Does God Work Through an Organization?

by Confession 20 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Confession

  In other posts I've commented on how profoundly Tom Cabeen's essay, "Does God Work Through an Organization," affected me when I read it on September 15th, 2004. Somehow realizing that the scriptures do NOT actually teach this helped me to see that the Watchtower Society was not what it claimed to be. Read it here if you like... http://www.brci.org/Attachments/Org.pdf

  That said, I intend to share this information (where I can) with those current JWs who'll let me. And I want to be prepared if there is legitimate fault to be found with this information. What I'd like is for those of you so disposed to tell me if the following information is sound--and what you think JWs might counter with if faced with it...

  The Mosaic Law gave moral and religious guidance to the Israelites. It provided extensive definitions

  of sinful thoughts or actions that could occur in every facet of everyday life, along with specific

  procedures for dealing with that sinfulness. But it did not set up any human form of government or

  administrative body. Under the Law, the Israelites were to be guided by personal conscience rather than

  human rulers who enforced governmental power through police or other armed forces. The people

  themselves, under the supervision of the elders, carried out sanctions against sinners or lawbreakers in

  each community. The priests supervised the accompanying offerings and other religious procedures.

  Each individual was responsible for his own behavior before God, his family and the community. This

  was a theocratic form of government in its true sense:

  God himself acted in place of any earthly king.

  Is this accurate? Is there any reason to believe that God did set up an "administrative body" on earth as part of the Mosaic Law?
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  Satanus

  Well, no. Jews set up their priesthood, as well as the king. It was all done by people. As well, today, everything happens at the hands of people. The bible god does nothing. I wonder why.

  S
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  anewme

  I used to think so. I thought it made sense. But I realize now I was just under the spell of the Watchtower machine and how it gathered scriptures for its own purposes to lead me to the conclusion that I needed Gods organization and I needed to be in it for salvation and I needed them as Gods organization.
  
  I think any organization made of men and women calling themselves Gods organization will eventually lead to dissappointment.
  
  I am currently reexamining my beliefs and whether I need an institution at all to tell me how to live and breathe and worship.
  
  I dont think the creator of the universe, our father, is a God of do's an dont's, of reward and punishment.
  
  
  Anewme
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  AlanF

  The Society's teaching about "God's earthly organization" is nothing but a self-serving creation designed to fool JW drones into shutting their mouths about anything they might otherwise have objected to.

  AlanF
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  Confession

  Thanks so much for your comments. We are in agreement. But...I'm hoping you can help me prepare for what a long-time JW proponent might counter with on the quoted piece. Just trying to be prepared.
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  plmkrzy

  But it did not set up any human form of government or

  administrative body.

  It's been awhile since I studied anything jw related and I am VERY rusty but I seem to remember the original teachings of Russell were also pretty much against "binding" sheep together. Things changed when Rutherford took over and turned it into a government. I don’t think most jws are aware of their jw roots. Can someone expand on that? It may serve some purpose.

  plm
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  Confession

  I don't want to appear unappreciative to those who've left comments. But please...

  Without reference to the way JWs are organized today, can any legitimate fault be found with what is written in the above quoted piece? Was there an actual "administrative body" of sorts during the time the Mosaic Law was in force?
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  plmkrzy

  "administrative body"

  That would be Moses.
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  aniron

  Without reference to the way JWs are organized today, can any legitimate fault be found with what is written in the above quoted piece?; Was there an actual "administrative body" of sorts during the time the Mosaic Law was in force?

  As far as I can tell is that the Mosaic Law was just religious. Dealing only with Israels spiritual side of life etc. In the early days of Israel each tribe ran it self in its own territory. The Priests etc had no say in day to day running of Israelite life, apart from seeing that the religious Law was kept. Then when the Israelites decided they wanted a King, then a government was form. If I recall didn't Jehovah warn them that by wanting a King it would lead to all the things that entailed, such as taxes, enforcement of man-made laws etc.
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  greendawn

  In theory an organisation should work more efficiently but in practice it creates a lot more problems than it solves due to the inherently corrupt nature of man, those in charge will soon become grabbing wolves.
  
  And the JWs who claimed to have a clean organisation, it soon turned out that they had big problems with issues like child abuse.
  
  However the Israelis did have an organised priesthood.