You Can Have True Faith - Oct 1, 2001 WT

by MrMoe 12 Replies latest jw friends

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  MrMoe

  Thanks D wiltshire, I have. It's really nice to make friends with people who will not judge you for what I feel should be between you and your maker.
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  Patriot

  Anyone mind posting the article for those of us who don't have the "latest spiritual food"?

  Need to keep up with "God's celestial chariot".

  Mav-
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  ozziepost

  MrMoe,
  Welcome to this happy place. Hope you feel that it's a "hiding place from the storm". We hope it helps.

  The article in the October 1 W/T is a classic in reflecting the official Watchtower attitude to the state of sinful mankind. Notice paragraph 4 of the study article on page 14. The question on the paragraph reads: "What is often the root cause of young ones' going astray?". This question is repeated in the Review Box at the end of the study. The paragraph reads: "A child's rebellious attitude and behavior are usually symptoms of spiritual weakness, reflections of what is in his heart. For whatever reason a youth goes astray, the root of the problem often lies in his not having "an accurate knowledge of truth" (2 Timothy 3:7)" What do we learn from this? That only the spiritually weak commit sins. These are the ones who haven't got enough knowledge. But is that scriptural? We know that the scripture says "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The reality is that Witnesses do not see themselves as sinners. Oh yes, they have inherited imperfection from Adam, but they don't REALLY sin. It's on this basis that the elders, including the PO that you speak of, would have judged you.

  This is much different from Jesus' attitude. Notice his words to a self-righteous Pharisee named Simon when after having his feet washed by an immoral woman said: "I tell you, her sins, many though they are, are forgiven, because she loved much, but he who is forgiven little, loves little." By these words Jesus exposed the wrong thinking of the Pharisees. Can you see a similarity between them and the elders who judge today? They do not see themselves as sinners. Imperfect, yes but not sinners. That's for the wicked people.

  Notice also that this article is directed towards the 'minor' child who is disfellowshipped. Whilst concessions are made for such ones to have some association with their parents with whom they live, remember that NO concessions apply to adult children who are disfellowshipped.

  You are right to question the validity of this article. Your own bitter experience has made it all too real to you. Nonetheless please remember that just because they do bad in Jehovah's name does not mean that it's something to blame God for as if He is doing it. View it for what it really is, the imperfect actions of imperfect men.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "Evil is the absence of empathy"
  Movie (2000), Nuremberg