by charity7 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
It was pointed out in a Book I read years ago that if someone was suspended on a Stauros as the W.T illustrate, Jesus would have likely died quickly, not survived the number of hours the Gospels suggest, because the lungs fill up with fluid very quickly with arms way above the head, wheres if on a cross, the Victim could survive for two days perhaps.
Whether this claim is accurate, I do not know,
"In John 20:25, the number of nails is not clear, but in all English Scriptures, including NW, there is a plural number of nails, so it is natural to think that the nails were done separately in both hands rather than gathering hands on pillars."
I think that it was a single pole with one hand placed on one side and a nail through it and the other hand placed on the other side with a nail through it, which is easier than one nail through both hands. Thus nails plural in his hands. That is easier than a cross beam as there has to be nails to go through that. They would want to conserve resources.
I agree with Rattigan that the cross did become an idol to some. It is easy to understand how that could happen. But to be fair, ask Christians today what it means to them. They usually say it is a symbol of Christianity. Yes, I have asked, and that is the answer I got. None told me that it was their idol. They simply said that when they see it, they are moved to pause and thank Christ for his sacrifice. I am OK with that, and I'm not their god to criticize them for how they react to it. WTC uses the outline of a watchtower to identify their corporation. It's not their idol. That is reserved for the GB.
For me, the problem with the Torture Stake death teaching that JW's preach, is that it quickly became a matter of religious dogma. They literally made it a litmus test of whether a person could serve God without renouncing the Cross. All I can say is:
IT DOES NOT MATTER!
What does matter is that God's son allowed himself to be be tortured and murdered and that somehow, it paid the price for all our sins by paying for Adam's sin. How so?
IT DOES NOT MATTER!
Paul explains the complexity of the equation, other writers allude to it, so accept some version of it if you want to call yourself a Christian. For heaven's sake, put it in a math equation on a huge lecture auditorium chalkboard to convince yourself if necessary. Just stop fighting over it. Be a Christian if you want to be one. Don't be one if you don't want to be one.
But that is not enough for JWs. Being the contrarians that they are, they taught that Jesus was clean shaven. They looked foolish arguing that but once again, it became a litmus test for separation from Christendom.They demanded that he was hung on a straight stake with no crossbeam, clean shaven. They wanted him their way like it was the drive through at Burger King.
IT DOES NOT MATTER!
What does matter is that Jesus is described as kind to people. He reached out. He was charitable and helpful. He freely forgave. He was a good person and never a burden to his friends.He had courage to call out hypocrites who were trying to control people.
If you don't want to believe he existed, then don't. But pay attention to the qualities that defined him. That is what we should try to be like. A man for all seasons - the original version of who the very real,Thomas More, tried to be.
THAT IS WHAT MATTERS!
They could have flayed him and hung him like this
....and hanging completely vertically actually served to kill a person faster than would happen on a cross.
Yes. In just a few minutes.
It doesn't take a lot of imagination to understand why an ancient culture might have considered that too humane.
“Just like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, the son of man must also be lifted up.” —No cross beam.
Just like nehushtan was idolized, so is Jesus.
