Dualism in new WT theology?

Thoughtless

I am not the most "deep" WT student, and I am trying to beef up on WT theology so I can reassess my belief system and prove to myself that what I am planning to do is the right thing. But what I lack in WT theology knowledge, I make up in some philosophical knowledge. WT theology teaches a purely physicalist standpoint, in which our soul is limited to our bodies, no spirit. I am personally a physicalist, and I do not personally believe in dualism, although I think that the concept is pretty cool. Yet with the JW "rapture" theory about the anointed or FDS being sent up to heaven, it implies a dualism, because the physical body HAS TO BE DESTROYED for them to go up to take care of their heavenly duty but as spirit creatures.

Am I the only one who sees this?

DATA-DOG

I believe that you are correct. The GB/FDS alive on earth during the GT, must die and then become non-existent except for what is in God's memory. Even though the scriptures say that some will be changed in the twinkling of an eye and never see death, the scriptures do not mean that. Just as when Christs surrendered his spirit to his Father, the WTBTS says that his spirit went back to God, but it did not travel to heaven..

I guess the GB/FDS are killed during the GT, and then instantaneously brought back into existence from non-existence, and it seems so fast, like the blink of an eye. So much more complicated than admitting that death is just like Jesus said it was, like sleep. When you sleep, you do not cease to be. You are not non-existent, just inactive. The WTBTS really like to confuse things for the sake of having a unique doctrine.

Check the Bible Teach book and Reasoning book for confirmation. Also, last weeks TMS assignment covered the "rapture." The GB teach the rapture and deny it at the same time. They don't know what they are doing. Blind guides...

Oubliette

What? You noticed a contradiction in JW/WT "Theology"? How could that be?

Thoughtless

EXACTLY. This is what spurred this post was last weeks TMS review. I think that the talk was interesting, and in my Hall the speaker did a great job in terms of technicality, but I lol'd when he mentioned the Millerites looking silly in 1874 when they were on rooftops waiting to be taken. Little did he know that JW's are associated with the Millerites and I am sure that some of the Bible Students in 1914 were doing the same thing. Ah, ignorance. ~Thoughtless

Ding

I always wondered how the "anointed become spirit creatures in heaven" teaching could be consistent with the "no separate soul / personality apart from the body" doctrine.

JWs just accept it because that's what the GB says is the truth.

Oubliette

I'm glad you recognized my sarcasm.

Methinks you need to change your name from thoughtLESSone, to thoughtFULone!

Just remember, THINKING INDEPENDENTLY is the unforgiveable sin for JWs.

Thoughtless

I mean, I guess with Jehovah all things are possible, but this is a serious doctrinal flaw. I know if I was to open my mouth, I would be seen as CRAZY. Huehue.

~Thoughtless

DATA-DOG

You would be seen as questioning the GB's authority over the domestics ( remember they have not been appointed over the belongings yet, even though that's why we were to trust them for decades) and being disrespectful of the channel ( angelic singing here..). You may also be labeled as a rebellious one, prone to apostasy. Whatever assignments you have in the KH will be taken away as you are disciplined by JEHOVAH (tm).

Thoughtless

Oubliette, danke for the compliment, you and DATA DOG are one of my favorites on JWN. Godtier posters. Yeah, DATA DOG, I swear I am "this" close to be labeled as the rebellious one. VERY, VERY CLOSE. Going to college and plus I don't get home until later at night which makes me prone for "unwholesome association" although honestly I am at the library or at the mall at my lonesome. Along with this, I haven't been at a congregation gathering in a WHILE, but it is because I am not interested in cheesy acts at talent shows or just bland, watercooler conversation. I am attracted to intimate conversation, intellectually challenging really, especially when it comes to the arts and such and MUSIC. I love MUSIC, as well as thematic elements of it, not only the sound per se. BUT, no JW would want to talk about such "worldly" topics. Instead, they would rather have a circlejerk about the GB and how there are no Bibles and who is the next Bethelite. It gets really annoying after a while. It is so much safer keeping up this schizoid facade, because once you get to know me, I am quite talkative. ~Thoughtless

Satanus

It doesn't count as true dualism. On this level, they are true materialists, as much as the hardest core atheist. On the other hand, they view god, jesus, the angels and the demons as spirit men, ie beings that have a definite location and have defined bodies. The only difference is, they are built w or of spirit. Their god is the uber alpha spirit man who they claim also has a definite location which is the heavens of the heavens. That location is outside of the universe, according to the aid book. To them, spirit is just another substance.

That view of spirit is far from the standard christian view of spirit, of god, or even quantum physics. Standard christianity sees god as being everywhere, yet inpalpable. It sees us humans as physical w a whispy spirit meshed in at every level in an undescribable way. To the wt, that kind of thinking is idiocy. The wt isn't capable of dualistic thinking. It thinks only ONE way. They are like 19th century scientists.

S

Dualism in new WT theology?

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