WT July 2023 Study Article ARE YOU READY FOR THE GREAT TRIBULATION PART
2 (Endurance and Compassion) (Part 3 Strengthen Your Love and Prepare Now to be
posted later)
As I was looking at the second part of this article,
Strengthen Your Endurance, I noticed some strange phrases, “good results of
their endurance” seems to imply there are bad results from enduring. Also, equating God’s Word to WT publications,
“examples of endurance in God’s Word and in our publications.”
Having jws compare their tests to those of Job’s so that
later a jw woman compared herself to Job, saying “how my tests paled in
comparison with Job’s.” Are jws then to
compare themselves to Job rather than people with similar troubles? Is comparing ourselves to others encouraging?
Are the current jw examples of any help, is a first name (maybe not even their
real one) to understand their whole situation?
Do they even exist, there is no way to investigate, just trust the WTS
to be telling the truth, but withholding any part of their background. At least their bible gives some background
material about Job.
In the July 2021 Study Article, the WTS says this “The Bible urges us to avoid comparing
ourselves with others Why? On the one
hand, if we think we are doing better than our brother, we may become prideful.
On the other hand, if we compare ourselves unfavorably with others, we will
likely get discouraged.” So the
jw woman was likely to get discouraged based on this “sound wisdom” from the
WTS.
As to prayer, how does the
WTS define “frequently and earnestly”?
This is a case of the WTS asking the reader to “fill in the blanks” with
the concept they preach at every meeting, not being satisfied with what they are
currently straining to DO MORE. Never seeing
what they are currently in a positive way.
“Whenever you feel upset,
confused, or overwhelmed.” And the
source, per the WTS outside their organization.
Having other jws judge you as not worthy, confused by the ever-changing
doctrines/principles/future predictions, overwhelmed by the power depleting
schedule of work to support themselves and their families, taking care of their
spiritual, all the administrative and counting ones works. “Confident that he (our God as they put it in
this article, not the god of people outside the WTS) knows precisely how to act
in their behalf. So, will their god
perform individual miracles for jws? Not
according to the WTS, only if you stay in their sphere of control. I used to tell elders, perhaps God is trying
to use the elders and other jws to give personal help to these people, not just
relying on personal prayer and study of their bible and WT publications.
“We are “more likely” to
endure” or “each test of faith (who is testing them?)…help the endure the next
challenge. So what are the battles, look
at Mira, a pioneer, (not a pioneer then is it a good comparison, what do we
know about Mira, not much).
“When the great tribulation”
(earlier referred to future) begins…counsel to jws that are independently
thinking it has already started and passing it along to others that view their
personal views as the WTS views).
COMPASSION
More counsel about helping
jws experiencing challenges other jws are not experiencing, “although the
brothers (and sisters of course), affected by a famine lived some distance
away, Christians in Antioch were determined to help them. So jws not experiencing famine, war, being
imprisoned, etc. don’t seem to be doing enough donating to the WTS to help
them. Remember all these donations don’t
go directly to those suffering these things but into a big pot of money for the
WTS to decide who gets what and when.
Once again, the WTS uses the phrase “future great tribulation.” So what specifically are the specific tests
of faith. (Here is the WTS response: Besides
dealing with problems common to all people, they faced additional trials. Many
of them were persecuted, not only by Jewish religious leaders and the Roman
authorities but also by their own families.
And within the congregation, sometimes they had to fight the influence
of the apostates and their divisive teachings.)
But when the WTS teaches
something and the “adjusts” or “clarifies” it, the previous teachings were not
apostate?
How can jws show compassion
to those far away, the WTS asks. What
about the ones in their own area? If a
jw is in financial need, does the congregation/BOEs rally the members to donate
for a specific jw? No, first the elders must
decide if this person is “truly” needy, and then direct them to government programs
that can help them, even helping them fill out the forms!!! “For
instance, the elders may be able to help out by assisting the parents to learn
about and benefit from governmental or social programs locally. (WT
3/15/2014 p.23) “ Besides
dealing with problems common to all people, they faced additional trials. Many
of them were persecuted, not only by Jewish religious leaders and the Roman
authorities but also by their own families. (Matt.
10:21) And within the congregation, sometimes they had
to fight the influence of the apostates and their divisive teachings. Note that money is the real issue, donate time
and money to build KHs but not help a jw with repairs in their home (non-disaster
related but lack of money despite being hard-working. And once again, an encouraging about a non-jw
who observes how kind and loving jws can be in the public view though. How do jws treat individuals in their family
and congregation when no non-jw is looking.
And referring to stories
about jws being sent to prison for their beliefs in Russian, articles that are
written and published on places such as Google News search, blowing their own horn
to speak. Incidentally, the WTS mentions
that some Christians owned slaves that were Christian. (Onesimus was a slave
that ran away from his Christian slaveowner Philemon. Paul converted Onesimus in Rome and sent him
back to Philemon, but Paul did not say to Philemon, set this man free, but
rather than Philemon did not have this runaway slave executed which what as
done to runaway slaves, food for thought).
And concluding Compassion
segment: “Our brothers and sisters may need help to meet their basic needs.” What are basic needs per the WTS, who decides
if they need help, only help those far away or better yet, those nearby? What do you think? Blondie
