by opusdei1972 50 Replies latest watchtower bible
I just lack knowledge of macro evolution at the minute as I've never read up on that as I've only read the society's publications on it - Midnight
If you look at the end of the OP of the following thread there are links to the other 37 threads in the series. I need to get back to this.
Bottom line is that the WTS doesn't reject evolution because it's implausible, lacks evidence, or is inherently "atheistic"...
...they reject it because WT cosmology requires the Eden creation narrative in Genesis to be literal history; it doesn't really work otherwise.
Looking back, it was the realization that evolution had to be true - and, more importantly, that the WTS could never budge on it - that started me down the XJW path, in fact.
Me too, Vidiot. That was quite an epiphany for me.
JWs can budge on anything if they want to. Russell was comfortable with the idea that animals evolved but humans were a special creation. Modern JWs could revert to that, or they could even accept human evolution too, as the Catholic Church does. I am not saying they will necessarily, but it's possible, I don't see why not.
they could even accept human evolution too, as the Catholic Church does. I am not saying they will necessarily, but it's possible - SBF
No they couldn't. The ransom is the cornerstone doctrine of the cult and it depends on the lie that every human descended from a literal Adam.
For Russell the ransom was the main theme of the Bible. For Rutherford the main theme of the Bible was the vindication of Jehovah's name, and the ransom was secondary.
JWs can change any belief or doctrine they wish. The could claim God produced an Adam and Eve by evolution, and sin came through them, which I think is a position some Christians take. Or they could redefine their understanding of the origin of sin.
Or they could cling on to their version of creationism indefinitely...
No updated Watchtower articles on Evolution - of course not, writing department is a bunch of ignorants. Look at few recent lines in WT:
But does the theory of evolution represent true science at its best? Note the conclusion that Christoph Schönborn, Catholic archbishop of Vienna, presented in The New York Times: “Any system of thought that denies or seeks to explain away the overwhelming evidence for design in biology is ideology, not science.” (WT 15.08.2007 pg 4) - so Catholic archbishops are relevant now?
Christians deal with moral, social, financial, and religious pressures that could cause them to deviate from Jehovah’s righteous ways. Many face family opposition. In some countries, educational institutions promote the theory of evolution ever more aggressively, and atheism is gaining more attention. In the face of such pressures, we cannot merely hunker down and do nothing. We must take action in order to resist and thus protect ourselves. (WT 15.09.2009 pg 13) - by discouraging any education beyond elementary
Also, “the faithful and discreet slave” provides spiritual food to protect us against the teaching of evolution, the enticement of immoral desires, the pursuit of riches and prominence, and numerous other harmful desires and influences. (WT 15.01.2010 pg 10) - so they canceled book "Creation"
Your peers may believe in evolution or in various false religious doctrines because others have told them that this is what they should believe. However, you can rise above such thinking when it comes to your own beliefs. Remember, Jehovah wants you to serve him with your whole mind. (Read Matthew 22:36, 37.) Our heavenly Father wants you to build your faith on evidence. (WT 15.11.2010 pg 13) - evidence like gravity, electricity, wind? btw, evolution is the same category as various false religious doctrines? really?
and so on, I have more quotes, but stupidity of writers makes me sick. You cannot expect that such ignorants will ever be capable to understand simple fact such as evolution and the best explanation of that fact such as theory of evolution.
The credibility of Jehovah’s Witnesses has been shot through because of their false expectations of the end of the world.
As hopelessly faulty interpreters of the Bible and non believers in the scientific method for determining truth, how could the Watchtower ever claim to be able to pronounce on Bible matters let alone scientific subjects such as evolution and the human pedigree?
They are resorting to the only thing they know; quote the Bible and believe with unjustified pride and wilful ignorance, that its contents are true.
schnell - "That was quite an epiphany for me."
One of the main things that spurred it on for me was that evolution seemed to a much better job explaining the more f**ked-up shit found in nature than creationism ever could.
You?
Considering that Tiger Shark pups eat one another in the womb of their mother, and that the Bible condemns boiling a kid in its mother's milk... Yeah, evolution makes more sense...
"Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw....."
DD
Opus, Thank you for your insights. I find this discussion very interesting.
