JW organization.

[Elijah John]

Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to:

-vote
-celebrate birthdays
-celebrate Christmas or Easter
-donate or receive blood transfusions.

And if any JW openly persists in doing these things[edit to add publicly], they will be shunned or disfellowshipped, [edit to add or otherwise admonished or disciplined.]

For debate,

1) what do any of these check-list prohibitions have to do with Christianity?

2) And are any of these prohibitions compatible with the idea of Christian freedom?

3) Are these prohibitions arbitrary or legalistic?

4) And could Jehvoah's Witness as an organization flourish without these particular prohibitions and still honor God?

Please address any or all of the above.

[JehovahsWitness]

What is "doing communion"? Are you referring to the Catholic ceremony of mass?

This atheist can answer that question for you. No, communion is not the Catholic ceremony known as mass. It is known as the Lord's Supper and is practiced by Christians throughout the world.

Thank you, well in that case yes, Jehovah's Witnesses do commemorate the Lords Supper (or the Lord's evening meal).


This year it was on 31st March


[youtube][/youtube]

And exactly how do they "commemorate" the "Lords Supper"? Do the 144,000 anointed actually eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine, and the "other sheep", other members, simply say Amen, or is Wikipedia wrong? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%2 ... _salvation

Just like you (if you are not an atheist) according to our interpretation of Jesus' instructions. Needless to say we understand Jesus words in a unique way, as we are different from all other religions in this and most other respects.


JW

[onewithhim]

What is "doing communion"? Are you referring to the Catholic ceremony of mass?

This atheist can answer that question for you. No, communion is not the Catholic ceremony known as mass. It is known as the Lord's Supper and is practiced by Christians throughout the world.

If so, why would we (Jehovah's Witnesses) follow a Catholic ceremony if we are not Catholics?

It is not a Catholic ceremony.

The proper question is, why do you (Jehovah's Witnesses) not practice communion given that you are Christians.

There is no indication in the Scriptures that we should celebrate the Lord's Supper several times a year. Jehovah's Witnesses follow the apparent inclination of Jesus' followers to celebrate it once a year, and that's what we do. They celebrated Passover once a year, and Jesus instituted his Last Supper immediately after he and his disciples celebrated the Passover. We just had the "Memorial of Christ's Death" at the end of March. Over 20 million people world-wide celebrated it together.

[onewithhim]

They don't do communion either, I hear.

What is "doing communion"? Are you referring to the Catholic ceremony of mass? If so, why would we (Jehovah's Witnesses) follow a Catholic ceremony if we are not Catholics?

You seem to be obfuscating. According to Wikipedia, the JWs are divided into the "anointed" and the "other sheep", and only the "anointed" celebrate the "last supper". The JW "anointed", according to the reference, are part of the 144,000 of Revelation, living and dead. The JWs apparently have a two level cast system, and ignore the teachings of Yeshua per Mt 23:8 & Mt 23:10. By accepting the Roman Catholic canon, initiated by Athanasius in 367 AD, per his Easter letter, they have put a stumbling block in their path, and suffer the consequences.

Caste system? Do you consider the U.S. to have a caste system because there is a President and his Cabinet governing millions of people? Are the government's citizens LOWER caste? I don't think anyone thinks the president is in a higher caste than we are. What could be your objection for 144,000 people governing with Jesus over the billions of us here on the earth?

[onewithhim]

Peace to you OWH!

Just a couple of questions, if I may?

[Replying to post 364 by onewithhim]

nor can we argue that "Your Word," as Jesus put it, would not include the written Hebrew Scriptures.

Do you think that the Word of God has (or speaks in) error?


Do the Hebrew Scriptures (including or not including the NT) have errors?



Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

There are many bad translations. What are you getting at?

[onewithhim]

What is "doing communion"? Are you referring to the Catholic ceremony of mass?

This atheist can answer that question for you. No, communion is not the Catholic ceremony known as mass. It is known as the Lord's Supper and is practiced by Christians throughout the world.

Thank you, well in that case yes, Jehovah's Witnesses do commemorate the Lords Supper (or the Lord's evening meal).


This year it was on 31st March


[youtube][/youtube]

And exactly how do they "commemorate" the "Lords Supper"? Do the 144,000 anointed actually eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine, and the "other sheep", other members, simply say Amen, or is Wikipedia wrong? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%2 ... _salvation

Wikipedia is correct about that.

Jesus made the New Covenant for a Kingdom (ruling in heaven with him) with his 12 Apostles who were spirit-anointed by God. Then they went out and taught hundreds more that were present on the Day of Pentecost, 33 A.D., and who got spirit-anointed. We who simply observe at the Lord's Supper are not anointed to rule with Christ in heaven. We observe to show our appreciation for what Jesus did for all of mankind. Because of him we can live forever on the earth, just as God intended when he created it.

[marco]

Jesus made the New Covenant for a Kingdom (ruling in heaven with him) with his 12 Apostles who were spirit-anointed by God. Then they went out and taught hundreds more that were present on the Day of Pentecost, 33 A.D., and who got spirit-anointed. We who simply observe at the Lord's Supper are not anointed to rule with Christ in heaven. We observe to show our appreciation for what Jesus did for all of mankind. Because of him we can live forever on the earth, just as God intended when he created it.

He has just explained in metaphoric language that the youngest is the leader and he himself is a servant. He gives them crowns and make sthem kings, metaphoricaly, just as he made himself a vine metaphorically. So why on earth would one suppose he is talking about an actual "kingdom"? And it is very dubious that Christ was crucified in 33AD, never mind the appearance of the Paraclete.


You are entitled to your rosy readings but let's remember they are mere interpretations, not facts taken from Scripture.

[Tcg]

We who simply observe at the Lord's Supper are not anointed to rule with Christ in heaven. We observe to show our appreciation for what Jesus did for all of mankind.

You who simply observe the Lord's Supper aren't following Jesus' direction. He didn't say, "Watch this in remembrance of me". He said, "Do this in remembrance of me."

[JehovahsWitness]

We who simply observe at the Lord's Supper are not anointed to rule with Christ in heaven. We observe to show our appreciation for what Jesus did for all of mankind.

You who simply observe the Lord's Supper aren't following Jesus' direction. He didn't say, "Watch this in remembrance of me". He said, "Do this in remembrance of me."

Yes, well each religion is free to interpret the instruction as they please, we have our own understanding and you have yours. We understand Jesus was talking to the faithful eleven disciples and they died thousands of years ago, so they can't do "that" or "this" as instructed on that night.

As for whether you or I can consider ourselves in the same situtation as the faithful eleven, that depends on bible interpretation. We, Jehovah's Witnesses are confident we have the correct understanding of Jesus instructions and who should or should not consider themselves like the faithful eleven.

You are entitled to your rosy readings but let's remember they are mere interpretations

[tam]

[Replying to post 383 by onewithhim]

Jesus made the New Covenant for a Kingdom (ruling in heaven with him) with his 12 Apostles who were spirit-anointed by God.

Peace to you owh,


But the apostles were not spirit-anointed at that time. Not until after the resurrection of Christ, did He breathe holy spirit out upon them.

Then they went out and taught hundreds more that were present on the Day of Pentecost, 33 A.D., and who got spirit-anointed.

Yes, that was their anointing (with holy spirit).

And what were the Apostles supposed to teach people?

"Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."


(even that was a command)



Christ did not tell anyone to set up a memorial and then on that night, to do everything except the one thing He commanded us to do: Eat and drink, and keep doing this in remembrance of Him.




May anyone who wishes, be given ears to hear, so as to know the truth of these things. May you also hear the Spirit and the Bride say to you, "Come!" Let anyone who thirsts, "Come! Take the free gift of the water of life!"



Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[Tcg]

Yes, well each religion is free to interpret the instruction as they please, we have our own understanding and you have yours.

I didn't interpret his instructions at all. I simply repeated what they were. Your argument is with Jesus, not me.