- The public display of joy that applauding represents might offend some in the congregation who were perhaps adversely affected by the former sinner’s actions.
- It would be improper to demonstrate joy until sufficient time had passed for us to be sure that the sinner’s repentance was genuine.
- Applause might be seen as praising someone for finally repenting when such repentance should have been displayed in the initial judicial hearing, making the reinstatement unnecessary.
The question posed in the May, 2016 Watchtower under “Questions from Readers” is: “How can the congregation express its joy when an announcement is made that someone has been reinstated?”
This question was not posed in the February 2000 Kingdom Ministry since that teaching provided no means for the congregation to “express its joy”. Thus, that “Question Box” asked simply, “Is it appropriate to applaud when a reinstatement is announced?” The answer was No!
The May "Questions from Readers" uses Luke 15:1-7 and Hebrews 12:13 to show that an expression of joy is appropriate. It concludes: “Accordingly, there may well be spontaneous, dignified applause when the elders make an announcement of a reinstatement.”
How nice! We have had to wait 18 long years for men to tell us that it is now okay to obey God. But let us not put all the blame on these men. After all, they would have no power over us had we not granted it to them.
A Baby Step
The old reasoning conflicted with the teaching of Jesus regarding the proper attitude we should hold toward a repentant sinner. This is encapsulated in the Parable of the Prodigal Son found at Luke 15:11-32:
- One of two sons goes off and squanders his inheritance in sinful behavior.
- Only when he is destitute does he realize his error and return to his father.
- His father sees him a long way off and spontaneously runs to him before he hears any verbal expression of repentance.
- The father freely forgives the prodigal son, dresses him in finery, and throws a feast inviting all his neighbors. He hires musicians to play music and the sound of rejoicing carries far.
- The loyal son is offended by the attention showered on his brother. He demonstrates an unforgiving attitude.
It’s easy to see how our former position missed the significance of all of these points. That teaching was made even more bizarre because it conflicted not only with Scripture but with other teachings in our own publications. For instance, it undermined the authority of the elders making up the reinstatement committee.[ii]
The new understanding doesn't go far enough. Compare "there may well be spontaneous, dignified applause" with Luke 11:32 which reads, "But we just had to celebrate and rejoice..."
The new understanding is a minor attitude adjustment; a baby step in the right direction.
A Bigger Issue
We could leave things here, but we'd be missing a much bigger issue. It starts by asking ourselves, why does the new understanding make no acknowledgement of the former teaching?
A Righteous Man
What does a righteous man do when he has made a mistake? What does he do when his actions have adversely affected the lives of many others?
Saul of Tarsus was such a man. He persecuted many true Christians. It took nothing less than a miraculous manifestation of our Lord Jesus to correct him. Jesus rebuked him saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? To keep kicking against the goads makes it hard for you.” (Ac 26:14)
Jesus had been goading Saul to change, but he was resisting. Saul saw his error and changed, but more than that, he repented. Later in life, he publicly acknowledged his error with such words as “…formerly I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man…” and “…I am the least of the apostles, and I am not fit to be called an apostle….”
God's forgiveness comes as a result of repentance, of acknowledging the wrong. We imitate God, so we are commanded to grant forgiveness, but only after we see evidence of repentance.
“Even if he sins seven times a day against you and he comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”” (Lu 17:4)
Jehovah forgives the repentant heart, but he expects his people individually and collectively to repent of their wrongdoing. (La 3:40; Isa 1:18-19)
Does the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses do this? Ever??
For the past 18 years they have restrained genuine expressions of joy as inappropriate, yet now they acknowledge that such expressions are wholly scriptural. More, their past reasoning gave an endorsement to those who chose to disobey the Christ by being unforgiving, and it caused others to think it appropriate to regard the act of repentance with suspicion.
Everything about the former policy went against Scripture.
What hurt has this policy caused over the past two decades? What stumbling resulted from it? We can only guess, but had you been responsible for such a policy, would you feel it appropriate to change it without giving any acknowledgement that you were wrong in the first place? Do you think Jehovah would give you a free pass on that?
This new understanding is introduced in such a way as to not even hint at the fact that it reverses long-standing instructions from the Governing Body. It is as if those instructions never existed. They assume no culpability for the effect their instructions have had on the "little ones" of the flock.
I like to believe that Jesus has been goading our leadership, and indeed all of us, as he did Saul of Tarsus. We have been given time to repent. (2Pe 3:9) But if we continue to "kick against the goads", what will there be for us when that time is up?
"Unrighteous in Least"
At first glance, the fact no acknowledgement is being made of past error may seem trivial. However, it is part of a decades-long pattern. Those of us who have been readers of the publications for more than half a century can recall many times when we heard or read the words “some have thought” as a preface to a changed understanding. This shifting of the blame to others was always galling because we all knew who the “some” really were. They no longer do this, but now prefer to ignore the old teaching altogether.
It is like pulling a tooth for some people to apologize, even for the most minor of offenses. Such stubborn refusal to admit to wrongdoing demonstrates a prideful attitude. Fear may also be a factor. Such ones lack the quality needed to make things right: Love!
Love is what motivates us to apologize, because we know that by doing so we put our fellow human at ease. He can be at peace because justice and balance has been restored.
A righteous man is always motivated by love.
“The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much.” (Lu 16:10)
Let us test out the validity of this principle from Jesus.
"Unrighteous in Much"
Love motivates us to do right, to be righteous. If love is lacking in seemingly minor things, it should also be missing in the big things according to the Jesus gives us at Luke 16:10. It may have been difficult for us to see the evidence of this in past decades, but now things have changed. Mark 4:22 is coming true.
One case in point is to be found by considering the testimony of Witness elders, including Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson before the Australia Royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. Various elders, including Jackson himself, made statements on the record testifying to how much we love our children and do all we can to protect them. However, when each elder, including Jackson, was queried as to whether he had listened to the testimony of JW child sexual abuse victims, each said that he had not. Yet, they all had obviously had the time to be prepped by counsel and Jackson in particular showed by his words that he had spent time going over the testimony given by other elders. They honored God with their lips by claiming to love the little ones, but by their actions they told another story. (Mark 7:6)
There were times when Judge McClellan addressed the elders directly and seemed to be pleading with them to see reason. It was evident that he was baffled by the intransigence of those who were purportedly men of God. Jehovah’s Witnesses have a reputation in the world of being moral people, so the judge presumably expected them to readily jump on board any initiative that would protect their children from this horrific crime. Yet at every step he witnessed stonewalling. Toward the end of Geoffrey Jackson’s testimony—after hearing from all the rest—Judge McClellan, obviously frustrated, tried unsuccessfully to get the Governing Body, through Jackson, to see reason. (View it here.)
The key issue was the organization’s resistance to inform the police when they believed, or actually knew, that the crime of child sexual abuse had occurred. In over 1,000 cases, not once did the Organization report the crime to the police.
Romans 13:1-7 as well as Titus 3:1 instruct us to be obedient to the superior authorities. The Crimes Act 1900 – Section 316 "Concealing serious indictable offense" requires citizens of Australia to report serious crimes.[iii]
Of course, we have to balance obedience to the superior authorities with obedience to God, so there may be times when we have to defy the law of the land so as to obey the law of God.
So let us ask ourselves, was the Australia branch obeying God's law by failing, more than a thousand times, to report known and suspected child abusers to the authorities? How was the congregation protected by failing to report? How was the community at large protected? How was the sanctity of God's name upheld by failing to report? What law of God can they point to that superseded the law of the land? Can we really claim to be obeying Romans 13:1-7 and Titus 3:1 in every one of the 1,006 cases when we, as an Organization, failed to report the serious and heinous crime of child sexual abuse?
Worse yet was that a significant number of these victims, disheartened by their treatment—feeling ignored, unprotected, and unloved—were stumbled and left the brotherhood of Jehovah's Witnesses. As a result, their suffering was compounded by the punishment of shunning. Being cut off from their emotional support structure of family and friends, their injurious burden became even harder to bear. (Mt 23:4;18:6)
Many coming to these videos were expecting the best and have been baffled by this evident lack of love for the little one. Some even make excuses, trying to reason away the incongruity of a Christian doggedly defending the organization at the expense of its most vulnerable members.
Why the Fruit Is Missing
Yet, what cannot be reasonably denied is that evidence of the love Jesus spoke of at John 13:34-35—a love even people of the nations would readily recognize—is missing.
This love—not numerical growth or door-to-door preaching—was what Jesus said would identify his true followers. Why? Because it does not come from within, but is a product of the spirit. (Ga 5:22) Therefore, it cannot be successfully faked.
Indeed, all Christian religious organizations try to fake this love, and may even carry it off for a time. (2Co 11:13-15) However, they cannot sustain the façade, otherwise, it would not serve as a unique mark of Jesus' true disciples.
The Organization's historical record of failing to acknowledge wrong teachings, of failing to apologize for misleading its flock, of failing to do anything to make amends both in the "least" of things and in "much", demonstrates a lack of love. What does this mean for us?
If you hold an apple, you know that somewhere there is a tree from which it came. It does not spring into being on its own. That is not the nature of fruit.
If there is the fruitage of love Jesus spoke of, then the holy spirit must be there to produce it. No holy spirit, no genuine love.
Given the evidence, can we honestly continue to believe that God's spirit rests on the leadership of Jehovah's Witnesses; that they are guided by and guiding us with the spirit from Jehovah? We may resist letting go of this notion, but if that's how we feel, we need to again ask ourselves, where is the fruit? Where is the love?
_____________________________________________
[i] For the full details on our prior teaching, see the October 1, 1998 Watchtower, page 17 and Kingdom Ministry of February 2000, “Question Box” on page 7.
[ii] The Organization holds that when the elders make a decision in committee, they have Jehovah’s view on matters. (w12 11/15 p. 20 par. 16) So it is very strange to have a teaching that makes allowance for some to hold a position at odds with the decision of the committee of elders. After all, it is assumed that the elders have already fully determined that the repentance is genuine.
[iii] If a person has committed a serious indictable offence and another person who knows or believes that the offence has been committed and that he or she has information which might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of the offender or the prosecution or conviction of the offender for it fails without reasonable excuse to bring that information to the attention of a member of the Police Force or other appropriate authority, that other person is liable to imprisonment for 2 years.
Archived Comments
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Comment by 1984 on 2016-05-23 00:30:49
Wow, Meleti. This article says it all. Outstanding.
It is no exaggeration to say that you have referred to most of my favourite scriptures and many of the reasons I struggled with Cognitive Dissonance for so many years. Until I became an elder and was lead to one unavoidable conclusion - that this organisation is not being directed by holy spirit today, and was never appointed by holy spirit in the first place. And yes, that was a very difficult belief to relinquish, compounded no doubt by the many sacrifices I made to join in the first place - sacrifices I am still paying for. And when you take that central claim out of the equation, suddenly everything else starts fall apart - especially trust.
There are so many points you make in this article that have resonated with me (and my wife) for many years. The ARC confirmed the worst (and I watched most of it live here in Australia) but I had already left by that stage and was relieved to know that I at least got that decision right and remained free from any "bloodguilt by association" with this God-dishonouring, pharisaical, self-righteous religion - a religion I now believe has done more to bring reproach on Jehovah's name than any other.
I love the point you make: "This new understanding is introduced in such a way as to not even hint at the fact that it reverses long-standing instructions from the Governing Body. It is as if those instructions never existed." Now that reminds me of a book I once read..... (hence the moniker!)
Comment by Colette on 2016-05-23 09:52:54
I remembered all the times I had told my bible studies to look at the fruitage of their religion and then expected them to do the right thing and leave their church. This is what made me realize that I had to do the same - look at the fruitage of the organization and act accordingly.
It had been easy to think that the lack of love and godly fruitage was just a local problem in our congregation, but seeing the results of the unloving policies of the governing body on victims of child abuse, led me to see that the problem is an organizational one. And the elders and others in our cong were merely doing what they had been taught to do.
Yes, it takes extreme courage and faith in our loving heavenly Father to leave an organization. a step that in our minds would lead to our certain death, but then Jesus said that if we try to save our soul, we will lose it Mathew 16:25. It was only AFTER leaving that I could clearly see that the JW organization is definitely not being used by God, only AFTER I had shown my faith and trust in our Father by leaving.
Comment by tyhik on 2016-05-23 11:07:29
The problem of never admitting an error comes from the very doctrine of being "God's organization". God never makes mistakes. God never has to apologize. It's just the new godly light that now shines differently.
I think the organization has in principle two ways to go:
1. Continue as until now: continue being "God's org", continue being the source of "truth", keep the record "clean" of accepted errors.
2. Do a real cleanup of doctrines, drop all this 607b.c/1914 nonsense, admit an error of being "God's org" and all the other errors that followed from that and repent. Repent openly and sincerely.
It is very hard for me to see there being some kind of a middle way for the org. How can you be God's org and make mistakes all the time? Path 1 will be harder and harder to follow in the internet era, but path 2 may result in a rapid collapse among the long-time, core jw-s. Path 2 would definitely work better in long term, but there is no "long term" in the path 1, because of the imminent Armageddon doctrine.
Comment by Zugzwang on 2016-05-23 11:15:39
Luke 12:11-12Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)
11 `When men take you to the meeting houses and to the rulers and to the courts, do not be troubled about what you will answer or say.
12 The Holy Spirit will teach you at the right time what you must say.'
Geoffrey Jackson fumbled over his words , trying to find the right answers to respond to the questions. His response: someone more qualified will answer those questions.... Our father qualifies us. He qualified Moses to lead
he qualified David to kill Goliath. But no one qualified Jackson because he had no backing of the Holy spirit. He is an undereducated person both spiritually and academically. Who cares about his ailing Father when young impressionable people with a lifetime ahead are being ruined by people the organization chooses to protect. And then the testimony of a child should be wieghed? how does that compare to Jesus's view of little children. I need to keep reposting this video... it says it all. I don't need any more convincing. These are selfish men without spiritual backing. I used to be proud to be associated. More knowledgeable I thought but I see I was just part of an extremist group. And who are these more qualified people he wants to consult with now? People who went to school??? Higher education?? People steeped in "Satan's system" as they like to think are now being consulted to teach jws how to run thier organization and how to make policies that should protect the little ones.Reply by Colette on 2016-05-23 12:54:00
We had become aware of the child abuse problem because of media coverage of the Royal Commission. My husband decided to stop attending meetings as a result. I told him "just give the org a chance. Geoffrey Jackson is testifying and will explain this and set matters right." I was completely aghast to watch his testimony (with my husband) and to realize that I (just a normal sister) knew my bible better than he did.
His ducking and diving was exactly in the same manner as we had seen in our local elder body, and confirmed that their attitude was taught by the org.
I am very happy to say that as a direct result of GJ's testimony, our family saw that the org is rotten to the core and we are all very happy to have left. How very presumptuous of him to think he is part of the bride of Christ.
THERE IS LIFE AFTER THE WATCHTOWER!!! is going to be the motto of my ex-JW support group for our area.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-05-23 14:00:34
Now if we could only get more of our friends and family to watch the Jackson video with an open mind.
Reply by AndereStimme on 2016-05-23 20:19:39
A while back we chopped down a tree because it was rotten and we were afraid it would fall on our house. When we examined the stump, the tree was, indeed, rotten to the core. But a not-insubstantial portion on one side was clean, hard wood.
Comment by Yehorakam on 2016-05-23 15:01:07
Meleti. A BIG thanks for a wonderful article. I also thank you for including the point about apologies. Despite the fact that certain enforced policies have hurt people, have dishonored God, gone against scripture and even broke the law (ie. reporting serious and confessed crimes), the GB has never apologized for anything to my knowledge. If anyone out there knows of an apology, I would be interested to know where I can find it. Similar to Tyhik's comment, no apologies from them are necessary because they feel "God is directing their every step" and he makes no mistakes. And because he is directing everything, any previous policies or teachings that were unbiblical..."were the way God wanted it to be at that time." Funny how in their own policies, they require a sinner to apologize to those affected as an indication of admission and repentance. Their lack of an apology indicates they either feel they 'have no sin,' or if they recognize their error, they lack repentance with respect to their error. It all comes down to a lack of humility. And it really irks me the end result: saying that God is responsible for their errors.
With these "new understandings," many would think: "how marvelous these brothers are, that understand the Bible so well." In the end, was the change done because the governing body came up with a new, more loving way of looking at things because the spirit directed them that way? They would like you to believe so. They would like you to believe that a divine light illuminates above them and they feel inspired to write something new resulting in improvements. Unfortunately, the changes occur because other people read and understood their Bible and had the COURAGE to write the branches and asked those ‘taking the lead’: “Why are we doing this when the scriptures are so clear that it's wrong?” As a result of letters from the outside over MANY years, changes are made. A number of (small) changes were made after Raymond Franz' books. If he hadn't written the books, they may have never made even those small changes. Ever wonder why so many of these new ‘understandings’ come in under “Questions from Readers?” It's because readers that HAVE God's spirit question what is being taught when the Bible indicates something different. This forces those that are teaching to re-evaluate what is being taught. In this case of applauding disfellowshipping, I encourage readers to look at a letter posted way back in 2012 in the Pickets archive site:
http://meletivivlon.com/2012/10/20/should-we-applaud-a-reinstantement/
You will find a well written letter with all the scriptural principles expounded correctly to show that withholding applause is incorrect. I have no doubt that a letter like that was a slap in the face to those taking the lead and forced them to re-evaluate a change albeit a slow one. If the GB received God's spirit now, so as to prompt this change on applauding in 2015/16, then the person who wrote the letter in 2012 had God's spirit long before the GB. So are those taking the lead really ‘taking the lead?’ Taking the lead means you are the first to move and others are prompted to follow. It is clear in so many cases that the brothers outside, far away from the GB are the first to bring things up. They write letter upon letter for years and finally a change comes. So, if they call that "taking the lead", then the GB are leading by following. If things are changing because of letters that come in, can we say the Jehovah’s spirit is moving the governing body to make changes, or is it pressure from others that are directed by his spirit? Jehovah’s spirit teaches and moves us to make changes even though there has been no pressure from anyone else to do so. That’s how the holy spirit works. When the GB changes it's teachings or policies due to pressure from others (letters/Royal Commissions/courtcase decisions against the org), that is called being corrected and disciplined! In essence, God's spirit can work upon anyone, not just the GB. It's just they have the means to publicize it, so they get the credit for God's direction on others.
Let us all pray with faith that the Holy Spirit will act upon all sincere truth seekers worldwide, awakening them and bringing them to a fuller understanding of the truth. They are blinded and imprisoned and have let the GB kidnap their consciences. The end result is that they've been prevented from showing true love. We don't need human leaders to tell us whether we can 'do a good deed on a sabbath' so as to know whether it is right or wrong. God's word, Jesus direction and the HS can do that just fine.
Much love,Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-05-23 15:32:21
Thanks Yehorakam, for your comment and for posting that link to the letter written in to the branch. I had forgotten all about it.
Comment by Yehorakam on 2016-05-24 00:14:36
In response to Zugzwang's comment, my feelings are that Z. would have a point about brother Jackson not being directed by Holy Spirit, but to attack him as a person saying he is uneducated without solid proofs falls into the category of an attack on his person. Remember, there are scriptural examples of people who were very well educated spiritually and academically, but the Holy Spirit was missing. So education is not a factor here and need not even be mentioned. Possibly Jackson is quite well educated for all you know. I'm sure he could run circles around me with the Bible. But, I suppose all he would have is a bunch of scribbly circles. : ) (sorry, but that's the only thing that popped into my mind). As this article points out, the tree is bare because the spirit is lacking.
Additionally, as Christians we should care about the young impressionable people as Z. says, AND care about the ailing fathers of even those who we may not like. Is not Jackson's father a human being? How about Jackson himself? Maybe some will find this weird, but truthfully I'm worried about him because he's in a very precarious position before Jehovah and Christ. If he was truly anointed and is on the path to be a 'wicked slave', it's very serious. He stands to loose his chance at life and lose it forever! Eternal death...now that's a sad situation. There is no other option for him if he truly was anointed. (See Heb. 6:4-8). So, I hope he and others like him may be corrected before it is too late. Maybe if he never was anointed and just mistakenly thought he was, then he'll die during the GT and get another chance in the second resurrection. He'll have plenty of time then to contemplate how to do things different.
May we all pray and make earnest effort so as not to let hurt feelings cause us to pass judgment on people we hardly even know or worry excessively about the damage these men have caused (I suppose if you are a victim of terrible abuse, then you won't be able to do much except worry about the damage and that's perfectly understandable). Some of us probably left the organization because we couldn't stand the way they sit and judge other people. When we leave, may we avoid doing just what they do. May we confidently trust in two truths: that no one escapes judgment and all the wrongs done in this system will be slowly and completely undone by Christ in the future. He "will make all things new."
Much love,Reply by Colette on 2016-05-24 02:25:32
Yehorakam, your comment highlights the whole point of this article - as true Christians, we each as individual wheat-like Christians need to be identified by our love. And the real test of that love is to even love our enemies, perceived or otherwise. It is not easy at all, especially with certain people, yet is the unmistakable mark of a true Christian. And certainly cannot be faked when it comes to our 'enemies'. I find it very significant how the elders immediately change in a very ugly way towards those that they have deem to be incorrigible apostates, proving their love and concern is only a veneer.
At Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus says: "“You heard that it was said: ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Reply by Zugzwang on 2016-05-24 20:31:26
I see how I was judge mental towards Mr Jackson. The anger I felt towards the GB after watching the video for the first time was the source of my words. It's not easy to realize that a large portion of your life was spent pursuing meaningless goals , making meaningless sacrifices. Loosing family members in death because of their misguided stand on the blood issue. To realize that your whole remaining family is trapped. It's one thing to think the GB are misguided too but this video shows that there is not even a second thought as to the individual , the little ones. So I apologise for my judgmental tone, perhaps people In this forum have overcome their grief in a more constructive manner. my point however is that education should not play a role because it wouldn't matter if one representing Jehovah is not educated secularly or a specialist in any field. Jehovah will equip his servants with Holy Spirit to make a defense he will give them exactly what to say as Luke 12 says. So Jackson would not have to turn to a specialist in any field to be able to think up a response.He would not have to dip and dodge a question that I would like to think I could easily respond to.
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-05-24 22:27:08
You may have been a little judgmental, but you were certainly not Judge Mental. Let me guess. Autocorrect strikes again! :)
Seriously, we all understand how you feel. We've all experienced the anger that is natural when one realizes the full scope of betrayal: the wasted efforts, the missed opportunities, and most of all the years we could have been building a real relationship both with Christ and our Father.
When I write my articles, I run them by a few trusted friends and often they come back to me advising me to cut something or lighten the tone. Anger creeps in because it wants an expression, but we do well to fight that. I'm sure that Michael wanted to say a few choice words to the Devil when he had that dispute over Moses body. (Jude 9)
But we have found the Christ, so it is just going to get better and better from here on out.
Reply by Colette on 2016-05-25 08:53:25
My personal opinion on this matter of being judgmental is that the organization teaches its members to be that way. For example look at the recent WT giving a list of things a person must do before they are qualified to be anointed. Also at this year's convention, the publishers are now being encouraged to shun inactive ones that are living sinful lives, including family and friends. So you don't even have to be disfellowshipped anymore to be shunned, and each publisher is now being empowered to be both judge and executioner.
While we were still in, we were also very judgmental and spent a lot of mental energy on this negative attitude, instead of focusing on the bible, judging not only the whole world of mankind, but also most in the cong too.
I have had to make a real effort to overcome this and have seen that many former JW's struggle with it too. So we get back to the point of the fruit we should bear: LOVE
Comment by Yehorakam on 2016-05-24 03:50:18
Thanks Collette. Your thoughts are very encouraging. Certainly there is a temptation to 'respond in kind' to bad treatment and a greater challenge to still love those that have failed to show love. Despite being disfellowshipped and having passed for many pains and injustices, I have not lost my concern for all in the congregations although I know most have lost their concern for me. Your quote from our Lord at Matthew 5 hit the nail on the head and served as beautiful reminder. Thank you my dear sister!
Reply by Colette on 2016-05-24 03:56:19
Our whole family is extremely happy to be disfellowshipped, something that I thought I would never allow to happen to me. My conclusion is that the organization is in the process vomiting out any real christians that might be in it, as we just don't fit in with them. So you are in good company :-).
Not that I am implying that those that are left behind are not real christians, but rather think they are in different stages of developement. Jesus is the judge and is working with each individual in his own way and time.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-05-24 11:07:36
I agree, Colette, but the process flows both ways. While real Christians are being squeezed out, false ones are flowing into positions of power.
I was asked recently how these Pharisees rise to such positions of power. My experience is that when you have a brother who has been appointed as an elder and who becomes Pharisaical (or perhaps he started out that way), he is not going to recommend a brother in whom the spirit of God resides. Would he recommend a man who would go against his Pharisaical wants, who would challenge him and perhaps even threaten his own status? No, he will look for others who think as he does. Pharisees recommend Pharisees and squeeze out true Christians.
So either the true disciples of Jesus leave of their own accord, or they are forced out, or some combination of the two, but the end result is a congregation and an organization which like first century Judaism is being slowly turned to stone. In my view, the process is well on its way and is accelerating.Reply by AndereStimme on 2016-05-24 20:21:38
The mystery of this process is already at work, that's for sure, and has been for some time. Elders who like power and have a good thing going are not likely to recommend some guy who might rock their boat with the "mind of Christ". Most of the brothers I know who were very good elders are no longer serving.
Comment by Leonardo Josephus on 2016-05-25 10:42:12
Excellent article Meliti. You hit the nail on the head. A reluctance to admit you are wrong makes it very hard to change. What about 2 John 9-11 where it clearly refers to apostates, yet we apply this to all disfellowshipped ones, and basically treat them, not as sinners, but rebels. Have you already written on this.? Yet, when pushed, the GB admit they have no special insight beyond the scriptures. So what is the big problem ?
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-05-25 12:13:21
Thanks Leonardo. Actually, I have written something on 2 John 9-11. You can find it here:
http://meletivivlon.com/2014/06/11/labeling-the-apostate/
Comment by BConduct on 2016-05-26 08:11:12
Judicial procedures in even the mos egalitarian societies and nations acknowledge their flaws and lack of certainty. Unfortunately, it seems that in the eyes of the GB, acknowleging and accepting the procedural errors in a group that has for so long defined itself as 'other' and misunderstood is a step to far for the flock to tolerate. Admission will lead to a mass exodus.
Comment by lazarus on 2016-05-29 02:46:22
Thanks Meleti for highlighting the change. I asked a elder when they first got the memo on this point. He said months ago, I asked when will this be announced in the congregation. Lol. I've heard governing body members highlight there flawed , imperfect, make mistakes, no different to others, However to come out and say we're Sorry, for misleading the flock regarding failed prophesies, constant flip flops on certain doctrines, yes they are imperfect but believe they are the Faithful slave nothing more. Maybe behind closed doors their sorry, but a public apology would be appreciated followed by a review and change in these burdensome policies. Does it show true humility, well it's a start. But doubt that will happen anytime soon.
Comment by Benefiting from the 2016 Regional Convention | Beroean Pickets - JW.org Reviewer on 2016-06-01 19:22:42
[…] Apart from all the above, it is nice that the congregation in the video is shown clapping at the announcement of reinstatement. Up until a few months ago, that too was prohibited. (See “A Barren Tree”) […]