What does the WTS hope to achieve by creating an issue of the shape of the implement that Jesus was nailed to?
Why are they prepared to go so far as to misrepresent authorities through selective quotations, such as of Lipsius as well as of Liddell and Scott?
This is not about the shape of the implement, but to unearth the reason why the WTS has this position.
I wonder if the following thoughts might be relevant?
1. Create a distraction from significant issues.
2. Make their translation of the NT appear “superior”.
3. Provides a sign of differentiation (“them” and “us”).
4. Make it difficult for a shaky JW to return to a church where the symbol is used.
It is not as if the death of Jesus is relevant to most of the WTS’s followers. Jesus is said to have died for only the handful of “FDS domestics”, who are the “Elect”, but not for the millions of its adherents.
It is not as if the “Cross” is not a Christian form of executing people, but a “Stake” is.
Doug
Why is the "Cross" an issue?
by Doug Mason 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Doug Mason
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BFD
#3.
BFD
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sweetface2233
2. Make their translation of the NT appear “superior”.
Not one of the translators of the NWT had a college degree and/or a formal education in the Hebrew/Greek language. Quite possibly the one person that may have had some Greek language skills was Gangus, who had a Greek heritage. However, he was a short order cook in Columbis, OH before serving at Bethel. Do these people seem as if they are qualified to translate ancient texts?
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sweetstuff
I think they have a thing for phallic symbols.
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nvrgnbk
Why is the "Cross" an issue?
It's upside down?
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tula
When I was a child I thought Jesus died on Calvery Street. (Didn't know if it was a shoot out or what) Many years later, I actually read from the song book and found out it was "calvary's tree"
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VM44
Charles Russell used the "Cross and the Crown" symbol on the publications.
He also had a full length beard.
Rutherford got rid of the use of the "Cross and Crown" symbol.
The anti-beard stance also was started under Rutherford's watch. (rather..reign).
Perhaps it was to distance the Organization from all things associated with Russell?
Russell must decrease so that Rutherford might increase!
--VM44
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Hortensia
vm44, that's an interesting idea - haven't thought of that before but it sounds really likely
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bigdreaux
in my opinion vm44 pretty much nailed it. i don't think russel was the problem though, i think rutherford was a maniac and tried to distance the witnesses from any other religion. and he did it to a fault. the birthdays, holidays, the torture stake- all came from drunk ass rutherford. the man was insane. and sadly, his madness continues to be preached.
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5go
I find I agree partly with the Watchtower there is little evidence of the Romans executing their condemed by nailing them to a cross other than in literature.
Now, I part with the Watchtower.
The Romans along with the rest of the world at the time prefered to decapitate most of the condemed. ( It's cheap ) Then feed the lions the rest.( the condemed made for cheap lion food, and entertainment )
Few, if any crosses have been found in the world ( other than the christian made ones ). Also around Jerusalem wood was scarce and valueble it as well as iron nails ( Which were so valueble Louis and Clark burned their cabins to get them back during their trek to oregon in the 1800's ). It would be rather expensive to execute someone this way at that time. Several other problems in the narrative also lead me to dismiss it as his mode of death.