This is my final part in this short series.
In April it will be 14 years since I abandoned the Watchtower ship. Reportedly, I am rumored to be Disassociated as of July 1995. This ten year old Watchtower "lead-in" article, therefore, is fitting to consider:
Your Religion—A Ship That Should Never Be Abandoned? - The position of the clergy is, ‘Never abandon the ship. The church has been through serious crises before, but it is a ship that has weathered all of history’s tempests.’ Some say, ‘Why abandon her? What alternatives are there? Why not stay and help steer her into calmer waters?’
[Actually, the churches rarely ever make such comments. Rather, they point to Jesus alone, and NOT their religious organization, as the means for salvation. Ahhh ... another Watchtower slight-of-hand remark.]
This above suggested line of reasoning sounds all too familiar to former Jehovah's Witnesses. Yet, when the reasoning is applied to the Watchtower, the Society's leadership and article writers use almost the exact reasoning to keep JWs from abandoning the Watchtower ship that is often going in circles as it tacks in the wind of hot air.
"... many people, belonging to all manner of religions, reason, ‘I know that my religion is wrong in many things, but I hope it will change. I don’t want to abandon it. I would like to have a part in helping it overcome its difficulties.’ This kind of reasoning may be dictated by sincere affection for one’s ancestral religion or even by the fear of “betraying” it"
A case in point is that of Hans Küng, a well-known Catholic dissident theologian, who mused: “Should I abandon the boat during the storm, leaving those with whom I have sailed until now to face the wind, to bail the water, and perhaps to fight for survival?” He replied: “I will not give up my effectiveness within the church.” Another alternative would be “breaking with this church, because of its defection, for the love of higher values, and perhaps, to be more authentic Christians.”—Die Hoffnung bewahren.
However, here is the KICKER:
But can a person stay aboard the boat of his own church in the hope that God, in his mercy, will allow all religions an unlimited period of time to reform?
Former JWs realize that time ran out long ago, and so we have elected to abandon the Watchtower ship, whether we take a lifeboat, swim, or walk the Judicial Committee plank ... so that we can find safe harbors, and peaceful shores. Jim W.