DoubtingThomas: If you see the governing body as your fellow brothers,
then you should also expect them to behave as any other brother in your
congregation.
They don’t admit their
sins/mistakes
Now, the governing
body has admitted that it is not perfect as any other brothers. Would you
accept a brother in your congregation that commits mistakes, says he’s imperfect,
and never admits to any in particular? Since the Governing Body has been around
for the last 50 years, plenty of mistakes must have been made, I mean, we’re
all human right? So, there must also be plenty of examples where your fellow
brothers admitted their mistakes, right? Afterall, isn’t confessing the first
step to forgiveness?
They don’t tolerate
anyone who disagrees with them
Imagine you are in a
meeting where a brother gives a talk. He then says something you don’t agree with.
You don’t recognize this teaching from either the bible or the governing body. So,
after the meeting, you send an email to that brother asking him for clarifications.
Rather than discussing the matter with you, he sends the draft of his talk back
to you and says that you should find what you are looking for in there. If you
don’t, then you must be too proudful to see it. You are shocked by the answer
and try to pursue the conversation with him by sending another polite email. Turns
out that this brother is the owner of a company that employs some of the local
elders. Following Monday, the brother exerts his authority as a boss to get them
to remove your privileges. The elders then contact you and tell you that as you’ve
been causing division in the congregation, you can no longer be a pioneer,
ministerial, etc.
How would you view that
brother? Throughout the process, there has never been any candid and sincere
conversation on the disagreement you had with the brother, even if it was
small, perhaps even insignificant. Would that brother be good? Meek? Spiritual?
Now, why should you treat the governing body (individually or collectively) any
different? If they are your fellow brothers, they should also be subject to the
same Christian values as everyone else in the congregation. Yet, you know full well
that expressing doubts in there teaching results in similar treatment. Sometimes,
even worse! They go tell your family and friends that they should cut all ties
with you as you are an apostate!! And if they don't, THEY will be disfellowshipped! Again, throughout this entire process, it
doesn’t matter what you disagreed on, the point is that you disagreed with
them. Period. If you would not accept it from a brother, why accept it from them?
