LOL why join them when I can Join the
almighty..................................which is what I have done BTW
William
"JaBrIoL" <Jabriol@excite.com> wrote in message
news:d222de3e.0405250444.5815e7ca@posting.google.com...
Well if you don't like them, don't join them. where do these cry
babies come from? Elmhurst?
"William Kimbler" <w_kimbler@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:<byysc.1921$eT4.1004@attbi_s54>...
At first glance, Jehovah's Witnesses seem to be the model of religious
democracy. In their informational booklet What Does God Require of Us?
congregational leaders are described: "These men are not elevated above
the
rest of the congregation. (Matthew 23:8-10) They are not given special
titles. (2 Corinthians 1:24) They do not dress differently from others.
Neither are they paid for their work."1
However, in reality the Watchtower Society is an absolute autocracy. All
authority is vested in the Governing Body, including the authority to
understand and teach the Bible.
So Jehovah's visible organization under Christ is a channel for bringing
the
divine interpretation of his word to his devoted people. 2
We acknowledge as the visible organization of Jehovah on earth the
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and recognize the Society as the
channel
or instrument through which Jehovah and Christ Jesus give instruction
and
meat in due season to the household of faith. 3
If we are to walk in the light of truth we must recognize not only
Jehovah
God as our father but his organization as our "mother." 4
Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that
represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so,
be
complete in accepting its every aspect. 5
They [Witnesses] must adhere absolutely to the decisions and scriptural
understanding of the Society because God has given it this authority
over
his people. 6
Avoid independent thinking . questioning the counsel that is provided by
God
's visible organization. . Fight against independent thinking. 7
To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify
that
organization and serve God as part of it. 8
Dissent is not permitted and, if discovered, is punished swiftly and
completely. Jehovah's Witnesses are excluded from membership or
disfellowshipped not merely for gross, unrepentant immorality or heresy
but
also for questioning the teachings and authority of the Society. Should
a
Witness be disfellowshipped, he learns firsthand what it means to be
shunned
by the very people he once considered his friends, family, and brothers
and
sisters in Christ. Witnesses are taught,
A disfellowshipped person is cut off from the congregation, and the
congregation has nothing to do with him. Those in the congregation will
not
extend the hand of fellowship to this one, nor will they so much as say
"hello" or "good-bye" to him. . [The congregation members] will not
converse
with such a one or show him recognition in any way. If the
disfellowshipped
person attempts to talk to others in the congregation, they should walk
away
from him. In this way he will feel the full power of his sin. . The
disfellowshipped person who wants to do what is right should inform any
approaching him that he is disfellowshipped and they should not be
conversing with him. 9
What if a person cut off from God's congregation unexpectedly visits
dedicated [Witness] relatives? What should the [Jehovah's Witness]
Christian
do then? If this is the first occurrence of such a visit, the dedicated
Christian can, if his conscience permits, carry on family courtesies on
that
particular occasion. However, if his conscience does not permit, he is
under
no obligation to do so. If courtesies are extended, though, the
Christian
should make it clear that this will not be made a regular practice. .
The
excommunicated relative should be made to realize that his visits are
not
now welcomed as they were previously when he was walking correctly with
Jehovah. 10
Witnesses are not only to isolate themselves from those who were once
Witnesses and have been disfellowshipped or disassociated but also from
anyone who is not a Witness and who attempts to present a view contrary
to
the Watchtower. No Witness is allowed to read dissenting material,
whether
it is written by a disgruntled Jehovah's Witness, a disfellowshipped or
disassociated Witness, or someone who has never been a Witness:
Have no dealings with apostates. . For example, what will you do if you
receive a letter or some literature, open it, and see right away that it
is
from an apostate? Will curiosity cause you to read it, just to see what
he
has to say? You may even reason: "It won't affect me; I'm too strong in
the
truth. And besides, if we have the truth, we have nothing to fear. The
truth
will stand the test." In thinking this way, some have fed their minds
upon
apostate reasoning and have fallen prey to serious questioning and
doubt. 11
Surprisingly, prospective Jehovah's Witnesses are told that it is right
to
question what one believes and to search out God's will for ourselves.
In
what used to be their standard introductory study for new prospective
members, The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, they taught,
We need to examine not only what we personally believe but also what is
taught by any religious organization with which we may be associated.
Are
its teachings in full harmony with God's Word, or are they based on the
traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to
fear
from such an examination. It should be the sincere desire of every one
of us
to learn what God's will is for us, and then to do it. 12
However, the Society means by this exhortation that one is supposed to
test
his own non-Witness religion, not the teachings of the Watchtower
Society.
Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to study the Bible on their own, to
interpret what they read in the Bible for themselves, or to teach
directly
from the Bible. Rather, they must teach from approved Watchtower
publications about the Bible. Concerning the Bible the Society says,
Rather we should seek for dependent Bible study, rather than for
independent
Bible study. 13
He does not impart his holy spirit and understanding and appreciation of
his
Word apart from his visible organization. 14
The Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian
congregation as a whole, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely
they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the
Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah's visible
organization
in mind. 15
We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the
scriptural
guidance we need outside the "faithful and discreet slave" organization.
16
They [questioners] say that it is sufficient to read the Bible
exclusively,
either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such
"Bible
reading," they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that
commentaries by Christendom's clergy were teaching 100 years ago. 17
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has weathered the storms of its
inconsistent and turbulent history by enforcing absolute control over
its
members and by excluding anyone who dares to question anything. It
should
not surprise us, therefore, that most Witnesses have memorized the basic
doctrinal teachings of the Society and will defend them adamantly, even
when
their defense is irrational, unbiblical, and nonhistorical. We turn now
to
the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Foot notes
1 . What Does God Require of Us? (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society, 1997 electronic edition): 2.
2. The Watchtower (June 1, 1938): 169.
3. The Watchtower (April 15, 1939): 125.
4 . The Watchtower (May 1957): 274.
5 . The Watchtower (October 1, 1967): 591.
6 . The Watchtower (May 1, 1972): 272.
7 . The Watchtower (January 15, 1983): 22, 27.
8 . The Watchtower (February 15, 1983): 12.
9 . The Watchtower (July 1, 1963): 411-413.
10 . The Watchtower (July 15, 1963): 443-444.
11 . The Watchtower (March 15, 1986): 12.
12 . The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible
and
Tract Society, 1968), 13.
13 . The Watchtower (September 15, 1911): 4885.
14 . The Watchtower (July 1, 1965): 391.
15 . The Watchtower (October 1, 1967): 587.
16 . The Watchtower (February 15, 1981): 19.
17 . The Watchtower (August 15, 1981): 29.
.
