Public Watchtower March 2014: "Finding Strength in My Weakness"

by Faithful Witness 3 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Faithful Witness

  I received this magazine from an acquaintance last week. This particular article caught my interest. Although it is clearly supposed to make me feel happy for this handicapped woman, who has shown such strength and stamina in serving Jehovah, it really just makes me angry and sad.

  The article appears on pages 7-9 of the public Watchtower. "Finding Strength in My Weakness," the story of Maite Morlans.

  She was hospitalized in a sanitarium when she was 10, baptized when she was 14, with only Bible publications and her JW upbringing to comfort her through many years of pain and crippling illness. She was in a wheelchair for most of her life, and shares stories of a bad car accident, and the time when out in field service, the sister who accompanied her, let go of her long enough to send her rolling out of control down a hill and into a parked car.

  She is so proud to do her telephone witnessing, even though she looks so weak at 65 pounds... It is sad to see that the WTS is proud to exploit her in this way. Not only are they shamelessly sucking every last bit of energy out of this poor woman, they are using her as a proud display of the way they treat their followers. There is no mention in her entire article, about love or care that she gets from other JWs or from the society... only the hope she has for a better life later. She closes her story with the following lines:

  There are many things in life I cannot do. I call them my pending wishes. Often I close my eyes and open my private “window” into the new world that God promises. (2 Peter 3:13)

  I imagine myself healthy, walking about and enjoying life to the full. I take to heart King David’s words: “Hope in Jehovah; be courageous and strong of heart.” (Psalm 27:14)

  Although my body has become more and more fragile, Jehovah has made me strong.

  So let this be a lesson to anyone who feels like they are tiring out from all the work for the Kingdom... if Maite can do 60 hours a month as a pioneer, why can't YOU!?

  And to anyone in the public, who might actually read this magazine... JW's are happy to put you to work, no matter what condition you are in. There is a place for you in Jehovah's organization!
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  Faithful Witness

  The next article in the same magazine, "Interfaith - Is It God's Way? Is Truth Relative?"

  Jehovah’s Witnesses cordially invite you to visit a Kingdom Hall near you to see for yourself the remarkable peace and unity that exist among them. — Psalm 133:1 .

  I know, "peace and unity" are not the same as love and care... but this lovely woman is clearly on her own in this world.

  And as evidence that there is only one TRUE religion, the box at the end of the article states:

  Jehovah is described as “the God of truth,” and he said of himself: “I do not change.” ( Psalm 31:5;Malachi 3:6 )

  I've never been a JW, but I continue to be amazed at how easily they can change their beliefs, almost without even realizing they are changing. From the conversation I had with the elderette who gave me this magazine, they have become convinced that "adjustments" are not actually changes.

  From dictionary.com:

  ad·just

  [uh-juhst] verb (used with object)

  1. to change (something) so that it fits, corresponds, or conforms; adapt; accommodate: to adjust expensesto income.
  2. to put in good working order; regulate; bring to a proper state or position: to adjust an instrument.
  3. to settle or bring to a satisfactory state, so that parties are agreed in the result: to adjust our differences.
  4. Insurance. to determine the amount to be paid in settlement of (a claim).
  5. to systematize.
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  WTWizard

  Of course they refuse to discuss "Because this sister did it does not mean you should". One person might be physically disabled and have nothing conflicting with pious-sneering. Healthy people usually have jobs to keep, households to maintain, and so on. It is not reasonable to ask a full time worker to pious-sneer or to cut back on work to be "able" to pious-sneer. Full time workers are the ones running things and keeping value moving, and if they cut back on work, we all cut back on value.

  I am sure most of us could pious-sneer if we eliminated the need to work. You usually work 40 hours a week plus commuting time. However, does that mean it is worthwhile? What are the gains? You go out and place damnation books and littera-trash, recruiting people, and getting them into the most infamous pyramid scam of all time (makes Herbalife look tame). You are damning your soul to poverty, stagnation, and possibly even sickness and celibacy. Is it worth showing up in field circus for damnation? Even if it is possible, it is stupid to do it simply because it is possible. You could commit a crime because it is possible--but that doesn't make it wise or right any more than it is right to sucker innocent people into a scam plus damn your own soul.
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  Crazyguy

  The most important thing to remember is that the gift of salvation is not for most JW's only the anointed, so you loosers have to get out there and earn it by serving the ORG!!!!