No one can explain or justify their beliefs - the current spin on beliefs (starting with this generation) are unexplainable. But that does not matter. The cost of entrance to this social club is to leave your brain at the door. I think most welcome this requirement. To suggest that this is fanaticism is missing the point - their faith (if you call it that) is the exact opposite of fanaticism. These folks have simply given up.
Are Jehovah’s Winesses “Fundamentalists” and “Fanatics”?
by EdenOne 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Simon
True, but they're in principle violent by proxy - they expect the High Powers to do the dirty deed for them
What's the point I was making. The language of the other labels is something often associated with violence but they aren't.
I don't find people who just pray for their god to kill me any threat whatsoever. Now the people who think god wants them to kill you ... they are a threat.
It's really the one big differentiator between Islamic religion and most Christianity. The latter is all about waiting for god but Allah wants his followers to kill for him.
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EdenOne
If the definition of a fanatic is
a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal
then indeed all it takes is to casually be at the KH and listen to their nauseating expressions of praise to the GB or have a look at some of their fan sites (like JWTalk) and you realize that's exactly what they are. Fanatism doesn't demand action - only uncritical enthusiasm.
Then, if you add hate with enough propaganda, then you have someone ready for action.
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EdenOne
Now the people who think god wants them to kill you ... they are a threat.
All it takes is a fanatic group to get back to the OT, forget 300+ years of humanism, and start taking it literally and very seriously and we have something similar to Qumranic hate messages with a Judean-Christian flavor. The Jehovah's Witnesses are already half way there, being as it is that they have abandoned mainstream Christianity and embraced back a great deal of the OT.
Around the 9th-11th century, the muslims in the Iberian Peninsula were a very advanced culture, very open and liberal. They were the ones who preserved the ancient knowledge of the Greeks for us. Much more advanced than medieval Christian Europe. And yet, look at what happened to Islam, how they have regressed.
Eden
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Simon
The Jehovah's Witnesses are already half way there, being as it is that they have abandoned mainstream Christianity and embraced back a great deal of the OT.
I think that is a stretch. Saying they are "half way there" makes it sound like they are moving toward that but there is nothing to suggest that they are.
If anything, they are definitely of the pacifist persuasion and I think trying to convert their members into hands-on jihadist types would be laughably ridiculous.
Next week, the women's institute will discuss knitting patterns for suicide tank-tops ...
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EdenOne
I think the mental readiness to embrace the OT is already there and deeply engrained, which is a strange quirk in the eye of most mainstream Christianity. To me that's already half way. But you're right about one thing tho - JW's are extremely complacent and enjoy the idea that they don't have to carry their beliefs to their ultimate logical consequence because all they have to do is "wait on Jehovah". Luckily for all of us.
Eden
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truthseeker100
Most of the Christian ethos is that they welcome the time that God will come and do his smiting. While certainly warped, they generally don't feel the onus is on them to do the smiting.
Unless your a child!
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truthseeker100
NewYork44M:The Watchtower has turned into a social club. Most have no idea what they believe. But that does not matter. The meet several times a week and through these meetings are able to justify their confusing beliefs as well as gain a sense of belonging.
Couldn't you say that about all religion or humanity for that matter?
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Diogenesister
Edens definition a strong sense of the importance of maintaining ingroup and outgroup distinctions, leading to an emphasis on purity and the desire to return to a previous ideal from which it is believed that members have begun to stray. Rejection of diversity of opinion as applied to these established "fundamentals" and their accepted interpretation within the group is often the result of this tendency.”
Eden I think the definitions speak for themselves - excellent points. As many of us have reiterated, the witnesses wait for their god to commit the atrocity and yet they cannot see how vile that is.
Good to hear from you.
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Diogenesister
round the 9th-11th century, the muslims in the Iberian Peninsula were a very advanced culture, very open and liberal. They were the ones who preserved the ancient knowledge of the Greeks for us. Much more advanced than medieval Christian Europe. And yet, look at what happened to Islam, how they have regressed.
Eden
Eden this is so true - the jihadists don't realize that their culture is our culture . I for one do find the witnesses penchant for the more violent parts of the OT distasteful - I don't think its beyond the realms of possibility that - if they survive long enough - they may get fed up of "waiting for godot" and take matters into their own hands!