To the Household of God, Israel, and those that go with them... again, the greatest of peace to you. I have been directed to continue, as follows: EXPOSING WATCHTOWER LIES & ERRORS Part II “CHRIST SPEAKS TO THE CONGREGATIONS” The Watchtower, May 15, 2003
Paragraph 6:
Today, congregations of Jesus’ true followers have a similar record of good deeds, hard work, endurance.
If they are truly speaking about my Lord's "TRUE followers," they are correct. However, if they are speaking of themselves (which, of course, they are), this statement is:
A lie – The “record” of the WTBTS’s “good deeds” fails miserably compared to others who also call themselves “christians.” While others set up ongoing relief missions to assist even their enemies, hospitals, homes for fatherless children, and care for widows and elderly, the WTBTS solicits contributions, as well as the inheritances and insurance policies of widows, and turns their back on the fatherless child… for the purpose of acquiring real estate!
They use the “Kingdom Hall-less” plight of those in less fortunate lands to play on the guilt of members, all they while increasing their real estate holdings. If they sold just ONE building in New York, they could construct 100 kingdom halls for those who don’t have them and can’t afford them. But instead, they solicit even more funds, and then LOAN such funds to congregations while charging interest.
Then, contrary to what my Lord taught us, they “greet their brothers only”, and rather than love their enemies, speak ill of them, sometimes even as they walk away from a householder’s door. They print slanderous, condemning propaganda, when even the Christ himself did nothing of the sort, and while they themselves exist in the same “shame”. Their own shame, they attempt to cover over by crying that they’re being falsely accused and persecuted.
The ONLY time JWs move to action, is when some major crisis has touched their “brothers” and a call goes out. This is commendable, no doubt. However, the 1 st century Christians were consistently moved: they provided relief missions to the poor on a regular basis. Besides pedophilia, this is their shame: although charged to care for widows and orphans, they leave such care to the families and governments they deride.
In their eyes, their “good deeds” consist of regular meeting attendance, field service, placing magazines, listening to their leaders in “Bethel”, adhering to strict regulations based on the Law Covenant… and separating themselves from those who do not worship as they do, particularly family. However, in doing all of this, they COMPLETELY disregard the TRUE “fast” of JAH, which is:
LOOSEN the fetters of wickeness RELEASE the bands of the yoke bar SEND AWAY the crushed ones FREE Tear in two EVERY yoke bar Divide out YOUR bread to the hungry Bring the afflicted, homeless people into YOUR house COVER the naked And NOT hide yourself from your own flesh
Isaiah 58:6, 7
Rather than loosening the fetters of wickedness, the WTBTS perpetuates among its members a sense of “superiority” so that rather than consider themselves the LEAST… they raise their noses at all who are not of their “sort”… considering all others “unclean.” Yet, it is NOT the righteous that my Lord came to save… for the righteous have no need of salvation. Rather, it was among sinners that he could always be found. Why? Because they were contrite. He gave us the example to understand in the parable of the Pharisee… and the tax collector. Pharisees were lauded by the people… and themselves… as being righteous. The tax collector, however, was despised by the people; however, he knew it, and knew why… and did not raise himself up. As a result, my LORD raised him up.
Rather than release the bands of the yoke bar, the WTBTS endeavors to further yoke its members… not to Christ, the One who said “Take MY yoke upon you… for MY load is light.” No, they yoke its members to its organization, with its never ending rules, regulations, directives, dictates, doctrines, requirements and teachings. They put upon their members hourly quotas in order to be considered “spiritual,” so that some feel forced to extend themselves beyond what they truly can do; others look down upon and judge those who appear to give less as being “unspiritual.” In doing this, they completely disregard the lesson of the “widow’s mite” – it is not HOW MUCH ones gives… it is WHY ones gives. Their yoke is so heavy, that many find it impossible to balance daily living with familial responsibilities, with WTBTS responsibilities. My Lord NEVER yoked his disciples so… nor did his disciples yoke any so. There were no meetings, no field service requirements, no books to place (and count)… and no compulsory contributions (which is why Anaias and Sapphira died – they didn’t HAVE to give at all! But if they chose to do so, they should have given what they VOWED to give, rather than attempt to fool holy spirit!) Thus, IF the WTBTS wanted to be noted for their “good deeds,” they would “tear in two” EVERY yoke band, including that which they have imposed upon their members, leaving ONLY the “yoke” between such ones… and Christ. For there is no other yoke that is “light”.
And as a result, they would then:
“Send AWAY the crushed one… FREE!” But they neither send them away, nor permit them to leave. Like Pharaoh of Egypt, they believe such ones belong to THEM… and lay heavy guilt upon them if they wish to be released from the heavy, enslaving, burdensome yoke of the WTBTS. If one even intimates that they wish to leave them, to go “celebrate a festival to JAH,”… they are counseled and attempts are made to talk them out of it. If that does not work, then such ones are slanderously labeled, marked… and in some cases, expelled from their “synagogues”. But the sheep are NOT theirs; thus, they are not theirs to hold.
Just as when Lot wished to separate from Abraham, Abraham did not deride Lot, but out of LOVE made an agreeable arrangement with him. And where did Lot go? To Sodom! Did Abraham condemn him for this? No! Why? Because Abraham knew Lot… and knew that Lot loved God and Christ. Abraham was not threatened by Lot’s request. And when God wanted to destroy Sodom, Abraham did not say to himself, “Well, Lot should have stayed with me, but he’s there now. He’s not my problem, so if he goes down with the city, he goes down with the city.” No, not only did Abraham plead for Lot, he pleaded for ALL in those cities, although they would have been constituted as his enemies! And isn’t that what the Christ himself did and taught us? That rather than judge, we are to LOVE our “enemies” and PRAY for them? But the “black” heart of the WTBTS and its members cannot fathom that. Theirs are hearts full of malice and hatred… and thus, hypocrisy/leaven. They have a FORM of “godly devotion,” but prove FALSE to its power! They honor God with their LIPS… but their HEARTS… are far removed from Him. For God IS love!
They would divide out THEIR bread to the hungry… divesting themselves of their vast holdings (all the while hypocritically condemning other religions for their wealth!)… hand them out so as to cause an “equaling” among their members. In essence, they would “SELL their belongings and give to the poor!” That is, if they wanted to be “perfect” (as they haughtily believe th ey are!) But instead, they brag over their possessions, making much in their publications of the Halls, buildings, compounds, theaters, hotels, and land that they possess, ALL had… at the price of ‘widows houses.” Rather than put the responsibility of caring for the poor, the fatherless and the elderly among them, on family that they’ve told such ones NOT to associate with, or governments that they’ve condemned, THEY would step up to the plate the care for their own! THEY would take care of their own “household”, using whatever monies they were given to feed the poor, cloth the naked and house the homeless among THEM!
Yet, when such ones present themselves, they SHAME them… by telling them that their situation (poverty, homelessness, etc.) is the result of punishment/discipline from JAH. Yet, if they themselves could HEAR what the spirit says, they would know that it is THEY who are being put to the test! For “unbeknownst to them, some… entertained angels.” Thus, their “works” of meeting attendance, field service, book placement, etc., is MOOT. For they completely disregard the “works” that prove FAITH, as mentioned by James:
“Of what benefit is it, my brother, if a certain one SAYS he has faith but he does not have WORKS? That faith cannot save him, can it? If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking food sufficient For the day, yet a certain one of YOU says to them: ‘Go in peace, Keep warm and well fed,’ but YOU do NOT give them the necessi- Ties for their BODY… of what BENEFIT is it? Thus, too, faith, IF IT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS, is dead in itself.”
Thus, they can SAY all day long that they have faith and that such faith will save them. However, it is their lack of WORKS… in this very manner… that condemns them. Neither I, nor you, nor Christ need do so. They condemn… themselves.
As for bringing the afflicted, homeless people into their houses, we all know that Witnesses have the greatest problem bringing ANYONE who is not a Witness into their houses. And in their minds, there is no such thing as a “homeless” Witness. True, there are young folks/couples, and separating ones, and traveling overseers, etc. But these are not really “homeless” are they? No, these are just temporarily inconvenienced. And those who are not Witnesses that they WILL allow into their homes are either family… or friends/neighbors that they “approve” of as “clean” (well, they’re not SO bad!)
But the homeless that my Father and my Lord refer to are NOT friends and family: they are STRANGERS (1 Timothy 5:10). Does that means it is someone right off the street? It can. Or it can be someone stranded by the road, someone who’s fell on hard times, a runaway, whatever. What it MEANS, however, is that it is not always a “brother,” technically or literally. But their FEAR (which, if they had faith in God, who promises to bless us they would NOT have, but would KNOW that they would receive such blessing...), prevents them from doing this "good" deed. They fail to hear, thus to know and understand... that LOVE... "casts fear... OUTSIDE."
Regarding covering the naked, the same would apply as feeding the hungry: it is NOT everyone else’s responsibility, but the responsibility of each individual, IF they see someone in need. And although James mentions seeing a brother or sister naked and hungry, the lesson of the “Good Samaritan” helps us to understand who REALLY is our “neighbor,” a word that includes strangers and enemies, as well as friends and family. But the Society absolutely misses this point, doing good “to their brothers ONLY,” in the manner of the “nations” that my Lord told us NOT to be “like”. (Matthew 5:43-48)
Finally, with regard to “NOT [hiding] yourself from your own flesh..” Jehovah’s Witnesses are at the forefront of disregarding this “fast” – they forbid association with family… one’s own FLESH… by means of their laws, doctrines and edicts. Yet, even though his own brothers did not accept him as Christ, my Lord never left them or pushed them away from HIM. Even though he knew Judas to be wicked in heart, he did not separate himself from him, but allowed him to remain until the final hour. Even though adulteresses were brought to him, he did not judge them… but forgave them, and without them having asked for it… or “shown” repentance. (John 8:1-11). Rather than judge and condemn him, my Lord invited himself into the house of an extortioner, Zaccahaeus, and ate with a leper, Simon. He offered the ‘water of life’… holy spirit and thus, everlasting life, to a woman who lived with a man who was not her husband, and he received Pharisees who came to him under cover of night, rather than boldly in the day. Why? Because he knew that it was NOT judgment, condemnation and separation that would change these. Rather, it was LOVE that would change them: if he LOVED them, and SHOWED them such love… rather than harangue and belittle them… they would KNOW that he was the Son of God… for God IS love. They would then put FAITH in him… and follow him by MEANS of that faith… due to HIS love… and not theirs.
In all these things, the “deeds” of the WTBTS and its members (generally, not individually)… fall short. Who, then, are they to consider their deeds “good”… while condemning the deeds of others? Hypocrites! They are among those, then, that will hear my Lord say, “Get away from me!” For although they will say, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do such-and-so in your name?” he will say, “I never KNEW you!” Why? Because by THEIR “fruits” he, too, would “know” them. Yet, their “fruits” do NOT include the love of God, which love INCLUDED… the WORLD. (John 3:17)
Again, I bid you the greatest of peace... and ears to hear what the Spirit and the Bride KEEP saying, to ALL those who are thirsting, wishing and hearing:
"Come! Take 'life's water'... FREE!"
For the blessings of JAH... THAT is what makes rich! And, unlike the heavily burdensome membership of the WTBTS... HE... adds NO pain with it!"
I will continue, if and as my Lord directs.
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SJ