Will they ever be mainstream?

Justin

Some religions which have been on the fringe of society are eventually accepted into the mainstream because they have an aspect which is socially acceptable or beneficial to society. For example, the Seventh Day Adventists have hospitals and the Mormons have the Tabernacle Choir. But the JWs seem to have nothing with which to appeal to the larger culture. Do you think that this lack is a hindrance to their ever being accepted as mainstream?

barry

Gday Justin,

You mention the SDAs well I have an artical you may be interested in reading called The Mainstreaming of Adventism'. This also may one day be the history of the WT.

The artical is by Fritz Guy and he writes, ' A funny thing has happened to us Adventists on the way to the Second Advent; we've become part of the cultural mainstream.'

http://www.spectrummagazine.org/library/columns2003/030707guy.html

Bonnie_Clyde

Consider next Sunday's WT lesson, p. 16: "Today, some individuals try to imitate Jesus' good works by opening hospitals or performing other services among the world's poor. In some cases, they do this at great personal cost, and their sincerity is commendable; but any relief they supply is temporary at best. Only the Kingdom will bring permanent relief. Hence, Jehovah's Witnesses concentrate, as Jesus did, on bearing witness to the truth about that Kingdom.

"Of course, true Christians do perform good works. Paul wrote: 'As long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.' (Galatians 6:10) In times of crisis or when someone is in need, we do not hesitate to 'work what is good' to our neighbors or our Christian brothers. Still, we keep our main focus where it belongs--on bearing witness to the truth." (which means we really do little or nothing humanitarian because we don't have time for it--too busy preaching).

Gill

Never! 'We are no part of the World!' I believe is a phrase they're proud of using.

TheEdge

Never! 'We are no part of the World!' I believe is a phrase they're proud of using.

.......well, not until we're rumbled.....

Justin

Thanks, Barry. I have wondered for a long time if there might be parallels between JWs and SDA's (besides their common origin in the original Advent movement), as they both have prophetic dates which are receding into the past (1844 for SDA's, 1914 for JWs). But JWs don't have a side to their religion which is positive toward the larger culture as the SDA's do, and I see in your article that the SDA's are really 'coming along'!

I'm currently reading an old SDA book - The Story of the Seer of Patmos by Stephen Haskell - and the historicist approach to Revelation is much more like the old Bible Student one rather than current JWs. Interesting reading!

wordlywife

There's that word "commendable" again! Aaaaarg!! Now I see where my JW husband gets it from. It's "commendable" to open and operate a hospital????? COMMENDABLE????? Gee, it's just temporary to save yuor life after this disaster, Mr. Jones. Better to leave you to suffer or die, because you know the only permanent solution is........................

Uuuuugggghhh..........I hate that word, commendable. So condescending!

I'll get off the sopabox now, sorry folks.

WW

metatron

Look at it the other way.

Why is the Society so frightened of going mainstream or being 'assimilated'? Because they can see the trends

developing, because they see the next generation of Witnesses leaving, because they suspect that many in Bethel

are hoping for the deaths of various Governing Body members and subsequent reform.

Go mainstream or just fall apart - either way the world is rid of this ugly cult.

metatron

Preston

Will they ever be mainstream?

As mainstream as Journey finally being played in Khazakstan!

...don't stop... believing!

- Preston

Sunspot

** Consider next Sunday's WT lesson, p. 16: "Today, some individuals try to imitate Jesus' good works by opening hospitals or performing other services among the world's poor. In some cases, they do this at great personal cost, and their sincerity is commendable; but any relief they supply is temporary at best. Only the Kingdom will bring permanent relief. Hence, Jehovah's Witnesses concentrate, as Jesus did, on bearing witness to the truth about that Kingdom.

Yeah, I hate that word "commendable" too! So many of these WTS over-used words make my teeth grind!

From my own standpoint---I have to figure that the hospital where I finally landed in for major surgery a few years ago, was a Catholic hospital (called the Good Samaritan)

, would be one that the WTS sneers at due because the staff wasn't devoting their entire life in the pursuit of selling magazines.

I don't remember that Jesus said it was an "either-or" proposition, preach mindlessly or help others. If Jesus was anti-healing, would he have demonstrated doing just that? Can you picture him telling those who stared in wonder at his healing of their loved ones---"don't take pity on others who are afflicted and do whatever you can to ease their pain---preach at them!", or, "Leave'em with a magazine"!

If their main focus is on the preaching work---why are they amassing great wealth on prime real estate, and more than filling their coffers "to cover the cost of printing"? (not to mention ALL the perks of trips, airplanes and so forth)

Who do they think they're kidding!

Apparently, about six million people.

Annie

Will they ever be mainstream?

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