Why Doesn't The WT. Get Embarrassed When They Talk About The Pharisees?

by minimus 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  basics-for-me

  Why don't they get embarrased?

  Because they are so blind and arrogant. I don't even think they recognised themselves as being that way as they were usually too busy pointing the finger at somebody else.
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  minimus

  It's like an overweight person talking against other overweight people. It's like an alcoholic condemning a drunk. It's like a drug addict lecturing on the abuse of too much aspirin.
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  minimus

  The WT. doesn't get embarrassed by asking for donations, lying to the media, requiring the rank and file to live a "simple" life, begging for free help, etc. Instead of being above reproach, they are tricky, conniving lawyers. They are worst than the Pharisees ever were.
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  Gopher

  Their leadership binds heavy loads upon their followers, while not wanting to lift a finger to help with any such load themselves.

  That fits the definition of Pharisaical to a "T".
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  ashitaka

  Hell, they are just convinced that it doesn't apply to them. They think of Catholisism as the Pharisees with their 'rituals'. Of course, the rigidity of the Witness life is an excercise is pharisaical rule.

  ash
• 

  cruzanheart

  Here's Matthew 23 from The Message (which is kind of a cool paraphrased version to read to the kids):

  Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along with the crowd that had gathered with them. "The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God's Law. You won't go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following THEM. They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It's all spit-and-polish veneer. Instead of giving you God's law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help. Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.' . . . If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty."

  The kids and I read this last night and I was astounded at how much it sounded like the elders and general rank-and-file JWs. I'm getting a whole new perspective on Christianity by just reading about what Jesus said. His message was simple with few rules. Light years away from the Witnesses of today.

  Nina
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  bebu

  Thanks for the excerpt, Nina. That's a refreshing translation, especially compared to the NWT, which always reads so wooden and weird.

  bebu
• 

  ozziepost

  You've hit on a very apt point, Minimus. Mrs Ozzie came to the same conclusion whilst attending the book studies of the "Greatest Man" book and stopped attending because of this very thing.

  Ozzie
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  minimus

  Oz, I am trying to get up off the floor for the sorta compliment, I think, O never mind....(Falling back down)........
• 

  berylblue

  Instead of giving you God's law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help.

  This is SO true!!!!

  Rosemarie