I read a book recently called 'How the Great Pyramid was Built' by Craig B Smith (an engineer) that I found very interesting. He also presented evidence that the labor was mostly paid laborers, not slaves.
What went WRONG with the Great Pyramid teachings of Isaac Newton, Piazzi Smyth, Pastor C.T. Russel
by Terry 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Terry
I wonder if the "slaves" day-laborers had a Union?
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Vidiot
As far as I'm concerned, asking "what went wrong with pyramidology?" suggests that something with it was (somehow) originally "right".
WTF, man?
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Harry
The main reason this teaching was wrong was that it was inherently born out of ignorance due to not accepting the fact that the Egyptians has a totally separate and unique system of worship that from the ancient Hebrews.
To even suggest that the Hebrew god (YHWH) instilled the size and dimensions of the Great Pyramid of Giza would be quite illogical and intellectually dishonest, knowing how the two civilizations operated.
Call it an exercise in overabundant hype and speculation more than anything.
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Terry
I need not mention this was the era of the science of (PHRENOLOGY) feeling bumps on your head to determine your personality. (Pastor Russell submitted to such a reading).
________page 170 of the 1911
Convention Report in a "Letter to the Editor," Pastor Russell clearly
taught otherwise. In a reply to Bishop MacDonald, in the
Victoria Daily Colonist , on Tuesday,
August 15, 1911 he wrote, "Not only the learned Bishop, but all the unlearned of humanity know
that the shape of a man's head indicates the qualities of the soul, just as truly as the shape of a
dog's head indicates his peculiar traits--setter, terrier, bulldog, etc. A person of practically no
forehead we call an idiot or irrational. He is irrational because he lacks that part of the brain
organism which reflects, compares and reasons. Who cannot tell the difference between a mean
man and a truly noble one by the shape of his head? The noble soul must have the mental
organism favorable to nobility of sentiment, benevolence, kindness, reverence, spirituality,
conscience, love. These organs of the brain and body have everything to do with the character of
the soul."
Finally, on page 207 of
What Pastor Russell Said , he wrote, "Here is a man with one shaped
head, and another man with another shaped head. Bring in a phrenologist and he will describe
the two men to you very accurately just by the shape of their heads; he will not describe the
difference between the men by the breath; the breath will determine nothing, the body will
determine the whole matter. Imagine a man with a dog's head on, and the phrenologist will tell
you that the man will think exactly as the dog thinks; and the more like a dog's head it is shaped,
the more his reasoning will be after the line of the dog's reasoning, because a man does not
reason with his feet—or ought not to--but he reasons with his head, and according to the shape of
his head his reasoning is bound to be."
____
It took until the year 1978 for WatchTower to repudiate this teaching. -
Sherman
Ignorance and a zeal for literature publishing is just what the Watchtower has been involved in since its early beginning.
Still that way if you ask me.
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Sherman
Since this monument Pyramid was created and guided by Jehovah in its size and structure, does that mean Jehovah is pagan too ?
That would make the Egyptian religion the correct religion chosen by god.
I think JWS should wear a pyramid of some kind on their heads just to make sure they are pleasing Jehovah.
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Terry
Each person (such as myself) approached by a salesperson, evangelist, or propagandist is confronted by information which doesn't sound "quite right".
Depending on temperament, an open-minded person might listen first before
rejecting the presentation.
What makes religious presentations more likely to succeed? :
1. Like a virus the teachings have mutated over and over adapting to strong arguments and growing stronger and more appealing in order to survive. In other words: Evolutionary adaptation. (Christianity = 1000's of years of honing arguments.)
WatchTower cult teachings = constant changes / adaptations in presentation.
2. No potential convert has the same level of skill as a well-practiced veteran JW.
3. A fair-minded person tries and fails again and again to refute what is present using every means at their disposal. BUT - almost everybody has false beliefs easily disproved - and seeing one's false beliefs EXPOSED is highly disruptive of confidence.
4. JW's don't simply present tricky arguments - they introduce a SOCIAL FAMILY STRUCTURE of welcoming, smiling, helpful human beings eager to accept and adopt the victim. (Yes, love-bombing).
5. Once personal bonds are established - its all over.
I'm describing myself here, of course.
I couldn't win an argument with my best friend (JW) but he pulled me in on a social level when I met his family and attended his Kingdom Hall.
I NEEDED SOCIAL STRUCTURE and I got it.
The "belief" in dogma was a s-l-o-w process.
Largely, the resistance and interference of MY FAMILY is the single most determining impulse causing me to dig deeper (just to answer their questions and meet their challenges) in order to maintain my friendship with my JW friend.
I began to be indoctrinated when I was 12 years old and I thought it all sounded like BULLSHIT - but- (and importantly) - I KNEW NOTHING about the Bible.
I only had a practical argument to offer. It failed. Again and again and again.
You can't successfully win an argument with an EXPERT.
My JW friend was a highly intelligent, intellectually aware human being. He was
a True Believer who'd done his homework.
IT WAS THE CHALLENGE of a lifetime for me. I fought him every step of the way.
Fast forward 6 years...
I was about to be baptized!
WHAT HAD PUSHED ME SO FAR into that cult's trap?
Friendship and society - but mostly acceptance.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
The Great Pyramid teaching was as quacky as anything else I was shown.
Once you swallow the bait - the hook is in.
The more you struggle; the deeper it goes.
It's all about the PEOPLE; yourBrothers and Sisters: the "Friends."
