(this according to my mother), and ask the elders if a certain person is REALLY a Jehovah's Witness, and yet they either rarely go out in service or only put in a nominal amount of time in, what could the elders answer those inquiring "Authorities"? I believe my mother was trying to tell me that this should give us reason for deep thinking. I immediately said, "This is just another example as to how the Society tries to CONTROL Witnesses".......What do you think?
Last Week The P.O. Said That In Case "Authorities" Check On Us......
by minimus 20 Replies latest jw friends
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FlyingHighNow
Of course it's manipulation of the dastardly kind. Or in Gumby's case, the bastardly kind.
Flyin'
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blondie
The only inquiring "authorities" that matter are God and Jesus, and they won't be inquiring of the elders.
The elders can just say it is "in God's hands."
How presumptuous they are to think they have the qualifications and authority to judge someone's spirituality. They best be served using that propensity to judge on themselves.
Blondie
w78 3/15 p. 14 Living as Belonging to Jehovah In the congregation at Rome some had been judging the actions and motives of others who had different opinions and different conscientious scruples. This was wrong and dangerous to all involved. It was displeasing to the great Judge, before whom none had a preferred standing. Paul shows a far better way. To those who were prone to judge, he now says: "Rather make this your decision [or, "judge"], not to put before a brother a stumbling block or a cause for tripping."?Rom. 14:13. (See The Kingdom Interlinear Translation.) They could turn their propensity for judging others to a good advantage by judging themselves instead and by determining to supervise their own conduct more closely. Jesus had warned: "Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with what judgment you are judging, you will be judged. . . . How can you say to your brother, ?Allow me to extract the straw from your eye?; when, look! a rafter is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First extract the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to extract the straw from your brother?s eye."?Matt. 7:1-5; compare 1 Corinthians 11:31; 2 Corinthians 13:5. -
minimus
Yes, they ARE presumptuous. As if the "authorities" are going to check up on who's irregular, inactive or low numbered publishers. They LOVE to make it sound that we MUST be ready for persecution every day!
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shamus
Excellent comments, Blondie!
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Nathan Natas
I can only recall one time when "THE AUTHORITIES" were interested in my JW "status" it was in the late 1960s when the military DRAFT was in effect.
But the "authorities" didn't go to the elders - they came to ME (or, more accurately, ordered me to come to them). It was up to ME to state my case, and not a single elder lifted a pinkie to help or encourage me.
I expected to be going to jail, but I was luckier than Farkel, who had to make his appeal before a Draft Board made up of inbred Mormons who had a jones for JWs (not that there's anything wrong with that). My draft board were intelligent, sophisticated New Yorkers, and they could see that I was "walking the walk, not just talking the talk." I got my deferment.
Since John F'ing Kerry has suggested bringing back a national service draft, maybe the Dubs are just getting warmed up; reviewing their Mexican bribe techniques and their Malawian "run for your life" sprints.
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minimus
Nathan, if the WBTS has any divine inside info, we can expect them to donate to G. W. Bush!
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little witch
This may be way off the mark, but I will say it anyway.
I wonder if the wt is using the now common knowledge about their un involvement and European court appearances as a means to put fear in the rank and file?
Somehow, they must turn this lemon into lemonade. It almost sounds threatening. Like they are mediators between "the authorities" and the congregation. Another fear tactic if you ask me.
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Earnest
Could this possibly refer to the authorities being alerted when there are "strangers" in the neighbourhood, going from door-to-door. When I visited the States some years ago it was the custom (in New Jersey) to inform the local police where the field service was going to be at any time. Wannabe thieves have often posed as postal workers/utilitiy services etc. and it is only time before they check out a property by posing as JWs/Mormons. It is not unreasonable for the police to check with the local congregation if suspicion was raised.
Earnest
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minimus
My mother did say that the PO also talked about how ALL the towns in the congregation territory now require the Witnesses to inform the police that they're in the area.