Hello all,
You know, as an Evangelical Christian, it pains me so much to see these poor people constantly manipulated and told that they are not worthy of GOD's affection. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have LIFE, and have it more abundantly." He also said, "I am the light of the world. He that believeth in me shall not parish but have eternal life." And of corse my favorite story, encapsulating the limitless acceptance and love that GOD offers, is that of the thief on the cross. He simply talked to Jesus and asked him to "remember" him when Jesus came into His kingdom, and Jesus welcomed him gladly. Of corse when talking to a rank-and-file JW, the programming of the WT will kick in and have them believe that those words were not written to all people. But all it takes is a simple study of the Bible (without the "help" of the decieving WT publications) to see that GOD did in fact write the BIBLE to ALL people, EVERYWHERE.
I went to a memorial one time with a friend of mine. No one in the memorial was smiling, or showed any signs of joy. It seemed that everyone was simply going through the motions of passing the bread and the wine. And the format was much the same as was stated in earlier posts. The elder giving the talk said something like, "Jehova did not intend all to partake. Only those that he deems worthy. Those that do partake who are not of the chosen 144,000 will surely be punished..."
This is a message of unworthiness and judgement, given without authority nor appropriate reason. This message says that GOD does not love all people, but rather seems to be more like Zeus in his moods of rampant judgement and ridicule of his people, which is DRASTICALLY THE OPPISITE OF HOW GOD TRULY IS, AND WHAT HIS HEART IS FOR ALL HUMANS.
I have shed many tears for my friends that are JWs. I hope and pray that they will see GOD in his true beauty, and the FREEDOM that HE offers from rules, organizational opression, and human-concieved ideas that are so common in the WT. The fact is that HE offers tremendous peace, freedom, and fulfillment in Jesus.
I know this might sound like church propaganda, but I'm honestly trying to speak from my heart. Take it or leave it.
GOD bless all, and keep being the salt.
YeshuaInMeAlways