“. . .And when it became day, the assembly of elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they led him into their San′he·drin hall and said: 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them: “Even if I told you, you would not believe it at all. 68 Moreover, if I questioned you, you would not answer.” (Lu 22:66-68)
Jesus could have questioned his accusers to show them up as unreasonable and unrighteous, but he knew they would not cooperate, for they were not interested in finding the truth.
They would not answer.
Refusal to answer a direct question was but one of the tactics the Pharisees used to attempt to hide their true nature and motivation. Of course, Jesus could read hearts, so they were an open book to his piercing vision. Today, we do not have the benefit of his level of insight. Nevertheless, we can determine motivation over time by reading the signs that are visible to our eyesight. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Mt. 12:24) Conversely, by its refusal to speak in certain circumstances, the mouth also reveals the heart’s abundance.
The Pharisees are long gone, but their breed lives on as Satan’s seed. (John 8:44) We can find them in all the organized religions that call themselves Christian today. But how can we identify them so as not to be taken in, perhaps even becoming unwitting participants in their destructive course.
Let’s start by reviewing the tactics employed by their first century counterparts—tactics that characterize the spirit of the Pharisee. When confronted with questions they could not answer without revealing their own error, bad motives and false teachings, they would resort to:
- Silence: Luke 20:26
- Or an evasive response: Matthew 21:23-27
- Or a false accusation to shift focus away from them: John 8:48
- Or an appeal to authority to intimidate the questioner: John 7:47, 48; Acts 23:4
- Or threats, even outright violence, to silence the questioner: John 9:21-23; Acts 23:2
Throughout my life as a Jehovah’s Witness, I believed we were free from the spiritual malaise of Pharisaism. It has been said that over the shoulder of the Christian lurks the shadow of the Pharisee, but I believed this applied to us only on an individual level, not organizationally. To me, back then, we were led by humble men who willingly acknowledged their imperfections, made no claim to inspiration, and were willing to accept correction. (Perhaps at that time we were.) I had no illusion that they were anything but ordinary men, capable of making silly mistakes at times; like all of us do. When I saw such errors, it helped me to view them as what they really were, and not to be in awe of them.
For example, in Aid to Bible Understanding, under the topic “Miracles”, they explained that miracles do not require Jehovah to break the laws of physics. He may simply be applying laws and conditions we are not yet aware of. I completely agreed. However, the example they used to make this point showed a ludicrous misunderstanding of elementary science—not the first time they’ve goofed when trying to explain scientific principles. They stated that the metal, lead, which is “an excellent insulator” at room temperature becomes a super conductor when cooled to near absolute zero. While the latter is true, the statement that lead is an excellent insulator is demonstrably false as anyone who has ever jump-started a car can attest. At the time of the publication of that tome, car batteries had two thick studs to which the cables were attached. These studs were made of lead. Lead, as everyone knows, is a metal and a characteristic of metals is that they conduct electricity. They are not insulators—good or otherwise.
If they could be so wrong about something so obvious, how much more so when interpreting prophecy? It didn’t bother me, because back in those days we were not required to believe everything printed, or else…. So with the naiveté shared with many of my witness brethren, I believed they would respond well to any correction offered when an error or inconsistency appeared with regard to some published teaching. However, under the Governing Body arrangement, I have learned this is not the case. Over the years, I have written in when some particularly glaring inconsistency has caught my eye. I have consulted with others who have done likewise. What has emerged from this shared experience is a consistent pattern that has much in common with the list of Pharisaical tactics we’ve just considered.
The first response to one’s letter—particularly if one has no history of writing in—is usually kind, but somewhat dismissive and patronizing. The central idea is that while they appreciate one’s sincerity, it is best to leave matters up to those commissioned by God to attend to them and that one should be more concerned about getting out there and preaching. A common element in their correspondence is to not answer the central question.[i] Instead, the Organization’s official position is restated, usually with references to publications dealing with the matter. This is called “Staying on Message”. It is a tactic politicians frequently use when confronted with questions they cannot or dare not answer. They respond to the question, but they do not answer it. Instead, they simply restate whatever message they are trying to convey to the public. (See bullet points 1, 2 and 4)
Things change if one does not leave it at that, but instead writes in again, stating as nicely as possible, that while one appreciates the counsel given, the actual question asked was not answered. The response that will then come back often contains a restatement of the official position followed by several paragraphs implying that one is being presumptuous and that it is best to leave these matters in Jehovah’s hands. (Elements of 1, 2, 3, and 4)
These correspondences are filed and tracked by the Service Desk. If it occurs several times, or if the letter writer is particularly persistent in trying to get an honest and forthright response to his question, the C.O. will be informed and more “loving counsel” will be given. However, the actual question raised in the chain of correspondence will still go unanswered. If the individual in question is a pioneer and/or appointed servant, it is likely that his qualifications will be called into question. If he persists in demanding the scriptural proof for the issue in question, he may very likely be accused of apostasy, and so we can add the fifth pharisaical element to our scenario.
At its worst, this scenario has led to sincere Christians who merely asked too persistently for the scriptural proof of some core JW belief being hauled before a judicial committee. Invariably, the committee members will not address the main issue. They will not answer the question being asked because that would require them to prove the matter scripturally. If that could be done, then they would never have even reached this stage. The committee members—often sincere believers themselves—are in an untenable position. They must support the official position of the Organization without God’s Word backing them up. In these situations, many relay on faith in men, believing that the Governing Body has been appointed by Jehovah and therefore right or wrong, its teachings must be upheld for the good of the whole. Ironically, this is similar to the reasoning of the ancient Pharisees who approved of the murder of Jesus for the sake of the nation—and their positions in it, of course. (The two go hand in hand.) – John 11:48
What is being sought in these instances isn’t to help the individual to an understanding of truth, but rather to get his compliance with the directives of an Organization, whether it be of Jehovah’s Witnesses or of some other Christian denomination. However, if the individual facing the judicial committee tries to get to the heart of the matter by insisting he get an answer to his original question, he will find that the reality of Jesus situation before the Sanhedrin is being repeated. ‘If he questions them, they will not answer.’ – Luke 22:68
Christ never resorted to these tactics, because he had truth on his side. True, at times he would answer a question with a question. However, he never did this to evade the truth, but only to qualify the worthiness of the questioner. He would not throw pearls before swine. Neither should we. (Mt. 7:6) When one has truth on one’s side, there is no need to be evasive, dismissive, or threatening. The truth is all one needs. Only when one is perpetrating a lie must one resort to the tactics employed by the Pharisees.
Some reading this may doubt that such a situation exists in the Organization. They may think I’m exaggerating or that I merely have an axe to grind. Some will be very offended at the mere suggestion that there could be any link between the Pharisees of Jesus’ day and the leadership of our Organization.
In answer to such ones, I first should state that I make no claim to be God’s appointed channel of communication. Therefore, as an aspiring Beroean, I would encourage all who doubt to prove this for themselves. However, be warned! You do this of your own initiative and under your own responsibility. I take no responsibility for the outcome.
To prove this point, you could try writing in to the branch office in your country to ask for scriptural proof that, for example, the “other sheep” of John 10:16 are a class of Christian without a heavenly hope. Or if you prefer, ask for scriptural proof of the current overlapping generation interpretation of Mt. 24:34. Don’t accept interpretation, nor speculation, nor sketchy deductive reasoning, nor evasive answers. Demand actual Bible proof. Keep writing in if they respond without a direct answer. Or, if you are particularly adventurous, ask the C.O. and don’t let him off the hook until he shows you the proof from the Bible, or admits there is no proof and that you just have to accept it because those instructing you are appointed by God.
I want to be clear that I am not encouraging anyone to do this, because I firmly believe based on personal experience and the accounts of others that there could be serious repercussions. If you think I’m being paranoid, run this idea past a few friends and gauge their reaction. Most will advise against it out of fear. That is a common response; one which goes to proving the point. Do you think the apostles ever feared questioning Jesus? They did so often in fact, because they knew “his yoke was kindly and his load was light”. The yoke of the Pharisees on the other hand was anything but. (Mt. 11:30; 23:4)
We cannot read hearts like Jesus did, but we can read actions. If we are searching for the truth and want to determine whether our teachers are helping or hindering us, we simply have to question them and watch to see whether they demonstrate the characteristics of the Pharisee or that of the Christ.
______________________________________________
[i] To be clear, we are not discussing questions for which a clear scriptural answer exists such as: Is there an immortal soul? Rather, the questions they do not answer are those that have no scriptural support. For example, “Since the only Scripture used to support our new understanding of overlapping generations is Exodus 1:6 which only speaks of overlapping lifetimes, not overlapping of whole generations, what is the scriptural basis for our new understanding?”
Archived Comments
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Comment by Christian on 2014-08-21 16:43:34
Well said,
That pretty much says it all Meleti, AMEN
Many of us have had an awakening has been gradual, mixed with fitful sleep and wanting to pick up the dream again.
I fear that many will be woken up violently, spiritually speaking, in the months & years to come.
It's good to be awakeReply by brendaevans32 on 2014-08-21 17:15:50
Amen
Reply by on 2014-08-21 19:17:18
Amen!
Reply by GodsWordIsTruth on 2014-08-21 19:20:55
Amen!!
Reply by Mailman on 2014-08-22 22:28:23
Continuing Amen!
Comment by brendaevans32 on 2014-08-21 17:15:23
Hello Meleti and everyone
Yet another thought provoking piece.
I know I am repeating a subject, but it is still "ongoing" - I guess this is the best way to phrase it.
I mentioned a while ago, in another posting, about one of the brothers, I think he is an elder, happening to knock on our door on a Saturday morning. It must be at least 6 weeks ago now. And we got talking about why I had given up attending the meetings. Was there anything he could do to help. You know the score.
So, after a couple of seconds on deliberating whether to tell him what has 'tripped me up', I decided - no, I want to talk about this.
And I revisited my fast becoming intriguing subject of 'By what right does anyone has to say they are the 7 Shepherds and the 8 Dukes'. He was a bit baffled. And the upshoot is that he needed to go away, search out the WT study on the subject and get back in touch.
It is a good job that I didn't keep the front door open waiting for his return - despite it sounding pretty soon - we would have had flies in from the little heat wave we had over here, winds, rain and my feet would have gone quite cold. What I am trying to say, is that I am still waiting.
Maybe the brothers are busy. I am aware today that the Convention is this weekend for this area.
But what has got me is something as obvious as being able to call themselves as this should have a huge notice on it declaring themselves as the 7 Shepherds and 8 Dukes - and members should be able to point to this. Maybe the pointing stick got lost, and it is being looked for,
I have been met with evasion, examples of Biblical accounts (which obviously support why someone has been selected to serve Jehovah in a particular way), being 'educated' again about the organization policy, or just simply avoidance.
It is raining again outside - and it is 22:14 - I had better go and shut the front door.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2014-08-21 18:04:11
Isn't that a sad commentary on the state of affairs in the organization, BrendaEvans32? If you were just someone in the territory, I'm sure the brother would have been back the next day, or at least the following weekend. Moreover, considering what Jesus said about lost sheep and adding to that the fact that from the Organization's viewpoint you are a lost sheep, there is even more reason for a prompt response. It would be an act of mercy (and Jesus wants mercy, not sacrifice - Mt 9:13) to snatch you from the fire of doubt. - Jude 22, 23
The fact that no effort is made because you've asked an unanswerable question speaks volumes about the true situation within our society. How can we help doubters when we have disarmed ourselves by putting down the tempered steel sword of God's word and taking up one made of paper mache and fashioned by men?
Comment by bobcat3 on 2014-08-21 18:01:31
Meleti:
I had to go back and look at our gmail exchange a few months back. Unlike you, I didn't ask a second time in my case. But I sure found their response (or lack of it) maddening. Perhaps some of my response was as a result of a naive idea that they were just fellow Bible students in search of 'truth.' Coming face to face with the real 'corporate' face of the organization was a wake up call. I wonder if they recognize the effect their responses have on people?
Probably part of the problem is that those assigned to respond to QFRs are under strict orders to maintain the company line on whatever subject they are having to respond to. I could imagine they don't want someone wondering around with something printed on company letterhead that may in any way give the idea that they could be wrong.
On the other hand, they've put themselves in the position of being God's 'channel.' So they have to prevent anyone from seeing 'the man behind the curtain.' It is very much a problem of their making. (For anyone not familiar, the quote is a reference to a scene from the movie "The Wizard of Oz.")
I can say that my letter, and their 'response' were a life changing event. I did not intend for it to be. And I'm sure they didn't either.
BobcatReply by smolderingwick1 on 2014-08-23 13:30:11
"(For anyone not familiar, the quote is a reference to a scene from the movie “The Wizard of Oz.”)"
And to think that it only took the dog "Toto" to pull back the curtain to reveal the fraud......well what can I say? Is that how silly this has become? ;)
Comment by Kyp on 2014-08-21 19:20:32
One day you wake up and everything is so much different from what you believed for so many years. It's hard to get along with. Good, when someone doesn't get atheistic, depressed or suicidal of it.
What more could I say. You are so right, Meleti.
Comment by Alex Rover on 2014-08-21 22:11:02
As Meleti indicates, this is not the religion it used to be.
1. The religion I grew up in had the Bible has highest doctrinal authority. Now it's the Governing Body, for they can declare doctrine without the attempt to prove it.
2. In the religion I grew up in I was allowed to put in question doctrine with the elders without consequences. In recent years, I was temporarily suspended from privileges for asking Elders ONE TIME a private, sincere Bible question during a shepherding call. My question was never answered. My devotion to the organization was questioned instead. I was too scared to even write a letter afterward, because of the treatment I had received. A close witness friend warned me not to write also, because of possible repercussions.
3. In the religion I grew up in, I didn't know the authors of our books, because my grandmother told me our writers don't want to bring attention to themselves. I didn't know the names of the Governing Body members either. They didn't draw attention to themselves.
4. The religion I grew up in I was promised by my dad we had answers to all our claims, because he asked all questions and we had the answers. We had the truth, I was proud to declare that the generation was almost extinct and surely that proved beyond a doubt Armageddon would happen before the year 2000..at most. I told people in service that if they didn't listen they would die. When the years came and went, I was told it was not a lie, but that the light was now brighter.
5. The religion I grew up in was not a sect, I told my high school teacher. We have no human leaders. And you will see I am right when the UN will attack religion any moment now!
6. Over the years, I've seen many Brothers and Sisters leave over wrong doctrines, and I thought they might be ahead of their time and were weak or impatient, but now I must think of them as mentally diseased and hate apostates. Except they used to be my favorite Elders and Pioneers, with a great love for Jehovah.
It has been a bait and switch. I used to feel "full" and now I leave the meetings "hungry". All I hear is propaganda and "milk". If there are any deep topics, they are really make believe. The 7 dukes, the overlapping generation, the FDS "coup d'état",... it's impossible to believe these new things, even if I tried.Reply by hezekiah1 on 2014-08-22 11:36:35
"the FDS “coup d’état”
Hmmm how true. I never thought of it this way until now. Thank you AlexReply by Mailman on 2014-08-22 21:06:54
Hi Hezekiah and to our dear brothers with our continuing search for unadulterated truth. I just could not imagine the FDS originally referring to all anointed Christians at any given time is now just composed of the Governing Body. Assuming the anointed numbers 10K before that July 2013 WT Study article, the number was reduced to 8? 8/10, 000 is .08%. The very small minority trumps the majority and we don't know even if the majority of the FDS (all anointed ones on earth) have the voice to express their dissension by taking out the rest of them.
Did Jehovah God sent a beamed light upon all the anointed ones and said "Beginning July 2013, only the Governing Body will be the Organization's FDS." Or the present Governing Body simply put the matter into vote among themselves that led to this change in understanding of the FDS' identity? What about the rest of the anointed who did not consent to this new revelation? Were they heard? Would it not be loving and fair that the present GB should have consulted at least majority of the anointed who are not part of the GB about this major re-interpretation? Then here we are now, closing our eyes, closing our brains, and just accepting the change?
Reply by Dorcas on 2014-08-22 11:54:15
I know it's not much consolation, Alex, but I could have written your reply. I feel the same way. As a young person, I loved going to the meetings and would come home almost glowing, I felt so good.
My parents were only studying at the time and were dragging their feet about becoming Witnesses. I simply could not understand what they were waiting for!
Now, I struggle to go and can't wait to get out of the KH because I feel no spiritual refreshment whatsoever. To me, they feel more like indoctrination sessions than Bible lessons. Everything feels foreign.Reply by InNeedOfGrace on 2014-08-22 14:05:23
I fell in love with God through the bible teach book for kids and through listening to the audio cassettes with the dramas about Josiah, etc. This has long been my fuel, but at a certain point I noticed the same things, and now every passing week it gets harder and harder to fake things.
Comment by imacountrygirl2 on 2014-08-22 00:30:26
I have such sadness for all of you because I know exactly what you are going through. Matthew 9:36 (ESV "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
Be patient with yourselves, it is going to take a lot of time to process all this information. Hebrews 13:5 NIV "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
The going will not be easy, so I offer my sincere encouragement to all who struggle. Romans 15:13 "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Out of love, many of us have traveled this path that lies before you, to make it easier for you to make it through.Reply by brendaevans32 on 2014-08-22 12:45:39
Hello imacountrygirl2, Those are lovely, loving and inspiring words. I know that the Bible is abundant in them. However, in times of need, how loving are the words, "Now may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
And the support from Jehovah, in our own trying times, and in the trying times of others - it is just simply lovely to pass these messages on.
I have gone off and started to do my 'own thing', giving myself a word to study about Jehovah each week, and it is so lovely to find so much in the Bible and how it relates and can easily be applied today, yesterday and tomorrow - I have been sharing bits of thoughts with friends and strangers - even moreso since i started giving myself these weekly subjects.
So your words that you share from you and those from Jehovah, thank you. Thank you.
Comment by A Spirit Directed Majority? | Beroean Pickets on 2014-08-22 09:28:14
[…] Rover gave an excellent summary of the changed state of affairs in our Organization in his comment on my most recent post. It got me to thinking about how these changes came about. For instance, his […]
Comment by Mailman on 2014-08-22 11:46:05
Thanks for this wonderful article and early comments that hit the nail. I don't know but I think not only myself but brothers rising in nos. all over the world can very well relate to what's happening in the organization. I had some deep reflection past few days about the essence of Acts 1:6, 7 in light of my continuing search about 1914 and how the Governing Body has protected the date, gave it a positive spin in the latest Kingdom Ministry for August 2014.
Acts 1: 6, 7: "When, now, they had assembled, they went asking him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time? ... It does not belong to YOU to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction."
If the apostles were told not to bother with the times or seasons about the restoration of God's Kingdom, then who is the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses to impart prophetic interpretation about 1914 that cannot be questioned by the brothers in the Organization, so much so that an opposition to it can result in one being disfellowshipped? Let us lay down some important qualifications:
Apostles Qualifications:
1> were directly inspired by the holy spirit in the 1st century
2> chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ himself
3> had hands on training with Christ
4> became actual witnesses of the Master on earth, his death and his
resurrection
5> some became co-authors or writers of the Bible
Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses Qualifications:
1> not inspired though it claims to be guided by the holy spirit
2> assuming anointed by the spirit, there's nor guarantee that
they are guided by the spirit 100% of the time (in view of the majority vote raised in the article);
3> new members of the GB not the same small group of anointed ones
that were inspected by Jesus and chosen by him in 1918 (this claim remains
to be unproven in the scriptures)
4> new members appointed or elevated to such distinct privilege by
existing members of the GB based on spiritual qualifications and other factors
outside world don't know.
5> issued doctrines and prophetic understandings that have changed or evolved
numerous times which caused confusion to the JW community, even to ex-JWs
and interested people following the WT activities.
Jehovah God said it clearly in Luke 9: 35: A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."
Question is: Is the Governing Body truly listening to the voice of Christ? If yes, then why continue propagating the 1914 and other special dates as if our salvation and love for Jehovah God and Christ rest upon it? And why threaten those who do not agree with them, strip them off their privileges, up to the point of excommunicating them? Aren't spiritual privileges dedicated in the service of God - and not men?
Please help me find compelling verses from the Scriptures to prove that the GB is in a more esteemed position/privilege or has better qualifications than the apostles that the former deserve to KNOW better, UNDERSTAND better, and INTERPRET better. Perhaps I and thousands of others are just missing something?
Comment by hezekiah1 on 2014-08-22 11:53:00
Thanks again Meleti. I have tried to write the branch before on a subject. The results have been tough to swallow. I know exactly what you mean regarding the consequences.
I have also seen our brothers, who stuck to a certain Bible teaching, removed as an elder, or another who was DF. To say anything against the GB will be met with quick and severe action. I am really not sure where this is heading other than a complete state of fear.
Comment by Trynhard on 2014-08-23 07:17:00
Come on folks, you all seem to be intelligent, and as meleti has referred to himself as " the thinking class". Can't you see that this is a man made,mind controlling, cult. May be a hard pill to swallow, but when a doctrine can't be biblically supported, that's the Christian definition of a cult. I was raised a JW, and saw it back in the 70's, and got out when my light got brighter.
Reply by kev c on 2014-08-23 11:23:15
I think thats probably right trynhard from what ive seen i cant say much for any other religion either .i think as soon as people start to group together theres always some deperado who has to try to and be top dog . Its in the playground at work in any social structure . It seems to be the carnal nature of humans . Organised religion is the same despite what its members may say .they all seem to have cult marks to some degree some more than others .I think the witnesses are getting worse 2 tim 3v13 kev
Comment by gogetter on 2014-08-23 09:19:00
We are all out of the cell mentally but still in the prison because of family ,
friends and waiting on Jehovah to open the gates!Reply by menrov on 2014-08-25 06:24:17
Amen
Comment by smolderingwick1 on 2014-08-23 22:27:33
Maybe I'm too soft and too honest (if there is such a thing), but I can recall sitting in on an appeal committee re-hearing the disfellowshipped "apostate" many years ago. I was of the mindset then that absolute unity was required of all of us and voted to dismiss the appeal in support of the disfellowshipping committee. While I fully understand the validity of appeal, I had greater belief in our final statement:
"Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses means accepting the entire body of our present teachings."
And so that about wraps it up, doesn't it? I even recall feeling a sense of disgust for the brother since he served in such highly honored positions in the past before "going apostate." So let's face it. I've seen it from both sides. I was a Pharisee and now I am just another Nicodemus sneaking a visit with Jesus to ask him what I should do next ...... only to hear, "You must be born again."
NOW I finally "get it!"
swReply by imacountrygirl2 on 2014-08-24 02:29:09
Trynhard, you have been out since the 70's? And yet, all these years later, HERE you are on this discussion board!
So many Jehovah's Witnesses believe that leaving the organization is tantamount to leaving Jehovah and his only begotten Son, Jesus.
Is it your love of God that brought you here, as it did me? I've been out for several years now, God never left me, though I did go through some struggles.
To come into a real relationship with Jesus after all these years of Him being kept on the sidelines...is a life changing experience. After being on this site for about eight months now, my faith has never been stronger than it is today. I have come to love reading the Bible...because I want to.
I know I am a better person because of the love of Jesus, both the love he has for us, and the love he wants us to show to others.
I recognize I have a long, long way to go, but with Jesus sharing the yoke with me, the way is both simple and easy. It all comes down to love becoming a way of life.
kev said "from what ive seen i cant say much for any other religion either". I can say this much from what I have seen, not all religions claim to have a direct relationship with Almighty God, nor do they claim to be his only channel of communication on earth. Such a claim must surely be reprehensible to God. I am not saying they are not in my town, but I have not heard of any local church making such a claim, only the four congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses.
You may not see much difference there kev, but I sure do. I took off my JW glasses some years ago. I can see clearly now, the smog is gone......I admit it, I took some liberties with that song.
sw, We have all done things that we believed were necessary to keep the congregation clean....and keep the unity among the congregation. Things that we have come to regret. We did not know any better, we were under the spell of the Watchtower. As we learn unadulterated Bible truths for ourselves, it has the power to transform our lives. We cannot undo anything we did in the past, we have to lay it down and step away from the burden and get on with living the only life we have right now.Reply by kev c on 2014-08-24 13:42:05
Thanks countrygirl for your comments i suppose my comment about all other religions was a bit OTT .Your right what you say .I guess i have become apathetic toward organised religion in general because of what i have seen and heard from others .Not all claim to be gods spokesman as you said and i do think their are many genuine people out there.its wrong to judge every religion the same .thanks for your correction . Kev
Reply by menrov on 2014-08-25 06:29:15
I can support that removing the WT glass and veil will open the way to Jesus, which is what the Father wants, He draws people to His son. It is a first step, of mant more to take I hear.
Reply by qspf on 2015-04-25 10:56:14
Hello there, smolderingwick1,
You stated in your post above,
" "
I had greater belief in our final statement: “Being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses means accepting the entire body of our present teachings.”
" "
It is instructive to look at the actual statement from the Questions From Readers. (April 1, 1986)
(BTW, I cannot help but wonder who all these anonymous "readers" ever are. Since the WT clearly does not want to be questioned by its membership, I have to assume that the "readers" are members of the GB who have decided it was time for some 'new light'. Since the GB (presumably!) reads the Watchtower themselves, they could properly, albeit somewhat misleadingly, refer to themselves as "readers".)
" "
Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include?
That the great issue before humankind is the rightfulness of Jehovah’s sovereignty, which is why he has allowed wickedness so long. (Ezekiel 25:17) That Jesus Christ had a prehuman existence and is subordinate to his heavenly Father. (John 14:28) That there is a “faithful and discreet slave” upon earth today ‘entrusted with all of Jesus’ earthly interests,’ which slave is associated with the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Matthew 24:45-47) That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence. (Luke 21:7-24; Revelation 11:15–12:10) That only 144,000 Christians will receive the heavenly reward. (Revelation 14:1, 3) That Armageddon, referring to the battle of the great day of God the Almighty, is near. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-21) That it will be followed by Christ’s Millennial Reign, which will restore an earth-wide paradise. That the first to enjoy it will be the present “great crowd” of Jesus’ “other sheep.”—John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3, 4.
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So, here is the crux of the matter. It's not just "being" a JW that is at stake, it is having "approved association" with them.
Forgive me for pointing the obvious, but, "approved" by whom? If they mean, "approved by God", they would have to point out where the Bible demands belief in each of these doctrines "that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses".
Witnesses that are still comfortably in the fold of the Watchtower organization will doubtless have no issue with the litany of "check boxes" used as their litmus test. But persons like those who frequent this forum will see right away that the scriptural validity of vast majority of these "unique beliefs" is seriously subject to question. A good case can be made that made of their "unique" beliefs are in fact out of harmony with "the true teachings of the Bible".
So, let no one imagine that "approved association" has anything to do with attaining God's approval. If the WT had been honest, they would have worded the first sentence more along these lines:
"Approved association with the Watchtower corporation as a member thereof, and permission to label yourself as "one of Jehovah’s Witnesses", requires accepting the entire range of teachings of the Watchtower corporation, including those beliefs that are unique to the Watchtower corporation, whether Scriptural or not. If you don't believe in, and do, everything we in the Governing Body of the Watchtower corporation tell you to, your membership will be cancelled and you are out."
By the way, the web site hosted by "Perimeno" has a very interesting take on the subject of Nicodemus and being born again.
You can find this at http://perimeno.ca/BornAgain.htm
I found his reasoning to be basically sound. You may enjoy reading this.
Comment by search4truth on 2014-08-24 02:48:12
One doesn't have to go actually that far as to write a letter to the society . Just simply start ask cong members or Jw family "wrong" questions. From my experience this is often treated with hostility and if you are persistent you'll be meeting elders very soon. This is sadly the "christian " environment created by the wt where questioning authority and demanding honest Bible based answers is not tolerated. In my opinion the Wt is a parasite feeding on the Christ cong. And yes it is cultish. It is true however that there are many other religious org and churches that mistreat own members some even worse then Wt.
Comment by qspf on 2015-04-24 23:01:40
Just a thought about the example of lead. Room temperature lead is by no means an insulator, but it is a poor conductor, having about 10 times as much electrical resistance as copper, silver or gold. But, to imply that "poor conductor" = " excellent insulator" ? Nonsense. It is just sloppy, amateur research, careless editing, or both. When someone holds themselves up as an authoritative source of information, verification and fact checking is vital. What a shame it wasn't demonstrated here.
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2015-04-25 07:48:20
Hi qspf,
First of all, I love the gravatar. ;)
Second, it's interesting to share such examples with fellow JWs and watch the reaction. The most common facial expression is one of discomfort. They have put such faith in these men that any apparent chink in the armor rocks their world. (Forgive the mixed metaphor.)