Do you think that the JW's in your congregation "Hate"you?
Oh, yeah... (may you all have peace)! But not necessarily because they "want" to; rather, they've been taught that they're supposed to. And the brainwashed tend to do what they're told.
And those formerly df'd (that I did not shun; sorry, that felt "unloving" to me)... and the former sick that I attended to... seem to be the worse (although, there is one particular "elder" whose chagrin almost drips from his turned-down mouth whenever I see him!). I attend the "Memorial" every year and, man-oh-man, if looks... and whispers... could kill... I would be "crucified"... over... and over... and over... again! Who needs to be tortured forever in a burning hell? Let me tell you, it can happen right here on earth! Thankfully, I managed to confiscate a pair of "asbestos" chonies from someone some time ago, and wear them whenever I attend - they really do "cover" my... nevermind.
But I don't actually hate them, not individually, anyway (well, I did a couple of 'em for a very brief moment, when Robert Bryant took his life and his family's - sigh!). Actually, I feel VERY sorry for them. Primarily because they're all quite miserable in their lives, on some level. Some more than others, of course. But they really are sheep... skinned and thrown about. And because I can see the results of waiting and anticipating "the end" in their eyes whenever I see them; truly, their "panting to the end" puts a GREAT deal of stress on them! Goodness, I SHUDDER when I recall how I used to live, counting the dates and times and seasons and wondering "when"? What a horrible way to live, anticipating (for some, even gleefully) the destruction of others!! Where is the love... of even one's enemies... in THAT?
Life ["in this system"] was (and maybe still is) considered a huge inconvenience, which needed to hurry itselft to its end, and if you loved ANY part of (life) in the meantime something was very "wrong" with you (i.e., you were loving "Satan's system"). You could NOT love your life, and not be "loving" the world at the same time (a belief I have since come to learn has absolutely NO basis - I don't love the world, but I certainly love my life, which I consider a gift from God!!) with the exception of the ability to boast of (1) a many-decaded dedication to "the trooth," (2) a lengthy marriage, (3) the fact that you "served" as a missionary sometime somewhere, and/or (4) your children were destined for or already ensconced in "Bethel." Other than those, you had absolute NO grounds... or right... to joy... and you had better get that fact straight early on! (Oh, sorry, my apologies - you could have "joy"... but only "in God's service," meaning you were an elder, pioneer, Bethelite, or married to such, etc., but if you weren't you had better wipe that silly "I love [my] life" grin off your face and real quick-like!).
This, regardless of whether joy is a fruit of God's spirit or not ('cause, really, unless you were one of these God would not condescend to "dirty" His hands and GIVE you some of His spirit).
Well, heck, I'm no "Schlep-Rock," so this never really worked for me.
But indivually, I ain't mad at 'em. Collectively, as an institution... well, I have to pray on that one.
I bid you all peace.
A slave of Christ,
SA, The Verbose