Question about Prodigal Son parable

by tsar_robles 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  tsar_robles

  Well, after much thought put into it I decided to send a letter requesting reinstatement. I met with the JC and tried to reason with them on the prodigal son parable... how the father in this parable did not put his son through a waiting or probationary period, etc but rather embraced him ON THE SPOT... their answer was that the 'walk' to his father's home represents meeting attendance... in other words, the 'works' that befit repentance... any ideas???

  I reminded them that in the last 3 years I've attempted to attend the meetings and yet the anxiety that developed brought me tangible unknown illnesses and symptoms that were unbearable and thus had to stop attending... I was told that I had to find a way to make meetings though; that I'd not die because of that...

  I was asked how long did I attend meetings in my last attempt and i said about 4 months... "well, that's about 48 meetings... so say you went to 30 meetings..." I said: "no, i hardly missed any meetings and when I did I made sure the P.0. in that hall was aware of it as he himself requested me to do so" .... Them: "well, that's not what we heard, we heard that in the time you went (to that cong.) they hardly saw you".... (btw, I called the PO from the hall I attended and denied this....I trust this guy more than these other ppl though)

  Then I kept getting scolded and questioned why I had not been proactive in spiritual things such as getting my wife a home bible study, and I said: 'well, she did want a bible study but that person she made arrangements with never came over"... them: "well, you should've followed up on that, blah, blah"

  At this time I felt really bad and hurt because of their hardened hearts and left. However, because I was raised with manners I went back and apologized for losing my composure.

  We talked some more and their decision was that I have to overcome my illnesses, etc and that the walk that the prodigal son took represents meeting attendance...

  after a mental struggle in which the options I weighted were to either carry on with my life and pretend to ignore everything my life i left behind, or grow resentment against everything or ... the last option was to do what I used to do in the past when confronted by wicked elders... which is follow JC's example of humility and wisdom... meaning do the thing that will not give them any room to find excuses or justifications to reject me...

  so I decided that I will start attending both the hall that I attended recently (which is close to home) and their hall as well... if they ask me why, well, it's very simple... I meditated upon it and realized that my previous degree of deviation from the godly ways requires this much 'works' that befit repentance....
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  mostlydead

  If you're serious about being reinstated, you need to be aware that how they treated you initially is a good indicator of how it will be for you for an indefinite period of time, no matter how humble you are. Basically they have no choice as to what you can do to show these 'works' that befit repentance, it's dictated to them from headquarters. So even a person with a social or anxiety disorder MUST comply with those 'works' to the same degree as someone without those challenges (you won't DIE from it???? Nice.) There is no mercy or common sense in that ruling. They've already called you a liar and a slacker. This is by no stretch of the imagination the response from the prodigal son's father…his jealous brother maybe. My advice, if you must do this, is do not try to reason with them on any subject. They'll view it as a challenge to their authority and a sign that you have still a long, long walk ahead of you. It's a horrible feeling to be trying your best under very difficult circumstances to have them do little but disparage your efforts.
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  read good books

  Wouldn't the walk to the house be like your walking to the elders for reinstatment, I mean that's their interpretation to say you have to go to an indefinite number of meetings until you either get carried out in an ambulance, or the elders have enjoyed seeing you grovel and sweat long enough, what a bunch of sadistic, cold hearted, arrogant SOB's. They should be required to wear SS outfits to identify who they really are.
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  LouBelle

  If that is what you want then make it your number 1 priority and don't moan about what the society require of you - just do it.
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  parakeet

  tsar: "... their answer was that the 'walk' to his father's home represents meeting attendance... "

  Here's what that JC did with the prodigal son parable:

  T-T-T-W-W-W-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-N-N-N-N-N--N---N--G---G---G----G----G ---------- SNAP!
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  alanv

  The fact that you are on this board shows you must be aware of what goes on at the Watchtower. There is no doubt that many of the rank and file are 'nice' people but they have to do exactly what they are told as a previous poster wrote. This organisation has got practically everything of any importance wrong in the past and they continue to expell anyone who dares disagree with them. Surely this shows us that they are a very far cry from the love and truth that Jesus taught us. Sorry to be so frank but we are are talking about how you want to spend the rest of your life here.
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  Leolaia

  I met with the JC and tried to reason with them on the prodigal son parable... how the father in this parable did not put his son through a waiting or probationary period, etc but rather embraced him ON THE SPOT... their answer was that the 'walk' to his father's home represents meeting attendance... in other words, the 'works' that befit repentance... any ideas???

  Yet they go on to say that in your last attempt to be reinstated, they "hardly saw you" while you attended meetings to show repentance. Could the father in the parable say that he hardly saw his son while he was making his long journey home? Does this make any sense? He only saw his son the moment he arrived and his display of acceptance was immediate. There is no comparison. The JWs are a bureaucratic organization and you must jump through the hoops to satisfy their criteria in order to be accepted. It's not a point you can argue with those who follow their bureaucratic instructions.
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  oompa

  good points read good books and leo...and tsar....is there any way you can lessen the urge to re-join?...i assume it is for family?.........oomps
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  jwfacts

  when confronted by wicked elders... which is follow JC's example of humility and wisdom... meaning do the thing that will not give them any room to find excuses or justifications to reject me...

  JC did not show humility to the wicked Pharisees, he called them for what they were, offspring of vipers. He did not pander to their power play.

  I am not sure if there is a specific reason that you want to be reinstated, such as family, but if not I would recommend you get as far away from it as possible. Otherwise you will be wasting the remainder of you life under Watchtower control.
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  Farkel

  :their answer was that the 'walk' to his father's home represents meeting attendance... in other words, the 'works' that befit repentance... any ideas???

  Ask them in what other way he could have arrived at his father's house that would have made his father NOT forgive him? Would he not have been forgiven if he hurried and RAN to his father's house? Would he have been cut off forever if he took a camel to his father's house? Would his father have shot him if he took a cab to get there?

  What a bunch of braindead assholes!

  Farkel