Who’s Responsibility is it ?

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What is it that decides a person to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? And then what is it that decides a person to leave Jehovah’s Witnesses; some after many decades? Were you searching for truth? Or were you merely searching for the “true religion”? What is the difference you might ask? For one thing, if you were looking for the true religion, someone else would have done the work already and all you would have to do was assess what they had done and see if you could believe it, or fit it into your view of things. If you were looking for the truth, however, that takes a lot more personal effort. You have to run down every thought and see if it holds true. You have to do personal examination of everything and only keep what is worthwhile. You have to check your own motives and see what it is that motivates you, so you don’t mislead yourself along the way. That is a pretty large undertaking.

As I look at the different forums dedicated to the Witnesses, some pro, some con, it is evident that the majority, were looking for the true religion. It seems to have inconvenienced them, that they couldn’t trust someone else’s work, and they were too lazy to do their own. Now they spend their time beating a dead horse, or whore, depending on how you look at it. None of them seem to be still interested in truth, if they ever were. Do they ever question their own motives, it’s doubtful, at least for the vast majority? All of their time is devoted to saying…”they did this”…”they did that”…”they’re still doing this”…”wont they ever get it?”…”boo hoo, nobody loves me.” Yes, I know, it is tragic. There are a lot of hurts connected with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, especially with those who’ve recently discovered the deceit. But after the period of grief and emptiness, your life has to be filled with something positive in a spiritual way. You can either go on beating up on them and making no personal progress, or you can be deceived by joining some other worthless man made religion, or you can develop your own personal relationship with the Creator and His Son. Yes I am talking about personal Bible study.

How many times have you read the Bible? How many times have you read it with a desire to see things in the way that God views it? There is a contrast in Proverbs chapter 9 that shows just how; true wisdom and foolishness are offered in the same way to anyone interested. It is a test of someone’s resolve, to not settle for less than the truth.

9 True wisdom has built its house; it has hewn out its seven pillars. ² It has organized its meat slaughtering; it has mixed its wine; more than that, it has set in order its table. ³ It has sent forth its lady attendants, that it may call out on top of the heights of the town: ⁴ “Whoever is inexperienced, let him turn aside here.” Whoever is in want of heart—she has said to him: ⁵ “Come, feed yourselves with my bread and share in drinking the wine that I have mixed. ⁶ Leave the inexperienced ones and keep living, and walk straight in the way of understanding.”

¹³ A woman of stupidity is boisterous. She is simplemindedness itself and has come to know nothing whatever. ¹⁴ And she has seated herself at the entrance of her house, upon a seat, [in] the high places of the town, ¹⁵ to call out to those passing along the way, those who are going straight ahead on their paths: ¹⁶ “Whoever is inexperienced, let him turn aside here.” And whoever is in want of heart—she has also said to him: ¹⁷ “Stolen waters themselves are sweet, and bread [eaten] in secrecy—it is pleasant.” ¹⁸ But he has not come to know that those impotent in death are there, that those called in by her are in the low places of She´ol.

Did you notice how the message is different, but the setting in which it is delivered is the same, at least the same enough that a casual observer wouldn’t notice any difference? So what were you looking for, the truth, or a close semblance of it? The responsibility rests with you. Being angry because some men presented you with a counterfeit that you fell for, because you didn’t want to do the work yourself, isn’t very profitable. If you’re angry, be angry with yourself for not having the presence of mind to know that you have to build your own relationship with God, no one can do it for you. Jesus said there would be false prophets. He said you couldn’t get grapes from thistles. Be happy that you had enough sense to see that it wasn’t the truth, and took the opportunity to remove yourself from the influence of Pharisee like individuals.

I don’t have all of the answers. No man does at present. If you’ve studied the Bible for any time at all, you should have a pretty good grasp of what it takes to please God. All you have to do is remove yourself from the self- serving teachings of the Watchtower Governing Body, and apply some of the things that were beneficial. ( 2Tim 3:16,17, Luke 18:17, Math 18:1-3 Prov 11:2 ) If you’ve been with them any time at all, you’ve learned some valuable things along with the crap. Their Bible-study-approach is one that should give anyone that truly wants a relationship with God the beginning of the journey. Each journey begins with the first step, you’ve already taken it, now keep going. You’ve learned that prayer is beneficial now keep using it. If you truly wanted to please God, He already has answered some of your prayers. If you thought you had a relationship with Him, build on what you thought you had, and try for more accurate knowledge. Remember, God doesn’t desert those who call on His name in earnest. Everything that anyone needs to know about God is in the Bible. Human wisdom isn’t worth much in serving Him. Be like that little child in your approach. Understand things with a simple view. If you need correction, He will give it to you. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, everyone does.

(Hebrews 11:6) ⁶ Moreover, without faith it is impossible to please [him] well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.

sidgi