I will defer the details of this gem to Blondie when she sinks her teeth into the WT study articles scheduled for March 21-April 3. Until then sample this:
Watchtower 15 Feb 2005 "Christians - Be Proud of Who You Are!" (pg 12-16)
For genuine Christians, however, the pervasive spirit of halfheartedness and lack of zeal presents a danger. We cannot afford to become nonchalant about our faith and lose our zeal for serving God and for Bible truth. (paragraph 2)
A young man who was raised as a Christian recalled that he for a while had experienced a state of spiritual weakness: "At times, I felt I didn't know why I was one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I had been around the truth since infancy. Sometimes I felt that this was just another mainstream, accepted religion." ... Some Christains may occasionally go through periods of self-doubt and of a reassessment of their values and goals. (paragraph 6)
A Christian, in testing whether he is in the faith, must determine whether his words and deeds harmonize with his profession of faith. However, if misdirected, self-examination that prompts us to look for our "identity" or to search for answers outside our relationship with Jehovah or the Christian congregation will prove to be pointless and can be spiritually fatal. (paragraph 7)
Young people who have been raised as Jehovah's Witnesses do well to examine whether their Christian identity is becoming stronger based on a personal relationship with God. They cannot depend merely on the faith of their parents...Obviously, a halfhearted continuation of family tradition cannot sustain an intimate, long-term relationship with Jehovah. (paragraph 16)
The following article: "Safeguarding Our Christian Identity" (pg 17-22)
"Though I was attending Christian meetings," admitted on such youth, "I had no clear spiritual goals and, frankly, no crystallized desire to serve Jehovah." (paragraph 2)
If we begin to have disturbing questions about our Christian identity, it is time to examine closely the quality and depth of this relationship...Why is such an examination vital? Because we ourselves cannot be reliable assessors of our own deepest motives and innermost inclinations. (paragraph 7)
Our sense of identity as servants of Jehovah can weaken if it is not solidly based on knowledge of the Scriptures...Young Christians who belong to God-fearing families must realize they cannot live off the faith of their parents. (paragraph 9)
"Prove to yourself the good and acceptable will of God." Just how can we achieve that?...Jehovah's spirit can help us to comprehend even difficult subjects. We should pray for God's help when we are having problems understanding something. Jehovah wants us to understand his Word, believe it, and obey it. He welcomes honest questions asked with the right motive. (paragraph 10)
Our spiritual heritage can also infuse in us a deep sense of spiritual security that can be enjoyed only within Jehovah's organization. Reviewing remarkable events from the modern-day history of Jehovah's organization can impress upon us that no person or thing can eradicate Jehovah's people from the earth. (paragraph 16)
Take a moment to contemplate the many benefits and advantages we enjoy because we are true Christians. We have the privilege of being personally recognized by Jehovah...We can be viewed by God as his friends. Our lives are adorned by a clear sense of purpose, by deep meaning, and by wholesome, productive goals. And we have been given the hope of an eternal future. (paragraph 19)
I beg you Blondie, don't abbreviate your "Comments" on these articles. This is classic cult method for attrition. Yet more telling, the WT is opening acknowledging negative attitudes within the ranks. And this catch-phrase: "live off the faith of their parents." (Who does that anyway?)
"Take a moment to contemplate" exactly how desperately manipulating these articles are.