Pope Francis - "does just so..." washes feet of women, Muslims, criminals

by scotoma 4 Replies latest jw friends

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  scotoma

  The Watchtower is always concerned about things being done "JUST SO" when it comes to divine commands.

  A command is usually set forth with words such as shall, should, ought.

  When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples he said:

  "Therefore, if I, although Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also OUGHT to wash the feet of one another"

  The pope obeys Christ's foot washing command but JW's don't.

  What's the JW's excuse? They say that was just a "one-off" example and not an empty ritual to be repeated. They finish by saying feet washing was a traditional courtesy because people wore sandals and their feet got dry and dirty.

  They apparently didn't read the rest of that account.

  Jesus says in John 13:15 "For I set the PATTERN for you, that just as I did to you, you SHOULD do also"

  Siince JW's weren't there, the default understanding of what Jesus did has to be his own statment.

  Isn't a pattern something that is repeated. Those who have actually engaged in the Maundy Thursday practice, talk about the humbling effect it has on one's ego.

  The reasoning behind ignoring the ordinance of foot washing could be applied equally to baptism by immersion in water.

  And to say that it was a cultural courtesy could be applied more appropriately to something like women wearing head coverings.

  Just a little something to bring into the conversation as you get together with your witness relatives after the memorial.
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  Protarded

  I see the parallel. Christ-like, not just Christian. On that note, I'm ready for my foot massage from the g.b.

  Seroiusly, 8 grandpas running a train on my feet gets me super hard... For a bible study. This cup of our saviors blood is for you fine folks. Happy Easter... I mean Passover.
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  EndofMysteries

  Even the old president of Iran had more humility then the GB! He didn't live in the presidential palace, instead he lived in a very small humble house. It was interesting looking up his life. Most powerful man in Iran and he lived very simply.
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  blondie

  I just wondered, is it only the pope who does this in the RC? If not, who else washes feet in the RC. Jesus did this among his closest disciples not in front of a large crowd. If the GB washed feet in the same way as popes do, it would not convince me of their humility.

  (Matthew 6:1-4) . . .“Take good care not to practice YOUR righteousness in front of men in order to be observed by them; otherwise YOU will have no reward with YOUR Father who is in the heavens. 2 Hence when you go making gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, just as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to YOU, They are having their reward in full. 3 But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 that your gifts of mercy may be in secret; then your Father who is looking on in secret will repay you.
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  scotoma

  Blondie,

  A little residue of hatred for the catholic hierarchy?

  There is nothing wrong with a public leader to do things as an example.

  Why question anyone's sincerity? You're not the judge. You don't know a person's deepest thoughts.

  The thing about Pope Francis is that he didn't just wash the feet of some convenient priests in the official "foot wash room". Francis went to the poor to show he wants to serve them.

  I think the ritual of washing feet is an effective experience for all concerned, the washer, the washee and the on lookers.

  The point I wanted to make is that the scripture at John 13: 1-15 is clearly something Jesus expected his followers to copy. Jehovah's Witnesses have no effective argument against this practice. There is no justification for their ignoring this command except they want to be "different". I wasn't singling out the GB. They simply inherited this attitude from the crazy JR (Judge Rutheford)