(Just some Sunday morning reflections on my part. Thought I would share.)
(looking around rather dazed)
Where am I? I’m confused.
You’re home.
Uh?
You’re confused because you have forgotten your original home here in the realm of pure consciousness. You dwelled here before your descent into the world of matter to experience physical life.
What?! I’m in heaven? But I’m not of the anointed! I’m supposed to be asleep in death until I’m resurrected into a paradise earth.
Sorry. That was a silly fairy tale told to you by a bunch of clueless men. Your paradise is here with us. This is your home where your soul….you…..dwells in eternity. Come, let us speak of the physical life you were given. I have many questions for you to answer before I place you.
(entering a place of serenity)
What is this place?
This is affectionately called "The Judgment Room".
(opens a scroll)
Let us begin. Were you happy?
I guess so. You know, sometimes I was and sometimes I wasn’t.
Did you love your fellow man?
Yes.
How did you show it?
Well….I preached the good news of the Kingdom from door to door and placed lots and lots of Watchtowers and Awakes.
Did you serve the needy?
You mean, did I serve where "the need was great"?
No, I mean did you offer your time and resources to feed the poor? Did you show charity to the less fortunate in life by giving of yourself and your monetary stores?
Well, we don’t really believe in giving to charity. We offer them a better hope through the organization.
What organization is that?
The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
You mean that religious publication company from New York?
Yes….you know…Jehovah’s direct channel who dispenses spiritual food in due season.
(looks annoyed)
Let’s continue. Did you have a family?
Yes. A wife, two daughters and a son.
Wonderful. Children are truly a blessing. Tell me about them.
Well, my wife was a regular pioneer and being an elder’s wife, she had to set an example for the other women in the congregation. So, she trained our daughters in the door-to-door ministry and always met or exceeded the required number of hours.
Tell me about your daughters.
Well, one turned out just about perfect. She went to Bethel after high school and worked there till she turned 40. They just recently had a big layoff and she was back home with my wife and me when I died. She’s a wonderful daughter. She’s pioneering now and even though she is not in the best of health, she still attends all the meetings and puts in all her hours.
What about the other daughter?
Not so good I’m afraid.
What do you mean?
She fell away?
She’s injured?
No. She left the Truth?
The Truth?
You know. The organization.
Oh, you’re talking about the religious publishing company again.
Of course. Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Well, tell me about her anyway. What was your relationship with her as a child?
Oh, it’s hard to remember her childhood. Let’s see. She never really liked going out in service. She was a daydreamer. Even at the meetings, she fidgeted and didn’t always pay attention. I disciplined her many times right there at the Kingdom Hall. Then when she got to be a teenager, we really had trouble getting her to go out in service. I had to threaten her with physical punishment much too often. But, you know, "spare the rod, spoil the child." I didn’t let her get away with it too often. But she never would get baptized.
What were her interests in Life?
Well…er….a-a-a-…let me see. She ……It’s hard to recall. I was very busy most of that time. Like I said, I was an elder and for many years I served as the PO. Between work, meetings, Bible studies, family study, preparation of talks, shepherding calls, and, of course, field service and return visits, I just didn’t have that much extra time.
I see. Tell me about your son.
He was a good kid. Didn’t get into too much trouble.
Good. You spent a lot of time with him then?
Yeah…uh…no, I guess not. We went fishing a couple of times. I remember that. He was pretty quiet and didn’t make a lot of waves. He was very studious, but I had to admonish him lots of times to read the literature more instead of always having his nose in some worldly book. But I took him in the field service with me every weekend. But, like I said, I was very busy with congregation matters.
After he grew to be a man, were you helpful to him?
I couldn’t be.
What do you mean?
I haven’t spoken to him in years. He got disfellowshipped.
Disfellowshipped?
Yes. Removed from the organization.
Oh. You’re talking about that religious group again.
Yes! I don’t understand. Isn’t that YOUR organization?
Hardly. Let’s get back on topic. You haven’t been a father to your son in many years?
Well. It’s his fault. He quit believing The Truth and when he asked just too many questions, well…..they had to disfellowship him for apostasy!
What questions did this young man ask?
He wanted to know many things. Why did the organization’s prophecies fail…..why did they have a membership as an NGO with the United Nations….why---why---why? Questions—questions—questions. It just got to the point where he sounded as if he just didn’t trust the Faithful and Discreet Slave anymore. So he had to be disfellowshipped.
How old was he when this happened?
About 25, I think.
After the disfellowship, did you continue to love your son?
Oh, yes. I never stopped loving him although he never came back into The Truth. Unfortunately, he went off to college.
Well, there are other ways to be close and show love. Religious differences are not that important in the grander scheme. Tell me about him as a man.
I really don’t know that much. I know he married and had a couple of kids.
What do you mean? Did you abandon him after he left your "organization"?
Well, of course. It’s required.
You mean you threw away this treasured gift?!!
He threw it away! He’s the one that left Jehovah!
My, oh, my. The greatest gift our Eternal Father gives to his earthling children is the joy to experience one of their own from infancy throughout their adulthood. It is a gift to be treasured above all else.
(shakes his head)
There’s no point in going any further. Come with me.
(enters another room)
In here, you will experience all the pain and sadness and heartache you inflicted on your loved ones….those who were given to you by The Father to nurture and care for. You will see full force the impact your actions and inactions had on your precious family and what the source was for this pain and agony. Organization indeed!....
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Feel free to add your own thoughts.