prove anything close to what jw's teach. And that is that there is only one true religion. The thread "Is worship deserved?" has a link http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_15.htm and at the end of that article a small box makes that suggestion. That scripture doesn't even use the expression "true religion" but is very vague as to giving any direction. It simply makes a statement "Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it" Is this a typical example of how the jw's put words in the mouth of scripture, so to speak?
does matthew 7:13,14
by therevealer 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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therevealer
Oh damn. Another thread failure, poop. Now I just hate myself and it is debilitating. Yuk!! LOL
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I Want to Believe
Strictly speaking, the scripture says nothing about only one true religion, it just says narrow road. Who's to say there aren't some of different religions on that road? It parallels the "narrow door" speach, which simply implies that doing the right thing is difficult, not that only people of a certain faith can do it.
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Phizzy
What proof is there that Jesus was overly concerned about organized religion ? He spent a fair bit of time showing that the various religious factions of his day had a lot to learn, he was willing to admit they may sometimes say something worth listening to, but he urged no one to follow them.
If religion mattered, he would have said so, his whole message, totally new to his hearers, was that God is Love, and he was the Way to join with that God, and become love yourself, nothing to do with Temple sacrifices or reporting 10 hours a month door knocking.
Anybody who points to an organized religion as the way to go is missing the whole teaching of Jesus.
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Mary
Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it" Is this a typical example of how the jw's put words in the mouth of scripture, so to speak?
Yep, it is. Because they take the ONE "narrow road"mentioned as meaning there is only ONE right religion, yet they take the ONE broad road as meaning THOUSANDS of wrong religions. You can't have it both ways. Either the "narrow road" can include others or the "broad road" can only mean ONE wrong religion.
Of course, the WTS applies a double standard on this just like they do with the book of Revelation. Their weird idea that the 144,000 is a literal number, but the "12,000 out of each tribe" and "the tribes" themselves are symbolic, is a perfect example of how they'll twist anything to suit their own agenda. Then again, John was probably suffering from a combination of physical persecutions by the Romans before he was flung on Patmos, exhaustion, a religious zeal and some magic mushrooms when he wrote this stuff down.
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therevealer
Love the responses and I especially agree with the double standard issue with so much of the jw theology.
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Fernando
Hey therevealer!
I wonder how many JWs will agree that Matt 7:13,14 is explained by Proverbs 8:36 AND that this scripture is refering to Jesus the "stone of stumbling" and the "rock-mass of offense" rejected by the builders of religion: "But the one missing me is doing violence to his soul; all those intensely hating me are the ones that do love death."
*** w01 3/15 p. 28 “Happy Is the Man That Has Found Wisdom” ***
As wisdom personified, the Son of God says: “Now, O sons, listen to me; yes, happy are the ones that keep my very ways. Listen to discipline and become wise, and do not show any neglect. Happy is the man that is listening to me by keeping awake at my doors day by day, by watching at the posts of my entrances. For the one finding me will certainly find life, and gets goodwill from Jehovah. But the one missing me is doing violence to his soul; all those intensely hating me are the ones that do love death.”—Proverbs 8:32-36.
Jesus Christ is the very embodiment of God’s wisdom. “Carefully concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3) Let us, then, listen to him without neglect and follow his steps closely. (1 Peter 2:21) To reject him [like at the Watchtower memorial] is to do violence to our own soul and to love death, for “there is no salvation in anyone else.” (Acts 4:12) Indeed, let us accept Jesus [not the Watchtower] as the one whom God has provided for our salvation.
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therevealer
Just saw this now Fernando - and must admit that I must admit that I will need a bit to digest it,
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tec
Christ is the door, the gate, the narrow road... the truth, and the life, and the way.
It is not surprising that a religion that puts itself in the seat of Christ (claiming to be the truth and the way to life) would also claim to be the narrow road.
Peace,
tammy
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WTWizard
It doesn't even provide credible evidence, let alone proof, that the witlesses have the truth even if the scripture itself can be trusted. You see, there are many smaller religions. Even more study independently. Most Christian denominations are either Catholic or Protestant, and they all abide by the same council of churches. Islam has the same problem--they also conform to a council. Judaism is based on lies, too--including coercion of nations (proof can be found right in their own Bibles). Would your religion be on "the narrow path that leads to salvation" if they need to destroy all evidence that something else is plausible? If you can knock it down with a feather duster, they are probably not on the path to salvation.
And, if it turns out that something they totally bash is the true "narrow and cramped way to salvation", no wonder few will find it. It takes courage to question your religion at the core level, and that includes risking hellfire or Gehenna, ostracism, and having your life ruined by religion. Very few even look at pagan and Devil worship religions for the truth--because they are told not to under hell or Gehenna threats. That is a perfect place for "the narrow and cramped road" to be hidden. No Jesus--this could in fact be plagiarized from pagan religions and corrupted.
And cramped it remains. Even in paganism or Satanism, there are cults to be found. You run into someone that sees them becoming popular, so they take advantage of it by telling others that they alone have true Satanism or true paganism. Christi-SCAM-ity has made their work easier by corrupting the pagan religions to the extent that they are useless, and a cult artist can exploit this. This further obscures the actual truth, making it that much harder to find. Then, once you do find it, you must do independent research to verify that you are on the right path--and that involves doing your own thinking. And it includes challenging everything you know about religion.
That being the case, it is easy for the witlesses to invoke this scripture (even if you can trust it, since it is in the biggest book of lies ever invented) improperly. It proves nothing. The witlesses can be in that council (and probably are, given their 1991 involvement in the UN) and members don't even realize it. They are teaching that additional sacrifice is necessary after "a perfect, complete sacrifice to which nothing ever need be added" has supposedly been made. That doesn't sound like they are on the right road.