by JT 15 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
MY cdrom disk is not working- does anyone have any infor that you have saved in your archieve that deals with "religious confession"
on date line it was mentioned as a poster has brought out that the elder TRIED TO INVOKE CONFESSION as a reason not to tell anyone
i would be interested to see what comments that the wt has made on the issue of confessions
thanks in advance
james
Sorry, I don't have any info on this, JT, but I did want to add something.
Even if someone were trying to invoke a "confession clause" isn't that trying to get off a technicality? SOLICITING a confession so as to not have to involve authorities?
sounds that way to me, smile
but i asked about the info cause i know wt dogs anything that the catholic church does, i would like to see in print what they have said about confessions in view of thefact that they are trying to invoke it
it reminds me of when the organization refused to be called a RELIGION until they realize that the US gov only gives benifits to those who call themselves a religion and like in a hot flash, what they used to dog RELIGION they quickly became a part of it
can you say 2 sets of scales
JT,
I'm sifting through the WT CD for you right now. So far there is nothing except one minor mention of "Religious Confession" regarding changes in some of the Catholic's policies in Spain. I am now looking under "Confession" only and there's lots to sift through but here's one I just found.
*** w95 9/15 31 A Meaningless Ritual? ***
A Meaningless Ritual?
THE sacrament of confession has been practiced by Catholics for centuries. Yet, for many it is an empty routine. Reflecting on his youth, a high school principal named Bob says: “I was a teenager, and even then I didn’t take it seriously.” Why not? For him, confession had become a meaningless ritual. He explains: “Confession was like bringing all your luggage full of sins up to the customs man at the airport. He asks you questions about your sins and then he lets you go through after paying something for the luxury items you bought while you were abroad.”
Similarly, Frank Wessling, writing in U.S. Catholic, describes the practice of confession as “an extremely simplified step-by-step guide, from checkoff of common sins through memorized prayer of repentance to ritual act of token penance.” Wessling’s conclusion? “I’m convinced that Confession is good for the soul,” he says. “But the way Catholics do it is a problem.”
The Bible presents confession in a completely different manner. Most important is confession to God. (Psalm 32:1-5) And the Christian disciple James wrote: “Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the older men of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, greasing him with oil in the name of Jehovah. Therefore openly confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may get healed.”—James 5:14, 16.
A Christian burdened with sin can call the congregation overseers, who can give personal and practical counsel from the Bible to help the wrongdoer abandon his sinful course. The overseers can give appropriate encouragement as they monitor the progress of the one who is ailing spiritually. What a contrast to the formalistic ritual of confession practiced by churches today! Fortified by the personal assistance of congregation elders, repentant wrongdoers can gain the relief that David felt, as he expressed in a psalm: “My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover. I said: ‘I shall make confession over my transgressions to Jehovah.’ And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins.”—Psalm 32:5.
This one talks about why more than "Confession" to Jehovah is necessary.
*** w95 1/1 27-31 Determining Weakness, Wickedness, and Repentance ***
Determining Weakness, Wickedness, and Repentance
SIN is something that Christians hate—a falling short of Jehovah’s righteous standards. (Hebrews 1:9) Unhappily, all of us sin from time to time. All of us struggle with inherent weakness and imperfection. In most cases, though, if we confess our sins to Jehovah and earnestly try not to repeat them, we can approach him with a clean conscience. (Romans 7:21-24; 1 John 1:8, 9; 2:1, 2) We thank Jehovah that, on the basis of the ransom sacrifice, he accepts our sacred service despite our weaknesses.
If someone falls into serious sin because of fleshly weakness, he urgently needs shepherding in harmony with the procedure outlined at James 5:14-16: “Is there anyone [spiritually] sick among you? Let him call the older men of the congregation to him . . . If he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him. Therefore openly confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may get healed.”
Hence, when a dedicated Christian commits gross sin, something more than personal confession to Jehovah is needed. The elders must take certain steps, since the cleanness or the peace of the congregation is threatened. (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9, 10) Elders may have to determine: Is the individual repentant? What led up to the sin? Was it the result of an isolated moment of weakness? Was it a practice of sin? Such determination is not always simple or clear-cut and demands considerable discernment.
What, though, if the sin is because of pursuing a course of wrongdoing and wicked conduct? Then, the elders’ responsibility is clear. When directing the handling of a serious matter in the Corinthian congregation, the apostle Paul said: “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” (1 Corinthians 5:13) Wicked people have no place in the Christian congregation.
Weighing Weakness, Wickedness, and Repentance
How can elders know when someone is repentant? This is not a simple question. Think, for example, of King David. He committed adultery and then, in effect, murder. Yet, Jehovah allowed him to keep living. (2 Samuel 11:2-24; 12:1-14) Then think of Ananias and Sapphira. They lyingly tried to deceive the apostles, hypocritically pretending to be more generous than they really were. Serious? Yes. As bad as murder and adultery? Hardly! Yet, Ananias and Sapphira paid with their lives.—Acts 5:1-11.
Why the different judgments? David fell into serious sin because of fleshly weakness. When confronted with what he had done, he repented, and Jehovah forgave him—although he was severely disciplined with regard to problems in his household. Ananias and Sapphira sinned in that they hypocritically lied, trying to deceive the Christian congregation and thus ‘play false to the holy spirit and to God.’ That turned out to be evidence of a wicked heart. Hence, they were judged more severely.
In both cases Jehovah made the judgment, and his judgment was correct because he can examine hearts. (Proverbs 17:3) Human elders cannot do that. So how can elders discern whether a serious sin is evidence of weakness more than of wickedness?
In fact, all sin is wicked, but not all sinners are wicked. Similar sins may be evidence of weakness in one person and wickedness in another. Indeed, sinning usually involves a measure of both weakness and wickedness on the part of the sinner. One determining factor is how the sinner views what he has done and what he intends to do about it. Does he show a repentant spirit? Elders need discernment to perceive this. How can they get that discernment? The apostle Paul promised Timothy: “Give constant thought to what I am saying; the Lord will really give you discernment in all things.” (2 Timothy 2:7) If elders humbly give “constant thought” to the inspired words of Paul and the other Bible writers, they will get the discernment needed to view properly those who sin in the congregation. Then, their decisions will reflect Jehovah’s thinking, not their own.—Proverbs 11:2; Matthew 18:18.
How is this done? One way is to examine how the Bible describes wicked people and see whether the description applies to the individual being dealt with.
Taking Responsibility and Repenting
The first humans who chose a course of wickedness were Adam and Eve. Despite being perfect and having full knowledge of Jehovah’s law, they rebelled against divine sovereignty. When Jehovah confronted them with what they had done, their reactions were worthy of note—Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent! (Genesis 3:12, 13) Compare this with the deep humility of David. When faced with his grave sins, he accepted responsibility and begged for forgiveness, saying: “I have sinned against Jehovah.”—2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51:4, 9, 10.
Elders do well to consider these two examples when handling cases of serious sin, especially on the part of an adult. Does the sinner—like David when he was convinced of his sin—forthrightly accept the blame and repentantly look to Jehovah for help and forgiveness, or does he seek to minimize what he has done, perhaps blaming someone else? True, the person who sins may wish to explain what led up to his acts, and there may be circumstances, either past or present, that elders may need to consider when deciding how to help him. (Compare Hosea 4:14.) But he should accept that he is the one who sinned and that he is responsible before Jehovah. Remember: “Jehovah is near to those that are broken at heart; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.”—Psalm 34:18.
Practicing What Is Bad
In the book of Psalms, there are many references to wicked people. Such scriptures can further help elders to discern whether a person is basically wicked or weak. For example, consider the inspired prayer of King David: “Do not draw me along with wicked people and with practicers of what is hurtful, those who are speaking peace with their companions but in whose hearts is what is bad.” (Psalm 28:3) Notice that wicked people are mentioned in parallel with “practicers of what is hurtful.” A person who sins because of fleshly weakness is likely to stop as soon as he comes to his senses. If, though, someone ‘practices’ what is bad so that it becomes a part of his life, this could be evidence of a wicked heart.
David mentioned another characteristic of wickedness in that verse. Like Ananias and Sapphira, the wicked person speaks good things with his mouth but has bad things in his heart. He may be a hypocrite—like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day who ‘outwardly indeed appeared righteous to men but inside were full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.’ (Matthew 23:28; Luke 11:39) Jehovah hates hypocrisy. (Proverbs 6:16-19) If someone hypocritically tries to deny his serious sins even when speaking with the judicial committee, or grudgingly admits only what is already known by others, refusing to confess fully, this could well be evidence of a wicked heart.
Haughty Disregard for Jehovah
Other things that characterize a wicked person are outlined in Psalm 10. There we read: “In his haughtiness the wicked one hotly pursues the afflicted one; . . . he has disrespected Jehovah.” (Psalm 10:2, 3) How are we to view a dedicated Christian who is haughty and disrespects Jehovah? Surely, these are wicked mental attitudes. A person who sins out of weakness will, once he realizes his sin or has it drawn to his attention, repent and strive hard to turn his life around. (2 Corinthians 7:10, 11) In contrast, if a man sins because of a fundamental disrespect for Jehovah, what will stop him from returning again and again to his sinful course? If he is haughty despite being counseled in a spirit of mildness, how can he have the humility needed to repent sincerely and truly?
Consider now David’s words a little later in the same psalm: “Why is it that the wicked one has disrespected God? He has said in his heart: ‘You will not require an accounting.’” (Psalm 10:13) In the setting of the Christian congregation, the wicked man knows the difference between right and wrong, but he does not hesitate to do wrong if he thinks he can get away with it. As long as there is no fear of exposure, he gives full rein to his sinful inclinations. Unlike David, if his sins do come to light, he will scheme to avoid discipline. Such a man is highly disrespectful of Jehovah. “There is no dread of God in front of his eyes. . . . What is bad he does not reject.”—Psalm 36:1, 4.
Harming Others
Usually, more than one person is affected by a sin. For example, an adulterer sins against God; he victimizes his wife and children; if his partner in sin is married, he victimizes her family; and he stains the good name of the congregation. How does he view all of that? Does he show heartfelt sorrow along with genuine repentance? Or does he manifest the spirit described in Psalm 94: “All the practicers of what is hurtful keep bragging about themselves. Your people, O Jehovah, they keep crushing, and your inheritance they keep afflicting. The widow and the alien resident they kill, and the fatherless boys they murder. And they keep saying: ‘Jah does not see; and the God of Jacob does not understand it’”?—Psalm 94:4-7.
Likely, the sins handled in a congregation will not involve murder and killing. Yet the spirit manifested here—the spirit of being ready to victimize others for personal benefit—may become obvious as the elders investigate wrongdoing. This too is arrogance, the mark of a wicked man. (Proverbs 21:4) It is totally the opposite of the spirit of a true Christian, who is willing to sacrifice himself for his brother.—John 15:12, 13.
Applying Godly Principles
These few guidelines are not intended to set rules. They do, however, give an idea of some things that Jehovah views as truly wicked. Is there a refusal to accept responsibility for the wrong committed? Has the one who sinned brazenly ignored previous counsel on this very matter? Is there an entrenched practice of serious wrongdoing? Does the wrongdoer manifest a blatant disregard for Jehovah’s law? Has he made calculating efforts to conceal the wrong, perhaps corrupting others at the same time? (Jude 4) Do such efforts only intensify when the wrong comes to light? Does the wrongdoer show total disregard for the harm he has done to others and to Jehovah’s name? What about his attitude? After kindly Scriptural counsel is given, is he haughty or arrogant? Does he lack a heartfelt desire to avoid repeating the wrong? If the elders perceive such things, which strongly indicate a lack of repentance, they may conclude that the sins committed give evidence of wickedness rather than merely weakness of the flesh.
Even when dealing with a person who seems to have wicked inclinations, elders do not cease to exhort him to pursue righteousness. (Hebrews 3:12) Wicked individuals may repent and change. If that were not the case, why did Jehovah urge the Israelites: “Let the wicked man leave his way, and the harmful man his thoughts; and let him return to Jehovah, who will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will forgive in a large way”? (Isaiah 55:7) Perhaps, during a judicial hearing, the elders will perceive a marked change in his heart condition as reflected in a repentant bearing and attitude.
Even at the time of disfellowshipping an individual, the elders, as shepherds, will urge him to repent and try to make his way back into Jehovah’s favor. Remember the “wicked man” in Corinth. Evidently he changed his way, and Paul later recommended his reinstatement. (2 Corinthians 2:7, 8) Consider also King Manasseh. He was very wicked indeed, but when he finally repented, Jehovah accepted his repentance.—2 Kings 21:10-16; 2 Chronicles 33:9, 13, 19.
True, there is a sin that will not be forgiven—sin against the holy spirit. (Hebrews 10:26, 27) Jehovah alone determines who has committed that sin. Humans have no authority to do so. The responsibility of the elders is to keep the congregation clean and to help to restore repentant sinners. If they do so with discernment and humility, letting their decisions reflect Jehovah’s wisdom, then Jehovah will bless this aspect of their shepherding.
[Footnotes]
For further information, see The Watchtower of September 1, 1981, pages 24-6; Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, pages 772-4.
[Picture on page 29]
Ananias and Sapphira hypocritically played false to the holy spirit, showing wickedness of heart
*** w91 3/15 3-4 Confession of Sins-Is Something Amiss? ***
Confession of Sins—Is Something Amiss?
“CONFESSION is a spiritual cleansing, a way to start again, a way to wipe the slate clean. I love going to Confession, telling the priest my sins, having him forgive me and the euphoria that follows.” So says one devout Catholic.—Bless Me, Father, for I Have Sinned.
According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, “to the priest alone Christ gave or deputed the power of binding and loosing, of forgiving and retaining” sins. The same reference work says that regular confession is meant “to restore the holiness of life forfeited by grievous sin and . . . to purify one’s conscience.” Yet, the moral climate in many lands shows that regular confession does not cause many who practice it to “turn away from what is bad, and do what is good.” (Psalm 34:14) So is something amiss?
Just a Ritual?
Confession may begin as a mere ritual. In Ireland, first confession comes immediately before first Communion. And is it any surprise that a seven-year-old girl would think more about the pretty, miniature bride’s dress she will wear than about ‘restoring the holiness of life forfeited by grievous sin’?
“The thing that excited me the most was the dress, besides getting money from my relatives,” admits Ramona, who made her first confession when she was seven. “Among all the girls I knew,” she goes on, “there was no spiritual feeling. None of us even thought about God at the time.”
In fact, obliging young children to confess sins regularly can lead to mechanical recitation. “I just used the same lines over and over again,” says Michael, who also began the practice of confession as a seven-year-old.
Comments of some Catholics quoted in the book Bless Me, Father, for I Have Sinned show that confession had little spiritual value for them even after they got older. “Confession teaches you to lie, because there are some things you just can’t bring yourself to tell the priest,” admitted one person. Lack of consistency among priests might be exploited for minimum penance. Some searched for a “good” confessor to get the counsel they wanted to hear. “After shopping around for three months, I found my confessor. I see him every month, face-to-face in the reconciliation room, and he’s terrific,” said one young woman. “If you were smart, you found a priest who was deaf and spoke no English except the words ‘three Hail Marys,’” said another Catholic.
Evidently, then, something is amiss with confession as practiced by certain people. But the Bible indicates that there is a need to confess sins, for it says: “No one who conceals his sins will prosper, whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.”—Proverbs 28:13, The New Jerusalem Bible.
Does this mean that a Christian should confess all his sins? If so, to whom? The next article will examine these questions.
*** w91 3/15 4-7 Confession of Sins-Man's Way or God's? ***
Confession of Sins—Man’s Way or God’s?
AMONG Catholics, confession has changed dramatically over the centuries. In the early years of the Catholic Church, confession and penance were required only for serious sins. Concerning this, the book Religion in the Medieval West says: “Until the late sixth century the penitential system was very harsh: the sacrament could be administered only once in a lifetime, confession was public, the penance was long and severe.”
How severe was such penance? In 1052 one penitent was required to walk barefoot all the way from Bruges in Belgium to Jerusalem! “Catholics could still be found in 1700 at holy wells and springs, kneeling up to their necks in icy water to say their penitential prayers,” says the book Christianity in the West 1400-1700. Since at that time absolution was withheld until after the completion of the penance, many delayed their confession until they were dying.
When did the modern practice of confession begin? Religion in the Medieval West states: “A new form of penance was introduced in France in the late sixth century by Celtic monks. . . . This was auricular confession, in which the penitent confessed his sins privately to a priest, and it was an adaption of the monastic practice of spiritual counselling.” According to the older monastic practice, the monks confessed their sins to one another to get spiritual help in order to overcome their weaknesses. In newer auricular confession, however, the church claimed for the priest the much greater “power or authority to forgive sins.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.
Did Jesus really give some of his followers such power? What did he say that has led some to this conclusion?
“The Keys of the Kingdom”
On one occasion, Jesus Christ told the apostle Peter: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19, The Jerusalem Bible) What did Jesus mean by “the keys of the kingdom”? We can understand this better if we look at another occasion when Jesus used the word “key.”
Jesus once told the Jewish religious leaders versed in the Mosaic Law: “Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to.” (Luke 11:52, JB) ‘Prevented others from going in’ where? Jesus tells us at Matthew 23:13: “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shut up the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to.” (JB) The Jewish clergy closed the door on many, as it were, by robbing them of the opportunity to be with Jesus Christ in heaven. The “key” those religious leaders had “taken away” had nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins. It was the key to divinely provided knowledge.
Similarly, “the keys of the kingdom” given to Peter do not represent power to inform heaven as to whose sins should be forgiven or retained. Rather, they represent Peter’s great privilege of opening up the way to heaven by disseminating divinely provided knowledge through his ministry. He did this first for Jews and Jewish proselytes, then for Samaritans, and finally for the Gentiles.—Acts 2:1-41; 8:14-17; 10:1-48.
“Whatever You Bind on Earth”
Later, what Jesus had told Peter was repeated to other disciples. “I tell you solemnly,” said Jesus, “whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18, JB) What authority did Christ here delegate to the disciples? The context shows that he was talking about settling problems between individual believers and keeping the congregation clean of unrepentant evildoers.—Matthew 18:15-17.
In matters involving serious violations of God’s law, responsible men in the congregation would have to judge matters and decide whether a wrongdoer should be “bound” (viewed as guilty) or “loosed” (acquitted). Did this mean that heaven would follow the decisions of humans? No. As Bible scholar Robert Young indicates, any decision made by the disciples would follow heaven’s decision, not precede it. He says that ÞMt 18 Üverse 18 should literally read: What you bind on earth “shall be that which has been bound (already)” in heaven.
Really, it is unreasonable to think that any imperfect human could make decisions that would be binding upon those in the heavenly courts. It is much more reasonable to say that Christ’s appointed representatives would follow his directions so as to keep his congregation clean. They would do this by making a decision based on principles already laid down in heaven. Jesus himself would guide them in doing this.—Matthew 18:20.
Is any man able to “represent Christ as the fatherly judge” to the extent of deciding the eternal future of a fellow worshiper? (New Catholic Encyclopedia) Priests who hear confessions almost invariably grant absolution, even though “there seems to be an unspoken belief [among Catholic theologians] that it is a rare person who is really sorry for his sins.” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica) Indeed, when was the last time that you heard of a priest refusing to grant absolution or to acquit a wrongdoer? Likely, this is because the individual priest does not think he has the ability to judge whether a sinner is repentant or not. But if this is the case, why does he claim the power to grant absolution?
Imagine a court of law in which a compassionate judge routinely acquitted criminals, even persistent lawbreakers, because they went through a ritual of admitting their crimes and saying that they were sorry. While this might satisfy wrongdoers, such a misguided view of mercy would seriously undermine respect for justice. Could it be that confession as practiced in the Catholic Church actually hardens people in a course of sin?—Ecclesiastes 8:11.
“Confession does not produce any inclination to try to avoid the sin in the future,” says Ramona, drawing on her experience of confessing as a Catholic since she was seven years old. She adds: “Confession develops the idea that God is all-forgiving and that whatever your imperfect flesh leads you to do he will forgive. It does not develop a deep desire to do what is right.”
But what about Jesus’ words recorded at John 20:22, 23? There he told his disciples: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” (JB) Does Jesus not here specifically give his disciples authority to forgive sins?
Taken alone, this Bible passage might seem to say that. However, when these words are considered along with the account at Matthew 18:15-18 and everything else that the Bible teaches about confession and forgiveness, what must we conclude? That at John 20:22, 23, Jesus gave his disciples authority to expel from the congregation unrepentant perpetrators of grave sins. At the same time, Christ gave his followers authority to extend mercy and forgive repentant sinners. Jesus certainly was not saying that his disciples should confess every sin to a priest.
Responsible ones in the congregation were thus authorized to decide how to deal with those committing grave sins. Such decisions would be made under the guidance of God’s holy spirit and in harmony with God’s directions given through Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures. (Compare Acts 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 11-13.) Those responsible men would thereby respond to direction from heaven, not imposing their decisions on heaven.
“Confess Your Sins to One Another”
So, then, when is it appropriate for Christians to confess sins to one another? In the case of serious sin (not every little failing), an individual should confess to responsible overseers of the congregation. Even if a sin is not grievous but the sinner’s conscience troubles him excessively, there is great value in confessing and seeking spiritual help.
In this regard the Bible writer James says: “If one of you is [spiritually] ill, he should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him. The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another.”—James 5:14-16, JB.
In these words, there is no suggestion of a formal, ritualistic, auricular confession. Rather, when a Christian is so burdened with sin that he feels he cannot pray, he should call the appointed elders, or overseers, of the congregation, and they will pray with him. To help him recover spiritually, they will also apply the oil of God’s Word.—Psalm 141:5; compare Luke 5:31, 32; Revelation 3:18.
Noteworthy is John the Baptizer’s admonition to “produce fruit that befits repentance.” (Matthew 3:8; compare Acts 26:20.) A truly repentant wrongdoer abandons his sinful course. Like King David of ancient Israel, the repentant sinner who confesses his error to God will receive forgiveness. David wrote: “My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover. I said: ‘I shall make confession over my transgressions to Jehovah.’ And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins.”—Psalm 32:5.
Penitential acts cannot earn such forgiveness. Only God can grant it. He takes the requirements of perfect justice into account, but his forgiveness expresses his love for mankind. His forgiveness is also a manifestation of undeserved kindness founded on the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ and is extended solely to repentant sinners who have turned away from what is bad in God’s sight. (Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 1:18; John 3:16; Romans 3:23-26) Only those forgiven by Jehovah God will gain eternal life. And to receive such forgiveness, we must make confession in God’s way, not man’s.
[Footnotes]
In contrast, see Mark 3:29; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26. In these scriptures, the Bible writers show that God definitely does not forgive all sins.
[Picture on page 7]
David confessed to Jehovah, who granted forgiveness
YO JT,
Do you want me to keep these coming?
was out on the floor with some users
I just LOVE THIS NET "THANG"
GREAT INFO this is what i was looking for
thank you so much
these are exactly what i was looking for
james
I think some's already posted this one about repressed memories but just in case here it is again.
*** w95 11/1 25-8 Comfort for Those With a "Stricken Spirit" ***
Comfort for Those With a “Stricken Spirit”
TODAY, Satan’s world has come to be “past all moral sense.” (Ephesians 4:19; 1 John 5:19) Adultery and fornication are pandemic. In many lands 50 percent or more of marriages end in divorce. Homosexuality is widely accepted. Sexual violence—rape—is often in the news. Pornography is a billion-dollar industry.—Romans 1:26, 27.
Among the vilest perversions is the sexual abuse of innocent children. Like the wisdom of Satan’s world, child sexual abuse is “animal, demonic.” (James 3:15) In the United States alone, Time magazine says, “more than 400,000 reports of verifiable sexual assaults are filed with authorities each year by teachers and doctors.” When victims of this abuse become adults, many still carry painful wounds, and those wounds are real! The Bible says: “The spirit [mental inclination, inner feelings and thoughts] of a man can put up with his malady; but as for a stricken [wounded, afflicted] spirit, who can bear it?”—Proverbs 18:14.
The good news of God’s Kingdom appeals to people of all kinds, including “the brokenhearted” and those with a “downhearted spirit.” (Isaiah 61:1-4) Not surprisingly, many who are in emotional pain respond to the invitation: “Let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.” (Revelation 22:17) The Christian congregation can be a place of comfort for these. They rejoice to learn that suffering will soon be a thing of the past. (Isaiah 65:17) Until that time, though, they may need to be ‘comforted’ and have their wounds ‘bound up.’ Well did Paul counsel Christians: “Speak consolingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all.”—1 Thessalonians 5:14.
“Repressed Memories”
In recent years some have been “brokenhearted” for reasons that others find difficult to understand. They are adults who, on the basis of what have been described as “repressed memories,” say that they were sexually abused when they were children. Some have no thought of having been molested until, unexpectedly, they experience flashbacks and “memories” of an adult (or adults) abusing them when they were young. Do any in the Christian congregation have such disturbing thoughts? In a few lands, yes, and these dedicated ones may experience deep distress, anger, guilt, shame, or loneliness. Like David they may feel isolated from God and cry out: “Why, O Jehovah, do you keep standing afar off? Why do you keep yourself hid in times of distress?”—Psalm 10:1.
Many aspects of these “memories” are not well understood by mental-health professionals. Still, such “memories” can affect the spirituality of dedicated Christians. So we look with confidence to God’s Word for guidance in handling them. The Bible provides “discernment in all things.” (2 Timothy 2:7; 3:16) It also helps all concerned to put faith in Jehovah, “the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation.”—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.
Did It Really Happen?
In the world, there is much controversy as to what these “memories” are and to what extent they represent things that actually happened. Jehovah’s Witnesses are “no part of the world” and take no part in this controversy. (John 17:16) According to published reports, “memories” have sometimes proved to be accurate. For example, after insurance adjuster Frank Fitzpatrick “remembered” being molested by a certain priest, almost one hundred others came forward to claim that they too had been abused by the same priest. The priest reportedly admitted to the abuse.
It is noteworthy, however, that a number of individuals have been unable to corroborate their “memories.” Some afflicted in this way have had vivid recollections of a certain individual committing abuse or of the abuse being committed in a specific place. Later, though, legitimate evidence to the contrary made it clear that these “remembered” details could not be true.
Providing a Refuge
Nevertheless, how can comfort be given to those who experience a “stricken spirit” because of such “memories”? Remember Jesus’ parable of the neighborly Samaritan. A man was set upon by robbers, beaten, and stripped of his possessions. When the Samaritan came along, his heart went out to the wounded man. What did he do? Did he insist on hearing every last detail about the beating? Or did the Samaritan get a description of the robbers and immediately chase after them? No. The man was hurt! So the Samaritan gently dressed his wounds and lovingly carried him to the safety of a nearby inn where he could recover.—Luke 10:30-37.
True, there is a difference between physical wounds and a “stricken spirit” caused by actual childhood sexual abuse. But both cause great suffering. Hence, what the Samaritan did for the wounded Jew shows what can be done to help an afflicted fellow Christian. The first priority is to give loving comfort and to help him recover.
The Devil afflicted faithful Job, apparently confident that either emotional or physical pain would break his integrity. (Job 1:11; 2:5) Since then, Satan has often tried to use suffering—whether he directly causes it or not—to weaken the faith of God’s servants. (Compare 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.) Can we doubt that the Devil now plays upon child abuse and the “downhearted spirit” of many adults who suffered this (or are troubled by “memories” of having suffered it) to try to weaken the faith of Christians? Like Jesus when under attack by Satan, a Christian who suffers pain but who stalwartly refuses to abandon his integrity is saying: “Go away, Satan!”—Matthew 4:10.
Stay Spiritually Strong
“The faithful and discreet slave” has published information to help handle the spiritual and emotional hurt caused by child abuse. (Matthew 24:45-47) Experience shows that the sufferer is helped if he can rely on the ‘power of the Lord and the mightiness of his strength,’ putting on “the complete suit of armor from God.” (Ephesians 6:10-17) This armor includes Bible “truth,” which exposes Satan as the ultimate enemy and dissipates the darkness in which he and his henchmen work. (John 3:19) Then, there is “the breastplate of righteousness.” The afflicted one should strive to hold to righteous standards. For example, some have strong impulses to harm themselves or to commit immorality. Every time they resist these impulses, they win a victory!
Spiritual armor also includes “the good news of peace.” Talking to others about Jehovah’s purposes strengthens the one talking as well as anyone who listens. (1 Timothy 4:16) If you should be one with a “stricken spirit,” making it difficult for you to talk about the good news, try to accompany another Christian as he or she does this vital work. And do not forget “the large shield of faith.” Have faith that Jehovah loves you and that he will restore all that you have lost. Believe without reservation that Jesus also loves you, and he proved this by dying for you. (John 3:16) Satan has always falsely claimed that Jehovah does not care for his servants. That is just another of his gross, vicious lies.—John 8:44; compare Job 4:1, 15-18; 42:10-15.
If pain of heart makes it difficult to believe that Jehovah is concerned about you, it will help to associate with others who firmly believe that he does have concern. (Psalm 119:107, 111; Proverbs 18:1; Hebrews 10:23-25) Refuse to allow Satan to rob you of the prize of life. Remember, “the helmet of salvation” is part of the armor; so is “the sword of the spirit.” The Bible is inspired by holy spirit, which Satan cannot defeat. (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12) Its healing words can soothe emotional pain.—Compare Psalm 107:20; 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5.
Finally, pray constantly for the strength to endure. (Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18) Heartfelt prayer sustained Jesus through intense emotional agony, and it can help you too. (Luke 22:41-43) Is it difficult for you to pray? Ask others to pray with you and for you. (Colossians 1:3; James 5:14) Holy spirit will support your prayers. (Compare Romans 8:26, 27.) As with a painful physical illness, some with deep emotional wounds may not be completely healed in this system of things. But with Jehovah’s help we can endure, and endurance is victory, as it was in Jesus’ case. (John 16:33) “Trust in [Jehovah] at all times, O people. Before him pour out your heart. God is a refuge for us.”—Psalm 62:8.
What of the Alleged Abuser?
A person who actually abuses a child sexually is a rapist and should be viewed as such. Anyone victimized in this way has the right to accuse his abuser. Still, an accusation should not be made hastily if it is based solely on “repressed memories” of abuse. In this case the most important thing is for the sufferer to regain a degree of emotional stability. After the passage of some time, he may be in a better position to assess the “memories” and decide what, if anything, he wants to do about them.
Consider the case of Donna. She reportedly had eating disorders and went to a counselor—apparently one of dubious competence. Soon she was accusing her father of incest and he was taken to court. The jury was deadlocked, so the father did not go to prison, but he was left with $100,000 in legal bills. Then, after all that, Donna told her parents that she no longer believed that the abuse happened!
Wisely, Solomon said: “Do not go forth to conduct a legal case hastily.” (Proverbs 25:8) If there is some valid reason to suspect that the alleged perpetrator is still abusing children, a warning may have to be given. The congregation elders can help in such a case. Otherwise, take your time. Eventually, you may be content to let the matter drop. If, though, you want to confront the alleged perpetrator (after first assessing how you would feel about the possible responses), you have a right to do so.
During the time that the one experiencing “memories” is healing, awkward situations may arise. For example, an individual may have vivid mental images of being molested by someone he or she sees every day. No rules can be laid down for handling this. “Each one will carry his own load.” (Galatians 6:5) Sometimes one may feel that a relative or a member of one’s immediate family is involved. Remember the dubious nature of some “repressed memories” when it comes to identifying the one suspected of being a perpetrator. In such a situation, as long as the matter has not been firmly established, keeping contact with the family—at least by occasional visits, by letter, or by telephone—would show that one is trying to follow a Scriptural course.—Compare Ephesians 6:1-3.
What Can Elders Do?
If the elders are approached by a member of the congregation who is experiencing flashbacks or “repressed memories” of child abuse, two of them are usually assigned to help. These elders should kindly encourage the afflicted one to focus for the time being on coping with the emotional distress. The names of any “remembered” abusers should be kept in strict confidence.
The elders’ primary task is to act as shepherds. (Isaiah 32:1, 2; 1 Peter 5:2, 3) They should be especially careful to “clothe [themselves] with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering.” (Colossians 3:12) Let them listen in a kindly way and then apply healing words from the Scriptures. (Proverbs 12:18) Some who are afflicted with painful “memories” have expressed appreciation for elders who make regular visits or even telephone calls to check to see how they are doing. Such contacts need not take a lot of time, but they show that Jehovah’s organization cares. When the afflicted one realizes that his Christian brothers truly love him, he may be helped to recover a considerable degree of emotional balance.
What if the sufferer decides that he wants to make an accusation? Then the two elders can advise him that, in line with the principle at Matthew 18:15, he should personally approach the accused about the matter. If the accuser is not emotionally able to do this face-to-face, it can be done by telephone or perhaps by writing a letter. In this way the one accused is given the opportunity to go on record before Jehovah with his answer to the accusation. He may even be able to present evidence that he could not have committed the abuse. Or perhaps the one accused will confess, and a reconciliation may be achieved. What a blessing that would be! If there is a confession, the two elders can handle matters further in accordance with Scriptural principles.
If the accusation is denied, the elders should explain to the accuser that nothing more can be done in a judicial way. And the congregation will continue to view the one accused as an innocent person. The Bible says that there must be two or three witnesses before judicial action can be taken. (2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19) Even if more than one person “remembers” abuse by the same individual, the nature of these recalls is just too uncertain to base judicial decisions on them without other supporting evidence. This does not mean that such “memories” are viewed as false (or that they are viewed as true). But Bible principles must be followed in establishing a matter judicially.
What if the one accused—though denying the wrongdoing—is really guilty? Does he “get away with it,” as it were? Certainly not! The question of his guilt or innocence can be safely left in Jehovah’s hands. “The sins of some men are publicly manifest, leading directly to judgment, but as for other men their sins also become manifest later.” (1 Timothy 5:24; Romans 12:19; 14:12) The book of Proverbs says: “The expectation of the righteous ones is a rejoicing, but the very hope of the wicked ones will perish.” “When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes.” (Proverbs 10:28; 11:7) Ultimately, Jehovah God and Christ Jesus render everlasting judgment in justice.—1 Corinthians 4:5.
Resisting the Devil
When dedicated souls endure in the face of great physical or emotional pain, what an evidence it is of their inner strength and love for God! And what a testimony to the power of Jehovah’s spirit to sustain them!—Compare 2 Corinthians 4:7.
Peter’s words apply to such ones: “Take your stand against [Satan] solid in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:9) Doing so may not be easy. Sometimes, it may even be difficult to think clearly and logically. But take heart! Soon, the Devil and his crafty acts will no longer exist. Truly, we long for that time when “God himself . . . will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.
[Footnotes]
“Repressed memories” and similar expressions are enclosed in quotation marks to distinguish them from the more typical memories that all of us have.
It may also be necessary for the step outlined in this paragraph to be taken if the matter has become common knowledge in the congregation.
Hi JT,
I have an old "custom bound Bethel version" of the NWT. It's the standard green NWT with a soft black leather cover and the NWT is bound with the old publication "Make Sure Of All Things, Hold Fast To What Is Fine" (1965). At the back of it, years ago, I added the little "Sermon Outlines" booklet. [/bragging]
I'll give you what it's got:
SERMON OUTLINES -
Topic 54. SIN, section E, "Confession to a priest unscriptural"
Only God, through Christ, can forgive sins ... 1Jo 1:9; 2:1,2
Confession should be made to God in prayer ... Matt 6: 12,14,15
One forgiving sins shouls also be able to heal ... Lu 5:23,24
Confess serious sins to brothers for prayer to God ... Jas 5:16
MAKE SURE OF ALL THINGS - Confession pg. 109-111
God the One to Whom to confess for forgiveness of sins through Christ - Matt 6:9-14, Ps 32:5, Eph 1:7
Christ the only mediator between God and men - 1 Tim. 2:5, Eph 3:11,12, Rom 5:1,2, Eph 2:18
Sincere repentance must be shown - Acts 26:20, Luke 19:8,9, Jas 4:8-10, (see also the main heading "Repentance" pg 420-423)
Accept God's forgiveness, not grieving endlessly over the wrongdoing - 1 Jo 1:9, Ps. 103:2,3,8,9 Ps 32:3-5, Isa 55:7, Luke 15:7, 2 Cor 1:3,
Eze 33:14-16, Prov. 28:13
Sins affecting the acceptability of the entire congregation before God must be found out - 1 Cor 5:1-7, Heb 12:15, Josh 7:1-26, (see also Duet 21:1-9)
Those aware of hurtful conduct under obligation to inform responsible overseers, to keep congregation clean - Lev 5:1 (see also Zech 13:2-6)
Responsible overseers, appointed by God's spirit and acting in harmony with God's inspired word, may extend forgiveness to repentant ones, not by power of absolution, but with confidence in how God desires mercy extended in behalf of congregation - Acts 20:28, Gal 6:1, Jas 5:14,15, Matt 18:15-18, 2 Cor 2:10,11, (see also Acts 15:14-21,28,29)
Entire congregation may publicly confess sin or wrong course taken - Neh 9:1,2, Ps 106:6
Christians publicly acknowledge faith in God's provision of his son - Matt 10:32, Rev 7:10, Rom 10:9, Phil 2:11 (see also John 9:22, 12:42
