Hospitality - How not to.....March 2018 study article.

by punkofnice 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  punkofnice

  What do you make of this part of the March 2018 Watchtower Study Edition?

  2 Among other things, Peter urged his brothers: “Be hospitable to one another.” (1 Pet. 4:9) The word “hospitality” in Greek literally means “fondness for, or kindness to, strangers.” Note, however, that Peter urged his Christian brothers and sisters to be hospitable “to one another,” to those whom they already knew and associated with. How would being hospitable help them?

  Caps - mine.

  So, now, you only help those who are already JWs. We already knew this of course, but I don't recall much if anything, in print.
  No doubt they don't want you giving time and money to anyone that won't donate to the Golden Calf of a corporation.
  Close ranks. Craptise your nippers. Worship Piggy Sanderson and the other fat child abuse protectors at the top.
  That in view, the title of the article is:
  

  The Delightful Course of Hospitality​—So Needed!
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  ttdtt

  Same old, just spend more time in the INNER CIRCLE, spend less time with unbelieving family, or anyone else you may know.

  If I recall, peter spent lots of time traveling around the Mediterranean, bet he spend time with others rather then the 20 "Christians" around then:)
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  waton

  "-- to those whom they already knew and associated with. ---- them?--"

  I think wt meant a narrower definition: Your clique in the congregation, circuit.
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  jwleaks

  There's something to do with donations to Watchtower in that statement. But I can't quite put my ice-cream money on it.
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  stillin

  One of the most used scriptures in WT literature is the one where it says "especially those related in the faith."

  One way that we can show Jehovah that we love Him is by contributing regularly to His Worldwide Organization. In this way there can be an even distribution to areas where a few dollars goes a long way towards, perhaps, a new place of worship.
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  AverageJoe1

  Philóxenos by definition means love/fondness/affection for strangers (from the Greek word for love, Philía and the exact opposite of xenophobia) so of course this means you should be hospitable or kind to ALL.

  The Bible also makes this point saying that if you are just kind to those you know then it’s no big deal (“even the nations do this” or words to that effect.)
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  JakeM2012

  It's obvious they are closing the distance in between the wagons. Maybe that's why you are not greeted even when visiting the Kingdom Hall.
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  LongHairGal

  JAKEM2012:

  So, you are not greeted when you visit the Hall?

  That’s a tactic, you know. It’s preemptive shunning. They want you to go crawling up to them so they can act snooty and test your “loyalty”. In effect, you are perceived as their enemy until they are satisfied that you aren’t.

  Things must be bad in Witness land with too many people jumping ship. The problem is that some JW who is “loyal” one day will not be the next if they find out TTATT or have some other very rude awakening!
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  humbled

  Right punky,

  First: l am not Christian. But the piece you have there from the Watchtower study is so against what I understood when I first read the Gospels l want/need to say:

  Lukes gospel reads (paraphrase)when you have a feast don’t ask your friends family and rich neighbors to come. Because they’ll just reward you by asking you back over to feast at their place. Instead ask the crippled lame, blind and the poor people who can’t pay you back. You’ll get your reward in the judgment of the righteous.

  But on the other hand the gospel doesn’t tell us we be twisted about having a good time with friends. Or anyone else for that matter.

  Jesus cooked fish on the seashore for his disciples. Once he said” let’s go to a quiet place and relax”. One that especially resonated was when he was eating at Mary, Larry and Martha’s Place with his friends/disciples. Martha complains to Jesus that Mary was hanging out with the fellas instead of choring in the kitchen . Jesus said not to worry about fixing up so much stuff - the least is enough-choose that and come join us. And Jesus ate with Zacheus the taxman- a social pariah.

  But the Watchtower fetishizes who you eat and hang out with. In fact WT spent a lot of time un-doing anything generous in Jesus’ teachings. Even the JW memorial of Jesus’ death is a ritual of exclusion: The JW “Last Supper“celebrates the invisible savior by emphasizing that no one gets to share in his annual supper.

  It is weird.

  Everyone gets all dressed up on that special Moon to get hammered with scriptures reminding them that 144,000 got a ticket but most don’t. Then a few guys with the best suits are the waiters who take the special bread and wine around the room. Only those most lost in the cult eat or drink so it is mostly the unworthies who pass the holy meal down the rows to the other unworthies. The Memorial effectively emphases that Jesus- for reasons they cannot fathom— will not share his food with them.

  Fucking pathetic.

  It became the emptiest time of the JW year for me. Christmas ran a close second.

  
  

  But we all know the ultimate JW rejection of hospitality —the one that goes all year , year after year. Shunning for the greater glory glory of god and the benefit of the sinner.

  Jesus wept.
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  days of future passed

  The WT likes to point out how the "worldly" people are nice to them. Because of course, they recognize God is with them or that they are extra special people.

  When Paul was shipwrecked, "the people of Malta showed them extraordinary kindness" Imagine today if a disaster hit Malta. Would the natives say that the JW's showed them kindness by rebuilding houses for them? No because it would be good enough for them to watch the loving kindness of the JW's towards one another, or a dog.

  Matthew 5:46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?
  

  I think the Tax Collectors are their Besties.