The hyprocracy of this particular article had me grumbling today:
Who is my neighbor? If you changed the identities of the people in Jesus’ parable to reflect the WT community:
Priest—JW elder
Levite—JW ministerial servant
Man attacked—rank and file JW
Samaritan—all non-JWs
The elder and the MS saw the man needed practical help yet they went by on the other side of the road. Now remember this man was another JW.
The elder was saying to himself, "that man should not have been on this road. It is his fault he was attacked. If he had been out in field service and going to all the meetings this would not have happened. I have to work on my talk for Sunday. Someone else will come along and help him."
The MS was saying to himself, "I have many serious responsibilities serving in the KH (holy place) and assisting the elders (priests). I don’t have time to get involved in this man’s problems. If he had been at the KH (synagogue), this would not have happened."
The non-JW sees the man and recognizes that he is a JW, the ones that are always telling him that only JWs have God’s blessing. Looking at him now, it doesn’t seem that God has blessed him. But he remembers that God works through people on earth and proceeds to help him.
Blondie, it never occurred to me to apply this parable in the way you did. However, it really touched me. I can see so clearly how this situation is played out every day at the hall.
The times in which we live are marked by a selfish, distorted form of love. In his inspired description of "the last days," the apostle Paul wrote that people would love, not one another, but themselves, money, and pleasures. Many would have "no natural affection," or as one Bible translation puts it, they would "lack normal affection for their families." (2 Timothy 3:1-4) Jesus Christ foretold: "Many... will betray one another and will hate one another.... The love of the greater number will cool off."-Matthew 24:10,12.
The WTS many times says that the vast majority of people are selfish, distorted, lovers of money and pleasures, have no natural affection for family, betray one another and hate another and that the only people not like this are JWs. Can you think of non-JW family, neighbors, workmates that are kind, helpful, love their families, donate to charities of their time and money, etc.? I can.
Typical demonizing of everyone else. I can't believe I didn't see this beforestressed
Some taught that the terms "friend" and "neighbor" applied only to Jews.Non Jews were to be hated. Such teachers reasoned that the godly must despise the godless. "In such an atmosphere," says one reference work, "it was impossible for hatred to starve. It had plenty to feed on."
Your comments are dead on. I didn't read your commentary prior to going to the meeting, but when you comment that JWs are taught to avoid everyone not JW or at least not develop "friendships" with them, I nearly choked when I read the above quote. You'd think they would complement the Jews for staying pure.
The last couple of subheadings were equally disturbing because while I didn't find much objectionable, the fact is that is smacks in the face of JW practice. James said to take care of the widows and orphans. I don't think handing out tracts saying Jehovah is going to destroy you or the latest WT articles are what James had in mind.
It's always bothered me that JWs don't have any charity work except for the occasional relief work where some non-JWs get some benefit. I always look at it this way, Jesus had only 3.5 years of ministry time and yet took many occasions to help the sick and poor. His teaching work was terrific of course, but equally impressive was his willingness to put off his sermons to help others in a physicial way.