2017, October 23 – October 29, Our Christian Life and Ministry

Alternative Highlights – Hosea Chapters 8-14

Hosea 8:1-4

“Put a horn to your mouth! One comes like an eagle against the house of Jehovah, For they have violated my covenant and transgressed against my law.  (Hosea 8:1)

The Organization has transgressed His law and shown disregard for His new covenant by teaching millions that they should not partake of the emblems at the annual memorial of Christ’s death in direct contradiction to Christ’s instruction to “keep doing this in remembrance of me”. (Luke 22:14-22, 1 Corinthians 15:26)

“To me they cry out, ‘My God, we, Israel, know you!’  ³ Israel has rejected what is good. Let an enemy pursue him.  ⁴ They have appointed kings, but not through me.” (Hosea 8:2-4a)

In July 15,2013 Watchtower, the Governing Body appointed themselves as the only faithful and discreet slave, but provided no proof that this was from Jehovah.  Furthermore, they have admitted they are not inspired, yet they require Witnesses to obey even direction which may seem strange.  Absolute obedience is what one gives to God or to a King, like Jesus Christ.

“They have appointed princes, but I did not recognize them.” (Hosea 8:4b)

How will Jesus look upon anyone who presumptuously names themselves God’s appointed channel when he returns. (See Geoffrey Jackson testimony before the ARC.)

With their silver and their gold they have made idols, To their own destruction.” (Ho 8:4c)

With their silver and gold, the organization has made built up a worldwide real estate empire comprising tens of thousand of Kingdom Halls, and over 500 Assembly Halls, the exclusive ownership of which it seized in 2012.

Hosea 12:6-7

““So return to your God, Maintain loyal love and justice, And always hope in your God.  7 But in the hand of the tradesman are deceptive scales; He loves to defraud.” (Ho 12:6, 7)

Do you find that there is justice when you ask them for clarification on a teaching or express doubt in their Scriptural reasoning.  Do we hear praise from victims of child abuse in country after country for the just way in which they were treated?  Is the Organization putting their hope in Jesus Christ when he is barely mentioned, but what takes precedence are articles and videos about construction of properties.

Hosea 14:9

“Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is discreet? Let him know them. For the ways of Jehovah are upright, And the righteous will walk in them; But the transgressors will stumble in them.” (Ho 14:9)

The one who is wise and discreet is the one who understands his ways have been wrong and strives to follow Jehovah’s upright ways.  Is it wise or discreet to refuse to acknowledge wrongdoing or mistakes and rectify them?  Surely, failure to do so will result in stumbling.

Live to Praise Jehovah! – Video: Use Your Talent for Jehovah.

Once again, good scriptural counsel is tainted by a video showing someone who was tempted into unchristian behaviour by an unusual set of circumstances. We have to ask how many brothers and sisters have ever been encouraged to accept such contracts as the brother in the experience? Does accepting a good contract or job offer inevitably lead down the path that this brother found himself on? Of course not. It is like the situation, accepting one drink of alcohol. Does that always lead to one becoming drunk? Hardly. Nevertheless, the implication in the video is that to accept any good job or contract offer will lead to immorality, drunkenness, etc, etc.

The discussion asks the question, “What are my spiritual goals?” Should not our response be: “To get to know Jehovah God and his son Christ Jesus better, and improve in our practice of the fruits of the spirit.”

However, the encouragement from the platform and the majority of comments will reflect a desire to partake in the JW Spiritual Goals Ponzi Pyramid scheme.

The steps in the JW Spiritual Goals Ponzi Pyramid scheme are as follows: (See how many are mentioned in the meeting; total up the points awarded for fun.)

1. Don’t pursue Higher Education
   Even if you have an interest, or the skill, or the circumstances, do not pursue Higher Education.  (Instead make yourself virtually unemployable, especially in a recession. – 1 point)
2. Obtain a Low Paying, Brain Numbing Job.
   Instead of getting a secular job that will ensure you can support yourself and a potential family, you will only be able to get a boring, low-paying job. This will increase your hunger to get the ‘riches’ held out in the JW Spiritual Goals Ponzi Pyramid scheme—and your dependency on it. (No satisfying, well paid job required. – 1 point)
3. Auxiliary Pioneering
   With what little spare time you now have, you will be strongly encouraged to use it to get to the 2^nd rung on the ladder: an auxiliary pioneer. (You can now feel you are better and more important than the common publisher – 2 points.)
4. Regular Pioneering
   Having enjoyed the spiritual benefits of auxiliary pioneering (the kudos associated with being known as an auxiliary pioneer) become a regular pioneer. (This gives you even more kudos in the congregation. – 3 points.  And it almost guarantees an interview at the circuit assembly – 3 bonus points.)
5. LDC (ex-RBC) volunteer
   Spend your small amount of spare time offering your labour and skills for free to the Organization to assist it in building Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and Branch facilities. – 4 points. (For these then to be sold as surplus to requirements at vast profit with all monies absorbed by the unaccountable branch/headquarters)
6. Ministerial Servant
   Following this path gives the brothers the necessary points to assist them in gaining an appointment to serve the congregation—the elders really—as a ministerial servant. (4 points). It also dramatically increases the brother’s eligibility as a marriage mate for all the pioneer sisters. (This is regardless of how many fruits of the Holy Spirit he displays or how old he is.)
7. Elder
   By volunteering to assist elderly ones and lead field service arrangements (all the ones the elders find inconvenient to lead), a brother can get extra bonus points to aid him in a rapid appointment (promotion) to the responsibilities (authority) of an elder (5 points).
8. Serving Where the Need Is Greater
   Move to a foreign language congregation, or abroad. (5 points)
9. Further ‘Privileges’
   At stage 6 or 7, a brother can then apply for the special schools (5 points per school) such as MTS, or School for Christian Couples (if married) to gain extra points towards the ultimate goal (prestigious prize) of Bethel service (10 points) or Circuit work (50 points).

Special bonus points awarded by us for mention of the following Non-JW Spiritual Goals. Sadly not by the organization.

• ‘relief ministry’ (500 points)
• ‘shepherding ministry’ (500 points)
• ‘personal hospitality’ (500 points)
• ‘assisting widows and orphans in their tribulation’ (1000 points).

Congregation Book Study (kr chap. 20 para 7-16)

Paragraph 12 emphasizes that our relief ministry helps “afflicted ones get back into their spiritual routine.” Yet the cited scripture in support of this, 2 Corinthians 1:3,4, talks about “comforting others in any sort of trial”. People undergoing stressful trials such as a natural disaster or loss of a loved one, need and want comforting, not to be pushed into evangelising with the stress it entails. Further, if those around the brothers are also suffering, they will not be in a mental state to appreciate any spiritual routine; they need practical help first and for some time.

Paragraph 14 cites Romans 1:11, 12 and Romans 12:12 in support of restarting meeting attendance immediately; yet Romans 1:11,12 talks about interchange of encouragement. However the meetings arranged by the organization are mainly talks, and even the Congregation Book Study or Watchtower Study allow little time to comment and encourage on anything other than the paragraph contents.  There is even  less time to talk to one another to encourage each other after the long meeting.

Yes, ‘relief ministry’ is important, but it should be done with the aim of assisting ones to ‘get back on their feet’ as the saying goes, and encourage them, thereby showing our love and concern, not with the ulterior motive of getting ones back at the meetings and out preaching as soon as possible.

Tadua

Articles by Tadua.