Jacobs’ friend tells him that observing the Sabbath might even be breaking the rules since it is Jacobs’ job to follow the Bible. What does he mean by this?
Why are Jehovah’s Witnesses sometimes seen as belonging outside the Christian community? (see page 75) Why is this an important distinction?
What did you learn about what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe?
What is the point of the Feast of Ingathering, or Sukkoth?
"Jacobs’ friend tells him that observing the Sabbath might even be breaking the rules since it is Jacobs’ job to follow the Bible."
ReplyDeleteThis is a cute catch-22 that his friend sets up for him, but I think this is something which is very unhelpful to Jacob. Yes, this started as an idea for a book and the book is going to bring in money, but it's not fair to imply that this somehow invalidates the project. I think this is exactly what his friend is doing, albeit indirectly. By saying this to Jacob it plants the seed in his mind very early on that his attempt to follow the Bible is part artifice. I imagine it was hard for him to fully commit to the project, and pulling a little logic trick on him at the beginning sure wouldn't have helped.
Of course, it IS a nice little micro-version of the struggle to follow the Bible as literally as possible that runs throughout the book...If this statement is true for Jacob as a writer, is it also true for rabbis? For priests?
I agree with Jimmy. But I'd also like to add that I think it is worth pointing out the contradiction, if only to highlight the near impossibility of the author's task.
ReplyDeleteWhy are Jehovah’s Witnesses sometimes seen as belonging outside the Christian community? (see page 75) Why is this an important distinction?
ReplyDeleteJehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity. They believe Jesus was God’s first creation and not His son. I believe this is contradictory to most Christian denominations. What about the Mormons (or LDS)? I think they are also seen as outside the Christian community. But what does it mean to be a Christian? Isn’t it simply being a follower of Christ?
About the working on the Sabbath comments, I think this is a perfect example of how difficult it is for one to live the Bible literally. While one may not be doing any “work” on the Sabbath, it still could be defined as work. For example, attending a sporting event could be considered work if you are the coach, or it could be considered family time if you’re there all together.