If everyone was to practice what Jesus Christ believed and imitate the lifestyle he lead there really wouldn?t be any problems and I would admit that many in the organization can?t measure up.
Hello JW4 - Following Christ should not be 'exhausting' and measuring up should not be impossible according to scripture.
John 3:16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[
a
] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Matt 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
The fact that I too was exhausted, burned out and just sick and tired of not ever measuring up to the requirements put out by the GB totally contradicts Jesus words above. I realized then that it was not God that I was serving and trying to please but the organization - the GB and their enforcers, the congregation elders.
I was not trying to live up to Jesus' commands but the commands of men. Where did Jesus say we had to attend five meetings a week, read books and mags. from cover to cover, have a family study, spend a minimum of 10hrs going door to door, witness to everyone on every occasion or incur bloodguilt - Where does the Bible even say that JESUS himself went from house to house??? Also - whom did Jesus SHUN? In fact, where is the SHUNNING doctrine and judicial committee process in the Gospels? Not to mention the innumerable bits of advice on everything from medical care (NO BLOOD), employment, education, entertainment, grooming, dress ... OMG - the list seems endless.
Let me refer to the Bible to sum up the way I feel about the GB in a nutshell:
Matt. 231 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
25 ?Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and selfindulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 ?Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
