Prodigal son or prodigal father?

by elbib 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  elbib

  The impression I get from reading Parable of Prodigal Son is that it is more about a father who is prodigal. He gave his son’s share without any sort of reasoning (a kind of lavishness) and on his return made arrangement for a celebration killing “a fattened calf” (again a kind of lavishness) which does not make him resemble like his Heavenly Father who had commanded: “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13) For God, slaughtering an animal or a human being does not make any difference. (Isaiah 66:3) God’s view of lives of other species remains unchanged, declares Jesus: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” (Luke 12:6) Moreover, God’s view of sin is also totally different from the father of this parable. (Mathew 12:36; 25:41, 46) Thus, this parable conveys a lighter view of sin!

  Interestingly, there is another incident in the Bible which similarly carries a lighter view of sin in John 8:1-11 which is now put in brackets by the reference editions of the Bible because it is not found in the earliest Manuscripts of the Bible. Still, JWs believe that every verse of the Bible is inspired of God, and it is their supreme authority.
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  sir82

  For God, slaughtering an animal or a human being does not make any difference.

  Well he sure seemed to enjoy the animal sacrifices made at the temple.

  1 Kings 8:63,64:

  Solʹo·mon offered the communion sacrifices to Jehovah: He offered 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the Israelites inaugurated the house of Jehovah. On that day the king had to sanctify the middle of the courtyard that is before the house of Jehovah, for there he had to offer up the burnt sacrifices, the grain offerings, and the fat pieces of the communion sacrifices, because the copper altar that is before Jehovah was too small to contain the burnt sacrifices, the grain offerings, and the fat pieces of the communion sacrifices
  
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  elbib

  SirB2,

  Such sacrifices are of human origin (Jer 7:22; 8:8). However, my point is not about sacrifices. I was just highlighting the widespread inconsistencies in the Bible which now even Bible scholars themselves are becoming aware of and publicly speaking. Why, even NW ref edition puts John 8:1-11 into footnote. Though we know about many inconsistencies, I was trying to say even well-known accounts such as Parable of Prodigal son, woman caught on adultery which are all very much loved by people ... are also problematic! Is it such a book that JWs derive authority from?
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  Labate

  I'm always surprised to see the Prodigal Son given as an example in JW literature.

  Unless I'm mistaken, it looks to me as if the father accepts his son's words of contrition on the spot, and doesn't require a waiting period to welcome his son back.

  In the Jw universe, he would have worked as a servant, shunned by all, until his father and a couple of neighbors decided he'd suffered enough, and then been returned to his father's household with mild applause.