Posted by Kinsman [TG] on April 05, 1999 at 11:18:25 {6.uz.4vynMfp06cXfsfIqXkUpQVXdM}:
In Reply to: *?s for the reform minded posted by Cygnus on April 05, 1999 at 08:18:09:
Hi Cyg,
: You Wrote: Yes, JWs have a lot of pride in their international organization and in the accomplishments of love and unity. Apostle Paul's letters could also be accused of demonstrating a "superiority complex."
It seems to me, Christianity would likely be better off without the plentiful anathemas of Paul and all the contemporary "superiority complexes" they encourage. The �literalists� can�t seem to see past the �God Breathed� scenario and realize Paul was just an ancient human and his expressions were filled with the contextual emotion of his own time and experience.
As you know Paul in some of his earlier writings once voiced his desire to castrate those who taught circumcision, but in other and later writings one can see more tolerance of difference. Yet I doubt he ever let go of his jealousy over those congregations that he converted and established and good news message that he himself preached. Nevertheless, Paul did seem to grow and change his viewpoint as he advanced in life much like all of us today.
Regards � Kinsman
E.g.,
Galatians 4 �5
�Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings that are not gods; but now that you have
come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years! I am afraid I have labored
over you in vain. �I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. �I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves! �
Romans 14
�As for
the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, �Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; �Who are you to pass
judgment on the servant of another? �One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He
also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord; �Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? �Then let us no more pass judgment on one another, but rather
decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for any one who thinks it unclean.�