the legends of goatherds & fishermen as your guide to everything in life.
Modern situations not even conceived of by said fishermen & goatherds crop up, so you need someone to interpret what is written.
And who has final say? American lawyers!
Good lord, it's a wonder anything is still understandable!
This exact same thought crossed my mind as well.
It was triggered by all of the Charts and Footnotes in the new WTSE.
I just remember the brother on the (Society approved) tour of the Met Museum ("The Woman and the Seed"?) we took. . . He told us that "the beautiful thing about 'the Truth' is that 'the Truth' is simple."
Is four articles, 2 two-page charts, 2 "boxes" and 23 footnotes simple?
When I was teenager going DtoD I would defend JW doctrine to vicars and other Ministers of religion, not brilliantly I bet, but to the point where we agreed to differ.
I doubt many adult JW's could defend present doctine in that way, if they even know what it is.
It was a simpler and more genuine faith that was encouraged when I was baptised as a pre-teen (by a few months), I was baptised vowing that I would serve god as he explained he wanted me to through Jesus and the Bible, we did not defend an Organization, but our own faith that we had proved to ourselves from the Bible, albeit that our understanding of the Bible was warped by the WT's input.
In those early days I don't remember any saying that a teaching was "too deep" to understand, such expressions came later when things got more and more convoluted.
I can completely relate to that. Many young people my age couldn't defend their faith.
Alec
