Are Jehovah’s Witnesses “Invisible Christians”? Having just read David Kupelian’s book “The Marketing of Evil”, I find it both intriguing and compelling. Though some parts of his book may be offensive to some, one chapter that particularly stood out was the chapter “The Rise and Fall of American Christianity”. What does this have to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses? How could they be classed as “invisible Christians?” The summary below should provide the answers. Under the subheading “Abandonment”, Kupelian says that “many evangelicals, just like many believers from other regions of Christendom, not only take their religion seriously, “walking their talk” and putting biblical principles first in their lives, but they also believe they have a duty to stand up for God’s principles in the larger world. Some are active in home schooling while others are politically engaged, along with many Catholics, in trying to fight evils like abortion and euthanasia.” It can be said that Jehovah’s Witnesses have high morals, at least from a perspective. They don’t have sex before marriage, they pay their taxes and they don’t take up arms. We know of course that there are plenty of witnesses who don’t follow these standards, but that is another discussion. Kupelian then adds, “There are also large numbers of Bible-believing, traditional-values-affirming Christians who are, for want of a better term, just waiting for the end to come. This is not a criticism of Christians who have an interest in end-times prophecy – that’s a shared interest in all believers as it’s a major theme of the New Testament. Rather we’re talking about Christians who have become “invisible’ – that is, of no account when it comes to standing up to the evil around them. Can this be said of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Do they stand up for evil around them? Of course not! As a Jehovah’s Witness, you cannot organize protests for or against various governmental social policies. You cannot even take part in student government. Whereas other evangelical denominations help build hospitals, volunteer in soup kitchens and house the homeless, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not even take part in these basic activities. Sure, they’ll help their own – only if they’re considered in good standing. The leaders of Brooklyn Bethel do not encourage any of their flock to engage in charitable works, unless its knocking on doors. They capitulate on the sincere generosity and kindness of many Witnesses by publishing positive propaganda on how the religion looks after and takes care of each other. Behind the scenes though, Bethelites are being dismissed, elderly circuit overseers have no retirement or social security and higher education is forbidden. Even the counsel among the first century Christians that there be a fund for those in dire need is not followed; rather it is the other way round, “in that honoring Jehovah with your valuable things” is considered giving the Watchtower money to further its agenda not for the monetary help of those who need it. It is also true that Jehovah’s Witnesses default on their social community responsibilities by waiting “for the end to come.” Obsession with the “end just around the corner” the Witnesses lead lives devoid of real charity. Kupelian quotes John W. Chalfant in his book “Abandonment Theology” as saying, “[the Abandonment Clergy] observed the horrible, deteriorating conditions in America, determined that she was headed into rubble just like pagan Rome and that we must be living in the prophesied “last days” and “end times.” Therefore, with the end and the “rapture of the church” so apparently near, why fight?...They told us that all that really counts is that we “lead as many people as possible to salvation and let our corrupted country continue to its death course.’ Isn’t the above true of Jehovah’s Witnesses also? Haven’t they deemed anyone not a witness as fit for bird food? Isn’t it true that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that everyone who does not enter into the ark of “Jehovah’s organization” will die shortly at Armaggedon? Chalfant continues “[that] the legitimate study of eschatology (the future in prophecy) has been converted into a doctrine of futility and surrender by the clergy who, in defiance of Christ’s injunction (see Mark 13:32-33), insist upon assigning near-future dates to the “last days,” the “rapture of the church” and the “second coming” of Christ…At the very least the clergy should understand that their “last days’ teachings are nothing more than personal speculations.” The above certainly describes the policy makers in Brooklyn. Not content with “not knowing the day or the hour” of Jesus’ coming, they have taken it upon themselves to suggest dates, which in turn have whipped up religious fervor concerning the date of Armageddon. Francis A. Schaeffer wrote “that the evangelical world has not been active in the battle or even been able to see that we are in a battle…Here is the greatest evangelical disaster – the failure of the evangelical world to stand for truth as truth.” Professor David F. Wells says “Why is it that with more than a third of the nation’s adults in 1990 claiming a born-again experience and allegiance to Christian values, the society moves on oblivious to its religious citizens, reshaping laws and policies as if they were not there?” And the answer? Wells explains, “The answer, in a sense, is that they are not there. They are the people of the inner life whose relation to the external world is largely a matter of cognitive disjuncture. Whatever the follies the Marxists committed – and their follies and wickedness have been manifold – they always had the wisdom to know that if they yielded their world view, they yielded their reason for existence. Evangelicals are not quite so wise.” This is so true of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As Christians they ‘are invisible”. How can this be said when they are so visible in the public work of preaching? Because few people really know of their beliefs and even fewer know that there exists no real social programs among people. They do not stand up when the basic tenets of Christianity are eroded in this country. The witnesses final solution is “wait on Jehovah”, which of course explains why they are invisible Christians.
Are Jehovahs Witnesses Invisible Christians?
by truthseeker 6 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
truthseeker
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses “Invisible Christians”?
Having just read David Kupelian’s book “The Marketing of Evil”, I find it both intriguing and compelling.
Though some parts of his book may be offensive to some, one chapter that particularly stood out was the chapter “The Rise and Fall of American Christianity”.
What does this have to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses? How could they be classed as “invisible Christians?”
The summary below should provide the answers.
Under the subheading “Abandonment”, Kupelian says that “many evangelicals, just like many believers from other regions of Christendom, not only take their religion seriously, “walking their talk” and putting biblical principles first in their lives, but they also believe they have a duty to stand up for God’s principles in the larger world. Some are active in home schooling while others are politically engaged, along with many Catholics, in trying to fight evils like abortion and euthanasia.”
It can be said that Jehovah’s Witnesses have high morals, at least from a perspective. They don’t have sex before marriage, they pay their taxes and they don’t take up arms. We know of course that there are plenty of witnesses who don’t follow these standards, but that is another discussion.
Kupelian then adds, “There are also large numbers of Bible-believing, traditional-values-affirming Christians who are, for want of a better term, just waiting for the end to come. This is not a criticism of Christians who have an interest in end-times prophecy – that’s a shared interest in all believers as it’s a major theme of the New Testament. Rather we’re talking about Christians who have become “invisible’ – that is, of no account when it comes to standing up to the evil around them.
Can this be said of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Do they stand up for evil around them? Of course not! As a Jehovah’s Witness, you cannot organize protests for or against various governmental social policies. You cannot even take part in student government. Whereas other evangelical denominations help build hospitals, volunteer in soup kitchens and house the homeless, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not even take part in these basic activities. Sure, they’ll help their own – only if they’re considered in good standing.
The leaders of Brooklyn Bethel do not encourage any of their flock to engage in charitable works, unless its knocking on doors. They capitulate on the sincere generosity and kindness of many Witnesses by publishing positive propaganda on how the religion looks after and takes care of each other. Behind the scenes though, Bethelites are being dismissed, elderly circuit overseers have no retirement or social security and higher education is forbidden. Even the counsel among the first century Christians that there be a fund for those in dire need is not followed; rather it is the other way round, “in that honoring Jehovah with your valuable things” is considered giving the Watchtower money to further its agenda not for the monetary help of those who need it.
It is also true that Jehovah’s Witnesses default on their social community responsibilities by waiting “for the end to come.” Obsession with the “end just around the corner” the Witnesses lead lives devoid of real charity.
Kupelian quotes John W. Chalfant in his book “Abandonment Theology” as saying, “[the Abandonment Clergy] observed the horrible, deteriorating conditions in America, determined that she was headed into rubble just like pagan Rome and that we must be living in the prophesied “last days” and “end times.” Therefore, with the end and the “rapture of the church” so apparently near, why fight?...They told us that all that really counts is that we “lead as many people as possible to salvation and let our corrupted country continue to its death course.’
Isn’t the above true of Jehovah’s Witnesses also? Haven’t they deemed anyone not a witness as fit for bird food? Isn’t it true that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that everyone who does not enter into the ark of “Jehovah’s organization” will die shortly at Armaggedon?
Chalfant continues “[that] the legitimate study of eschatology (the future in prophecy) has been converted into a doctrine of futility and surrender by the clergy who, in defiance of Christ’s injunction (see Mark 13:32-33), insist upon assigning near-future dates to the “last days,” the “rapture of the church” and the “second coming” of Christ…At the very least the clergy should understand that their “last days’ teachings are nothing more than personal speculations.”
The above certainly describes the policy makers in Brooklyn. Not content with “not knowing the day or the hour” of Jesus’ coming, they have taken it upon themselves to suggest dates, which in turn have whipped up religious fervor concerning the date of Armageddon.
Francis A. Schaeffer wrote “that the evangelical world has not been active in the battle or even been able to see that we are in a battle…Here is the greatest evangelical disaster – the failure of the evangelical world to stand for truth as truth.”
Professor David F. Wells says “Why is it that with more than a third of the nation’s adults in 1990 claiming a born-again experience and allegiance to Christian values, the society moves on oblivious to its religious citizens, reshaping laws and policies as if they were not there?”
And the answer? Wells explains, “The answer, in a sense, is that they are not there. They are the people of the inner life whose relation to the external world is largely a matter of cognitive disjuncture. Whatever the follies the Marxists committed – and their follies and wickedness have been manifold – they always had the wisdom to know that if they yielded their world view, they yielded their reason for existence. Evangelicals are not quite so wise.”
This is so true of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As Christians they ‘are invisible”. How can this be said when they are so visible in the public work of preaching? Because few people really know of their beliefs and even fewer know that there exists no real social programs among people. They do not stand up when the basic tenets of Christianity are eroded in this country. The witnesses final solution is “wait on Jehovah”, which of course explains why they are invisible Christians.
-
truthseeker
OK, ignore the first post! formatting did not work.
-
serendipity
The work JWs do affects peoples' eternal lives. What could be more important? In all fairness, Jws aren't prohibited from working with or contributing to charities. It's just that the WTS has discouraged this type of outreach to the exclusion of the preaching work.
Where I ran into problems were with local JWs who asserted their own opinions and condemned me for my contributions. I decided then "not to let the right hand know what the left hand was doing" and not speak about it to those greedy, cold-hearted self-righteous ignoramuses.
I do fault the org for not establishing formalized programs to care for the needy in the congs. I doubt I live to see the day they open a food pantry for the entire community.
-
greendawn
Contrary to what they claim about themselves the JWs are not Christians at all but Judaisers masquerading as Christians. They are not part of the New Covenent and refuse to call Jesus Lord.
-
bigmouth
Bugger!! truthseeker, I battled through the first post with my teeth gritted! I should have scrolled down!! HA HA.
Very interesting point of view, thanks. -
Star Moore
Truthseeker...Another really great article...That's the main reason I left the religion after 26 years...because I feel an impelling need to help jesus to turn this world around and no, I don't think it's just a matter of him coming on a cloud, zapping the bad as JW's seem to imagine it...They don't have a clue...But I think the kingdom is coming in a very real fleshly way that we as anointed Christians can have a part in. But surely not as a Jehovah Witness....all they say is ....WE ARE NOT PART OF THE WORLD...~ I'm so sick of that expression as an excuse not to help or do anything at all to help mankind except give out mags....and invite them to be a member of mind control and Okay, learn some of the bible... Again ...love this article!!!!