Torn: This past year has proved to be an eye opener for me. I have moved away from the Jehovah's Witnesses not because of doctrinal issues, but because of emotional issues. Isn't it true that Jesus set the example of how to treat he flock? Didn't he always have a kind and upbuilding thing to say to the common man? Your previous post showed that you recognize that. How would God and his Son feel about those elders that abused and mistreated the sheep? Wouldn't they condemn them? Of course. My point to you Torn is that more people are leaving the JW's as a result of a gross lack of love shown to them.
Shouldn't John 13:35 be the main criteria to convince people that they are "in the truth?" Jesus said: "By this all will know that you are my disciples by the love you show to one another." If a religion enforces rules in a Pharisaical fashion and coldheartedly applies these rules towards the rank and file Jehovah's Witness, can it be said that they are showing love to their adherents? For example, did you ever see Jesus threaten anyone that disagreed with him that he would oust them from the temple. Remember when Jesus healed a man that was born blind? The Pharisees heard about this healing and they sent for the man to confirm whether or not Jesus had healed him. I'm going to start with John 9:24: "A second time they called back the man who had been born blind, and said to him, "Promise before God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man who cured you is a sinner." "I do not know if he is a sinner or not," the man replied. "One thing I do know: I was blind and now I see." "What did he do to you?" they asked. "How did he cure you of your blindness?" "I have already told you," he answered, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you, too, would like to be his disciples?" They insulted him and said, "You are that fellow's disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for that fellow, however, we do not even know where he comes from!" The man answered, "What a strange thing that is! You do not know where he comes from, but he cured me of my blindness! We know that God does not listen to sinners; he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do. Since the beginning of the world nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a blind person. Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do a thing." They answered, "You were born and brought up in sin-and you are trying to teach us?" And they expelled him from the synagogue.
Torn: I selected this passage from the Bible to illustrate a point. This former blind man was expelled from the synagogue for acknowleding that the one that healed him must have been from God. What was the main issue that resulted in this man's expulsion? He regarded the authority of God and his Son as above that of the religious leaders. The religious leaders viewed any disagreement with their interpretation of scripture or their right to dominate the common man as their inalienable right. Their authority, power and prestige were threatened by Jesus and by anyone that would follow him. Can you imagine the evil of men that would not rejoice in a man blind from birth seeing again? Here was a humble man attempting to teach the teachers. What blasphemy! How dare this little worm try to teach these religious leaders a thing or two. So, for simply telling the truth this man was expelled from the synagogue.
Do you get the point Torn? What if you went to your congregation and told them what you had learned concerning the gentile times? "Hey everyone, I learned this new fact about the destruction of Jerusalem as being irrefutable to have happened in 587 B.C. That means that there is no significance to 1914, at least in reference to Jesus's alleged invisible return." Suppose you showed them volumes of material on the subject which showed, indisputably, that what you were espousing was right. You would be told in no uncertain terms that unless you kept silent about the matter you would be disfellowshipped.
Why Torn would anyone be disfellowshipped for telling the truth? It's simple Torn? The Governing Body and the Pharisees of ancient times are no different in what they expect from the rank and file Jehovah's Witness. They say, in effect, listen to us without question, don't doubt or present relevant facts because to do so threatens our authority, our prestige, our power given to us from God. Why, don't you know that questioning and doubting us is the same as questioning and doubting God? Just as the Pharisees reasoning was not scriptural or from God, so the Governing Body's reasoning is not scriptural or from God.
The Governing Body has taken over the place that only belongs to Jesus Christ. At John 14:6 Jesus says: "I am the way and the truth and the life." Where does it there state that any man, religion, institution, priest, Governing Body can usurp Christ's position. No man has that right. Also, 1Tim 2:5 says: "There is one mediator between God and men, a man Christ Jesus." Jesus is our mediator, not the Governing Body. I personally believe that the Watchtower has gotten some things right scripturally. But that doesn't give them the right to disfellowship someone and label them wicked, evil, devils, and apostates just because someone disagrees with their interpretation of the Bible.
Torn: I would suggest reading the Bible without the Watchtower's influence in the background. It will open your eyes to what the scriptures truly say. I also recommend two books by Ray Franz entitled, "Crisis of Conscience," and "In Search of Christian Freedom." These two books gives the true and unadulterated history of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. These books will blow you away. It exposes the Watchtower for their lies and deceptions that they have foisted upon the innocent rank and file Jehovah's Witness. I hope that this will help you to find out the real truth concerning the Governing Body and the Watchtower Society.
Mr. Shakita