When I was taught to hate

by TastingFreedom 5 Replies latest jw friends

  • TastingFreedom
    TastingFreedom

    It is quite known how much love is preached by the "Jehovah's people", at each meeting there will be talk about loving thy neighbor, love of brothers, love of the elderly, love to the "Organization" and other demonstrations of love, all that looks good. Indeed it is all good, we could never debate that, but is it just that? Is the "Organization" all love like God is love (1 John 4: 8 )? In all truth, I would have liked it to be so, but it is not, unfortunately.

    When one investigates the reality of things with a warm heart but with a cool head, one can realize that the "Organization" taught us to hate, saying we should hate what is evil, we should hate what Jehovah hates but really taught us to hate what the "Organization" hates.

    The "Organization" taught us to hate things that have nothing to do with common sense, such as addictions or degrading acts like criminal practices. Rather, we are taught to hate other religions, taught us to hate the government, taught to hate people who don't think as the "Organization" dictates, taught us to hate those who do not believe in what the "Organization" believes.

    The "Organization" taught us to call "whore and prostitutes" any other religious organization. This “organization” taught us to call "Babylon" their places of worship and religion. Taught us to call "goats" those who do not accept the message of this "Organization". Taught us that the holidays that our family celebrate to share and give affection are "the table of demons ". Taught us that our country and its national emblems are disgusting idols. Taught us to be homophobes, but above all, taught us to hate those who investigate the errors of this organization of human beings by calling them "apostates", these are the ones most hated.

    In fact, the love within the "Organization" is just a beautiful dream or desire, but only applies to one who "belongs to the club", as you step out of this club, love disappears for that person, even if this is a close relative, for the same "Organization" suggests to cut the communication and all ties with that person, totally misinterpreting what the scripture says.

    The Christianity that this "Organization" practices is adulterated and corrupted. It has been structured to serve its own selfish interests. What does it do about the commandment "to love your enemy" (Matthew 5: 43 and 44)? Is this symbolic like all those “new light” understandings on things where the "Organization" uses its own interpretation?

    With respect to other religions that this "Organization" hates and by calling itself the only terrestrial channel to turn to God, thus, denying that someone with a good heart can get salvation on the sole fact that he/she belongs to other religious organization. That is not the reality of the Gospels. We find Jesus was tolerant with people in his time and was not demanding exclusiveness. There is a case where a man who had been freed from a demon called Legion, when he wanted to "follow" Jesus, he told him "go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee", was not told to preach the teachings of Jesus. (Mark Chapter 5)

    I think it is time to get to think that hate does not leave us positive things, hatred breeds more hatred and it is not good. If you look straight and confront those erroneous teachings with courage and determination in order to understand that love of thy neighbor are found everywhere and can be shown at any time and not just those that the organization calls a "brother/sister". Oppose this organization's teaching that teaches hatred to those that are no longer considered our brother/sister, as if they have been discarded as a "straw for the fire" when they think differently than them.

    Moreover, should we hate the "Organization" for such education? Well, I must say that hating is not the right thing to do, rather we should expose their misinterpretations with courage, that way others don't continue to follow those teachings blindly, and hopefully people can make their own judgment based on the true teachings in the bible, and not based on the twisted interpretations by the Watchtower organization.

    (Inspired by some thoughts from David Salinas)

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    Very nice. Thank you.

  • PSacramento
    PSacramento

    Here is the thing, If God is Love, and Jesus is Love and the followers of Christ are followers when they show Love, what is LOVE?

    13 If I speak in the tongues a of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, b but have not love, I gain nothing.

    4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

    8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

    13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

    If we do NOT see those things in an organization then there is No love and where these is NO love, there is NO God.

  • TastingFreedom
    TastingFreedom

    Thanks PSacramento for posting the scriptures.

    From reading those bible verses, it's obvious that it's not talking about the Watchtower organization and its followers!

    We always believed that was the case, but it is so obvious now looking at it from the outside.

  • PSacramento
    PSacramento

    I think the "keeps no records of wrong" speaks volumes, doesn't it?

  • tec
    tec

    Good post.

    This was one of the reasons I stopped believing they had the truth. I was beginning to find fault with everyone. I was losing my ability to see the good in everything. And I could see no way to join without becoming judgmental of pretty much everyone and everything - something that is directly in violation of what Jesus taught.

    So while I didn't know if others were affected the same way I was - I knew that joining was wrong for me, and that it would turn me into something bad.

    Tammy

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