FRESH OFF THE PRESS.... 9/1/06 WT "When a Loved One Leaves Jeh."

by schne_belly 125 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Joe Grundy

  Just to provide an update:

  This is the letter I mailed to WTBTS on 29 July 2006:

  Watchtower Bible & Tract Society 25 Columbia Heights Brooklyn New York11201-2483 NY, USA. 29 July 2006 Dear Sir/Madam I have for some time been interested in your teachings and doctrines and have read a number of your publications.I have found them challenging and thought-provoking. I have just seen your ?Watchtower? magzine dated 1 st September 2006,and the article entitled ?When a Loved One Leaves Jehovah?.I want to ask about some issues which this article raises and hope that you will be able to clarify some points for me. I should explain that I was a police officer for thirty years and have experienced the dreadful problems which can be caused by ?broken families?. It seems to me from this article that the author equates leaving the religion of ?Jehovah?s Witnessess? with ceasing a relationship with God and/or Jesus.I am uncertain as to whether this was the intention of the article or merely an unfortunate implication.Perhaps you could clarify this. The overall impression I gained from the article is that if someone leaves the religion they are effectively isolated from their family.I am sure that this is not correct within your teachings, and that no doubt you will wish to correct this.It may well be that I have simply misunderstood. You will no doubt agree that particularly in these days of increasing numbers of ?broken homes? the love and example of a united family and the exhibition of unconditional love is a supremely important matter, and one which is fully in accordance with Biblical principles. I must confess to having been concerned by the implications of this article.I appreciate, of course, that sometimes articles may be included in publications which fail to reflect the true principles intended.This may be what has happened here, but I would in any case be grateful for clarification. You may wish to respond to my enquiry by e-mail: my address is [edited] . Yours faithfully

  I have not recieved a reply or acknowledgement. This is not a surprise.
• 

  vitty

  Jo
• 

  vitty

  Joe

  Im not really surprised...............what can they say.

  They are probably still thinking what to say in a reply...LOL
• 

  jgnat

  Jo

  Joe Grundy, that's a great letter. You sound like an innocently informed outsider. Did you ever get a visit from the society, any response?
• 

  Joe Grundy

  I have had no response whatsoever.

  I can only surmise (based on info about WTBTS which I have picked up from JWD) that if they DID plan any response they would have referred it to the local English-speaking congregation. I attended it three times with my JW MS neighbour. The last was wearing my FBI polo-shirt, and I went outside for a smoke afterwards. I also explained to my neighbour my religious views (I am an informed atheist) and that it may be best for his JW prospects if he curtailed his association as I am, no doubt, worldly and Bad Association. (We still speak occasionally but no more invitations to dinner with him or his friends, etc.).

  So, any response via the local cong would probably have been checked with him first. I no doubt failed that test. Funny, really, it wasn't so long ago that his JW wife (she's the keener one, I think) told me that 'cos I was the 'innocent' one in my divorce in their eyes, there really wouldn't be any problems in my becoming a JW and living a 'full' life in the religion. Perhaps they have some increasingly-desperate single sisters available?
• 

  Joe Grundy

  You sound like an innocently informed outsider.

  I am an innocently-informed outsider!!