Watchtower leadership say We Don't Make Rules!

by ozziepost 25 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ozziepost

  An announcement on the official web-site of Jehovah's Witnesses is causing some 'eyebrows to be raised'.

  The Watchtower Society have announced that they "avoid making rules and regulations beyond those provided in the Scriptures, and they do not follow traditions that contradict Bible teachings. Emphasis is placed on personal application of Bible principles and the value of a sound, Bible-based conscience.

  This comes as a surprise to many thousands in the Jehovah's Witness community who have become accustomed to the changing rules and regulations imposed compulsorily on its members.

  It should be noted in the Watchtower Society's statement that "Emphasis is placed on personal application of Bible principles"

  This will come as a surprise to many of its members.
  http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/membership.htm

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
• 

  larc

  Thanks for the quote. What a crock it is. The rules, regulations, and unspoken, but apparent limits put on the flock are nearly endless. Their PR and reality certainly don't match.
• 

  refiners fire

  they think that just by saying it, it becomes so.
  Though...thinking about it...as channel of God, if they say it, it IS so.
  Mustnt it be??
• 

  You Know

  One of the rules is that he shouldn't make rules. / You Know
• 

  ozziepost

  You Know,

  Are you sure?

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
• 

  Sam Beli

  Thanks Ozzie for the link.

  I notice in a sub link to their site the following:

  “Organ Transplant

  Agreeing to an organ transplant or organ donation is a personal decision.”

  So, I can agree to the donation of my blood, a donation of an organ! Right?

  Smile,
• 

  Bodhisattva

  I'm laughing at YK's comment, because it is so true. But consider how the Watchtower differs from other instances where the English word "not" has lost its meaning.

  The Calvary Chapel claim to not be a denomination, and so no one has to "cut your ties" with your old church and upset their family. The Unitarian Universalist's chief creed is that they do not have a creed, and this results in churches where Wiccans sit next to conservative Republicans - in those congregations that have any conservative Republicans - and neither insists that their own beliefs must be followed by everyone else.

  Brand X is not a toothpaste, but it gets your teeth clean. Brand Y is not a car, but it gets you from point A to point B from $450 per month. Brand Z is not a soap, but at least you don't smell so bad after using it.

  On the other side we have "I'm not a telemarketer," "this isn't multi-level marketing," and "we don't make rules." The latter lead to the PO of my old hall muttering "no rules" all the time, usually after putting forward suggested guidelines on something of earth-shattering importance, such as where to sit in the kingdom hall. In the course of months such non-rules changed from 'leave the back rows open for families with small children who need to get up a lot and be near the restrooms' to 'leave the back rows open for older ones who have a hard time walking up the aisles to the front seats (and who need to get up a lot and be near the restrooms)' - the one thing that didn't change was the faces in the back rows.

  They won't change their habits to make it easier for you. They won't warn you that Brother S seems to hang around children a bit much. They won't talk to you if you accept life-seaving medical treatment. But they're willing to die for you, if the rules say the must. Join Jehovah's Witnesses today!
• 

  Elsewhere

  ozziepost,

  Do you think that spreading such information to apostates is in line with the goals of God's Visible Organization™?

  Perhaps you should redirect your sincere efforts to other activities such as the door-to-door ministry.

  "As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
  Believe in yourself, not mythology.
  <x ><
• 

  Guest 77

  In all my letter writing I was relentless with the scripture at 1Cor. 4:6 which says in part, "Now brothers,....that in our case You may learn the rule: "Do not go beyond the things that are written,..."

  The Elders misapplied Acts 26:20 in my situation. My not attending meetings during my judical hearings meant to a particular Elder that I was not repentant. Paul in this instance was not talking to a body of Elders or Christians but rather to a non-Christian ruler! What the hell did King agrippa know about works that befit repentance? NONE!

  Guest 77
• 

  NotBlind

  Here's a brief quote from CoC, page 328:

  Albert Schroder's talk focused on the subject of organization. He spoke about our "finely tuned organization" and how certain ones who seemed to feel that they couldn't go along with its rules and regulations "ought to be leaving and not be involved in the further progressive work here." (The publication BRANCH ORGANIZATION was held up to illustrate how "finely tuned" the organization was, and he said that this publication contained over 1,000 rules and regulations regarding the operations of the Branches and the Brooklyn headquarters.)

  Looks like the good 'ol boys in PR aren't telling us the whole story, are they?