by shopaholic 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Hey Shops,
It took me two years to get the courage to watch it. Not because it was "banned" (I haven't been a witness for 22 years), but it was just so emotional for me.
When I try to think of Christ's point of view how must He feel when someone makes such a HUGE deal over a cross or stake while running rough-shod over His sacrifice?
It was banned? Guess, was just in your congregation then from an overzealous person. I know of tons of people in my families congregation saw it, even bought it.
I saw the film in the theatre when it first came out in 04. My girlfriend was an Evangelical Christian and she got very emotional during the film. Some of the scenes were difficult to watch, but it was still an excellent film.
Since I've been out of the Watchtower since 1984, I don't know if the local congregations have a banned film list. However, back then there was a congregation in my area where the elders did forbid their congregation members to attend R rated movies. But I would think it's still a local option.
No,of courrse it shouldn't matter. There are arguments both ways: cross v stake. I think Leolaia has made a very strong case on this board that the historical evidence suggests it was more of a cross than a stake. The Watchtower Society has even published a picture of a classical painting of Christians being thrown to the lions with people hung on crosses around the perimeter of the Roman ampitheatre! JW's make a big deal out of it and so do Christians, wearing their ridiculous big crosses around their neck, like a lucky charm. Both sides are being stupid. My research leads me to believe the truth lies in the middle: the eyewitnesses to his death thought of a stake, because the Greek word used is Staurus, but at the same time that stake had a fairly narrow horizontal piece/beam which Jesus hands were separately nailed to (not a very wide beam like most Christians portray), so the stake also resembled a cross. Jesus was indeed nailed to a stake (staurus) but his hands were not together nailed to that staurus, like the Watchtower portrays; his hands were nailed to a fairly small/narrow horizontal piece. Both sides are feeling only a part of the elephant in the dark and imagining they have the whole truth.
The RCG website has a balanced viewpoint:
In the gospel accounts, the Bible says that Christ was nailed to a cross. The Greek word used for “cross” is stauros, which means “stake, pole, upright post or cross.” Interestingly, other scriptures record that Christ was nailed to a tree ( I Peter 2:24 ; Acts 5:30 , 10:39 , 13:29 ). The Greek word used in these verses, xulon, means “timber, stick, club, tree or other wooden article or substance.”
In ancient times, Roman soldiers used to crucify people using wooden structures of various shapes. Sometimes they used upright stakes or poles. Other times they used wooden crosses by attaching beams either at or just below the top.
"The Bible does not specify the exact shape of the “stauros” or “xulon” on which Christ was crucified. If God thought it was important for us to know, He clearly would have recorded it, leaving us no doubts. The shape is not important, but Christ’s sacrifice is!"
When you consider Jesus was just one of many going through identical suffering you must realise it was not as unique as it appears. And he had the knowledge of returning to his father that the others did not have. In some ways he was in a better position than them!
The lesson I think he taught all humans is to take death before returning evil for evil. Correct me if I am wrong! That is the sole lessomn he taught humanity as far as I can fathom!
Regarding the so-called "banned" movies, the only movie I can think of that could be considered banned was "Basic Instinct" because a Watchtower article actually mentioned the movie without actually saying the movie's title. Funny how many Elders and other JWs knew exactly what movie the Watchtower was talking about.
Regarding the Cross versus Pole, exactly, nothing more than trying to look more righteous than the next religious group.
Was this the quote ? - it slates a few other things as well..
* g92 11/8 p. 6 A Balanced View of Entertainment ***
"Movies: At Hollywood’s highest honors, the Oscars, three of the men nominated in the "best actor" category this year had played psychopathic killers, all of whom kill very explicitly on screen. Reportedly one character bites a chunk out of a woman’s face as he rapes her. Financially, one of the year’s biggest hits was a movie called Basic Instinct. Judging by the reviews, this title puts it mildly. The film opens with an explicit sex scene during which the woman stabs her tied-up lover repeatedly with an ice pick, spattering gore all over herself.
Music:
Both rap and heavy metal music have recently come under increasing fire for similar content problems. Songs that glorify the sexual degradation and abuse of women, violence and hatred toward various races and policemen, and even Satanism have all been found among rap and heavy metal records. In some areas, records with such explicit material must carry warning labels. But as the rapper Ice-T reportedly admitted, he puts shocking lyrics in his songs just to earn such a label; it guarantees luring the curious. The rock star Prince sang the praises of brother-sister incest. Often, music videos simply give such crass immorality an added visual dimension. Pop star Madonna’s video Justify My Love won notoriety for portraying sadomasochism and homosexual activity. Even MTV, a U.S. TV channel known at times to broadcast immoral videos with little compunction, refused to air this one."
How important is it, really , if it was a cross or a stake?
It really should make no difference. The reason WTS has it's members shout that
it was a stake is so that the members believe the WTS has everything right. That
shows how gullible most of us were. They come up with some gobbledeegook about
the Latin and the Greek, and it's swallowed hook-line-and-sinker. Evidence has
mounted that the Romans did crucify people on crosses, but JW's will stand by their
WTS just because they say so.
The main reason they push this so hard, is because it demonizes Christianity. It
highlights the use of an idol. If they can say that the symbol isn't even accurate, then
all excuses for using a cross in worship make it absurd.
It's also part of the standard way JW's convince people that they are right in their
understanding about the Bible. They declare that Christendom is wrong and they are
right, they explain things that you didn't even think of. The unsuspecting dupe believes
that they know what they are talking about, and they are so different from the churches.
They must have something.
when my father asked my grandmother (JW) if she had seen it she honestly replyed "were not allowed to see it becuase jesus died on a stake not a cross"
truth..................... general consensus...............please correct if incorrect.....
According to LEOLAIAS great (in the sense of very important ) thread, Christ and the two thieves would have been dead much sooner that stated if they had been impaled WT fashion.
HB
