by hannibal 11 Replies latest jw friends
Why is the word cristendom given by JWs as evil or apart
of the world?
Dictionary gives the meaning 1) christianity 2) the part of the
world were cristianity prevails.
Do not JWs claim to be christian?
All I can think of is when russell start this group he was
against all organized religion. And they have just continued
to use that term. Any thoughts.
As with many words, the JW's have their own, slightly different, definition for "Christendom". To a JW, Christendom is "the churches," i.e. those religions that claim to be Christian, but are not in harmony with God's will (in other words, not under the control of "God's organization"). As such, "Christendom" is seen as the dominant part of Babylon the Great, the "world empire of false religion".
In the JW interpretations of Old Testament prophecy, mostly anything or anyone who was good is seen as a prophetic type of their organization, and anything or anyone bad is typical of Christendom.
Another quirk of JW's in their view of Christendom is that they tend to view all of Christendom as being identical to the Catholic Church - ritualistic, giving church tradition equal value with scripture, heirarchial, etc. To listen to JW teachings, you would never know that there are Christian churches where the Bible is valued above all, and studied in depth. You would never know that such a thing as sola scriptura was ever thought of.
Tom
"Gentlemen, he said, I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes, I've moved your mountains and marked your cards. But Eden is burning"
--Bob Dylan
Hi Hannibal: NeoMadman/Tom is absolutely correct. The term 'Christendom' has been around long before the JWs, but it was taken and redefined by the Watchtower to mean something evil.
The Watchtower is all about marketing materials and using labels like Jehovah, Christendom, Babylon, Devil, and Apostate to create a package window dressing ... truth is of no real interest to them, and many times stands in their way, to be battled and shoved aside in favor of what they want to believe.
Hi Hannibal: I agree with you 100% ... if little Chucky Russell were alive today, he would see the modern JWs as something he would abhor ... except ... I wonder if the current leaders could convince him that it haad become a great cash machine, and Chucky could live in style. If Russell had any intergrity to his own views, he would have to chuck out the JWs and start over again.
Rutherford, on the otherhand, he would be proud, except that he would feel that the JWs had gone a little soft ... so he would have to kick Ted Jaracz in the backside to get really tough on these softy JWs.
Emperor Amazing,
Good morning!
"If Russell had any intergrity to his own veiws, he would have
to chuck out the JWs and start all over again"
Do you mean become an apostate? LOL
You have to pronounce it evilly too. Chrisssssendumb. "Chrisssssssss" rhymes with "hiss" and sounds like a snake, since a serpent (Satan) is obviously behind Chrissssssendumb whose sole reason for existence is obviously to oppose God's Kingdom and Jehovah's Witnesses and to be whores with Satan's political system.
-J.R.
Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.--Will Rogers, 1879-1935
The Watchtower used to mis-define and use the term "religion" in a similar negative way as "Christendom."
Now the term "religion" is used in a more correct sense by the Watchtower as being belief systems both true and false. Who knows maybe someday they will change their definition of "christendom" as well, but I doubt it! Its now a great mind contol term.
Another quirk of JW's in their view of Christendom is that they tend to view all of Christendom as being identical to the Catholic Church - ritualistic, giving church tradition equal value with scripture, heirarchial, etc.
The dubs have always been bad at history. Perhaps they don't realize that there was a Protestant Reformation.
Most simply put...Christendom=every bible based religion on the planet...besides the WT that is.
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
