COMMENTS YOU WILL NOT HEAR AT THE 7-27-03 WT STUDY
Comments by the reviewer will be in black and parentheses ()
WT quotes will be in
red
and quotes ""
See JWD topic on class distinctions (
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/55841/1.ashx )See JWD topics on racism (
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/4767/1.ashx )(
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/55529/1.ashx )IMITATE JEHOVAH ,
OUR IMPARTIAL GOD
"’ There is no partiality' with God. "-ROMANS 2:11Introductory Reviewer Comments
Let’s look at some other Bible translations to get the color of this verse.
http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible
Romans 2 (NIV)
11 For God does not show favoritism .
Romans 2 (AMP)
11 For God shows no partiality undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another.
JWD just recently had topics about racism and class distinction. The WTS often points to this scripture when discussing this and other types of prejudice. JWs are being called on to imitate God. I haven’t mentioned this recently, but it is always good to ask, "Why is the WTS devoting valuable space to this topic in the WT study articles? The side articles in the WT and the articles in the Awake are optional, the WTS has no way of knowing if the rank and file have even read them (unless they incorporate them into the theocratic school agenda). At least when the rank and file attend the WT study, they are forced to consider the material. So what is so important about showing impartiality? JWs must be slipping in showing it. You can bet that the WTS has been receiving reports from the COs and DOs that not all is happy in JWdom in this area.
But first the WTS has to do some damage control. Why, because in the past it has seemed that God has shown favorites.
START OF THE ARTICLE
CAMPED on the Plains of Moab in 1473 B.C.E., Israel listened attentively to Moses. A challenge lay ahead, beyond the Jordan River. Moses declared Jehovah's purpose to have Israel defeat the seven mighty Canaanite nations in the Promised Land.
Insight Book Vol 2 p. 1167 WarIsrael was to conclude no covenant with them, and they merited no favor (this includes women and children).
Jehovah instructed Israel as to military procedure in the conquest of Canaan. The seven nations of Canaan, named at Deuteronomy 7:1, 2, were to be exterminated, including women and children. Their cities were to be devoted to destruction. (De 20:15-17)
So the WTS knows that the reader is confused by now. ‘What does this have to do with God being impartial?’
Yet, Jehovah spared one family from the first city that Israel attacked. People from four other towns also received God's protection. Why was this?
Reactions to Jehovah's Fame
Can long-time JWs guess who these people are? Does Rahab come to mind and the Gibeonites?
News of these victories coupled with stories of Israel's Exodus from Egypt had a powerful effect on individuals living in Canaan.
When Canaanite Rahab heard of Jehovah's actions stirred her to act in faith.
News of the ensuing rout prompted many of Canaan's kings to assemble for war. The inhabitants of the nearby Hivite city of Gibeon reacted differently…The Gibeonites realized the futility of resistance…they sent to Joshua at Gilgal a delegation disguised as though from a distant land. The stratagem succeeded. Joshua concluded a covenant with them that ensured their survival.
I always thought this strange. The Gibeonites had to trick the Israelites but God was not fooled. God could have warned the Israelites. Does God want us to trick his people to gain salvation?
The Gibeonites are considered a type for the other sheep and/or great crowd as they help the spiritual Israelites. So how did the spiritual Gibeonites trick the spiritual Israelites?
12/15/86 WT
p. 22Thus the Gibeonites may well foreshadow the "great crowd" that are now rendering God "sacred service day and night in his temple."
And Joshua protecting the Gibeonites from attack by the Canaanites pictures:
10/15/67 WT pp.
626-627 To the Rescue!That miraculous rescue of the Gibeonites was prophetic of the modern-day rescue of a "great crowd" of survivors out of the "war of the great day of God the Almighty" at Armageddon. (1 Cor. 10:11; Isa. 28:21, 22) The only book in the Bible that names Armageddon describes also the earthly survivors of the world’s greatest tribulation as a "great crowd." Just as those ancient Gibeonites, so all those in that "great crowd" need to do something to be rescued from destruction at Armageddon. The Gibeonites took time by the forelock and took advance steps in order to procure a treaty of salvation. If they had waited until Joshua and his executional army found the location of their city and laid siege to it, that would have been too late to escape destruction.
Yes, we must trick Jesus into a treaty of salvation. But do works alone gain salvation as the WTS implies in this statement?
Dealings With Abraham and IsraelWhat happened to them clearly demonstrates a truth that the Christian apostle Peter later stated: "God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him."-
Acts 10:34, 35.
The disciple James drew attention to God's undeserved kindness in His dealings with Abraham and his offspring. It was Abraham's faith, not his ethnic origin that made him "Jehovah's friend."
Yet would God have had dealings with him if Abraham had not been a descendant of Shem not bad old Ham and Canaan his son?
Insight Book Vol 2
pp. 919-920 ShemWas God not showing partiality in that he dealt only with the Israelites? Were they a test case of how God would deal with the rest of humankind?When Shem and his brother Japheth covered over their father’s nakedness at the time of Noah’s being overcome by wine, they showed not only filial respect but also respect for the one whom God had used to effect their preservation during the Flood. (Ge 9:20-23) Thereafter, in the blessing Noah pronounced, indication was given that the line of Shem would be particularly favored by God and would contribute to the sanctification of God’s name, Noah referring to Jehovah as "Shem’s God." (Ge 9:26)
This so reminds me of how the remnant are "special" but a "wonderful prospect" is held out to the great crowd (nations) but not as special.True, Jehovah repurchased Israel from slavery in Egypt and consequently declared: "You people only have I known out of all the families of the ground." But through the prophet Amos and others, Jehovah also held out a wonderful prospect for people of "all the nations."
Jesus, the Impartial Teacher
His primary concern at the time was to find "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Yet, he did not hold back from witnessing to a Samaritan woman at a well.
He also performed a miracle at the request of an army officer, apparently a non Jew.
The underlined are referred to the 3 H’s by JWs. People must have all three "attitudes" or they will not listen to JWs at the door.Jesus' disciples preached far and wide too. It became clear that the criterion for receiving Jehovah's blessing was linked, not to nationality, but to attitude. Humble, honest hearted people who were hungry for the truth responded to the Kingdom good news.
9/1/91 WT p.
29If we have done our best to communicate and we fail to get the desired results, should we be discouraged? Not at all. The Bible Students (as Jehovah’s Witnesses were formerly called (actually the Bible Students broke off and are a separate group) used to say that in order to accept the truth, people need to have the three h’s. They need to be honest, humble, and hungry. We cannot expect insincere people, those not honest, to respond favorably to the truth; nor can we expect arrogant or proud individuals to listen to the good news. Further, even if an individual has a measure of honesty and humility, it is not likely that he will take to the truth if he is not spiritually hungry. No doubt many that you meet in your territory will be lacking one or more of the three h’s.
Do you think the anointed and the other sheep are considered equal? Even in the early Christian congregation only Jews could be one of the 12 apostles or on the "governing body."In the early Christian congregation, Jews and non-Jews were equal.
What determined whether they benefited from Jehovah's undeserved kindness was, not their ethnic origin, but their reaction upon learning about Jehovah and the prospects offered by the ransom of his Son, Jesus.
Why was it that not until recent times, that a black man was appointed to the governing body of JWs and no Hispanics? All appointees come from the predominantly white European or European-based countries.
Paul wrote: "He is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision that which is on the outside upon the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code." … (Romans 2:28, 29) Jehovah extends praise impartially. Do we?
Do JWs extend praise at all except when "sucking up" to someone who can give privileges? Why some much encouragement to commend in the last WT article? If they were doing it, why keeping emphasizing it? Can you think of the last time an elder complimented you on something specific? Counsel after your talk on the school does not count.
John caught sight of "a great crowd... out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands." (Revelation 7:4, 9) Thus, no ethnic group or language is excluded from the modern-day Christian congregation.But they have been excluded from the governing body and many key positions in the WTS in spite of the large number of non-whites (50 to 65 percent).
Positive EffectsLikewise, when we come to understand others by taking an interest in their culture and background, differences tend to pale into insignificance. Ethnic barriers melt, and bonds of friendship and love are strengthened. Unity is enhanced.
Have you been in a congregation with a variety of races and ethnic groups? Did they mingle socially or at the congregation? Did they congregate with like people in the corners? Who did they choose to go in field service with? Who did they feel more comfortable with? In one congregation I went to, the darker blacks were even excluded by the lighter blacks. We had a special needs talk once a year on this topic given by one the kindest brothers I ever knew, but one of the darkest I ever knew.
Aklilu, who hails from Ethiopia, found himself lonely in Britain's capital, London. His feelings of loneliness were compounded by what seemed to him to be a general lack of friendliness toward people from other countries.
How different Aklilu's experience was when he attended a Christian meeting at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses! Those present welcomed him, and it was not long before he felt at home.
Now let’s keep one thing clear here. Aklilu was not a baptized witness. My husband experienced the "love" as long as he was an unbaptized Bible student. As soon as he was baptized, this "love" instantly dropped away. I have known others over the years who have experienced this with sadness.
Characteristics and backgrounds vary. They are no measure of superiority or of inferiority; they are simply differences.
If you don’t have money and your socio-economic standing is low in the congregation, don’t expect those with money to associate with you. They are afraid that you will be embarrassed by not being able to keep up with the recreationally (right!) (see topic on JWD)
See JWD topic on class distinctions (http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/55841/1.ashx)Overcoming Prejudice
Any prejudice we may once have felt toward certain nationalities, races, or cultures can be overcome.
Take, for example, the case of Albert who served in the British Army during World War II and who was captured by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore in 1942.
Albert's wife, Irene, became one of Jehovah's Witnesses. To please her, Albert attended a few meetings.
A young Christian in the full-time ministry named Paul visited Albert to study the Bible with him. Albert soon came to realize that Jehovah looks at individuals according to their heart condition. He dedicated his life to Jehovah and got baptized.
Paul later moved to London, learned Japanese, and associated with a Japanese speaking congregation. When he suggested taking some visiting Japanese Witnesses to his former congregation, the brothers there called to mind Albert's strong prejudice against people from that background. Since his return to Britain, Albert had avoided coming face-to-face with anyone from Japan, so the brothers wondered how he would handle the situation. They need not have worried-Albert received the visitors with unconditional brotherly affection.
So Albert overcame a real reason to have fear of people who represented a race that had once hurt him deeply. But what reason do JWs have to avoid blacks, Hispanics, or whites. Is it enough to say that it isn’t really racial prejudice and it’s only economic? Is it one thing not to show prejudice to those we meet face to face and then make comments that bear negatively on the whole anonymous group?
"Widen Out"
"The showing of partiality is not good," wrote wise King Solomon. (Proverbs 28:21) It is easy to feel close to those whom we know well. Sometimes, however, we tend to show little interest in those whom we do not know well.
The following article will address this subject.Concluding Remarks
I have a favorite scripture for what I have seen in the congregations of JWs that I have attended over the years.
Matthew 5:43-48 (NWT) 43 "YOU heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 However, I say to YOU: Continue to love YOUR enemies and to pray for those persecuting YOU; 45 that YOU may prove yourselves sons of YOUR Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous. 46 For if YOU love those loving YOU, what reward do YOU have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if YOU greet YOUR brothers only, what extraordinary thing are YOU doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? 48 YOU must accordingly be perfect, as YOUR heavenly Father is perfect.
So as the JWs love those loving them and greet their brothers only, are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing?
No excuses, JWs say they are the only true Christians. They must be outstanding in this area of showing love to those they are not naturally drawn too, especially fellow JWs, let alone the people in the neighborhood. But that has not been what I have seen. As a group, JWs are judgmental and suspicious. They do not see the good in others. They do not see the good people they can be. God sees that. Are we impartial like he is? These points will be in the 8-3-03 WT study article. I have seen quite a few comments from JWs on another DB that they are looking forward to these articles. Why? Because they are like I used to be. I was positive that when people at the KH studied these points, they would turn around and put on the Christlike personality. But as soon as the meeting would be over, everyone would be associating with the same small group they always did, not talking to the ones that they haven’t talked to for the last ten years. So the hopeful ones keep waiting on Jehovah. Maybe the next article….
Blondie