Do Jehovah’s Witnesses have anything in common with the Pharisees? Have they made Jehovah a petty God?

Question

The Pharisees were well known for creating detailed regulations they believed must be followed in order to abide by general Biblical principles -- which should have been a matter for the individual believer’s Bible-trained conscience. In fact, Jesus castigated them for loading men with “loads too hard to be borne.” Has the leadership of the Jehovah’s Witnesses acted in a similar manner? Is it true that JWs are prohibited from doing the following? If so, isn't this a bit legalistic?

1. Be a member of the YMCA health club
2. Run for a school leadership position
3. Participate in any extra-curricular activities while in school
4. Shop at the Salvation Army thrift store
5. Go to a school prom or dance
6. Serve on a jury
7. Pursue a Master’s Degree or even a BA
8. Sing holiday songs like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
9. Wear blue-jeans (Levis) at the Kingdom Hall
10. Read religious literature (devotional books) not published by the Watchtower
11. Send dad a father’s day card or take mom out to dinner on Mother’s Day
12. Buy Girl Scout Cookies
13. Eat Lucky Charms Cereal (too magical)
14. Make web pages with a religious theme
15. Play chess or other combat games
16. Have consensual oral sex within the bounds of a marriage
17. Use “live” musical instruments during their worship services (guitar, drums, etc).
18. Sing hymns not published by the Watchtower organization.

Answer 1

i think the pharisees primary problem was being hypocritical. according to God's law on the sabbath they couldn't take more than an "x" amount of steps outside of their home, so what they would do is carry a bag of dirt from their property and sprinkle it on the ground in front of them as they walked wherever they desired for how long they desired....which is not what God meant.



the jehovah's witnesses, i think, are on the other end of the spectrum. they take God's principles to levels past what God meant. you have to ask yourself, "does the Bible explicitly tell me exactly how i'm supposed to live out every detail of my life?" the answer is no. but we can make good assumptions based on biblical principles.



for example, does the Bible say i can't play chess? no. can i come up with a rational conclusion whether or not i can based on biblical principles? probably not. through a systematic study of the Bible we can easily say we're not to engage in an unjust war, but is playing chess really war? sure, it requires strategy, but it's not war. now, one jehovah's witness actually attempted to answer your question in detail (which i commend him for) and concluded that playing chess is like playing war...a primary example of taking God's principles too far and applying it where it shouldn't be applied.



i have a very good friend who is a jehovah's witness (in learning) and he talks about the organization a lot. he has confirmed some of the things on your list, although it's not necessarily prohibition, but rather advised strongly against (where if you still engage in it you'll probably be talked to by the elders about your behavior).



after reading my answer some jehovah's witnesses will more than likely ask (but probably wont now that i have said this) "which things on the list does your JW friend mention?" i'll take the time to mention one: shopping at the salvation army. why is it advised strongly against by the organization? because most of the proceeds go towards charities that have been established by "christendom" and the watchtower literature explicitly tells them to avoid from giving to charities outside of the organization.

Answer 2

How are these "loads too heavy to be borne"?



YMCA- false religion.



Run for school leadership- why? This teaches is to put trust in man rather than God.



Participate in school event - how is that too heavy a load?



Shop at salvation army- you can get Better deals at walmart



Go to a school prom or dance - how is that too heavy a load?



Serve on a jury - big deal. Everybody tries to get out of jury duty



Pursue a Master’s Degree or even a BA - I know many who go to, or have gone to college. how is that too heavy a load?



Sing holiday songs like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - stupid. Its a not a Christian song. how is that too heavy a load?



Wear blue-jeans (Levis) at the Kingdom Hall - hmm... big deal. how is that too heavy a load?



Read religious literature (devotional books) not published by the Watchtower - no. wrong.



Send dad a father’s day card or take mom out to dinner on Mother’s Day - how is that too heavy a load?



Buy Girl Scout Cookies - huh?



Eat Lucky Charms Cereal (too magical) - its bad for you



Make web pages with a religious theme - hmm... what is www.watchtower.org ?



Play chess or other combat games - we do not learn war.



Have consensual oral sex within the bounds of a marriage - says who?



Use “live” musical instruments during their worship services (guitar, drums, etc). - how is that too heavy a load?



Sing hymns not published by the Watchtower organization. - so what. how is that too heavy a load?

Answer 3

About half your list is definitely incorrect. A few have been mentioned in other answers.



The others could not be answered without a basic understanding of why the answer is being given.



I have gone to college, worn jeans to the Hall, (my work time was such that it was a necessity many times), bought cookies, shopped as needed, ate Lucky Charms, gone to several proms, participated in extra-curricular activities at school, (my favorites were the Latin Club, Academic Club, and Band/Choir).



I have not had the privilege of serving on a jury - but if I were called and felt that it was something that I could help decide with justice and fairness, I would serve.



Personally, in my neighborhood, there are several other thrift stores that are bigger with better prices.



As for live music, by using recordings, ALL our congregations, even those overseas have the advantage of instrumental music from symphony orchestra performers.



If you want to hear some of the instrumental, along with beautiful voice arrangements, please go out on jw.org and look for the song selections. They can be downloaded.



Oh, and as for books/literature, my house has at least 5000 books of all kinds of Biblical topic/Biblical research/Biblical history subjects. No exaggeration.

Answer 4

No, not true. I'm pretty sure we just had a recent article on Jury Duty and how we need to show up and not just try to get out of it. We can play chess, oral sex within marriage is ok (if you mate is ok with it)... we just don't play musical instruments 'live' anymore not because we're against it.. it's just easier to play the CD. I buy Lucky Charms cereal if it is on sale.. but might not if someone was there that was particularly bothered by it. I buy my clothes at many second hand stores, I wouldn't be opposed to getting something I needed from the Salvation Army. Most religious hymns have lyrics I don't agree with.



We are asked not to wear Jeans at the Kingdom Hall because it is overly casual, you can be plenty comfortable in nicer clothes... you can find plenty of inexpensive nice clothes from a second hand store... Salvation Army if they have something I can wear.



Rules - We don't celebrate holidays with pagan origins.. including Christmas, Mother/Father's Day, etc... so that's more like a rule thing if you want to be a JW.



I don't know who made this list, but they are wrong. Some of these things you list are recommended against doing... but aren't rules and you have to make your own decision about them.

Answer 5

Who wants to do what before the face of the living God who gives us

life and a place to live it? Jesus was no part of this world, John 18:36.

So what is this world?

Pharisee's believed in the talking dead, Luke 16:14-31, both Jesus as

Abraham knew there was no such thing in the law and the prophets,

so the Pharisee's made the word of God to no avail with their worldly

traditions, after Chist Jesus, Rev.1:1-3,5; 3:14; Rev.18:1-6, says

come out of her my people, there was no place to be but under the

world influience of Babylon, then 1Pet.5:13, although it no longer

exist, all it did is still alive and well, Jer.10:1-4, imagine people deck

a cake for their birthday, where is this done with prophets, saints,

disciples or apostles? Who decks a tree as a Christmas tree for who's

birthday when Santa Clause brings gifts? Where is the sense in it?

People should stay serious, humble and sober, 1Pet.5:6,8, and into

study of God's powerful word, Heb.4:12, just as Jw's bible students do.

You do not have to be in the Watchtower organization to know all the

18 things above, they, their literature, property and principles deserve

every ounce of respect, same as the bible as God's holy word does.

Answer 6

The last item on the list says it all. Not published by the Watchtower organization. Watchtower rules with an iron fist. JW's cannot disagree with the Watchtower or they will get disowned. If you pay close attention they are almost like robots, emotionless. They are told what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. You start asking tough questions and that will ignore them and stick to the script. Its all about rules and regulations just like the Pharisees. The sad thing about it is that they have a bible that was changed to fit their beliefs. And they are always changing their rules like salute the flag then you cant salute the flag, join army then you cant join army, etc...Then watchtower claims to be prophets, after seven false predictions of the coming of christ, then they claim they are not. Their just off. And you can find all this info from their own old watch tower magazines.

Answer 7

No, the Bible has principles that apply to all things in life. Humans cannot trust their God given conscious to make godly decisions because humans are ungodly by nature of being imperfect and sinful. God is a God of peace and order. His laws and principles, when followed, keep peace and order. 1Corinthians 14:33

Answer 8

I know for a fact that Christendom (false religion ) are like the Pharisees. They rejected Jesus as being the Son of God. Christendom rejects Jesus by believing that he is God when he himself said that he was only the Son of God. John 10:36 - John 20:17 and Rev. 3:12

Answer 9

No, we have nothing in common with the Pharisees, other than we're human beings like they were



You do know that you contradicted yourself by first criticizing us for following "general Bible principles" & then referring to our Bible-trained conscience, don't you?

How else can you Bible-train your conscience without following Bible principles?



Jesus IS our leader.... so how can you criticize Jesus for acting like the Pharisees?



Rofl @ your list

That's got to be the worst dodgy list about us I've ever seen

Thanks for the laugh

Answer 10

No.



What anti-JW website did you get that silly list from? Apparently, you have neglected to check it for accuracy.



FYI, I do eat Lucky Charms cereal. However, I will not eat the yellow moons and green clovers. They give me gas.



Oh, and do you take your mother out to dinner on Mother's Day? If so, I'm sure she appreciates all that attention you give her once a year. Where are you taking her next Mother's Day? I hear Jack-In-The-Box is still running that special on the All American Burger Combo.

Answer 11

" Sing holiday songs like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"... oh yeah, flying reindeer huh?

How on earth is that Christian?- Can you imagine the Disciples of Christ " hunting for Easter Eggs".. or singing about Rudolph? Which side of your brain are you actually using at present?

... Don't answer that.

Answer 12

ROTFLOL!!!!



"conumdrum" stated and I quote:



" " Sing holiday songs like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"... oh yeah, flying reindeer huh?

How on earth is that Christian?- Can you imagine the Disciples of Christ " hunting for Easter Eggs".. or singing about Rudolph? Which side of your brain are you actually using at present?"



ROTFLOL!!!! That was AWESOME!



I actually have a box of 'Lucky Charms' cereal in my kitchen (had a bowl of it for breakfast yesterday and as a snack last night), I served on Jury duty last month and I love chess.



What a joke (LoL!).



Here's the REAL question:



"Does the CLERGY of CHRISTENDOM have anything in common with the Pharisees? Have they made Jehovah a petty God? "



Here's what Jesus Christ actually said regarding the Pharisees... and I quote:



"All the works they do they do to be viewed by men; for they broaden the [scripture-containing] cases that they wear as safeguards, and enlarge the fringes [of their garments]. They like the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi by men. But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher, whereas all you are brothers. Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One."

~ Matthew 23:5-9 (New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)



Wanna see that in a different Bible translation? Okey dokey, here ya go:



"They do all their works to be seen of men; for they make wide their phylacteries (small cases enclosing certain Scripture passages, worn during prayer on the left arm and forehead) and make long their fringes [worn by all male Israelites, according to the command].



And they take pleasure in and [thus] love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,



And to be greeted with honor in the marketplaces and to have people call them rabbi.



But you are not to be called rabbi (teacher), for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers.



And do not call anyone [in the church] on earth father, for you have one Father, Who is in heaven.

~ Matthew 23:5-9 (Amplified Bible)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2023:5-9&version=AMP





Therefore, with THAT being said by Christ himself, isn't it TRUE that the CLERGY of CHRISTENDOM:



# 1) Do all their works (good deeds) to be seen by and given praise by imperfect men (plaques, awards, ceremonies, press, television, trophies... etc)?



# 2) Wear elaborate religious clothing that DISTINGUISHES them as being separate from the so called "lay people" (the common folk)?



# 3) Take pleasure in and love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the church or at other events?



# 4) Love to be greeted with honor in the marketplaces and to have people call them "Father" so and so (Father Daniels, Father O'Brien, Father Kelly... etc)?



# 5) Call their Pope's and Priest's "Holy Father" or "Father", despite the FACT that the Son of God himself clearly commanding NOT to do such a thing as that and why not to?



Jene stated in part and I quote:

"imagine people deck a cake for their birthday, where is this done with prophets, saints, disciples or apostles?"



Way to go "Jene"! The CLERGY and the vast majority of CHRISTENDOM'S members could care less that the holy Bible itself states the following concerning what has become the modern practice of putting up the PAGAN Christmas tree in their homes... and I quote:



"Hear ye the word which JEHOVAH speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:



thus saith Jehovah, LEARN NOT THE WAYS OF THE NATIONS, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.



For THE CUSTOMS of the peoples are vanity; FOR ONE CUTTETH A TREE OUT OF THE FOREST, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.



THEY DECK IT WITH SILVER AND GOLD; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.



They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good."

~ Jeremiah 10:1-5 (American Standard Version / Caps mine)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2010:1-5&version=ASV

** See also 1 Corinthians 10:20-21 http://tinyurl.com/3nmf67g **





Christendom is a JOKE!



Seriously, is there really even ANY need for me to continue?



I'm going to go have me a bowl of delicious 'Lucky Charms' cereal right now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rge4eU00aNM&feature=related



Mmm, Mmmm, yummy. :-D

Answer 13

You are kind of slow aren't ya? Nobody care what you think about the Witnesses. Ever.



And obviously you think that following God's principles, any of them, is legalistic huh?



Oh and your list is complete rubbish, and not even worth addressing.









You must know nothing of the bible.

Answer 14

Yes they do .....yes they have....



i tell you the TRUTH ...so look.....



Matthew 16:6 Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."



Matthew 16:12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.



God bless u.....

Answer 15

Yes. And, their Governing Body chides the Catholic Church for lording it over their believers while the WTS is doing the very same thing.



Formal discipline is administered by congregation elders. Counseling and shepherding[221] are emphasized as primary roles of congregation elders. When an allegation of "serious sin" is made concerning a baptized member, a judicial committee is formed to determine guilt, provide help and possibly administer discipline. Disfellowshipping, a form of shunning, is the strongest form of discipline administered.[222] Contact with disfellowshipped individuals is limited to direct family members living in the same home, and with congregation elders who may invite disfellowshipped persons to apply for reinstatement;[223][224] formal business dealings may continue if contractually or financially obliged.[225] Witnesses are taught that avoiding social and spiritual interaction with disfellowshipped individuals keeps the congregation free from immoral influence and that "losing precious fellowship with loved ones may help [the shunned individual] to come “to his senses,” see the seriousness of his wrong, and take steps to return to Jehovah."[226] The practice of shunning may also serve to deter other members from dissident behavior.[227] Members who formally resign ("disassociate") are also shunned.[228][229] Disfellowshipped and disassociated individuals are considered to "unrepentantly practice lawlessness".[230] Reproof is given formally by a judicial committee to a baptized Witness who is considered repentant of "serious sin"; the reproved person temporarily loses conspicuous privileges of service, but suffers no restriction of social or spiritual fellowship.[231] Marking is practiced if a baptized member persists in a course of action regarded as a violation of Bible principles but not a "serious sin".[232]



221.^ "Help those who have strayed". The Watchtower (Watchtower): 8. November 15, 2008.

222.^ The Watchtower April 15, 1988.

223.^ Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site: Our History and Organization, "Do you shun former members? ... If, however, someone unrepentantly practices serious sins, such as drunkenness, stealing or adultery, he will be disfellowshipped and such an individual is avoided by former fellow-worshipers. ... The marriage relationship and normal family affections and dealings can continue. ... Disfellowshipped individuals may continue to attend religious services and, if they wish, they may receive spiritual counsel from the elders with a view to their being restored. They are always welcome to return to the faith [emphasis retained from source]"

224.^ "Display Christian Loyalty When a Relative Is Disfellowshipped". Our Kingdom Ministry: 3–4. August 2002.

225.^ "Disfellowshipping-How to View It". The Watchtower: 24. 15 September 1981.

226.^ "Appendix: How to Treat a Disfellowshipped person". Keep Yourselves in God's Love. Jehovah's Witnesses. 2008. pp. 207–209.

227.^ Holden, Andrew (2002). Jehovah's Witnesses – Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement. Routledge. p. 163. ISBN 0-414-26610-6.

228.^ "Make Wise Use of Your Christian Freedom", The Watchtower, June 1, 1992, page 18.

229.^ "Disfellowshiping—How to View It", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 23.

230.^ "Do You Hate Lawlessness?", The Watchtower, February 15, 2011, page 31.

231.^ "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, January 1, 1983 pp. 30–31.

232.^ The most common example given is a baptised Witness who dates a non-Witness; see The Watchtower, July 15, 1999, p. 30.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovahs_witness

Answer 16

Only superficially. The Pharisees were sane.

Answer 17

I'm confused help me to understand why you even care. I'm sure you have more important things to do with your time. Well maybe not.

Answer 18

J.W. is petty good people they know who Jesus. IS He not God!

Answer 19

I think they are very different.