What would you say are THE core teachings of the JWs...

by Tuesday 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  Tuesday

  Hey everyone,

  Getting some feedback, what would you say are the core teachings or were the core teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The teachings that make them unique, the teachings that if they weren't there the Jehovah's Witnesses wouldn't exist.

  I would say the teaching of 1914 and God choosing JWs as the right religion would probably be the core teaching

  Blood Doctrine

  Disfellowshipping

  Door to Door Preaching

  The Generation of 1914 (at least it WAS a core teaching)

  144,000/Great Crowd

  Anything I'm forgetting?
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  Farkel

  There are 3 core teachings of the WTS:

  1. The Governing Body speaks for God

  2. The Governing Body speaks for God

  3. The Governing Body speaks for God

  Everything else is subject to change...

  Farkel
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  Tuesday

  I forgot about the whole Faithful and Discreet Slave thing, wasn't that originally supposed to be CT Russell, then someone said they were possibly the faithful and wise seward but were later compared to the evil slave class. Rutherford then believed it was himself (shocking I know), then it was changed to all the annointed. Funny teaching to go into the history of.
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  Olin Moyles Ghost

  My take on it:

  1. By a long shot, the most important JW doctrine is that the Governing Body/Watchtower speaks for God (as Farkel pointed out).
  2. The end is near (whatever that means).

  These two doctrines form the core of the JW belief structure. Number 1 allows the actual theology to morph as necessary to fit the needs of the Watchtower leadership. Number 2 keeps the Witnesses simultaneously frightened (of being killed at Armageddon) and excited (about living in paradise), so they stay motivated to do what the WT leadership says without questioning it.
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  oompa

  well my elder jw dad says there are a few biggies that have NOT changed.

  jws only true christian faith, and FDS gods channel and chosen ones

  no immortal soul

  no trinity

  paradise earth was an add on as was the 144k being heavenly and rest earthly

  and right olin.....the end is always near, even though now for the first time ever they use not a single scripture or even an interpretation to give a date or century, or generation of life that will not die off before the end comes.......anyone can argue that the last days could be 1000 years long or 6000 years long and not be proven wrong
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  Olin Moyles Ghost

  Oompa--I agree that there are absolutely some big doctrines that haven't changed. The big 3 are (1) no trinity; (2) no hell; (3) no immortal soul. (note that they are all things that WT/JW people don't believe in...I think it's interesting that the most important doctrines to a JW are things they don't believe in).

  To me, the combination of the GB=God and "the end is near" trumps everything, thus forming the core of JW/WT theology.
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  Farkel

  oompa,

  :no immortal soul

  :no trinity

  As I've pointed out numerous times, JWs brag about those two immutable doctrines in their theology as if they were somehow significant.

  My question is, how can you live a better life because of not believing in an immortal soul and trinity? Those two doctrines don't mean shit. No one is even capable of understanding the nature of God and no one can prove one way or the other whether we live on after we die. Those two non-significant doctrines have no impact on the quality of our lives whatsoever.

  Whereas: blood transfusions and shunning have killed dozens of thousands of people and destroyed the lives of hundreds of thousands of families. Literally.

  No one dies because they happen to believe in the trinity or immortal soul.

  Farkel
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  undercover

  (note that they are all things that WT/JW people don't believe in...I think it's interesting that the most important doctrines to a JW are things they don't believe in).

  And they'll be sure to bring those up too..

  To many JWs, those three things is what seperates them from the everyone else. They don't have a clue about 607, 1914, the generation, the creation days/years, or any other core doctrine.

  Whenever I've tried to talk with a JW about my concerns or doublts, they eventually bring one, if not all three, of these things up as proof of having the "truth". As if to say, "we don't believe what a lot of other religions do, so we have to be right". To which I say, big deal. Those are things I agree with...no hell, no immortal soul, no trinity. That's not the issue about the WT doctrine.

  When I was first voicing my doubts to some I actually had this said to me, "Well, I guess you believe in the Trinity now, huh?"
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  bluecanary

  Farkel, that's a point I've tried to make before with JWs who think that the trinity and soul doctrines are the most important thing to get right, and as long as the WTS has got those it doesn't matter what other "mistakes" they make in their teachings. Jesus said the two most important laws were to love God and love fellow humans. The trinity, soul and hellfire don't have much to do with those two commands. The blood doctrine, alternative service and how we treat those who sin, do.

  Just so I'm not totally hijacking Tuesdays thread, how about:

  Jehovah's name

  The cross (or not)

  FDS as mediator
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  Olin Moyles Ghost

  Undercover, those "big 3" were the ones that were important to me when I was a believing JW. I remember going out in service and I LOVED to talk about the Trinity. I had dozens of smart-@$$ comebacks for Trinitarians (who was Jesus praying to? was God really dead for 3 days? who resurrected him?, etc.). It was too much fun.

  I think these "big 3" doctrines are a large part of what keeps some Witnesses in the religion even if they see issues with doctrines, failed prophecies, corrupt leadership, etc. They say that nobody else is right. I actually agree with this statement--if you remove the word "else."