is it a matter of just biblical interpretation?
are they just a little lost?
or are they really a dangerous cult?
The danger is in the gradual, systematic destruction of individual thought, purpose, value and identity. You have 7 million people who have been taught to look to the watchtower for guidance in even the most simple, basic decisions in life.
Agreed - put about as well as can be said. It occurs to me that if a government tried to do this, it would be like a reincarnation of Red China under Chairman Mao. Probably around 80 to 100 million (maybe more) chinese died under Mao.
i just read this today:.
(pp 257) "reports drifted back to brooklyn that he (albert schroeder) was suggesting to others that the expression "this generation" as used by jesus at matthew 24:34 applied to the generation of "anointed ones", and that as long as any of these were still living, such "generation" would not have passed away".
schroeder's views then ( in 1978 ) were rejected by the governing body.. but doesn't this sound like the explanation given now of the generation???.
"Reports drifted back to Brooklyn that he (Albert Schroeder) was suggesting to others that the expression "this generation" as used by Jesus at Matthew 24:34 applied to the generation of "anointed ones", and that as long as any of these were still living, such "generation" would not have passed away"
I had Albert Schroeder as instructor in the overseer's school the Society had in Pittsburgh PA back in 1970.
This guy was a living, breathing, self-made-ego-trip in real life. I definately got the impression that he thought he knew more about all things "watchtower" than anybody - including Freddy Franz. Strangely, all his "vast knowledge" seemed to be the ability to quote the watchtower publications page and paragraph - he did not have (or did not show) this ability for quoting the bible chapter and verse.
Anyway, the idea of him coming up with some new idea like this is no surprise.
are you single and looking for a soul mate?
or do you consider yourself to be available?
please, declare on this thread..
They only disclose your identity if your crush feels the same way as you do. Here is what you need to write in the search box:
crush:your email: email of crush 1 : email of crush 2 : email of crush 3
then click web search button. Let the magic of love makes all of you happy.
Oh - OK. I did not know how that worked. BTW, welcome to JWN, (I guess - if you are actually on the right board)
a "spiritual leader" tells his followers the must put on rebok running shoes and "drink the cool-aid" to join a ufo in the tail of a comet and "go to a better world" so, afew dozen young people do just that to get "beamed up" to the mothership.
heavens gate cult 1990's.. my mother says "she is faithful to the organisation till her death" which makes me wonder if they ordered a mass suicide like the reverend jim jones did to escape a "great tribulation"....how many witnesses would really drink the cool-aid?...
without a gun pointed at their head of course!.
And don't forget...there's no money in it. If you kill off all your supporters who's left to donate money to your coffers?
That is an essential point. No way these "business christians" of Brooklyn are going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.
However, the point of this thread is different - the thread is asking if most of the witnesses actually WOULD follow such an instruction. The thread is questioning how compliant to brainwashing and blindly obedient the rank & file of the JWs really are.
I say that given the fact that hundreds have followed the blood instruction to the death - yes, given a suitable time and amount of brainwashing, it is quite possible that a majority of them actually would.
....either mentally or bodily?.
I would say about two years. 1978 to 1979-80.
( I honestly thought they were going to reform some things post 1975. )
when you look back over the 130 year history of wt, what is the most bizzare/ridiculous/hilarious/absurd teaching or quotes that you have found?.
one of the ones i find hilarious is during the beth-sarim affair, rutherford announced that the world was laughing and mocking them because they don't believe the resurrection is going to come to pass when they said it was.
rutherford went on to say in effect "we will show them when people start coming back from the graves"... lol.
My favorite complete nonsense was the 1970 notion that the human heart could "think thoughts" like the human brain.
It is, of course, no longer taught - but I don't think it was ever formally retracted.
a "spiritual leader" tells his followers the must put on rebok running shoes and "drink the cool-aid" to join a ufo in the tail of a comet and "go to a better world" so, afew dozen young people do just that to get "beamed up" to the mothership.
heavens gate cult 1990's.. my mother says "she is faithful to the organisation till her death" which makes me wonder if they ordered a mass suicide like the reverend jim jones did to escape a "great tribulation"....how many witnesses would really drink the cool-aid?...
without a gun pointed at their head of course!.
Once again, that bat-shit-crazy magazine cover really says it all.
Not just the fact that these kids actually died, but the fact that they printed it with pride - really says it all.
JWs really do need to think more about whether or not they are in a worldwide Jonestown.
a "spiritual leader" tells his followers the must put on rebok running shoes and "drink the cool-aid" to join a ufo in the tail of a comet and "go to a better world" so, afew dozen young people do just that to get "beamed up" to the mothership.
heavens gate cult 1990's.. my mother says "she is faithful to the organisation till her death" which makes me wonder if they ordered a mass suicide like the reverend jim jones did to escape a "great tribulation"....how many witnesses would really drink the cool-aid?...
without a gun pointed at their head of course!.
There is not evidence that JWs would resort to personal violence in obedience to the Watchtower.
Disagree strongly. The blood doctrine, applied to your own child, is as extreme as personal violence can possibly get.
As other posters have pointed out, it would be ridiculous to assume JWs would resort to suicide instantly if ordered - but if indoctrinated over the years, the evidence speaks strongly that many would follow what they were being told.
Another point may need to be made again - this is a purely hypothetical thought excercise - I don't think anybody is suggesting that JW leadership would actually try to pull off a Jim Jones style massacre.
come on, be straight...no one is here to jump on you.
are you a exjw?
a former student never baptized?
yes WTS is not as bad as the Christendom
Neither is as good as the freedom.
come on, be straight...no one is here to jump on you.
are you a exjw?
a former student never baptized?
He has gotten himself branded apostate with many of the FB JWs......
Which makes it all the more ironic that he comes here to defend JW "freedom of thought".
My problem with his antics here is the obvious hostility he is showing, combined with constant open advertisement for his own religious forum.
It somehow does not really fit the profile of an actual and honest current JW fader.
