by Joliette 27 Replies latest jw friends
Ever noticed that the WTS goes on and on about Apostates but never addresses the actual issues that would make talking to and reasoning with an apostate a danger to them? They know how frail their doctrines are and can never stand before some diligent critical thinking. Also they never make mention of the other Second Adventist religions that are not so very different than theres. In my opinion the WTS often speaks volumes by its silence on certain issues.
Az
Gayle ? The WT mentions apostates more than catholics ? well thats a turn- a- round , the poor catholics got more than their fair share of abuse over the years , seldom did you ever see anything against the Mormans Or Adventists ,christian scientists ,christadelphians,just to name a few did you ,I wonder if that was because it was to close to home ,as far as their beleifs were concerned , yet the catholics were constantly under attack
smiddy
Chariklo
She was going on (yet again) about how this is Satan's world, and used the phrase "He even got into the Governing Body some years ago."
The fact that this was an older sister may go some way to explaining this. I've just finished leafing through "The Finished Mystery", and everything negative in those days was attributed directly to Satan, or the devil's work. I notice they've toned down on this idea recently (i.e. direct references to Satan in association with specific individuals or organizations). However, the Society's literature in the old days was strewn with this ideology. Uncle Tom's Cabin? The work of Satan. England? A satanic country. The Pope? The personal representative of Satan. Kaiser Wilhelm? Deceived by evil spirits. It therefore doesn't surprise me that older ones cling to this sort of ideology, even though it has been toned down in modern WT literature as people generally become less tolerant of that sort of nonsense.
Cedars
Christians (and others) have always needed an enemy, a visible enemy.
Sure the devil is used but 'he' is still largely unreal to humanity, so various agents of him have to invented that can be seen.
For the JWs, it was the catholics, but then they lost interest in the JWs, the governments were a good invention as an enemy but in the developed nations they too lost interest in controling the JWs. There are a few that still try, but the publisher number in those countries is far le$$ than in the good ol USA, the land of first growth.
Now the apostate is the chosen agent of evil. every where and mostly faceless, the entity is ''diabolical and devious'', smarter than a catholic priest and more sneaky than the FBI. Unlike agent smith or father O'Flarety the apostate can hide as your husband, your favorite elder even.
The GB have transformed the apostate into the very transfiguration of satan himself. No wonder the JWs are freaking out.
Oz
A quick search of the CD Rom shows "Roman Catholic" was mentioned:
1021 times in Watchtowers between 1959 - 1955
759 " 1969 - 1960
518 1979 - 1970
440 1989 - 1980
265 1999 - 1990
149 2009 - 2000
and 11 times between 2010 and 2011
These days the mention of Ray Franz gets them all telling you chinese whispers.
Three dubs discussing him on field circus a few years ago described him as 'a violent man, started up his own religion, is a big believer in the trinity, has made himself a fortune - he left bethel for the money'.
I had no idea who he was but had the wrong impression that he was Fred Franz brother who left bethel of his own accord and caused big trouble for other bethelites ... wrong again! Im actually angry that they make up crap about a decent loving man who would have given you the shirt off his back and was treated like a mongrel dog by those he gave his life for.
The JWs are taught to be scared of apostates, DF and even inactive people so they can protect their BS doctrines and their $$ income.
Unlike agent smith or father O'Flarety the apostate can hide as your husband, your favorite elder even...
An elder told me once that "Ray Franz died as sad lonely man."
To which I wanted to ask him, "And you would know this...how??"
