I was very disgusted with the WT study for today.
Towards the end of the article it refers to Matthew 15 (see quoted Scripture below).
This is a beautiful passage where Jesus says his followers need to be hospitable, care for sick, hungry and imprisoned brothers.
They turn it around and say that for JW's this means they need to support the "faithful and discreet slave" by going in door-to-door witnessing, making monetary contributions to support the worldwide witnessing work, and following the directions and counsel of congregation elders.
And the worst part of it all is that there were several commenters giving almost word for word answers to that effect, they didn't even seem to listen to previous comments, they just repeated mindlessly what the paragraph said... I was ready to burst. Mom knew I was about to have a fit right there and then. But I held it together long enough to exit to the bathroom and almost threw up. I feel like a hypocrite listening and not saying "Didn't anyone listen to the verses in that Scripture? It's about helping the lowly ones not the Watch Tower Society!
Where was the Spirit of the Scripture in taking care of the lowly one, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, caring for the sick. What brazen hypocrisy to change the meaning of this Scripture to making sure more mindless followers are found in service, and making sure too that the Society's coffers are full. Oh and don't forget to follow the elders whims even if they're imperfect men... because... because... They are "appointed by holy spirit"!
I can't stand it any longer! I really can't. But if I voice anything like this I'm out on my rear, and with only a part-time job for the foreseeable future I just don't know how to go on. I really don't. I feel like a hypocrite just being there and can't say anything. I just feel like crying.
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Matthew 15
31 “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, YOU who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for YOU from the founding of the world. 35 For I became hungry and YOU gave me something to eat; I got thirsty and YOU gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and YOU received me hospitably; 36 naked, and YOU clothed me. I fell sick and YOU looked after me. I was in prison and YOU came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked, and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to you?’ 40 And in reply the king will say to them, ‘Truly I say to YOU , T o the extent that YOU did it to one of the least of these my brothers, YOU did it to me. ’
41 “Then he will say, in turn, to those on his left, ‘Be on YOUR way from me, YOU who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. 42 For I became hungry, but YOU gave me nothing to eat, and I got thirsty, but YOU gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger, but YOU did not receive me hospitably; naked, but YOU did not clothe me; sick and in prison, but YOU did not look after me.’ 44 Then they also will answer with the words, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them with the words, ‘Truly I say to YOU , To the extent that YOU did not do it to one of these least ones, YOU did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will depart into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlasting life.”
