Feeling pressure to attend the Memorial?
As a former
elder I write this response to hopefully help those genuinely feeling “guilt”
before their God. If you are a Jehovah’s Witness or an “ex-JW” (for example,
disfellowshipped or lapsed), then I hope that this will be of help to you.
Please read on, as I quote from Watchtower’s
own literature:
Watchtower 1993 February 1st,
page 31
Those
who are of Jesus’ “other sheep” class, with the hope of everlasting life on
a paradise earth, are not under command
to partake of the bread and the wine. (John 10:16) It is important to
attend the annual celebration, but they do not partake of the emblems. So if one of them is sick or is traveling
and thus not with any congregation that evening, he or she could privately read
over appropriate scriptures (including the account of Jesus’ instituting
the celebration) and pray for Jehovah’s blessing on the event worldwide. But in
this case there is no need for any
additional arrangement for a meeting or a special Biblical discussion a month
later. (w93 2/1 31)
Please think
of what that Watchtower article is
saying: If you still believe Watchtower’s
doctrine, and you would normally not partake if you attended the public Memorial,
then that article is stating that you do not
need to make any special arrangements if you are (1) sick, (2) travelling, or
(3) “not with any congregation that evening”. According to Watchtower’s own doctrinal teaching, you
have not committed a sin. Please also notice that they recommend “privately” reading the scriptures. If
you still identify yourself as a Christian, then would not your Heavenly Father
value your sincere reverence for Christ’s sacrifice as He listens to your private prayer and notes your private reading and mediation upon His
Word? [pause for thought here before continuing…]
Watchtower 2010 March 15th,
page 27, paragraph 16
Paul also helps us to understand that
those with an earthly hope do not partake of the Memorial emblems. He said to
anointed Christians: “For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you
keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Cor. 11:26)
When does the Lord ‘arrive’? When he comes to take the last of his anointed
bride class to their heavenly home. (John 14:2, 3) Clearly, the annual observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal is not to continue endlessly. “The
remaining ones” of the woman’s seed yet on earth will continue to partake of
this meal until all of them have received their heavenly reward. (w10 3/15 27
par. 16)
Why is that
article helpful? According to Watchtower’s
own doctrinal teaching, their public Memorial is “not to continue” after
all the anointed are raptured to heaven. So, after that event you won’t be able
to attend the public Memorial – because Jehovah’s Witnesses will have ceased that annual ceremony! Will you, however, with a sincere desire to
show your appreciation of Christ’s sacrifice, still privately read God’s Words and perhaps engage in prayerful
mediation? Then why feel any twinge of conscience for doing that privately now, instead of going to a public event?
Finally, please
meditate upon God’s words of comfort to Elijah at 1 Kings 19:18
. . .And I still have left 7,000
in Israel, all whose knees have not bent down to Baʹal . . .
Why may
those words be relevant? At that time Jezebel and Ahab had created a hostile
environment for any who sincerely loved God in their hearts; 450 prophets of
Baal with 400 prophets of the sacred pole, a temple to Baal, true prophets
killed and the last remaining 100 forced to hiding in caves. This lasted for 2
decades! Interestingly, Josephus reports that Jezebel’s father was a priest of Astarte
(Insight on the Scriptures 1, page
59). At the time of the Passover, for
some 2 decades, the woman in control of Israel would have ensured that Easter
(or Astarte) was celebrated
throughout the land instead. Although the Bible makes no specific comment,
do you think that it was possible to celebrate the Passover by joining up with “God’s
organization” of that era? Or, would you
– Elijah and the other 7000 - have privately
meditated on the meaning of the Passover and privately celebrated it? [pause for thought here before continuing…]
I hope that
no one feels obligated to attend a
public event when “your Father who looks on in secret” (Matthew 6:6) has not
asked you to attend. You have at least 3 reasons, written in Watchtower’s own literature for not
attending:
(1)
You were “sick” – it’s nobody’s business prying
into the details, so thank anyone who asks, but explain that you’re OK now and
thank them for not prying into the embarrassing subject of personal sickness
(2)
You were “travelling” – it’s nobody’s business what
your travel was; maybe it was a drive to a quiet place to privately reflect and mediate. Either way, thank them for
respecting your “private situation that involved me travelling”, and explain
that you’re not in a position to give them any details “at this time”.
(3)
You were “not with a congregation” that evening – again, it’s nobody’s business
as to the specifics. Maybe you could assure any enquirers that you did privately mediate upon God’s Word, as
recommended in the Watchtower, but
that you are unable to discuss the specifics of your situation “at this time”;
be sure to thank them so much for respecting your privacy, and for their
genuine concern.
Any persistent
repeat enquirer could be asked: “Would you mind reading the following
scripture, and then maybe we can discuss this on another occasion, when I feel up to it? Don’t read it now – look it
up later, after we finish this conversation. Thank you so much.”
“Make it your aim to live quietly and to mind your own business. . .”
(1 Thessalonians 4:11)
I hope that
this commentary on the subject may help some to be at peace with not attending the Memorial publicly this
year, perhaps instead making some private
arrangement.
[End]
