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Jehovah's Witnesses

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    #32
    achtungbarry
    Closed Accounts Posts: 831 ✭✭✭achtungbarry


    ChocolateSauce wrote: »
    Hmm....well, like I said, cult like.

    I love the irony of PDN telling me I was hasty in defending a religion!

    Does anyone know who said that...

    " A cult is just a religion without political influence"

    In fairness, the JWs hold beliefs that are not much more nutty than their theist brethren who follow the "mainstream" religions.

    They are probably a couple of points higher on the nutty belief scale (patent pending) but that's it.


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    #33
    Goduznt Xzst
    Registered Users Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Goduznt Xzst


    PDN wrote: »
    The rulebook is Russell's Studies in the Scriptures and that, rather than the Bible, is the source of their eligious system. Indeed, it is common claim among JWs that it is impossible to understand the Bible except in the light of Russell's writings.

    Eh... can you provide evidence of this? I've done a fair bit of research into this sect, and the majority of them know very little about their founders. In fact they will usually insist that the founders where wrong in a lot of areas (the founders allowed the celebrations of Christmas as well as smoking amongst other beliefs that modern day JW's do not adhere to) It is one of the commonly held opinions that before debating the beliefs of a JW with them that you first need to teach them what they actually believe. Most of their opinions are just ones they've learnt off by rote.

    They do have a leader group though called the "governing body" or "the faithful and discreet slave" which resides in their HQ's in brooklyn. This group is fairly nameless but is supposedly in direct communique with God and inspired by the "holy spirit". If you ask your average JW about this group they will know it only by name. It is commonly associated amongst them with being the spiritual inspiration behind all their literature.


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    #34
    The Mad Hatter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,718 ✭✭✭The Mad Hatter


    achtungbarry wrote: »
    Does anyone know who said that...

    " A cult is just a religion without political influence"

    What about scientology?


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    #35
    ChocolateSauce
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭ChocolateSauce


    The Mad Hatter wrote: »
    What about scientology?
    What about them?

    http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=326522172&albumID=789920&imageID=3942745

    Darned cultists...


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    #36
    Hellm0
    Registered Users Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭Hellm0


    Only knew one closely, was a decent if strange guy. That said I'm not one for generalizations, I do not know every Jehovah's Witness but the religion itself makes no sense. Even the name is based around a faulty translation!


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    #37
    The Mad Hatter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,718 ✭✭✭The Mad Hatter


    ChocolateSauce wrote: »
    What about them?

    http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=326522172&albumID=789920&imageID=3942745

    Darned cultists...

    Er...they have political influence?

    Also, what a shame that nearly everyone who wore one of those masks was inspired by that awful film and not the comic on which it was based.


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    #38
    Quint
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,407 ✭✭✭Quint


    JWs is a strange one. They have a (monthly i think) publication called The Watchtower which basically changes the rules. Supposidly they believe the bible, but the translation or meaning of any of it can change at any time through The Watchtower magazine. For instance the blood issue. Before any blood was forbidden, so were organ transplants. Now watchtower changed it's stance and fractionated blood products can be used (100% of the blood components) and organs can be used. Before anyone that used fractionated blood products were shunned, but now it's ok, because the Watchtower says so!
    The watchtower also predicted armeggedon on numerous occasions. The JW organisation even bought houses in San Diego for people like Moses and St. Peter for their return to earth!

    Anyway, while reading further up this thread about dinosaurs, I googled the bible dinosaurs and the first result was this: http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/1999/11/05/dinosaurs-and-the-bible
    A great read, after a few sentances you just can't get angry and just have to laugh!


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    #39
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Jehovah's witnesses came to my parents house while I was painting it about 15 years ago.

    The watchtower was as useful as anything else for cleaning paint brushes and they came to me - I didn't even have to go looking for something to use as a rag.

    If I believed in god I would have said the timing was divinely inspired cos they came just as I was finishing too.


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    #40
    ChocolateSauce
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭ChocolateSauce


    The Mad Hatter wrote: »
    Er...they have political influence?

    Also, what a shame that nearly everyone who wore one of those masks was inspired by that awful film and not the comic on which it was based.

    :eek:

    I loved the film. It was well timed and OTT in all the right places. I thought the novel was very good also, but a little too anarchist for my taste.


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    #41
    The Mad Hatter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,718 ✭✭✭The Mad Hatter


    ChocolateSauce wrote: »
    :eek:

    I loved the film. It was well timed and OTT in all the right places. I thought the novel was very good also, but a little too anarchist for my taste.

    It had some good moments, but was generally far too unsubtle and far too simple-minded. I liked it until I read the book, and realised just how much potential the story actually had.


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    #42
    Húrin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,045 ✭✭✭Húrin


    I've had them in for tea when visiting my door and we have had amicable conversations about the Bible though they never seem to want to discuss the topics that divide them from other Christians like the divinity of Jesus.
    Mr. Incognito wrote: »
    The thing that always struck me was the lack of material things they had. One pane windows, no toys for the kids, giving money to the church. Dangerous cult.
    What's wrong with people being happy with less stuff? The world would be in a much better condition if most people didn't just obey the advertisements telling them to buy more.
    PDN wrote: »
    The founder of the JW's, Charles Russell, and his successor Judge Rutherford certainly were cult leaders. The rulebook is Russell's Studies in the Scriptures and that, rather than the Bible, is the source of their religious system. Indeed, it is common claim among JWs that it is impossible to understand the Bible except in the light of Russell's writings.
    I've had several visits from JWs to my door and have read most of the literature they're dropped in (copies of the Watchtower mostly) and have never heard of this rulebook. Their faith seems quite Bible based.


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    #43
    Matt3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Matt3


    I've encounter JW's now and again over the past few months in the area i'm living in, in Dublin.

    I've had a chat to some of my neighbours, and the latest craze is that they try to get you into a conversation, while stopping you on the footpath near your home....there's usually two of them, both deliberately blocking your way.

    I find this both annoying and somewhat creepy.


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    #44
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    Some religious folk (not sure if they were JW's, but they did wear shirt n' tie) did that to me and a couple of mates back when I lived in Dundalk. Bad idea in a student housing estate.


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