Hello Undisfellowshipped,
Thanks for this great post full of important quotes. Very, very useful.
Please allow me to add something, which I do believe is interesting too.
From the WTBS Inc.'s publications:
. 21 Are You Truly Tolerant? ***
HAVE you ever felt incensed because of someone’s improper conduct? Are you quick to act when corrupting influences are making inroads among your close associates?
Prompt and firm action is sometimes required to stop the spread of serious sin. For example, when brazen wrongdoing threatened to defile the Israelites in the 15th century B.C.E., Aaron’s grandson Phinehas took decisive action to clear away what was bad. Jehovah God approved of what he did, saying: “Phinehas . . . has turned back my wrath from upon the sons of Israel by his tolerating no rivalry at all toward me in the midst of them.”—Numbers 25:1-11.
Phinehas took appropriate action to halt the spread of contamination..”
Then, look what kind of real life example the WTBS Inc. highlights :
pp. 21-22 Are You Truly Tolerant? *** Balance Is Needed
Since the Sovereign Lord of the universe displays tolerance in dealing with imperfect humans, should we not do the same? Tolerance has been defined as “the disposition to be patient with the opinions or practices of others.” Do we personally have such a disposition—an inclination to exercise patience and forbearance when others say or do things that are not grossly sinful but perhaps are inappropriate in word or deed?
Of course, we need to avoid being overly tolerant. For instance, terrible damage is done when religious authorities tolerate abusive priests who persistently molest boys and girls.
“Treating the children as occasions of sin,” commented one reporter in Ireland, “the church authorities merely moved on the offending priest [to another location].”
Is just transferring such a man an example of proper tolerance? Hardly! Suppose a medical body allowed an irresponsible surgeon to continue operating, transferring him from one hospital to another, even though he was killing or maiming his patients. A mistaken sense of professional loyalty might produce such “tolerance.” But what about the victims whose lives were lost or adversely affected because of negligent or even criminal practices?
Incredibly , then the WTBS Inc. writes about the Pharisees ,why ??
Let’s read :
*** w01 7/15 p. 22
The first-century Pharisees were another intolerant group. They were constantly condemning others and made no allowance for human imperfection. The proud Pharisees looked down on the common folk, maligning them as “accursed people.” (John 7:49)
For good reason, Jesus denounced such self-righteous men, saying: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness. These things it was binding to do, yet not to disregard the other things.”—Matthew 23:23.
In making this statement, Jesus was not downplaying the importance of keeping the Mosaic Law. He was simply showing that the “weightier,” or more important, aspects of the Law required applying it with reasonableness and mercy. How Jesus and his disciples stood out from the intolerant Pharisees and Zealots !
And look at this part :
*** w01 7/15 p. 23
Unlike Jesus, we lack the ability to read hearts. Hence, we should follow the apostle Peter’s counsel: “Sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) As Jehovah’s servants, we should defend what we believe because it is solidly based on God’s Word. But we need to do this in a way that shows respect for others and for their sincerely held beliefs. Paul wrote: “Let your utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt, so as to know how you ought to give an answer to each one.”—Colossians 4:6.
Surely the WTBS Inc. deliberately ignored statement published in another
« Watchtower « 15 years earlier, which surely allowed no room for tolerance :
*** w86 4/1 pp. 30-31 Questions From Readers ***
· Why have Jehovah’s Witnesses disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for apostasy some who still profess belief in God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ?
Those who voice such an objection point out that many religious organizations claiming to be Christian allow dissident views. Even some clergymen disagree with basic teachings of their church, yet they remain in good standing. In nearly all the denominations of Christendom, there are modernists and fundamentalists who greatly disagree with one another as to the inspiration of the Scriptures.
However, such examples provide no grounds for our doing the same. Why not? Many of such denominations allow widely divergent views among the clergy and the laity because they feel they cannot be certain as to just what is Bible truth. They are like the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day who were unable to speak as persons having authority, which is how Jesus taught. (Matthew 7:29) Moreover, to the extent that religionists believe in interfaith, they are obligated not to take divergent beliefs too seriously.
But taking such a view of matters has no basis in the Scriptures. Jesus did not make common cause with any of the sects of Judaism. Jews of those sects professed to believe in the God of creation and in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly the Law of Moses. Still, Jesus told his disciples to “watch out . . . for the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:11, 12; 23:15) Note also how strongly the apostle Paul stated matters: “Even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed.” Paul then repeated that statement for emphasis.—Galatians 1:8, 9.
Teaching dissident or divergent views is not compatible with true Christianity, as Paul makes clear at 1 Corinthians 1:10: “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (New International Version) At Ephesians 4:3-6 he further stated that Christians should be “earnestly endeavoring to observe the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace. One body there is, and one spirit, even as you were called in the one hope to which you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all persons.”
Was this unity to be achieved and maintained by each one’s independently searching the Scriptures, (…very bad thing)
coming to his own conclusions, and then teaching these? Not at all! Through Jesus Christ, Jehovah God provided for this purpose “some as apostles, . . . some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers . . . until we all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man.” Yes, with the help of such ministers, congregational unity—oneness in teaching and activity—could be and would be possible.—Ephesians 4:11-13.
Obviously, a basis for approved fellowship with Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot rest merely on a belief in God, in the Bible, in Jesus Christ, and so forth. (why not???)
The Roman Catholic pope, as well as the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, professes such beliefs, yet their church memberships are exclusive of each other. Likewise, simply professing to have such beliefs would not authorize one to be known as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible,
(..up to here…no problem for millions..)
including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses .
(…here we have a huge problem, with “ those Scriptural
that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses and that …can be
modified/changed/added /modified/changed every 2,5,10,25,
30, 40 years and so on without any limit…!)
What do such beliefs include?
That the great issue before humankind is the rightfulness of Jehovah’s sovereignty, which is why he has allowed wickedness so long. (Ezekiel 25:17)
That Jesus Christ had a prehuman existence and is subordinate to his heavenly Father. (John 14:28)
That there is a “faithful and discreet slave” upon earth today ‘entrusted with all of Jesus’ earthly interests,’ which slave is associated with the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Matthew 24:45-47)
(…one of the greatest WTBS Inc.’s teaching…deprived of
Scriptural support, which changed few times in over a century)
That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence. (Luke 21:7-24; Revelation 11:15–12:10)
(“Christ’s foretold presence in 1914 “ ??? Oh , why then did the
WTBS Inc. publicly preached and taught from 1877 until 1943
that Christ’s presence …began in 1874???
That only 144,000 Christians will receive the heavenly reward. (Revelation 14:1, 3)
That Armageddon, referring to the battle of the great day of God the Almighty, is near. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-21)
That it will be followed by Christ’s Millennial Reign, which will restore an earth-wide paradise.
That the first to enjoy it will be the present “great crowd” of Jesus’ “other sheep.”—John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3, 4.
Do we have Scriptural precedent for taking such a strict position? Indeed we do! Paul wrote about some in his day: “Their word will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of that number. These very men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred; and they are subverting the faith of some.” (2 Timothy 2:17, 18; see also Matthew 18:6.) There is nothing to indicate that these men did not believe in God, in the Bible, in Jesus’ sacrifice. Yet, on this one basic point, what they were teaching as to the time of the resurrection, Paul rightly branded them as apostates, with whom faithful Christians would not fellowship.
(What about all those…thousands Christians who taught publicly about “the saints resurrection in 1888…then in 1918 etC etc. Could they, according to the apostle Paul be branded as apostates???)
Similarly, the apostle John termed as antichrists those who did not believe that Jesus had come in the flesh. They may well have believed in God, in the Hebrew Scriptures, in Jesus as God’s Son, and so on. But on this point, that Jesus had actually come in the flesh, they disagreed and thus were termed “antichrist.” John goes on to say regarding those holding such variant views: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. For he that says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.”—2 John 7, 10, 11.
(Excellent point: variant views from Jesus ‘ teaching and the
apostles’ teaching…but not the teaching, viewpoint, opinion, the
undertanding, up-date understanding , clarification etc. etc. of the
WTBS Inc.!!)
Following such Scriptural patterns, if a Christian (who claims belief in God, the Bible, and Jesus) unrepentantly promotes false teachings, it may be necessary for him to be expelled from the congregation. (See Titus 3:10, 11.)
( Following such Scriptural patterns…thousands and thousands of
‘early Bible Students’, including C.T. Russell, then J.Rutherford etc.
etc. should have been expelled from the congregation
because they were, “ promoting false teachings” subverting
the mind and the heart of …thousands,…actually millions!!!)
Of course, if a person just has doubts or is uninformed on a point, qualified ministers will lovingly assist him. This accords with the counsel: “Continue showing mercy to some that have doubts; save them by snatching them out of the fire.” (Jude 22, 23) Hence, the true Christian congregation cannot rightly be accused of being harshly dogmatic, but it does highly value and work toward the unity encouraged in God’s Word.”
(How can the WTBS Inc escape from the accusation of beingharsh and dogmatic!!!)
In this issue the most important question is:
"...what about the victims whose lives were lost or adversely affected because of negligent or even criminal practices?"
I'm sure that our thoughts are with them.
Greetings, James Charles MacHislopp
