[Before we get started, I’d like to ask you to do something: Get yourself a pen and paper and write down what you understand “worship” to mean. Don’t consult a dictionary. Just write down whatever comes to mind first. Please don’t wait to do this after you read this article. It may skew the result and defeat the purpose of the exercise.]
I recently received a series of challenging emails from a well-meaning, but doctrinaire brother. They began with him asking me, “Where do you worship?”
Even a short while ago I would have responded reflexively: “At the Kingdom Hall, of course.” However, things have changed for me. The question now struck me as odd. Why did he not ask: “Whom do you worship?” Or even, “How do you worship?” Why was my place of worship his main concern?
A number of emails were exchanged, but it ended badly. In his final email, he called me an “apostate” and a “son of destruction”. Apparently he is unaware of the warning Jesus gave us at Matthew 5:22.
Whether by providence or coincidence, I happened to be reading Romans 12 about that time and these words of Paul jumped out at me:
“Keep on blessing those who persecute; bless and do not curse.” (Ro 12:14 NTW)
Words for the Christian to remember when being tested by those one would call brother or sister.
In any case, I hold no resentment. In fact, I am grateful for the exchange because it got me thinking about worship again. It is a subject that I felt needed further study as part of my ongoing process of clearing out the cobwebs of indoctrination from this old brain of mine.
“Worship” is one of those words I thought I understood, but as it turns out, I had it wrong. I have come to see that in reality, most of us have it wrong. For instance, did you realize that there are four Greek words which are translated into the one English word, “worship”. How can one English word properly convey all the nuances from those four Greek words? Clearly, there is much worth examining on this crucial subject.
However, before going there, let’s start with the question at hand:
Is it important where we worship?
Where to Worship
Perhaps we can all agree that for all organized religion there is an important geographical component to worship. What do Catholics do at church? They worship God. What do Jews do at the synagogue? They worship God. What do Muslims do at the mosque? What do Hindus do at the temple? What do Jehovah’s Witnesses do at the Kingdom Hall? They all worship God—or in the case of Hindus, gods. The point is that it is the use to which each edifice is put that causes us to refer to them generically as “houses of worship”.
Now there is nothing wrong with the idea of a structure dedicated to the worship of God. However, does that mean that to worship God properly, we must be in a particular place? Is geographical location a critical component in worship that pleases the Creator?
The danger of such thinking is that it goes hand in hand with the idea of formalized worship—the mindset that says we can only properly worship God by performing sacred rituals, or at the very least, engaging in some collective, prescribed activity. For Jehovah’s Witnesses then, the place we worship is the Kingdom Hall and the way we worship is to pray and sing together and then study the publications of the Organization, answering according to the information written therein. It is true that we now also have what we call “Family Worship Night”. This is worship at the family level and it is encouraged by the Organization. However, two or more families gathering together for “Family Worship Night” is discouraged. In fact, if two or three families were to regularly gather to worship in a home as we used to do when we had the Congregation Book Study arrangement, they would be counseled and strongly discouraged from continuing to do so. Such an activity is viewed as a sign of apostate thinking.
Many people today mistrust organized religion and feel they can worship God on their own. There is a line from a movie I watched a long time ago that has stuck with me through the years. The grandfather, played by the late Lloyd Bridges, is asked by his grandson why he didn’t attend the funeral in the church. He responds, “God makes me nervous when you get him indoors.”
The problem with confining our worship to churches/mosques/synagogues/kingdom halls is that we must also submit to whatever formalized methodology is imposed by the religious organization that owns the structure.
Is this necessarily a bad thing?
As to be expected, the Bible can help us answer that.
To Worship: Thréskeia
The first Greek word we will consider is thréskeia /θρησκεία/. Strong’s Concordance gives the short definition of this term as “ritual worship, religion”. The fuller definition it provides is: “(underlying sense: reverence or worship of the gods), worship as expressed in ritual acts, religion.” NAS Exhaustive Concordance simply defines it as “religion”. It occurs in only four verses. NASB Translation only renders it as “worship” once, and the other three times as “religion”. However, the NWT renders it “worship” in each instance. Here are the texts where it appears in the NWT:
“who were previously acquainted with me, if they would be willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our form of worship [thréskeia], I lived as a Pharisee.” (Ac 26:5)
“Let no man deprive you of the prize who takes delight in a false humility and a form of worship [thréskeia] of the angels, “taking his stand on” the things he has seen. He is actually puffed up without proper cause by his fleshly frame of mind,” (Col 2:18)
“If any man thinks he is a worshipper of God[i] but does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he is deceiving his own heart, and his worship [thréskeia] is futile. 27 The form of worship [thréskeia] that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.” (Jas 1:26, 27)
By rendering thréskeia as “form of worship”, the NWT conveys the idea of formalized or ritualistic worship; i.e., worship prescribed by following a set of rules and/or traditions. This is the form of worship practiced in houses of worship. It is noteworthy that each time this word is used in the Bible, it carries a strongly negative connotation.
Even in the last instance where James is speaking about an acceptable form of worship or an acceptable religion, he is mocking the concept that worship of God must be formalized.
The New American Standard Bible renders James 1:26, 27 this way:
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
As a Jehovah’s Witness, I used to think that as long as I kept my field service hours up, went to all the meetings, refrained from practicing sin, prayed and studied the Bible, I was good with God. My religion was all about doing the right things.
As a result of that mentality, we might be out in field service and near the home of a sister or brother who wasn’t doing well physically or spiritually, but rarely would we stop to pay an encouraging visit. You see, we had our hours to make. That was part of our “sacred service”, our worship. As an elder, I was supposed to shepherd the flock which took a good deal of time. However, I was also expected to keep my field service hours above the congregation average. So often, shepherding suffered, as did personal Bible study and time with the family. Elders do not report time spent shepherding, nor doing any other activity. Only field service is worthy of being counted. Its importance was underscored at each semi-annual Circuit Overseer visit; and woe betide the elder who let his hours drop. He would be given a chance or two to get them back up, but if they continued to lag below the congregation average on subsequent C.O. visits (save for reasons of ill-health), he would likely be removed.
What About Solomon’s Temple?
A Muslim might disagree with the idea that he can only worship in a mosque. He will point out that he worships five times a day wherever he may be. In doing so he first engages in ceremonial cleansing, then kneels—on a prayer rug if he has one—and prays.
That is true, but it is noteworthy that he does all this while facing ''Qibla'' which is the direction of the Ka'ba in Mecca.
Why must he face a specific geographical location to carry on worship he feels is approved by God?
Back in Solomon’s day, when the temple was first built, his prayer revealed a similar sentiment was prevalent.
““When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they kept sinning against you, and they pray toward this place and glorify your name and turn back from their sin because you humbled them,” (1Ki 8:35 NWT)
“(for they will hear about your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm), and he comes and prays toward this house,” (1Ki 8:42 NWT)
The importance of an actual place of worship is demonstrated by what happened after King Solomon died. Jeroboam was established by God over the breakaway 10-tribe kingdom. However, losing faith in Jehovah he feared that the Israelites who traveled three times a year to worship at the temple in Jerusalem would eventually return to his rival, King Rehoboam of Judah. So he set up two golden calves, one in Bethel and one in Dan, to keep the people from becoming unified under the true worship Jehovah had set up.
A place of worship can therefore serve to unify a people and to identify them. A Jew goes to a synagogue, a Muslim to a mosque, a Catholic to a church, a Jehovah’s Witness to a Kingdom hall. It doesn’t stop there, however. Each religious edifice is designed to support rituals or practices of worship unique to each faith. These buildings together with the rituals of worship practiced therein serve to unify the members of a faith and to separate them from those outside their religion.
It can therefore be argued that worshiping in a house of worship is based on divinely established precedent. True. But it is also true that the precedent in question, the temple and all the laws governing sacrifices and festivals for worship—all of it—was a ‘tutor leading us to Christ’. (Gal. 3:24, 25 NWT Rbi8; NASB) If we study what a tutor’s duties were in Bible times, we might think of a modern day nanny. It’s the nanny that takes the kids to school. The law was our nanny taking us to the Teacher. So what does the Teacher have to say about houses of worship?
This question came up when he was by himself at a watering hole. This disciples had gone off to get supplies and a woman came up to the well, a Samaritan woman. The Jews had their geographical location for worshiping God, the magnificent temple in Jerusalem. However, the Samaritans were descended from Jeroboam’s ten-tribe breakaway kingdom. They worshiped in Mount Gerizim where their temple—destroyed over a century before—once stood.
It was to this woman that Jesus introduced a new way to worship. He told her:
“Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father…Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for indeed, the Father is looking for ones like these to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit, and those worshipping him must worship with spirit and truth.” (Joh 4:21, 23, 24)
Both the Samaritans and the Jews had their rituals and their places of worship. Each had a religious hierarchy which governed where and how it was permissible to worship God. The pagan nations also had rituals and places of worship. This was—and is—the means by which men govern over other men to control their access to God. It was fine under the Israelite arrangement as long as the priests remained faithful, but when they began to turn away from true worship, they used their office and their control over the temple to mislead God’s flock.
To the Samaritan woman, we see Jesus introducing a new way of worshiping God. The geographical location was no longer important. It appears that first century Christians did not build houses of worship. Instead they simply met in the homes of congregation members. (Ro 16:5; 1Co 16:19; Col 4:15; Phm 2) It wasn't until the apostasy set in that dedicated places of worship became important.
The place of worship under the Christian arrangement was still the temple, but the temple was no longer a physical structure.
“Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that the spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.” (1Co 3:16, 17 NWT)
So in answer to my erstwhile email correspondent, I would now answer: “I worship in the temple of God.”
Where to Next?
Having answered the “where” of the question of worship, we are still left with the “what and how” of worship. What is worship precisely? How is it to be performed?
It's all well and good to say that true worshipers worship "in spirit and truth", but what does that mean? And how does one go about it? We will address the first of these two questions in our next article. The "how" of worship—a controversial issue—will be the topic of the third and final article.
Please keep your personal written definition of "worship" handy, as we'll be making use of it with next week's article.
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[i] Adj. thréskos; Interlinear: “If anyone seems religious…”
Archived Comments
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Comment by Alex Rover on 2015-02-11 08:26:11
Wonderful post. I'm adding 1Co 3:16, 17 to my mental treasure box, and looking forward to your next article on worship!
Comment by Shannon on 2015-02-11 10:08:25
I really enjoyed this post. The points made in regards to location when you highlighted the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman helped me see something new. Thank you!
Shannon
Comment by apollos0fAlexandria on 2015-02-11 11:00:49
This is an outstanding article Meleti. Thank you. I would love to see a response from the gentleman who instigated your thoughts on this, although I doubt that it would be very positive or meaningful. Once a person becomes loyal to a concept it's very hard to help them to see a different perspective.
I really appreciate the clarity you have brought to bear on this though. On the surface it seems so logical that we would have places of worship since they were built at certain times in the past and not condemned as such. Nevertheless the account at John chapter 4 clearly indicates that Christian worship would undergo a change in this regard, and just as you point out, there is no indication that Christians were directed to build new centers for this purpose.
Every JW and indeed every Christian would do well to think deeply about this. We are commanded to worship in spirit and truth. Rutherford denied the role of the spirit during his reign, and as far as worshiping in "truth", well we don't have a great track record there either.
I too look forward to your future articles developing this topic.
Apollos
Comment by QC on 2015-02-11 11:34:04
Yes, the modern day "temple of God" is spiritual disciple of Jesus.
That's a powerful message Meleti.
You made my day!
Comment by on 2015-02-11 13:08:15
Acts 17:24-24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands."
Comment by on 2015-02-11 13:09:19
I love your articles......they are just so clear and easy to understand. I cant wait for your follow up article! Thank you for this. Once the elders ran out of excusess they would resort to the "Where else will you go?" question.
Reply by apollos0fAlexandria on 2015-02-11 19:29:16
You've highlighted an important point here Anon'.
The question raised by JWs of "where else do we go?" has often been pointed out by those who have left JWs as a misquote of Peter's words "to whom shall we go?" (John 6:68).
However the subtle difference has never seemed as forceful as it now does after reading this article.
ApollosReply by qspf on 2015-04-20 11:04:29
Lest there be any doubt about what John was trying to convey, we should remember the complete context:
Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life; and we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
YOU - Jesus Christ - have sayings of everlasting life. Not an organization of men, no matter how well-intentioned.
Can someone explain why EVERY religion on the face of the earth has failed to understand this?
Comment by Marvin Shilmer on 2015-02-11 18:52:29
A person's worship is how that person lives their life. It boils down to that.
Where we worship is wherever we happen to be at any particular time.
Jesus did not teach a religion. Jesus taught a way of life. Why? Because how we live is our worship.Reply by Andrew on 2015-02-12 00:02:37
Amen, Marvin !
The other day, I told an elder that I did not have a religion. He asked me why I would say something like that. I told him I was a Christian. He said Christianity is a religion. I said I disagreed, as it is a way of life. He said Jehovah's Witnesses were a religion. I said that while that is true now, it used to be that Witnesses were not a religion. Who would something as dumb as that, he asked?
"The faithful slave," I replied.
Show me, he said.
“Jehovah’s Witnesses are not a religion.” From the 1940 Rutherford book “Religion.” (I read it to him from a first edition copy.)
“Religion is the fear of creatures.” From a talk brother Rutherford gave at the 1940 Detroit convention. (I offered to play him the mp3 file, but he said he believed me.)
He said I was not progressive. Sharper than most, he then asked how it could be that Witnesses were not a religion then, but are now. The simple answer, I said, was that when you are afraid of men, you are practicing a religion. “Who do you know that is afraid of men,” he asked?
I told him that I knew of several publishers in the area who did not believe that Christ was enthroned in 1914, did not believe the 144,000 was a literal number, and that the Governing Body is not the exclusively the faithful slave. I then asked him if he thought they would be willing to tell him that. After thinking for a bit, he conceded that they would probably be afraid to tell him that in person.
“That’s because they have a religion,” I said.
He then got a big smile on his face, and again, because he is a very clever person, he said this to me:
“OK. Since you are a Christian, and do not have a fear of creatures, if you did not believe those things, you would not hesitate to tell me that, would you?”
His smile grew bigger as he awaited my reply. He had me either way. If I would not admit it, he could rightly call me a hypocrite. If I did admit it, he would then have evidence to begin disciplinary action against me.
As I walked away, I said my answer was in Matthew 10:16.
Since then, he has called me several times, and left a voicemail saying he wants to talk some more with me. I have not responded yet.
Marvin, if you have not already done so, read the Rutherford book “Religion.” It opened my eyes to many things. Whatever harm Rutherford may have caused, his definition of religion hits the nail on the head.
AndrewReply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-02-12 08:49:39
What a stupendous comment. Thanks for sharing, Andrew.
Reply by Anjinsan on 2015-02-12 10:54:03
Andrew that was very clever of you too. A cunning man dies and a cunning man would bury him. Indeed you were wise as a serpent.
Reply by omionmen on 2015-02-14 00:39:56
Your parable of a 'cunning man' seems to be of a certain people,ar u a Nigerian? If yes reach me on omionmen@gmail.com.
Comment by FutureMan on 2015-02-11 23:09:50
A very well put and balanced article of which I wholeheartedly do agree with you in what you have written here.
Comment by on 2015-02-12 01:59:21
These are sort of articles i enjoy . It was new to me about these different greek words for worship . Thanks so much. Kev .
Comment by on 2015-02-12 02:06:25
As for the side issue of apostasy i just wish people would read carefully letters like jude and get to know how to identify an apostate .before they band these accusations around .. ah well welcome to the club. Kev
Comment by menrov on 2015-02-12 04:11:22
Well done Meleti, The whole concept of K's and Bethel houses is very much rooted in the time of Salomo. Since Jesus, this concept was (about to be) abolished. As said above, being a Christian is a way of life. It is shown in the things one does and say, not where he sits to listen. There is nothing wrong to use places where people can assemble to worship but it is wrong to appoint those places as the only acceptable place to worship.
So, again, great article.
Comment by katrina on 2015-02-12 06:00:33
Excellent article, associating together is to incite to love and fine works, not just putting in a report for hours spent witnessing, which means nothing if one does not show love toward their b/s. At the end of the day we all stand alone in our relationship with God, no building will ever save anyone, it is how we treat one another outside of that building.
Comment by donotforgetus on 2015-02-12 10:46:47
Nice article Meleti, thank you.
I appreciated the balance shown in this paragraph.
"Now there is nothing wrong with the idea of a structure dedicated to the worship of God. However, does that mean that to worship God properly, we must be in a particular place? Is geographical location a critical component in worship that pleases the Creator?"
"Now there is nothing wrong with the idea of a structure dedicated to the worship of God."
I agree.
"However, does that mean that to worship God properly, we must be in a particular place?"
Absolutely not.
"Is geographical location a critical component in worship that pleases the Creator?"
No. There is no pure Christian religion, or Christian church, only halfway houses which have continued to sustain Christianity until Christ returns. Christ worshiped his Father in the Temple and along the seashore and walking through the fields. It was his heart which sought after God in every place and on every occasion. Jesus worshiped everywhere because he loved his Father and could do nothing less.
With respect,
Laura
Comment by Anjinsan on 2015-02-12 10:49:36
Very up building article! I enjoyed it. Thanks for the time and effort. Looking forward to the next!
Comment by kev c on 2015-02-12 18:24:45
Im. So sorry to harp on about this after such a great article but. This charge of apostasy against you meleti has just eaten away at me have these people any idea what constitutes an apostate. They are well described in judes letter have they not understood it. Apostates. Always have an angle. They desire to manipulate others by thier words and actions for thier own benefit. This may include. For money. Like balaam. It may be for immoral sexual relations like those fallen angels or like those in sodom. Others love the prominence and power over others. And hence try to supplant jesus as our only true lord. Because of these lusts they speak abusively of others especially others who are true christians. Verse 9. Yes theres always an angle they do things for tihier own benefit. Verse 16. I would love to know what my angle is and no doubt your the same. Sorry to rattle on about that after such a good article. Your brother. Kev
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-02-12 23:03:56
Another aspect of apostates is that they do the persecuting of Christians. It isn't the congregation that persecutes apostates.
Comment by umbertoecho on 2015-02-13 13:20:08
If it is so very important to attend the K Halls, the assembly venues and such, in order to receive Jah's spirit. How come they keep selling them off, changing venues for assemblies. In fact they have cut down on so many of the assemblies that I hardly recognize this religion anymore. Then they control who may or may not go to international conventions. You have to fit all criteria of so called "good witness" to be able to attend and international assembly. This is like locking up the kingdom to me. I recall being very excited at the thought of attending one of the above assemblies, only to be told that I was not allowed. It seems that long standing ones in good standing only.....or pioneers, elders wives and families could attend.
Where is the spiritual good in these sorts of arrangements. So Meleti, I don't buy it anymore.........this having to attend a special place. Especially when the conditions for attendance are changed without regard to the heart of the individual.
We had a disabled person who was refused the right to attend last years convention by the society. I am angry about that, just as I am annoyed that in my past enthusiasm, I was knocked down.Reply by on 2015-02-13 15:35:49
Oh yeah the good witnesses the best brothers i heard it once said at the elders meeting .I found it offensive .
Comment by on 2015-02-15 04:58:47
Matthew 9:13.....I want mercy, I not sacrifice...... Proverbs 21:13 (anyone stopping up his ear from the complaining cry of the lowly one etc) means we have a fair few hypocrites among us? Nonetheless, it is necessary for Christians to meet together and encourage one another somehow, isn't it?
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-02-15 08:22:17
Quite true. We cancelled the best (original) method we had of meeting together when we cancelled the Book Study arrangement, ostensibly because of rising gas prices and the burden of modern life. (Both transparently flimsy excuses.) I remember wondering at the time--pre-awakening time for me--why we were doing that since we'd always claimed that the Book Study arrangement would be the one we'd use during the time of persecution which this and next week's WT study says will be soon upon us. I now strongly suspect the real reason was that the GB viewed the Book Study meeting in the homes of individual Christians as a danger to the preservation of doctrinal purity. It is much easier to control the message if the only time we get together to discuss the Bible is within a large group with all the elders present.
Reply by donotforgetus on 2015-02-15 10:32:28
Meleti, our field service group meets in a private home, we go out regularly together, meet together for hospitality whether or not the speaker attends and the Kingdom Ministry advised that we should invite one another over for family worship or dinner from time to time. I never felt that the Book Study was a place we could go off the reservation. ;)
Respectfully,
LauraReply by apollos0fAlexandria on 2015-02-15 12:02:27
Hi Laura
That all may be quite true. I can understand where you are coming from. But in which of those environments is a truly spiritual conversation with people asking questions likely to to spark up? We also do all the same things, but here are the formats in general:
1) Meetings for field service - the way to conduct is proscribed, and the encouragement (esp. from the recent KM) is to not hang around after but to get out on the work. Sure you can talk in your car groups but if it's like ours it's probably mostly just general chit chat. A "spiritual" conversation is considered to be when someone mentions something encouraging from a recent meeting or convention - but they are only expected to repeat - not to question.
2) Going out and meeting for hospitality - same things regarding conversations apply.
3) Sharing family worship from time to time - as long as there's no regularity to this then any in depth spiritual discussions are unlikely to ensue, or be pursued. I have attended the family worship of another family, and spent most of the time observing children's activities which are encouraged. Again, not much room for trouble to occur.
4) Dinner - same as #2
What I am saying is now that conversation is carefully controlled, because nobody is expected to say anything controversial (i.e. thought provoking), none of these environments are likely to have the effect Meleti is talking about.
That is quite different from actually sitting down every week with the same group of people and considering verse by verse the organizations explanation of the book of Revelation using the Revelation study book. I know many people who feel that the whole thing is packed with speculation - especially after all the revisions that were required last time round. All it takes is for a couple of people to question those things on a regular basis and a group could start to think for itself a little. I believe that this is the element that Meleti refers to, and it is quite different from all the other scenarios.
Apollos
Reply by donotforgetus on 2015-02-15 12:29:07
Apollos, I have never been in a book study where the seeds of scriptural disagreement were put down before all who were there to hear. But I have been to a brother's home for dinner where in conversations hints of disagreement with the Organization were tested out to the select few invited to attend.
So I suppose my experiences have been different. Thank you for replying.
With respect,
LauraReply by apollos0fAlexandria on 2015-02-15 12:36:33
Laura,
To be fair you are right. Dinner has more possibilities than a larger gathering. I shouldn't have lumped those in together.
But the org can hardly regulate against private dinners (although you never know what's around the corner).
ApollosReply by Anonymous on 2017-08-28 11:03:23
Actually they can regulate against private dinners.
Remember Ray Franz and why he was Disfellowshipped?
Reply by Anonymous on 2017-08-28 11:01:38
Looking back, I see that you're right.
Gasoline costs and our valuable time were flimsy.
Comment by Truthseeker on 2015-02-15 16:04:20
I'm disturbed by your email exchange because it demonstrates a prevalent attitude at the kingdom hall. Those who attend are told the only way to salvation is to be there. Those who are not there can never be saved, no matter what kind of heart condition they exhibit, or how much love they have for their brothers, or for Jehovah himself or Jesus. Actually, even though they mention these things, they are downplayed in importance, next to meeting attendance and field service. Field service means, without having to say it anymore, proclaiming the Kingdom. (Jesus, or anything he preached, or love for Jehovah are never mentioned in their examples of how and what to preach, unless they can be led into talk of the Kingdom.) Now that they've identified themselves as the visible part of the Kingdom we are supposed to feel that we are "in the kingdom," though not heirs of it, when we come to the Kingdom Hall. In short, they are saying that they are already ruling the Kingdom, and by associating with them, and hearing what they say, we are saved by our association. This whole attitude seems so blasphemous to me, and dangerous for the followers, who really only want to do the right thing to please Jehovah. These are good people who love one another and who are trying their best. The only exceptions to this I can think of are among those who become part of the power structure, and who possibly enjoy their positions too much, and for the wrong reasons. Pride of self can come in when "position" becomes offered. But good or not they are also fearful of disagreement, which is viewed as dissent, which is considered the same as divisiveness. We have all been taught that to disagree with anything they teach, whether we know better or not, is disrespect for Jehovah himself. None of us wants to be in that position if we truly love our Heavenly Father. So, I think the masses are convinced within themselves that they must not understand, and so defer to the wisdom of the FDS, who, we believe, have been appointed by Jehovah. (This idea is interesting in itself, since Jesus is supposed to be the one who appoints the slave, and who decides if they've been faithful, but I seldom hear the name Jesus mentioned in anyone's comments.) I worry that so many of these good people may be in jeopardy of worshiping falsely for assigning so much trust to mere men. We were supposed to be leaving this kind of false worship behind by becoming witnesses.
I'm also disturbed by someone who will try to "bring you in line with proper thinking," and when you can't be swayed to throw you away with the label "apostate." An elder gave a talk at our Kingdom Hall where he cautioned us about the personal danger that might exist to one of us who might meet an apostate at a door. We are supposed to be afraid to hear anything different than what is taught, as though we could ever be swayed by anything spoken that had no true basis. That was a big red flag for me. No one can argue against truth with anything that isn't the truth using the Bible as the authority. Real truth, the whole truth, can never disagree with itself by definition. The fear is not that we'll be swayed by a lie, but rather that we'll hear something true that proves them wrong.
Sorry for running on so long. Thank-you for all your good work, and for maintaining a proper attitude even in the face of detractors who try to draw you out to anger. I don't know how you do all that you do here for all of us.Reply by BN on 2015-02-15 17:02:03
AMEN!
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-02-16 07:54:47
Thank you. Your view of the climate within the congregations is spot on. I remember that, growing up through the 50s and 60s, it was not this way. We could discuss things, we could even disagree with some understandings and express doubt without everyone running off in every direction screaming "Apostate!". There wasn't the worship of men as we see now, either. Of course, that was all prior to the formation of the Governing Body, but even they have taken time to become what they now are.
Reply by Anonymous on 2017-08-28 10:58:27
If only it were as then.
Comment by agapeheartvisions on 2015-02-15 18:56:07
So many points here to comment on. I won't even try to remember everyone's name. Anyway, here goes:
This article was "Right On!" (Oops! I'm dating myself I know), but I have always felt that true Christianity was and is a WAY OF LIFE, not a location or building. Beautifully written article.
JW's are very quick to label someone an apostate, they have done so to my husband because he asked many questions about Watchtower doctrine and wouldn't be put off by the brothers saying he should just humbly obey and do as the GB tells us to do.
I miss the Congregation Book Study, but I'd begun to notice a subtle shift in attitude from the Book Study Conductors. They would rush the friends along in their comments, discourage outside the paragraph answers, and encouraged the friends to 'hurry along home' when book study was over. I remember having monthly gatherings after book study where after book study, we'd eat, fellowship, sometimes the friends would get into discussions of some point of Scripture, and a lot of learning took place in those gatherings.
The last straw for me came when the announcement came out I think it was 2005 or 2006 where the friends were told to limit their comments to no more than 5 seconds (If memory serves) the official reason was to give more friends opportunity to comment, but looking back I've come to realize it was simply to stop friends from giving their own opinions and not 'parroting' back the official Watchtower definition as presented in the paragraph.
It all seems rather oppressive now, going to the Kingdom Hall, it feels like one is under a microscope, every word is subject to questions, and every action is suspect.
Since my husband was disfellowshipped several months ago, the elders called me once to encourage me to return to the meetings since I'm just 'inactive'. I believe they just want me there to check up on what my husband is thinking and saying, which is nothing. We continue to read, study and pray. We continue to love the friends and Jehovah and Jesus. We continue to try to live according to The Way.
Maybe I have become emboldened by Beorean Pickets, perhaps I've thrown caution to the winds, maybe I'm tired of hiding. I'm signing out with my name:
Agape Friends,
LaRhondaReply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-02-16 07:49:03
Welcome, LaRhonda. We're so sad to hear how you and your husband have been treated, but as Paul told Timothy, "all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.” (2Ti 3:12)
This refines us and makes us desirable to our Lord. What stuns us is that we never thought the persecution for doing what is right and for loving truth would come from within the Organization itself.
That has been a rude awakening, but it only serves to show how truthful and accurate Jesus prophetic words have become.Reply by Anonymous on 2017-08-28 10:36:11
I was baptized in the early 2000s at almost 30 yrs of age. Ithink was refreshing (at first) that not only had it found the pearl of high value but that the was no clergy or hierarchy. All was well for about 2 years. Then the intimidation began. Those "taking the lead" began throwing their weight around, in very subtle ways letting me know that they were in charge. To this day I have no idea what they saw in me that they perceived as a threat to thier authority. I was told that I needed to "learn my place" "stay in my box" and such things. I was given "privileges" which were then used as leverage to force me to "submit" by threat of removing these privileges. My comments were critiqued, my motives questioned. I quickly began loosing the joy I had at first. I honestly had no idea why all this began. The constant carrot on a stick was being appointed as a Ministerial Servant.
Finally I was labeled as rebellious against authority. Today, I guess it was because I questioned why.
Why we were being told what was "appropriate" and "inappropriate" when it came to such things as if we were allowed to clap or not when someone was reinstated, or if a new understanding wasn't so...understood, why was I looked down on for expressing it or asking questions. These were truly innocent on my part. It wasn't until this year that I discovered I wasn't alone.
I'm still in the Congregation serving as a Regular Pioneer. I've learned to just keep my "mouth shut and my head down" as one elder put it to me, which is a sad thing considering I am among Christians.
However, even this is only of limited success considering the letter of "introduction" (elders opinion/perspective) follows wherever I may go thus tainting the view of the new elder body.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
Herbert SpencerReply by Meleti Vivlon on 2017-08-28 11:55:11
Welcome, Anonymous. I like the Herbert Spencer quote in particular.
Reply by Life2come on 2015-02-16 09:49:23
I believe the comment time constraint is 30 seconds according to the Theocratic School instructions. My goodness, in the first 5 seconds I am just taking a breathe. haha. Anyway, concentrating on getting my comment within the time allotment hardly makes for any heartfelt comment...and I always forget my stopwatch. :-).
Reply by Anonymous on 2017-08-28 08:36:03
Thank you for your expressions LaRhonda.
You're not alone.
Comment by PierrotSud on 2021-04-10 14:37:00
Excellent article.
It is true that since I have not been going to the Kingdom hall for a year now, there is a certain void that is created. I think that many of us have experienced this moment.
I find it hard not to be attached to a place to worship, certainly because I have had this habit since I was very young.
I understand better with these explanations that Jesus wanted us to understand that it is not the place that counts to worship God but what we have in our heart that is precious.
I will meditate on this article.
And then I will read the second part.
Thank you so much.
Pierre