Another thing that we are told over and over is that since we are doing the work of Jehovah God we are not burdened. 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome." Many times I would quote this Scripture and tell myself that I did not feel burdened and weighed down when I really did. It was inconceivable to me that Jehovah would break his promise. I realized he didn't.
You see, most of us feel like we are "toiling and loaded down" and wonder why Jesus hasn't proved true to his word to "refresh" us. Didn't he say that his "yoke is kindly and [his] load is light" and that we'd find "refreshment for [our] souls" if we followed him? (Matt. 11:28-30) Has he broken his promise? Has Jehovah broken his?
Never may that be so! Neither Jehovah nor Jesus lie. (Num. 23:19; Tit. 1:2; 1 Pet. 2:22) The problem has to lie somewhere else.
In a recent talk given by a brother in my congregation he said (and I am paraphrasing): 'There is much to do spiritually. We shouldn't ever feel bored. If we cannot figure out something to do we can always study for the meetings. If we've studied for the meetings we can read the newest magazines or read the yearbooks or read any of the other publications. We can write letters or make phone calls or even try to find a group of people to accompany us out in the field ministry. Yes, there is much to do "in the work of the Lord" and we should never find ourselves with nothing to do.'
Couple this with the constant urgings to "Auxiliary Pioneer, Regular Pioneer, do more, can you do more?, can you display the pioneer spirit?, or even if you can pioneer and you choose not to you are not doing enough and Jehovah may not spare you at Armageddon for being complacent" and we are being bombarded from every side, made to feel worthless or lazy.
Then we have the shepherds who beat the flock. Jehovah says to them that they have done awful things. "You...have also eaten the organism of my people, and have stripped their very skin from off them, and smashed to pieces their very bones, and crushed them to pieces." (Mic. 3:3) While this may be directed towards the religious leaders of Micah's day the same can be said of happening in our day. Yes, these men, these shepherds, "feed themselves without fear."-Jude 12; Eze. 34:2-3, 8
It is true that many Elders are abusive. At one time in my circuit there was a CO who was so cruel that the Elders would literally get sick every time he visited because of how mean he was. This is not what is supposed to be happening. When CO's visit it is supposed to be an "interchange of encouragement." (Romans 1:12) Do not get me wrong, many Elder's and CO's today are wonderful men who are true examples to the flock. However, some are not and yet they are allowed to stay in their position of oversight. Many realize that these should be removed as Elder's if they are not fulfilling their responsibility as explained by Isaiah.-Isaiah 32:2
A vision by the Apostle Paul is explained as his seeing our "spiritual paradise" today. He says, "I know a man in union with Christ who, fourteen years ago - whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know; God knows - was caught away as such to the third heaven. Yes, I know such a man - whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, God knows - that he was caught away into paradise and heard unutterable words which it is not lawful for a man to speak." (2 Cor. 12:2-4) The Society teaches that he was indeed taken into the future to view our paradise today. Unfortunately, this cannot be proven. We do not know and cannot know of what Paul was speaking. Many people believe that he was given a vision of heaven, something not uncommon.-2 Kings 22:19; Isa. 6:1; Dan. 7:9-10; Rev. 4:2-4
Paul said that this vision was a revelation, a vision. (2 Cor. 12:1) A revelation reveals something future. So it can be said that if this was a revelation of a spiritual paradise then it was not in existence in Paul's time. But how could that be? How could there be a spiritual paradise in the Christian congregation today but there is not one in Paul's time?
In Paul's time there were many things that plagued the Christian congregation including people who "lord[ed] it over" the flock, false teachers, and slanderers. (1 Pet. 5:2-3; 2 Tim. 2:13; 2 Cor. 10:10, 11:5-6) We have these same problems in the congregation today. There always have been and always will be problems in the congregation in this system of things. (1 Cor. 5:9-12; Acts 20:28-30) It cannot be said that we are in a spiritual paradise. Ask yourselves: What makes the Christian congregation a paradise in our day but not one in Paul's day? Wouldn't it be the opposite since now is the time when we live in "critical times hard to deal with"?-2 Tim. 3:1
What is the point of claiming that we find ourselves in a spiritual paradise? Well, after making claims like this the Society always says things like "which is filled with peace and unity", is "filled with a flock of holy persons", being in it makes us "free from many problems of the world around us", and we "partake of nourishing spiritual food...moved to 'cry out joyfully because of the good condition of the heart.'" Really, by making claims like these, it makes us believe there are no problems with the Society and in the organization today! If they didn't make these claims, which people want to believe so much, the problems would be much more pronounced in our minds.
All of the prophecies in the Bible that speak of good conditions in a paradisaical state are literal, pointing to a coming physical paradise. Do not be taken in by the idea that we are in a "spiritual paradise" and completely ignore the bad things happening in the congregation, things Jehovah promises to stop, and so begin to "love it that way."-Jer. 5:31
With Sincere Christian Love and Affection,
Brother Ebed Abodah
You are right. There are many loving jw's today. But the ones that really stand out in your mind are the ones taking the lead. I have had many jw leaders act exstreamly ugly and I don't understand why. My question has always been, if these same men were standing before a court of law, would they talk and act the way they do with people in the cong.? NO! They would not because they know that the judge will put them in jail for contempt of court. So why do they act the way they do? I belive it has a lot to do with the way the org. Is set up. They don't care about 1st timothy. They appiont men on the service time they put in. I tell you this because I know some of these ones past and how they feel today. My blood brother has been made a leader. He has all of my life been angry and willing to fist fight at a drop of a hat. He has to take zolof ( if I spelled that correctlly ) just to watch a alabama football game. He is a know it all and if you do not agree with him he will threating you with a punch in the face. The elders of his cong. Know this. But he has been putting in a lot of time in service, so they made him a min. As a young child, I saw that for the most part with the leaders, there is NO love. There are some, but for what I have seen, the church preachers show more compasstion and love. What makes the jw's like this, is because some want to power over people and others believe that no matter what they say, you are to obey. Through my life going to meetings, I have seen elders that were really good, to ones that were just rude and up on them selfs and to others that were right out hateful. I see no difference between the jw's and churches. I hate to say that. But it really seems to be true. Oh by the way, I said in my last comment to you that the org. Will not ave me. Let me tell you why. I was pushing to get baptized. I asked over and over. I was putting about 4 to 5 hours a month. At the time, I just got over a knee surgery. Plus I had a wife and two small children. Plus I had to work. I was told many times that jehovah would be mad at them if they allowed me to get baptized. Because I was not putting enough hours. Many asked when was I going to grow up and be a man? But I still kept going out. So one day the book study elder walked up to me in the hall and stood on my side and said this. ( Let me say this 1st, I had to wear redbok shoes and they were soild black, because of my knees and I wore shaded rx glasses. The meds I was taking was messing up my eyes.) " Look, we are standing at a door, and I'm trying my best to teach this person about jehovah, and all they can do is look at you. I can no longer go out in service with you. Either change your shoes or no one will want to go out with you." So what do I do? I went out and bought different shoes. Now I wasn't going to change my glasses, I didn't have the money for that. So I went back to that elder and showed him my shoes and he said, " I didn't tell you to buy shoes", then he walked off. I really felt the love! That is just one account. There was many others that talked, walked and acted just like that elder.
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