by Jidders 6 Replies latest watchtower bible
The love of the greater number will grow cold.—Matt. 24:12
I read the daily text today, thoughts on a scripture that does seem to be somewhat fulfilled with the increase in atheism and alternative religions? It had definitely been going on back then but is it a general assumption?
Yep...the love of the greater number of JW's is certainly cooling off!!
When you read the Gospels Jidders you have to remember that the words were intended for one of the many Christ cults of the first century and were relevant to keeping them loyal supporters to stay 'within the compound'. That is why the language of Jesus' warnings often seem relevant to modern Bible cults like JWs and other doomsday watchers.
On the other hand the end never did arrive in the first century as Jesus promised (black mark for JC) and the signs only fully made sense in his day. Like "they will flog you in the synagogues" as it says in the oldest and original Gospel Mark, and "let those in Judea run to the hills...."
Is it reasonable to pick out only those bits which possibly could make sense today and ignore the rest?
The JW org select from the Bible what is useful for their purpose in keeping the flock blinkered and under their tight control. "The love of the greater number" when analysed, is pretty broad and meaningless outside of cultic interpretation. The evidence is that most people today in developed lands are far more caring and socially aware and responsible than at any time in human history.
Those are very fair points of reasoning Half Banana, thank you!
Jidders, the verse doesn't predict anything that wasn't happening back then already. People don't typically show each other a lot of respect or love, I mean just get on a bus or the subway, see if anybody talks to you, smiles at you, I mean it happens it just doesn't happen much. Things probably weren't that different back in 1st century Palestine. If Jesus or God or whatever Christian prophet said that meant "21st century Jehovah's Witnesses will hear about and see more atheists" why didn't he/they just say that? Don't read into it, don't make assumptions about what it means or doesn't mean, just read it in and of itself, and then read it in the context of the verses around it.
And as an atheist I gotta tell you: my heart ain't cold, I love me, I love the earth, I love my partner, I love my family, so on and so forth. And I don't do it 'cause God tells me to, I do it because I want to.
Ah, the cherry picking of scriptures and the fitting of them to any circumstance in a bout of confirmation bias.
Jehovah's Witnesses know all about a lack of natural affection or love cooling off as they shun their family members. Let's not act like humans haven't been tribal for millennia or that atheists haven't existed or whatever. Playing these games with scripture is so futile. Everyone has been doing this for centuries, saying the same thing about their eras.
The love of the greater number will grow cold. —Matt. 24:12
And what, specifically, does that mean? Love for God, a person's fellow man, family, art, or.....? And how much is a "greater number"? 55%, 70%, 90%? These kind of scriptures are vague, and can mean anything, just like that fortune you get in a fortune cookie.
But beware allowing the JWs convincing you that it's a dire prediction for the future, and that you have to do anything about it.
