I’ve been looking forward to doing this final video in our series, Identifying True Worship. That’s because this is the only one that really matters.
Let me explain what I mean. Through the previous videos, it has been instructive to show how using the very criteria the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses uses to show all other religions are false also shows that the Witness religion is false. They don’t measure up to their own criteria. How did we not see that!? As a Witness myself, for years I was busy picking the straw out of other people’s eye while being totally unaware of the rafter in my own eye. (Mt 7:3-5)
However, there is a problem with using this criteria. The problem is that the Bible doesn’t use any of it when giving us a way to identify true worship. Now before you go, “Whoa, teaching truth isn’t important?! Being no part of the world, not important?! Sanctifying God’s name, preaching the good news, obeying Jesus—all not important?!” No, of course they are all important, but as a means of identifying true worship, they leave much to be desired.
Take, for example, the criterion of adhering to Bible truth. By that measure, according to this individual, Jehovah’s Witnesses fail.
[embed]https://youtu.be/T705X84Gn_Q[/embed]
Now I don’t believe the Trinity represents Bible truth. But say you are looking to find Jesus’ true disciples. Who are you going to believe? Me? Or the fellow? And what are you going to do to figure out who’s got the truth? Go into months of deep Bible study? Who has the time? Who has the inclination? And what about the millions who simply lack the mental capacity or educational background for such an arduous task?
Jesus said that the truth would be hidden from “wise and intellectual ones”, but ‘revealed to babes or young children’. (Mt 11:25) He wasn’t implying that you have to be dumb to know the truth, nor that if you’re smart, you’re out of luck, because you just won’t get it. If you read the context of his words, you’ll see he is referring to attitude. A young child, say a five-year-old, will run to his mommy or daddy when he has a question. He doesn’t do that by the time he reaches 13 or 14 because by that time he knows all there is know and thinks his parents just don’t get it. But when he was very young, he relied on them. If we are to understand truth, we must run to our Father and through his Word, get the answer to our questions. If we are humble, he will give us his holy spirit and it will guide us into truth.
It’s like we’ve all given the same codebook, but only some of us have the key to unlock the code.
So, if you’re looking for the true form of worship, how do you know which ones have the key; which ones have broken the code; which ones have the truth?
At this point, maybe you’re feeling a little lost. Maybe you feel you’re not that intelligent and fear you might be easily deceived. Maybe you have been deceived before and are afraid of going down the same path again. And what about the millions around the world who cannot even read? How can such ones distinguish between the true disciples of Christ and the counterfeit ones?
Jesus wisely gave us the only criterion that will work for everyone when he said:
“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.”” (John 13:34, 35)[i]
I have to admire how our Lord was able to say so much with so few words. What a wealth of meaning is to be found packed into these two sentences. Let’s start with the phrase: “By this all will know”.
“By this all will know”
I don’t care what your IQ is; I don’t care about your level of education; I don’t care about your culture, race, nationality, sex, nor age—as a human, you understand what love is and you can recognize when it is there, and you know when it is missing.
Every Christian religion believes they have the truth and that they are the true disciples of Christ. Fair enough. Pick one. Ask one of its members if they fought in the Second World War. If the answer is “Yes”, you can safely move on to the next religion. Repeat until the answer is “No”. Doing this will eliminate 90 to 95% of all Christian denominations.
I remember back in 1990 during the Gulf War, I was in a discussion with a couple of Mormon missionaries. The discussion was going nowhere, so I asked them if they had made any converts in Iraq, to which they answered that there were Mormons in Iraq. I asked if Mormons were in the US and Iraqi military. Again, the answer was in the affirmative.
“So, you have brother killing brother?” I asked.
They answered that the Bible commands us to obey the superior authorities.
I felt rather smug that I could claim as a Jehovah’s Witness that we applied Acts 5:29 to limit our obedience to the superior authorities to commands that do not go against God’s law. I believed that Witnesses obeyed God as ruler rather than men, and so we would never act unlovingly—and shooting someone, or blowing them up would, in most societies, be viewed as a tiny weeny bit unloving.
Nevertheless, Jesus’ words do not apply exclusively to the fighting of wars. Are there ways in which Jehovah’s Witnesses obey men rather than God and so fail the test of love toward their brothers and sisters?
Before we can answer that, we need to complete our analysis of Jesus’ words.
“I am giving you a new commandment…”
When asked what was the greatest commandment of the Law of Moses, Jesus answered in two parts: Love God with one’s whole soul, and love one’s neighbor as oneself. Now he says, he’s giving us a new commandment, which means that he is giving us something not contained in the original law on love. What could that be?
“…that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”
We are commanded not just to love another as we love ourselves—what the Law of Moses required—but to love each other as Christ loved us. His love is the defining factor.
In love, as in all things, Jesus and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
The Bible says that God is love. It follows therefore that Jesus is too. (1 John 4:8)
How was God’s love and the love of Jesus manifested toward us?
“For, indeed, while we were still weak, Christ died for ungodly men at the appointed time. For hardly would anyone die for a righteous man; though perhaps for a good man someone may dare to die. But God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)
While we were ungodly, while we were unrighteous, while we were enemies, Christ died for us. People can love a righteous man. They may even give their lives for a good man, but to die for a total stranger, or worse, for an enemy?...
If Jesus would love his enemies to this extent, what type of love does he display for his brothers and sisters? If we are “in Christ”, as the Bible says, then we must reflect the same love he displayed.
How?
Paul answers:
“Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and in this way you will fulfill the law of the Christ.” (Ga 6:2)
This is the only place in Scripture where the phrase, “the law of the Christ”, appears. The law of the Christ is the law of love which surpasses the Mosaic Law on love. To fulfill the law of the Christ, we must be willing to carry the burdens of one another. So far, so good.
“By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.”
The beauty of this measure of true worship is that it cannot be faked or counterfeited effectively. This isn’t simply the type of love that exists between friends. Jesus said:
“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?” (Mt 5:46, 47)
I’ve heard brothers and sisters argue that Jehovah’s Witnesses must be the true religion, because they can go anywhere in the world and be welcomed as a brother and a friend. Most Witnesses are unaware that the same can be said of other Christian denominations, because they are told not read non-JW literature and not to watch non-JW videos.
Be that as it may, all such manifestations of love only prove that people naturally love those who love them back. You personally may have experienced an outpouring of love and support from the brothers in your own congregation, but beware of falling into the trap of confusing this for the love that identifies true worship. Jesus said that even the tax collectors and gentiles (people despised by the Jews) exhibited such love. The love true Christians are to display goes beyond this and will identify them so that “all will know” who they are.
If you are a long-time Witness, you may not want to look into this any deeper. That may be because you have an investment to protect. Let me illustrate.
You may be like a shopkeeper who is handed three twenty-dollar bills in payment for some merchandise. You accept them trustingly. Then later that day, you hear that there are twenty-dollar counterfeits in circulation. Do you examine the bills you hold to see if they are really authentic, or do you just assume they are and give them as change when others come in to make purchases?
As Witnesses, we have invested so much, perhaps our whole lives. That is so in my case: Seven years preaching in Colombia, two more in Ecuador, working on construction projects and special Bethel projects that utilized my programming skills. I was a well-known elder and a sought-after public speaker. I had many friends in the Organization and a good reputation to uphold. That’s a lot of investment to abandon. Witnesses like to think that one leaves the Organization out of pride and selfishness, but really, pride and selfishness would have been the very things to keep me in.
Returning to the analogy, do you—our proverbial shopkeeper—examine the twenty-dollar bill to see if its genuine, or do you just hope it is and carry on business as usual? The problem is that if you know that the bill is counterfeit and then still pass it on, we are complicit in criminal activity. So, ignorance is bliss. Nevertheless, ignorance does not transform a counterfeit bill into an authentic one with real value.
Thus, we come to the big question: “Do Jehovah’s Witnesses really pass the test of the love of Christ?”
We can best answer that by looking at how we love our little ones.
It has been said that there is no greater love than that of a parent for a child. A father or mother will sacrifice their own life for their newborn child, even thought that infant lacks the capacity to return that love. It’s just too young to understand love. So that intense, self-sacrificing love is one-sided at that point in time. That will change as the child grows of course, but we’re discussing a newborn now.
That is the love God and the Christ showed for us—for you and me—when we did not even know them. While we were in ignorance, they loved us. We were the “little ones”.
If we are to be “in Christ”, as the Bible says, then we must reflect that love. For this reason, Jesus talked of the extreme adverse judgment that would be brought down on those who “stumbled the little ones”. Better for them to have a millstone tied round the neck and chucked into the deep blue sea. (Mt 18:6)
So, let us review.
- We are commanded to love one another as Christ loved us.
- “All will know” we are true Christians, if we display the love of the Christ.
- This love constitutes the law of the Christ.
- We fulfill this law by carrying the burdens of one another.
- We are to show special consideration to the “little ones”.
- Christian’s fail the test of love when they obey men over God.
To answer our big question, let’s ask a supplementary one. Is there a situation within the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses that is equivalent to that found in other Christian faiths whereby Christians break the law of love by killing their fellows in war? The reason they do this is because they have chosen to obey men rather than God. Do Witnesses act unlovingly, even hatefully, to certain ones out of obedience to the Governing Body?
Do they act in such a way that “all will know” they are not loving, but cruel?
I’m going to show you a video taken from the Australia Royal Commission hearings into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. (A shout out of thanks to 1988johnm for compiling this for us.)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_6SYNPwQ6o&t=148s[/embed]
Let’s pretend that the two men in the hot seat are not Witnesses, but are Catholic priests. Would you view their answers and the policies they uphold as evidence of the love of Christ within their religion? In all likelihood, you would not. But being a Witness, it might color your viewpoint.
These men claim they are acting this way because the policy of disassociation is from God. They claim it is a Scriptural doctrine. Yet, when asked a direct question from his Honor, they prevaricate and evade the question. Why? Why not just show the Scriptural basis for this policy?
Obviously, because there is none. It is not scriptural. It originates from men.
Disassociation
How did it come about? It seems that back in the 1950s, when the policy of disfellowshipping was first introduced into the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Nathan Knorr and Fred Franz realized they had a problem: What to do about Jehovah’s Witnesses who chose to vote or to join the military? You see, disfellowshipping and shunning such ones would be a violation of federal law. Serious penalties could be levied. The solution was to create a new designation known as disassociation. The premise was that we could then claim that they didn’t disfellowship such individuals. Instead, they were the ones who abandoned us, or disfellowshipped us. Of course, all the penalties of disfellowshipping would continue to apply.
But in Australia, we’re talking about people who have not sinned as defined by the Organization, so why apply it to them?
Here’s what is really behind this horrible policy: Do you recall the Berlin Wall in the 1970s and 1980s? It was built to keep East Germans from escaping to the West. By seeking to escape, they were rejecting the authority of the communist government over them. In effect, their desire to leave was a non-verbal form of condemnation.
Any government that has to imprison its subjects is corrupt and failing government. When a witness resigns from the Organization, he or she is likewise rejecting the authority of the elders, and ultimately, the authority of the Governing Body. The resignation is an implicit condemnation of the Witness lifestyle. It cannot go unpunished.
The Governing Body, in an effort to preserve its power and control, has built its own Berlin Wall. In this case, the wall is their shunning policy. By punishing the escapee, they send a message to the rest to keep them in line. Any who fail to shun the dissenter are threatened with shunning themselves.
Of course, Terrence O’Brien and Rodney Spinks could hardly say such a thing in a public forum like that of the Royal Commission, so instead they try to shift the blame.
[embed]https://youtu.be/QJ0PiTA0I7k[/embed]
How pathetic! “We don’t shun them”, they say. “They shun us.” ‘We’re the victims.’ This is, of course, a bald-faced lie. If the individual were really shunning all members of the congregation, would that require the individual publishers to shun them in return, effectively returning evil for evil? (Romans 12:17) This argument insulted the intelligence of the court and continues to insult our intelligence. What is particularly sad is that these two Watchtower representatives seemed to believe it’s a valid argument.
Paul says that we fulfill the law of Christ by carrying the burdens of one another.
“Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and in this way you will fulfill the law of the Christ.” (Ga 6:2)
[embed]https://youtu.be/koUmU-Lurj4[/embed]
His Honor shows that the child abuse victim is carrying a great burden. I can certainly think of no greater burden to bear than the childhood trauma of being abused sexually by someone you were supposed to look to for support and protection. Yet, how are we to support such ones laboring under such a burden—how are we to fulfill the law of the Christ—if the elders tell us we cannot even say ‘hello’ to such a one?
Disassociation and disfellowshipping are two sides of the same coin. The cruel nature of the policy as practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses will not even permit a mother to answer the phone from her daughter, who—for all she knows, may be lying in a ditch bleeding to death.
Love is easily recognizable by any and all, from the poorest and most uneducated to the wisest and most influential. Here, his Honor says repeatedly that the policy is cruel and the two representatives of the Governing Body having no defence other than to look chagrined and to point to official policy.
If we can dismiss another Christian religion as false because its members obey men when told to engage in war, we can dismiss the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the same way, because its members will all obey men and shun anyone condemned from the platform, even if they have no idea—which they rarely do—of the sin of the person, or even if he or she has sinned. They simply obey and in doing so grant the elders the power they need to control the flock.
If we do not grant them this unscriptural power, then what are they going to do? Disfellowship us? Perhaps it will be we who disfellowship them.
Perhaps you have not experienced this problem yourself. Well, most Catholics have not fought in a war. But what if, at the next midweek meeting, the elders read out an announcement telling you that a particular sister is no longer a member of the Christian congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You have no idea why or what she has done, if anything. Perhaps she has disassociated herself. Perhaps she has committed no sin, but is suffering and desperately needs your emotional support.
What will you do? Remember, at some point you are going to stand before the judge of all the earth, Jesus Christ. The excuse, “I was just following orders”, will not wash. What if Jesus responds, “Whose orders? Certainly not mine. I told you to love your brother.”
“By this all will know…”
I was able to casually dismiss any religion as unloving and disapproved of by God when I found that it supported the wars of man. Now I must apply the same logic to the religion I have practiced my whole life. I must acknowledge that to be a Witness these days is to give the Governing Body, and its lieutenants, the congregation elders, unquestioning obedience. At times, that will require us to act in a hateful way to those who are carrying an enormous burden. Thus, we will fail to fulfill the law of Christ individually. At the most basic level, we will be obeying men as ruler rather than God.
If we support the problem, we become the problem. When you obey someone unconditionally, they become your GOD.
The Governing Body claims they are the Guardians of Doctrine.
[embed]https://youtu.be/aRzP2-uZXCs[/embed]
An unfortunate choice of words, perhaps.
It raises a question each of us must answer, a question sounded out musically in Song 40 of the Songbook.
“To whom do you belong? Which God will you obey?”
Now some might say I’m advocating that all depart from the Organization. That is not for me to say. I will say that the parable of the Wheat and Weeds indicates that they grow together till the harvest. I’ll also say that when Jesus gave us the law of love he did not say that, “By this all will know that you are my Organization.” An organization cannot love. Individuals love, or hate, as the case may be…and the judgment is to come upon individuals. We will stand before Christ on our own.
The questions each must answer are: Will I carry the burdens of my brother despite what others might think? Will I work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to me in the family of faith even when told not to by men in authority?
A good friend of mine wrote to me expressing his belief that obedience to the Governing Body was a matter of life and death. He was right. It is.
“To whom do you belong? Which God will you obey?”
Thank you very much
______________________________________________________
[i] Unless otherwise stated, all Bible quotes are taken from the (NWT) New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures published by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
Archived Comments
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Comment by Joseph Anton on 2018-08-29 11:11:46
Both my grandfathers fought in WWII. I think what they did had to be done, and I'm kind of proud that I have a living relative that fought the Nazis. What to make of that? I have no idea.
Comment by huang on 2018-09-03 02:19:35
Great dissection, Eric.
I have always wondered about the simple faith of some jw (millions who simply lack the mental capacity or educational background for such an arduous task). Your explanation answers that question - Jesus gave us the criterion that will work for everyone - Christ-like love.
Comment by billy on 2018-09-03 01:29:00
Thank you Eric for your analysis
You touched on many points that have concerned me also -
The fact JW s don't go to war has been my main reason for becoming a JW - although I must admit the fact that many did go to war to stop Hitler and his supporters sometimes makes me question my stance - that could be a subject we could discuss further
This is the main response the witnesses use to support their "love" -
After watching the Australian Royal Commission I was shocked by the callous regard for victims of child abuse and the total lack of concern for non witness children -
I have read many comments by witnesses on Facebook when Catholic Church accusations surface - i.e. The recent one in Pensilvainya - 1000 children have been molested by priests -
So many comments condemning the Catholic Church but when someone raises the fact that the WT organization has similar statistics ( Australia has recorded 1000 cases unreported) the witnesses go into total defense mode - - I really believe many are in the dark as to what's been happening in their own religion - as you mentioned the problem is people following men and not interested in the truth - fear of being called an apostate by men if they go beyond the WT "wall" -
Someone in defense of the wt child abuse accusations by apostates posted this from Jw.org
https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/legal-resources/information/packet-jw-scripturally-based-position-child-protection/#?insight[search_id]=68e0bde2-1f21-4372-9e9e-19a0336ae41e&insight[search_result_index]=2
- Some comments made by witnesses was they weren't even aware of this policy and someone else saiid there was a very brief mention of this policy in one of their meetings -
After reading the "Jehovah's Witness scripually based position on child protection"
I wondered if this policy has been on the website for along time or if it's an updated policy following recommendations from the ARC ? ( it says it's policy is updated every 3 years) -
For all the he years I had associated with wt org the lack of love and support was definitely lacking - whenever I questioned this to myself I would conclude I was was the one with the problem and would defend the org but I eventually I realized hat it wasn't me it was the pitiful condition of the religion
Comment by messenger on 2018-08-25 02:36:54
Isn't it sobering to realize that because of our ages most of us will see the realization of God's promises in less than 30 years? And less than thirty years is not that long.
"It's not too far away, jut over there. Today come see what God has to offer. "A lyric from one of the songs I gave WT.
Ricardo, a friend of mine from JWSurvey who lives half way around the world from me, was disfellowshipped about a month ago for expressing discontent with some actions his elders took. Ricardo was a long time pioneer and MS with a father and fleshly brother who are elders.
I have not returned to the hall in months, and I stopped commenting there months before that. I feel that if I go back that it would show support for WT teachings. That is unless I speak truth there, which would get me disfellowshipped like Ricardo was, and for a similar reason.
I might occasionally go to support my wife who is a true believer in WT. But if so I'll refuse to share WT lies. I'd rather not speak. I wonder how many silent ones are silent at meetings for that reason. I used to be a servant in different congregations. I used to give talks there every week. Now I don't even want to comment or attend.
I've had several occupations. Right now I'm a public school music teacher. I tell my kids messing up is part of learning. While we do it, if we don't give up, we adjust to do things correctly-like when we were learning to walk. WT was part of that learning process, the messing up part.
See you all on the other side. The Truth is Christ. The saying, "It's not what you know it's who you know," is true there. John 17:3 our first field service scripture huh?Reply by huang on 2018-09-03 08:01:03
Messenger, I kinda understand your situation – attending meetings would show support/keeping silent is a strain. I devised a strategy to sneak the truth in by sandwiching it between scriptural references. For example, I’d say,”When Jesus said “Keep on the watch” he meant for us to be vigilant. Certainly he did not mean to pick a date/year then focus all our expectations on it. In 1974: "Reports were heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to …pioneer service in the short time remaining before the wicked world's end. Some postponed surgery or cashed in their insurance policies to prepare for Armageddon.” Of course nothing happened in 1975 except for a lot of disappointment. So Jesus’ words “Keep on the watch” should be balanced by what he next said, “ because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming ” We simply do not know and just have to be vigilant. Now I actually relish going behind enemy lines to carry out surgical strikes.
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2018-09-03 11:50:45
;)
Comment by Alithia on 2018-08-25 04:39:31
Well Eric congratulations on this VDO series and on an inspiring conclusion which wraps things up with the no-nonsense simple to understand directive from Jesus that a child can understand.
After going through this VDO I was so moved that I felt like standing as they do at the end of part two of Handel’s Messiah where they sing Hallelujah!
As you point out, the critical test, is oh, so simple to identify a true Christian. By the same self-sacrificing love in imitation of the Master Jesus. To see and identify the needs of others, and allow one to be moved to do something to fill that need, again in the way that Jesus often demonstrated, when he healed and fed and taught and in the way he viewed and treated people in general.
It is so unfortunate many (including myself for a long time) are unable to see themselves in the light of this simple command by Jesus. JWs completely miss the point of the parable of “The good Samaritan, the fact that God makes the sun shine and rain on the good and the bad too”. Christians need to be completely impartial and not discriminate as to who they show love to. Jesus did not withhold his love from anybody.
It may be stimulating to have academic scholarly discussions around the meaning of a Greek or Hebrew word in the scriptures but at the end of the day as you point out, not necessary!!! As a child can appreciate love, and can discern if it is being shown or not!
Also as you point out many of us like you, have invested much of our lives in the Org, and may need to “jettison” many things that has been "accumulated and dearly cherished" from this experience. However at the end of the day we all stand before the Judge and will have to answer personally for our actions or inaction, or in regards to having and demonstrating Christ-like love. We must obey God as ruler rather than men.
I can see this series of VDOs being referenced for some time to come as a resource to help awakening JWs to evaluate matters in a logical coherent way in the light of the scriptures as they need to be. Thanks again for all of your hard work.
Comment by Jerome on 2018-08-25 10:56:36
Wow Eric! This is definitely the best in the series. I especially appreciated the comparison of shunning to the Berlin Wall. Interestingly, my son and his wife live next door to a family of Witnesses they had been close to, even going on vacations together. Their kids, being the same age would play together. After my son and his wife learned the unpleasant facts about Jehovah's Witnesses and stopped attending meetings their Witness neighbors seldom wave or look in their direction and will not even allow the kids to cross the backyard fence to play any longer. They haven't been disfellowshipped nor have they disassociated themselves yet many in the congregation avoid them in public and have even unfriended them on social media.
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2018-08-26 09:52:24
I've seen similar behaviour up here in Canada, Jerome. The organization doesn't need to disfellowship. They've trained witnesses so well that they automatically treat any who simply withdraw as if they were already disfellowshipped. Clearly not the love of the Christ.
Comment by Bernardbooks on 2018-08-25 13:24:28
Very nice article. Thank you.
The point you brought out in the first paragraph about being too busy to see the hypocrisy or lies
is something I’ve been thinking about lately.
I’ve even heard brothers and sisters over the years make expressions such as ‘keeping busy in the truth (organization) keeps me in the truth’, or ‘if I’m not busy in the truth (organization) I’ll be back in the world before no time.’
When reading in the book of Genesis some time ago I noticed that the organization is very much like Pharaoh was when Moses and Aaron told him to let the Israelites journey to make sacrifices to Jehovah.
(Exodus 5:9)
“Make them work harder, and keep them busy so that they will not pay attention to lies.”
Pharaoh wanted them to work harder for him and keep them busy so as not to pay attention to what he considered “lies” even though they were in fact truth.
The organization seems to also want all members to work harder for them and keep them busy so that they will not pay attention to supposed lies even though they are in fact truth.
Comment by Psalmbee on 2018-08-25 18:48:48
Very nice job with your series of videos Meleti, very informative. They will be around for years to come if the Lord allows. Like Althia said they should benefit many awakening JW's, as well as any and all other readers and watchers.
The GB has done well getting the flock to play mental mind games with themselves and others from within. It's got to be tough for the pretenders (PIMO's).
So Meleti? are you gonna pick the pen back up now, or go on out to Hollywood?
Or better yet a hostile takeover of Warwick so that the Job at hand can finally get done?
Kind regards,
Psalmbee
Comment by lazarus on 2018-08-27 02:30:52
Thanks Eric,
I do agree with your article and Your reasons laid out. I appreciate the insights you provide. For many of us, the ARC opened up our eyes to the Dr Jeckyl & Mr Hyde personality of the Organisation and it’s leadership. 50 years of a coverup. It was a shock to me personally. Still is.
It’s interesting, the Organisation(JW) were in denial of any wrongdoing. They acknowledged mistakes. After it was pointed out to them. Right. So I guess they sinned for 50 years, maybe they should dissfellowship themselves. I guess not.
It sort of reminds me when Christ put the twelve on the spot, with the question: John 13 isays:
Jesus became troubled in spirit,” he said, “Most truly I say to YOU, One of YOU will betray me.”
Note their confusion to this statement ;
22 The disciples began to look at one another, being at a loss as to which one he was saying [it] about.
If Jesus kept quite, They would have had no clue!! That a Betrayer was amongst this tight knit group. No way. “It is not I Lord!”
Look at our works, you know the Self Sacrificing Works etc etc. We’re united!
So to, As the Spotlight is thrusted upon the Organisation, are they in effect saying, “it is not I Lord “ look at our works.
We can learn something from Judas in Jo 13.. He was amongst them for three and half years, performed powerful works in Jesus name , giving to the poor, be it begrudgingly at times. When Jesus said that he would be betrayed by one of the Twelve, there was no hint to anybody present that it was Judas, they were united, as one. By everyone’s else’s judgement of him, they assumed he was a true follower of Christ. And Maybe he was. We felt the same. We had no clue of the inner workings and handling these cases and the terrible affect of Shunning.
But, It would seem something was lacking in Judas. It seems he truly never surrender his will and let Jesus in his heart. He had a heart problem.
So, it seems he had no Union with Christ. And so the power to give the gift of love that would change his heart could never reach Judas.
It sounds similar today in the Organisation with the Doctrine of the other sheep. No union with Christ only friends - no partaking of the emblems as a show we are united in love.
After this, as John tells us, Jesus made no further effort to change him. Vrs 27 So Jesus said to him: “What you are doing, do it more quickly.” he told him. And as we know, The rest is History.
Then Jesus said at John 13:35to "'Love one another." “ Just as I loved You” its more than natural affection, as mentioned in the article, it’s self sacrificing, no doubt extending beyond any Organisation but it’s also being in union with Jesus.
I think This was missing in Judas. I think this is becoming more evident that the absence of Christ or being in union with him, within the Organisation. It shows in the articles and the Doctrine Of The Other Sheep. I found it personally difficult to love Jesus and be in union with Christ because the Doctrine Of The other Sheep discourages such a relationship. Friend yes but not as a brother.
I may have digressed just a little ?
Comment by Gogetter on 2018-08-27 21:57:59
Thanks Eric for another great video!
With all the recent exposure over the last few years with the UN NGO, ARC child abuse scandals and multi country lawsuits concerning child abuse and the unscriptural teachings like overlapping generations, disfellowshipping and blood doctrines just to mention a few of the things that are now a stumbling block to anyone who comes into contact with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
It is hard to believe anyone would consider this God’s Organization. This is born out by the negative growth numbers the Org. Is experiencing, the public is just to well informed! It’s surprising that anyone would even open the door much less consider becoming a witness.
This begs the question for the thinking JW, why would Jehovah and Jesus ever allow these things to take place?
It’s as if they (Jehovah & Jesus) are saying the preaching work is a life saving work that is urgent as the end is near and at the same time allowing these things to be a major stumbling block where it would almost be impossible to make any disciples
from the preaching and teaching of the good news about Christ and his Kingdom.
This is nonsensical and oxymoronic! The only logical conclusion is that the Creator of all things has nothing to do with this organization.
On the other hand I’m afraid this will not bring down the organization.
They do promote two things people are in dire need of today,a sense of a United Brotherhood with a common goal, and a hope for a better future.
It matters not to most JW’s wether the Guardians Of Doctrines teachings are supported by God’s word or not. This is sad but true just ask any brother or sister if they are aware of the things that have become public knowledge or ask them to explain the overlapping teaching etc. you will not be surprised.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2018-09-03 12:01:39
Hi Gogetter. I actually did a review of the policy paper you refer to. It sounds good at first read, but upon deeper examination, it becomes evident that this is just spin for damage control. Here's the link: https://beroeans.net/2018/05/14/a-critical-examination-of-the-current-jw-org-position-on-child-sexual-abuse/
Reply by Psalmbee on 2018-08-27 22:22:28
You make a good point there Gogetter, I was thinking along those same lines.
It's not so much the doctrine that they believe in, it's the hope that the org gives them. The only thing is is that it's not free (Re 22:18).
"If a little knowledge is dangerous,where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?"
Psalmbee
Comment by Zacheus on 2020-05-28 03:22:34
Loving?
The witness org suffers from an appalling level of gossip about each other. Heaven help the brother who grows a beard. Heaven help the sister who wears high heels, or does her hair differently. Who turns up without panti-hose?
I was victim of the most horrendous gossip put out by an elderette. The source of this had to be her husband or her going through his notes. (NB an elder at the CARC stated that judicial meetings notes are destroyed to stop their wives snooping on them or words to that effect.)
and,
I was conscripted for the Vietnam war. I opposed this and was told to say if my case got to court that it was my idea. That is dont bring the elders into it. At this time the wt would not consider alternatives to military service as allowable. Some young men in various countries went to prison then out comes an Awake! saying alternative service is ok. Once again the holy spirit is confused as to what to do and the wt is a grossly self indulgent sect disabusing itself of any spec of christian love.
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