by Schnufti 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Jesus contradicted the teachings of the religious leaders/teachers of his time, when it did not agree with the Torah (bible). Jesus said the Talmud was the words of men that made God's world invalid.
BTW, what have individual jws said is the definition of an apostate in the bible....a scripture perhaps.
JEHOVAHTRON....
That's funny, because the latest doctrine claims that each GB member is just a sheep, not the FDS; yet they each combine to form the mythical FDS, Guardians Of Doctrine! [ G.O.D ] They are like a spiritual Voltron or Captain Planet.
I actually used the Captain Planet illustration at a dinner with Dubs. They were trying to be intellectual, and impress one another with their knowledge of the FDS nu-light.
You could have heard a pin drop.......
DD
My favorite is when they say something like this:
"If I am on the road, I want only the right directions. I don't want all the other directions or a big long debate about which way to go. I just want to know the right way to get there."
The assumption, of course, is that they can trust the directions they are being given. Allowing no discussion of alternative routes, they disregard just how the land is actually laid out and how these streets really work. The end result is that this allegory becomes a straw man.
I'm a truck driver, I think about traffic a lot. :P
My theory is that the the decision to call themselves the Jehovah's Witnesses in 1934 was a clear cut way to distance themselves from the Bible Students who were the early 'friends' of the WTBTS. This harsher judgmental religion could not tolerate anyone with a slightly different take on bible beliefs.
Jesus and his teachings had been pretty specific about how we should treat one another and the casual way he and his followers structured their everyday ministry allowing Christianity to grow as an organic movement with the emphasis on treating people with kindness and love...........it was based on a more gentle civil approach for the most part......for a while.
But the Society lost a majority of their membership from 1909 to 1931 and the fear of a total loss made them more rigid.
Thinking back the International Bible Students were probably more like early first century Christians.
An extremely high number of them fled the WTBTS under Rutherford.
All that love, freedom and compassion for the 'Friends' was swept away by embracing the stern Hebrew God with the made up name. And melding Corporate rules and regulations into the harsh dogma of the newly named JW's.
So called Apostate's almost destroyed the WTBTS which in my mind explains their off the charts conduct towards anyone who has even a simple disagreement with the JW doctrines. And why an apostate is hated more then a pedophile who after all....... merely sinned. 'Don't listen to an apostate' because you might learn TTATT.
@ schnell...
You receive a "good" for "use of illustrations", and move on to the next point of counsel... :smirk:
BTW, maybe your username should be Road Hammer, huh?
Seriously though, some people are just too uncomfortable with uncertainty, and/or simply don't trust their own decision-making abilities.
These are the ones who tend to gravitate towards high-control groups.
@ Giordano...
Wow, nice work. Seriously.
I had no idea it was like that; the graphic is really useful.
In fact, one that extends further to take into account 1975 might be an idea, too.
And you're right, no wonder the Org hates XJWs more than virtually anything else, and also why they've historically concentrated so hard on compelling members to stay even if they had doubts. It had never really occurred to me before, but the WTS must have a very deep-seated fear of schisms and mass exoduses (exodi?).
From their perspective, the simple act of people leaving has seriously threatened - and therefore continues to seriously threaten - the Org's very existence.
And you're right, no wonder the Org hates XJWs more than virtually anything else, and also why they've historically concentrated so hard on compelling members to stay even if they had doubts. It had never really occurred to me before, but the WTS must have a very deep-seated fear of schisms and mass exoduses (exodi?).
From their perspective, the simple act of people leaving has seriously threatened - and therefore continues to seriously threaten - the Org's very existence.
And I'm sure that fear is for the followers' own lives, for the coming day of destruction... Even though, if they ever did announce, "WE ARE IN THE GREAT TRIBULATION! E'RYBODY IN THE BUNKER, HIDE YO KIDS, HIDE YO WIVES..." then they would have another schism. People would wake up and leave. Again. And hence, all this talk about the GT/A is one big bluff.
I would take the name Road Hammer, but I mostly drive Internationals, so nah. :P
schnell - "And I'm sure that fear is for the followers' own lives..."
You're... being sarcastic, right?
'Cause I'm pretty sure the Org doesn't give an at's rass about individual followers' lives...
They only care about the "great crowd" "as a group" and disavow the need for individual protection for God's prophecies to come true.
Try looking up that phrase "as a group" in the WT library.
