Will JW's Emulate Catholics?

by Kenneson 8 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Kenneson

  News article in today's paper is entitled "Credit Catholics for cleaning house" by Stanley Crouch (New York Daily News)

  "Somehow in our nation we are almost always called upon to lead the way when it comes to things of human concern.

  "That is why, after all these years of the Catholic Church's hiding behind cathedral doors, miters and robes, we should be glad that Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law has ignored the dictates of Rome and called on his clergy to report to the police all the charges of sexual abuse of children by priests..............."
• 

  voltaire

  The main difference between Catholics and JWs is that now Catholics are doing something constructive about the problem. Remember how the WT always used to say that Christendom is more reprehensible than the rest of Babylon The Great because she claims to be Christian? The shoe's on the other foot now. I think the JWs are more reprehensible because, while all groups are facing the same problem, they're the ones who bash everyone else while claiming to have solved all such problems in their brotherhood. Or, as Jesus told the Pharisees, (As best I can remember) "If you had recognized your blindness you would have no sin, but now that you say we see, you sin remains"
• 

  indireneed

  The more I think about it, the more I realize the JW religion is very much like the Catholic religion. A couple things off the top of my mind:

  Their belief that their organization is directly led by god.
  The belief that their writings are inspired and are basically 'infallible' except by their change
  Their doctrinal beliefs.

  Of course, I don't mean to imply that other religions don't have this, but the JWs and Catholics combine all these things. I also don't want to imply that either group is bad, just that the JWs have adopted the same ideals/organization as their most dreaded enemy.
• 

  heathen

  they are alike in that they are both cults .
• 

  Valis

  It is my sincere hope that the WT never lasts as long as the Catholic church. You will notice too, that in many cases, it took years for the abused to come forward. It would really take a mass "coming out" of those molested to achieve such a goal.
• 

  singsongboi

  they are all totalitarian..

  led from the top, by a self-perpuating 'control' group.. and all 'elderly'

  in my study of chns history, i am fascinated by the similarities between the chinese communist party and jws.

  there are slogans and catch phrases that get to be repeated mindlessly

  there are quotas, that all are encourage to fulfill.

  there is slowly changing dogma, and the expulsion of those who are suspected of heresy..

  the expulsion even happens at membership levels, where the local party managment expells those suspected of not toeing the party line.

  there is adulation (praise) of the 'leader' -- who pretends a common touch..

  the catholic church, jws, the cpa, and so many others..

  mankind sure dumb huh????
• 

  Yerusalyim

  Actually, the Vatican is adopting the position of the American CHurch on the issue THANK GOD! Before I let the issue go however, Pedophilia is no more common in the Catholic Church than it is in any other. The Catholics have gotten worse press than the others though. Actually, Pediatricians have the highest per capita rate for Pedophilia according to the 1998 APA study, yet they aren't getting bad press.

  Yes, changes are being made in how the Catholic CHurch handles this, thank GOD, hopefully the WTS will also make the appropriate changes.

  But as to the Catholic Church being a CULT NEVER by ANY DEFINITION is the Catholic Church pejoratively a CULT.

  An obvious lack of understanding of Catholic doctrine is behind many of the comments here.

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  detective

  All I can say is that here in Boston the press coverage for the Catholic pedophilia issue is stunning. It's all over every channel and gets story after story after story in the papers. It's about time they start handling this issue, it's long over due. One would think that this might act as a reminder to other groups to really question whether or not they have effective policies in place for dealing with this issue but as we know, many groups are hesitant to go public with the problem to spare their reputations. It's pretty sick. But, perhaps the tides will turn a bit and people will start cracking down on this in their religious groups. Hopefully.

  As for Catholicism being like a cult- I see a few major differences that should be considered. For example:

  *you can leave Catholicism at any time without group punishment (I suppose your Grandma could stop talking to you but other than that there isn't a particular group stigma attached to leaving).
  *You can come and go freely without social ostracization.
  *You actions are not monitored or reported on by rank and file members
  *Reporting your own "sins" is not forced out of you
  *Reporting the sins of others is not forced out of you
  *You can openly voice your opinions regardless of whether or not it is in line with the churches opinion

  While some of these things may be recent developments (confession not required- I don't know how long that's been in effect or if it was always optional), I know some of these things MAY occur on occasion in isolated cases but are not the rule. (ie. I know there are probably people who try to tell on you!)
  Essentially, the difference isn't in the totalitarian structure, it's in how it's enforced. I base my personal assessment of cult vs. non-cult on some simple facts. High control? Can I leave whenever I like with recourse? If so, then it's a big no to being a cult, in my opinion.

  By the way, the Catholic church doesn't have any official "writings" that I know of, indireneed. I don't know what you meant by this? Maybe I'm just drawing a blank? It has been a long day!
• 

  RWC

  The Catholic church is far different from JWs.

  1. The Catholic church believes in the Trinity.
  2. The Catholic Church believes that Jesus is God, not a God, not a created being.
  3. The Catholic Church traces its history to Peter as the first pope and the Apostles.
  4. The Catholic Church, though believing that it is the true church of God does teach tolerance of other religions.

  It is clearly not a cult by any reasonable definition.