Stay Close To Jehovah's Visible Organization

[UROK2]

What an interesting post and responses!

I go back to more than 60 years as a publisher. Back to world war 2 era.  We were faced with expulsion from school for refusal to salute the flag and prison for conscientious objectors.  People chased their dogs after us,  tarred and feathered some and drug some behind cars, burned trailers and persecution was unbelievable.  In the cong. we NEEDED one another since the world was so against us.  

However as we became many and persecution subsided the attitude changed.  During the late 60's when the year 1975 became a focal point, there was a renewed zeal for the work since it appeared to be a short fuse.  During this time there seemed to be some in Bethel who disagreed with the 1975 theory.  They continued to study  and when 1975 came an went followed by '76,77,78 these ones made more "noise" as it seems that they were right after all.  When they developed a sizeable number of sympathizers, those in charge felt they needed to do something to hold things together.  So we had a number of people disfellowshipped in Bethel and the shunning became more harsh.    No big deal - "there's more where these came from".

I believe  that as we spoke with members of the GB, they thought -that to a certain extent -  they might lose the reigns.  Forgetting that unless "Jehovah builds the house," the laborers work in vain.  And that unless Jehovah guards the city - the guards awake for nothing.  

This reminds me of King Rehoboam who was afraid of losing power and when asked for leinency took the advice of his younger counsellors and made their loads heavier.  Scourged with scorpions and felt that by so doing he could keep his realm.  
Yet the rebelled and went to Jereboam - even though it was to their detriment.  He led them into false worship.  

Keeping Jehovah in mind and trusting that he will  build and safeguard His house is a lesson worth pursuing.  It takes the loads of our shoulders.  We are just fellow workers.  We are not the Contractor.

And as so many have commented, it's just between Jehovah and me individually.  Each one will have to render an account to Jehovah.

Just my thoughts...urok2

[blindshutter]

so many things to learn from what all of you said! *V*

MORNING - my CO, a Gilead missionary, pointed to the heart of the problem with another illustration: "everybody enters the Kingdom Hall, and it's so cold! You have an oven, some wood, but instead of starting a fire to warm up, everybody says: "Oh, it's so cold in here!". And more people are entering the KH, and they see the oven and the wood, but they say "Oh, it's so cold in here - can you feel the cold?". And even more people come into the hall and they see the oven and the woods, but they all froze to death saying "Oh, it's so cold in here! Uh, oh, it's freezing up here!""

I loved the point he made - and I'm living into a loving congregation, if I were to compare it with others (many come from other congregations just to relax to our meetings and to share a moment of joy with us, because they see the difference)!

What can be done - to leave, never to come back? Ok, this is a solution (or rather something unavoidable, once you are caught "disconnected" from the hive mind).
But if you have the power of love, the Christ-like love inside of you, then you know what you have to do, as long as it is possible.

[Libby]

Dear Blindshutter,

I wonder if that really is the heart of the problem, or if perhaps the CO should examine the system which breeds this problem? Is it love which teaches a people to compare one another's spirituality by outward appearances? To be rude to others as a show of loyalty and love for God? To judge one another and report misbehavior on one another? To not even pray for loved ones who leave?

The love I found shown among Jehovah's witnesses was in spite of their belief system, not because of it.

Your comments illustrate perfectly another case of the leaders blaming the followers for reflecting what the leaders are teaching.

Love, Libby