A reponse to Schizm:
It is not nationalistic/patriotic.
True, but that are not politically neutral as they claim to be. After all, they do have a clear position regarding social issues like abortion, assisted suicide, and the rights of homosexuals. These are political issues whether you like it or not.
It understands the true nature of God (that he's not a trinity).
The only reason they are non-trinitarians is because of the tradition established by Russell and where did he get his education? Not by any serious study, but he simply conformed to the teachings of seventh day adventists. They said some things that he liked so he adopted their teachings into his own religion. Then he made that religion so he could get some attention and inflate his ego. In fact, it was so inflated, he started making some unfounded predictions and when those predictions failed, he made more predictions until he died.
It rejects the notion of an "immortal soul."
It is not clear to me whether there is such a thing as an immortal soul. I have read much on the mind/body debate and I have found that dualism is coherent, although it would be a extremely hard to verify. That is not to say that I believe dualism is true, but it seems just as plausible as any other materialist theory of the mind. But if I were to believe in such a thing, it would be based on sound reasoning rather than the precious traditions of some religion.
It doesn't follow the world's practices (Christmas; Easter; Valentine's Day; Halloween; etc)
There is nothing wrong with these holidays. They are just looking for any excuse to alienate their followers from "the world," even if it means worrying them to death with things that don't matter. By the way, people who celebrate holidays are not worshiping some Roman god.
It recognizes that God's original purpose for the earth hasn't changed (Paradise earth).
Based on what? God's purpose as told to us by the old men from Brooklyn. The same old men who got their traditions from men like Russell, Rutherford, and Fred Franz.
It doesn't allow people who engage in filthy or immoral practices to be part of the Congregation unless they're willing to stop such practices.
Would such "filthy or immoral practices" include communication with opposers to the oganization? Those people they call apostates? Apparently having a thought that does not conform to the WTBS' rigid and arbitrary policies is also "filthy" and "immoral." For the WTBS, cleanliness means blind obedience to the Governing Body.
It requires its members to share their faith with people of the world.
Yes it does. It requires its's members to propagate flawed doctrines and nonsense.
It requires its members to participate during meetings, rather than just sit in silence.
Depends on what you mean by "participate." If participation means having to listen to someone read from a article and then repeat exactly what has been already stated. The material and they way the material is propogated shows no respect for it audience; it treats them like children. Sitting in silence would be just as productive.
Don't take it personally Schizim. But you have to see the organization for what it is.
