Comments You Will Not Hear at the 1-14-07 WT Study (Love Neighbor)

by blondie 19 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  compound complex

  Genuine Christianity: How is it Truly Displayed?

  Be warm and well fed. Our former mind-set seems to have been that we needed to give the householder the fishing pole rather than the immediate meal of a cooked fish. Pardon the mixed-metaphor, but the very real "danger" of his becoming a "rice Christian." We want him to work for the 'food that does not perish.' Giving him an actual meal in his time of real hunger would be an invitation to dependency and sloth. We as true ministers of the Word know what is in the householder's best interests and look to the FDS to direct our every thought and deed. No money to beggars as they most certainly will spend it on booze. Do not intervene if, on the street, you see a poor old man being beaten mercilessly by thugs. That would be like pulling on the ears of a dog. Search out a phone booth and do call the police... you have done all that you could possibly do. Hurry on now to the KH - you are already late. I have no need of a conscience, because for every possible situation that could arise in day-to-day life, the FDS has supplied a ready solution as to how I might avoid contamination from all those worldly Samaritans.

  Compound-Complex
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  BluesBrother

  and a

  p8] "Yet, never should we be disdainful of those who do not share our belief in Jehovah. Christ died for sinners"

  what do they themselves say?

  " a worldly pestilence that is bred in the morally, religiously diseased world amid its gloom. It is meant to infect and lay low not only worldlings, " w74 12/15p.755par.18

  hardly respectful?

  WT Dec 1st 2005, likened Jehovah ho a householder whose house was infested with pests, and at Armageddon would "eliminate such pests"No wonder dubs grow up to be disdainful.

  P15 'Your religion is very good. We have never received help like this from our church.'

  How many Charities are Church based? I can immediately think of "Christian Aid" "Islamic Aid " and lots of smaller ones

  P16] For example, some people's love for neighbor goes no further than a donation to some charitable organization.

  If you are in poverty, which would you prefer, the dollar or £ with charity,? or a Witness knocking on his neighbours door with the latest mags?
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  Doubting Bro

  The hyprocracy of this particular article had me grumbling today:

  Who is my neighbor? If you changed the identities of the people in Jesus’ parable to reflect the WT community:

  Priest—JW elder

  Levite—JW ministerial servant

  Man attacked—rank and file JW

  Samaritan—all non-JWs

  The elder and the MS saw the man needed practical help yet they went by on the other side of the road. Now remember this man was another JW.

  The elder was saying to himself, "that man should not have been on this road. It is his fault he was attacked. If he had been out in field service and going to all the meetings this would not have happened. I have to work on my talk for Sunday. Someone else will come along and help him."

  The MS was saying to himself, "I have many serious responsibilities serving in the KH (holy place) and assisting the elders (priests). I don’t have time to get involved in this man’s problems. If he had been at the KH (synagogue), this would not have happened."

  The non-JW sees the man and recognizes that he is a JW, the ones that are always telling him that only JWs have God’s blessing. Looking at him now, it doesn’t seem that God has blessed him. But he remembers that God works through people on earth and proceeds to help him.

  Blondie, it never occurred to me to apply this parable in the way you did. However, it really touched me. I can see so clearly how this situation is played out every day at the hall.

  The times in which we live are marked by a selfish, distorted form of love. In his inspired description of "the last days," the apostle Paul wrote that people would love, not one another, but themselves, money, and pleasures. Many would have "no natural affection," or as one Bible translation puts it, they would "lack normal affection for their families." (2 Timothy 3:1-4) Jesus Christ foretold: "Many... will betray one another and will hate one another.... The love of the greater number will cool off."-Matthew 24:10,12.

  The WTS many times says that the vast majority of people are selfish, distorted, lovers of money and pleasures, have no natural affection for family, betray one another and hate another and that the only people not like this are JWs. Can you think of non-JW family, neighbors, workmates that are kind, helpful, love their families, donate to charities of their time and money, etc.? I can.

  Typical demonizing of everyone else. I can't believe I didn't see this beforestressed

  Some taught that the terms "friend" and "neighbor" applied only to Jews.Non Jews were to be hated. Such teachers reasoned that the godly must despise the godless. "In such an atmosphere," says one reference work, "it was impossible for hatred to starve. It had plenty to feed on."

  Your comments are dead on. I didn't read your commentary prior to going to the meeting, but when you comment that JWs are taught to avoid everyone not JW or at least not develop "friendships" with them, I nearly choked when I read the above quote. You'd think they would complement the Jews for staying pure.

  The last couple of subheadings were equally disturbing because while I didn't find much objectionable, the fact is that is smacks in the face of JW practice. James said to take care of the widows and orphans. I don't think handing out tracts saying Jehovah is going to destroy you or the latest WT articles are what James had in mind.

  It's always bothered me that JWs don't have any charity work except for the occasional relief work where some non-JWs get some benefit. I always look at it this way, Jesus had only 3.5 years of ministry time and yet took many occasions to help the sick and poor. His teaching work was terrific of course, but equally impressive was his willingness to put off his sermons to help others in a physicial way.
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  heathen

  Yah , where's the vomit alert? Once again quoting "scholars" with no background to it. That means anybody coulda said it , even the lower than dirt R&F. I wonder what they meant by love your neighbor even to the point of handing your life over.Are they talking about refusing to hand over names of fellow believers in times of banning? Even if it means death? I know they aren't talking about blood transfusions or organ transplants. I think jesus said that only those that clothed ,fed and visited the anointed in prison would inherit the kingdom , there is no prerequisite to risk your life for an individual of course you are to risk your life for God and the good news of the kingdom . Love of God did come first .
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  juni

  Thank you Blondie for your hard work.

  We'll see you when you get back from your traveling.

  Best to you and your husband.

  Juni
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  hamsterbait

  Blondie -

  Do you remember where the WTBCS (C for ****) actually explained away the statement of Christ "pray for your enemies"?

  I don't have the litterature from that age now, but it was basically:

  "Never would one of Jehovah's happy people pray for the happiness and advantage of those who do not worship Jehovah. Rather we should pray that they will repent of their wicked ways and become one of Jehovah's Witlesses."

  I was there today, and upt until para 11 I thought that it was largely a very Christian study. The next part contradicted half the public talk on the same subject. I walked out because I felt ill.

  HB
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  Fangorn

  I have to say that this article was particularly grotesque in its miss application of scripture, in being wholly self-serving, and in its use of misdirection. Though I usually strain to use the term 'evil' in referring to the Organization I would have to say that this particular article is border line evil.
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  jgnat

  I was wondering if anyone would find the source of that unattributed quote. I didn't. I did find a whole bunch of commentary on the Good Samaritan. http://www.textweek.com/mtlk/lk10b.htm From good old Christendom.
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  OnTheWayOut

  15) .....For example, from Mozambique comes this report about a Witness family. "We had never seen anything like it. In the afternoon, a fierce wind began to blow, followed by heavy rain and hailstones. The strong winds destroyed our reed house, and the zinc roofing sheets blew away. When our brothers from neighboring congregations came and helped to rebuild our house, our astonished neighbors said: 'Your religion is very good. We have never received help like this from our church.' We opened the Bible and showed them John 13:34, 35. Many of our neighbors are now studying the Bible."

  16) ....some people's love for neighbor goes no further than a donation to some charitable organization.

  In one paragraph, they highlight their occasional charitable work after disaster, and quote worldly
  ones saying "very good."

  In the next paragraph, they minimize regular charitable work of others. Many who "donate" give
  until it hurts. Others volunteer time and efforts. WTS has even gone so far with asking for
  handouts, that they ask people not to go to disaster areas or earmark their donations for that
  disaster, but rather, just give more money to the worldwide work so "we" can provide what's needed
  in the disaster area. What a crock.

  Blondie, I like your insights.
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  Santisimo

  What commandments are they referring to in paragraph 1 of this article? They can't be talking about the 10 commandments because if that were true, anyone could do that without being a JW. With the exception of the blood law, they don't follow any other commandment in the OT. So what are they talking about?

  Also, how could they be talking about loving thy neighbor when they treat their DF'd family members like crap?