“Do not put out the fire of the spirit”

‘Do not put out the fire of the spirit’ NWT 1 Thess. 5:19

When I was a practicing Roman Catholic, I used a rosary to say my prayers to God.  This consisted of saying 10 “Hail Mary” prayers and then 1 “Lord’s Prayer”, and this I would repeat throughout the whole rosary.  When done in Church surroundings, the whole congregation would all say aloud the same thing as I did.  I don’t know about anybody else, but I really just repeated from memory exactly the prayer I had been taught.  I never gave any thought to what I was saying.

When I started studying with the Jehovah’s Witnesses and got the understanding of the Holy Scriptures, I was happy and thought I finally knew what I was missing.  I attended the Wednesday theocratic meetings as well as the Watchtower meetings on Sundays.  Once I understood what the theocratic meetings were all about, I found I was not comfortable with them. We were being told what to exactly say to the people we would meet door-to-door.  I again felt like I was repeating the rosary.  It may not have been the repeated prayers but it felt the same.

I eventually only attended the Sunday Watchtower meetings.  My general attitude had become one of going through the motions, listening to others as they worded their answers according to the Watchtower’s ‘guidance’.  Inevitably, after every one of my attendances, I couldn’t help but feel unfulfilled.  Something was missing.

Then came the day I learned about Beroean Pickets and started attending the Sunday Zoom meetings where specific Bible chapters are discussed.  I was absolutely thrilled to hear my Christian brothers and sisters being so passionate about what they are learning and understanding.  These meetings have done so much for me in understanding the Holy Scriptures.   Contrary to what I had come to know as to how I should behave, no such restrictions are placed at the Beroeans’ meetings.

CONCLUSION:  Until today, I was searching for a title to explain how unhindered Christians, free of interference, can truly worship.  Today’s JW scripture made it perfectly clear to me.  By stifling people, you take away enthusiasm and passion. What I am having the privilege of experiencing now is the freedom of unhindered devotion.  In JW’s January 21, 2021 message, it asks how can we show support for the organization that Jehovah is using?  However, according to the Holy Scriptures, Jehovah’s support for us is through His Son.

NWT  1 Timothy 2:5, 6
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all.”

It seems that Jehovah’s Witnesses are implying that they are the mediator.  Isn’t that a contradiction?

Elpida

I am not a Jehovah's Witness, but I studied and have attended the Wednesday and Sunday's meetings and the Memorials since about 2008. I wanted to understand the Bible better after reading it many times from cover to cover. However, like the Beroeans, I check my facts and the more I understood, the more I realized that not only did I not feel comfortable at the meetings but some things just didn't make sense to me. I used to raise my hand to comment until one Sunday, the Elder corrected me publicly that I should not be using my own words but those written in the article. I couldn't do it as I don't think like the Witnesses. I don't accept things as fact without checking them out. What really bothered me were the Memorials as I believe that, according to Jesus, we should partake anytime we want to, not just once a year; otherwise, he would have been specific and said on the anniversary of my death, etc. I find Jesus spoke personally and passionately to people of all races and colour, whether they were educated or not. Once I saw the changes made to God's and Jesus' words, it really upset me as God told us not to add or alter His Word. To correct God, and to correct Jesus, the Anointed, is devastating to me. God's Word should only be translated, not interpreted.