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

Loyalty and integrity

This article is on the discussion site

Loyalty and integrity are two qualities desirable in a worshiper of Jehovah. Both are well spoken of in the scriptures. God Himself is spoken of as having the quality of loyalty.

(Psalm 145:17) 17 Jehovah is righteous in all his ways And loyal in all his works.

Integrity doesn’t apply to Jehovah in the sense that He could be considered as not having it, because he is the standard by which integrity is measured. The definition of integrity is moral soundness, not only that, but completeness in it; unbroken, totality. That describes Jehovah.

While loyalty is desirable, integrity is preferable. Someone who has the quality of loyalty doesn’t necessarily have the quality of integrity. Loyalties can be divided, mistakenly applied, given without thought of integrity, whereas integrity always entails loyalty. Sometimes this can be a source of mixed feelings. The worshipers of Jehovah in the time of John the Baptizer might have felt that going to him to be baptized in symbol of their repentance was being disloyal to the priestly system then in place. Their integrity to Jehovah, and their loyalty to the system He had installed to direct His people, might have been at odds with each other. Integrity won out with those who did go to John. When John pointed out Jesus as God’s means of salvation……….

(John 1:29) 29 The next day he beheld Jesus coming toward him, and he said: “See, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world

(John 1:35-37) 35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he looked at Jesus walking he said: “See, the Lamb of God!” 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Once again their loyalties vs. integrity to Jehovah were tested. Some remained with John out of misguided loyalty, and some followed Jesus, knowing that God’s provision for salvation was the more important factor in their worship.

What about you? Why are you here looking at this site? Is it because your integrity is having a war with your loyalty? Are you struggling with your sense of loyalty to what you perceive as God’s organization, while your integrity to Jehovah is being stretched by the policies and sometimes self-serving teachings of that organization. Do the hypocrisy, class distinctions, and double standards that exist, war with what you know the Bible itself teaches about Jehovah and the actions He expects from His servants? Have you been forestalling any actions on your part because of thinking that Jehovah will straighten it out in due time?

If you look at the examples provided in the Bible, Jehovah always gave His people the information necessary to worship Him in an approved manor. He always gave them reminders. He always told them the results of following the teachings of men. It isn’t any different now. Within the pages of publications published and distributed by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, there is enough truth as stated in the Bible, and the correct understanding of it, that the leadership is without excuse in their mismanagement of Jehovah’s name among the nations. They’ve claimed an exclusive relationship with Jehovah, and whether or not their claim is valid, Jehovah will hold them to the standard required of such a relationship. That requirement also is placed on anyone that would worship Him and claim a relationship based on the sacrifice of His son. That is why integrity and loyalty battle at this time. Each individual has to determine his or her place in Jehovah’s arrangement, inside or outside of His approval. Either the principals that the Bible teaches apply to everyone, all of the time, or they don’t.

If it’s come to the point that your personal integrity is being challenged by circumstances in your worship, it could be that Jehovah is telling you that it is time to separate yourself from among them, you have to decide that for yourself. What about the others? Well, if Jehovah is telling that to you, personally, He will also tell them. It isn’t your responsibility to tell anyone else, unless Jehovah makes it known to you that that is what you are to do. Presumptuousness isn’t something that Jehovah rewards at any level, whether it is at the leadership level of the organization, or at the personal level of individual worshipers. Long, prayerful, consideration of your course is necessary. No matter what you choose, it won’t be easy. There are many things to consider. You are the one that has to decide whether your integrity is at stake, or your loyalty.

After you make your decision, you have to live with it, also not an easy thing to do. If you decide to stay, you have to constantly battle with those things that made you uncomfortable to begin with, and wrangle with your conscience over whether you are doing the right thing. If you leave, that isn’t easy either; you have to make plans for a new way of living in your relationship with Jehovah. Just what do you do? All of your past behaviors have been pre-determined for you to a point; how you worship, how you study, how you preach, how you dress, what you should believe, where to look for proper guidance. All of those are things you thought you had decided on already, now you find you have to address them again from a different point of view, no one to tell you what is right in your worship, except Jehovah, in the Bible. It’s a heady experience, but it is a humbling one too.

SIDGI STAFF MEMBER

Sodom and Gomorrah

Jehovahs Witnesses have flip flopped on this issue many times. Here is a CFM staff writers viewpoint. Disscussion on this subject can be made on our new discussion board here 

When someone asks if those killed in the flood of Noah’s day will be resurrected, or if those in Sodom and Gomorra will get a resurrection, we don’t know is the proper response. The Bible doesn’t directly address those issues, but there are some things that have a direct relationship to them. If we say, “we don’t know”, we are dealing with the subject honestly. Reasoning on the issue may lean our personal belief one way or another, but there is nothing definitive. There are some definite statements, but they tend to fall on both sides of both issues.

When Jehovah uttered the words recorded at Gen.3: 15, the process for restoring mankind to an approved condition was put in motion. This is generally recognized as the first “restoration” prophecy. Jehovah stated it before Adam had relations with Eve, so there can be no doubt that it is meant to cover all of imperfect mankind, just like all other prophecies relating to restoration of paradise by the Kingdom of God. At 2Peter chapter 2:5, Peter calls Noah a preacher of righteousness. Reason tells us that it would have been impossible for Noah to preach to the entire inhabited earth in the forty or fifty years that it took him to build the ark. But even if that were so, his preaching would not have had the same significance as that regarding the good news of God’s Kingdom. Therefore the response to it wouldn’t have had to do with their everlasting life. True, Jehovah judged the world at that time worthy of destruction, but as regards everlasting life, Jesus says….

(John 5:21-22) 21 For just as the Father raises the dead up and makes them alive, so the Son also makes those alive whom he wants to. 22 For the Father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son,

At Math 11:23,24 the comparison is based on two real cities, and the spiritual condition of the residents of each.

(Matthew 11:23-24) 23 And you, Ca·per´na·um, will you perhaps be exalted to heaven? Down to Ha´des you will come; because if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Sod´om, it would have remained until this very day. 24 Consequently I say to YOU people, It will be more endurable for the land of Sod´om on Judgment Day than for you.”

From Jesus’ comparison it is evident that Sodom had the preferable spiritual condition. Evidently the moral depravity and going after flesh for unnatural use wasn’t as deep seated as the apathy of Capernaum. Jesus said that if they had had the opportunity to take advantage of the messiah’s ministry, they would not have been destroyed, but would have remained till that very day.

(Matthew 12:31) 31 “On this account I say to YOU, Every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven.

Jesus says that there are two types of sin, one that will be forgiven, and one that will not. The fact that the residents in the area of Sodom could not have committed the unforgivable sin is shown in that Jesus said that they would have changed their lives enough to not be destroyed at all. In fact he said that had they had the benefit of his ministry, as Capernaum did, they would have remained to that very day.

There are many verses of scripture referring to Sodom and Gomorra, some comparing Israel to them, and some speaking of their destruction as an everlasting one.

(Isaiah 1:10-11) 10 Hear the word of Jehovah, YOU dictators of Sod´om. Give ear to the law of our God, YOU people of Go·mor´rah. 11 “Of what benefit to me is the multitude of YOUR sacrifices?” says Jehovah. “I have had enough of whole burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed animals; and in the blood of young bulls and male lambs and he-goats I have taken no delight.

(Jude 7) 7 So too Sod´om and Go·mor´rah and the cities about them, after they in the same manner as the foregoing ones had committed fornication excessively and gone out after flesh for unnatural use, are placed before [us] as a [warning] example by undergoing the judicial punishment of everlasting fire.

While an argument can be made for each side of the issue, no definitive statement is made in the Bible itself. Both sides are represented in some way, and while a person might favor one side over the other, the only statement that can be honestly made, is, “we don’t know”.

sidgi