TRUE CHRISTIANS must imitate JESUS the "apostate"

by Terry 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Terry

  4.The early feature of Christianity was the arguments and debates over who and what Jesus was as well as what true teaching was.

  IMO your argument begins and ends with that statement.

  I probably should have included Judaism in that statement as well as regards the MESSIAH.

  In other words (and importantly) JW's try to maintain the false notion that there was one central monlithic "organization" which had a lock on true belief, doctrine and practice and that modern day JW's are the natural heirs to this ongoing chain of custody.

  It is fallacious! The controversy stayed controversial from the beginning until now.

  Each believer uses his choices the way a hunger diner uses a buffet table at the local smorgasbord.
• 

  LittleToe

  Terry:
  Aye, I got the intended focus for the comments. Unfortunately not many fish were biting, though

  I'm astounded that you can change the colour of white wine. Might wanna go to the doc with that

  Any firm TRUTH should be able to withstand questioning.

  I agree. Locally I'm notorious for not letting folks get away with lame-ass reasoning for their dogmatic religous beliefs. Recently I contested that the Pope could be a singular antichrist, and got some mighty puzzled looks on some faces. It's not just the JWs who are raised with stuff that they have never questioned.
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  trevor

  IF JESUS COULD QUESTION and DEBATE with the authorities set in place by JEHOVAH; why shouldn't a follower of Jesus imitate his behavior and attitude today?

  The Jewish religious leaders of his day were afraid of that their adherents would follow him as he was undermining their authority. It is well to remember that Jesus was handed over to the Romans by these religious leaders as a criminal and crucified.

  He did not get away with challenging their authority. This pattern has continued throughout the history of the Christian church with many heretics being burnt at the stake or tortured to death on the charge of blasphemy or apostasy.

  The Watchtower Society policy of shunning seems rather toothless by comparison.
• 

  Terry

  The Jewish religious leaders of his day were afraid of that their adherents would follow him as he was undermining their authority. It is well to remember that Jesus was handed over to the Romans by these religious leaders as a criminal and crucified.

  He did not get away with challenging their authority. This pattern has continued throughout the history of the Christian church with many heretics being burnt at the stake or tortured to death on the charge of blasphemy or apostasy.

  The Watchtower Society policy of shunning seems rather toothless by comparison.

  Keep in mind three things here.

  1.Later accretions to "scripture" added fulminations about the bad old Jews. Much of what we read today is the result of ideological changes in the story to make the Jewish authorities take the rap for being Christ killers.

  2.The Jewish religion always had an outlet for argumentation. It was a give and take throughout rabbinical training as well. Jews were taught to question and argue in the manner of the much respected SOCRATIC teachings. The portrayal of Jesus in the NT is largely an expansion of what Socrates did; answering a question with a question.

  3.The way THE CHURCH dealt with heretics is indicative of their insecurity about having any truth whatsoever! The CHURCH was about consolidating power through conformity and a malleable consensus.