Romans 1:25: “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.”
Do you all agree that the purpose of sacred texts is to bring believers closer to God? I believe the Bible’s value is not intrinsic--by itself, without any connection with the divine, it’s simply a collection of ancient accounts, parables, and proverbs. Its value to believers lies in its being a guide, a pointer to ultimate divinity.
My opinion is that the WTS’s utter preoccupation with scriptural interpretation has come between those who wish to worship and the object of worship itself – God, divinity, ultimate reality, whatever you want to call it.
The Society’s constant focus on scripture, amplified to the last degree in their endless publications, has in itself become a form of idolatry. Instead of allowing God to manifest himself in the hearts of his followers, they have inserted themselves as the ultimate authority. In effect, they have replaced a graven idol with a written idol.
The consequence of this is the JWs’ obsession with dry written words instead of experiencing the divine in their lives. They’re like the unenlightened disciples in the Zen proverb who, observing the master point at the moon, gazed at the hand instead of the moon.
2 Corinthians 3:6: “The letter kills, but the spirit gives life.”
Is the WTS guilty of modern-day idolatry?
by parakeet 12 Replies latest jw friends
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parakeet
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looking_glass
I always think of the scripture "traditions of man, make the word of god invalid". JWs thru the WTBTS have made their own traditions which in turn has changed the "word of god". Although, I don't like modern day JWs worship the WTBTS. However, I do think that JWs read the literature in lieu of the bible and they are lead around by the WTBTS ring in their nose. But to me they are no different from LDS or other people who allow religious leads to tell them what they should believe, contrary to what the bible says.
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Star Moore
Dear Parakeet.
Interesting thoughts...about the bible, itself, actually being an idol. I am finding out that some things in the bible have been tampered with through the years, and mistranslated. I think that when we read it, we must be open-minded to the idea, that it could have been tampered with.
But I do think the original bible is from God. I believe the WT society is a 'golden calf' in the fullest sense of the word. The story of the the Isrealites making a 'golden calf' because Moses was delaying...and calling it, 'a festival to Jehovah'.. Sounds exactly like the WT to me.
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lovelylil
I believe that the Jehovah's Witnesses themselves idolize the Watchtower Society and I believe the WT society knows full well that they do it and approve of it.
How many "friends" did you know that would keep their stockpiles of unplaced magazines for years and not throw them out because they thought it was a sin in Jehovah's eyes?
I knew one lady too that told me she had some magazines put away for when Armegeddon came so she will have the proper spiritual food if the Society has to shut down for a while. I then asked her if she had a bible put away too and she told me she never thought about that. HUH?
This was typical and then you also had the "the society says" or "I wonder what the society says about" mantras. Is this idolatry? Yes, according to the bible, because the Witnesses put faith in their organization and quote "it" more than they quote the bible.
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gumby
The Society’s constant focus on scripture, amplified to the last degree in their endless publications, has in itself become a form of idolatry.
In reality...Jehovahs Witnesses pray to Jehovah, they sing to him, they die for him, they cry out to him in times of fear and sorrow. They do not pray, call out to, or look to these men in times of extreme grief and sorry.
The problem is....they ALLOW and believe that MEN are entitled to call the shots as to HOW they should believe.....which influences them as to HOW they worship Jehovah.
In a round about way it's idolotry in that men control their type of worship....in place of the member having free-will in their worship without a mediator in their worship ( other than christ ) that they claim they are. Since they are the 'faithful slave' who "feeds" jesus sheep, then whether they admit it or not, the GB are mediators by their own words and claims. Apart from them and the organisation they doctrinally run, you cannot be saved.( documentation available upon request)
Gumby
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A Paduan
In reality...Jehovahs Witnesses pray to Jehovah, they sing to him, they die for him, they cry out to him in times of fear and sorrow. They do not pray, call out to, or look to these men in times of extreme grief; and sorry.
' thing is .......... who's jehovah ?
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parakeet
"' thing is .......... who's jehovah ?"
The Jehovah that JWs pray to is a poisonous, vengeful, hateful creation of the WTS, the idol they have set up to control their adherents through fear. -
gumby
' thing is .......... who's jehovah ?
They believe he's the god of the bible who created all things. The sad fact is, this same god that christians also believe in as creator.....is as hateful in the manner he slaughtered people, whether your a Jehovah's Witness or not. Their bible depicts this same god as do other bibles as to old testement stories dealing with the manner god acted toward non-israelites....as well as they themselves.
Gumhovah
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Deputy Dog
Gumby
They believe he's the god of the bible who created all things. The sad fact is, this same god that christians also believe in as creator.....is as hateful in the manner he slaughtered people, whether your a Jehovah's Witness or not. Their bible depicts this same god as do other bibles as to old testement stories dealing with the manner god acted toward non-israelites....as well as they themselves.
I gotta run to church, but we gotta talk about this sometime.
D Dog
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