The November 2016 Watchtower is now available and it has more new light but I can't quite figure out what they are saying. It relates to when the JWs were released from the captivity of Babylon the Great (false religion). I am not attempting to discuss that in this post. Rather, it also provides information on suggestions regarding getting out of the JW religion, since it is also a false religion.
The first article is titled "Released from Darkness" and the second is "They broke free from false religion". It's the second article that has some good information. You've really got to wonder whether some of these writers are awake and providing help to apostates.
3 God-fearing men and women knew
what they must do. They could not expect
to receive God’s blessing if they
continued to support false religious organizations.
Consequently, many Bible
Students prepared letters of withdrawal
from their churches. In some cases, they
read the letters publicly at church meetings.
Where a public reading was forbidden,
some sent copies to every member
of the church. They wanted no further
dealings with false religion! In another
era, such a bold move would have cost
them dearly. But in many countries in
the late 1800’s,the church was beginning
to lose the backing ofthe State. Without
fear of reprisals in such countries, citizens
were free to discuss religious matters
and to disagree openly with the established
churches.
This paragraph encourages apostates to be bold because, after all, there is no law on speaking out boldly. One suggestion is to read out a disassociation letter in front of the whole congregation. No doubt, in reality, it wouldn't be long before you were stopped and escorted out, but it demonstrates a real conviction to get out of false religion, just like the early Russelites (and many other individuals who were freeing themselves from false religion).
Another suggestion is to send copies of a DA letter to every member in the congregation.
I love the last sentence that makes it clear that we are free to openly discuss religious matters and disagree with established religions.
Unfortunately, unlike those early Russellites , although they did not have any reprisals from various Governments around the world, those that disassociate today can find themselves with harsh repercussions by the loss of family and friends. It is not so easy but we are not being jailed or killed for our convictions as many faced in centuries gone by.
It is interesting to consider this separation of state and religion began probably around the 18th or 19th Century. It is a very significant event as it gives us the religious freedom that we have today. I wonder why the JWs have not assigned a bible prophecy to that event?
The Bible Students understood that
it was not enough for them to inform relatives,
close friends, and church members of their stand on false religion.
The whole world needed to see Babylon
the Great for what it is—a religious
prostitute! Accordingly, between
December 1917 and early 1918, the
few thousand Bible Students zealously
distributed 10,000,000 copies of a
tract featuring the subject “The Fall of
Babylon”—a hard-hitting indictment of
Christendom. As you can imagine, the
clergy were furious; but undeterred, the
Bible Students kept right on with this important
work. They were determined to
obey “God as ruler rather than men.”
(Acts 5:29) What can we conclude? That
far from becoming enslaved to Babylon
the Great during the war,these Christian
men and women were breaking free from
its influence and were helping others to
do so.
Informing every JW we know is not enough, we could do more. Distributing thousands of tracts these days is not realistic, efficient or economical, fortunately we have other means of spreading the message. We do this via the internet and word of mouth as well as other means. We can be thankful that it is within most of our means that we are able to spread the word. No doubt, the organization would say it was Satan who was providing this effective method for us today, yet they could hardly do so when the utilize the same method more and more.
What have we found? Just as the Russelites experienced, the religious leaders are furious. The JW religion wish to shut us down, they tighten the hold on their fold and they call us all kinds of despicable names, they'll even call the higher authorities to act against us if they can get away with it. We are encouraged to remain undeterred, not letting their sly remarks of telling us to 'move on' and to leave peacefully.
The encouragement here is that we can break free from it's influence and even help others to do so. Continue that fine fight.
