Good Samaritan

Pahpa

Is the lesson of the good Samaritan lost on most Jehovah's Witnesses? (Luke 10) In Jesus' parable, the priest and Levite refused to help the victim who had been robbed, beaten and abandoned. Both "passed by on the other side" rather than help the poor man. Both would have had a considerable knowledge ("the truth") of scriptural understanding of their times and would have been intimately associated with "Jehovah's organization." (The temple)

But it was the Samaritan who had compassion for the victim. He attended his wounds, brought him to a safe place and paid for his expenses. The Samaritans were despised by the Jews and considered as unworthy "apostates" having rejected "God's organization" in Jerusalem and having set up their own organization in Samaria. Yet, it is the Samaritan that Jesus uses as an example of a good neighbor.

When Jesus confronted the Pharisees about his disciples picking grain on the sabbath he quoted a scripture in Hosea to expose their hypocrisy: "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 12:7) Jehovah's Witnesses boast about their association with "God's organization" and offerings and sacrifices of service to Jehovah. But do they lack "mercy" and "compassion" for their fellow humans?

Brother Apostate

Yes, they completely ingore mercy in favor of sacrifice.

Sacrifice time, sacrifice family, sacrifice career, sacrifice money,etc, etc, etc.

Mercy, on the other hand? I can not think of a single merciful aspect of JW teaching.

And while we're on this subject, a closely related question comes from James 1:27:

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."

What have the JWs ever done for orphans and widows? Nothing.

What about other charitable contributions to the less fortunate brothers of humankind? Nothing.

Matthew 23:23,24 describes them well:

23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

BA- Glad to have nothing to do with the modern day Pharisees and Scribes.

mouthy

But do they lack "mercy" and "compassion" for their fellow humans?

I have to answer. I dont think the r/f witness does---- I do believe the "TOP" guys at Bethel do...Because as a JW I did think I was being the Good Samaritian, There were five of us, .We would find some one who wanted to study, they would have a dirty home, we got together went & painted it, wall papered it, & got food for them, Another time we would mind their kids while they went to bank,or grocery shopping if it was to cold for the baby, So I think on the WHOLE most? JWS are good people, & if you speak to the family & friends of the Koresh group, & the Jonestown families that are left they will tell you- most were loving kind people. It is the mind that was stolen, then when it belongs to the Watchtower - it becomes robotical... My two cents
Oh by the way on "THE HOUR" on Monday 8.00 p.m. ( T.V) Jim Jones son is going to be there .I want to see what HE says if I remember it

Pahpa

Mouthy

Yes, there were and are good hearted JWs. But most charitable acts were within the organization. There were/are exceptions, of course. But in my experience, I found most JWs insulated from the needs of their "worldly" neighbors and not involved with community help groups. Many JWs rationalize that by preaching the "good news" they are extending the greatest charity of all. But when a person's needs the bare essentials for life (food, clothing, shelter) a sermon hardly helps.

The point of Jesus' parable was that the Samaritan was moved by compassion and went out of his way to help a "neighbor" in need. In contrast, the religious Levite and priest didn't want to get involved in another's plight perhaps fearing that they might become "unclean." This seems to be the mentality of many JWs that I've known.

You are correct in noting that the greatest failure is with the leadership of the Watchtower organization. It condemns the "false religious organizations" because of "false doctrines." But many of them provide local soup kitchens, second hand clothing depots and shelters for the poor.

SirNose586

Unfortunately, helping someone else for the pure sake of helping someone else in need is a rare beast in the Borg world. In conversations, every person who committed an act of kindness or charity for a non-JW added the line, "...and I think that will be a great witness to him," or perhaps, "so maybe he will be ready to start a study with me because I helped him."

Is it wrong to help someone just so you can hook them or influence them into joining your cause? The JWs are guilty of this as much as others. Rarely did I hear of someone helping someone else and not hear the forementioned comments.

compound complex

Greetings and welcome back, Pahpa,

I have been without a car for several days, missing work and appointments. I had to decide between paying my rent - now due - or having the local shop do it at their unaffordable rates. A neighbor heard of my plight and said that he would help - NOW! He was working on my car till 8:00 last night till his son and I said enough! My neighbor is 85 years old. Parts cost - $50.
This is not to say that no JW friends were sympathetic or helpful. I simply found the elderly neighbor's offer the best, as he lives right across the street.

Coco

betterdaze

What JW brand of mercy and compassion is shown for fellow humans is so rare that when it does occur, it is trumpeted from the rooftops.

Then the feel-good story is passed around so the congregation can group-mooch off the one person's beneficence and generosity. It's a works thing, not a heart thing. Payment for the works is adulation at the Kingdom Hall for doing what any Christian or humanitarian-minded person should have done in the first place.

There's always got to be some payback involved with the Witnesses.

"Don't let your one hand know what your other is doing" is nice to say (and the Witnesses know all the nice things to say) but in practice, the underlying selfish motivation negates their [warped view of] charity.

~Sue

compound complex

BTTT

Good Samaritan

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