I had a bit of a waaaaaaaaaah on my blog this morning:
A friend of mine who recently left the Watchtowerites (Jehovah’s Witnesses) posted this video on Facebook this morning. Having recently been through this myself, I know what it is like to have people who used to say they loved you turn their back on you and act like you don’t exist. I have seen first hand a people – who say that one of their “identifying marks” is their love – turn their back and walk in the opposite direction of other people who used to share their beliefs.
They are told by their self named and self appointed ‘Governing Body’ that this is what the scriptures command them to do. The reality is that no such command is found in the scriptures, it is in fact, their own directive, a means to control with fear, the very people they are supposed to be shepherds for.
I have read the bible a few times, and studied it closely. The message that Jesus preached was one of love and forgiveness. Of trying understand other people and showing them through your actions the wonderful light that Christianity has brought into your life. The cold hearted shunning of others is un-Christian in the extreme and shows a fundamental misunderstanding of Jesus message of kindness to others.
The Watchtowerites are told that this is ‘tough love’ and that shunning those who no longer believe what the Watchtower teaches will help them ‘come to their senses’ and come back to the fold. While this may be true in a handful cases (although the return usually has more to do with wanting to be with their family than any kind of reconciliation with god), all this does is push people further and further away. The Watchtowerites love to tell you how much they are increasing worldwide, and say how many got baptised here and there. But the reality is that their increase is only a little over 1% – barely ahead of population growth. How can that be with all these ones supposedly getting baptised and increasing the numbers? Because thousands are leaving and never going back.
When someone tells you that they no longer believe what you believe. Don’t berate them, don’t turn your back on them, don’t delete them from your life. If you really want them to come back, show them how attractive and amazing your life is with the ‘way’ you have chosen. Show them how much you love them by showing some understanding, some empathy, try and find out what it is that has made them come to their decision.
Love them.
Unconditionally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SlbJKfZ9B1o
Here are the lyrics:
Jesus, protect me…Jesus, protect me
From your followers
Not all of them
Just the ones
Who turn love into fear and hatred
And the ones who say they are above me
And then point their fingers down at me
And the ones who judge me when I’m troubled
And they tell me on the street that I am lost
And they tell me on my doorstep that I will burn in hell
Jesus, protect me…Jesus, protect me
From your followers
Like the ones who only speak with anger
They’re screaming from my television
While stealing from the hand that feeds them
And demanding that you are the only way
While spitting in the face of love
With the one hand on the bible and the other in the purse
Jesus, protect me…Jesus, protect me
From your followers
Like the ones who turn their back on the dying
And laugh in the face of pain and suffering
They would kill in the name of freedom
Or the ones who would manipulate the Constitution
And try to make laws of their opinions
While walking shoulder-to-shoulder with greed and violence
To the ones who would start wars in your name
To the ones who would attack me for this song
I sing
Jesus, protect me…Jesus, protect me
From your followers
Not all of them
Just the ones
Who turn love into fear and hatred
Yes, they turn love into fear and hatred
