Compare: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMLK_seal
And the personal seals (some unprovenanced) here: http://www.lmlk.com/research/lmlk_king.htm
WHY WOULD IT BE IMPORTANT WHETHER JESUS DIED ON A CROSS OR A STAKE?
by dgp 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Band on the Run
I am now a high-church Anglican. Frankly, when I am in church, I don't know whether my "heart"" is in it. It is so subjective and influenced by whims. I love the rituals, particularly tons of incense and a professional choir with organ music, b/c they are precisely so not Witness. So now I kneel, bow, light candles, kiss the cross on Good Friday, etc. I search my soul and find I am not an evil pagan. In fact, I see nothing wrong with pagan.
Tradition is important to me. With the Witnesses, there is Jesus' ministry and then became Russells' dates in the late 1880's, supplanted with 1914. When I observe rituals, I link myself with a continuous line of Christians going back to Jesus. Horrible mistakes were made, esp. when the church became aligned with govt. power. The core teachings always existed. As C.S. Lewis observes in Mere Christianity, every society has a moral code that includes parental respect, raising of children, taking care of the ill, murder, burglary and other serious crimes.
The Witnesses were extremely antiCatholic when I was growing up. I don't have a full explanation for it besides bigotry. Martin Luther was clearly not as heinous as any pope or antipope. Most Protestants do not understand the outward forms of Catholic worship today. I see that folk beliefs were projected onto Roman Catholicism. I volunteered in a massive, famous cathedral. One day I found voodoo candles on the candle tables in front of a cross or icon. A recent magazine article detailed the inroads voodoo worship made at St. Patrick's in NY. Voodoo or Santiera was suppressed violently in the West Indies. They found similarlities in certain Catholic saints. Santierra practicioners do their ceremonies in the church itself. Only a sophisticated knowledge of Santierra would catch the difference. There are very subtle difference. Most of it is how the candles travel on the table. Jungle music played in the mind. How is voodoo different from Catholicism? It is only another religion. Black magic may exist but the victims of the Inquisition would testify that were attacked by very black magic.
It is interesting to hear what the outward signs signify rather than assuming it is bad and/or trivial b/c it is Catholic.
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brotherdan
This is a really good and quick video on the cross: