January 2016 Watchtower (Study Edition)
Be Determined to “Let Your Brotherly Love Continue”!
This article was easy to read. Lot's of good counsel from the scriptures cited. However, in the context of my experience of the WTBTS/IBSA here in Britain, it was remote from my experience. I sailed on until it came to paragraph 18.
18. How can we strengthen our brotherly love for our elders? 18 “Remember those who are taking the lead.” (Read Hebrews 13:7, 17.) When we think about the hard work that our elders do for us—all without financial reward—our brotherly love and feelings of appreciation for them are strengthened. Never would we want them to lose their joy or to sigh because of something we do. Rather, by our obedience and submission, we “give them extraordinary consideration in love because of their work.”—1 Thess. 5:13.
For me, this paragraph engendered considerable pique. I accept that in my congregation the BoE do "hard work" and "without financial reward". However, their efforts do not engender the "brotherly love and feelings of appreciation" which the authors of this article hope for. Rather, my local BoE's behavoural profile is kindred to that of the Saudi Muttawa. They have - on more than a few occasions - exempted themselves from the counsel of 1 Thess 4:11 (lead a quiet life and mind your own business) and 1 Peter 4:15 (don't be a busybody in other peoples' affairs). So much so that several (including seniors) have experienced a range of emotions from outrage to distress. That this particular BoE feel enabled to arrogate such a role reveals (among other things) the environment in which their minds are exposed to (hardly one which exemplifies the mind of Christ). Two members of my local BoE are especially problematic.
One is the CBoE. He treats the congregation as his own personal property and play thing, and reacts with apoplexy to any perceived divergent viewpoint or perceived challenge. A very insecure individual who is also quite insitutionalised. He makes copious use of the "Organisation" book and his "Shepherding the Flock" book, and minimal use of scripture. He proscribes males from any platform assignments if they are not wearing a suit He ensures that any brothers naive enough to want to reach out understand that in doing so, they must please him and therefore become followers of men. They will wait for a painfully long time before gaining their appointment!
The other of the two is a sociopath (formerly referred to as psychopath). This is not a pejorative but seriously and carefully chosen vocabulary. He is "a cold fish" as one senior social worker said of a risky client several years ago. That is, lacking in feeling for others, lacking in empathy, fails to learn from experience and thus repeats mal-experiences. In a manner of speaking he is socially handicapped, and any compassion I had for him quickly evaporates when I learn of the hurt and tears of others in the wake of this brute's invasiveness. His behavioural profile goes back to the formative years of his adolescence. His brother is a charming fellow who is innocuous and widely liked. This psychopath's behavioural profile in the congregation is such that I have had to give advice to several (sisters) in how to cope with him. The advice is as follows from (Psych Central) ....
- Be on your guard at all times. Know what you can and cannot expect from the sociopath.
- Avoid going to this person for emotional support or advice. Being vulnerable in this way opens you up to being hurt.
- Imagine a boundary between yourself and the sociopath. Form a picture of it in your mind. Build a wall that you can see in your imagination that protects you. Everything the sociopath says or that is hurtful bounces off this imaginary wall.
- Don’t make excuses for the sociopath. Instead, hold him accountable for his actions. The stronger and more direct you are, the less the sociopath will try to take advantage of you.
However, getting back to the Watchtower study. I made up my mind that I just could not sit there and listen to this. So just before the paragraph was read, I vacated the auditorium and went outside. Just couldn't bear to hear the reading or the sycophantic responses.
There were additional difficulties for me at this Watchtower study however. The concluding song was so objectionable. The song states among other things....
- "Our meetings refresh us and brighten our hope" (Not my experience I'm afraid)
- "Wholesome instruction from God fearing men" (No - not that either)
- "Our meetings instuct us in ways that are right" (Nope!)
In any case, I feel uncomfortable singing a song which extolls WT meetings or meetings of any kind. So during the concluding song, I just put my songbook away in my bag and stood there silent. Some noticed. But I'm past caring anymore!
I've noticed the gradual changes which I see in myself in response to the growing ingress of the GBoJW into the congregations. I am repelled and no longer regard myself as a Jehovah's Witness. I continue to strive to be a Christian.
Winston Churchill put it rather well when he wrote...."Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." It is perhas the end of the beginning of my being solely mentally out of this organisation. My stepping out during a paragraph and abstention from a song is perhaps, the beginning of another type of egress!