Isn’t JW’s teaching of “the abomination that causes desolation” wrong?

by Abraham1 35 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Fisherman

  n the cross of our Lord Jesus

  The implication is the execution of Jesus ( compare 1 cor 2:2 ) resulting in salvation and not the instrument of his execution. It is obvious poetic language since unlike in the “old testament” Christianity is not about rituals and paraphernalia. Christ is the fulfillment of all that.
  
  
• 

  Abraham1

  Luke 21:25 speaks about sea-level rise. The same word is used in the sense of “shaken” or “unsettled” in 1 Thessalonians 3:3 as happens during persecution. And the impression we get from Luke 21:25 is that sea-level rise is a momentary phenomenon before "Great Tribulation,” but truth is that it is going to stay here for a long time till we remove all CO2 from atmosphere.

  Similarly, “the abomination that causes desolation” mentioned in Mathew 24:15 may seem to be a momentary phenomenon. But it is for the close associates [those having the mind of Christ] of Jesus to discern—hence can’t be anything literal such as Roman Army, or any Idol, not even UN because God called all the rulers of earth as “His servant” (Romans 13:1-6) which means UN cannot be the abomination” to God.

  “Abomination” is to God, not to us. A teaching that creates the impression that God is being used as a tool of Satan or HE is dancing according to the whims and fancies of Satan would be felt by God as “an abomination” to Him.

  It was this reasoning that helped me not to be swayed by JW teaching even though I started Bible Study with them. It ended when this teaching of Issue of Jehovah’s Sovereignty was dealt with.
• 

  Fisherman

  Anything can be an idol.

  But when the “cross” is idolized ( which is the subject here ) it may be abominable to God because not only is it used to torture people sadistically but it has become the symbol of Christianity deflecting from the foundation, Jesus. And, instead of focusing on God and the meaning of Jesus’ death, people worship the cross and miss the whole point of the Bible writers that I mentioned in my previous point.
  
  
• 

  Pronger1

  The whole point of a cross is to reflect on Jesus' death and resurrection.

  I don't think many here understand what an idol is or why God forbid creating idols.

  In the Ancient Near East, idols were placed within the temples of gods, sometimes even in homes for local or familial gods. They were images of that god.

  There was no idol found in the tabernacle or later Jewish temple. So why did God forbid the creation of idols?

  Genesis 1:26 (NRSV): 26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness;

  Humans were created to be the image of God. It was a sin to create images of other gods, because humans were the image of the creator God.
• 

  Fisherman

  The whole point of a cross is to reflect on Jesus' death and resurrection.

  Not scriptural.

  And the obfuscation is focusing on the cross, or a bullet, or poison, or a rope, or a tree, or a gun, or a sword… Besides the reasons posted why the cross may be abominable to God, another reason is its previous use in pagan worship.
  
  
• 

  Abraham1

  Here is one more serious mistake that is going to cost JWs very dearly because of the recent world development.

  The West and NATO seem to have misjudged Putin who is all set to redeem his lost Empire because of Gorbachev who acted in the interest of the West. This would mean, at some point in time, US has to intervene to stop Russia’s advance. But this would mean end of US world power status, according to Nostradamus predictions.

  This will be a shame to JWs too who all along were saying it is North King (Russia) that is going to meet with end, not South King (US-led forces). JWs took the Bible prophecy literally North and South as geographically. But Bible was using those terms to depict two contrasting ideologies.
• 

  RolRod

  The abomination is the Mass
• 

  Vanderhoven7

  Context is important to understanding the tribulation and the abomination which makes Jerusalem desolate.

  The Sign to Flee Jerusalem’s Destruction:
  18 “When therefore you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not in the holy place (let him who reads understand), that is to say, when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.”
  19 “Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house, and let him who is in the field (countryside) not return back to take his cloak.”
  20 “For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.”
  21 “But woe to those who are with child and to those who are breast feeding in those days!”
  22 And pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath,”
  23 “For then will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created, until now, no, nor ever shall be, for there will be great distress on the land, and wrath to this people.”

  This is not about world judgment, but the judgment on the land and people of Israel who rejected the Messiah. This was the judgment Jesus wept over that would affect Judea and Jerusalem after which the surviving Jews would be taken captive and shipped off to foreign nations as slaves.

  Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
  
• 

  Vidiot

  RolRod - "The abomination is the Mass."

  
  

  
  

  
  
• 

  carla

  Coming from mainstream Christianity, I can tell you (jw's) that nobody worships the cross. It represents the work of Christ upon the cross when He laid down His life for all.

  Secondly, wearing a cross around jw's is like wearing garlic around vampires, it works.