Excellent info thanks for sharing. Many years ago I thought I read an article from "questions from readers" that asked did Jesus die on a cross or a stake and I thought the very end of the article said something to the effect "does it really matter if he did or not". Does anyone remember that?
A random HISTORY of that old rugged cross used by JW's until 1931
by TerryWalstrom 20 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Village Idiot
If I remember correctly, the JWs in their Babylon the Great book, made the following arguments.
1. The cross was derived from the pagan Egyptian symbol known as Crux Ankh which looked like this
This cross was supposed to be a phallic symbol incorporating the genitalia of male and female. As you can tell by the image that argument is stretching it quite a bit.
2. Then there was the argument that compared the Christian cross with the Babylonian Tammuz cross which actually looked like a cross.
The counter argument is that the t shape is so simple that someone is bound to use it even if there is no connection with each other. A child doodling with a pencil or a chimpanzee with a paintbrush could draw a t .
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Finkelstein
Years ago the WTS tried in vane to disprove that Christ died on a cross , they lost that battle.
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I think it was more of an attempt to demean outside Christendom as false teachers.
So who ended up being the false teachers ?
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Village Idiot
Samaritan At the Well: "...the article said something to the effect "does it really matter if he did or not"".
It does matter to them if they make a claim that the cross is a pagan symbol with evil intentions by Satan in having people use it.
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Finkelstein
The JWS may have gotten the do not make or worship graven images correct as instructed in the OT.
But the cross stake was actually used by ancient Romans.
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Finkelstein
There is no question that C Russell picked up the cross and crown symbol from his involvement with the Freemasons, among other theological ideas.
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Splash
If you value Leolaia's thoughts on this topic (and who wouldn't!), she gives a forensic analysis of it here:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/97358/cross-stake-which?page=1&size=20#/.UqFsCtIW3nh
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OrphanCrow
An Austrian radiologist, Hermann Moedder, experimented with medical students in the 40's, hanging them by their wrists with their hands directly above their heads (much like the Watchtower pictures Jesus on a stake). In a few minutes, the students became pale, their lung capacity dropped from 5.2 to 1.5 liters, blood pressure decreased and the pulse rate increased. Moedder concluded that inability to breathe would occur in about six minutes if they were not allowed to stand and rest.
The same would apply to Christ, IF he were suspended on a stake as the Watchtower depicts him, hung from hands bound directly overhead, he would have suffocated in a matter of minutes.Terry, I often thought that this WT depiction of Jesus was physically impossible:
There is an photographic image that exists that depicts individuals strung up on posts. It is a staged photograph illustrating the punishment posts that are alleged to have been used by the SS during WW2 in Germany. The photograph was taken in 1958 but it shows how a person would look if they were hung on a stake.
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BluesBrother
They said :
Proclaimers p200
For years, Bible Students wore a cross and crown as a badge of identification, and this symbol was on the front cover of the “Watch Tower” from 1891 to 1931. But in 1928 it was emphasized that not a decorative symbol but one’s activity as a witness showed he was a ChristianDoes that make the G B discourage the wearing of JW.Org pins?
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