What Jehovah's Witnesses need to do to become Mainstream

by FusionTheism 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  FusionTheism

  I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, so I know all the "ins-and-outs" of their theology and belief system.

  In my view, they can become a part of Mainstream Christianity and lose their cult status by making just a few changes for the better:

  1: Stop their severe shunning practices. It's okay to avoid association with people you dislike or whom you believe are not a good influence on you. It's even okay for church elders to rebuke or even excommunicate someone for gross, flagrant sin. But don't try to cut off communication among family members, and don't disfellowship someone just for disagreeing with the way you interpret the Bible.

  2: Stop excommunicating, punishing, or shaming members of their organization who choose to have a life-saving blood transfusion. It's okay to point out that you believe the Bible says to abstain from blood, (Acts 15) but you should allow each Christian to make a personal decision based on their conscience, not make it a mandatory law.

  3: Stop saying that Christians will be destroyed by God if they don't join their organization. Acknowledge that Jesus can save people anywhere, as long as they put faith in Him, His sacrifice, resurrection, and His Father.

  4: Stop saying that Christians must preach the Gospel to others in order to be saved. Romans 4 disagrees with this view.

  5: Stop saying that Christians must attend meetings to be saved. Nowhere does the Bible say this.

  If the Jehovah's Witnesses change just these 5 things, they can be considered a Mainstream Christian Religion, and no longer be a cult.

  All their other beliefs can be reasonably obtained from the Bible, depending on your interpretation. In the last 10 years, they have abandoned most of their far-out prophecy interpretations and their interpretation of types/antitypes.

  Other Unorthodox Views of Jehovah's Witnesses

  • The Trinity is false.

  • Jesus was the first creature made by God.

  • Jesus is Michael the Archangel.

  • Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 to become King.

  • The Holy Spirit is not a person, but is God's active force or energy.

  • Only 144,000 Christians in all of history will end up going to Heaven.

  • All other Christians who are saved will live on a Paradise Earth forever.

  • The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is similar to the 12 Apostles, and they are the sole channel of communication between Jesus and Christians today, to help them interpret the Bible.
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  Simon

  Simple: survive for thousands of years so the crazy stories become so familiar people stop questioning them.

  All religion is stupid, even the mainstream ones. Their beliefs are "unorthodox" yes, but no crazier than Catholicism.
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  sparrowdown

  The mistake JW's make is they have turned "iffy" scriptures into hard and fast rules, then use other "iffy" scriptures to impose punitive measures to the "rule" breakers. All other mainstream religions have fallen into the same trap at one time or another.

  This makes JWs no different, just slower to realize the mistake.
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  kaik

  JW faith cannot become mainstream because its essential foundation and thinking is isolation, extremism, and anti-establishement. Many mainstream religions established and justified their existence by symbiosis with the executive government, as was the case with Roman and Greek Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, or Protestantism. JWs cannot become mainstream, because it will lose its anti-establishment appeal which is praised so much on the WT pedestal. Their faith is not built upon possibility to create executive government unlike other extreme evangelical and fundamentalist religions who would not have problem to establish ISIS version of christian theocracy. Even their version of 1000 millennial reign is naive the best.
  

  JW cult fills the niche in religion demand, where people look into a faith which is not part of any political system. The issue of becoming mainstream religion was already debated decade ago and many ex-JWs believed that it will follow Mormon and 7DA church which are fairly mainstream churches. Nothing of this had happened, and I do not see it happening in any time soon.
  
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  Joyzabel

  Don't forget the "2 witness" rule.... report all child abuse to authorities, to be handled by trained professionals.
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  SimonSays

  “Well pardon me all to hell” (John Wayne Quote)

  Ooh wee!!
  

  Having to the hand of the devil on this one.

  "Well, I'll be a SUCK-EGG MULE!” (Movie Rio Lobo)

  
  
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  WTWizard

  I agree that the cat lick church is just as crazy, as are all the Christian religions. Judaism and Islam are no better. You don't believe me? Just look up the Law of St Benedict and see what monks are supposed to do (cat lick monks), and what all xians are supposed to aspire to do. Most xian religions have the same scaffolding, and can be just as bad. Judaism and Islam are no better, and you can do deep research (no commitments needed) on these to see for yourself.

  What is different are the consequences for disagreeing. A cat lick can quit believing the religion, change religion, or even become a practicing Satanist. Is that going to result in total shunning to the point of busting up families? Probably not. I could go to a cat lick church and become a member, break some of the rules, and then not confess. They would not know better since they do not have snitch networks. Even if I did confess, chances are good that "Three Hail Marys" would be enough. Try that with the jokehovians.
  
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  rebel8

  Just from the recent changes, I wonder if they are toying with the idea of becoming mainstream. The tv, website, cartoon characters, banners at conventions, dancing in the halls, etc. But they still seem very culty--dictating which hotels to use, colored socks, skinny pants.

  If they go mainstream, they have to give up control. Has any cult gone mainstream before?
  
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  carla

  They will never be considered 'mainstream' because for one, the r & f must go through the gb (or 144,000) for their salvation rather than Jesus Christ, secondly the mere fact that they are not even allowed to talk to Christ (pray) will never be considered 'mainstream'. Naturally all things already mentioned; blood, pedophile/two witness rule, shunning, etc....etc.....
  
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  BluesBrother

  I believe they are slowly working in this direction. It cannot be done quickly, they would lose their core support . It may take decades. We are seeing so many changes, the simplification of doctrines and concentration on principles rather than knowledge ,as well as the points mentioned above.

  The G B may not even have this as a conscious stated aim but it is the inevitable result of an expanding organization and modernization