TerryWalstrom

Joined

• started 313 topics
• posted 1,550 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by TerryWalstrom

• 
  6

  (Controversial Topic) CLASS WARFARE in MARXISM and JEHOVAH’S WITNESS THEOLOGY

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  class warfare in marxism and jehovah’s witness theology.

  (both) jehovah’s witnesses and marxist communists concern themselves with something called “the end of history.”.

  the end of history means the end of a struggle between groups with conflicts of interest.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  I'm not really looking forward to the grief I'm going to get on this thread :)
• 
  13

  HOW the WatchTower leaders flipped the script on Christianity

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  worship of jesus was declared to be an act of idolatry!.

  we are going to examine the cataclysmic changeover in christian teaching exploding inside the watchtower religion in the early 50’s by exploring a background of the history of jesus’ place in christianity.

  jw teaching about the nature of jesus’ importance in the salvation of mankind will be compared with christian history.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  I was pulled by forceps from my mother's Caesarian wound and plopped down inside a family with no church going proclivities at all.

  I had almost zero Bible reading for my 1st 13 years of life. I surmised an attitude about the Bible, however, by breathing in the ethos (a fine Greek word worth looking up and pondering) and the general conclusion I was able to reach was this:

  The Bible was Holy (it said so on the cover!) and that meant it was spooky.
  My grandmother had been reared in a convent and had a Roman Catholic religious education (I use the word 'education' gingerly) which meant I was influenced by her superstitious comprehensions and that made me susceptible to exploitation.
  

  When I made friends with a Jehovah's Witness, I was like the Titanic en route to a rendezvous with an iceberg. I did know what hit me, but I couldn't seem to turn away in time to avoid a collision.
  
  Everything I learned from the WatchTower mentality was intellectual rather than emotional. Jehovah had a corporate mentality. I was an employee with a future in sales. I had quotas.
  I had chosen a SIDE in a great battle, too. Like it or not, I was on the Good side of Good vs. Evil.

  Okay. Yippee for me.

  Then, I found myself inside Federal Prison and my consciousness was damaged and my mental health collapsed. I didn't even know it had happened!
  
  Several years of effort produced negative results and I left the JW's for a career in Art, but I had that Jehovah boot mark on my ass and an Organization-sized hole in my heart.

  What to do?

  The last 50 years have been detective work searching the scene of the crime. I was murdered and I wanted to know who dunnit and what the motive was.
  I now know.
  I was lured to a place of sacrifice.
  My trusted 'Father' bound me on an altar and I saw the knife go up and come down inside.
  
  I've put together a pretty good case on why the murder occurred.
  I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and fell in with bad company. All those JW's were very bad company.

  Now, I spend my final days of life (I'm almost 70) putting the clues together about what happened before the gleaming forceps grabbed my mooshy skull and yanked me into the fresh, cold air.
  
  A couple of thousand years of superstitious people had set me up before I was even conceived! The game is rigged. There are no winners--only losers.
  Had I been born into a mainstream religious household, people who went to church and taught 'values' and self-respect--I would not have succumbed to JW propaganda and my life would be entirely different.
  
  So, all you folks must suffer through my musings now, for what they may be worth.
  I'll die.

  You'll die.
  More folks will show up.
  The game will change and so will opinions--but--the nonsense will never end.
• 
  6

  (Controversial Topic) CLASS WARFARE in MARXISM and JEHOVAH’S WITNESS THEOLOGY

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  class warfare in marxism and jehovah’s witness theology.

  (both) jehovah’s witnesses and marxist communists concern themselves with something called “the end of history.”.

  the end of history means the end of a struggle between groups with conflicts of interest.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  CLASS WARFARE in MARXISM and JEHOVAH’S WITNESS THEOLOGY
  
  

  (Both) Jehovah’s Witnesses and Marxist Communists concern themselves with something called “The End of History.”

  
  

  The End of History means the end of a struggle between groups with conflicts of interest. The result being no cultural dissonances nor inequalities leading to divisions.

  In Marxist theory, a Capitalist Society pits an Elite against Have-nots. Those with power, wealth and privilege exploit poor, disenfranchised underclasses struggling to keep their head above water.

  
  

  Among Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Elite consists of 144,00 Kings and Priests who have been specially selected (anointed) to rule in heaven (as transformed spirit beings) over the second group (Great Crowd) who remain human on a Paradise Earth.

  
  

  In Marxist Theory, the Elite use wealth to obtain Political power and control Ideology consisting of shaping the worldview of the underclass. (Their role in society.)

  
  

  Among Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Elite are a religious/political (theocracy) Governing Body (FDS) who claim to channel (conduit of Jehovah) the rules of day to day life and ultimate survival for the others. This group of “others” is both a subdivision of anointed and a Great Crowd.

  IDEOLOGY

  What is Ideology?

  The ‘science’ of ideas which controls how people see themselves and others inside a world view.

  
  

  Prior to the End of History, before the ultimate goal of Paradise is realized, the most important concern

  of all men and women is the outcome of their struggle day to day. Ideology provides a context for seeing the Future as an obtainable Paradise IF certain steps are taken to insure that end.

  The shaping of this world view is achieved by means of carefully crafted and controlled Propaganda for BOTH Marxist Theory and Jehovah’s Witness theology.

  Propaganda is information that is not impartial and used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda, often by presenting facts selectively (perhaps lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or using loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information presented.

  Propaganda produces and promotes the ideal Ideology.

  ________________________

  In order to control the message (propaganda), the Elite must control the Media.

  If the Media cannot be completely controlled, it becomes necessary to undermine any competing outlets of information flow. Censorship, defamation, sabotage, Ad hominem, and injunction are typical strategies.

  
  

  Marxists prefer the use of Hegemony (leadership with the consent of the governed) in one of two ways:

  1. Repression (application of threats and undue influence)

  2. Subversion (controlling what teachers teach, how social workers communicate, mass media).

  
  

  Jehovah’s Witnesses similarly seek informed consent of their members by

  1. Repression (threats of disfellowship, shunning, death at Armageddon)

  2. Subversion (confining members to seek information internally and avoid ex-members who are said to be ‘mentally diseased’ and agents of Satan.)

  
  

  The Marxist seeks to convince prospective converts of their victimhood; exploited, excluded, and marginalized by the Elite. By dividing the Capitalist Society into factions who turn against each other with grievances, a divide and conquer strategy unfolds.

  
  

  Jehovah’s Witnesses seek to convince prospective converts through Bible Studies (which are bait and switch propaganda sessions). Dividing family members using calls for purity and separation and obedience to God rather than men, undermining higher education and seeing all non-JW’s as satanic.

  
  

  Both groups (Marxist and JW) employ Fear of the “other” and suspicion as well as encouraging snitching out fellow members, reporting infractions, currying favor by selling others out in a purge of purification.

  
  

  Both Marxist and JW propaganda employs a Critique of Society to enable converts to see everybody and everything as the enemy; all political, social, religious, and educational systems as corrupt and doomed.

  Isolating members one step at a time renders them unable to escape because there is no OTHER place to go or group to trust but the core cell or congregation.

  
  

  Both Marxists and JW theology has no place for individuals, but rather sees only a Society of classes. The individual is absorbed into hive mentality as a functionary sharing the load and rooting for the Group rather than themselves. Loyalty to the Cause supercedes concern for one’s daily needs.

  
  

  Both Marxists and JW theology employ a sense of False Consciousness and Alienation, seeing themselves as victims exploited by oppressors on the outside, heroes of a liberation movement which will bring peace and security to all mankind. The world becomes US (the good guys) against THEM (the bad guys) and it then becomes perfectly reasonable to lie, defame, attack, undermine and destroy THEM.

  
  

  Any wrongdoing on the part of the Party Elite can be justified because of the oppression of the outside slave masters who must be defeated. JW’s can employ Theocratic Strategy, which is a free pass to lie and withhold truth from “those who don’t deserve it.”

  
  

  Weakening social bonds which normally create harmony within everyday society is a chief goal of Marxists and JW’s. If you can’t see who your enemies are--it is because your mind isn’t functioning clearly. The task of a Marxist is to create enemies and lie about them, fear them and ultimately destroy their reputation.

  The task of a Jehovah’s Witness is to identify enemies, label them, ruin their reputation and set them up for destruction at Armageddon.

  
  

  Marxists seek to create a bond of uniformity in thinking and behavior both predictable and controllable by the leadership. No dissent is permissible or possible without immediate punishment.

  
  

  Marxist and Jehovah’s Witness conformity lead to totalitarian, authoritarian, cult structures. Meanwhile, False Consciousness creates a sense of being cradled, protected and valued--as long as complete Loyalty is observed.
  ____________
  
  DISSONANCE BREEDS TACTICAL EVASION

  
  

  On the Jehovah’s Witness side of things, the failure of the JW theology to produce the End of History through tidal waves of witnessing about failed dates (set by the “mouthpiece” of God) created dissonances which had to be resolved!
  Could Jehovah’s Witness theology be wrong?

  Heavens no!

  Instead, the disaffection with failed dates and false prophetic interpretations was the Fault of the Members who Believed what they were told! How dare they blame the Elite Governing Body for their own errors in judgement!!
  A purification commenced after the failure of 1975 and the Brooklyn Politburo was purged of individual thinkers, questioners, and disloyal partisans. The wave of oppressive inquisition articles arose dividing the rank and file into factions who must now police themselves for enemies on the inside as well as outside.

  
  

  A new language developed around former members. Ex-members had become the new enemy.

  Without enemies where is fear, alienation and a need for loyalty?
  A witch hunt for Apostate whistleblowers and dissidents worldwide was the GB’s counter-offensive against those questioning the failed Watchtower version of reality. By 2013, the foundational belief underpinning JW theology shifted seismically. There had been a quiet shakeup and reorganization on every level practically invisible to members. The corruption, pedophile legal shakedown, a selloff of property and external transformation was completely hidden. The Apostates would be unable to penetrate the wall of exclusion. JW’s inside were busy looking for Boogeymen, enemies within, and looking over their shoulders, in a bunker mentality of fear and unduly influenced Loyalty.

  
  

  In Marxist theory, a similar crisis of credibility arose.
  Capitalist society, so the theory said, was so unfair, it should create a revolution among the oppressed and disaffected populace. After all, 2% have all the important wealth, privilege, and control!
  However, the revolution never happened although predicted for America. Why?

  Could Marxist theory be wrong?

  That was Unthinkable!

  Instead, a tactical evasion of the failure of Marxism theory became necessary!
  Cognitive dissonance led to a RETHINK of core strategies.

  
  

  Marxists blamed the “ruling class Elites,” for bribing off the workers by giving them “rights,” and had blinded them with a “false consciousness” that led them to support national governments and democracy. According to the new propaganda, American Exceptionalism lied about helping the downtrodden to “succeed” by becoming wealthy property owners, business leaders and movers and shakers. Because it was a cunning trap!

  The so-called ‘successful’ poor-born, upwardly mobile, underclass was now relabeled as SELLOUTS, dupes, Uncle Tom's, useful idiots exploited as decoys by the oppressive Elite as before.
  False Consciousness of success had been forced on the underclass.
  
  They still needed to wake up and start hating themselves as Alienated by racial prejudice, unequal pay, sexism, class distinctions, and White Privilege. Since individuals are unimportant in Marxist theory--only classes were important. Consequently, Identity Politics was invented. Political Correctness was taught in schools and colleges. Its purpose was to sensitize the young and raise their victim consciousness Through Identity Politics. Identity Politics means a person is not just an individual person--no--they are a member of an oppressed, alienated Class such as Black, Mexican, Gay, Female, Transgender, etc.
  Enemies are everywhere among the White Ruling Elite, the corporate Jews, etc.
  This new strategy was called Critical Theory and its target was an essentially destructive criticism of the main elements of Western culture, including Christianity, capitalism, authority, the family, patriarchy, hierarchy, morality, tradition, sexual restraint, loyalty, patriotism, nationalism, heredity, ethnocentrism, convention, and conservatism.

  DIVIDE AND CONQUER was and is alive and well!
  

  Both Jehovah’s Witnesses and Marxist theorists succeed in dividing people into fearful oppressed classes who see enemies everywhere, have no identity as an individual (only as a class), and who must destroy all existing structures of the old system of things which is doomed anyway.

  Both groups work through negative thought control, victimology, and pressure to conform, subvert, and undermine reality. Each group maintains a form of Political Correctness* which seeks to force all members of their respective society to speak EXACTLY the RIGHT way as prescribed by the ruling body.
  This thought control serves the purpose of labeling dissidents for ostracism, attack, straw man
  ad hominem exclusion.

  The bottom line is, each ideology is authoritarian propaganda both driven by a small core of Elite mind control theorists manipulating consciousness toward a revolution purportedly leading to a Utopian End of History. (For the benefit of mankind.)

  _____________

  
  (Historical note)
  POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

  
  

  “Critical Theorists recognized that traditional beliefs and the existing social structure would have to be destroyed and then replaced with a “new thinking” that would become as much a part of elementary consciousness as the old one had been. Their theories took hold in the tumultuous 1960s when the Vietnam War opened a Pandora’s Box of reevaluation and revolution. The student radicals of the era were strongly influenced by revolutionary ideas, among them those of Herbert Marcuse, a member of the Frankfurt School who preach the “Great Refusal,” a rejection of all basic Western concepts and an embrace of sexual liberation, and the merits of feminist and black revolutions. His primary thesis was that university students, ghetto blacks, the alienated, the asocial, and the Third World could take the place of the proletariat in the coming Communist revolution.

  
  

  Marcuse may be the most important member of the Frankfurt School in terms of the origins of Political Correctness because he was the critical link to the counterculture of the 1960s. His objective was clear: “One can rightfully speak of a cultural revolution, since the protest is directed toward the whole cultural establishment, including the morality of existing society.”

  http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/viewSubCategory.asp?id=552

  "Political Correctness": A Short History of an Ideology," edited by William Lind (November 2004).
• 
  16

  God's name

  by Gorbatchov in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  first at all, there is a new marketing video of god's name, clearly saying the name of god is jehovah.. link: https://tv.jw.org/#en/video/vodbible/docid-502014331_1_video.

  and then, there is the video with geoffrey jackson (gb) clearly saying that the original name of god is not known and the use of jehovah is because of it is the most used variant in english.. link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwv_8ocvkj8.

  so, something contradicts here, isn't it?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  The "most used variant" of all things Christian would logically include

  the cross, the Trinity, immortal soul, etc.

  The argument of Geoffrey Jackson sputters and fails utterly.
• 
  56

  Chrome or Edge Browser? Which is Better?

  by KateWild in

  1. forum
  2. tech-support

  so i finally am on windows 10. my computer kept asking me and i kept refusing, but then it went to a countdown and before i had a chance to stop it, it was updating, and i couldn't use my laptop for the full 1000 year reign of jesus christ.. when i finally could use it, i had a problem opening chrome with all my favourite apps or pages stored.

  sometimes i have to open edge for for chrome to open.

  but i have had a little go a edge.. edge has a different search engine to google, anyone know what it is?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  When I switched to Chrome AND replaced my Windows operating system with the new Chromebook notebook laptop--my world suddenly blossomed into a paradise on Earth!

  The world is a beautiful place now. No regrets.

  Solid State Drive takes mere seconds. Windows took minutes.

  I open the lid and 5 seconds later, I'm on the web.

  That's my two cents. I tried Windows 10 and the Edge. I wouldn't go back to that world. I really wouldn't.
• 
  28

  Jehovah loves "even rounded numbers" or could this be a way to disprove the inspiration of the Bible?

  by notjustyet in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  while i am not able to recall them all at this time, i remember so many instances that when a number was quoted in the bible, especially large numbers, they were all "rounded up" to the nearest hundred or thousand.

  for instance the angel killed 185,000 syrians, not 184,879. sampson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass, not 961. and on and on on the even rounded numbers.

  i would guess that it could be agues that these numbers were correct but is that realistic?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  I wrote on the topic of Bible numbers about five years ago here:

  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nwwMTsuB-vB3_w8fcLr8evgYmP8tyX1Vqcyn0ZiceV8/edit?usp=sharing
• 
  28

  Jehovah loves "even rounded numbers" or could this be a way to disprove the inspiration of the Bible?

  by notjustyet in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  while i am not able to recall them all at this time, i remember so many instances that when a number was quoted in the bible, especially large numbers, they were all "rounded up" to the nearest hundred or thousand.

  for instance the angel killed 185,000 syrians, not 184,879. sampson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass, not 961. and on and on on the even rounded numbers.

  i would guess that it could be agues that these numbers were correct but is that realistic?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  The Hebrews and the Greeks did NOT have numbers!

  They had their Alphabet.

  The use of the Alphabet to do double-duty citing quantities, measurements, enumeration, etc. was a nightmare of imprecision!
  
  Because of this fact, a superstition arose whenever a "number" (arrangement of letters standing in for numerals) randomly created what looked like a Word--the superstitious people (priests) grew very excited and eager to find numinous 'meaning' in this chaos.

  This is called GEMATRIA.
  Today, we call it NUMEROLOGY.

  Don't be surprised that the numbers we see in our own Bible is a wild approximation rather than an actual and definitive specificity.

  http://berea-portal.com/forums/topic/388-gematria-how-not-to-do-biblical-apologetics/

  ---
• 
  13

  HOW the WatchTower leaders flipped the script on Christianity

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  worship of jesus was declared to be an act of idolatry!.

  we are going to examine the cataclysmic changeover in christian teaching exploding inside the watchtower religion in the early 50’s by exploring a background of the history of jesus’ place in christianity.

  jw teaching about the nature of jesus’ importance in the salvation of mankind will be compared with christian history.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  My internet friend, Clement Mabunda, shortened my points (in the above) very nicely by enumerating the specifics:
  
  

  1. Historical disunity about the nature of Christ existed among the masses (Matthew 16:13-16).

  2. Catholicism (“Katholikos”) (an idea/term coined by Ignatius of Antioch circa 101 C.E.) was an adopted name that was geared towards bringing to conformity all these divergent views into one “universal church” that was unified by the acceptance of redemption by Jesus as the Christ.

  3. Eventually, beliefs “about” Jesus morphed into beliefs “in” Jesus.

  4. However, various little groups (of which the Witnesses form part) protested, showed insubordination, towards the Universal Church – an act of “heresy” effectively; showing a spirit of “disunity.”

  5. The Catholic Church was held together by this one central truth: Jesus being the redeemer and representation of the Divine.

  6. In the absence of such agreement and/or of the worship of Jesus, there would be not “Christianity” to speak of, only sectarian opinions or superstitions.

  7. The doctrine of the Trinity was a “compromise” aimed at curbing polytheism, in an effort to worship one entity.

  This, you posit, is what historic Christianity is, namely, the worship of Jesus, who was deemed the expression of the real God.

  8. In 1954, the Witnesses broke away (“reneged”) from the worship of Jesus (as your article demonstrates, contradicting their original charter), this is evidenced by the “Question from Readers” section from The Watchtower on both the January 1, 1954 p.30-31 and May 15, 1954 p.317-319.

  9. This erosion from historic Christianity began with the adoption of the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” (1931); the Watchtower magazine eventually moved away from being the “Herald of Christ’s Presence” to eventually “Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom” (1939). This was a preparatory move to minimise the person of Jesus and to eventually usurp his role as mediator.

  10. Prior to the above-two 1954 articles, the organisation spawned their own version of the bible (a green bible). The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures (NWT), with its “overhauled” language was aimed at supporting their ideas about the nature of Christ. For example, the Greek word “proskyne´ō” – which is generally translated as “worship” by bible scholars, was instead rendered “do obeisance” in the NWT such that Jesus was no longer worshiped but simply done obeisance to. (Hebrews 1:6).

  (As far as the scholarship involved in the NWT, it’s interesting to read what Frederick Franz said while under oath in a Scottish trial back in November 1954: see Douglas Walsh v. The Right Honourable James Latham Clyde, MP, PC).

  11. In 1979, the organisation introduced the idea that Jesus is the mediator “only for anointed Christians.” (The Watchtower April 1, 1979, p.31). The bible, however, says Christ is the mediator “for all.” 1 Timothy 2:5, 6. These “anointed” Christians served as the “Faithful and Discreet Slave.”

  12. The Faithful and Discreet Slave was rendered “God’s channel.” The organisation said: “All who want to understand the bible should appreciate that the ‘greatly diversified wisdom of God’ can become known only through Jehovah’s channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave.” (The Watchtower October 1, 1994 p. 8)

  (This is not a new idea, however. Charles Russell – who was once thought to be the faithful and discreet slave – introduced a similar concept concerning his prized six volumes of Studies in the Scripture (“Millennial Dawn”) when he said: “…people cannot see the divine plan in studying the bible by itself [if a person] lays the [SCRIPTURE STUDIES] aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone […] he goes into darkness.” – The Watch Tower September 15, 1910 p.4685).

  13. The Witnesses state that in 1918, when Jesus came to earth to inspect those faithful to him, the comforter (the holy spirit) ceased to function, such that by 1919, when the faithful slave was selected, it was not the result of God’s spirit (Preservation 1932 p.193-194),but, instead, angels were employed. (ibid. p.151).

  14. In 1979 (after the great disappointment of 1975), the organisation admitted that “this faithful and discreet slave was never inspired.” (The Watchtower March 1, 1979 p.23 para.15).

  15. In 1987, said: “Christ used his authority by actively leading his congregation here on earth. he did this by means of the holy spirit, the angels and the governing body…” (The Watchtower August 1, 1987 p. 15).

  16. However, in 1993 they said: “Those who make up the one true organisation today do not have angelic revelations or divine inspiration.” – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom (1993) p. 708.

  So, thus far, the Governing Body was not appointed by holy spirit, not directed by angels (“angelic revelation”) nor afforded divine inspiration.

  17. The failures, setbacks, flip-flops, volte-faces, over the years all speak to the fact that this organisation is led by (self-appointed) men, who have disenfranchised, and, for all practical purposes,substituted Jesus (as mediators), while simultaneously claiming affiliation with him by operating the organisation under the “Christian” banner.
• 
  13

  HOW the WatchTower leaders flipped the script on Christianity

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  worship of jesus was declared to be an act of idolatry!.

  we are going to examine the cataclysmic changeover in christian teaching exploding inside the watchtower religion in the early 50’s by exploring a background of the history of jesus’ place in christianity.

  jw teaching about the nature of jesus’ importance in the salvation of mankind will be compared with christian history.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  I approach this topic already having removed the rose-colored glasses

  from the bridge of my ample nose. I'm at a point in my 'spiritual journey' where superstitious tingling is only my foot going to sleep.

  My sojourn with the WatchTower's minions stripped away my emotional susceptibilities when it comes to Bible, God, prayer, or belief. I'm a gourd with all the goodies scraped out. Into that empty space, I pour my intellect and curiosity.

  I'm still able to address these topics from a distance.
  Academically speaking, Christianity emerged because of 2 dynamics working in concert. 1. Agreement 2. Authority

  The Bible was almost negligible, for the first fifteen centuries, to the Catholic Church, because Tradition and Magisterium fueled Authority.
  A "True Christian" was one who confessed and took communion. There was no door-to-door ministry, daily Bible reading, or ongoing debate on the ground. The hierarchy of prelates minced about in colorful robes on tippy-toes, rustling their gowns and mincing in and out of councils. At the top, corruption set in and multiplied like politics in America :)
  With the Protestant Reformation, the only change worth noting was the complete overhaul of Authority.

  It wasn't the Pope who called the shots. A democratic (sort of) Bible student read his scriptures and prayed for the Holy Spirit's guidance.

  This seemed a spot-on advancement at the time. Nice theory-but-the upshot was this: forty thousand denominations resulted--all calling themselves Christian.

  Having said all that, the one thing all of these (well, not all) seemed to agree upon was that JESUS CHRIST was worthy of WORSHIP.

  Without that fundamental lynchpin firmly in place--it was no longer Christianity.
  In the case of Jehovah's Witnesses, I don't what they are--but they are not CHRISTIAN. I think they are Corporate flunkies.
• 
  13

  HOW the WatchTower leaders flipped the script on Christianity

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  worship of jesus was declared to be an act of idolatry!.

  we are going to examine the cataclysmic changeover in christian teaching exploding inside the watchtower religion in the early 50’s by exploring a background of the history of jesus’ place in christianity.

  jw teaching about the nature of jesus’ importance in the salvation of mankind will be compared with christian history.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  THE TESTIMONY OF JAY HESS

  After 23 years as a dedicated Jehovah’s Witness, Jay Hess was disfellowshiped. He had been an active Witness apologist: debating critics, researching, and publishing answers to “opposers” of the movement. Two subjects that interested him the most were the charge that the Witnesses were false prophets and the doctrine of the Trinity. Concerning the latter he explains:

  I tried to address every Trinitarian argument. One that captured my interest was whether Jesus was to be worshiped…. Through many hours of research, I came up with an explanation that said Jesus could be worshiped and yet he was not God. How good I felt to have an answer that, I thought, defended the Society’s position! Oddly enough, this is what eventually led to my being ejected from the Witnesses.

  During the week of 19 March 1990, in one of the Theocratic School meetings, it was “announced in all congregations that Jesus was not to be worshiped.”

  Soon after, the Society started to investigate me and my friend [with whom he had shared his view] about our claims that Jesus should be worshiped. A religious court (“special committee”) was set up and we were charged with “causing divisions” by telling JWs that we worshiped Jesus. We were both found guilty. The court punished my friend by announcing to the congregation that he was found guilty but would be allowed to stay in the organization. I appealed their decision…. I was found guilty again and disfellowshipped on February 3, 1992 .

  Hess concludes, “Continuing my Bible research has led to my understanding of the errors of the Watchtower teachings. Although I lost my family and my former culture, Jesus has opened my eyes and allowed me to see the One I was seeking to worship (John 9).”55 In a letter, Hess expresses his present faith: “I have made Jesus my Lord and my God (John 20:28).”

  Ironically, Jay Hess was disfellowshipped for believing a doctrine that had been taught by Russell and Rutherford, affirmed in subsequent Watch Tower publications, and included in the Watch Tower charter. Moreover, if Christ is God, not to worship Him is scripturally wrong. Church historian Philip Schaff states the historic position of the church: “Finally, Christ cannot be a proper object of worship, as he is represented in Scripture and has always been regarded in the Church, without being strictly divine. To worship a creature is idolatry.”

  Finally, since the worship of Christ Jesus was not rejected as unscriptural and as a form of idolatry until 1954, how can it be claimed that 1919 saw the “restoration of pure worship” in the movement?58 Furthermore, while still involved in such “idolatry,” why would Jehovah choose such an organization as his “sole visible channel, through whom alone spiritual instruction was to come”?

  _________________The above is quoted from below___________
  

  Is It Proper to Worship Jesus?

  Article ID: DJ922 | By: Edmond C. Gruss and Jay Hess
  

  Edmond C. Gruss has written several books and a number of articles on the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the cults, and the occult.