Passion of the [Irony].

by confliction 21 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  confliction

  I was just wondering...

  Why do we JW's make such a big deal about Jesus dying on a pole, as opposed to a cross?
  The original word, albeit, can lean either way. And seems in favor of a pole rather than a cross. But come on.
  Why is it such a big deal?
  
  On second thought, don't answer that question. I know, it's about separation from "false christianity". We wanna look different.

  But I find it funny to think, say, in a parallel / alternate universe, what if Christendom used a pole instead of the cross as it's symbol?
  I seem to think that we would adamantly fight for the teaching of crucifixion just to be "different".

  Anyways, just felt like this was a "lol" moment I'd share.
• 

  yknot

  It is a pagan symbol

  Potential issues of idol worship
• 

  confliction

  Well, I don't think being a pagan symbol has anything much to do with the fact that Jesus either died on one log or two... but then again, even though it is a pagan symbol I'm sure they could play it off if they wanted to.
  
  For example, marriage rings are pagan in origin, yet we justify the use of them because in modern days they are not recognized as such, and are used for a logical purpose- like a mark to signify marriage and unavailability as a married person.
  
  Idol worship could probably be played off also- just tell your sheeple that 'he died on a cross, but we are not to worship, pray to, or in any other form, give undue significance to it. Just don't do what general christianity does, basically.
  
  I'm sure that with the legalistic reasoning skills the WT has, they could find an excuse and sell it.
  
  Of course, I'm speaking of an unknown parallel reality, so why bother lol.
• 

  miseryloveselders

  I think its as Ynot put it, the issue of idolatry, which is one of things I actually still agree with the WTS on. Somewhere down the line, the argument of what Jesus died on somehow surpassed the argument of whether or not its idolatry to use it in worship. I agree its kinda silly arguing back and forth about what device Jesus died on. The arguments on both sides whether it was a cross or an upright pole without a crossbeam are equally compelling, but its not really all that important of an issue to argue about. It's as silly as arguing whether Jesus was White or Black with wooly hair.
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  People don't really worship idols anyway. The idol is merely a visual representation to aid in focus.

  For example, you have someone routinely bowing down to a wooden cross while praying to Jesus. He doesn't pray TO the cross, but he addresses Christ in his prayers. Then someone else comes and cuts down the cross, then burns it in fire. The worshipper wouldn't think, believe, feel, or act as if his God was just cut down and burned. He KNOWS the cross isn't what he's worshipping. It is merely a symbol.

  Pole or cross, it doesn't matter.

  But logistically speaking it is extremely unlikely that it was a pole. A pole big enough to do the job would be too heavy to bother carrying back and forth from downtown to the place of execution every time they needed to kill someone, nor were modern post-hole diggers commonplace at the time. The pole would almost certainly be left in place.

  So what was carried from the trial to the execution?
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  Dark Side

  It's only an issue to the WTBTS and true historians. In the real world, it doesn't matter a hoot

  If you believe Jesus was the Christ who died for your sins in order to provide you with a way to eternal salvation, what does the instrument of his death matter? If you believe he was just a man or a myth, it matters even less.

  If JWs were really concerned with truth and fact, they would use, as his chosen people and representatives on Earth, the correct and accurate name of the Almighty God.

  Whatever the fuck that is
• 

  JWoods

  It is a pagan symbol

  Potential issues of idol worship

  The point being missed is that the upright stake was also a pagan symbol. The watchtower does not hesitate to picture it, however.
• 

  mrsjones5

  JWoods, I pointed that out to my father once, he had nothing to say.
• 

  Dark Side

  "The point being missed is that the upright stake was also a pagan symbol."

  Not sure about the pagan symbol stuff, but the upright stake is definitely worshipped in my house
• 

  JWoods

  Upright Stake: It was also called the obelisk, and as such was as much or more prevalent in ancient religious/pagan symbology than the traditional (ne christian) cross.

  The irony is that the Watchtower Society unwittingly verifies the stake as pagan by their insistence that this was what the Romans actually used.

  Romans, get it? (not the jews - by their standards the only non-pagan religion on earth at the time of Jesus)