[Watchtower study for the week of May 26, 2014 – w14 3/15 p. 26]
The purpose of this site is principally to deepen our study and understanding of the Bible. With that in mind, this week’s study article in The Watchtower doesn’t offer much in the way of greater scriptural insight. It is more of a How-To article relating helpful suggestions, particularly for those facing the often daunting task of properly caring for parents with illness and/or declining abilities. Having been there myself, such ones have my deepest sympathies. The task, although rewarding and praiseworthy, can also be onerous and burdensome, particularly when there is little assistance from other family members. More often than not, only one or two shoulder the responsibility while others keep their distance. It is a sorry state of affairs when that happens. Nevertheless, this is a means of exhibiting our true level of godly devotion. The real heart condition of all involved becomes manifest—not to Jehovah, for he can read hearts, but to the rest.
In any case, given that the nature of the study is not really scriptural, but practical, there is little for us to comment on with the exception perhaps of this quote in paragraph 5:
“This ‘is almost invariably the worst possible time to make such a decision,’ observes one expert.”
We have a penchant for quoting experts without naming them, nor providing references to verify the validity and context of the quotation. I don’t know why we do this, but personally I find it annoying and unprofessional. In any case, we acknowledge that there are experts, so if you are in the situation of needing to decide how best to care for aging parents, there is a plethora of information available to you. I just went on Amazon and searched on “caring for aging parents” and got pages of self-help guides. I am in no position to endorse any of them. Nor, as we tend to do in the Organization for all “worldly sources”, will I dismiss any of them. I merely mention that there is a great deal of information out there and that if we use the principles in the Bible to guide us as mature Christians we can determine what is worthwhile and what to discard. This we can do for ourselves without the overweening patriarchal influence which has long constrained us.
Hi everyone I was remembering the Saturday morning trips I would take my mum out to buy her weekly munchies and then staying with her for a cup of tea, a good natter and for her to say for the umpteenth time that my husband would be wondering where I had got to – while I was going through this study. I regularly thought about those wonderful words which Emilyjeff says, and I mentioned it a time or two in my answers in this study and last week’s study – Do unto others as you would have done to you.… Read more »
Okay brothers, I will be posting as cooljazz62. Hopefully my computer, (which has been giving me no end of problems will now cooperate) I had to re-log into the wordpress site and re-do everything. Hopefully everythings been taken care of. Thanks for your patience in advance.
One more time
Still working my connections, I think I’ve got it. Thanks for your patience brothers.
Just testing to see if I can post, been having a little trouble with my email.
I just hope they are honouring the aged witnesses who have given their whole lives to the service of the society the bethelites the special pioneers ect. Those with no money or insurances or pensions .ive read tonight theres a few people in spain that are cheesed off i dont know how true it is .
This new arrangement whereby the C.O.s and D.O.s over 70 are being sent out as special pioneers has got me wondering. No one can live on the stipend a special pioneer gets. So how is a 70-year-old couple going to make ends meet when they’ve been living the comfortable live of a circuit overseer for the past 20 or 30 or 40 years? To make matters worse, the congregation are being told to discontinue the congregation apartments or living quarters many halls have.
Perhaps thats another reason why they wrote the article it will probably be the responsiblity of the congregation or the children to look after them entirely that is of course unless the children are needed at bethel or similar
Meleti, your commentary is spot on. Information like this does NOT belong in a WT magazine, especially for a study on Sunday. Although I am in this position, I did not wait for the WT to come to my aid with an article to help me. I have several books on caring for aged parents which are more complete and certainly more authoritative than the WT’s non-specific “authorities” and “experts.” Hey, I think you and I qualify as experts in caring for the elderly, don’t we? What I needed from yesterday’s, next week’s and every week’s study is real Scriptural… Read more »
I rarely post on this site as I no longer consider myself an active Jehovah’s Witness. However, this article on Providing Care for the Elderly happens to be one of the few articles that I am not offended by. I think it is for the most part balanced and fair. I agree with Meleti that we should not need or expect the WT to do the research for us. One would think that being good Christians the children of such parents would display the love and respect that the Bible speaks of and would be willing and eager to do… Read more »
Is the link below, the expert that the article is quoting? Why is this expert’s publication so hard to find online?
https://plus.google.com/113718643083330278806/posts/V6nTqzYbTiL
I just did a Google search for the text “is almost invariably the worst possible time to make such a decision” and got a result that took me to a youtube comment that quotes a portion of a book entitled: “Providing Care For The Elderly” by Shafus T. Moultrey.
I cannot find any “official” online presence for this book. If it does exist it is likely an old publication. I wonder how much of that Watchtower article is based on advice found in that “worldly” book? LOL
Chris, It’s too bad you missed the QCV special. I got that same degree in Advanced Bamboozlology, also from UGL, for four equal payments of 49.99. Mine came with a Double Your Money Back Guarantee. Mine was a much better deal…trust me!
Darn it!
Four equal payments of $49.99 is a much cheaper deal.
Pays to shop around, I’ll know for next time, Thanks 🙂
True,Chris.Pays to shop around.I believe there’s no church/organization in the world that can claim to be the 100% God-approved one.For me,it’s no issue to move from church to church.The aim is for God to approve of us 100%.Individually,rather than “as a group”.I’m currently attending both the J.W. kingdom hall and a Baptist church.Some of the J.W.s know this and I won’t hesitate to tell those who don’t.This attendance at a church would be unthinkable for the typical J.W.,after having been indoctrinated for years.I’ve “studied the Bible” with them for years and even though to this day I’m unbaptized by them… Read more »
“We have a penchant for quoting experts without naming them, nor providing references to verify the validity and context of the quotation. I don’t know why we do this, but personally I find it annoying and unprofessional.” I couldn’t agree more. Surely they could at least provide numbered reference at the end of their articles? It’s what any credible journalist would do. What is an expert anyway? Such a loose term like ‘doctor’ Many so called experts have no credentials and there are degrees of expertise. They could be asking a brother or sister who works in a rest home… Read more »
This is a sad commentary on a magazine whose mission is “to deepen our study and understanding of the Bible”; although it may prove helpful to those who are able to undertake the physical and emotional challenges of caring for an elderly loved one.
There are also local resources to help with caregiving, though often you have to search hard to find them. In the USA, there is usually a “Council on Aging” within the state that can be of assistance.