Are JWs a cult? Well, just ask them ...

by ljwtiamb 39 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Sunspot

  A volunteer brings Timothy a cup of water and offers him a chair. "You don't know how happy I feel to have made it to Brooklyn, coming down from 83 floors in the air." When he realized he really was out of danger, he added, "I feel safe."

  Food and refreshments are provided to the people who streamed in the building. "They are looking for a haven," Jack, one of the helping hands, remarks. "There was some panic. A lot of people who work here volunteered to help provide whatever was needed."

  Here I go again----old cynical me.......

  Since the WTS HQ's was right nearby the disaster scene, people were streaming across the bridge to escape and were seeking shelter. They probably thought that a "religious" book printing company would be sympathetic to their plight.

  Notice...a cup of water and a chair were offered to "Timothy". Not too shabby for an establishment that serves meals to many of their own every day!

  Oh--yeah, "food and refreshments" consisted of sandwiches and drinks (water?) and you can BET, plenty of "signs of the times" talks and literature was placed too!

  All those "volunteers" spoken of were RIGHT THERE! They didn't go out of their way to help anyone!!! If this had happened in LA or DC, you'd never see a peep about the WTS helping and giving water or a place to sit down as an organization!

  I'm not saying that those who were fleeing the devastation were trying to mooch a free meal off the WTS.......but it all just sounds so cheesy when the WTS has so MUCH there.

  I still get the crawly feeling in my stomach when I read this back-patting put out by that website. It sounds phony even though it may have happened. Maybe contrived would be a better word. Squeeze out the glory so that they look good. Tooting their own horn etc. They make me sick.

  With the resources to really do some good for their fellow man........the WTS falls short.

  I did.....and I got in shit for it..........I mean, why was I bothering to do meaningless work like that, when only God's Kingdom can alleviate all mankind's problems? This is the ONLY religious organization I know of that actually discourages volunteer work.....

  Wow, Mary! I can't say that this shocks me, but I keep hearing things like this that makes me wonder how I could EVER have been a JW! You're right! How many religion DO come out and tell their members only to place litter-ature and doing this----that is what pleases God!!

  Annie
• 

  jaffacake

  Midwich

  Cults follow the teachings of men, rather than the teachings of Jehovah or his son Jesus Christ. JWs certainly do not follow the teachings of the Bible. The Bible is clearly written for all humanity yet JWs teach that the New Testament was written only for the so called faithful & discreet slave.

  The present JW teachings are primarily those of one man - Joseph Rutherford - despite his appalling track record of false predictions and erroneous teaching, that even the Watchtower acknowledges. Rutherford's new teachings of the 1930s overturned nearly all that CT Russell stood for, and certainly was a sudden apostasy from something that started out as benighn and well-meaning and some form of Christianity. It became an anti-Christian cult in Rutherfords time.

  Please read about the history of the watchtower.
• 

  AlanF

  You're spot on in your observations, Swan. Especially where you said:

  : . . . that this article isn't written for "worldly" people at all. . . This article is clearly written for JWs that have heard others call them a cult, to convince them that they are not a cult. It is written with just enough false logic and and half truth to lead them into deluding themselves that they are okay.

  It's pretty obvious that many Watchtower articles are written in the same spirit. They appear to be written for the public, but are really intended for JWs, since most any non-JW would immediately see the falsity of the arguments. And because most non-JWs are not interested enough to take the Society to task for its lies, and the Society ignores them anyway, and JWs are too braindead to see the illogic, the Society gets away with it.

  The Society simply uses its own totally misleading and false definition of "cult" to argue its point. A perfect example of the straw man.

  I have no doubt whatsoever that, if the Society told them to do so, a large fraction of JWs would commit mass murder or kill themselves.

  As usual, excellent comments, Mary.

  AlanF
• 

  Elsewhere

  The Encyclopedia of Religion aptly states about Jehovah?s Witnesses: "A clergy class and distinctive titles are prohibited."

  I'd like to know why the WTS and Elders always claim Clergy Privilege in order to avoid testifying in court regarding child molestation.

  Hypocrites.

  I wonder... who all does the WTS present to the court as being "clergy" and therefore entitled to Clergy Privilege. Only the Elder and people in higher positions? Or maybe all JWs? If all JWs are considered Clergy then how could they be taken seriously in court?
• 

  MidwichCuckoo

  ljwtiamb -

  My question is this: Were the folks they helped JWs or did they open their doors to everyone?

  lol - are you suggesting they ID'd everyone prior to ''helping'' them? Gosh! (My point was that they didn't do anything worth boasting about)

  Sunspot - LOVE your cynicism. DO you think they counted it on their timesheets too? lol

  Jaffacake -

  JWs teach that the New Testament was written only for the s o called faithful & discreet slave.

  I heard this last week for the FIRST time - lol - I can't ever remember learning it when I WAS a (not very good) JW. Have they ALWAYS believed that?
• 

  eyeball

  I wrote and asked one of the persons quoted if the wbts had quoted them in contexed

  I have their permission to post the reply, but cannot cut and paste it on here.

  why wont it cut and paste?
• 

  ColdRedRain

  The American Heritage Dictionary's definition of what a cult is.

  1a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. b. The followers of such a religion or sect.
• 

  jgnat

  I like the comprehensive description at www.cultfaq.org
• 

  outnfree

  D'ya know, ljwtiamb, every time recently when I begin to read quoted WT material, I cannot continue because I am actually nauseated! ??? So I cannot comment on the articles you posted.

  However, I remember being astounded when I was doing my own research at how much Russell railed against the hierarchy in the Roman Catholic church and realizing how the modern day organization resembles it to such an amazing extent! So I'm pretty sure the WT articles convict the WT Society of being a cult by their own definition. ;)

  outnfree
• 

  eyeball

  I thought it was interesting how the WT implied how other non witnessess view them.

  Although Julia Michell Corbet was quoted in their magazine about cults, she also had this to say:

  par 1 The material within quotation marks is indeed a direct quote, pg 160 of the 4th addition. The rest of that paragraph is not from the book, and although not in quotation marks the implication is that I wrote it, which I did not. I believe it is accurate statement of their policy however.

  Par 2 Material within quotation marks is ok, pg161 of the 4th addition.

  Similarly to the previous paragraph, the remaining material is their interpretation, not my quote.

  Interesting stuff, thanks for bringing it to my attention. One of the somewhat unerrving things about writting is that one never knows what uses and missuses will be made of the work!!

  in peace

  Julia.

  I also asked to have her permission to post this reply to my letter asking her if she was quoted in context.

  eyeball