by moomanchu 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I drives me crazy when jw's go on tours of historic churches, the Vatican, or Mosques
They go in the church take pics, and oooo and ahhhhh over the buildings.
Why the f_ _ _k are they expressing awe and wonder at what they believe to be Satan's world headquarters .
Don't they know Jehovah is soon about to destroy all these architectural wonders.
jw relative has just come back from visiting the Vatican.
Stupid cult aaahhh !!
The official stance...Babylon the Great is Babylon the Great!
...but what harm can there be from looking?...kind of like the stance on porn in the new Elder's manual!
I was one of those JWs who oohhed and ahhed over the Vatican, and other historic churches.
Yes, while it was acknowledged to be part of Babylon the Great, I appreciated the architecture and historic artwork. I mean, I had studied Michelangelo and other Renaisance artists and instead of looking at his art in a book, here I was looking at it with my own eyes! And art such as his can be appreciated much better in real life.
BTW, I saw the Vatican and other churches in Europe while on a WTS-approved international convention tour. It was part of the itinery. There were a couple of people on our tour who opted not to go in the churches.
Does the Vatican charge money to tour it ?
If it does that would be supporting the catholics .
No, anyone can walk into the Vatican, as in any other church, free of charge.
There are certain sections like the Art Gallery where they do charge a fee to go into, but I didn't go in that section, precisely for the reason you gave (supporting Babylon the Great (according to the WTS)).
But most of the artwork by Michelangelo and other artists are all on open display in the main part of the church. You're free to wander around to look at them when services aren't on.
Worshipping in another church is a no-no.
Going to a church building for other reasons is a "conscience matter". But as one elder told someone who asked about this: "Do you think that's where you'd want to be if the great tribulation breaks out then?"
I was told about one elder who was reproved and deleted as an elder for "interfaith" because he was asked by a family to give a funeral talk at a local church.
Looks like a ticket to the vatican and sistine chapel and museum costs about 15 euros.
This particular jw was inside the chapel.
What does bethel charge for tours?
They might be missing out on some money and we all know how they like money.
I remember Albert Schroeder giving a slide talk back in the early 70s about a trip to Israel with pictures of all the churches he visited (Church of the Nativity and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, for example). When I was in Brooklyn we'd walk down to Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan and often stop inside Holy Trinity Church and tour its cemetery. I think the average JW is wary of such things but it's permitted if you're visiting for historical purposes and don't get involved in worship activities.
I knew a District Overseer that went to all the Catholic landmarks and raved about it.
Yes, they charge to see the Sistine Chapel. I went there, so yes, I paid a fee to the Catholic Church to see it. Did it rattle my conscience? No, because in my mind, I was there to see the art.
As for the money, these places require maintenance so I see my money as contributing towards its conservation.
