Rumor about the Imitate Jesus Convention

by FusionTheism 75 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  menrov

  Hi, on another forum, I posted a quick analysis of the program. For what it is worth, here is my view on it:

  I looked at the contents of the program and read the verses mentioned with the 30 to 45 minute talks (I exclude the symposiums as the topics are rather straightforward and are about behaviours). None of the verses mentioned make any reference to Jesus being a King with full authority, being our Judge and as such our life giver or being the Master of all congregations and will hold all accountable for their actions.
  It is mainly about how Jesus lived on earth, His motives or drivers, and His actions. Also how He was submissive to His Father etc.
  
  My feeling is that overall after the 3 days, the average JW will know (again) that Jesus was / is our biggest example with regard to how we should live, but he/she will not feel drawn closer to Jesus nor feel an urge to follow Christ as their leader (shepherd). He/she will feel the governing body did an excellent job to teach about Jesus and will be further motivated to put faith in their governing body.
  
  The program on Friday (excl. the symposium):
  Imitate Jesus—Why and How? (Luke 6:40)
  Follow Jesus’ Pattern—Keep On Asking, Seeking and Knocking! (Luke 11:9-13; 22:41-44)
  “Concealed in Him Are All the Treasures of Wisdom” (Colossians 2:2-4; Matthew 5:17-20, 43-48)
  Sing Praises in Imitation of Jesus (Exodus 15:1, 2, 21;Matthew 26:30; 2 Corinthians 8:12; Colossians 3:16)
  ‘For a Certainty God Made Him Lord and Christ’—Part I (Mark 5:22-43; Luke 2:7-14, 42-47;4:1-30; 8:40-56)
  “He Was Favorably Heard for His Godly Fear” (Hebrews 5:7; Matthew 10:27-31; 1 Peter 3:14)
  Jesus “Came to Seek and to Save What Was Lost” (Luke 15:4-10; 19:10)
  
  For example, the latter topic on Friday refer to the parable in Luke about searching for 1 sheep and leave the 99 others. The message of Jesus was that He came to what was lost and find them and reconcile them with the Father, so they become His children again and as such, brother of Jesus, with the same heritance. But as the organisation does not consider the R&F to be a sheep in that sense, I sense the contents will be more around the (renewed) efforts by the organisation to search for the ones that have become inactive or faded (a new brochure on this topic leaked a while ago). In other words, the organisation is imitating Jesus by focussing on the inactive JW's
  
  Saturday:
  Follow Jesus, But Not “at a Distance” (Luke 22:54)
  Train, Trust, and Empower Others, as Jesus Does (Luke 8:1; 9:1; 10:1)
  "For This I Have Come Into the World” (John 18:37; Matthew 21:23-46; 22:15-46)
  Arm Yourselves With Christ’s Mental Disposition (Matthew 4:8-10; 8:1-3; John 2:13-17; 1 Peter 4:1, 2)
  
  The first topic mentioned here has a rather peculiar verse mentioned. It is about Peter who followed at a distance. But the setting has nothing to do with a wrong behavior nor is there any educational contents intended with the fact that Peter followed at a distance. I presume the talk will be about being more active in the organisation.
  The verses mentioned with 3rd topic above is about the fact that Jesus was sent and that His authority (while on earth) was given to Him and the many parables Jesus gave. As these verse address many things it is a bit hard to see what the heading of the topic actually means. I feel it will be about the authority of the governing body and the privilege to be part of the organisation.
  
  Sunday
  Jesus Christ, World Conqueror—How and When? (John 16:33; Revelation 6:2; 17:12-14)
  This is rather strange questions as John 16:33 says that Jesus already conquered the world and the verses in Revelation is about a completely different conquering.
  True Liberation Awaits Those Who Imitate Jesus (Leviticus 25:10-12; Acts 3:21)
  ‘For a Certainty God Made Him Lord and Christ’—Part II (Matthew 16:13-20;John 9:1-41; 11:1-44; Acts 1:1-11; 2:31)
  As the Storm Approaches, Maintain Your Focus on Jesus! (Matthew 14:22-34; Hebrews 12:2)
  
  The topic in red is not mentioning about Jesus current position and authority, It refers to His role on earth, as the promised Christ or Messiah, and the other verses are more about the resurrections and how he healed people. I expect the talk will stress that we can have faith in the Father as He made Jesus Christ and Lord (but not explaining what this should really mean to Christians) and that under the command of HIs Father will resurrect the loyals.
  
• 

  steve2

  When you wait and see what is actually on the convention program, speculation is unnecessary.
• 

  DJS

  Steve2,

  Excellent observation, which is why I rarely enter OPs about issues requiring investigations to determine facts. So many ex-Dubs want the DFing policy to end, for obvious reasons. Likely so do a lot of current Dubs. The Dfing policy gives the Dark Lords ultimate power over the sheep; I can't see them giving it up unless the internal and external pressures placed on them by the rank and file, the public, potential lawsuits and governments become greater than the power and control they garner from the vile policy. There is a tipping point to be certain; how close we are to that is the unknown.

  Anything they say or do, unless it is a WT study that very clearly and specifically ends the hate filled policy, is nothing but PR IMHO and designed solely to create plausible deniability and mitigate the criticism and the lawsuits. The good thing is those pressures are mounting, from all sides. Going mainstream with their video casts where they present the Dark Lords as kind, geriatric, Disney-esque grandfathers doesn't play so well with the DFing policy. Caleb and Sofia not being able to speak to one another, their friends or their parents for a lifetime based on the policy isn't so warm and fuzzy. (a disclaimer: I only know about the video-casts, Caleb and Sofia based on this site; if I ever actually go look at this nonsense, any of you have my permission - no my plea - to shoot me).

  It will be interesting to watch it unfold.
• 

  KateWild

  Things are not going to change with regard to shunning there may be a new thought that everyone gets excited about but things will by and large just stay the same.

  I can't see it that I walk into a KH and be greeted it's not going to happen.

  My immediate family doesn't practice shunning and thankfully that's what really counts.

  Kate xx
• 

  Syme

  Regarding the thought that shunning could be restricted to some offenses (e.g. apostasy), but not others (e.g. smoking): no, I don't think this is going to happen. That would require the R&F to know which "offense" has taken place, so the policy of non-revealing the cause of DF would have to be reversed as well. But this cannot happen for obvious reasons (it could, and will have legal consequences, if the org makes the personal deeds of a DFed public).

  Now, as for the general abolition of shunning: highly unlikely, IMO, unless the WTS decides to make a shift from high-control cult to mainstream Catholic-like religion. This could theoretically happen, but it would need a minimum "critical mass" of members: Let's assume the WTS decides to abolish the shunning rule. What follows is a mass exodus of members that don't believe anymore, leaving behind in the religion only the true, ardent believers. That will mean an instant decrease of membership, even by half.
  

  The fact that a church grows older and becomes more widely known does not automatically mean loosening of shunning rules: The religion of Islam 1,400 years old, and is spread all over the world with more than a billion followers. Still, their shunning policy has not been loosened a bit; and the equivalent of "DFing" there is death, not plain shunning. So, abolition of shunning needs not only time and population, but also influence from secular, humanist, ideas. When that happens in JW-land, let me know
  
• 

  FusionTheism

  Menrov,

  Thank you for posting that info!

  But I still wonder about the talks entitled Follow Jesus, Not the Pharisees.

  That would be the area where anything new on Disfellowshipping would be announced, most likely.
• 

  DATA-DOG

  Again, it would be great if the WTBTS cult would stop shunning, but they won't. It's simply not in the current collective mindset to admit wrongdoing of any sort. We will all be dead by the time this cult goes truly mainstream, or implodes. I would love to see the WTBTS go out of business "soon" ( LOL!!) but I'm not holding my breath.

  Sadly, it looks like my prediction is correct. "Imitate Jesus" = Obey "Jehovah" = Obey human cult leaders without question

  As far as the official PR page that mentions human right, it's pure fluff for your average "worldly" reader to see. Don't forget that the WTBTS is currently fighting in court as regards child sexual abuse. They also really need money and cannot afford to lose their charitable status.

  This PR nonsense will simply buy them some time if they are ever truly investigated by the "Superior Authorities." They aren't actually changing any policies so they can be like Jesus. The PR page is a smokescreen. They will continue to have a public face, and one for the R&F. Business as usual will continue.

  DD
• 

  done4good

  I am not going to speculate on this. Rather, am going to provide the hard facts of reality regarding authoritarian organizations like the WT. There are basically four areas that are focused on, that provide the cornerstones of the foundation an authoritarian organization exists upon. Remove any one of them, and the whole superstructure falls apart. These are:

  1. DF/Shunning of dissident members. This in effect, "kills" them.

  2. Information control. This includes several levels of content manipulation, from how the organization disseminates its own information, to the higher education ban, etc.

  3. Busy work. This includes the field service, preparing and giving meeting parts, etc.

  4. Social separation: This includes holiday/birthday bans, discouragement from attending "worldly" events, etc.

  The organization will not be able to remove any one of these supporting areas, unless it is willing to remove all of them. If it were to succeed at that effort, the organization would no longer be authoritarian, hence no longer JW. However, it would be extremely difficult for the organization to even attempt such a sweeping change of policy, without implosion.This is yet another reason why no change, such as the one suggested by the OP is going to happen.
  

  They are playing a dangerous game, trying to fight the pressures of social evolution. This should no surprise coming from an authoritarian organization that rejects the principles of evolution to begin with. Both social and biological evolution follow the same principle of meme/gene mutation and replication. Society is evolving around them, and the organization is becoming increasingly out of touch with society in general. What will eventually happen is they will have to succumb to those evolutionary pressures, and this will mean either they fade away from existence or make sweeping changes to the four areas above. The latter is very unlikely, IMO.

  d4g
  
• 

  DATA-DOG

  What D4G said.

  Removing any of the supporting "legs" of the WTBTS right now, would resort in MORE instability, which is the last thing it needs. They are trying to foster MORE unity, MORE dependence, MORE huddling together in the basements of their collective minds.

  What the WTBTS doesn't realize is that "termites" have invested the "legs" already, with "information control" leading in first place. Those little apostate termites are working 24/7!!

  Polish those legs with spiritual pledge all you want, it won't help.

  DD
• 

  Heaven

  About this 'imitating Jesus' idea....

  I am completely uninterested in this. The guy is dead! I am not ready to be dead just yet.