I've been musing a lot about the 'love' that exists in the organisation.
What I've noticed over the last 20 odd years is that an overemphasis on the requirement for forgiveness by those who have been wronged. Of course as christians we should forgive eachother, but I'm talking about obvious abusive and bullying behaviour by 'prominent' ones, which is excused by the ageold 'we are all imperfect'..... 'its an organisation of imperfect men....', you should forgive.....and quickly dismissed. The lowly one who has been subject to the mistreatment is told to forgive, forget, move on, get over it. If they try to keep asking for justice, they are accused of pride, selfishness, murmuring or more subtly told to 'work on humility', not to make waves, not to cause contentions etc. etc. oh and finally the tried and tested 'leave it with Jehovah' Usually the abuser is in a prominent position in the hierarchy and the abused/mistreated is in a lowly position or even, heaven forbid, 'not in good standing'.
The all too often result is individuals who are bent on power and like to bully others have every excuse to get away with it. The mistreated ones have to put up and shut up, leave it with Jehovah, forgive etc etc.
As in any abusive relationship, unresolved this situation leads either to depression and self-criticism by the mistreated one who believe they are not good enough, not humble enough etc etc or to simmering resentment and eventual questioning by the stronger minded - As in, is this really Jehovah's organisation after all?
Wouldnt it be refreshing if those who were mistreating others were chastised and disciplined and told to be more christian, told to apologise or stripped of privileges etc, instead of the victims being told to just put up with unchristian behaviour.
Prov 21:13 “Anyone stopping up his ear from the complaining cry of the lowly one, he himself also will call and not be answered.”