People, it isn't very funny that she is afraid of the demons.
Fearing demons implies that Almighty God doesn't protect his children. Being taught to fear demons, having been taught "Don't challenge the demons" is anti Christian. Jesus said "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons". No time limit on that sign.
I used to believe that reading anything anti-Watchtower, even academically in section 220 - 222 of a library, was going to allow demons to jump out of the book into my brain. I did fear in fact. I read carefully, in case a demonized passage was there, and always looking to see who was in the library since pre-internet I read there. I am not saying this facetiously. But I went on safari looking for anti-Watchtower info when I learned that the Watchtower joined the United Nations and for ten years printed information promoting United Nations activities which they agreed to do in their application!!! They joined the UN as an NGO. Every excuse and denial, counter-attack, threat to silence was used by WT elders and higher-ups. A multi-page expose is on this JW.net website and an open letter was on the UN.org website stating the Watchtower was a member NGO. Bing / Google “Watchtower United Nations NGO member”. I can't now find the UN letter on UN.org, they may have buried it in their web computers or removed it.
One of the essays I read which settled my fears was The Story So Far,My Life in the Demon Haunted World of Jehovah's Witnessesby Ken Raines.
http://www.seanet.com/~raines/story.html
Jerry Bergman was a consultant to the writing committee's editors and authors about psychological / psychiatric issues. In the 1980s the WTBTS started acting modern - printing articles that linked mental illness states to medical issues including brain chemistry. Dr. Bergman became more aware that most JWs have Mental illness or psychological problems. Dr. Bergman was persecuted out of the WT when he started reaching out to help pro-actively. He reports that lying in Court was demanded in Child Custody cases by JWs asked to testify for a JW divorcing a non-JW which he opposed. Dr Bergman became increasingly alarmed by the culture of hatred.
Jerry Bergman, Ph. D. wrote the essay, Growing Up in a Religion of Hate. He writes, "Threats that I would "not survive Armageddon," fear, and an endless stream of "thou shalt nots" were my steady diet." He does mean artificial, improper "thou shalt nots". He is a moral man and a traditional Christian now.
http://www.seanet.com/~raines/hate.html
Even the Starwars character Yoda said, "
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
That is a true analysis.
The deleterious effect of being ordered to take a beating from persecutors outside the WT organization while being taught to hate all non-JWs is well reported on. The author of 30 Years a Watchtower Slave: The Confessions of a Converted Jehovah's Witness , William J. Schnell reports that he was part of the development of converting people using their own hatred, dis-satisfaction, grievances and other negativism. He was a North-American Zone overseer then. And inside the organization absolute control by the MS, Elders, their Circuit/District/Zone overseers is the status quo. Right or Wrong, Right this Month which was Wrong last Month, or Doctrine this Month that contradicts Last Months (and back in time) creates a culture of NO MATTER WHAT - THE WT IS ALWAYS RIGHT - AND ITS ELDERS NEVER DO ANY WRONG - AND DOCTRINES THAT KEEP CHANGING WHICH ELDERS SAY NEVER CHANGES intimidates the wee JW into fanciful denial of the attack on their sensibilities. Men become feminized, accepting domination by the constant pressure to never go anti anything WT or JW.
Things I knew about the WT's evil side got me in trouble when I exposed them in conversations with other JWs in a public space like the lobby of a KH. I was told that it wasn't true that JWs were expected to lie to authorities or in court for ThE TrUtH. They are. There is an epidemic of Child Molesting in the WT with cover-ups and protection of the guilty and persecution of the victim to silence the complaint. I was told that I shouldn't read the newspaper as a good JW. I was told to get my news from the "Society". After freeing up my mind to investigate the writings of ex-JWs and opposing authors (since when is it wrong to oppose something bad) I learned that things I KNEW were what others knew and I wasn't imagining them or misunderstanding. Evil is evil.
I read exposes on WT abuse against victims of childhood sexual molesting by Jehovah's Witness members even Ministerial Servants and elders. The WT transferred molesters, engaged in cover-ups, threatened anyone who sided with a victim, suing one mother after the step-father was reported to Police. That step-father, in New Hampshire, was sentenced to over 60 years in prison and the Watchtower has paid for his defense and his appeals. Is it legal for a 501c3 charity to use funds to hire criminal defense attorneys or pay any costs defending an accused Child Molester in the courts?
The ex-secretary for a WT Governing Body member, Barbara Anderson, was a founder of silentlambs.org. Silent Lambs is a huge thorn in the Watchtower's hide. William Bowen was an elder and got burnt in investigations and Judicial Committees when he wanted to do what was right.
http://www.silentlambs.org/index.cfm
So, why do Watchtower members leave? Mom must relax her fears and work toward getting into traditional Christianity. I've attended 14 or more different Christian Churches and I consistently find beautiful people and the Doctrine of Grace, No works needed, NO works can earn your way into everlasting life. Charis (Gk) is a GIFT of God, gifts are charity, we are helpless. Jesus blood was the ultimate Blood Sacrifice replacing all those in the Laws given to Moses. God said that those sacrifices covered the sins of the people such as on The DAY OF ATONEMENT. Does God tell lies? He said the death of the sacrificed animal paid the price for all the sins of all the people in the nation of Israel. Now we read that Jesus died for ALL MEN. (1 John 2:2) Faith in that, that is believing God meant what he said when he said the propitiatory sacrifice covered the sins for absolute forgiveness. Where is the “To Do List”? Love is the only standard for judgment.
Curious that a list of what keeps people from hearing Jesus say “‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” is due to acts of love seen in charity. Matthew 25 :31 – 46 using Sheep and Goats to represent saved vs. unsaved is NOT ABOUT ACCEPTING WatchTower IDEAS. It is about charity, love seen in action. The Watchtower always taught NOT TO DO CHARITY WORK stating “it is like painting the deck on a sinking ship”, and that they are not interested in making “Rice Christians”. They openly refuse to perform charity and teach against giving to Charities, even to feed starving people. They want you to be a Goat! They must also want you to be sent to the Lake of Fire with the Devil. What ever The Lake of Fire is, it is not good!
The confusion about salvation is that one can't earn it but one can be disqualified as Apostle Paul listed and the Chapter 21:8 and Chapter 22:l4 and 15 of The revelation to St. John. One can sin working his way into losing salvation / paradise / eternal life. “Fear god” is a commandment which always means that fear is due GOD and nothing else or anyone else. Fear of anything else is not from GOD.
“ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you ...
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world …
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear.
When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
(James 4:7, 1 John 4:4, Isaiah 59:1, Deuteronomy 18:22)
http://www.seanet.com/~raines/leave.html
Ciao
