Posts by Dogpatch

5

Faith on the March on the web

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

faith on the march on the web:.

http://sites.netscape.net/josephschaffer/fotm/mfaith.htm

Dogpatch

Faith on the March on the web:
http://sites.netscape.net/josephschaffer/fotm/mfaith.htm

8

Smarmy Awake totally supporting UN

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

i am preparing a major upgrade on my book, "thus saith the governing body of jehovah's witnesses," which i may retitle "thus saith the watchtower.

" anyway, i am putting in dozens of pages updating stuff on voting, pedophiles, the media and deception, and most notably the united nations issue.

what amazes me is over half of the november 22, 1998 awake!

Dogpatch

Stop now unclebruce!
You will lose all your mind if you read more...

by the way, Lord of the Rings gets an A+ from me, saw it in a stadium theater last night!
Randy

8

Smarmy Awake totally supporting UN

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

i am preparing a major upgrade on my book, "thus saith the governing body of jehovah's witnesses," which i may retitle "thus saith the watchtower.

" anyway, i am putting in dozens of pages updating stuff on voting, pedophiles, the media and deception, and most notably the united nations issue.

what amazes me is over half of the november 22, 1998 awake!

I am preparing a major upgrade on my book, "Thus Saith the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses," which I may retitle "Thus Saith the Watchtower." Anyway, I am putting in dozens of pages updating stuff on voting, pedophiles, the media and deception, and most notably the United Nations issue. What amazes me is over HALF of the November 22, 1998 Awake! is a full-blown advertisement for the United Nations! Unbeleiveable. Not a bad word for them in the entire article. No wonder they submitted this issue to the U.N.'s NGO dept. as part of their obligation as an NGO! It totally sells them, like very smarmy!
I can't believe their hypocrisy, even after all these years.
Randy Watters
http://www.freeminds.org

11

HELP on Bethelite injured

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

does anyone know of situations where bethelites were injured on the job and asked to leave bethel, with no help and no finances offered, even if he is married and wife worked there as well?.

any cases where a court of law forced the wt to pay out in a case like this?

if so, email me at [email protected].

Dogpatch

Does anyone know of situations where Bethelites were injured on the job and asked to leave Bethel, with no help and no finances offered, even if he is married and wife worked there as well?

Any cases where a court of law forced the WT to pay out in a case like this?
If so, email me at [email protected]

Net Soup
http://www.freeminds.org

Watchtower Store
http://www.freeminds.org/sales/menuframes.htm

3

Appeal from Hassan/Taliban mind control

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

dear colleague and friend,.

i hope this message finds you well.

i am writing to ask for your help.. attached is a copy of my op ed, which was published yesterday in the boston globe.

Dogpatch

Dear Colleague and friend,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to ask for your help.

Attached is a copy of my Op Ed, which was published yesterday in the Boston Globe. So far, most responses to the editor have been somewhat negative.

I¹m asking you to read it and consider whether you agree with me. If you do, please join me and publicly endorse the position that mind control/ brainwashing exists; that you have witnessed/experienced its disastrous effects and that it is quite possible that John Walker has been subjected to cult mind control techniques used by the Taliban and Al Queda.

Please contact as many former members and their families as possible, and urge them to contact me with permission to add their names to an open letter to the President. Furthermore, I would like to encourage all former cult members, their family and friends to take action and speak up. May I suggest several thing you could do, such as the following:

- Make phone calls to members of the media

- Send emails and write letters to the editor ( [email protected])

- Contact other editors of print media

- Call in to radio talk shows

- Send emails to producers of Television news and talk shows

This is also a good time for everyone who is concerned about this issue to email or fax their views to their political representatives.

I believe this is an important time to mobilize and try to raise public awareness about mind control and cultism because of the issue of John Walker. Cult groups lobbying the media and our government want to keep our knowledge and experience perceived as marginal at best and bogus, at worst. Please take a look at a sample at http://www.religiousfreedomwatch.org/

I will be collecting testimonials on my www.freedomofmind.com < http://www.freedomofmind.com/>; web site as well as collecting names to demonstrate grass roots support for the existence of mind control. Please visit my web site and read some of the things I have written since 9/11. Please join me in taking action!

Tomorrow, Friday Dec. 21st, I am scheduled to be on Fox Cable show, The O'Reilly Factor, MSNBC and the David Brudnoy radio show on WBZ.

If you would like to make suggestions (or criticisms) or would like to offer your skills, abilities or talents to generating more awareness, please contact me.

Thank you,

Steve Hassan

Boston Globe December 19th 2001 OP- ED

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/353/oped/Saving_the_American_Taliban_+.sht ml

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Saving the 'American Taliban' By Steven Hassan, 12/19/2001

WHAT COULD have driven an educated young American from a loving and prosperous family to embrace the Taliban cause?

His parents have said that he was brainwashed. I have not met John Walker Lindh, who was recently captured in Afghanistan, but I believe his parents are probably right. In fact, I had a similar experience as a student at Queens College in New York City when I was 19 - Lindh's age. I never participated in actual combat, but I was engaged in a holy war on the streets of New York.

In the fall of 1974, I was invited to join a group of fellow students who said they were interested in making the world a better place. Within weeks, I dropped out of school, cut my long hair, and put on a three-piece suit (worn by the group in public, like a uniform). I was told to cut off contact with friends and family, apparently just like Lindh.

I didn't know it then, but I had been recruited into a front group within a worldwide cult that wants to rule the world with a so-called automatic theocracy led by the group's supposed messiah. I was programmed to believe that Armageddon would take place in 1977, that Satan loved democracy, and that we were going to be the future rulers of the new kingdom of heaven on earth.

As I was indoctrinated by the cult, I underwent a radical personality change. I was programmed to kill off the old Steve who knew and loved my friends and family. A new cult identity was created. I was trained to shut out any doubts that entered my mind, thinking they were from Satan. Raised in a conservative Jewish home, I hadn't believed in Satan at all, but once in the cult, Satan was omnipresent, and everyone outside the group was viewed as a child of Satan. To my horror now, I was so programmed that I believe I would have died or killed on command.

Then circumstances changed my life once again. While driving a van, I fell asleep, crashed, and was seriously injured. While recuperating in a hospital, I telephoned my sister, and for the first time in many months my family knew my whereabouts. They and former cult members then tried to get me out of my cult trance. To my surprise, I wasn't beaten and tortured by the deprogrammers. They were very nice to me and taught me about brainwashing tactics. After five days, I realized I had been under cult mind control. I was saved by those who could offer me love and concern - my family and the ex-members who cared about me.

Many are now calling for Lindh's execution as a traitor to his country. There is no doubt that CIA operative Johnny Spann is a hero of the highest level and deserves our praise and thanks. However, I doubt that Lindh is an evil person who deserves to die. I think he is a victim, as I was 27 years ago, and I think it important that his fate be decided in a public trial in US federal court. I believe that with proper counseling, Lindh would be horrified at what brainwashing has made him do. Indeed, it appears that mind control techniques similar to those used by my cult leader have been used by Osama bin Laden and his cronies to recruit, train, and exploit talented people to do their bidding.

Now that Lindh is in American hands, I sincerely hope that mind control experts assist his interrogators, supervising the sessions. Otherwise, we risk losing a valuable opportunity in the war against terrorism. I remember as a cult member how I was taught to block out criticism and doubt with simple chants such as ''Crush Satan, Crush Satan.'' I expect that Lindh will do the same.

How can we reach Lindh if he is indeed a victim of mind control? Since coming out of my group, I have worked with thousands of people impacted by destructive mind control. I have assisted former cult members in reclaiming their minds and their lives. It is important that family members and friends be coached on how best to connect with their loved one's pre-cult identity with love, respect, understanding, and compassion. When counseling people, I talk about my own cult experiences and tell them about other people who have been deceptively recruited into destructive groups. It helps them to know others have had experiences similar to their own.

I believe that Lindh will eventually realize that he was duped into accepting terrorism and murder, which is condemned by the faith he adopted at age 16. For now, he must accept responsibility for his actions. It is my hope that he will provide valuable information about the activities of the Taliban and Al Qaeda. (He already has, according to reports.) Perhaps more important, he might provide a valuable example for future generations about the workings of mind control techniques.

Nothing is more powerful than a personal story, especially one that tells of the journey from slavery to freedom. Such a story - the promise of redemption in the afterlife - is said to fuel the actions of suicide terrorists. The stories of Taliban and Al Qaeda members who reject terrorism and leave their cell groups need to be heard and examined within our culture and within the Arab and Muslim worlds.

The war against the Taliban is nearly over, but the much harder war against terrorism continues. There is an important story behind John Lindh. It may be a key to learning how to help win the war on terrorism.

_______________________________________________________________________ Steven Hassan, author of ''Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves,'' is director of the Freedom of Mind Resource Center.

This story ran on page A19 of the Boston Globe on 12/19/2001.

Steve Hassan

617 628-9918 fax: 617 628-8153 PO Box 45223 Somerville, MA. 02145

U. S.A.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves is now available. You can order the book securely from our web site or in the U.S. call 1 800-860-2139. Join our free bulletin board too!

Steven Hassan M.Ed LMHC [email protected] Resource Center http://www.freedomofmind.com

"I know but one freedom & that is the freedom of the mind" Antoine de Saint Exupery

8

Meet Blown Up Larry.

by Englishman in

jw
friends

here he is 8 years after the explosion:.

.

thats him stood next to her ladyship in 1979, she's holding our just born number 2 son, other ex's are in the background at this church wedding.. englishman.. bring on the dancing girls!

Dogpatch

The full story and picture are up now by permission at:
http://www.freeminds.org/stories/blownup.htm

Randy Watters

The Watchtower Store
http://www.freeminds.org/sales/menuframes.htm

7

Saving John Walker-Taliban

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

a good article on saving the american taliban: john walker lindh.

http://www.watchtowernews.org/johnwalker.htm.

original at:.

Dogpatch

A good article on Saving the American Taliban: John Walker Lindh

http://www.watchtowernews.org/johnwalker.htm

original at:
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/353/oped/Saving_the_American_Taliban_+.shtml

Randy Watters
Net Soup!
http://www.freeminds.org

26

Greed Blinds JW Elder To Planned Suicide

by MadApostate in

jw
friends

investigation continues into deaths of man, woman found in waco motel.

by paul monies .

tribune-herald staff writer.

Dogpatch

very sad.
Randy

17

How do you explain Christmas to a JW?

by indireneed in

jw
friends

i've come upon a rather perplexing problem .

my wife, who became a jw after we married, recently decided to help me to understand how i am actually worshipping christmas and thus all sorts of terrible false gods.. this caught me so off guard i was unable to mount a good defense.

we just ended up fighting.. her case is the following:.

Dogpatch

Here is one perspective:
http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/holidays.htm

Holidays

Biblical Overview
There are a number of religious groups claiming to be Christian that deny the celebration of holidays to their members, including Christmas, Easter, birthdays, Mother's Day, etc. This is especially the case with Jehovah's Witnesses. While there are some Witnesses who celebrate these holidays secretly for fear of being caught, most take pride in this prohibition. Parents are willing to allow their children to suffer much peer pressure and isolation, and are perfectly willing to isolate themselves from their families during holiday times, even taking the opportunity to go door-to-door during these seasons of celebration. What are the reasons given for this stand against holidays? Is it wrong to celebrate holidays?

Let's consider the reasons given by the Watchtower for their stand. They give three basic reasons:

1. Holidays usually have a pagan, non-Christian origin and are often accompanied by licentious practices, such as drunkenness, fornication, etc. (Make Sure of All Things, p. 241)

2. Holidays are not mentioned in the Bible except under negative circumstances, such as birthday parties where someone was killed. Also, we are not commanded to celebrate anything but the Lord's Evening Meal (Lord's Supper). (ibid., p. 235, 236)

3. Holidays idolize something or someone other than God, and the Bible says to "Flee from idolatry" and "We are no part of the world." (ibid., p. 241, 242)

Additionally, as in the case of Christmas, a further argument is set forth, that Christ was not born on Dec. 25, so why celebrate it on a date that coincides with the winter solstice, which was celebrated in the past by sun worshipers? (ibid., p. 237)

Before considering these objections, let's review some principles first that both JWs and Christians agree upon as basic and not open to argumentation. Then we will examine the INTERPRETATION of these principles with a view to revealing the inconsistency of the WT and their failure to understand Christianity.

The Bible is plain in saying that:

* We are to be "no part of the world" (John 17:16).

* We should "abstain from the appearance of evil" (1 Thes. 5:22).

* We should "quit sharing in the unfruitful deeds of the darkness" (Eph. 5:11; Rom. 13:12).

* There is "no fellowship between light and darkness" (2 Cor. 6:14).

* We should separate ourselves from idolatry (2 Cor. 6:17).

All who claim to be Christian should indeed believe and live by the above. The controversies begin when these principles are interpreted into everyday life. Furthermore, the whole approach of making rules in this regard must be questioned. Since a consideration of the above passages would require a book in itself, the discussion will be limited to the three main WT objections.

Refuting Jehovah's Witnesses
OBJECTION #1: Holidays usually have a pagan, non-Christian origin and are often accompanied by licentious practices, such as drunkenness, fornication, etc.

It is true that many holidays have their origins in idolatry or pagan practices. It is also true that other things we utilize have their origin in paganism, such as our calendar (days of the week and months are named after pagan gods). The celebration of wedding anniversaries and the giving of rings in marriage also has pagan roots. Symbols used in the modern business world, and artwork on stationary, wallpaper, etc. are often borrowed from pagan sources. Are we to separate ourselves into some kind of monastery or private community where all vestiges of paganism have been carefully screened from our presence?

Such an attitude calls to mind the Pharisees, who spent long hours discussing what was "clean" and "unclean," and making rules for the people to follow, as if such rules would make them clean. Anyone who takes the time to examine their traditions (such as later contained in their Talmud) will note how absurd it is to search out every little detail of what is "right" or "wrong." On the other hand, if we really believe that God intended us to scrupulously observe these matters (as if failure to do so would damn us), then like the Pharisees, we should engage in a continual screening of all traces of paganism from our lives. To stop short of eliminating any traces of it would be hypocritical, would it not?

Not so, sayeth the Watchtower. They claim to have a balance in this matter of what is pagan and what isn't. Note these statements from a 1976 Awake! article regarding the use of pagan symbols, such as the heart, the swastika, and the cross:

What should be a Christian's attitude toward shapes and designs that have at some time or place been connected with false religion? . . .

. . . just because idol worshipers at some time or place might use a certain design, that does not automatically mean that true worshipers must always shun it. For instance, figures of palm trees, pomegranates and bulls were incorporated in the design of Jehovah's temple in Jerusalem. The fact that other religions might take these natural things that God created and use them as symbols in idol worship did not make it wrong for true worshipers to use them decoratively. Anyone visiting the temple could tell that God's people were not worshiping these decorations or venerating them as sacred symbols.

So the Christian needs to be primarily concerned about what? Not what a certain symbol or design possibly meant thousands of years ago or how it might be thought of on the other side of the world, but what it means now to most people where he lives.

With so many different designs having been used in false worship, if a person went to the trouble and took the time he might find an undesirable connection with almost every design he sees around him. But why do that? Would it not be needlessly upsetting? And is that the best use of one's time and attention? (Awake!, Dec. 22, 1976, pgs. 12-15)

We concur with them that it certainly is a waste of time looking for pagan connections in every object. Note similar statements in the WT of May 15, 1972 (p. 295):

Whether an object is an idol or not primarily depends on how it is viewed. . . . the fact that various creatures, plants and heavenly bodies - all parts of God's creative works have been and still are being given veneration would not in itself make them unacceptable for decorative or ornamental purposes. Many things that were at one time worshiped by the ancients have lost their idolatrous significance and are generally regarded as being merely ornamental.

The Watchtower is emphasizing that (1) Designs or symbols in themselves are not necessarily wrong to use, even if once used by pagans in false worship. (2) It is a waste of time and needlessly upsetting to concern ourselves with what an object may have meant in times past, or even elsewhere on the earth in our day.

The inconsistency of the WT now becomes manifest, for most all the holidays celebrated in the Western world have lost their original pagan significance. Take Christmas for example. Long before the time of Christ pagans worshiped the sun on December 25, the time of the winter solstice (where the sun is farthest from the earth). As with all pagan holidays, it was a time for generosity and licentiousness. When the Catholic Church instituted the celebration of the birth of Christ as December 25 around the year 336 A.D., it was to replace the Sol Invictus festival introduced by the emperor Aurelian in the 3rd century. It was considered the victory of Christianity over paganism. The later canonizing of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) and the giving of gifts was tied in with church history.

According to the Watchtower's reasoning, the question we should ask is: Does Christmas mean to us what it did to the pagans? Do people in our part of the world still worship the sun on December 25? The answer is NO. Though it is a time of year that is abused and exploited by many, that cannot be used as a case against the Christian concept of Christmas. Though the WT complaint that Christ was not born on December 25 is true, a celebration need not take place on the actual day of its memorial. Most of us get holidays off from work on different days than the historical date, and we don't consider such a practice wrong!

Easter has a more church-related history. Originally, the early church celebrated the modern equivalent of Easter (the resurrection of Christ) on every Sunday, in expectation of the return of the Lord. Later, in linking the Passion and the Resurrection story, this memorial was scheduled on Passover, the Jewish feast celebrating the Exodus from Egypt. The date for the celebration was finally set by the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. as the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the spring equinox. As early as the eighth century the name "Easter" was transferred by the Anglo-Saxons to the Christian festival. The name itself was borrowed from a celebration to Astarte, goddess of fertility. Also borrowed from the celebration to Astarte was the use of rabbits and eggs, common symbols of fertility in the pagan culture. (For more information on Christmas and Easter, see Encyclopedia Britannica (1982 Ed.), Vol. 4, page 501.)

While the trappings of both church history and the pagan holiday are still with us, their significance has changed. As with the original observance of the resurrection, today we do not connect rabbits and eggs with fertility rites, and neither do most people consider Easter as a time for greater licentiousness. Even the television programs during this time are geared to obviously Christian themes.

Other holidays can be examined individually to ascertain what is the modern significance of their meaning in the Western World.

OBJECTION #2: Holidays are not mentioned in the Bible, except in perhaps a negative sense. Also, we are not commanded to celebrate anything but the Lord's Evening Meal.

Though the WT only admits to two birthdays being mentioned in the Bible, there are actually three that were celebrated. There was the birthday of Pharaoh (Gen. 40:20), Herod (Matt. 14:6), and also the birth of Christ, celebrated by the angels in song and much glory:

And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord". . . . And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace among men with whom he is pleased." (Luke 2:10,11,13,14)

It was convenient to the WT to leave this very positive and important birthday out of their consideration, for it destroys their point in saying that all birthdays in the Bible were negative.

The WT also claims that since the Bible does not tell us to celebrate certain holidays, we should not have anything to do with them. This is a wrong assumption from at least two standpoints. First of all, Jesus nor the apostles mention modern holidays as we know them, for they simply did not exist then. All the Jewish holidays were national religious holidays, which they were allowed to observe EVEN AFTER THE COMING OF CHRIST AND THE ABOLITION OF THE LAW! (Col. 2:16,17) The WT should consider Paul an apostate, for he said that observing or not observing special days was up to the individual (Rom. 14:5,6), and even CONTINUED in certain practices of the Law though it had passed away! (Acts 13:14,15; 21:20-26)

Jehovah's Witnesses practice many things that the Bible does not tell them to do, such as counting time spent in their magazine and book work and book studies, setting aside certain days on the calendar to go spreading WT doctrine, singing Kingdom songs, having District and Circuit Assemblies, answering specified questions for baptism, etc. None of these do they consider wrong, yet such practices have become traditional for them.

OBJECTION #3: Holidays idolize something or someone other than God, and the Bible says to "Flee from idolatry" and "We are no part of the world."

Worshiping Christ is proper according to the NT. Not only did the angels worship him (Heb. 1:6), but so are all creatures to worship him both in heaven and earth (Rev. 5:13,14). Furthermore, we are to give him equal honor with the Father (John 5:23). To worship Christ on any day is proper, including December 25 and Easter.

As far as birthdays are concerned, people do not generally worship their friends or children on their birthdays. What is wrong with doing something special for somebody on a certain day, or even in considering someone as special for a day? There is quite a difference between considering someone special and worshiping or idolizing them. Witnesses usually celebrate their wedding anniversaries, which is a celebration of the birth of their marriage. Perhaps they should not consider each other special at all, whether on their anniversary or on any day. Perhaps marriage is unwise for them by the same reasoning, as a mate could risk being considered "special"!

Few people in modern society are "stumbled" by celebrating the birth of Christ, except for JWs and some others that are legalistic by their very nature. The apostle Paul did not apply his own counsel regarding the stumbling of others (Rom. 14:21) to legalistic sects of Christianity, for their legalism invoked God's wrath (Gal. 5:14).

THE REAL ISSUE REGARDING IDOLATRY

The Law of Moses was a stepping stone to greater understanding of God's nature and how he relates to man in his fallen condition (Gal. 3:24). This same principle must also be understood in the area of idolatry and regarding objects used in false worship. Idolatry is a heart problem - there is nothing inherently evil in an object, such as rosary beads, pentagrams, pictures of Mary, etc. It is what humans DO with such objects and how they VIEW such objects that makes them idolatrous (Deut. 11:16; Job 31:26-28). In the OT, the Israelites were generally too dull of heart to understand this truth. They were forbidden to make images of anything in heaven or earth, to have social intercourse with the pagans around them, to cut their side locks, to eat with Gentiles, etc.

Why, then, are Christians liberated from such laws? Simply because they have the laws of God (actually, the root principles of the Law) inscribed in their hearts (Jer. 31:33; 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb.10:16). They recognize what true idolatry is, a problem with the heart. As such, abstaining from contact with physical objects really doesn't solve the problem. Rather, Christ must go to work to renew their heart internally, so that all forms of idolatry (including love for status, wealth, power, popularity, etc.) will be overcome, even what is not mentioned in the Law of Moses.

If Christians approach idolatry from a different angle, objects or symbols in themselves will have no power over us. We are not to fear any object, or even the devil himself, as if he had power over us. We are to fear God alone (2 Kings 17:35-41).

The apostle Paul makes it very clear that an idol is nothing (1 Cor. 8:4). It has no power except what you grant it from your own fears and superstitions. If you fear an object, then it has power over you, and the devil will use it, you can be sure (Deut. 7:16). The Bible says that through fear of death, man has been subject to slavery all his life. But now that Christ has died for us, he rendered the devil and his objects of fear powerless to Christians (Heb. 2:14,15).

This really delivers the death blow to the WT. Rather than seeing Christ as gaining a victory over fear and death, they are actually afraid of crosses, Ouija boards, spiritists, doctors, ex-JWs, and anything that might remind them of the devil. Rather than viewing such as mere physical objects or the individuals as "misled" people, they will go out of their way to avoid any contact with them. This reminds us of certain religious leaders who feared contamination from supposedly "evil" or idolatrous things (Mark 7:1-23).

Similarly, Jesus said that what you eat will not affect your spirituality. Paul went so far as to say that he could go into the temple of an idol and eat the meat offered to the idol, and it would not affect his health or his spirituality one bit. But he mentions some, because of being weak in faith, would eat such meat and view it as if there really was a god that it was offered to, and their consciences would be defiled (1 Cor. 8:7). If Paul would have viewed objects and idolatrous rituals as the Pharisees did and as the JWs do now, he would never have come near an idol temple, let alone eat the actual meat that was offered up on its altar. This was more serious than going "trick-or-treat" on Halloween! It would be like going to a banquet of Satan worshipers and having a bite to eat before you give a witness! For Paul, it was simply nothing to fear or be concerned over, unless it stumbled the weaker ones in the church (1 Cor. 8:9-13). If the whole church was strong in their faith, they could have gone out to the local idol temple restaurant and had a feast together! This illustrates the supreme victory of Christianity over the devil and his world (Luke 10:18-20; Acts 26:18).

It is unfortunate that JWs are blind to our freedom in Christ. Like the Pharisees, they are bound up in rules and fears regarding holidays, objects and certain people. Would that they understand the root principles in Paul's letter to the Colossians, where he says:

Since you died, as it were, with Christ and this has set you free from following the world's ideas of how to be saved by doing good and obeying various rules why do you keep right on following them anyway, still bound by such rules as not eating, tasting, or even touching certain foods? Such rules are mere human teachings, for food was made to be eaten and used up. These rules may seem good, for rules of this kind require strong devotion and are humiliating and hard on the body, but they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires. They only make him proud. (Col. 2:20-23; [LB])

Whether you choose to celebrate traditional holidays or not, do not feel that it matters to God one way or the other. What matters to him is whether you love him with all your heart, and love your fellow man as yourself. To fall into religious bondage over these issues will result in spiritual regression and pride, as Paul said above. To grow up into Christ means a freedom to live in this sinful world, and yet not be affected by its idolatry.

8

Maturity, Cults, and JWs

by Amazing in

jw
friends

how cults trap us: the criteria to define cults is fairly well established.

i think "lifton" did the best job.

however, there is one feature that none of the cult expose' literature seems to deal with - maturity.

Dogpatch

For me I wanted to be someone else, to be more secure about life and the future, and to help others have the same. I was raised in a good family and had no need for another family, however, and it took a while to realize that this new family had some serious "child rearing" problems. They fit the model of an abusive, co-dependent parent-child relationship that is all too common in our world, and I think that is why so many are comfortable with it. It is all about manipulation and lack of trust, "You can't trust the brothers," Give them an inch and they'll take a mile." This was not expressed by all the elders, but it sure was among the higher-ups at Bethel, especially department heads. They mirrored the "successful" methods of their own mentors, like Knorr and Rutherford and others. The problem is, no one ever really comes to maturity in such an environment, since they do not even trust themselves. That is evident when the possibility of leaving the organization comes up, and they freak because they are convinced they will commit every sin in the book. If they do, it is because they were still convinced that the WT's parental authority was valid, and that they will go off the deep end without it.

If this is your problem, I would suggest a new read of the New Testament, especially Romans and Galatians, in order to understand the relationship between the believer and his God. This was the single most important thing that set me free, and that while I was still at Bethel, reading the Living Bible! The same was true for many others. An article from:
http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/rules.htm

"Rules" for Christian Living
by Randall Watters

Commenting on the intrigue of human relationships and the trials men place on one another, Watchtower Circuit Overseer Floyd Kite once jokingly told me that "half of us are here to test the other half." As a devout Jehovah's Witness and an organization man, I was determined to be the "half" that tested the others. I kept close watch on other's conduct, as a Bethel elder and overseer.

Actually, the world is full of "spiritual" policemen, but the efforts put forth by such ones to control the lives of others is often less than welcome. Yet some will say, "Doesn't the Bible have certain things to say about our conduct and our outward appearance?" Yes! Are these to be considered as laws, or just helpful suggestions? How far is a Christian to go in counseling others? How do we view Christians who go to war, or who vote or hold public office? Let a former "policeman" give you some ideas.

The concept of living under Law is not bad in itself. Yahweh established a perfect Law with Moses and the nation of Israel. Jesus later came, not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17). That meant that the laws contained therein were not wrong, outdated or prudish. Jesus came, not to say that the Law was too hard to keep, but to establish an even more exacting standard. This he did when he summed up the Law in two commands: "You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, mind, and soul, and you must love your neighbor as yourself." He says, "On these two commandments depend the whole Law...." (Matt. 5:20; 22:39,40)

Jesus' death on the cross released us from a yoke of servitude to a written law (Col. 2:13-15). Yet, ironically, he promoted more absolute standards. He went a step further and clarified how one could fall short of God's standards by what is in one's heart, even if outwardly obeying the Law. In other words, Jesus revealed the principles undergirding the Law as being the standards to strive for. By teaching such a perfect standard of conduct, Jesus advocated a quality of faith and commitment that is actually unattainable for fallen humans, were it not for divine grace.

For instance: According to Jesus, not only is the ACT of adultery a sin, but the very passion of lust is a sin! (Matt. 5:27,28) Not only is stealing a sin, but coveting your neighbor's belongings or his wife in your heart is sin. Not only is marriage sacred, but getting a divorce can make one an adulterer in God's eyes! (Matt. 5:31,32) Not only is bringing harm to your brother a sin, but calling him a fool will make you liable to Gehenna! (Matt. 5:21,22) Additionally, if you are insulted, you should turn the other cheek. If a soldier asks you to walk a mile, walk two with him. If another asks for your overcoat, give it to them! You are to pray for your enemies and do good for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:38-40, 43-46). Who can then say that the Christian has it easier than the Old Testament Jew?

The difference is, God has given us the new birth and a new nature (1 Peter 1:23). A "seed" of righteousness is planted in us when we are born from above. God comes to live IN us (through the Holy Spirit), enabling us to partake of his holiness (Romans 8:9-11). Jesus made this possible through his death and resurrection (Heb. 9:11-15). We are redeemed and declared righteous. Jesus then takes that "seed" in us and forms it into a mature Christian, thereby sanctifying us. He trusts us to walk in that new nature that we now possess. We die to the old, corrupted nature of the fallen flesh (2 Peter 1:3,4). Were it not for this new birth and its accompanying grace, our condemnation would be greater than under the Law of Moses, for Jesus' standards are more exacting and comprehensive than the Mosaic Law. Jesus said we are to be perfect (Matt. 5:48).

We can only hope to be "perfect" if we walk in the new nature (Gal. 5:16,17). We must be born again (John 3:3,5,7). How common is it to see the old nature of religious men and women trying to reach some artificial standard of conduct laid out for them by a religion or church, thinking that by doing so, they are somehow holy. Yet, the apostle Paul makes it plain that if we seek to justify ourselves by following laws or rules, we are still under condemnation, and Christ is useless to us (Gal. 2:15-21). All of the holy acts of all religious men are as filthy rags to God, unless they are performed by those whom he has regenerated by the Spirit (Isa. 64:6). It is the Spirit in us enabling us to do true works of righteousness, not our old nature.

Now the stage is set for comprehending the difficult sayings of Jesus, especially in his Sermon on the Mount.

Christ does not make concessions for our weakness by lowering his standards. He expects us to allow the indwelling Spirit to dominate our lives. To the extent this happens, we are able to follow his perfect standards.

While Jesus makes no concessions to his standards, he is rich in mercy and forgiveness when we fall short of them. He knows we will sin many times along the way (Heb. 4:15,16). He points us towards perfection. We are to keep our eyes on what he wants us to be at all times; not on some lesser, more attainable goal. Yet, he knows that we will grow old and die without attaining perfection (Phil. 3:12-14).

This can be most frustrating at times! It means that we will never reach a plateau in our Christianity. The "mountain" is higher than we can climb, and God has not set up "camps" on the slopes for us to live in; yet he allows us to make wayside rest stops to refresh ourselves and then continue on. Then, upon Christ's return, his work in us is completed as we are transformed into perfection as in the twinkling of an eye (1 Thes. 4:16,17; 1 Cor. 15:51-53).

So, just what part does the church play in making rules for Christians?

God's Work, Not Ours
In the realm of Christian religions, there are 3 approaches used in advocating standards of conduct:

(1) The strict approach - a code of conduct is laid out as "necessary," and it is strict enough that only a few Christians will follow it, producing an appearance of righteousness.

(2) The merciful approach - a middle-of-the-road code of conduct is promoted that is workable (attainable) for most or all believers.

(3) The perfection approach - Jesus' perfect standards are advocated, which are really principles to be followed from the heart rather than laws.

Some churches, and all of the cults, choose method #1; many churches choose #2.

However, not only do the first two approaches fall short of Jesus' moral precepts, but the system designed for the few (#1) condemns the many and exalts the few; whereas in actuality, if RULES are to be followed, ALL are actually condemned because ALL will fall short of perfect obedience to those rules! System #1, therefore, provides a false sense of security. It is also substandard to the third approach.

System #2 is unbiblical as well. To water down the principles Christ gave and to replace them with a substandard law code is not acceptable to God. He will not tolerate sin, nor lesser standards; that is why Jesus had to die for our sins. He will only work within the perfect approach.

As Christians, we expect God to mold us and to perfect our conduct and our character. We cannot by ourselves mute the power of sin within us (nor can others do it for us!). The typical "religious" way of coping with our flesh can be likened to monitoring our outward conduct so as to look holy. This was the game of the Pharisees, yet inside they were rotten to the core (Matt. 23:27). Though it may seem a noble cause to try and alter our own heart's desires, it cannot be done through living by a law code, whether it be strict or lenient.

So we drop the law code idea. We see Jesus' lofty standards for what they are and we realize that we will never obey them perfectly, at least in this life. That's why we are saved by grace! So we quit following rules and allow the grace of the Holy Spirit to do his work in us. We learn to become more like children as regards humility and simplicity (Matt. 18:3). We accept our inability to sanctify ourselves. Prayers are offered for the Holy Spirit to work changes within us, giving us a new heart; a pure heart. We are praying for a miracle; something that cannot be accomplished through obedience to laws and rules. God softens and shapes our hearts to the extent that we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us.

The Symptom Warriors
Chances are that you will come to understand these principles of grace versus law before some of your policemen - type friends do. Most of the time these "symptom warriors" mean well. They believe they can legislate spiritual growth. (Certainly life would be boring without someone to tell you how to dress and what movies to go see, what music to listen to, etc.)

The desire of the symptom warrior is to change your conduct so as to be more acceptable to God. Sort of like the Watchtower approach, right? Most of us have played this game at one time or another.

However, since we cannot really see the hearts of others or accurately perceive where they are in their relationship with the Lord, we often observe and react to outward symptoms. We are ever ready to point out symptoms to our brother that indicate his walk with the Lord is "not what it should be." Because we lack the faith that God controls this process of perfecting his saints, we suggest to our brother that if he would only correct the symptom, his heart will change for the better. We believe that if "Mark would only stop smoking, he would not feel so guilty and could approach the Lord easier." "If Joan would quit watching soap operas, she would love the Lord more and her marriage would improve." "If Johnny would quit watching Music Television (MTV), he could read the Bible more." Seldom do we stop and think that we are approaching the whole thing backwards. Why not get them interested in the things of God, and let God do the work? If you can't get them interested in spiritual things, stripping them of their fun certainly won't work! Besides, we may be reading the symptoms wrong in the first place.

But wasn't Jesus very strict as to what we can and can't do? Didn't he make many statements regarding the living of a sanctified lifestyle?

Misunderstanding Jesus' Words
When we consider the "difficult sayings" of Jesus regarding moral issues and our conduct towards others, we need to take several things into account. The setting, context, and intent of his words are vital. Yet we must not explain away the obvious moral messages there, reducing their impact by our misinterpretation of the passage. When Jesus says to love our enemies and to pray for those persecuting us, it is obvious that we are to be free of hatred towards persecutors of the faith, even though that may seem difficult or seemingly impossible to us under certain circumstances (Matt. 5:44-48). And, just because we can't quite live it perfectly, we should not change the meaning of Jesus' words, but allow his grace to cover us. This is the whole point - there are many areas of life in which we will find we cannot live up to Jesus' standards. Rather than changing the standards, though, we learn to live a life of falling short while the sacrifice of our Lord frees us from condemnation and guilt (Rom. 8:1). He works in our lives with a view to perfection (1 John 1:8-10; James 3:2).

Hard Decisions
While Jesus speaks out against lying, fraud, thievery, fornication, etc., there are some areas of conduct and responsibility in which he is silent. This is true with issues such as self-defense, going to war, involvement in community affairs, etc. Jesus does not tell us whether or not we should consider going to war as a part of our obligation to defend our brothers or our nation, nor does he tell us to stay away from governmental affairs or political office (though he does tell us not to put our trust in such things). He does not speak out against self-defense (though he does speak about our reaction to threats of aggression or challenge--Matt. 5:39. For a more complete discussion of the issue of self-defense, politics and war, see war - the chapter on "War, Evil and Self-Defense"

Though the Bible says we are transferred into the kingdom of God even now (Col. 1:13), we must also function in this fallen world, the kingdom of Satan (Eph. 6:12). The two kingdoms are at odds with each other, yet we must function in both. On issues related to secular obligations and supporting the government, Paul's words in Romans chapter 13 can help us:

Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (Romans 13:1)

While God has established the secular authorities so that there is a measure of order and justice in this fallen world, they are not a part of his perfect kingdom. At times, they are directly opposed to the interests of his kingdom, and we must obey God as ruler rather than men when our loyalties divide us (Acts 5:29). While this is sometimes a black and white issue, such as when a government requires us to bow down to its leaders or to stop reading the Bible, etc., it more often lies in the gray areas. Such decisions should be very carefully weighed.

We may say, "What would Jesus have done?" Well, Jesus advocated his own lifestyle. It is interesting to note that he made no concessions for other lifestyles. Because of his higher calling, it was not proper for him to concern himself with the affairs of government or secular obligations. But note that the reason is the higher calling; NOT that such concerns are wrong! He also did not concern himself with having a place to sleep or what to eat tomorrow! The lifestyle he advocates is not lived by many persons, to be sure. Yet there are many brothers in Christ who advocate that we follow PART of Jesus' lifestyle, yet are silent as to living the rest of it! Isn't that rather inconsistent? What it boils down to is this - Jesus standards are absolute; if you are reaching out for his lifestyle, then do not teach the need to embrace part of it and reject the rest, or you, too, will be a hypocrite. At the same time, love your brother who is aspiring towards a life like Christ's, and do not judge him. If he advocates going to war and you strongly disagree because Jesus would not have done this, ask yourself if you are living the rest of Jesus' lifestyle yet. Are you continually preaching the Word, allowing yourself little rest, and staying up till the dawn in prayer at times? Have you foregone marriage for a higher calling? Do you have no place to lay your head, and no steady income? Yet to use the argument, "Do what Jesus would have done" suggests that we should apply this across the board.

We do seek to do what Jesus would have done, of course; but a lifestyle is something you grow into, and help from above is necessary along the way. To tell a person just to "do what Jesus would have done" may be the right answer, but you had better be ready to help that person understand why Jesus would have done certain things, and that they can only be done through the help of the Holy Spirit. The individual needs to know that we cannot change our pattern of life all in one day, either; God is willing to patiently work with us.

On Giving Advice
Giving advice to a Christian friend is not something to take lightly! It is better to point to what Jesus said or did that bears on a subject, rather than telling them what to do in a given situation. Let them make their decision according to their faith and commitment. To insist that others follow certain standards of conduct such as dress codes, movie or music preferences, types of recreation, business decisions, etc. means that we are making our own standards for another to follow, rather than allowing them to make a personal moral decision based upon their understanding of God's perfect standards. God is the only one qualified to give us laws to follow, which he did in the case of the Ten Commandments. Yet, no one could keep them! Therefore, God did away with law, and established a better arrangement. Do we have the right to introduce laws when God has done away with law? (Gal. 2:16-21) To do so puts us under a curse (Gal. 3:10)!

Following rules for Christian living is of the flesh; letting the indwelling Spirit live through you is true Christianity. Paul says,

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:15,9)

We need to have the faith that if our brother loves God, he will seek to walk in the Spirit. If he seeks the things of the Spirit, God will perfect his heart. OUR part is to encourage our brother or sister in their walk so that this love for God will be there in the first place. As we encourage and strengthen the faith of our brothers and sisters, they come to love God more, and this seed of love is nurtured by the Holy Spirit.

The DEADLY Sins
We seem to have been taught that some sins are much worse than others. After all, adultery or murder are far more serious than lying or stealing, aren't they?

Not so, according to the Word of God. While more visible sins may have a greater negative effect than others, all sin is deadly, in terms of its effect on our relationship with God. God hates sin, because it separates us from communion with him - that is the bottom line. We were created in his image, and he cannot stomach our self-degradation. It is like seeing part of himself marred and distorted.

If all sin, including the "secret" sins of envy, lust, covetousness and slothfulness are evil, then why do many "symptom warriors" jump on Christians who fall into the more visible sins, but then wink at the secret sins? Usually because in their hearts, these "warriors" have a distorted view of sin. They do not understand that the whole issue is not outward appearances, but maintaining a relationship with God, and God hates secret sins every bit as much as the visible sins. Those who practice sin will not inherit the kingdom of God. Yet, the Christian who falls into sin can continually come before the throne of grace for forgiveness and restoration. Yes, even the "symptom warriors" can be forgiven of their secret sins!

How Rules Affect Your Flesh
From the first year of our life, it is a built-in mechanism of the sin nature that we will rebel. By far the most common word first learned by toddlers is "No!" Why "no" and not "Yes"? Because our flesh is selfish, it wants its way or it will pout, lash out or seek revenge.

Before we learn and really believe that certain practices are morally wrong, we may not suffer a guilty conscience. But once we believe they are wrong, our flesh becomes reactive and through its natural rebelliousness it prompts us to seek the pleasure of sin all the more. Things that we view as sinful (whether or not they really are in God's eyes) will titillate the flesh when we do them, not just because the act may bring pleasure to the body, but because rebellion is a fallen pleasure in itself (Pro. 9:17; Job 31:26-28).

This can be seen in its extreme form in ritual Satanism, where everything holy is blasphemed; pleasure being derived from the very act of blaspheming God. While that may sound revolting, the same sin factor is at work in all of us. It's just that some of us allow it to take us farther along the road to degradation than others.

Though we have died to the old sin nature if we are born again, the flesh can still plague us in the same manner if we fall under law once more. We need to understand the principle of being set free from the endless cycle of sin and guilt, by living in the Spirit:

For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. (Rom. 7:5,6)

If you have a tendency to put rules on other Christians where the Bible does not give rules, you might be surprised to know that doing so is like trying to cure the sick with the AIDS virus! There are far more effective ways of promoting good conduct in others. Study the methods of Jesus in relating to others, and you will have success.