by BluesBrother 53 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Exactly Splash. Doesn't this open the door to explaining away anything?
Birthdays, Christmas decorations ... most people don't view any of the related symbols for their pagan origin. The door is open to spin, unfortunately, only headquarters will be allowed to use it.
I personally think this letter is a rare example of the Society taking a reasonable approach to a sensitive matter, something they should do in a lot of other areas. To me, displaying a flag on a day when every building in the land is required to display it is no different from having a car license plate with a patriotic slogan on it. Though some individuals have done so, the Society has never required all JW's to cover up such mottos, or even formally objected to their presence. If they would had been as reasonable in other matters, then the whole Malawi debacle could have been avoided and many unnecessary deaths and much suffering would never have occurred.
There are many other less serious issues that the Society could and should designate as "conscience matters." Birthday celebrations, toasting at social occasions, observing Mother's and Father's Days, etc. Being less concerned with total control of the flock's every action would go a long way towards easing the stress of simply being a JW.
Far more importantly, if they would just listen to the many well-reasoned discussions on why the Bible does not actually prohibit the medical use of blood, and make that too a conscience matter, many lives could be saved that would otherwise be sacrificed on the altar of the Watchtower. I really believe they would like to do that, but they've dug themselves such a deep hole in this matter, they can't dig themselves out without seeming to accede to apostates and public opinion and thereby undermine their supposed "spiritual authority." They are probably also worried about potential lawsuits from families who lost loved ones due to the blood doctrine. (I don't think these lawsuits would ultimately prove successful. The US courts never get involved in church doctrine and, to my knowledge, have never sided with anyone claiming to be harmed by a religious tenet, regardless of how silly or unjust it appears to outsiders.) They probably would lose a certain number of members if they changed this policy, but they'd simply write them off as "not true believers in God's arrangement," just like they did those who left when the 1975 prophecies went bust.
I welcome their seeming to become more reasonable in certain matters. It bothers me that they only seem to do so when it benefits them in some way, usually financially.
Just to be clear: I think the Society is a thoroughly corrupt money-grubbing enterprise, concerned only about enriching itself and maintaining total control over its members. It is just as underhanded as any other religious organization, more so than some. Many individual JW's I have known are genuine and sincere about their beliefs, and truly try to live what they see as a Christian life, but the organization is no more a "spirit-directed channel used by God to provide spiritual food" than any other publishing or real estate conglomerate. It's goal is to protect its wealth and acquire more. For a commercial business, that's fine. But when a business cloaks itself as "God's organization" and uses its adherents' faith and trust to demand total obedience and unquestioning acceptance of ever-changing doctrine for its own ends, that's evil.
I attach no religious value to Christmas, Easter, Birthdays etc so does my bible-trained conscience allow me to partake of these if there are no religious ceremonies?
And as for the flags is it not how OTHERS view the flag been displayed on KH grounds rather than how the elders view? Passerby's might think they are nationalists...
These guys are the biggest CHERRY PICKERS ever! They pick and choose scriptures and apply them in whatever fits their agenda!
Those same scriptures are used all over and applied or not applied when they need it to!
I love the part about it being up to a "christian conscience" right after explaining in detail what would be acceptable and not acceptable. There is no such thing as a Christian conscience in JW land unless the conscience goes along exactly with what the borg wants.
If I tried to use those scriptures to justify some things I'd be pulled in the back room.
What happened to not stumbling others?
-TE
Dear JW dot Org, your slimy, hypocritical reasoning is so transparent - if it could cost you $$$$$$$$$$, then you'll bend the rules for your greedy little selves!!
Wedding anniversaries - not one mentioned in the Bible, so surely making two people the focus of attention and buying them gifts, must be of pagan origin? Just like a double birthday!
Oh, it is as simple as these guys doing their sums ($$$$$) and realizing that, in specified instances, to refuse to engage in some secular activity such as displaying a flag (due to one's "Christian" conscience) would cost too much ($$$$).
It should not surprise us - but yes it still can do so - that money and/or its absence makes religions go round and jw.org is no exception, despite its sacred exclusiveness claims. Once the GB have ascertained that refusers will be saddled with widespread financial penalties, "reason" kicks in and, presto! "Brothers, the ultimate decision rests with your "Bible-trained" consciences". Well thank you, your holinesses!
And the brothers feel a wave of relief as sweet convenient reason sweeps over them and have no hesitation in complying with the secular law.
That this same wave of sweet reason could not have prevailed in Malawi is as shocking as it is disgusting, given the brutality of the regime with the physical and sexual torturing and murdering of untold numbers of Witnesses. All the Watchtower had to do was apply the self-same reasoning that is in the above letter, and lives would have been saved.
Who said the organization views human life as sacred? By their own policies, human life, including that of their very own members, is cheap. "Oh well", as Witnesses as wont to say, "There's the resurrection". Only someone with that cartoon mentality could so cheapen life.
Blues Brother:
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Thank you very much for posting that letter! Shocking hypocrisy!
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Atlantis!
