by JH 14 Replies latest jw friends
When I joined the JW, the brother who gave me a bible study said how nice it would be in the new system. He described how nobody would be sick, how wars would cease, people would stop dying, and would resurrect. He described how life would be so wonderful. These were all wonderful reasons to join God's organization.
My question is, did you join because you loved God unconditionally, or did you join because of the nice things we were promised in return?
Do JW's join for selfish reasons?
It's the normal practice to entice the public with scenes of a paradise. Since this is what is being offered, it's not surprising that any love of God comes second. It's what Ray Franz wrote as being "spiritual materialism".
So, do JWs join for selfish reasons? Of course!
Are JWs selfish? Of course! Everyone is.
Cheers, Ozzie
So then, just like nobody would accept a job without salary, then nobody wants to serve God without a salary also.
I know people who do voluntary work in order to help the poor and the sick, and don't want anything in return.
So I guess all people serve God for something in return. Catholics think they will be in heaven, JW think they will live forever on earth. No matter what religion, they serve God for something in return.
But still I think that JW's are more selfish than people in other relgions. Take away what the JW promise, and there will be nobody left at the hall.
I was discussing this with an Elder a few weeks ago.
I had asked him about the expectations surrounding 1975 and I made the point that the most faithful and zealous brothers had the most to be disillusioned about the failure of 1975 to bring about armageddon, as they had made the most sacrifices to serve until it came.
I asked whether the society were then guilty of stumbling faithful ones, and the elder said that this was a sifting work by Jehovah, and anyone that left were obviously only doing it to save there lives (hence selfish reasons) and not because they loved Jehovah.
All the witnesses only go on the ministry, meetings, assemblies etc because they don't want to die at armageddon, not purely out of a love for God.
But still I think that JW's are more selfish than people in other relgions. Take away what the JW promise, and there will be nobody left at the hall.
Using that argumentation, you could argue that if you take away of the Christian/Jewish/Islamic promise of heaven/paradise, then there'll be no worshipers there either.
As well, your argumentation that JWs are selfish because you think that they join simply because of the promise of paradise, is simplistic, not to mention it is ignoring the JWs who were born into the religion, and are stuck in the religion, for one reason or another.
I don't think JWs are any more selfish than anyone else. This thread reminds me of the Witnet/Pure Language.net-type threads - "Are non-JWs selfish?" (ie, worldly people don't join the JWs because of their selfish needs)
Prisca,
Jehovah Witnesses promise more than any other religion. Why?
In my opinion, people should be able to serve their God without such carrot being held on a stick, but it was not the case in my experience.
I actually agree that the witnesses "prize" of the new system factors greater than does the heavenly hope of other churches. As a witness, I felt pressure to "store up treasures in heaven", in order to gain that reward.
Keep in mind too, that many witnesses these days are so because they were brought up in it. They did not choose this religion, it was done so for them by their parents.
Are they selfish? Not all. They just don't know any better.
Plus, they are being told that they are selfish if they go off to do their own thing other than what the WTS teaches.
Those brought up in the organization is a different story. They didn't ask for that.
But those who join later in life as adults, I think they join for the promise of eternal life and for selfish reasons, rather than just to please God.
Most of the other religions don't put that carrot in front of people like the witnesses do. Take away that carrot, and many will leave.
OR, maybe the question should read, Does the Watchtower Org. attract people to the organization for selfish reasons?
JH says: "I know people who do voluntary work in order to help the poor and the sick, and don't want anything in return."
I have been a volunteer in a Soup Kitchen since 1989 and I have to constantly examine my motives. True, I don't receive any monetary benefits, but do I do what I do expecting nothing at all in return? Or does it somehow make me feel good that I am helping others? Or do I get satisfaction knowing that I'm needed? Or do I do it out of duty? Or do I do it to be seen by others? Do I do it because I really love people and God? Really, does anyone do anything expecing nothing in return? That may be the ideal, but is it the reality? Is there really such a thing as unselfish altruism?
