Jesus' mother saying thanks but no thanks

by rose petal 3 Replies latest jw friends

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  rose petal

  I've been thinking about this for a while. To all the lurkers out there.

  OK, Jesus walking around, saying that the Jewish traditions, religion, etc, has been fulfilled, supplanted, by "new light" (let's keep the analogy going). His mother follows him around, listening to what he has to say, goes along for a while. What would Jesus have done if his mother had said, Sorry, but I want to go back to the Jewish stuff, thanks but no thanks?

  Would he have said, fine, I love you but I'm not talking to you anymore, it's for your own good. Every jdub should ask themselves this question. And then ask themselves what kind of religion am I in that does this stupid, destructive and useless action.

  Not that I'm a Christian, don't think about religion these days. But I think that if one professes to be a Christian one should ask in any given situation - what would Jesus do?

  My two cents,

  rose petal
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  Gopher

  RP,

  That is a great line of reasoning !! The Jesus portrayed in the gospel accounts didn't practice shunning. (Later forms of religion in his name instituted it.)

  After I was DF'd, the first question I asked my parents is "whom exactly did Jesus shun?" They ignored the question. They believe what they're taught, that their 'everlasting salvation" is tied up in loyalty to the men in Brooklyn.
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  truthseeker

  Jesus didn't practice shunning because there was no organized religon at that time which had adopted a shunning policy.

  He told his disciples "to follow me" - there were no congregations to speak of at that point.

  Did Jesus shun? Well, he allowed Judas to share his last evening meal with him.

  Would Jesus have shunned? He told the adulterer whom the Pharisees had condemned, "go and practice sin no more."

  If anyone thinks he can practice sin wilfiully and still expect Jesus' approval, that one is only fooling themselves.
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  truthseeker

  In principle, shunning serves a purpose.

  If you are working in a team, and a team meber flouts the rules, would you really want that person there? Of course not.

  That's why schools expel unruly students.

  However, in WT land, where shunning is used against non-believers, I believe that is wrong on principle, where said member has seen the light and no longer believes.